Small Market Meetings April 2021

EVOLVING ROOM BLOCKS | RELIGIOUS COLLEGES | TEXAS MEETING GUIDE APRIL 2021

GREENER PASTURES IN

n o t g n i x e L

#A RS tate Pa rks

S W E I V N VA C AT I O

DEGRAY LAKE RESORT STATE PARK

M E E T IN G S PA C E S

MOUNT M

Q UE EN W IL

Pick up your FREE PASSPORT at the nearest state park today.

Choose from six Arkansas State Park lodges that offer first-class accommodations in the most scenic settings in the state. Whether it’s a private getaway or corporate retreat, we can help personalize your experience.

Discover the possibilities at LodgesofArkansas.com

AGA ZI N E ST AT E PA R K

AT E PA RK H EL M IN A ST

READY TO MEET AGAIN?

safely travel to RU THERF ORD COUNT Y , TENNESSEE TE NNESSEE

55 Hotels with +5,500 Rooms Donna Klempnow, director of sales dklempnow@rutherfordchamber.org 6 Golf Courses 110,000 SQ of Meeting Space +400 Restaurants One of the Largest Outdoor Retail Areas in the State

Learn about our complimentary convention services at

VisitRutherfordTN.com

ON THE COVER: Horse farms surround Lexington, a midsize city in central Kentucky. Photo by Alexey Stiop

INSIDE VOLUME 22 | ISSUE 4

14

MANAGING Hotel Room Blocks

18

IDEAS Meetings at Religious Universities

22

By Mary Speer, courtesy VisitLex

CITY Lexington, Kentucky

26

TOWN Carbondale, Illinois

D E PA R T M E N T S

INSIGHTS 6Crises beyond

COVID

34

8 CONFERENCE 12JuliePROFILE Small Market Kronlage

MEETING GUIDE Texas

Meetings Summit Preview

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 in small and medium size towns and cities. All other meeting industry suppliers 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) 253-0503. 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.

TO ADVERTISE CALL KYLE ANDERSON 866-356-5128

kyle@smallmarketmeetings.com

Mac T. Lacy Publisher/Partner

Brian Jewell VP & Managing Editor

Kelly Tyner VP, Sales & Marketing

Donia Simmons Creative Director

Herbert Sparrow Executive Editor/Partner

Ashley Ricks Graphic Designer

Kyle Anderson Director, Advertising Sales

Christine Clough Copy Editor

Sarah Sechrist Controller/Office Manager

Rena Baer Proofreader

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

Jared Set-up Manager 6 years 317,772 chairs set

Sergio Executive Chef 26 years 702,412 meals

Tan Set-up Manager 19 years 1,197,000 chairs set

Penny Convention Planner 33 years 1,086,656 attendees

Cecilia Banquet Supervisor 4 years 211,848 table settings

Patti Convention Planner 22 years 847,440 attendees

Still making sure our attendees are happy.

Our employees are the Younes Difference.

308-234-2212 · Younes.com

INSIGHTS WITH VICKIE MITCHELL

CRISES BEYOND COVID

D

id you take your temperature way more than normal in the past year? You’re not alone. There’s nothing like a worldwide pandemic to heighten awareness of health and safety.

For meeting planners, though, thinking about others’ welfare is nothing new. Every event has its hazards.

As we ease into nearer-to-normal life, it’s good to remember that COVID-19 is far from the only threat we face. People still have heart attacks and strokes; they collapse without warning during seminars or awards dinners. Fires burn and winds blow. Riots flare. It remains important to be prepared for emergencies of every kind, from twisted ankles and allergic reactions to flash floods and ice storms.

Here are practical steps you can take to be prepared for common crises at your meetings and events.

Keep these health and safety measures in mind for your meetings.

Update before it’s too late.

We pat ourselves on the back when we finally write a will. Then we file it and other important documents away, literally and figuratively, and forget about them. Is it the same with your emergency plan for meetings? As a habit, crack open your crisis plan before every conference. If you don’t have one or if yours is woefully outdated, download the American Society of Association Executives’ (ASAE’s) Crisis Response and Event Emergency Plan — asaecenter.org — and use it as a template to fashion your own. Something else to keep updated: attendees’ emergency contact information. Make sure it is collected when attendees register. And supply attendees with the name and cellphone number of the staff person who heads safety and security for your event. Recommend that they enter that information in their phones; include it in all communications.

6

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

Start the conversation early.

A written plan is only part of planning. In each community and venue where you meet, set up a meeting with locals to talk about safety and security issues. The convention and business bureau is your best conduit to the community; the meeting professionals there are tuned in to local contacts and are happy to connect meeting planners with the police and public safety, public health and other officials they need to contact. They can set up a conference call, a Zoom meeting or an in-person socially distanced conference. Make sure the CVB contact attends the meeting, as well as your venue’s and hotel’s operations staffs.

Take time to get trained.

For years, getting first-aid training involved devoting an evening or weekend to an in-person class or having an instructor come to the office and train a group. Now, you can take the American Red Cross’ training online in a couple of hours without ever leaving your office chair. Other organizations like the American Heart Association offer virtual training, too. The catch with online training is you won’t be certified because you won’t get to demonstrate your skills to a certified trainer, but you do end up with a grounding in the basics. In online reviews, these classes generally get good marks. The class menu includes CPR/automated external defibrillator, general first aid, mental health first aid, first aid for child care and others. The general first-aid class lasts about 90 minutes and costs $22; the First Aid/CPR/AED class is $60 — redcross.org. For the small amount of time invested, the course would pay off in an incalculable way if you were able to help save someone’s life.

Equip your meeting with a first-aid kit.

Don’t rely on your venue to have a well-stocked first-aid kit. Instead, have your own for meetings. For well under $100, you can buy an Occupational Health and Safety Administration/American National Standards Institute-approved kit with all the basics, from bandages and Band-Aids to antiseptics, aspirin and antacids. For about $50, the American Red Cross has an OSHA/ANSI-approved kit with 216 supplies packed into a handy plastic case. Other makers have kits with a few more supplies for a little less money. Two points about first-aid kits: First, they aren’t meant to do the work of emergency medical personnel, but they can adequately manage minor issues or help treat someone until the pros arrive. Second, kits don’t last forever and should be updated regularly. If your kit is stocked with over-the-counter medications for headaches or allergic reactions, use single-dose packages and replace them when they become outdated. Many supplies, like bandages, will last a long time.

April 2021

Keep up with COVID-19 measures.

For now, COVID-19 precautions and response remain an essential part of planning a safe event. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — cdc.gov — has developed guidance for events, including an Events and Gatherings: Readiness and Planning Tool.

This PDF checklist reminds planners of actions to take before meetings, from having plenty of soap and sanitizer on hand and posting signs to promoting protective measures and proper procedures to take when an attendee or staff member tests positive during or after a meeting. It also includes reminders about ways to design meetings that prevent spread: outdoor events over indoor, six-foot distancing, one-way walkways and entrances, contactless check-ins and other measures to avoid lines. Signs and other messaging can be downloaded from the CDC’s communications resources page.

Check in on the site regularly; it is being updated as more is learned about COVID-19 and as the pandemic landscape changes.

7

SMALL MARKET

MEETINGS SUMMIT

PANAMA CITY BEACH TO HOST INNOVATIVE SMALL MARKET MEETINGS SUMMIT

T

BY DAN DICKSON

he new Small Market Meetings Summit, a boutique version of the popular Small Market Meetings Conference, will be held May 12-13 in Panama City Beach, Florida.

The summit is limited to just 25 select meeting planners who will sit down with people from 25 different destinations in a focused day of business-planning sessions. The difference is that the meetings will feature up to three participants from a destination city or region that are hoping to win the business of the meeting planners. The three together can more effectively sell their city to the planner. The meetings will be 12 minutes long, twice the length of a usual marketplace appointment.

“How exciting for all of the CVBs, convention centers and hotels to partner up and really showcase what their cities have to offer,” said Jennifer Ferguson, general manager The Group Travel Family, the company that organizes and stages the Summit. “This is what makes the Summit stand out from all the rest.

“This condensed format is designed to push the sales process forward. Sitting down with three destination representatives will save meeting planners time and help them get many more answers to questions than in a shorter one-on-one meeting. Planners will come away with a better understanding and more information about a city in order to decide on whether to book meetings there. The summit’s length saves everyone time.

“This is a great opportunity for CVBs, conventions centers and hotels to work together with the meeting planners,” said Ferguson. “We have limited the summit to a day and a half so our industry partners don’t have to take as much time out of the office and everyone gets more work done.”

The theme of the summit is highlighting the nation’s second- and third-tier cities that can offer just as fine a meeting experience as any big city. For example, if a meeting were to be held in Panama City Beach, Florida, participants can expect to be treated differently than they would be treated in a major city, where they might be considered only a small fish in a large pond.

8

PANAMA CITY BEACH’S PIER PARK FEATURES SHOPPING, DINING AND RECREATION OVERLOOKING THE GULF OF MEXICO.

