Small Market Meetings December 2020

THE SHARING ECONOMY | MEETINGS AT RESORTS | FORT SMITH, ARKANSAS DECEMBER 2020

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S E C A P S G N I T E E M # AR Stat ePar ks

VA C AT IO N V IE W S

MOUNT MAGAZINE STATE PARK

Choose from five 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.

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

With Harrisonburg’s P ledge Affirming Trusted Hospitality rest assured, your safety and well-being are our top priority!

Meet in the Friendly City

Hotel Madison & Shenandoah Valley Conference Center with 230 hotel rooms, 21,000 sq ft meeting space within walking distance to charming Downtown Harrisonburg, an award-winning arts & culinary district.

Harrisonburg offers small-town hospitality with the convenience of urban amenities. An equally short drive from Washington, D.C. and Richmond make Harrisonburg the perfect place to meet. Whether your group is large or small, Harrisonburg is ready to accommodate with 2,000 hotel rooms available. Consider the Friendly City for your next meeting

For more information VisitHarrisonburgVA.com or call 540-432-8940

ON THE COVER: The golden dome of the Main Building at the University of Notre Dame is a landmark in South Bend, Indiana. Courtesy Visit South Bend Mishawaka

INSIDE VOLUME 21 | ISSUE 11

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IDEAS Meetings at Resorts

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CITY Fort Smith, Arkansas

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Courtesy Seascape Beach Resort

TOWN South Bend, Indiana

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VENUE Rosemont Manor

D E PA R T M E N T S

6 INSIGHTS Best Practices for

Blended Meetings

8 PROFILE Ed Kirby

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10 MANAGING The Sharing

MEETING GUIDE Tennessee

Economy

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.

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INSIGHTS WITH VICKIE MITCHELL

HYBRID HITS ITS STRIDE

H

ybrid meetings aren’t a new idea, but during the pandemic, they have become a way for some to attend an event in person as others opt to attend virtually.

Hybrid events are important because they make it possible to go forward with events that bring in revenue or allow businesses to inspire and train staff.

More organizations are signing on for hybrid meetings as the pandemic stretches on. Three-fourths of the 800 planners who attended a summer conference about hybrid events said they’d be planning a hybrid event before the end of the year, according to Business Travel News.

Here are some tips and trends to keep in mind as you plan your own hybrid meetings.

Combination meetings are coming into vogue

Look for the silver linings

There are obvious upsides to a hybrid meeting. Even in the best of times, people who want to attend a conference won’t always make it. Kids get sick, people break legs, travel budgets get slashed. A virtual option opens doors for those folks, and as it does, attendance grows and an event’s impact spreads.

Perhaps your organization has never promoted international attendance; now it can. Some groups have used virtual attendance as a way to grow membership. For example, an international tech conference offered college students the chance to attend virtually for free if they referred a fellow student. It could be easier to attract and afford a big-name speaker, who will be able to speak at your event without traveling to it, saving the speaker time and your organization money. In some meeting destinations, in-person conference size will be limited because of local or state caps on the size of gatherings. A hybrid allows the show to go on, as organizers offer the benefits of an in-person meeting to a limited number and invite others to attend online.

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Bend time to suit needs

A hybrid meeting breaks free of the typical two-to-three-day, 9-to-5 conference agenda. The conference time frame can expand for virtual attendees by making content available before the official start of the meeting or extending it afterward through links to recordings of presentations. Thanks to the recordings, they can attend sessions when it suits their schedules, even as the in-person crowd adheres to the traditional conference format. Time is also a factor in designing educational sessions and seminars. In consideration of virtual attendees who might not want to spend hours on end at their computer screens, conference organizers are varying the lengths of educational sessions, often tightening them to 20-to-30 minutes instead of the typical 45-to-60 minutes.

