Small Market Meetings November 2016

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Small Market Meetings Conference Coverage Over-the-Top Events Meetings at Casinos Iowa Meeting Guide

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By Dan Dickson

Volume 17

Issue 11

November 2016

Small Market Meetings Conference Report

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Attendees mix business and pleasure in Huntsville.

Over-the-Top Events Large-scale celebrations require special planning and attention.

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Casino Amenities A mix of luxury, facilities and activities make casino resorts attractive for meetings.

By Sasha Souza

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Savannah’s Enduring Appeal This Southern belle is perennially popular with meeting planners.

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Meet Murfreesboro This Middle-Tennessee city is a growing meetings destination.

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Iowa Meeting Guide Explore the major destinations and unique meeting venues in the Hawkeye State.

Courtesy Dubuque Area CVB

On the cover: Historic buildings and public gardens are the pride of Savannah, Georgia. Photo by Lisa Blue

SMALL MARKET MEETINGS is published monthly by Pioneer Publishing, Inc., 301 E. High St., Lexington, KY 40507, and is distributed free of charge to qualified meeting planners who plan meetings for groups of five to 500. All other meeting industry suppliers, including hotels, conference centers, convention centers, destinations, transportation companies, restaurants and other meeting industry-related companies may subscribe by sending a check for $39 for one year to: Small Market Meetings, Circulation Department, 301 East High St., Lexington, KY 40507. Phone (866) 356-5128 (toll-free) or (859) 225-1452. Fax: (859) 253-0499. Copyright SMALL MARKET MEETINGS, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction of editorial or graphic content in any manner without the written consent of the publisher is prohibited.

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Small Market Meetings Conference Booms in Huntsville October O b 22-4, 4 2016

By Dan Dickson

T

he delightful and hospitable city of Huntsville, Alabama, hosted the 2016 Small Market Meetings Conference October 2-4. A swarm of 190 travel industry representatives from CVBs, hotels, resorts and attractions from around the nation came to town to meet with 105 meeting planners whose business they crave. Huntsville was glad to have so many influential visitors at once.

“We can say a lot of things and send out a lot of collateral information, but when they come to your city and can feel it and see the attractions and what we have to offer, that makes a huge difference in getting them back,” said Bob Rogers, vice president of conventions at the Huntsville/Madison County Convention and Visitors Bureau. “We’re thrilled to have everybody in Rocket City.”

Huntsville got that nickname from its close association with the U.S. space program.

Mac Lacy, a partner in SMMC, lauded the city’s many attractions during the gathering’s opening remarks. “You’ll be going home and enthusiastically talking about Huntsville, and I think you’ll be able to easily sell it,” said Lacy.

Meeting Planners Find Ideas The heart of the conference was the two marketplace sessions where travel industry

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Conference Report

All photos by Dan Dickson

The U.S. Space and Rocket Center fascinates delegates at the Small Market Meetings Conference. representatives visited with meeting planners in prescheduled six-minute appointments and get-acquainted chats. The goal was to begin doing business.

Rita Zagar of Perry Consulting, an event planning company in Litchfield Park, Arizona, came with her to-do list. “I hope to accomplish fact-finding,” she said. “I’m learning a lot. I gather information about the CVBs and towns around the country. We do dinners and events and other things for nonprofit clients.”

Rosemary Williams-Raysor of the U.S. Department of Labor in Atlanta was scouring one particular part of the country. “My goal is to work with meeting suppliers in the

Southeast corridor,” she said. “I’m looking for people willing to hold meetings that are economical because we’re always trying to watch the [U.S.] Treasury’s dollars. But I’m also always looking for that wow feature.”

Don Testa of Trips Ahoy Travel in Huntington Beach, California, wants to impress his select clients. “I plan meetings for small professional groups like doctors, lawyers, certified financial planners, and real-estate and insurance brokers,” he said. “What they all have in common is that they need continuing education to renew their licenses.”

Ed Prokopik of EJP Event Planners in Branchburg, New Jersey, was also seeking sites for his specialty clients. “We handle

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

Huntsville hosts gather for a photo at A.M. Booth’s Lumberyard. meetings, sporting events, medical gatherings and so on,” he said. “So far, things have been great. They treat us well here.”

Destination Pros Find Business Michel Madjerich of Scenic Luxury Cruises and Emerald Waterways European River Cruises in Boston tried to win niche business.

“It is specialty and niche groups we want,” she said. “It’s a great avenue for that. I’m really happy to meet people who want river cruises.

With everything going on in the world, some are hesitant to do Europe; but business is just now starting to come back, due to the many specials.”

Amanda Davis of Visit Grove City near

November 2016

Columbus, Ohio, is selling her suburban area.

“We’re unique in that we don’t have a lot of full-service hotels but have 16 hotels and many meeting facilities,” she said. “I’m asking planners if their groups are willing to be transported around and if we can do some creative planning. We’re definitely not a cookie-cutter meetings destination.”

Karen Harris of the Akron/Summit County CVB was asking questions: “I want to find out what these small groups are looking for and match them up exactly with what we have available,” she said. “We want to put our name out there.”

Jolie Lyfong of the Greater Green Bay CVB, future host city of the 2019 SMM Conference,

is seeking first-time visitors. “We’re trying to get people to come to the area who have never been there,” she said. “We have the Green Bay Packers, tours to take, many family-friendly attractions, breweries. We can do a lot, depending on the demographic of the group.”

Rob DeCleene, executive director of Visit South Bend Mishawaka, the host city for next year’s conference, sees value for his college town. “We view it as an opportunity to host a FAM tour for 100 meeting planners who prefer second- and third-tier cities, exactly what South Bend is,” he said. “We look forward to having those planners in our community next year.”

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Conference Speakers Offer Meetings Education October O b 22-4, 4 2016

By Dan Dickson

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he Small Market Meetings Conference always presents top experts in fields related to meetings. Attendees at this year’s conference in Huntsville, Alabama, heard from speakers who taught them about networking, marketing, contracts and technology.

Shawna Suckow, a buyer behavior expert, asked delegates a question. “How many of you are sitting next to someone you already know? It’s easy to do that. We look for people who are like us in some way because we feel safer.”

Suckow said that most meeting attendees who are surveyed rank community or networking as their No. 1 reason for attending conferences. She encouraged attendees to adopt a “tribes” mentality and to meet and talk with many people.

“My theory, based on research, is that if everyone at a conference meets eight new people, a lot of good things can happen,” she said. “Overall satisfaction with a conference goes up.”

Jonah Berger, author and expert on wordof-mouth promotion and how things catch on, delivered the keynote address.

“Word of mouth generates more than twice the sales of traditional advertising,” Berger advised delegates. “Not just TV or radio spots or a company-generated piece of communi-

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Conference Report

Shawna Suckow wows the crowd at her return engagement in Huntsville. cation like a print ad, mailed brochure, booth at a conference, website or a testimonial. A dollar spent on word of mouth goes 10 times as far as a dollar spent on traditional advertising.”

Word of mouth from people you know and rely on helps. “We trust our friends or colleagues much more than regular advertising,” he said. “Rather than us guessing who to reach out to through word of mouth, what if

we could use others to do the work for us?”

Berger shared the example of preview copies of books that he frequently receives from publishers. He once received two copies of the same book and was asked to give a copy to someone he thought would enjoy it. He ended up doing the word-of-mouth work for the author. Uber did a free holiday ride promotion last year and asked users to offer a free ride to someone in their social network.

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

Jonathan Howe, a travel industry attorney, warned attendees about what’s in the contracts they sign. He said it is crucial to read contracts entirely and understand everything in them.

“My simple definition of a contract is that it’s ‘a self-inflicted wound,’” said Howe. “You’re totally at the mercy of what you put on paper.

When you ask some people, ‘What did you mean by this?’ they’ll look at you and say, ‘You’re the first person to ask me that.’ That’s a red flag.”

James Spellos of Meetings U discussed hot technologies anyone can use in their meetings or businesses. Although some people are resistant to new technology, he said, more keeps arriving every day. Spellos said some emerging mobile and social technologies include blended and virtual reality, wearable tech devices and artificial intelligence.

“All these things push the envelope and go way beyond just having a cool phone with a great app,” he said. “You need to know what you can do to differentiate yourself and your company.

“You should have already embraced social media by now. Change is tough, but you’ve got to push through,” he said.

November 2016

Rob DeCleene addresses delegates as Becky Fletcher looks on at Visit South Bend Mishawaka’s luncheon.

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Attendees Enjoy Rocket City O b 22-4, 4 2016 October

By Dan Dickson

T

he Small Market Meetings host city always puts on a show for convention delegates. That was true at previous conferences in Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Mesa, Arizona; and Little Rock, Arkansas, to name a few. Huntsville, Alabama, was no different.

On the first evening of the conference, delegates enjoyed dinner at the amazing U.S. Space and Rocket Center, sharing space with a massive Saturn V rocket inside the museum hall, along with vast amounts of space memorabilia. German, Mexican and Italian dinner buffets filled everyone up, yet many people still found time to hit the dance floor.