All photos courtesy Visit Panama City Beach

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

THE LOBBY OF THE SHERATON BAY POINT RESORT, LOCATION OF THE SMALL MARKET MEETINGS SUMMIT

SHOPPING AT PIER PARK

A VIEW OF PANAMA CITY BEACH FROM SAINT ANDREW BAY

Meeting planners were notified that they would be allowed to register for either the Small Market Meetings Summit in May in Panama City Beach or the Small Market Meetings Conference in September in Cheyenne, Wyoming, but not both.

SUMMIT FORMAT

“This condensed format is designed to push the sales process forward.

Sitting down with three destination representatives will save meeting planners time and help them get many more answers to questions than in a shorter one-on-one meeting.”

— Jennifer Ferguson, The Group Travel Family

April 2021

The Small Market Meetings Summit begins on Wednesday afternoon, May 12, with registration at the beautiful Sheraton Panama City Beach Golf and Spa Resort on St. Andrews Bay, which is rated a AAA Four Diamond property. The resort, with 320 rooms, is the official hotel and meeting venue for the summit. At check-in, planners will get to meet the staff that will be taking care of them over the two days of the summit.

Later that evening, a fabulous dinner will be provided to delegates by the host city, Panama City Beach, and its local convention and visitors bureau.

“We hope to host it outside in our lovely weather,” said Renee Wuerdeman, vice president of sales for Visit Panama City Beach, the local CVB. “May is beautiful here, a perfect month to visit us.”

The next morning, delegates will be served breakfast in one of the Sheraton ballrooms. Then it will be time for the keynote speaker, a motivational guy if there ever was one, to take the stage. Author and corporate trainer Johnny Campbell will grab everyone’s attention. Campbell likes to call himself the Transition Man because he helps people embrace change, and many people are uncomfortable with that. He helps his audience members gain the clarity, confidence and sense of certainty needed to manage change.

9

RIPLEY’S BELIEVE IT OR NOT

Campbell will help answer three key questions: First, how do you embrace change? Then, how do you transition through that change? And finally, how do you profit from the change?

Campbell will deliver a fast-paced, energetic talk full of humor but with plenty of solid takeaways for audience members.

Then it will be time for the summit’s morning marketplace session, where the meeting planners will sit in a pod with three travel industry representatives and hash out the pros and cons of whether the planners should bring their meeting or conference to that city.

Lunch will be sponsored by the city that will host the 2022 Small Market Meetings Summit: Fort Worth, Texas. After lunch, it is back to work at the afternoon marketplace session.

Once that session ends, the fast-paced summit will be concluded. All those contacts have been made, discussions held and information exchanged in just one full day of work.

“In short, Summit will be a very concentrated effort and a great opportunity for CVBs and their industry partners to be a united resource for meeting planners,” said Ferguson.

GULF WORLD MARINE PARK

PRE-SUMMIT SITE INSPECTION

A couple of days before the summit begins, the Visit Panama City CVB will conduct a site inspection tour of the area with some interesting stops that meeting planners will want to know more about.

“We will gather up participants on the Monday of Summit week and get the whole group out on a wonderful dolphin cruise,” said the CVB’s Wuerdeman. Those along for the cruise will get to enjoy the setting sun and delightful views of water, sand and shorelines. “We will be sure to mechanically program the dolphins so that they show up right on time and in the perfect location for the boat ride,” she said, jokingly.

Then, the next day, Tuesday, the tour will begin; it will include visits to several outstanding local hotels and lunch at a great restaurant that the meeting planners can use for an offsite activity for their meeting attendees should they book a meeting in Panama City Beach. After the meal, the group will take a more extensive tour of the area that will end with dinner at another local restaurant with private dining rooms that planners can use with their groups.

“In addition, we are working very hard to create experiences for meetings that relate to nature and conservation, which are popular pursuits now,” said Wuerdeman. “We believe that that will appeal to all demographics. We are doing activities on the shore and on trails in our state parks with games and challenges for people to try. We also bring in experts to give special talks.”

10

GLAD TO HAVE YOU

Visit Panama City essentially chased after the Group Travel Family to book the Small Market Meetings Summit, not the other way around. The CVB’s Wuerdeman said her agency wants to build its meetings portfolio and likes the clientele that the Small Market Meetings Conference and Summit attract.

“The meeting planners and the markets they represent at those meetings are perfect for our destination,” said Wuerdeman.

“We want a bigger share of that meetings market. The Summit is a new conference, and we wanted it here because we knew planners would be given an education about Panama City Beach.”

The CVB said Small Market Meetings is right in its wheelhouse and brings in the perfect number of delegates, 100 to 250, for a city this size.

“We love regional meetings, and we are trying to attract more of them, but we also want to draw meetings from all over the Southeast,” Wuerdeman said.

PCB HIGHLIGHTS

It’s easy to drive to Panama City Beach. Many visitors come from nearby Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana.

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

BAY POINT GOLF CLUB

PIER PARK

THE POOL DECK AT THE SHERATON BAY POINT RESORT

A BAY POINT CAUSEWAY

“In addition, we are working very hard to create experiences for meetings that relate to nature and conservation, which are popular pursuits now. We are doing activities on the shore and on trails in our state parks with games and challenges for people to try. We also bring in experts to give special talks.”

— Renee Wuerdeman, Visit Panama City Beach

April 2021

Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport is convenient, quite easy to get into and out of, and just 18 miles from Panama City Beach. The area enjoys an average of 320 sunny days per year, a welcome treat for those living in harsher weather conditions.

Panama City Beach features a retro, laid-back atmosphere. It does not pretend to compete with glitzy Miami far to the south or with Orlando with its huge theme parks and attractions, or even with Florida’s east- and west-coast cities. Its emphasis is on simple pleasures, with as much action or as little of it as visitors want.

Panama City Beach and surrounding Bay County offer 18,000 guest rooms that can be found in many types of rental situations: resorts, hotels, villas, condos, townhomes and bed-and-breakfasts. Meeting planners can find what they want all within their budgets.

Some other prime meeting facilities in Panama City Beach are the Boardwalk Beach Resort and Convention Center, the Edgewater Beach and Golf Resort and Laketown Wharf. The area sees an extensive number of social, military, educational, religious and fraternal group meetings. The CVB staff can help planners find just the right combination of meeting, sleeping, eating and recreation spots for their groups.

11

“We’re your local experts, right? We know our community, so we can tell you where the best supper clubs are in town or where to go if you need to do some shopping.”

MEETING LEADERS JULIE KRONLAGE

J

BY REBECCA TREON

ulie Kronlage grew up on a farm in Iowa, where she and her three siblings helped their parents raise dairy cows, beef cattle and crops such as corn. Although a Midwestern farming town isn’t a typical tourist destination, Dyersville, Iowa is the exception. It was the filming site of the iconic 1989 baseball film “Field of Dreams,” and an estimated 1 million tourists have flocked there since. For someone who spent their formative years on a family farm in the rural U.S., Kronlage has long been surrounded by sightseers.

She attended college about an hour away at St. Ambrose University in Davenport, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in public relations and marketing. Kronlage moved closer to home, taking a position as the assistant director for the Dyersville Chamber of Commerce.

“In the early 2000s, we were still seeing about 70,000 people a year coming to visit,” said Kronlage. “For a small community, that at the time only had about 4,200 residents, Dyersville has a lot of notoriety to it. I fell in love with the travel industry and helping promote the community. I’d jump on motorcoaches and welcome people to Dyersville and show them around. The key thing is that what I love to do is have fun.”

Tourism was a natural fit for Kronlage’s bubbly and outgoing personality. When Keith Ray, the economic development director with whom Kronlage worked in Dyersville, took a position as the director of sales at the Dubuque Convention and Visitor’s Bureau just 30 minutes away, he encouraged her to apply for a sales manager position that had recently opened.

“I came here in July of 2008 and had the

12

opportunity to grow from sales manager to director of sales, and I now serve as vice president of sales,” said Kronlage.

Growing up just a half hour from Dubuque, she was already familiar with the destination, so she was a natural fit for the position.

Kronlage’s move coincided with several large revitalization projects the city was undergoing.

“In 2003 was when Dubuque started to have a resurgence: The National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium opened. So did the Grand River Center and the Grand Harbor Resort,” she said. “It was a really up-and-coming downtown area. People were excited and wanted to be here.” Dubuque’s improvement projects have continued, from the town’s Main Street and beyond. Dubuque is centrally located in the upper Midwest, making it a natural meeting option for people from Minnesota, Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin.

Kronlage is quick to mention that for meeting attendees and their guests, the CVB goes above and beyond to help plan not only for their conference needs but also for the time spent after hours.

“We’ll make all the arrangements for a tour, including meals and transportation,” she said. “We’re your local experts, right?

We know our community, so we can tell you where the best supper clubs are in town or where to go if you need to do some shopping.”

The region is also home to several colleges, so it hosts many class reunions and is a popular destination for family vacations.

Kronlage helps take the stress out of meeting planning for groups and conferences so they can fully enjoy their time in Dubuque.

EXECUTIVE PROFILE NAME Julie Kronlage TITLE Vice President of Sales ORGANIZATION Travel Dubuque LOCATION Dubuque, Iowa BIRTHPLACE Manchester, Iowa EDUCATION B.A. in public relations and marketing, St. Ambrose University, Davenport, Iowa; Hospitality and Tourism Management Certificate, Florida Atlantic University CAREER HISTORY Assistant director, Dyersville, Iowa, Area Chamber of Commerce, 20032008; various sales positions at Travel Dubuque since 2008

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

TIPS FROM

JULIE KRONLAGE • Big-city charm is in smaller communities. Connecting with the CVB in the community will shine light on the many free tools available to ensure the success of your meeting or event.