Build a solid tech framework

Whether it is an in-house IT team or an outside contractor, the success of any virtual event, including a hybrid one, hinges on the abilities and expertise of those who create or choose the technological framework to support the conference. As with any emerging trend, there will be a lot of companies stepping up as tech experts for hybrid meetings. It’s probably a good time to get some references before signing on with a supplier. Some venues are creating their own production studios to help their meeting clients. Convention centers like the Javits Center in New York and the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston have their studios up and running, and centers in smaller markets are likely to follow suit. This fall, for example, the Cox Business Convention Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, opened its new production facility.

Absorb all you can

Hybrid is here to stay, and while its popularity might wane postpandemic, this meeting configuration will come in handy in the future. Think about your attendees. As they age, their ability to attend an in-person meeting may decline. There’s also geography to consider. Perhaps your organization has been limited to a state or region — does a hybrid format expand its reach? The problem, though, for many planners is concern about how to plan a hybrid event. In a survey, one in five planners said lack of experience was a major barrier. Other concerns were cost, risk of failure, attendance and confusion about technology. So, a first step is to learn as much as you can from mentors and peers and tap into all the resources available. Get in touch with planners that have done virtual conferences and hybrids, and ask for insights. Read as much as you can, and duplicate the best ideas and innovations; attend seminars and online tutorials. Associations like Meeting Professionals International (MPI) are always quick to provide needed resources, and MPI has delivered again with its downloadable PDF “How-To Guide for Hybrid Meetings.”

December 2020

Make being a virtual attendee special

A hybrid meeting involves more than streaming your live meeting’s content.

Many elements of a live conference can’t be duplicated online, so it’s essential to create some unique experiences for virtual attendees. For example, Grip, an event software, matches attendees with similar interests or backgrounds and schedules brief online chats between them. Grip can also look at an attendee’s interests and experience and make suggestions about which sessions to attend, a big plus for a virtual conference attendee who is trying to sort through dozens of educational seminars. Software can create online vendor spaces so the organizer doesn’t lose the valuable revenue a trade show provides, suppliers still make connections with possible customers, and attendees learn about new products and services. Virtual attendees might get special links to Zoom yoga classes, cooking demos or a dance party. Games, polls and quizzes can be created for the online audience.

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“We find that one reason people stay with us in Henderson is for networking purposes. In Las Vegas, you may lose your people on the strip, while we have boutique-style hotels in Henderson and your group will stay together.”

MEETING LEADERS ED KIRBY

E

BY REBECCA TREON

d Kirby, national sales executive at Visit Henderson in Nevada, may have been born in New York, but having grown up in the area, “I live and breathe Henderson,” he said. “Our mayor really cares about community, so we get to offer something different from Vegas. We have outdoor adventure, a walkable downtown, and it’s all about family.”

Kirby has held nearly every position in the hotel industry in the past 25 years; he was a busboy, a valet, a bellman and a waiter before learning the ropes in sales.

“I was a bellman at the Rio and befriended the director of sales, and he actually set up a desk in his office and taught me everything about sales,” said Kirby. “I had to take a pay cut and still had to provide for my family and had to wait tables at night.”

He followed his mentor to another hotel before working a series of sales jobs around various area hotels. Opportunities to advance his career always came his way via word-of-mouth.

“I built a name for myself, and all my jobs came either from people I had worked with at another property or they had heard of me, but it was all relationship driven.”

He credits those years of working in hospitality with learning how to treat people to give them the best experience.

While looking to make his own hotel sales team more robust, be heard by chance that the director of sales position at the Henderson CVB was open. He applied, got hired and has been there for 17 years, working not only on meeting sales but also a host of oth-

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er events that Henderson hosts for the community, such as its Independence Day parade and various arts events.

“A big part of what I do are meetings, because that’s my background,” said Kirby. “We find that one reason people stay with us in Henderson is for networking purposes. In Las Vegas, you may lose your people on the strip, while we have boutique-style hotels in Henderson and your group will stay together.”