“I thought it was wonderful,” said Jackie Blue from the Ramada Plaza Beach Resort in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. “I had never been here before, and it was great to tour the museum, and the food was fantastic; so it was a lot of fun.”

“Being from New Mexico, we have quite a history with the space program, too,” said Julie Hughes of New Mexico State University in Las Cruces. “What you don’t think about is the size of everything, all the space rockets and hardware. For me, it was also great to hang out and meet new people. I liked the different nationalities of food.”

Day two brought a choice of tours in Huntsville, including a historic home tour near downtown, a visit to two craft breweries and a venue at a renovated former high school, and for some, a return to the Rocket Center. That evening, everyone enjoyed food and musical variety at the Lumberyard. A

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Conference Report

“Look! I’m an astronaut!” thriving lumberyard a century ago, the property has been transformed into restaurants, bars, stages, patios and other cool entertainment spaces.

“This is an absolutely awesome event space, and I would love to move it to our area,” said Beverly Stewart of the Pinehurst-Southern Pines-Aberdeen Convention and Visitors Bureau in North Carolina. “It’s a wonderful use of a facility that probably wasn’t being

used. The breakout of all the different venues inside is terrific. This proves tonight that anybody could have an event here.”

Sherry Rushing of the Emerald Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau in Destin and Fort Walton Beach, Florida, agreed: “It’s an awesome venue. I think meeting planners will be absolutely intrigued to bring their groups here for a special event. I love it.”

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

“Look what I won!”

“Who’s up for a selfie?”

“No, I’m not dizzy!”

“I think I’ll do the craft brewing tour!”

November 2016

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New Conference Center at the Claridge Brings Historic Hotel’s Meetings and Events Space to 100,000 Square Feet

Courtesy Claridge Hogel

A new conference center brings an additional 15,000 square feet of meeting space to the Claridge Hotel in Atlantic City.

ATLANTIC CITY, New Jersey — In a major expansion of its conference, dining and event space, the historic Claridge Hotel celebrated the opening of the state-of-the-art Conference Center at the Claridge and introduced the chic new rooftop bar Vüe.

The new conference center added 15,000 square feet of new meeting space, bringing the hotel’s conference space to more than 100,000 square feet. The center includes a 6,400-square-foot room, perfect for general sessions or small trade shows, and four smaller conference rooms and boardrooms. The latest innovations in connectivity include

Smart TV, light-emitting diode lighting and outdoor dome cameras.

The new conference center is designed to meet the growing demand for meeting venues in the legendary seaside resort, according to Cem Erenler, vice president of operations and business development for TJM Properties, the Florida hospitality and real-estate company that purchased the Claridge in 2014 and restored the property to its former Art-Deco style.

“Atlantic City is ideal for a conference, social event or wedding,” Erenler said. “It’s easily reached by road, air and rail and

within drive distance of several East Coast states. There’s gaming, entertainment, shopping, golf, water sports, family-friendly activities and great dining options.”

Vüe, the rooftop bar and lounge at the Claridge, is now also open to the public and can serve as a venue for private parties. With ocean views, a cosmopolitan menu and a contemporary design, Vüe is a chic new addition to the Claridge’s other popular venues, which include Malcolm’s, the Twenties Restaurant, the Celebrity Lounge, and the Beer and Wine Garden in Bryant Park.

The Claridge is celebrating the new facilities with a value-added comprehensive meeting package priced at $199 per person.

Available Sunday through Thursday, the package includes luxury guest rooms; complimentary coffee; the services of a professional banquet manager; continental breakfast and lunch in the meeting room; morning and afternoon coffee breaks; audiovisual services in the prime conference room with an LCD screen and a mic; pool access; parking; all food-and-beverage taxes and gratuities; and all room taxes and fees. www.claridge.com

Robinson Center to Reopen After Extensive Expansion, Restoration and Renovation

Courtesy Little Rock CVB

Little Rock’s Robinson Center will reopen this month after a two-year, $70 million renovation.

12 Industry News

LITTLE ROCK — After closing July 1, 2014, for extensive renovations, restoration and an expansion, Little Rock’s Robinson Center is scheduled to reopen November 10, with brand-new conference facilities overlooking the Arkansas River and featuring a grand ballroom and outdoor terrace.

Renovations completed during the $70 million project include enhanced acoustics, updated interior finishes, technology upgrades, and expanded public lobbies and restrooms. Other new additions include an on-site box office, a centrally located grand staircase to link multiple lobby levels, public drop-offs and parking garage vestibules.

Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau president and CEO Gretchen Hall said she is incredibly proud to note that the project is being delivered on time and on budget.

“When working on a construction project of this magnitude with as many unknown variables regarding the structural integrity of a 76-year-old building, we are exceedingly grateful that we did not encounter significant unforeseen conditions and [are] very indebted to the team of architects, engineers and construction professionals that have worked on this project.”

The project’s new design combines historic significance with dramatic new modern additions that take advantage of the building’s location on the banks of the Arkansas River.

The exterior envelope of the original building has been restored and is now visible in multiple areas inside the new conference center addition. www.robinsoncentersecondact.com

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

Kimpton Unveils Plans for New Tampa Hotel

Courtesy Kimpton Hotels

Kimpton’s new Tampa hotel will include an Italian piazza-style outdoor space.

SAN FRANCISCO — Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants has announced it will manage a new luxury-lifestyle boutique hotel in Tampa, Florida, that will incorporate a restaurant from Michelin-starred Tuscan chef Silvia Baracchi. The property, which is slated to open in early 2018, further expands Kimpton’s

footprint on the Gulf Coast of the Sunshine State and will be its seventh hotel in Florida, joining recently added Hotel Zamora in St. Pete Beach.

The hotel will be located at the intersection of O’Brien and Laurel streets in the heart of Tampa’s Westshore neighborhood. The newconstruction property will be part of a community gathering place built as a modern interpretation of an Italian piazza, essentially creating an intimate town square in an otherwise commercial area.

The luxury-lifestyle hotel will be designed by award-winning architect Albert Alfonso, who has earned a reputation for highlighting the community activities that occur within his spaces. The property will feature 150 rooms and suites spanning five stories, a rooftop bar that highlights the spectacular sunsets and a separate rooftop event space for weddings and special gatherings. The property will also feature more than 4,000 square feet of indoor meeting and event space, dedicated venues for musical performances, a

lobby bar, a pool and a fitness center.

The new hotel will also house the first U.S. outpost for Baracchi, who gained international acclaim at Il Falconiere, a Michelinstarred restaurant and retreat in Cortona, Tuscany. The intimate fine-dining restaurant will be supplied by a new off-site, state-ofthe-art hydroponic farm named Red Barn Farm, which will devote nearly eight acres of climate-controlled growing capacity exclusively to the property; but guests can still catch a glimpse of the growing techniques thanks to a showpiece vertical garden.

“We are thrilled at the opportunity to bring this caliber of heartfelt hospitality and dining to Tampa, especially since it allows us to continue growing along Florida’s Gulf Coast,” said Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants CEO Mike DeFrino. “The combination of stunning architecture, a Michelin-starred chef, a fantastic rooftop and Kimpton’s authentic, unscripted guest service make this a special project for us.” www.kimptonhotels.com

Photo credit: Bruno Vega

With more than 2.5 million travelers visiting Peru’s 11 World Heritage Sites each year, it comes as no surprise that the country’s $168 million annual tourism revenue is on the rise.

That’s why in 2011, Tourism Cares selected Peru for a sustainable tourism initiative that engaged peers from both the North American and Peruvian tourism industries to make an impact through volunteering and distributing $80,000 in grant funding.

THIS LLAMA IS VALUED AT $168 MILLION.

Join a growing roster of industry-leading companies committed to preserving the places we love and depend on.

Visit TourismCares.org to see how your company can help make global sustainable tourism a reality.

Three Ways to Make Millennials Love Your Meetings

By Vickie Mitchell

ara Silletto understands millennials better than many of us. For one, she is part of that generation, which spans those born in the early 1980s to the early 2000s.

And through her company, Crescendo Strategies, she helps companies cut down on needless turnover by teaching them about the millennial mindset.

Interestingly, the things that help organizations retain millennial employees also help planners attract and retain millennial meeting-goers. And, said Silletto, the things millennials demand — access to technology, connections through social media, cool meeting venues, valuable information delivered succinctly — appeal to meeting attendees in general.

“Everybody wants this stuff, but millennials won’t come back if they don’t get it,” Silletto said. ”Other attendees will come back because they are in a routine. But young people are going to say, ‘No, I will find a better conference.’ Millennials are less tolerant of the boring factor.”