• Create memories and lots of laughs.

Keep your guests smiling and laughing.

JULIE KRONLAGE ENJOYS EXPLORING THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER AROUND DUBUQUE WITH HER FAMILY.

• Every community has hospitality cheerleaders. Incorporate them into your registration table, at lunch to welcome guests to their seats.

WHEN YOU’RE READY,

WE’RE READY Enhanced safety measures and policies Flexible cancellation and attrition Hybrid meeting capabilities To book your next meeting call Alyssa Lippincott at 484.777.7497 or email her at Alyssa.Lippincott@windcreek.com

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

April 2021PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER. GAMBLING

13

MANAGING

Rebuilding Blocks

WORLD EVENTS HAVE UPENDED GROUP SALES PRACTICES AT HOTELS

F

BY JILL GLEESON

orget everything you know about room blocks… at least for now.

Room blocks is the practice of reserving more than 10 guest rooms at once for meetings and events, and by and large, they have meant lower prices and increased convenience for attendees. But with the pandemic causing major meeting cancellations for a solid year, hotels have responded with new conditions and deals even more enticing than the traditional ones.

From Hilton, with its EventReady Flexible Offer, which relaxes cancellation terms, to InterContinental Hotels Group’s zero attrition, zero cancellation penalty offer that includes up to 5% off the master bill, hospitality properties have done their best in the past 12 months to bring back room blocks. If you are wondering where the practice stands now as we start to take our first steps out of quarantine, read on to find out.

On the future of meetings: “I’m hopeful that a lot of people will want to host inperson just because people are so sick of being at home and only seeing people through their computers.”

BLOCK OR NOT According to our experts, room blocking, at least for meetings, is still pretty much on pause, not surprising when you consider how many meetings remain canceled or postponed. According to Nikki Fisher, convention and meetings sales manager for the Visit Greater St. Cloud Convention and Visitors Bureau, St. Cloud’s first quarter is usually strongest for consumer shows and big conferences, but this year, the Minnesota city’s convention center hasn’t hosted a single event in January, February or March.

Planners are still blocking off rooms in St Cloud for smaller meetings, “but it’s kind of hitor-miss whether or not the attendees are staying,” Fisher said. “Especially when they’re used to bunking with somebody else, we’re seeing that they end up driving home and coming up the next day for the event.”

“Almost all of our sleeping rooms for the lodging tax that we collected are just basically people who are wanting to get either themselves or their kids out of the house for something to do,” Fisher said. “So, the sleeping rooms that are in place aren’t necessarily blocks for people traveling for events; it’s more just leisure travel.”

14

Nikki Fisher CONVENTION AND MEETINGS SALES MANAGER

Visit Greater St. Cloud Convention and Visitors Bureau Experience: 14 years

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

On room block flexibility: “You want to be the city that made sure everyone left happy because these groups are going to cancel either way. So you can either be sticklers and follow the contracts to the letter, or you can say these are extreme circumstances and, hopefully, regain the business in the future.”

REDUCED RATES For the past year, it’s been a buyer’s market as far as room blocks go, and planners still able to hold meetings are reaping the benefits.

In State College, Pennsylvania State University owns and operates the Penn Stater Hotel and Conference Center, which offers 300 guest rooms and 48 meeting rooms. While the property sits in a somewhat economically protected bubble thanks to its university affiliation, even The Penn Stater has cut the price of rooms.

“Our room rates are certainly much lower than they normally have been,” said Judy Karaky, the hotel’s general manager. “Right now, they’re probably $20 to $30 below what they normally would be.”

Meanwhile, in St. Cloud, room block rates have been cut by almost a fifth of their normal prices. “Our hotels in the area have just been really awesome in trying to accommodate guests,” said Fisher. “I’ve been seeing that their room block rates are much lower than they have been previously, as hotels hope to get those rooms filled. For instance, a room block that would have been $120 a night is now $100 a night.”

EVOLVING TERMS

Megan Heronemus DIRECTOR OF SALES Visit Evansville Indiana Experience: 20 years

April 2021

Lowering prices isn’t the only way hotels are fighting to stay competitive and engender goodwill with meeting planners during the COVID-19 shutdown. From room night requirements to terms around cancellation and attrition, properties are waiving or altering the conditions that usually apply to room blocks.

The Penn Stater, for example, has eliminated cancellation and attrition charges and room night requirements, and Fisher said St. Cloud hotels generally “have been very gracious in accommodating those last-minute cancellations.”

Like most places, Evansville, Indiana, saw most large meetings and trade booked at its convention center cancel or postpone in 2020 and early 2021. However, even as life begins to go back to normal thanks to an ever-widening pool of Americans who have been vaccinated against the virus, hotels in the city are “looking at a flexible attrition,” according to Megan Heronemus, director of sales for Visit Evansville Indiana.

“Planners can flex up to 60 days prior to their event,” she said. “So, maybe historically, their event produced 500 room nights, but due to COVID, they’re expecting smaller attendance or they’re looking at a hybrid meeting model; then this is where that flex attrition comes in handy because they can kind of gauge their registration. At about

15

MANAGING

60 days prior, you’re going to have a pretty good idea how many folks are going to be attending. You can set attrition to 40% to 50%, much, much lower than what planners have seen prior to COVID.”

LOOKING AHEAD With room block pricing and terms like these, it pays for companies to get back to the business of holding meetings as soon as possible. But how long will the modified conditions last? Both Hilton and Intercontinental have extended their deals to encompass meetings held through the end of this year.

“We kind of set it to where there’s no date of when this flexibility is going to end, but I don’t see flexible attrition going anywhere soon,” said Evansville’s Heronemus. “I can see that expanding out through even the end of next year.”

As for the Penn Stater, Karaky said the hotel expects to continue its lower rates and flexible terms for at least another six months, in the hope of returning to normal in 2022.

“We are hopeful by next fall to expect a normal events and football season,” she said, “In an industry where flexibility is required, I would suggest that this past year has required the most flexibility in our lifetime of hospitality. If you thought you were a change professional before, you are now a change expert.”

WHEN YOU'RE READY,

meet by the ocean.

PLAN A MEETING WITH A VIEW •

16

Bayside Roland E. Powell Convention Center with 214,000 sq. ft. and expanding in 2022

•

30 hotels with modern meeting spaces for 10 to 1,000 people

•

10 miles of beautifully maintained beach and famous 3-mile Boardwalk

•

17 nearby golf courses

•

Comfortable 3-hour drive from major Mid-Atlantic and 30-minute drive from regional airport

Roland E. Powell Convention Center, expanding in Jan. 2022

Judy Karaky GENERAL MANAGER

Penn Stater Hotel and Conference Center Experience: 30 years

On upcoming business: “Meetings are booking for 2022 and 2023 and 2024. A lot of our larger programs are repeat business. Some of those are larger programs, so they’re just pushing it down the road a little bit.”

START PLANNING!

Visit OCMDCONVENTIONCENTER.COM

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

IDEAS

Courtesy Anderson University

HALLOWED HALLS

Those memories, complemented by excellent facilities and an inviting atmosphere, are why having a meeting on a religious college or university campus can be quite appealing. If you do book a meeting, see whether you can book a professor for a lecture you want to hear.

Religious colleges offer faith and facilities for meeting groups

ANDERSON, SOUTH CAROLINA Anderson University isn’t as well known as Clemson University, its neighbor barely 20 miles away, but it is staking a claim for itself in the rapidly growing Upstate South Carolina region. Its city neighbors are Greenville and Spartanburg.

With Southern Baptist ties, Anderson has an undergraduate and graduate enrollment approaching 3,700 and is among the fastest-growing private universities in the country, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

“After COVID, we’re eager to work with corporate and other types of groups,” said Jennifer Garrett, director of guest services, echoing a sentiment of many of her counterparts around the country.

Meeting groups can use several breakout rooms for up to 30 people, a computer-friendly multimedia room and a 412-seat theater/auditorium in the student

A

BY TOM ADKINSON

h, campus life: a period of growth and exploration, a sense of security, stimulating thoughts and discussion, the building of friendships and, at one of America’s many religious colleges and universities, an opportunity for spiritual growth.

For those fortunate enough to have experienced campus life, that time probably produced fond memories that outweighed the angst and anxiety of passing a critical exam or calculating for the umpteenth time the number of credit hours you lacked to graduate.

18

ANDERSON UNIVERSITY

Above: Anderson University’s student center offers meeting facilities for groups of up to 412 amid the scenic surroundings of upstate South Carolina.

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

center. Henderson Auditorium, a 1,000-seat multiuse facility, is the biggest space available to outside groups.

Mature oak trees shade much of the campus, and the six-acre Alumni Lawn and several early campus buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Anderson College Historic District. Catering is provided through the onsite AVI Food Services, and alcohol is not permitted.

When on campus, check out the Vandiver Gallery exhibition space. It does not have a permanent collection and, instead, hosts a frequently changing series of art exhibitions in many media. andersonuniversity.edu

Mature oak trees shade much of the campus, and the six-acre Alumni Lawn and several early campus buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Anderson College Historic District.