He also noted that meetings in the 150-to-200-participants range tend to get less attention in a city like Las Vegas compared with much larger groups. But in Henderson, that number will occupy most of a hotel and becomes an important element for them.

Kirby stressed that his hard work and determination are what landed him where he is today. While he worked as a bellman at the Rio, for example, he also did roofing during the day, and he was detailing all the Rio’s limos and buses.

“I was always one of those guys who would just grind it out,” he said. “I worked hard, and I think people noticed that. The director of sales liked my attitude and my work ethic, and that’s how I got promoted into sales.”

Kirby is Henderson’s point man for meeting planners because he has a deep familiarity with the city’s best-kept secrets and can create exclusive opportunities for events.

“If you want a rooftop venue, a wine cellar buyout or an outdoor excursion, we can get you all those things because we’re the professionals,” he said. “I’m the guy you want to come to with all those questions.”

EXECUTIVE PROFILE NAME Ed Kirby TITLE National Sales Executive ORGANIZATION Visit Henderson LOCATION Henderson, Nevada BIRTHPLACE Long Island, New York CAREER HISTORY Various hotel service jobs in the early 1990s; began sales career in 1994 at the Rio Suite Hotel and Casino, followed by sales positions at other area hotels; on staff at Visit Henderson since 2003

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

TIPS FROM ED KIRBY

• Your CVB contact is the key to unlocking the hidden gems of Henderson, including areas such as the Booze district and the Water Street district, both of which are full of unique venues and incredible restaurants.

• If you’re looking for the best time of year to come, the answer is anytime.

Spring and fall have gorgeous weather, but if you’re looking for the best rates, check out midweek, summer and holiday availability.

ED KIRBY ENJOYS THE WARM WEATHER IN SUNNY HENDERSON, NEVADA.

Where

December 2020 702.267.2114

BUSINESS

Meets

Adventure

9 VISITHENDERSONNV.COM

MANAGING

Limited Applications

MEETING PLANNERS WEIGH RISKS AND REWARDS OF THE SHARING ECONOMY

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BY RACHEL CARTER

haring economy, gig economy, collaborative consumption: Whatever the term, sharing services now cover everything from housing and transportation to event venues, temporary labor, food and even decorations.

While the sharing economy has been around for more than a decade, it hasn’t yet fully infiltrated the meetings industry, where planners and organizations have only intermittently adopted various tech-driven, resource-sharing services.

Safety is an issue when it comes to using sharing economy suppliers, along with concern about the consistency of available services — and that means “organizations are not using sharing economy services in any significant number,” according to American Express Meetings and Events’ 2020 Global Meetings and Events Forecast.

The report found that only 28% of North American respondents have explicit language in their meetings management policy regarding the use of sharing economy suppliers.

Whether it’s home-sharing services like Airbnb and VRBO, ride-sharing apps like Uber and Lyft or event-sharing platforms like Spacebase and Showslice, the sharing economy still presents a lot of opportunity for planners — and a fair amount of risk.

On why the meetings industry hasn’t fully embraced sharing: “As a planner, these are just other resources you’re able to activate when it’s convenient to you… People will use it when it’s convenient, but it’s not the norm.

It’s still risky in people’s minds.”

ACT OF SHARING The sharing economy burst onto the scene over a decade ago, with Airbnb launching in 2008, followed by Uber in 2009 and Lyft in 2012. Since then, countless platforms have set out to provide users with cars, bikes, office space, temp workers, on-demand delivery, event venues, convention services and even food.

Spacebase, LiquidSpace and Impact Hub give planners easy access to a range of unique venues and office locations for hourly or daily rentals.

London-based Showslice allows event organizers to share event infrastructure costs and services such as logistics, setups, production, staging and labor in the days following confirmed — and unrelated — events.

While sharing apps may be relatively new, the act of sharing among planners isn’t.