Silletto has many tips for attracting and retaining millennial meeting-goers, too many for one column. So this month, we’ll talk about technology, social media and “cool” factors. Next month, we’ll tackle choosing meeting destinations and developing educational programming.

ference a catchy hashtag and promote it on everything from signage and PowerPoint slides to printed materials and promotional items. “Using social media extends the conversation,” Silletto said. Urge attendees to use the hashtag to share favorite quotes or takeaways from sessions. Invite them to post photos, and then have a photo contest. Set up a fun, “social media worthy” photo backdrop so attendees can take group photos and share them. Every conference should also have a Facebook event page that attendees can share with others. Have some contests there, too — “like the 100th person to share the event gets a free admission,” she said.

Remember, said Silletto, “millennials tend to share information with friends more often; they share and post what they are doing.”

Connections made through social media can bring attendees back to your meeting. Silletto soon will return to a conference in Washington, D.C. At last year’s conference, she and a half dozen others got together through social media and spent an evening “monument hopping.” They stay connected through social media and are planning to get together again at this year’s conference. “Now, we are best buds in this one space,” she said.

Technology

A Cool Vibe

Go ahead and set up those charging stations, Silletto said, but don’t stop there. Take a hard look at your meeting rooms, too.

“Instead of filling in the room from the back like you do at church,” she said, “attendees now fill in from the sides because everybody is looking for a plug.” If outlets aren’t adequate, millennials who are “using their mobile apps and taking notes on their tablets are going to run out of juice before the end of the day,” Silletto said. Work with the venue to add power strips or make adjustments to the room layout to provide easier access to outlets. Silletto also suggests giving away external chargers as door prizes or speaker gifts.

Conferences should also have a mobile app. “There are so many apps available now at a reasonable cost that every conference should have one,” said Silletto. In addition to all conference materials, make sure the mobile site includes an attendee list that allows meeting-goers to upload their photos and other information so they can more easily connect with their peers.

From upbeat music to fun themes, give your event a cool vibe, Silletto said. “The music sets the tone, and there is no excuse not to have it with Pandora and inexpensive external speakers,” she said. “And stop having those boring announcements — they kill the mood.” A lively script and a peppy voice, recorded or live, can make those standard messages — sit down, turn your phone off, the next session is starting — fun and entertaining.

And don’t introduce speakers by droning on about their past jobs and awards. Make speaker introductions short, snappy and somewhat surprising or enlightening. “Have the speaker tell you something personal and crazy,” she said, then build that into the introduction. Pick a fun theme and carry it forward in every element of the conference, from signage and name tags to banquet decor and drinks.

To download Silletto’s free guide, “The Millennial Mindset,” visit www.crescendostrategies.com.

C

Social Media Millennials connect through social media, so give your con-

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MeetingPoint

Vickie Mitchell is the former editor of Small Market Meetings. If you have ideas for future columns, contact her at vickie@smallmarketmeetings.com.

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

Over-the-Top Events Making a big splash entails careful planning Courtesy Peak Events

By Savannah Osbourn ometimes, a meeting planner is called upon to throw a party that will blow people’s minds.

Arranging a large event can be a daunting task, but with the right preparation, it becomes easier to tackle. One way to start is to look at the experiences of some professional planners.

Based in North Carolina, the Special Event Company has helped manage events like the Democratic National Convention and often brings in high-profile speakers such as Colin Powell and Steve Forbes.

Sasha Souza Events coordinates celebrity weddings, bar mitzvahs and more, and Arizona’s Peak Events is best known for its annual festivals and has repeatedly been voted Best Event Planners by readers of the Arizona Daily Sun. These award-winning event planners offer their insights on how to organize an over-the-top event that will go far beyond the typical cocktail party or banquet.

S

1. Make a schedule on day one.

Schedules require a certain amount of flexibility, but there should

November 2016

Concerts and other large-scale public events require special planning not typical in normal conferences.

be only a few small details to cover by the time the event starts.

“Start your planning schedule right from the day you decide to do the event,” said Sally Webb Berry, chief executive officer at the Special Events Company, “and put in some key milestones that you need to achieve by certain times.”

You should also consider which tasks are the most time sensitive, such as booking a major musician or speaker. Debbi Grogan, the owner of Peak Events, typically schedules festival artists almost a year in advance.

2. Establish what kind of message you want to send.

“In every event, whether it’s a social or wedding or corporate event, you are delivering a strategic message on how you want attendees to perceive that product,” Berry said.

Even at a wedding, the type of venue, decor and ceremony convey a certain image about the couple. Many inexperienced event planners make the mistake of looking for a venue or choosing decorations first, but consider your objective before diving into logistics.

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Courtesy Special Event Company

The Special Event Company created an over-the-top elegant affair for the opening of the Mint Museum in Charlotte.

3. Do your research, Research is essential, especially when organizing a cultural event or working with a foreign company. “With a bar mitzvah, for example,” said Sasha Souza, founder of Sasha Souza Events, “you have to be able to convey to the client that you understand each part of the ceremony and why it’s important.”

Likewise, if you are taking over an annual event, look into how it was produced in the past. Does the theme evolve each year or stay the same? What were its most successful features?

“When people walk into an event, you have about 15 seconds where they’re going to make their mind up on what that event’s going to be,” Berry said. “If you spend your money on nothing else, spend it on lighting.”

6. Always read the rider.

“Risk management is the most important aspect of any event,” said Berry. How does your team plan to communicate during an emergency? Have you chosen an evacuation site? Is everyone aware of the fire exits? These are the kinds of questions that are critical to largeevent planning.

Another risk to consider is power failure. If the success of your event hinges on a generator or a projector, then always assume you need a backup because you never know what could happen.

“Once we had a generator literally melting at a wedding,” Souza said.

“There’s a saying when it comes to power and audiovisuals, ‘If you have two, you have one, and if you have one, you have none.’” In other words, plan for a worst-case scenario.

Bringing in a celebrity to appear or perform at your event is a surefire way to make an impression on event attendees. In addition to their appearance fees, many celebrity performers also have a rider, a set of terms and conditions that the artist requires to perform; it can entail anything from a helicopter pickup from the airport to an entourage of 200 people.

In some cases, the conditions in the rider cost more than the booking fee itself. Berry recalled how she was once offered a free concert from Kool and the Gang at one of her events, which sounded fantastic until she realized the rider alone would cost nearly $120,000.

Publicity clauses can also be problematic. Berry described how a friend of hers booked a major artist whose contract prohibited any photographs being taken during rehearsal. Later, one of the waitstaff snapped a picture with a phone and posted it on social media, which led to a $100,000 lawsuit.

If you have any concerns or questions about the contract, make sure to voice them before signing.

5. Don’t skimp on lighting.

7. Get the community involved.

Lighting does more than set the mood. Poor lighting can make a fivestar hotel look dull and flat; great lighting can transform your backyard into an elegant patio. And sometimes all it takes is a trip to Lowe’s.

Grogan’s annual festivals are beloved in Flagstaff, Arizona, because she frequently brings the community, from city boards to independent businesses and local schools, into the planning. “They all feel like

4. Manage risk.

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Managing Meetings

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

By Sasha Souza

High-end events with live music, video and lighting require special technical expertise.

they’re a part of the festival and putting it on,” she said. “And they’re all rooting for us to make it succeed.”

When the Special Events Company produced the Democratic National Convention Welcome Event in 2012, it asked a local middle school to design centerpieces based on social issues the students cared about, such as pollution, childhood obesity and same-sex marriage. The results were inspiring.

“That was a win-win for everybody,” said Berry, “because it brought the community into the event, exposed kids to the political process and gave the schools some revenue. And it actually created massive talking points for the attendees.”

8. Get local businesses involved.

“We try to get sponsors excited about the event,” said Grogan. “It’s all about giving them a return on their investments.”

She described how a local water bottling company was hesitant to donate to her annual Brews and Blues Festival, so she asked them to set up two hydration stations at the event. “They were thrilled,” she said, “because it provided exposure for the company as well as a fun opportunity to interact with the community.”

November 2016

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Amenities Included

These gaming properties court meetings with activity offerings Courtesy Mohegan Sun

By Savannah Osbourn hen choosing a meeting or conference location, it is important to consider recreational qualities beyond the meeting space. Many casinos make great venues because they offer event centers, restaurants and entertainment all in one package, and there are numerous options outside of large cities like Las Vegas or Chicago. Here are five casinos to flag for your next meeting destination.

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Mohegan Sun Uncasville, Connecticut Steeped in tribal tradition, Mohegan Sun takes events to the next level through its extensive resources and vivid casino culture.

“Our 40,000-square-foot ballroom can be divided into as many as 10 rooms or remain open to handle large groups,” said director of convention sales and services Gary Baker. “In addition, we have 21 breakout rooms on the upper level.”

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Meeting Ideas

The massive Mohegan Sun overlooks the Thames River in Connecticut.

Mohegan holds an astounding number of amenities, with more than 80 restaurants, clubs, retail shops and entertainment venues. Meeting attendees can try any of 24 different craft beers at Comix Comedy Club or enjoy a complimentary evening show in the Wolf Den. Mohegan Sun’s 10,000-seat multipurpose arena is renowned for hosting A-list acts like Bruno Mars, Beyonce, Bon Jovi, Carrie Underwood, KISS and more.