SPRING HILL COLLEGE

MOBILE, ALABAMA Spring Hill College, founded in 1830, is Alabama’s oldest institution of higher learning. It’s also the first Catholic college in the Southeast and the third-oldest Jesuit college in the U.S. Approximately 1,500 students enjoy a 381-acre campus in one of Mobile’s prettiest neighborhoods. In addition to huge oak trees and azalea-lined walkways, there’s an 18-hole golf course. Its athletic teams are the Badgers, although they may be the only badgers in Alabama.

Meeting planners are welcome to check out a variety of locations. Byrne Memorial Hall will seat 350 people theater-style and can accommodate 220 for seated dinners. It works well for lectures and corporate events. The LeBlanc Conference Room in the student center offers 4,600 square feet of space and can operate as one large space or be divided into three smaller rooms. The most eye-catching venue is Stewartfield, a Greek Revival raised cottage with a view down one of Mobile’s landmarks, the century-old Avenue of the Oaks. It is a memorable location for dinners and receptions.

Courtesy Spring Hill College

Courtesy Anderson University

April 2021

Courtesy Spring Hill College

Clockwise from left: Anderson University; Stewartfield at Spring Hill College; Spring Hill’s Avenue of the Oaks

19

IDEAS Residence hall space is available in summer, and commercial lodging is nearby. Off-campus caterers are permitted, and alcohol is allowed. The college’s recreation center is accessible in summer, and Yenni Hall’s teaching rooms work for conference and seminars.

“We welcome inquiries,” said Sharon Williams, director of facilities and special events. “We don’t want to be a best-kept secret.” shc.edu

MOUNT VERNON NAZARENE UNIVERSITY

MOUNT VERNON, OHIO Take your pick of meeting arrangements at Mount Vernon Nazarene University. One option is a four-story Victorian-style hotel on Public Square in this 17,000-population community 60 miles northeast of Columbus. And the other is a more modern one-story building that obviously began its life as a church but today is a conference center.

The university owns and operates the Mount Vernon Grand Hotel, a 46-room gem built in 2016 and honoring the heritage of its 19th-century predecessor.

Its ballroom seats 125 people for banquets, and its breakfast room can be used for groups of up to 30. It

also has a boardroom that seats eight. Breakfast is included in lodging rates, and lunch and dinner service can be arranged with the university’s food service provider or catered by nearby Mount Vernon restaurants.

Though the university does have some downtown buildings and classroom space, the main campus for its 2,100 students is two miles away, and on one edge of the campus is the Gathering Place, the one-time church that was donated to the university.

The church was adapted into a multiuse conference facility in late 2020. The former sanctuary became the main meeting space, there are three breakout rooms, and a second large meeting space has direct access to a kitchen. Catering can be by the university or outside caterers. All university facilities are dry. mvnu.edu

BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY

PROVO, UTAH Brigham Young University, with the Wasatch Range rising behind it, is an impressive setting for a campus that serves more than 33,000 students. The BYU Conference Center extends the university’s mission by hosting nonacademic events that require classroom facilities.

The center has 18,000 square feet of schedulable space in 18 classrooms and eight small executive

By Sy Bean, courtesy University of Puget Sound

Clockwise from left: the Grand Hotel at Mount Vernon Nazarene University; athletic facilities at the University of Puget Sound; a conference center pavilion at Brigham Young University

20

Courtesy MVNU

Courtesy BYU

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

rooms. Its largest room can accommodate 364 people theater-style and 270 for banquets. An outdoor pavilion of more than 5,500 square feet and an adjacent grass field for outdoor events add meeting options.

Twelve Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints congregations use the conference center on Sundays.

Spenser Hansen, the center’s manager, notes that the center’s emphasis is on programs with an educational focus, including events for employee training.

BYU has an on-site caterer and maintains a list of approved off-site caterers. The center also has an on-site audiovisual staff. Church guidance requires campus guests to abstain from alcoholic beverages, tobacco, tea, coffee and substance abuse and to follow the university’s dress and grooming standards.

For some after-meeting excitement, head for the Sundance ZipTour. It has a vertical drop of 2,100 feet, which it says is the most of any zip-line tour in the U.S. byu.edu

UNIVERSITY OF PUGET SOUND

TACOMA, WASHINGTON The Pacific Northwest is one of the prettiest regions of the U.S., and the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington, lets you soak in that beauty in

Where

7 0 2April . 2 6 2021 7.2114

an academic setting. Shimmering waters are on one side, and majestic Mount Rainier looms large only about 50 miles away in the opposite direction. It’s fitting that the university’s motto is “To the Heights.”

Mid-May through early August is meetings and conference time here. Using classrooms, concert halls, auditoriums and other facilities across the 97acre campus, the university works with groups as small as 10 to as large as 3,500. Schneebeck Concert Hall, which holds 500, is one facility that gets considerable use, according to Terry Halvorson, director of dining and conference services.

Halvorson said virtually all meeting clients get the full college experience by using on-campus housing.

Puget Sound has plenty of choice, with 10 residence halls that range from 75 to 200 beds. Meetings patronize university dining facilities for the most part, and the on-campus caterer handles special meal functions, including plated banquets. Meeting clients can arrange appropriate permits for alcohol service.

Methodist clergy founded the university in 1888, and although an independent board of trustees now governs the university, it maintains an affiliation with today’s United Methodist Church. Enrollment is 2,600. pugetsound.edu

BUSINESS

Meets

Adventure

V I S I T H E N D E R S O N N V21 .COM

PRIDE OF THE

s s a r g e u l B Groups can have tours or events at WinStar Farm and several other horse farms surrounding Lexington.

By Mary Jane Speer Photos courtesy VisitLEX unless otherwise noted

CITY

LEXINGTON AT A GLANCE

Lexington embodies Kentucky’s past and future

C

BY JILL GLEESON

all it classic Kentucky: Perched at the intersection of interstates 75 and 64 and within a day’s drive of two-thirds of the country’s population, Lexington offers meeting planners a central location in the middle of the beautiful Bluegrass State. But that’s not all there is to love about this affordable and historic city, which was founded back in 1775. Groups that meet there can take advantage of brand-new facilities, up-and-coming hotels and a vibrant culinary and cultural scene.

LOCATION: Central Kentucky ACCESS: Blue Grass Airport, interstates 75 and 64 HOTEL ROOMS: 8,500-plus CONTACT INFO: VisitLex 800-848-1224 visitlex.com CENTRAL BANK CENTER BUILT: 1976; undergoing renovation and expansion; completion projected spring 2022 EXHIBIT SPACE: 100,000 square feet MEETING HOTELS

Hilton Lexington Downtown GUEST ROOMS: 366 MEETING SPACE: 18,651 square feet Hyatt Regency Lexington GUEST ROOMS: 366 MEETING SPACE: 25,000 square feet Lexington Marriott City Center GUEST ROOMS: 218 MEETING SPACE: 11,171 square feet WHO’S MEETING IN LEXINGTON

North American Environmental Education Conference ATTENDEES: 1,000 Society of Trauma Nurses – TraumaCon ATTENDEES: 600 Southeastern Theatre Conference Annual Convention ATTENDEES: 4,000

April 2021

23

Destination Highlights

W

ith a lovely, bustling downtown that’s safe and walkable, there’s much to do in the immediate area surrounding Lexington’s gorgeous new convention center: the Central Bank Center. But if attendees spread out a bit more, they will find a bonanza of more than 100 locally owned eateries located throughout Lexington.

Many specialize in seasonal food served fresh from farm to table. Of course, Lexington’s celebrated culinary offerings are just one facet of its booming cultural scene, which includes plenty of art galleries, independent shops and live music venues.

For attendees who want to soak up some of the city’s creative culture and encounter a bit of history at the same time, the Lexington Opera House is a must. Built in 1886 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this downtown landmark plays host to touring Broadway shows and area performing arts troupes, like the Kentucky Ballet Theatre. The Opera House, which is about a block from the new Central Bank Center, is a great place for meetings, too, with a 1,000-seat theater and four breakout rooms.

And then there are the enterprises for which Lexington is most famous and that provide “a lot of things for attendees to do that are one-of-a-kind experiences,” said Niki Heichelbech-Goldey, director of communications for VisitLex. “The signature industries of horses and bourbon that are located here in Lexington do make us a unique destination for meeting attendees. You can come here and do things that you can’t do in other destinations, like visit a bourbon distillery or go to a horse farm where there’s a Derby winner living in residence. I think that’s a big part of what makes us really special.”

Lexington Opera House

24

DESTINATION HIGHLIGHTS

DISTINCTIVE VENUES

Kentucky Castle

By Steve Nunya

Distinctive Venues

S

itting pretty amidst the rolling hills and white fences of horse farm country, the Kentucky Castle was built in 1969 as a private residence. Now one of Lexington’s most distinctive boutique hotels and events venues, this real-life castle makes for a fairy tale reception or dinner with room for 80 in the ballroom and 20 in the formal dining room. Other goodies include private tours of the grounds, an executive chef and even a billiard room.