The general practice of sharing “has been happening at events for years,” said Shawna McKin-

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Gary Schirmacher CEO

Total Hospitality Industry Solutions Experience: 35 years

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

On being mindful of how sharing services affect communities: “Yes, they can seem very democratic and convenient and like a good way to save money.

However, such services have been criticized for contributing to everything from increased traffic congestion to lack of affordable long-term rental housing.”

ley, principal at Clear Current Consulting in North Vancouver, British Columbia. “Planners already share everything from AV to rented furnishings and decor.”

Planners often engineer their own co-sharing arrangements by working with traditional vendors. McKinley once worked with two convention planners with similar conference and exhibit programs that were held back-to-back at the same convention center. The planners opted to hire the same decorator and AV companies and cooperated to set up their plenary and exhibit halls in a similar way, thus eliminating the need to reconfigure setups between events.

“Not only did it save both money, it also reduced waste,” she said.

Platforms like Showslice further facilitate those connections by “building a bridge between confirmed events” to share infrastructure, save money and reduce waste, McKinley said.

Planners often do the same thing for food and beverage, said Gary Schirmacher, CEO of Total Hospitality Industry Solutions. Planners ask the venue what meals other events will be eating and ask for a discount to serve the same meal. Hotels even took that idea to the next level by offering a “lunch of the day.”

FLEXIBILITY AND FREEDOM

Shawna McKinley PRINCIPAL

Clear Current Consulting Experience: 23 years

December 2020

Debbie Friedman-Hueller, manager of meeting and event operations for Land O’Lakes, began using ridesharing services for events about five years ago. Managing ground transportation is “super challenging” with last-minute changes from individual attendees, whether it’s 20 or 2,000, so “when Uber and Lyft came on board, it was fantastic,” she said.

“From my own perspective, it frees me up as the meeting planner to focus more on the attendee experience and delivering content than some of those periphery logistics,” she said. While logistics are important, “if you can shift some of that to attendees, we can really go back to being event strategists versus logistics coordinators.”

Ridesharing can also save the company money and give individual travelers more latitude, she said.

Uber for Business allows organizers to set parameters like travel dates, dollar amounts and pickup and drop-off locations. Friedman-Hueller gives each attendee two vouchers — for rides to

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MANAGING

and from the event — but also provides airport shuttles on the back end to avoid having 75 Uber drivers come to the hotel at the same time.

“You’re only charged for what they use, so if somebody uses the shuttle to go back, we’re only charged for the one voucher,” she said.

Rideshare services also provide a level of flexibility and convenience that planners “didn’t have before,” Schirmacher said.

“If I’m an exhibitor and having 200 people at an off-site event, I can give them all the Uber code, and boom, they can get there if they want,” he said.

After the pandemic hit, Friedman-Hueller also turned to Uber Eats to enhance her virtual events. She used the local food-delivery service to re-create the experience of a lunch buffet at a national sales meeting. Each attendee received an Uber Eats voucher, along with a how-to video, to order lunch from a restaurant of their choice on the day of the meeting. For people in areas without Uber Eats, Postmastes or DoorDash, the event provided virtual Visa gift cards so they could have lunch delivered. Then attendees gathered in small Zoom breakouts to eat lunch together.

“That was a great way to replicate the experience — just very socially distant,” Friedman-Hueller said.

Debbie Friedman-Hueller MANAGER, MEETING AND EVENT OPERATIONS Land O’Lakes Experience: 15 years

On using ride-sharing services to ease logistics coordination: “I am so excited by some of the technology advances we’ve been able to adopt that free us up to focus on things that add value for the broader group, versus managing the minutiae — which is a very important part of the job, but it can also be what weighs you down.”

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MANAGING

SHARING CONSEQUENCES

‘PROTECTING YOUR PEOPLE’

Sharing services often come with unintended consequences. For one, house-sharing services like Airbnb could erode a planner’s buying power if attendees book short-term rentals instead of buying in the hotel block. Schirmacher hasn’t seen many planners or organizations embrace Airbnb as a lodging option, but “they know their people are using it, and they’re upset that it’s not going in the block.”