This year, the resort celebrated its 20th anniversary throughout October with performances from Fergie, Sia, Tim McGraw and many others. It also welcomed several major events, such as the Amazing Race Casting Call and the Comedy All Star Gala, which Kevin Hart hosted.

However, Mohegan’s most impressive features are its three exquisite casinos. The Casino of Earth displays themes of winter, spring, summer and fall, and contains 2,800 slots along with 130 table games. It includes a smoke-free, enclosed slot room called the Hall of the Lost Tribes.

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Courtesy Seneca Niagara Resort

A ballroom is set for an elegant wedding at Seneca Niagara Casino and Resort.

Later, guests can play under the stars in Casino of the Sky, which houses the world’s largest indoor planetarium. The Sky’s opening in 2001 established Mohegan as one of the world’s largest gaming complexes. Players witness a world of motion in the resort’s most recent addition, Casino of the Wind, where wooden wings adorn the ceiling and a 35-foot animated water wall twists with color.

The property continues to expand. This month, Mohegan is opening its new Earth Tower, adding another 400 guest rooms. www.mohegansun.com

Seneca Niagara Resort and Casino Niagara Falls, New York With Niagara Falls State Park right on its doorstep, Seneca Niagara Casino and Resort provides a meeting venue with gorgeous scenery as well as world-class gaming and entertainment. The event center holds

November 2016

up to 2,500 guests and features cutting-edge visual and audio systems.

Technical specialists are available to assist with rigging, video production and sound.

“We are an all-inclusive resort,” said catering and special events director Karen Nordaby. “We have a beautiful spa and swimming pool, and you can relax after a meeting with a facial or massage.”

In addition to the gaming, dining, spa and pool amenities, the property also contains one of the best golf courses in the state, designed by celebrated golf-course architect Robert Trent Jones Jr. Each month, acclaimed performers and shows take the stage in the event center; past appearances have featured Mike Tyson; John Mellencamp; and the Hollywood Vampires, a rock group comprising Johnny Depp, Alice Cooper and Joe Perry. The hotel will also host “Dancing With the Stars Live” in January 2017. For a more intimate environment, head over to Bear’s Den Showroom, and enjoy music

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Courtesy L’Auberge Casino Resort

Golf attracts a lot of meeting groups to Louisiana’s L’Auberge Casino Resort.

from no more than 40 feet from the stage.

Beyond the resort, there are local wineries and walking trails to explore. Two notable hikes are the Devil’s Hole and Whirlpool Rapids trails, which each descend around 500 steps into the Niagara Gorge.

Another popular destination is the Cave of the Winds, which involves riding an elevator 175 feet down into the gorge and following wooden walkways through torrents of mist. On the breathtaking Maid of the Mist boat tour, guests encounter the foot of the falls as 600,000 gallons of water crash before their eyes. www.senecaniagaracasino.com

Four Winds Casino Resort New Buffalo, Michigan Located just 60 miles east of Chicago, the Four Winds Casino offers a luxurious retreat along the deep blue waters of Lake Michigan.

“It’s an absolutely spectacular property with the look of a northwoods lodge and all the amenities of a modern casino,” said public relations manager David Gutierrez.

There is no shortage of entertainment at this serene resort, with four restaurants, weekly live music and 130,000 square feet of games, includ-

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Meeting Ideas

ing 2,700 slots and 50 table games. Sales and catering staff are ready to help you plan your next meeting at the Silver Creek Event Center, which can seat up to 1,000 guests for banquets and events.

Groups can dine at the Copper Rock Steakhouse, an eight-time recipient of the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence, or set up a private bar in the Four Winds Hard Rock Café. The Buffet features different menu items throughout the week, from Asian cuisine to seafood and Mediterranean dishes.

During warmer months, guests can soak up the sun by the new outdoor pool and full-service pool bar, while the fire pits and hot tub create a cozy atmosphere for winter travelers.

The surrounding area offers a variety of leisure activities as well.

Meeting-goers can walk along the beach, take a boat tour at the marina or sign up for a tasting at one of the local wineries or breweries.

There are also many golf courses, shops and restaurants available. www.fourwindscasino.com

L’Auberge Casino Resort Lake Charles, Louisiana From a distance, L’Auberge Casino Resort almost looks like a palace,

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with staggered brown and white towers rising over the Contraband Bayou, and its interior does not disappoint. The elegant 14,140-squarefoot Ballroom is considered Louisiana’s premier meeting venue. Lined in paneled wainscot and coffered ceiling beams, this 1900s-style event center extends outside onto a landscaped terrace, supplying the perfect setup for an evening banquet or reception.

Another unusual aspect of the resort is the recurring theme of Louisianan roots and culture, from French-based names to local food dishes. “Our customized meal experiences highlight the Creole cuisine of southwest Louisiana,” said director of public relations Karen Andersen.

This festive atmosphere often inspires guests to plan colorful events.

“Past groups have gathered for a luau by the pool, a ‘cochon de lait’ experience with a fully roasted pig or a Mardi Gras-themed cocktail party on the Terrace,” Andersen said.

For a taste of fine dining, guests can stop by Ember Grille and Wine Bar, or relax with a beer at Jack Daniel’s Bar and Grille, which offers live music and lip-smacking barbecue. Before morning meeting sessions, delegates often grab a pastry at the resort’s newest casual dining venue, Modern Pantry.

In the casino, game players can try their luck at 1,600 slots, 83 table games and monthly poker tournaments. There are several top-quality shops to browse, from boutiques to clothing and pro-golf supplies. For a relaxing afternoon, drift down the lazy river or visit the awardwinning Contraband Bayou Golf Course.

During the holidays, many businesses organize an appreciation trip for employees, treating them to a program of wine tastings, gift certificates to local shops and sunset boat rides at the marina. www.llakecharles.com

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Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Biloxi, Mississippi Visitors channel their inner rock star at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi, where musical talent and history fill the halls.

“We have a huge culture of different rock music around us, and the meeting spaces also have that,” said sales and catering coordinator Cortney Hyer.

Located right off Highway 90, the Hard Rock Hotel strives to facilitate planning for guest groups with production services, customizable catering menus and audiovisual equipment. Planners can take advantage of the 1,800-square-foot Rock and Roll meeting room or consider the casino’s premier entertainment venue, Hard Rock Live, which seats more than 1,500 people and includes several dining halls.

Out on the pool deck, guests get a stunning view of the Gulf of Mexico and can swim over to Tequilas on the Gulf for a custom cocktail. Tequilas’ menu includes quesadillas, taco salads, churros and more.

“It’s beautifully set right next to the pool overlooking the gulf, and so the view is second to none,” said Hyer. The restaurant also functions as a venue for cocktail parties or receptions, and since it is climate controlled, guests can enjoy the setting in both humid or chilly weather. Other notable amenities are the Body Rock Gym; the Rock Spa; and Boogie Nights, a dance hall dedicated to ’70s and ’80s music.

In October, the hotel hosts the Champagne and Shellfish Festival, during which local chefs prepare a mouthwatering array of oysters, shrimp and other seafood for tasting. www.hrhcbiloxi.com

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SANDS BETHLEHEM

WHERE YOUR MEETING IS ANYTHING BUT ORDINARY. Book your meeting or conference today by calling Scott Lewis at 484.777.7928 or email scott.lewis@sands.com.

Must be 21 years of age or older to enter the Sands Casino.

GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER. M E E T I N G S D I N I N G

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SPIRIT OF THE SOUTH Beaut yy, charm and hospitalit p y draw groups g p to Savannah

By Katherine Tandy Brown

Hundreds of historic homes and dozens of garden squares give Savannah its signature style.

“A destination plays an important part in the meeting experience.

Savannah appeals to all five senses.”

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n 1733, James Oglethorpe set up Savannah on a 24-square Roman “A destination plays an important part in the meeting experience,” military grid with wide streets as firebreaks. That plan has served said Jeff Hewitt, senior vice president of Visit Savannah. “Savannah the city well: Civil War Gen. Tecumseh Sherman was so impressed appeals to all five senses.” with the beauty of Savannah that he gave the Set on the Savannah River across from downcity that his troops occupied to President town, the Savannah International Trade and Lincoln as a Christmas gift. That beauty endures Convention Center has 330,000 square feet of today and continues to make Savannah one of meeting space — a 100,000-square-foot exhibit the most popular cities in the South. hall, 13 meeting rooms, four boardrooms and a Savannah’s Landmark Historic District, the sunlight-filled, 1,800-person-capacity connation’s largest, is one huge walkable neighborcourse for receptions that can flow outdoors hood. Live oaks hung with Spanish moss create onto the riverbank. A 25,000-square-foot ballan enormous, cooling urban forest. Photoroom boasts evening views of the architectursnapping groups on walking tours, clip-clopping ally intricate Talmadge Bridge, downtown lights, horses pulling carriages, professionals on their and huge container ships chugging into and out lunch hour and backpack-toting Savannah of this busy port city.