The Apiary offers catering off-site, but why wouldn’t you want to dine in this exquisite venue, which can accommodate groups of up to 200? Despite its downtown location, the 8,100-square­foot Apiary benefits from its lovely, secret garden-type vibe, as well as food and beverage offerings such as bourbon tastings and fun Lexington-inspired dishes like locally procured salad greens dressed in bourbon vinaigrette. The Apiary food team is also renowned for baking its own bread, smoking meats in-house and handcrafting sausages.

With 14 bourbon distilleries within 45 miles of downtown, it’s probably fair to say you haven’t really been to Lexington unless you’ve visited one of them. In particular, meeting groups might want to head to Buffalo Trace Distillery, which ranges over 130 acres in Frankfort, Kentucky. The oldest continuously operating distillery in the country, it offers impressive spaces for meetings and receptions like the 3,700-square-foot Giants Hall, with room for 150 seated and 350 standing. According to Amy Preske, public relations manager for Buffalo Trace Distillery, attendees can take a variety of complimentary tours at the distillery that also include tastings.

“I think it’s a great destination for meetings because it really gives people something different than what they’re normally used to,” she said.

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

Major Meeting Spaces

AFTER HOURS

D

ue to open in its entirety in March 2022 — although its more than 200,000 square feet of flexible meeting and event space is launching in stages before that — the new Central Bank Center promises to be a showstopper. Among the upgrades is a 24,330-square-foot ballroom, expanded from the former facility’s 17,000 square feet, to go with 99,444 square feet of exhibition space and 24,116 square feet of meeting space. The Central Bank Center is also debuting a new food-and-beverage hospitality brand, Hardwood and Oak, with the ability to handle all on-site catering needs.

“The design for one, is exciting,” said Joe Fields, the Central Bank Center’s director of convention sales and management. “I think it’s really unique.

There’s lots and lots of natural light. And the flow of it, how it will transition from exhibit space to meeting and breakout space to ballroom space while still maintaining attachment to the Rupp Arena, is really cool. For the group that wants to utilize both facilities, which we get occasionally with large religious conventions and things like that, the transition from convention halls to arena is seamless.”

The Central Bank Center will retain its indoor access to two of the city’s most noteworthy meeting hotels: the Hyatt Regency Lexington and the Hilton Lexington/Downtown. The 366-room Hyatt boasts a total of 19,300 square feet of event space and 4,500 square feet of prefunction space, with amenities like an on-site event manager and state-of-the-art audiovisual, webcasting and videoconferencing equipment. Meanwhile, the Hilton also offers 366 guest rooms with a total of 18,651 square feet of function space and 17 meeting rooms.

MAJOR MEETING SPACES

A rendering of Central Bank Center

Courtesy Central Bank Center

April 2021

Outdoor dining at the Distillery District

By Vic Sizemore

After the Meeting

W

hen it’s time for a little fun, attendees will want to get out and discover a bit of singular beauty and majesty that the more than 450 horse farms surrounding Lexington provide. Luckily, the online platform Horse Country makes planning visits a snap, according to Heichelbech-Goldey. “You give your meeting dates, and then it tells you what tours are available, and you can book directly through them,” she said. “There are a variety of different farms. For example, there are some that specialize in mare and foal operations, some that are just stallions and some that teach horses how to be racehorses. We live and breathe the horse industry here, and we like to share it, and Horse Country does a great job of opening up the farms to the public.”

For folks that would like to visit a racetrack, the renowned Keeneland Race Course operates in April and October. During the off-season, attendees can take guided tours of the National Historic Landmark facility, bookable through Horse Country, or get up early and watch the horses go through their morning workouts. At Keeneland, there are 10 stunning spaces with on-site catering available as well, including the Sales Arena, which can accommodate meetings of up to 600.

Once attendees have had their fill of Lexington’s equine industry, they can hit up the Distillery District, conveniently located about a mile from the Central Bank Center. Home to the James E. Pepper Distillery as well as the Middle Fork Kitchen Bar, it also offers breweries; a cidery; Crank and Boom, an icecream parlor that serves bourbon and honey ice cream; and the Burl, Lexington’s best live music venue.

25

TOWN

SET YOUR SIGHTS ON SOUTHERN

s i o n i l l I C

CARBONDALE OFFERS A COLLEGE-TOWN ATMOSPHERE AND MODERN MEETING AMENITIES SURROUNDED BY NATIONAL FOREST.

BY PAULA AVEN GLADYCH

arbondale, Illinois, is both a university town and an outdoor lover’s dream. It’s home to Southern Illinois University and is surrounded by state parks, the Shawnee National Forest, lakes and orchards that are within an hour’s drive of downtown.

Easy to access from Chicago, St. Louis, Nashville and Memphis via train or automobile, the city has 713 guest rooms and more than 60,000 square feet of meeting space in addition to the Southern Illinois University Arena and Shryrock Auditorium. The Williamson County Airport in Marion, Illinois, is just 15 minutes east of Carbondale and offers daily shuttle flights to and from St. Louis Lambert Airport. Amtrak also offers service from the St. Louis Airport, about a two-hour trip.

The city has an extensive and wide-ranging culinary scene that includes locally owned farm-to-table restaurants that use fresh produce grown in the region as well as cuisine with international flair. Many of these restaurants and bars line the downtown strip along South Illinois Avenue. Carbondale is also home to many breweries and wineries, and the area plays host to festivals and events throughout the year, including the Big Muddy Film Festival, the Outside the Box Music Festival and the CarbondALE Brew Fest.

The Carbondale Civic Center is the city’s main convention center. The facility can host up to 500 guests in its 8,200 square feet of conference space.

Food and drink are available at the center through approved caterers, and the building has the audiovisual equipment groups require, from projectors to a speaker system with portable sound.

The Garden Grove Event Center is just as large as the Civic Center but offers some outdoor meeting spaces for conferences and special events. It has 8,000 square feet of space across three venues: the Loft and Terrace, the Courtyard and the Wedding Garden. The venue offers full-service catering, from full meals and light lunches to appetizers and dessert bars.

26

Photos courtesy Carbondale Tourism

VARSITY CENTER FOR THE ARTS

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

Top Meeting Hotels

The Holiday Inn Carbondale-Conference Center is the largest meeting hotel in Carbondale, with 100 guest rooms and 2,800 square feet of meeting space. It can easily accommodate groups of up to 200 people for theater-style meetings or 160 for a banquet. It has five meeting rooms. The largest space is a 2,500-square-foot ballroom, and the smallest is 625 square feet. The Hampton Inn has 80 guest rooms and 784 square feet of meeting space. The Days Inn and Suites has 73 guest rooms and 800 square feet of meeting space.

Unique Venues

The Varsity Center for the Arts is a performance art venue and event center in downtown Carbondale that was originally built as a single-screen movie house in 1940. The meeting and event venue is now undergoing rebranding and renovation. Two of Varsity’s three performing arts spaces are available to rent, including the beautifully restored lobby and the Balcony Stage, a 137-seat listening room and small performance area.

The Touch of Nature Environmental Center, part of Southern Illinois University, gives meeting groups a taste of the outdoors. Visitors can explore more than 3,000 acres of nature by traversing its many trails on foot or by mountain bike. The center’s educational programs include watersports such as canoeing and kayaking, as well as rock climbing, a ropes course and a zip line for teambuilding.

Southern Illinois University CARBONDALE ILLINOIS LOCATION

Southern Illinois in Jackson County

ACCESS

Located at the junction of Illinois Route 13 and US Route 51

MAJOR MEETING SPACES

Carbondale Civic Center, Grove Event Center, Holiday Inn Carbondale-Conference Center, Hampton Inn Carbondale

HOTEL ROOMS 713

OFF-SITE VENUES

Varsity Center for the Arts, Touch of Nature Environmental Center

CONTACT INFO

Carbondale Tourism 618-529-4451 carbondaletourism.org

April 2021

Southern Illinois University was founded in Carbondale in 1869 as a teachers’ college. Students who come to SIU love the campus because of its strategic location near two state parks, the Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge and four large lakes. It also is only 60 miles from the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. The campus has plenty of meeting spaces from which to choose. The SIU Student Center has more than 21,000 square feet of meeting space. The SIU Arena can seat 8,339 people, and the Shryrock Auditorium can seat 1,212 guests. Three other buildings on campus offer meeting spaces as well: the Morris Library, the Touch of Nature Environmental Center and the Dunn Richmond Center.

Outdoor Adventures Giant City State Park is 11 miles south of Carbondale and is one of the largest outdoor attractions in the area. Within the Shawnee Forest of Makanda, the park is home to sandstone bluffs that were carved some 12,000 years ago. The park is known for its beautiful hiking trails, camping, horseback riding, fishing and rappelling. The Shawnee National Forest spans 273,000 acres and is the largest wooded area in Illinois. It has many wilderness trails, archaeological sites, lakes and streams to explore. The Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge is a great place to walk in the woods, kayak, fish or view wildlife from wild turkeys and bald eagles to white-tailed deer. The refuge also gets an influx of migratory birds in the winter and songbirds in the summer.