“There’s no benefit to a planner, typically, to use Airbnb or VRBO,” he said.

If more guests book out of traditional hotel blocks, planners risk paying for attrition. If the block size shrinks, hotels become less likely to provide complimentary event space, discounts on food and beverage, and other concessions.

In some cities or counties where local lodging tax may not apply to Airbnb rentals, CVBs may not be in a position to help planners, or CVB-provided services may have been cut due to lower tax revenue.

That’s one example of why “it’s also important for planners to be mindful of the bigger-picture impacts sharing services can have on communities, and whether or not their use aligns with personal and organizational values,” McKinley said.

For example, ridesharing was once touted as an environmentally responsible alternative to driving, but recent studies show that ridesharing increases both traffic congestion and vehicle emissions.

Sharing services present their own set of risks, from liability to reliability.

Planners must think about “protecting your people,” something a contract with a legitimate destination management company or transportation vendor does, Schirmacher said.

If a planner rents space in somebody’s office building, do they have insurance? Is there security? “There are a lot of questions you have to ask; whereas, if you’re renting space at a hotel, you have that trust,” he said. “If something screws up, they’re going to make it right.”

Safety is a concern, as is reliability. One night, Schirmacher booked a Lyft to the airport the next morning, only to have the driver cancel on him midsnowstorm “because they can.”

“One of the bigger negatives is the question of who’s accountable?” he said. “Where’s the accountability if someone has a bad experience?”

The only challenge Friedman-Hueller has encountered with sharing services is onboarding attendees to make sure they download the app, set it up and know how to use it before their arrival.

Planners should always share best practices and include a disclaimer of liability if attendees opt to use services that are not contracted, booked or endorsed by organizers, McKinley said. As an added courtesy, organizers could also provide basic FAQs on their registration or travel site about sharing services and what to know before using them.

Plan with confidence on

LOUISIANA’S NORTHSHORE Location, unique facilities, a full-service sales department, and complimentary services are just a few reasons to plan your next meeting on Louisiana Northshore.

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IDEAS

Courtesy Naples Grande Beach Resort

MEET, PLAY, STAY Resorts are perennial favorite destinations for meeting attendees

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BY RACHEL CARTER

esorts are where getaways meet “get to work.”

For attendees, a resort isn’t a bland beige hotel on a street corner where the only open space is a parking lot. And for planners, resorts provide meeting and conference space, on-site restaurants and bars, and built-in entertainment and activities.

From Southern mountaintops to northern California beaches, these resorts are destinations where meeting groups can meet, eat, play and stay.

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NAPLES GRANDE BEACH RESORT

NAPLES, FLORIDA The Naples Grande Beach Resort overlooks the Gulf of Mexico on 23 waterfront acres in Naples, Florida, and adjoins a 200-acre nature preserve and mangrove estuary. The property features three miles of sugar-white sand beach, an 18-hole golf course, 15 tennis courts, a full-service spa and several on-site restaurants and bars.

The resort’s 18-story tower has 474 guest rooms and 29 suites, each with a private balcony that delivers gulf views. Fifty low-rise Garden Villa Suites, located in an adjacent village, were refreshed in 2018.

The Naples Grande has more than 83,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting and event space. For its largest events, including conferences and events of up to 1,500, “the Royal Palm Ballroom is our most popular,” said Melinda Hutchins, director of sales and marketing. The 14,400-square-foot ballroom can be configured into eight rooms, and the 6,400-square-foot Orchid Ballroom is also divisible into four spaces.

Above: The Naples Grande Beach Resort sits on 23 acres overlooking the Gulf of Mexico.

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

The Sunset Veranda is a semicovered, open-air space that’s popular for sunset receptions or after-dinner games and cocktails. A short tram ride through the neighboring mangrove estuary takes guests to Clam Pass Beach, where groups can set up sunset receptions and dinners.