College of Art and Design (SCAD) students mean“We can create an area for smaller groups by der past shops, coffeehouses, tearooms, pubs, using our 367-seat auditorium and smaller theaters and churches sprinkled throughout 22 meeting rooms,” said Fredia Brady, the center’s garden squares, each with a distinctive personalsenior director of sales. “It mimics that intimate Savannah Trolley ity. Crowning this history-rich area is 30-acre feeling of a hotel.”

Forsyth Park, ultimate outdoor local hangout and Just steps away, the 403-room Westin All p photos courtesy y Visit Savannah event venue. A busy selfie spot, its elaborate Savannah Harbor Golf Resort and Spa shares an fountain flows green on St. Patrick’s Day during island with the center and features 35,000 the country’s second-largest celebration. square feet of meeting space, including the LOCATION Little wonder that in May, Travel + Leisure 6,000-square-foot outdoor Harbor Lawn, which Southeast Georgia on the Savannah River named Savannah one of “America’s Favorite hosts up to 250 seated. Amenities such as an Cities.”

18-hole PGA Championship golf course — a forACCESS mer host to the Legends tournament — and a Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport, Bourbon and Chocolate Bar lure visitors to park Distinctive Neighborhoods Amtrak, interstates 95 and 16 their cars for the duration of their stay.

The district’s lovingly restored historic build“Thanks to a partnership, guests can also chill ings include City Market; the Mercer-Williams MAJOR MEETING SPACES at Bloody Point Golf Club and Resort on House, made famous by “Midnight in the Savannah International Trade and Daufuskie Island, just a short, complimentary Garden of Good and Evil”; and the Olde Pink Convention Center, Savannah Civic Center, boat ride away,” said David Moses, director of House. Once a bank, this 1771 Georgian manCoastal Georgia Center public relations and communications for sion now serves Southern lunches and dinners HOTEL ROOMS Savannah and Hilton Head Westins.

— she-crab soup, shrimp and grits, etc.

15,000 rooms in the Savannah area, 4,500 When a meeting is over, attendees can hop “Our second-floor grand ballroom holds 130 in the historic district aboard a Savannah Belles Ferry for a free, fourand features large murals of low-country scenes minute river ride to River Street to stroll the painted on silver leaf,” said Reginald Mack, resOFFSITE VENUES riverfront on cobblestones once used as ships’ taurant manager.

Charles H. Morris Center, Jepson Center ballast, past old cotton warehouses repurposed Its basement Planters Tavern, all leather and for the Arts, Telfair Academy of Arts and as boutiques, shops, candy-makers, restaurants dark paneling, can host up to 50 for a corporate Sciences, Mighty 8th Air Force Museum, buyout.

Gingerbread House, Owens-Thomas House, and bars. Nearby is the Marriott Savannah Riverfront, with 391 rooms, including 46 suites; Broughton Street is a downtown shoppers’ Forsyth Park, Savannah Squares, River nirvana, with 37 upscale stores in the midst of a Street Riverboat Company, The Pink House 36,000 square feet of meeting space; the fullservice Magnolia Spa; and splendid water views. $200 million facade lift. SCAD has been instruCONTACT INFO mental in Savannah’s preservation by restoring Visit Savannah buildings throughout the city, such as an earlyHotel Boom 877-728-2662 1900s-era Greyhound Bus Station, now a hot Despite the city’s strict historic preservation www.visitsavannah.com new restaurant, The Grey. building codes, meetings-related construction is

Savannah, Georgia

November 2016

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The fountain at Forsyth Park is the centerpiece of a city filled with ornaments. booming downtown. The big news is the October ground-breaking for the conversion of a spacious old River Street power plant into a 420room J.W. Marriott hotel. Directly across the street, a 170-room Tribute property is going up. Both are due for completion in late 2018 to early 2019.

“This development is game changing because it will provide 600 rooms either on or near the waterfront, convenient to the convention center by water taxis,” said Hewitt.

At the opposite end of River Street, a new Homewood Suites opened in 2015 is the first installment in a three-hotel complex to include a new 80-room Marriott AC hotel and a new 200-room Hilton.

“Most of the construction is limited service because there aren’t big footprints of land available,” Hewitt said. “We see a lot of older product being repurposed.”

A former horse livery on Washington Square that once housed the first Coca-Cola plant outside Atlanta has just reopened as the 145-guest-room, 26-suite Kimpton Brice boutique hotel. Its Secret Garden accommodates 100 for receptions.

Other historic district properties include a 151-guest-room Andaz, Hyatt’s high-end international boutique hotel, with a rooftop pool and a 125-capacity outdoor terrace; the Hotel Indigo, opened in March,

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with exposed brick and high ceilings, 252 guest rooms/suites and 6,000 square feet of event space; and the five-story River Street Inn, a Historic Hotels of America, 200-year-old converted cotton warehouse with water views from a rooftop deck and the River House Restaurant nearby, which welcomes groups.

An 1888 Victorian-Romanesque mansion hotel, the 125-room-andsuite Mansion at Forsyth Park offers indoor and outdoor event spaces, a noteworthy art gallery, a spa and the elegant 700 Kitchen Restaurant and Cooking School. Groups of up to 15 can assist James Beard featured chef Peter Russo in preparing meals, buying fresh produce or tying on aprons for team building.

“Teams can make a meal from a basketful of mystery ingredients or try to guess what’s in a dish made from 15 ingredients,” said Russo.

Off-Site Venues A beautifully restored 1881 building in the historic district made of Savannah gray bricks, the Charles H. Morris Center is a 3,600-squarefoot event property with adjoining tented space, catering kitchen and meeting area where 300 can gather for a reception.

“The old bricks are beautiful,” said owner Charles Morris. “I wouldn’t let the restorers change anything. It’s part of history. The acoustics are

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A Savannah institution, Leopold’s Ice Cream was founded in 1919.

good, and you can dance on the original floor.”

Artsy groups can host up to 350 for a cocktail reception in the Telfair Academy of Arts and Sciences’ Sculpture Gallery. The nearby Jepson Center for the Arts offers a soaring atrium with Telfair Square views, a 220-seat theater and a third-floor sculpture garden.

Located in nearby Pooler, the 90,000-square-foot National Museum of the Mighty 8th Air Force honors the 8th Air Force through historyrevealing exhibits — some hands-on — and unusual meeting spaces, such as the 1940s English Pub and the Combat Room, under the wings of a World War II B-17 Flying Fortress, the City of Savannah.

After-Hours Fun “Attendees can explore Savannah on walking tours with a free phone download in seven languages,” said Summer Bozeman, Visit Savannah’s communications coordinator. “Other options are narrated trolley tours, horse-drawn carriages and Segways.”

In addition to leading guided walking tours through the city’s history-laden squares, Savannah Taste Experience can throw a Micro Food Fest for 125 and up. Included are tasting fare from 10 restaurants, meeting local chefs and touring a craft brewery, all under one roof.

Located at the end of River Street, the brand-new Service Brewery,

November 2016

which is military-veteran-owned and -operated, will rent out its entire brewery for a sudsy buyout.

For a relaxing, hilarious city tour, Savannah Slow Ride accommodates 15 people per “crawler,” a pedal-powered, bicyclelike vehicle. Everyone pedals while a “driver” steers and narrates the passing scenery. Offerings include the Boos Cruise — a ghost tour — in America’s Most Haunted City and a pub crawl to Savannah’s favorite watering holes, from which participants can take to-go cups, legal in the Hostess City.

A city view from the water is River Street Riverboat’s specialty. In December, a new 1,100-capacity boat will offer narrated sightseeing cruises, a Southern buffet dinner cruise and a gospel cruise.

Sundial Charters offers jaunts to Little Tybee Island to spot dolphins and explore the salt marsh and maritime forest. Only 18 miles away, Tybee Island is Savannah’s beach, with bicycling, kayaking and deepsea-fishing charters.

“Every group that meets in Savannah sees an increase in attendance,” Brady said. “Forty percent of our meeting customers are repeat.”

“Historically, state and regional associations meet here,” said Hewitt.

“Now we’re attracting national associations, which has brought a new national-scale awareness to the destination. Savannah is the real deal.”

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Meet Me in Murfreesboro

By Katherine Tandy Brown

All photos courtesy Rutherford Co. CVB

Above: Teams can learn to fire a cannon at Stones River National Battlefield.

Left: Oaklands Mansion holds up to 150 guests for receptions. stone obelisk marks the exact geographic center of the state of Tennessee. It’s in Murfreesboro, the home of Grammy-nominated RCA Records Nashville singersongwriter Chris Young; the state’s largest undergraduate university, 26,000-student Middle Tennessee State; and as the Rutherford County seat, an antebellum courthouse to remind of the town’s stint as state capital from 1819 to 1826.