27

TOWN

e l a d n o b Car

SAMPLING A FLIGHT AT A CARBONDALE BREWERY

Shawnee Hills Wine Trail

Surrounded by the rolling hills of the Shawnee National Forest, southern Illinois is home to 11 wineries, each with its own winemaking style. The 40-mile trail offers visitors the chance to try wines that have won national and international awards paired with an array of local food options. Illinois’ wineries do offer samples, for a small fee. Alto Vineyards offers a taste of six wines with a souvenir wine glass; Pomona Winery offers a sampling of nine wines. Along the wine trail, guests can stop and browse at specialty shops, eat at unique restaurants, have a beer at one of the local breweries or visit art galleries.

History and Museums The African American Museum of Southern Illinois was founded in 1997 in Carbondale’s University Mall. It identifies, preserves and presents the outstanding achievements of African American citizens in the United States. Tour the Buckminster Fuller Dome, a geodesic dome home that was designed and built by Fuller in 1960. He and his wife lived in the dome until 1971. It was the prototype for all other geodesic dome homes in the country.

Meeting attendees who bring their families along should visit the Science Center, a hands-on children’s museum with more than 50 interactive exhibits on everything from paleontology to weather and aircraft.

Enjoy your next conference in

Carbondale, Illinois and explore beyond the scheduled breakout sessions and niche meetings. Adventure through the area in your spare time and head to the wine trail, go hiking or unwind with live music and delicious cuisine. Enjoy your evenings relaxing at our newest hotel, which is in walking distance from our vibrant food and nightlife scene!

Adventure Starts Here.

MEET. 28

126 S. Illinois Ave. | Carbondale, IL 62901 www.smallmarketmeetings.com 618.529.4451 | carbondaletourism.org

APPLY TODAY FOR THE FAMS YOU’D LIKE TO ATTEND!

Are you looking for new destinations and venues to host your meetings? Register for one of our 2021 Site Inspections to learn first-hand about these great destinations and their meeting venues. To apply for a chance to attend any of these complimentary Site Inspections, register online at the link in each description or call 866-356-5128.

WITH SMALL MARKET MEETINGS

GREATER ZION, UTAH JUNE 8-12, 2021 The Greater Zion CTO is inviting up to 15 qualified meeting planners for a fourday Site Inspection to explore Utah’s Greater Zion National Park and all the area has to offer for your next meeting.

To apply visit

smallmarketmeetings.com/greater-zion-fam

OXFORD, MISSISSIPPI JULY 12-15, 2021 Join us in Oxford, Mississippi, the home of the University of Mississippi, for a Site Inspection trip. The City of Oxford is inviting up to 10 qualified meeting planners to discover the city’s charm and event venues. To apply visit

smallmarketmeetings.com/oxford-fam

AIKEN, SOUTH CAROLINA OCTOBER 6-10, 2021 The City of Aiken Tourism Division is inviting up to 10 meeting planners to enjoy accommodations, small meeting venues and attractions around the city. To apply visit

smallmarketmeetings.com/aiken-fam

If you have any questions, please contact Kyle Anderson at:

866-356-5128

KYLE@SMALLMARKETMEETINGS.COM

HOTEL

A Kansas Chateau

U

BY KRISTY ALPERT

pon first glance, you might assume that the French-inspired Chateau Avalon was once home to a prominent Kansas City family, but you’d be incorrect. Before stepping foot inside, you may guess that all the rooms within this boutique hotel have been fashioned in a similar style, but that’s far from true. And you might presume that your stay at the Chateau Avalon Hotel and Spa would resemble a typical hotel experience, but that would be a vast understatement, as this unique property excels in crafting extraordinary experiences and memorable moments. Although nothing may be as it seems at this quirky Kansas City property, everything is exceptional in the most delightful of ways.

The Chateau Avalon was built as a hotel and has been taking reservations for its 61 guest rooms since 2004. There are 23 different room themes throughout this boutique property, from classic and luxury to adventurously whimsical, and spanning multiple floors. It’s not uncommon to open the door to a room and be greeted by an eight-foottall replica of an Easter Island head or to brush past a full-size palm tree on your way to the bathroom. Themes like Mayan Rainforest and Pirates Cove provide a whimsical contrast to the lavish decor in luxury suites like the three-story Monte Cristo Suite with a sculpture fountain and stair-cased rotunda that leads up to an LED jetted tub.

The service at the Chateau Avalon is on par with the over-thetop decor. Staff members go out of their way to create moments for guests that they will remember for years to come. The on-site planners work to create memorable events and meetings for groups as wide-ranging as a 20-person gathering on the d’Nile Patio to a 300-person soiree inside the new A-Vent Space. Groups love taking pictures in front of the iconic Beaumont Fountain, recently named Kansas City’s biggest structural fountain, and rave about the delicious breakfasts served each morning.

The hotel has become famous for its oversize cinnamon rolls fresh from Mema’s Old-Fashioned Bakery. But it’s the oversize attention to detail that keeps meeting groups coming back year after year to this Kansas City gem.

30

A GUEST ROOM DECORATED IN A "GAME OF THRONES" MOTIF

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

M E E T I N G S PAC E S CHATEAU AVALON OFFERS SMALL MEETING GROUPS A BOUTIQUE, OLD WORLD-INSPIRED EXPERIENCE IN KANSAS CITY.

The Chateau Avalon Hotel and Spa is a great location for gatherings of 15 to 300 guests. Meetings and events can be held indoors or out. The new A-Vent Space, similar to a European “orangerie,” features removable walls and ceilings for breezy events under the stars for up to 500 guests. The Beaumont Stateroom, for up to 24 guests, is on the top floor of the chateau and is a stunning replica of the Hearst Castle. Outdoor events are held on the d’Nile Patio, where fountains and statues provide the backdrop for gatherings beneath the garden lights for up to 50 guests at seated events and 100 guests at cocktail parties.

C AT E R I N G Mornings at the Chateau Avalon start with a full-service breakfast menu that features the famous homemade cinnamon rolls. The culinary team at the chateau crafts light bites and small plates for evening events, where favorites include their toasted ravioli and delicious flatbreads. Many of Kansas City’s preeminent caterers are on the chateau’s preferred-vendor list, but it’s the award-winning d’Nile Bar lounge that guests rave about the most. The lounge is home to one of the area’s favorite bartenders, who crafts whimsical cocktails from top-shelf liquor brands. Premium wines and beer are available for events, and the room service menu also includes alcohol.

EXTRAS

HOTEL FACTS LOCATION

Kansas City, Kansas

Each of the uniquely themed suites features premium linens and a jetted bathtub for relaxing after a successful meeting or event.

Meeting planners have access to the chateau’s chairs and tables, as well as an outdoor tent in the case of inclement weather. Lighting can be customized for groups indoors or out, and the garden lights add a dazzling display to nighttime events on the patio. The new A-Vent Space can accommodate live music and DJs with a state-ofthe-art sound system, but the fountains provide a serene soundtrack for outdoor meetings or catered brunches.

SIZE

61 guest rooms

BEFORE AND AFTER

MEETING SPACE

Room for up to 500 guests

ACCESS

Kansas City International Airport

CONTACT INFO Photos courtesy Chateau Avalon

April 2021

913-596-6000 chateauavalonhotel.com

The hotel is set on 28 acres, just one mile from the Kansas Speedway and two miles from shopping at the Legends Outlets Kansas City. Meeting guests can book in-room spa services from the Chateau Spa or add-on romantic amenities to their overnight stays at the hotel. Groups can test their luck at the Hollywood Casino across the street or enjoy the arcade at Dave and Busters nearby. The chateau is in the heart of Village West, rated the No. 1 tourism destination in Kansas, where more than 2 million square feet of shopping and 40 restaurants provide ample entertainment options.

31

VENUE

THE MORROW CENTER OFFERS AN ELEGANT SETTING FOR MIDSIZE EVENTS JUST A SHORT DRIVE OUTSIDE OF METRO ATLANTA.

FIFTEEN MINUTES TO MORROW

A

lot can happen in 15 minutes. For some people, that’s the time it takes to walk one mile; for others, it’s the perfect length for a power nap. For meeting planners, 15 minutes could mean an ideal amount of break time or a rousing round of ice breakers. For the creators of the Morrow Center Special Events Venue in Morrow, Georgia, it’s the maximum amount of time they want their guests to have to drive from Hartsfield Jackson International Airport.

Meeting guests can go from baggage claim to event space — located just off Exit 233 on Interstate 75 — in as much time as it takes to order a cup of coffee. The center opened in 2009 to fill the growing need for a state-of-the-art private event venue that offers easy access and vast meeting options in a gorgeous setting. Today the center is a top choice in metro Atlanta for corporate gatherings, receptions, reunions and celebrations of all kinds throughout its six unique meeting and event spaces.

Every detail in the building’s design was incorporated to assist in

32

BY KRISTY ALPERT

creating a space for memorable moments. The standards of excellence extend from the first call to the take-down from the event itself. The center even created its own manifesto, which proudly states, “Our passion is perfection, and your satisfaction is our non-negotiable obligation.”

The finely appointed spaces are easily adapted for various types of events, from intimate gatherings to medium-size conferences and even large festivals.

The center employs a capable team full of members that are trained to constantly brainstorm new and innovative ways to cater guests and focus on every detail, no matter how small. The center’s signature blend of Southern hospitality and sophisticated service makes it an excellent choice for small meetings, gatherings and events.