The 5,800-square-foot Vista Ballroom has an adjoining outdoor terrace that overlooks the Mangrove Pool at the center of the resort.

Because of the resort’s location, “our outdoor venues are exceptionally special,” Hutchins said. The Sunset Veranda is a semi-covered, open-air space that’s popular for sunset receptions or after-dinner games and cocktails. A short tram ride through the neighboring mangrove estuary takes guests to Clam Pass Beach, where groups can set up sunset receptions and dinners.

Groups can also take in the surrounding natural areas during kayak trips through the mangroves, experiences in Everglades National Park, ocean cruises and fishing charters. naplesgrande.com

Photos courtesy Naples Grande Beach Resort

December 2020

Amenities and scenery at Naples Grande Beach Resort

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IDEAS

A MEETING ROOM OVERLOOKING THE WATER AT GRAND TRAVERSE RESORT AND SPA

Courtesy Grand Traverse Resort and Spa

GRAND TRAVERSE RESORT AND SPA

ACME, MICHIGAN The Grand Traverse Resort and Spa covers 900 acres just off the shores of East Grand Traverse Bay. With 540 rooms, suites and condominiums, on-site entertainment, three golf courses, tennis courts, a shopping gallery, a private beach club and a spa, the property delivers the full resort experience to meeting attendees less than 10 miles from downtown Traverse City.

“It’s a beautiful, desirable region to visit,” said director of sales Katie Leonard. “Some people pair the meeting or education conference with a visit to the region.”

The property will soon wrap up a three-phase renovation of its meeting space, which included new digital reader boards; high-speed Wi-Fi and audiovisual systems; and new lighting, seating and air walls. The 20,000-square-foot Governors’ Hall was renovated in 2018, and all the lower-level breakout

“It’s a beautiful, desirable region to visit.

Some people pair the meeting or education conference with a visit to the region.”

— Katie Leonard, Grand Traverse Resort and Spa

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www.smallmarketmeetings.com

WE’VE RAISED THE STAKES. rooms followed in 2019. Renovations of the 10,000-square-foot, lobby-level Michigan Ballroom will be complete in January 2021.

The resort also has two exhibit halls and is looking to expand its outdoor venue options. The property has two covered outdoor venues — the Pavilion and the Plaza — and is planning to add a third covered pavilion to pair with its 4,500-square-foot Beach Club Deck on the shores of Lake Michigan.

Three 18-hole golf courses all start and finish at the Clubhouse, where groups can dine at the Grille restaurant or hold outdoor receptions on the clubhouse lawn.

The Den provides axe throwing, mini bowling, escape rooms and virtual reality experiences. Off-site, groups can arrange for wine tours and visit Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, charter fishing trips and book tall ship or catamaran cruises. grandtraverseresort.com

Whether you’re looking to host an event for business or pleasure, we have the venue for you. Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort offers a wide range of activities and amenities to complement your event, all in one convenient location. With multiple dining venues, more than 18,000 sq. ft. of flexible event space, Thoroughbred racing (Jan-May), casino gaming, sports book, state-of-the-art spa treatments, thrilling entertainment, fitness center, outdoor pool and 200-room luxury hotel, there is truly something for everyone. Come experience a new level of excitement at Oaklawn!

OAKLAWN.COM

SEASCAPE BEACH RESORT

APTOS, CALIFORNIA The Seascape Beach Resort sits on a bluff overlooking Monterey Bay in northern California, just down the coast from Santa Cruz.

“The primary thing that brings groups here is our outside access,” said Cassie Olsen, director of sales and marketing. “The highlight to any meeting here is our variety of outdoor experiences.”

A walking path leads to the beach, and the resort offers complimentary golf cart service. The resort has a private section along a 17-mile stretch of public beach, meaning planners can hold practically any kind of beach event without going through city permitting.

The 220-room hotel features 17,000 square feet of meeting space, and “every one of our meeting rooms has an ocean view,” Olsen said. The largest space is the

December 2020

Gambling problem?