Proximity to Nashville is but one of the numerous lures for groups to convene in Rutherford County’s 108,000 total square feet of meeting space.

“When a planner brings a conference to town and they visit our attractions, off-site venues and 350-plus restaurants, they want to get a feel for the area and its culture,” said Barbara Wolke, vice president of the Rutherford County Convention and Visitors Bureau (RCCVB). “Our county is steeped in Civil War history, with a national battlefield and antebellum mansions. Our goal is to deliver a true Tennessee experience.”

For the past three years, Murfreesboro has received ConventionSouth Readers’ Choice Award for Best Meeting Sites in the South. And with a population of nearly 123,000, the Volunteer State’s fastest-growing major city is one of the U.S. Census Bureau’s Top 12 American Boomtowns. Meetings business is hopping throughout Rutherford County.

A new 113-room Courtyard by Marriott in Murfreesboro adds 2,000-plus square feet of meeting space, and a Home2Suites/Tru by Hilton opens in 2017. Nearby Smyrna has a new 89-room TownePlace Suites by Marriott. An UpTown Suites by InTown opens in spring 2017.

Late this year, the Fountains at Gateway, a 70,000-square-foot upscale dining, shopping and office development, is scheduled to open its first phase, which includes a sizable plaza event space. Eventually, the 31-acre complex will also feature a hotel, fountains, parks and rentable bikes, with connectivity to the city’s 12-mile Greenway trail system.

Working with planners, the RCCVB creates customized itineraries that can include a group visit to Nashville, only a half-hour away.

“A bonus is free step-on guide service from the moment attendees arrive until they leave,” Wolke said. “And we have countywide free parking. It’s a Southern-hospitality thing.”

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M U R F R E E S B O R O, T E N N E S S E E LOCATION Middle Tennessee ACCESS Nashville International Airport; Interstate 24 MAJOR MEETING SPACES Embassy Suites by Hilton SE Nashville Murfreesboro, DoubleTree by Hilton Murfreesboro, Hilton Garden Inn Murfreesboro, Holiday Inn Murfreesboro HOTEL ROOMS 4,000 rooms in Rutherford County OFF-SITE VENUES The Grove at Williamson Place, Maney Hall at Oaklands Mansion, Carriage Lane Reception House and Inn CONTACT INFO Rutherford County Convention and Visitors Bureau 800-716-7560 www.readysetrutherford.com

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Destination Showcase

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Meeting attendees can enjoy some downtime in Cannonsburgh Village, a re-created 19th-century Southern town.

Conference Center

Off-Site Venues

Embassy Suites by Hilton Nashville SE Murfreesboro is home to Rutherford County’s 80,000-square-foot conference center. Located next to The Avenue, the largest open-air retail and dining venue in Tennessee, the 283-suite property is the area’s largest and offers 43,000 square feet of meeting space, with 1,000 free parking spaces and a 28,800-square-foot ballroom that can accommodate 2,000 attendees for a reception.

“We’re better on your budget than rooms in Nashville, where high demand allows higher room rates,” said Denise Coop Tinney, director of sales and marketing. “And we’re only 23 miles from the state capital.”

Murfreesboro’s largest formal event space, 150-guest Maney Hall at Oaklands Mansion is a reproduction Victorian carriage house with a spacious catering kitchen.

“Oaklands Mansion is a pre-Civil War doctor’s plantation on 1,500 acres with an arboretum, walking trail and heritage gardens,” said James Manning, executive director.

Union and Confederate armies once occupied the historic home.

Across the street from the Embassy Suites, the Grove at Williamson Place, a former dairy farm, hosts up to 150 guests in three converted barns with event spaces of 1,500 to 5,000 square feet.

“We’re a farm retreat with a beautiful, rustic, laid-back atmosphere, not a stuffy hotel room,” said Marshall Campbell, manager.

Hotel Meeting Spaces With 5,500 total square feet of meeting space, the 168-room DoubleTree by Hilton Murfreesboro has a 3,100-square-foot ballroom for up to 300 seated and 450 standing.

According to Melissa Cassidy, director of sales, the property’s size is perfect. “We’re large enough to host associations, but they don’t have to share their meeting space with another group.”

Across a parking lot, a new live-music venue, 7,200-square-foot JazzMatazz, serves Cajun food by day and live New Orleans jazz at night.

The Holiday Inn Murfreesboro adds 110 rooms and 5,300 square feet of meeting space, and the 100-room Hilton Garden Inn Murfreesboro adds another 4,200.

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Breweries, Wineries and Distilleries The Murfreesboro area is rife with sipping spots. Mayday Brewery is a 100-capacity event space with a 1,000-square-foot outdoor deck, signature craft beers and food truck go-withs.

Not far out of town, groups can do tastings at Arrington Vineyards, founded by Kix Brooks of country music’s Brooks and Dunn, where groups of up to 100 can dine outdoors and revel in beautiful vineyard and hill country scenery; Jack Daniel’s Distillery, home of “Tennessee Sippin’ Whiskey,” a variety of tours, and Lynchburg Hardware and General Store; and Short Mountain Distillery, maker of sour mash moonshine on a 400-acre farm and event venue.

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Team Building Known as the Sports Capital of Tennessee due to its first-rate facilities, Murfreesboro hosts Spring Fling, the state’s Olympics-style high school championships. Middle Tennessee State University’s Murphy Center complex, where the events are held, recently underwent a $14 million facelift.

For groups, the city offers an array of team-building options, including six public golf courses, three escape-room choices, an indoor climbing center, and foot golf, a golf-soccer combo.

At 650-acre Stones River National Battlefield, where 23,000 died in one of the Civil War’s bloodiest battles, competing teams can learn the many important roles involved in firing a cannon.

Area Attractions In addition to walking tours, spas and cooking schools, spouses and postmeeting attendees can tour the multibillion-dollar Nissan North America Smyrna factory, maker of the all-electric Leaf automobile; enjoy music and plays in the Murfreesboro Center for the Arts’ 124-seat performance hall; and explore Cannonsburgh Village, a reconstructed 1830s to 1930s Southern settlement with a gristmill and a working blacksmith shop.

Zany fun reigns at Lanes, Trains and Automobiles, a 50,000-squarefoot family fun center with 24 bowling lanes, laser tag, bumper cars, and a restaurant and bar, and at Big Bang Dueling Piano Bar, with its high-energy sing-along audience participation and musical comedy.

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Destination Showcase

Visitors shop on the square in downtown Murfreesboro.

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A Winning Tradition

By Kristy Alpert

Lambeau Field Photos courtesy Green Bay Packers

LOCATION here was a time when Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin, was just a stadium. The date was September 29, 1957, and nearly 32,154 fans were just beginning to file in, taking their seats on the brand-new wooden bleachers that took nine long months to construct. At that moment, the brand-new field was simply a series of polished bleachers and a pristinely trimmed field. But as the first Green Bay Packer passed through the tunnel and stepped out onto the freshly cut grass, something remarkable happened.

The stadium came to life.

The Green Bay Packers are the only major league U.S. professional sports team to be community owned as a nonprofit, and the community investment in the team has played a huge role in making the Packers players so much more than sports celebrities. The team is considered family to many, and the stadium, a home.

Even today, after 60 years have passed and nine renovations have

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Green Bay, Wisconsin

TYPE OF VENUE Off-site, stadium

CAPACITY More than 1,000

NEARBY ACCOMMODATIONS Hilton Garden Inn Green Bay

CONTACT INFO 920-569-7515 www.packers.com

Luxury suites at Lambeau Field are available for events on non-game days.

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Meeting Spaces

The Lambeau Field Atrium can hold more than 1,000 people for meetings. occurred to preserve the stadium’s iconic “retro” look while expanding it to include seating for up to 81,435 visitors, Lambeau Field is still considered so much more than a typical stadium. It’s the heart of Green Bay. Whether it’s during a game or during a tour, the stadium radiates with a pulse all its own. Lambeau Field has the longest active homefield tenure in the NFL, and many football fans consider it a bucket list experience to visit the stadium at least once during their lives. Many others make it an annual pilgrimage to just step inside for a tour through the Packers past. But this iconic stadium’s legendary atmosphere isn’t only a special place to watch a game; it’s an amazing venue for hosting a variety of large- or small-scale events.

The event staff at Lambeau Field operates as its own exclusive team of highly trained players and looks at each gathering at the stadium through the lens of its own playbook, tailoring and managing each event to match the host’s precise vision. The venue provides meeting space for five to 1,000 guests to come together for memorable events as wide-ranging as corporate outings, training seminars, team-building events, trade shows, concerts, wedding receptions, reunions and more.

Extras In less than a year, meeting guests will get exclusive access to a brand-new development adjacent to Lambeau Field when the Titletown District opens before the fall of 2017. The new district will include a 34-acre commercial, recreational and residential area filled with yearround entertainment options.