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

M E E T I N G S PA C E S

A LOUNGE AT THE MORROW CENTER

The meeting spaces at the Morrow Center are spread throughout six different venues within the building. The Grand Ballroom’s beautifully decorated space is great for larger gatherings and events of up to 320 guests. The Industry Room is a favorite for receptions and is capable

of hosting up to 350 guests. For smaller gatherings or board meetings, groups can choose among the Rather Room, the Griffith Room and the Redd Room; each holds 24 guests. The Lounge is a bit larger, with room for as many as 50 guests.

C AT E R I N G Meeting planners can select from the Morrow Center’s list of preferred caterers, which includes some of the top chefs in the greater Atlanta area.

Planners can select from kosher-friendly menus with Chef Cary’s Cuisine, or they can impress the crowd with her Norwegian smoked salmon display with capers. The authentic Creole and South-

ern cuisine offered by Big Bon Appetit put it on the food map in Georgia long ago. The caterer offers interactive seafood boils or award-winning shrimp and grits for its meeting guests. Decadent desserts are available, but nothing ends an event better than the Southern staples of bread pudding or warm peach cobbler. Alcohol is available.

EXTRAS Photos courtesy Morrow Center

V E N U E FA C T S A TABLE SETTING IN THE GRAND BALLROOM

MORROW CENTER SPECIAL EVENTS VENUE

Each of the meeting spaces within the Morrow Center is easy to adapt for various types of events, from intimate gatherings to medium-size conferences.

The experienced planners at the center love brainstorming new and innovative ways to cater to guests, with details that will create lasting memories. Park-

ing is free for all event guests, and the team offers free menu and bar curation along with complimentary Wi-Fi while on the property. The venue’s timeless Art Deco decor can be changed to suit any theme or event style, and customizable lighting casts a dramatic glow on events any time of day.

LOCATION

Morrow, Georgia

TYPE OF VENUE

BEFORE AND AFTER

Off-site, events center

CAPACITY

350 guests

NEARBY ACCOMMODATIONS

Drury Inn and Suites Atlanta Morrow

CONTACT INFO

The Morrow Center is just 15 miles from the heart of Atlanta, where there’s no shortage of entertainment options for guests who want to explore the city before or after events. Guests don’t have to travel far to find excitement, though, as the center sits directly beside South-

lake Mall, and it is surrounded by a wide range of delicious restaurants and lounges. Nearby, guests can explore a gorgeous nature preserve, catch a movie at an Imax theater or hit the pavement at any of the nearby walking trails for a stroll through the center of the city of Morrow.

678-489-5161 morrowcenter.com

April 2021

33

Typically Texas

A

Meetdieng Gui

Abilene was created by the T&P Railway in 1881, and the oil and agricultural industries grew up around it. Today, the west Texas city embraces its historical past but is also home to three universities, an Air Force base, some first-class museums and a revitalized downtown.

Groups that want to get a fun taste of Abilene’s history can book a

34

Courtesy Abilene CVB

BY PAULA AVEN GLADYCH

little bit of Lone Star flair makes any meeting better.

Planners searching for fun ways to inject Western heritage or local Texas flair into their events should look no further than these five Texas towns that offer everything from historical reenactments and cowboy-boot-making demonstrations to Dallas Cowboys-themed events.

ABILENE

GROUPS CAN ENJOY WESTERN-THEMED EVENTS AT ABILENE’S TAYLOR COUNTY EXPO CENTER.

downtown walking tour with cowboy poet Gus McDusty, who gives his tour in rhyme, or host an event at Frontier Texas, an interactive history museum that also has meeting spaces. The facility is fashioned after an old frontier outpost, with a large parade ground in the middle that tells the story of the early settlement of Texas. Groups that host an event there or just come for a visit can tour the museum and listen to the stories of Abilene’s past.

The Perini Ranch Steakhouse, just south of Abilene, is one of the most famous restaurants in Texas. Visitors come from all around to sample its chuck-wagon-style cooking, like its Mesquite Smoked Peppered Beef Tenderloin and fried catfish. The facility has sprawling grounds that are fine for outdoor gatherings, and Tom Perini can give talks or demonstrations for visiting groups. If meeting planners just want to add a taste of Texas to their gatherings, they can bring in a cowboy poet or live music or book a barbecue dinner at Ball Ranch and stay to enjoy its live Western show. abilenevisitors.com

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

WACO

Waco is home to two very Texas institutions: the Texas Ranger Museum and Hall of Fame and the birthplace of Dr Pepper.

The Texas Rangers are a symbol of not only Texas but also the American West. Meeting planners who want to add a taste of Texas to their events can host a banquet or a reception in the facility’s meeting hall that overlooks the Brazos River. While there, guests can learn about the history of the Texas Rangers and about infamous outlaws Bonnie and Clyde, who were eventually stopped with the help of a former Texas Ranger.

For teambuilding, groups can organize a horseback ride along the Brazos River through Brazos Bluffs Ranch or book a customized tour of the area through Waco Tours. The company takes groups on a visit to Baylor University, which was founded before the state of Texas, and the historic suspension bridge across the Brazos that was built to get Texas longhorns across the river during the Chisholm Trail cattle drives. Along with the tour of Waco, groups can learn roping, leather stamping and how to throw horseshoes to get a feel for Waco’s cowboy past. Groups can also take a historic river cruise on the Brazos or Bosque rivers or organize a soda tasting at the Dr Pepper Museum. wacoheartoftexas.com

FRISCO

A relatively young city in Texas, Frisco was founded in 1905. One of the fastest-growing cities in the country, Frisco is home to the Star, the headquarters and training facility of the Dallas Cowboys football team. Meeting planners who want to incorporate the famous NFL team into their events can take a tour of its headquarters and practice facility or plan a meal or reception in the facility’s event spaces. The War Room, which the team’s owners use as headquarters for the NFL draft every year, is available for rent.

The Ford Center, an adjacent indoor football arena, can hold 12,000 people in its stands and has 100,000 square feet of space on the floor for trade shows and exhibits. The Star is the only NFL headquarters open for tours and events.

ABILENE’S PERINI RANCH STEAKHOUSE Courtesy Abilene CVB

FRISCO HERITAGE MUSEUM

If meeting planners just want to add a taste of Texas to their gatherings, they can bring in a cowboy poet or live music or book a barbecue dinner at Ball Ranch and stay to enjoy its live Western show.

Courtesy Visit Frisco

April 2021

35

Meetieng Guid Another great Texas thing to include at a conference is a photo or autograph opportunity with the Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders, former players or the team’s mascot. Smaller groups could tour Lucchese, the local boot-maker that makes the trademark boots of the Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders.

The Frisco Heritage Museum tells the story of Frisco from its pioneer past to cattle drives and the arrival of the train. Meeting groups can hold events there, enjoying a chuck-wagon dinner around a fire with a Texas storyteller and fun Western activities like armadillo races or gunfight reenactments in the street. visitfrisco.com

SHAWNEE TRAIL COWBOY DAY IN FRISCO

SAN ANGELO

San Angelo was founded next to the Concho River in Texas and is best known for the fort that was built there in the 1860s. Meeting planners who want to tap into the Western heritage of the area should book an event at Fort Concho National Historic Landmark, with its restored buildings and historic artifacts. Attendees can enjoy a chuck-wagon dinner by Fiddle Fire Catering in the courtyard and then marvel at the fort’s cannons being fired.

The owner of Fiddle Fire will play fiddle music at the event and lead groups in Western swing dancing.

Courtesy Visit Frisco

SAN ANGELO’S PAINTBRUSH ALLEY

Courtesy San Angelo CVB

36

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

The Concho Cowboy Company has reenactors who perform Western skits, such as shootouts, for group events, at the fort and other meeting venues in the city.

Groups that wonder how cowboy boots are made can visit M.L. Leddy’s boots, a family-owned business started in 1922.

Small groups can come and get their feet measured with ledger paper, just as it has been done for nearly 100 years, and then watch the craftspeople hand-making boots next door.

Groups can also tour Miss Hattie’s Bordello Museum, a tribute to an institution that thrived when the fort was first built and the main street of San Angelo, Concho Avenue, was bustling with brothels and saloons.

Animals are a big hit for any group meeting. Attendees can take a flatbed ride out to the nearby state park and get up-close to an official herd of Texas longhorns and bison or tour the Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue, an organization that provides a home for abused, neglected and abandoned domestic donkeys. discoversanangelo.com

Earn a 5-star review on your next event when you host it at The Buddy Holly Hall of Performing Arts and Sciences, Lubbock's world-renowned arts facility.

With breathtaking views and one-of-a-kind spaces, your attendees will feel like the stars of the show.

VISITLUBBOCK.ORG

#LIVELOVELUBBOCK

Groups that wonder how cowboy boots are made can visit M.L. Leddy’s boots, a family-owned business started in 1922. Small groups can come and get their feet measured with ledger paper, just as it has been done for nearly 100 years, and then watch the craftspeople hand-making boots next door.

April 2021

37

Meetieng Guid

KERRVILLE, TEXAS

MUSEUM OF WESTERN ART

Kerrville is considered cowboy country. Groups can hold events at the Gravity Check Saloon and Arena, a restaurant and bar that features live music and has an arena out back. Groups can take part in regularly scheduled events in the arena, or they can customize activities such as equine events, goat roping or a visit by the Bandera Shooters, a group of marksmen who ride through the arena shooting balloons in a set pattern. Other popular options to get a feel for the area’s Western past include ranch sorting, where a cowboy is tasked with isolating one animal from a herd, and barrel racing. The venue also offers country-western dance lessons.

At Y.O. Ranch Headquarters, which sits on 5,400 acres that were once part of the historic Y.O. Ranch, groups can get out into nature as part of a corporate retreat or meeting there. Groups can take a two-hour photographic wildlife safari through the property searching for exotic animals, including giraffes, that live on the ranch. The tour usually takes two hours and includes a home-cooked meal. Private tours are available for smaller groups, giving them a more intimate experience at the ranch, including feeding the giraffes. kerrvilletexascvb.com

Courtesy Kerrville CVB

SOME PEOPLE SEE A PILE OF TOOLS. WE SEE A WAY TO HELP IMPROVE A DESTINATION IN NEED.

Tourism Cares can help you see the world differently. By participating in our outreach, education and volunteering programs you’ll be able to more successfully connect needs to opportunities.

And, you’ll gain the direction, networking, tools and skills required to shape a more resilient and sustainable future for the destinations and communities we all sell and rely upon. Join us and unite with your industry colleagues to harness the transformative power of travel.

Visit TourismCares.org. See the possibilities.

Join these companies in seeing the possibilities.

38

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

Smaller in Texas

I

Meetdieng Gui

Lubbock is in the heart of west Texas. The city is known for its live music venues and festivals. It also is steeped in agricultural history and has transformed into the hub of the Texas wine industry, growing 90% of the state’s wine grapes.

Groups that want to host a conference or event in the city have many options to choose from, including the Lubbock Memorial Civic Center downtown, with 100,000 square feet of usable space that can host groups of up to 2,500 people. The largest room offers 40,000 square feet of column-free space. The MCM Elegante Hotel and Suites across the street has 293 rooms and 15,000 square feet of meeting

40

Courtesy Visit Lubbock

BY PAULA AVEN GLADYCH

n a state the size of Texas, even smaller cities offer big opportunities for meeting groups.

These Lone Star destinations make great meeting locations because they’re rich in history and agricultural traditions and have burgeoning music, shopping and culinary scenes.

LUBBOCK

THE BUDDY HOLLY CENTER PAYS HOMAGE TO THE LEGENDARY ROCKER WHO CALLED LUBBOCK HOME.

space. In January, a DoubleTree by Hilton opened across the street from the Civic Center with 140 rooms and 3,800 square feet of space. The largest meeting hotel in Lubbock is the Overton Hotel and Conference Center, with 303 rooms and 20,000 square feet of space.

Meeting space is also available on the campus of Texas Tech University.

Lubbock is home to some world-class attractions that also have event spaces, including the National Ranching Heritage Center, which has preserved 70 historic structures from around the state that show how farmers and ranchers lived during different periods in our history, and the American Windmill Museum, which hosts the largest collection of windmills in the world. Groups also can host off-site events overlooking the football field at Texas Tech’s Jones AT&T Stadium or schedule a west Texas wine tour. visitlubbock.org

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

AMARILLO

Located along the Mother Road, Route 66, Amarillo is part of the Texas Panhandle. The area is steeped in Western heritage but has a modern and vibrant downtown with 6,500 hotel rooms and a huge convention center.

The Amarillo Civic Center Complex is the largest event space downtown with 410,000 square feet of flexible meeting space. It also is close to more than 2,000 hotel rooms. The center is excellent for corporate meetings and conventions, trade shows, sporting events and concerts, and it is only minutes away from the Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport.

The largest convention hotel in town is the Embassy Suites by Hilton Amarillo Downtown, an all-suite hotel next door to the Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts. It has 17,877 square feet of event space, including a 10,143-square-foot ballroom. The property is close to the American Quarter Horse Museum, Amarillo Botanical Gardens, Wonderland Amusement Park, the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, Palo Duro Canyon and Cadillac Ranch, which are all major attractions in the area.

For a more intimate event, The Barfield is a boutique hotel that transformed a historic building downtown into luxury lodging, with 112 guest rooms and nearly 2,500 square feet of meeting space.

Groups that want to get off-site can plan events at Hodgetown Stadium, a ballpark that is home to the Sod Poodles baseball team; the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, which is the largest history museum in Texas; or the Mack Dick Pavilion in the heart of Palo Duro Canyon State Park. visitamarillo.com

AMARILLO’S PANHANDLE-PLAINS HISTORICAL MUSEUM

Courtesy Amarillo CVB

MCKINNEY

McKinney prides itself on having one of the most authentic and vibrant historic downtowns in the state. The buildings date back to the mid-1800s, and most look as they did back then. Downtown is full of locally owned restaurants, two wineries and live music on weekends. The city can host groups of as many as 800 people at the Sheraton McKinney Hotel and Conference Center, which has 187 guest rooms and 23,761 square feet of conference space.

Other convention hotels include the Holiday Inn and Suites McKinney-Fairview, with 99 rooms and 2,614 square feet of meeting space, and the Grand Hotel and Ballroom, which once housed the Old Heard Opera House, where John Philip Sousa’s band played. It has 44 guest rooms, a 2,500-square-foot ballroom and three smaller meeting spaces.

Chestnut Square Heritage Village makes a nice off-site venue. The village is home to historic homes and businesses from the late 1800s and early 1900s. The property has indoor and outdoor meeting spaces. Adriatica Village is a Croatian-style village with three meeting venues, shopping and dining options. For fun, smaller groups can take the Bad Boys and Desperados of Old McKinney trolley tour, a one-hour tour of famous outlaw sites and hangouts around old McKinney. visitmckinney.com

MCKINNEY’S ADRIATIC VILLAGE

By Extreme Heigh Productions, courtesy McKinney CVB

April 2021

41

Meetieng Guid

PLANO

PLANO’S LEGACY WEST COMPLEX

Courtesy Visit Plano

About 30 minutes north of Dallas, Plano is known for its thriving nightlife and dining scene. The city has four walkable districts full of boutique shops, restaurants and entertainment, three of which are anchored by meeting hotels.

The Plano Event Center is the largest convention space in the city with 86,400 square feet that can accommodate up to 5,000 guests. The largest space is a 21,600-square-foot carpeted, column-free exhibit hall.

The Shops at Legacy has upscale shops and restaurants and is anchored by the Dallas Plano Marriott at Legacy Town Center, which has 35,000 square feet of meeting space and 417 guest rooms. Legacy West is a luxury shopping destination anchored by the Renaissance Dallas Plano Legacy West, with 34,869 square feet of meeting space and 304 guest rooms. Legacy Hall is the area’s high-end dining hall; it features a box garden with live music and an on-site brewery. The box garden can be rented out for events.

The Boardwalk opened in 2018 and is anchored by the Hilton Granite Park, with 299 guest rooms and 30,000 square feet of conference space. The Boardwalk features seven waterfront restaurants in Granite Park with outdoor patios and fire pits. The Downtown Plano Arts District has several hotels, a railroad museum, murals, performing arts venues, art galleries and unique dining. Groups that want to add teambuilding to their itinerary should visit Go Ape in the Oak Point Park Nature Preserve. It features a treetop adventure course, zip lines and Tarzan swings. visitplano.com

NEW BRAUNFELS

TEXAS

When you’re ready to plan in-person meetings again, we’re here to assist you!

New Braunfels, in the beautiful Texas Hill Country, is rich in German history, which it celebrates with summer beer gardens and an annual Wurstfest. The city’s tree-lined streets are full of bars and cafes, and because of its proximity to the Guadalupe and Comal rivers, the area is also a fantastic place to produce wine.

The New Braunfels Civic/Convention Center has more than 50,000 square feet of meeting space that includes an 11,780-square-foot column-free exhibit hall and a 9,288-square-foot ballroom. The Courtyard by Marriott New Braunfels River Village is the city’s main meeting hotel, with 125 rooms and 6,676 square feet of event space. It can host groups of up to 250 people.

The Historic District of Gruene has two great off-site meeting locations: the ruins of an 1878 cotton gin that was turned into a restaurant and bar and Gruene Hall, Texas’ oldest continually operating dance hall, which has 6,000 square feet of space.

Groups that want to tap into New Braunfels’ German heritage should plan an event at Krauses Café and Biergarten, which offers Old World charm, good beer and German cuisine. The Chandelier of Gruene has a 12,000-square-foot indoor event venue with a striking chandelier in the entranceway, exposed wood beams, hand-troweled walls and Chicago brick. It also has 3,200 square feet of covered outdoor patios. In their downtime, groups can visit the Schlitterbahn Waterpark, drive through the Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch or tube down the Comal River. playinnewbraunfels.com

VisitMcKinney.com/SMM 888-649-8499 42

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

UNFORGETTABLE EVENTS START WITH AN

unforgettable destination convenient central Texas location | outdoor event venues | one-of-a-kind accommodations | Texas Wine Country memorable attendee activities | group-friendly restaurants | free parking, wifi & planning assistance | historic charm

VisitFredericksburgTX.com/meetings