Visitors will have access to fit-

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Venue Showcase

Lambeau Field offers 12 flexible meeting spaces throughout the venue for meetings and events. The Atrium Floor is the largest of the spaces at 39,561 square feet and holds more than 1,000 guests; it connects to the Legends Pre-Function Area, which comprises 10,441 square feet. The Atrium level also features the Legends Club Room, which can be divided into four separate spaces that hold up to 150 guests each; the North Balcony, which holds up to 400 guests; the MVP Box 4039, which holds up to 50 guests; and the Fourth-Floor Indoor Clubs, which hold up to 250 guests. The North End of the stadium offers the

Sixth-Floor Indoor Clubs, which hold up to 200 guests, and the North Loft, which holds up to 200 guests. The South End features the Miller Lite Lounge and holds up to 200 guests, the Miller Lite Deck holds up to 500 guests, the Terrace Suites hold up to 250 guests, the Festival Foods MVP Deck holds up to 275 guests, and the Champions Club holds up to 225 guests. The South Loft is a viewing deck only with 3,005 square feet. Modeled after the Green Bay Packers Executive Boardroom, the Lombardi Boardroom features three spaces that range from a maximum capacity of eight guests to a maximum capacity of 26 guests.

Catering Food is just as memorable as the event itself at Lambeau Field, and the event team at the stadium recruited the best in the city to cater to its guests’ discriminating tastes. Delaware North Sportservice is the catering partner at Lambeau Field, and its talented team of chefs offers custom or set menus to bring the perfect flavor to any sort of event. Its Green and Gold

Breakfast is a favorite for a quick start, with a build-your-ownparfait station and a selection of egg sandwiches, and its plated breakfasts with cinnamon vanilla French toast are perfect for morning meetings. Cold and hot lunches are available, along with a selection of break and snack options, but the team truly shines with its dinner menus. Alcohol is available.

Pregame ness-related activities like the 300-foot sledding and tubing hill and a regulation-size football field, cultural opportunities at the plaza, multiuse facilities for meetings or gatherings in the park, and festive game-day fun at the activity area and playground featuring football-specific equipment.

With Lambeau Field Stadium Tours, the Packers Pro Shop, the 1919 Kitchen and Tap restaurant and the Packers Hall of Fame, attendees and guests will have plenty to do during downtime.

The Stadium Tour at Lambeau Field is one of the top group requests when events are booked; its passionate tour guides offer a

range of customizable tours for groups that show the various levels of the stadium. The biggest highlight for most guests is the chance to enter on the field level.

The event staff can arrange for guests to feel like one of the players as they walk through the players’ tunnel onto historic Lambeau Field.

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Coonntact Beth Ulatowski

Schedule Yo our Tour Today

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Iowa’s River Cities Courtesy Catch Des Moines

By Rachel Carter

R

i v e r s define much of Iowa: Most of the state’s western border follows the winding curves of the Missouri River, and the mighty Mississippi River separates the state from Illinois and Wisconsin on the east.

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Plus, many of Iowa’s major cities sprang up on the shores of the rivers that continue to serve as lifelines for both commerce and culture.

Council Bluffs On the opposite side of the state, Council Bluffs is a sister city to its larger sibling across the Missouri River: Omaha, Nebraska. Tom Hanafan River’s Edge Park has 80 acres of both natural river habitat and developed public spaces, including an event lawn and an amphitheater. The park “is beautiful because it overlooks the Omaha skyline” as well as the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge, a 3,000-foot span where visitors “can have one foot in one state and one in the other,” said Josee Beier, sales manager for the Council Bluffs Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Council Bluffs often partners with Omaha on large events, both for lodging and venues. The Caesarsmanaged Mid-America Center is the city’s primary convention venue, with nearly 64,000 square feet of meeting space that includes a 24,000-square-foot convention center and a 30,000-square-foot arena that can seat up to 9,000 guests. The Hilton Garden Inn has 5,500 square feet of flexible function space, and the 185-room Holiday Inn offers 6,000 square feet of flexible meeting and banquet space. The Ameristar Casino Hotel can accommodate 400-person events in its 6,600 square feet.

The new 100,000-square-foot Fieldhouse USA will open in December with 12 volleyball courts and eight full-size basketball courts; the facility will welcome corporate groups for social events and team-building activities.

In the heart of the city, Bayliss Park Hall is a Victorian mansion that sits across the street from Bayliss Park,

Iowa Meeting Guide

Numerous bridges cross the Des Moines River to connect the city’s two sides. and both are available for private parties. www.travelcouncilbluffs.com

Dubuque Dubuque, Iowa, sits on the western banks of the Mississippi River, the dividing line between the Wisconsin-Illinois border to the east. The city’s motto is “Masterpiece on the Mississippi,” and “that’s really our story; we’ve gone through many revitalizations and renovations over the past 15 years,” said Julie Kronlage, vice president of sales for the Dubuque Area Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Located on the riverbanks, the 86,000-square-foot Grand River Center is the city’s largest event space. The 30,000-square-foot carpeted exhibit hall has drive-in capability, making it popular for events such as the Iowa Recycling and Solid Waste Management Conference and Trade Show, which will return in 2019. The center is attached to the 193-room Grand Harbor Resort and Waterpark, Iowa’s first indoor water park. In downtown, Five Flags Center is a 25,000-square-foot multipurpose facility that has a 2,000-seat arena.

Dubuque has five full-service properties, each with event space. The Holiday Inn Dubuque is now redoing its 193 guest rooms and just finished the third phase of a renovation that included its 9,600 square feet of meeting space. Dating back to 1839, the Hotel Julien is the oldest hotel in the city but feels new after a $32 million renovation in 2009 that included its 14,000 square feet of function space. To enjoy the river, groups can meet at the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium, which sits on Dubuque Harbor, or board one of the local riverboats. www.traveldubuque.com

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Quad Cities Make no mistake: Davenport and Bettendorf on the Iowa side of the Quad Cities are river cities at heart, but as of this summer, all the riverboat casinos have moved off the Mississippi River and onto land.

In June, the Rhythm City Casino Resort celebrated the grand opening of its new $110 million casino, hotel and entertainment complex on 40 acres at interstates 80 and 74. The campus includes a 106-room hotel and an event center with a gaming floor. Groups have private dining and event options at Ruthie’s Steak and Seafood, which delivers high-level views along with high-end dining, and at Draft Day Sports Lounge, which has a 360-degree television that can be used for presentations. The center also has a ballroom, and “of course, you have the casino to be the entertainment value when the meeting is over,” said Lynn Hunt, vice president of sales for the Quad Cities Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Also in Davenport, a newer Holiday Inn and Suites offers 104 guest rooms and nearly 6,200 square feet of function space along with J Bar, a full-service restaurant and bar that can be rented for private functions.

The Isle Casino Hotel in Bettendorf just wrapped up an $8 million renovation that moved the casino off the riverboat in June and into a new 82,000-square-foot building that sits between the resort’s two hotel towers. The 512-room Isle also has 15,000 square feet of event space and connects to the Quad Cities Waterfront Convention Center, which offers 24,000 square feet of meeting space in eight separate function areas. www.visitquadcities.com

Des Moines When the new 330-room Hilton hotel opens in June 2018, it will be “a huge game-changer for us,” said Greg Edwards, president and CEO of the Greater Des Moines Convention and Visitors Bureau. That’s because it will be the first downtown hotel to connect directly to Des Moines’ largest event center.

The new Hilton conference hotel will have its own function space and will adjoin one of the Iowa Events Center’s three main venues: the Community Choice Credit Union Convention Center, which has 21 meeting rooms and a 28,800-square-foot ballroom. Hy-Vee Hall’s three exhibit halls can be combined for a total of 150,000 square feet, and a skywalk connects to the 17,000-seat Wells Fargo Arena.

Downtown’s largest hotel is the Des Moines Marriott Downtown with 415 rooms and about 30,000 square feet of event space. Also in the heart of downtown, the historic Renaissance Savery

November 2016

Hotel closed its doors in August to undergo a year-and-a-half, whole-building renovation.

When the 1919 red-brick hotel reopens in spring 2017, it will have a “whole new look and feel,” Edwards said, with redone guest rooms, renovated meeting space and renewed functional components, such as plumbing and heating.

A brand-new off-site option just hit the market in West Des Moines: The Ron Pearson Center at the Hy-Vee corporate headquarters opened in July. The grocery chain’s 21,000-square-foot conference facility can seat up to 1,600 for banquets. www.catchdesmoines.com

Iowa City It may be surprising to some that Iowa City is the only UNESCO City of Literature in the United States. But it makes more sense when it becomes known that the University of Iowa forged creative writing education through its Iowa Writers’ Workshop program.

It’s fitting, then, that planners can meet in a variety of venues on campus, including the recently renovated Iowa Memorial Union, which has more than 20 meeting and event spaces and is also home to the Iowa House Hotel. The Main Lounge can accommodate events of up to 1,200 people, and the second-floor ballroom can hold up to 700 guests. Also on campus, groups can reserve Danforth Chapel, the University Club, the Athletics Hall of Fame and Museum and the 70,585-seat Kinnick Stadium.

Just a few blocks from both campus and the Iowa River, the Hotel Vetro has more than 15,000 square feet of flexible function space in six meeting rooms. The downtown hotel also has a 4,800-square-foot rooftop terrace overlooking the Iowa City Cultural District.

About four miles northeast of campus, the 90-room Clarion Hotel Highlander Conference Center offers seven meeting rooms, the largest a 5,800-square-foot ballroom.

In nearby Coralville, the Coralville Marriott Hotel and Conference Center has 286 guest rooms and nearly 60,000 square feet of meeting space, including a 30,000-square-foot exhibition hall. www.iowacitycoralville.org

> TRAVELWATERLOO.COM

DIG WATERLOO

FOR YOUR NEXT MEETING

CONTACT

Paige Nieman, CNP Director of Convention Sales 500 Jefferson Street Waterloo, Iowa 50701 (800) 728-8431 Paige@TravelWaterloo.com

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Octagon Center for the Arts Ames

Only in Iowa Courtesy Des Moines Co. Conservation

Starr’s Cave Nature Center is housed in an 1800s red dairy barn.

By Rachel Carter

W

hen groups meet at Starr’s Cave Nature Center just outside Burlington, Iowa, “they love it because they’re not in the office,” said Kent Rector, env ironmental education coordinator for Des Moines County Conservation.

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That’s the appeal of venues that get groups out from under fluorescent lights and into nature, away from conference centers and into historic settings. In Iowa, groups can eat, meet and sleep in the only Frank Lloyd Wright-designed hotel still operating in the world, explore trails at Indian Creek Nature Center, make their own works of art at Octagon Center for the Arts and launch a boat from the dock at Waterloo Boat House.

Starr’s Cave Nature Center Burlington Starr’s Cave Nature Center offers meeting attendees 200 acres of natural beauty and scenic views, all just minutes from city conveniences.

“You can go out and hike and get away from the normal office atmosphere,” Rector said.

The nature center is housed in an 1800s red dairy barn at the 200-acre Starr’s Cave Park and Preserve. The three-level center recently redid all the flooring, lighting and restrooms, and the second phase, slated to start next winter, will open up and redo the main exhibit hall, and will include new finishes and new exhibits.

The third floor is the center’s main conference space and can hold about 80 to 100 people, depending on the setup. During breaks, attendees can explore interactive exhibits, among them a large beaver pond that illustrates Iowa animal habitats.

Planners can also arrange for a naturalist to lead educational programs, and groups can hike on two miles of maintained trails that wind though forested areas of old oak, hickory and maple trees; over the Flint Creek bridge; and to the Starr’s Cave entrance. The cave is currently closed, however, to prevent the spread of white-nose syndrome among bats. www.dmcounty.com

Iowa Meeting Guide

Mingling among artwork hung on white walls or meeting among sculptures poised on hardwood floors infuses events with “a little more cultural ambiance,” said Heather Johnson, executive director of the Octagon Center for the Arts in downtown Ames, Iowa.

The center’s main gallery features rotating exhibits throughout the year as well as a stage and a baby grand piano. The space can accommodate up to 120 guests for seated meals or 175 for receptions. The recently renovated Octagon Community Gallery on the ground level has large windows that let in natural light and views of the bustling street. Groups can have seated meals there for 40 people or receptions for 65. The center also has a dance studio that can hold up to 75 people and a small boardroom for a 15-person meeting.

But Octagon’s biggest appeal is its main mission: art education. Planners can incorporate classes, workshops and symposiums into their events. Whether it’s a business retreat or a social outing, “we make it something that’s fun for everyone,” Johnson said.

In the past, groups have done hands-on painting or created vision boards to tie in with the meeting’s theme.

Other popular options are a mosaics class, during which visitors use broken pieces of glass, mirror and tile to create a patterned mosaic piece, and an encaustic class, where students learn to paint with wax. www.octagonarts.org

Historic Park Inn Hotel Mason City Frank Lloyd Wright was the architect of record for five hotels around the world — technically six, but one was never built. Of those, only one is still in operation: the Historic Park Inn in Mason City, Iowa.

Wright, arguably one of the nation’s most famous architects, built the hotel and the adjoining bank and office building in 1910 in his famous Prairie style, which emphasized clean lines, low profiles and natural light.

Wright on the Park, a nonprofit organization, led a $20 million restoration that stayed as true as possible to the original design while repurposing the space for today’s needs, said executive director Pat Schultz.

The hotel reopened in 2011 with 27 guest rooms, and the bank was converted into a 2,400-square-foot ballroom that can seat 150 for meals. Other event spaces include the original law library, which can serve as a boardroom or a small conference room, and the ladies’ lounge, for small gatherings.

Wright on the Park saved as many original features as possible and reproduced others, among them lightfixture statues of the Roman god Mercury and iridescent art glass at the top of some columns. In the Skylight Room, guests will see 25 original glass ceiling panels that were removed at some point because they leaked.

An attorney who worked in the building’s offices had taken them home, and “they were discovered and

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donated back for the restoration,” Schultz said.

Groups can dine in the hotel’s 1910 Grille or visit the 1910 Lounge — originally the gentlemen’s lounge — for drinks or a game of pool. www.wrightonthepark.org

Indian Creek Nature Center Cedar Rapids Indian Creek Nature Center celebrated the grand opening of its new building in September, and the Living Building Challenge-certified facility “goes above and beyond LEED certification,” said director of education Erin Roghaar.

Groups can tour the building, which uses net-zero energy and netzero water. Solar panels power the facility, and geothermal energy heats and cools it. Every drop of water that falls on the property stays on the property and is reused and recycled. All building materials were sourced within a 500-mile radius, and the wood was sustainably harvested or salvaged.

The auditorium can seat 120 people for meals, and the exhibit hall can hold 100 people. A conference room and two classrooms can be used for breakout sessions. The campus also features an outdoor patio and an outdoor activity area, each for up to 200 people, and an amphitheater can accommodate 500 guests.

Indian Creek has four miles of trails that visitors can explore or use for group activities, such as orienteering challenges. Center staff will also arrange service projects for corporate groups, Roghaar said, such as landscape planting and trail maintenance.

Indian Creek’s former facility, an old dairy barn, is undergoing some renovations, and a donor recently gave the organization a 200-acre

Have a marvelous

meeting

on the

Mississippi!

farmstead, where the center hopes to offer more sustainable agriculture programs in the future. www.indiancreeknaturecenter.org

Waterloo Boat House Waterloo When the Cedar River flooded at record levels in June 2008, the onestory Waterloo Boat House “was completely submerged” and was damaged beyond repair. So when city officials set out to rebuild it, they designed the boathouse to withstand future flooding with minimal damage, said Carrie Gleason, events coordinator for the Waterloo Center for the Arts, which handles rentals for the boathouse.

The new boathouse opened in 2013 with garage-style doors on the lower level that open to allow floodwaters to flow through. The first level is home to the Waterloo Rowing Club, and the second story houses a modern, airy event space for up to 126 people that also delivers some surprises.

“It has a wraparound deck with large windows so you have a great view of the river and downtown Waterloo and the bridges,” Gleason said, adding, “it’s really a view you just don’t get anywhere else in the Cedar Valley.”

The boathouse sits just off the city’s riverfront walking-biking trail and is next to a boat dock, “so they could bring in a boat and launch from there and cruise around,” she said.

The building is also located near Exchange Park, where groups will find a disc golf course, and although they haven’t done so yet, Gleason said planners may be able to work with the Waterloo Rowing Club to arrange rowing lessons or other team-building activities. www.waterlooleisureservices.org/parks/boat-house

#visitquad cities Write something...

Susan Had an outstanding meeting in the Quad Cities.

Great location on the river, and there was a lot to do.

The meeting space and hotel rooms were outstanding.

Service went above and beyond my expectations.

Friday at 6:45 pm • Like John What’s their largest meeting space and hotel?

Saturday at 8:54 am • Like Susan Largest space is 117,000 sq. ft. and there is a 514-room hotel. Check it out for your conference – budget friendly!

Two hours ago • Like

Comment • Like • Suggest to Friends Lynn Hunt is ready to help you plan your meeting marvels on the Mississippi.

Call her at 1-800-747-7800, ext. 823 or email her at lhunt@visitquadcities.com.

November 2016

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Sample the Local Flavor at One of Wichita’s Craft Breweries

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Enjoy Your Event Under a Chihuly Masterpiece at Wichita Art Museum

Explore Old Town with the Complimentary Q-Line Trolley

Visit Wichita For Your Next Meeting • Brick-lined entertainment district for after-hours fun • Spacious convention center with attached Hyatt Regency • All conveniently located in downtown Wichita

It’s time to explore your options.

It’s time to explore Wichita.

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