Call 1-800-522-4700.

HOT SPRINGS, AR GROUP SALES: (501) 701-1317

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IDEAS

AN EVENT ON THE SAND AT SEASCAPE BEACH RESORT

4,000-square-foot Seascape Ballroom, and groups often book the 1,200-square-foot Bayview Room on the third floor because it has a full balcony.

In front of the resort, the Bluff is an outdoor space perched on a bluff, where panoramic bay views make it popular for welcome receptions and sunset dinners.

The resort has beach bonfires every night, and groups can also arrange s’mores and clambakes on the beach and luaus on the Bluff or the Island, a man-made lagoon with bridges leading to an island with palm trees, a lawn and a sandy beach.

The resort partners with team-building programs to offer archery, volleyball, soccer and obstacle courses on the beach. Groups can also take wine-blending and succulent garden-building classes or get in the water during stand-up paddleboarding or surf lessons. seascaperesort.com

Courtesy Seascape Beach Resort

BACK T BUSINESS Get back to taking care of business safely, soundly and in style. With 150,000 square feet of spectacular meeting space, plus 2,000 luxury hotel rooms, we have the perfect place for you to get back on track. Our newly implemented Safe + Sound procedures are in place for your peace-of-mind.

We are committed to remaining FLEXIBLE in the face of evolving conditions: • Zero attrition or cancellation fees • Zero risk in rebooking Visit hardrockhotelatlanticcity.com/meetings or call 609-449-6060 today and receive additional booking incentives.

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BLUE HARBOR RESORT AND CONFERENCE CENTER

SHEBOYGAN, WISCONSIN With sparkling white walls and red-topped turrets, the Blue Harbor Resort and Conference Center in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, resembles a Midwestern version of San Diego’s famous Hotel del Coronado.

Though both resorts are beachfront, Blue Harbor sits on the shores of Lake Michigan, about an hour’s drive north of Milwaukee.

The resort boasts 179 hotel rooms in the main hotel — where mezzanines wrap around the soaring two-story lobby — as well as 64 villas.

Blue Harbor has more than 16,800 square feet of convention space, nearly 9,900 of that in the Grand Ballroom. The flexible ballroom can be split into seven smaller spaces and opens onto the outdoor Lakeside Terrace, which offers 4,000 square feet of waterfront space.

EXPLORING THE LAKE MICHIGAN WATERFRONT AT BLUE HARBOR RESORT

Courtesy Visit Sheboygan

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IDEAS At the 54,000-square-foot indoor water park, groups can also play glow-in-the-dark mini golf or rent the indoor surf simulator to take surfing lessons. Attendees can play cornhole on the resort lawn or gather around the fire pit. Blue Harbor also offers a wide range of team-building activities, including a “beach battle” where teams compete in games and activities, like building sandcastles and playing beach volleyball.

Sheboygan has been a surf destination for over 50 years, with unique geography that creates some of the best waves on Lake Michigan. Groups can arrange to take surfing or stand-up paddleboarding lessons through the EOS surf shop. blueharborresort.com

SHEBOYGAN’S BLUE HARBOR RESORT

LODGE AT MOUNT MAGAZINE

Courtesy Visit Sheboygan

PARIS, ARKANSAS Between Little Rock and Fort Smith, Mount Magazine State Park covers over 2,200 acres of Arkansas forest and is home to Mount Magazine, the state’s highest point at 2,753 feet. And perched atop Mount Magazine is the Lodge at Mount Magazine.

“Being the highest point in Arkansas, the view is our biggest selling point,” said Carolyn Jett, the lodge’s general manager.

Each of the lodge’s 60 rooms offers sweeping views of the Petit Jean River Valley and Blue Mountain Lake. The park also has 13 cabins.

The lodge’s 3,772-square-foot banquet hall can be separated into three smaller rooms. Two additional meeting rooms can be used for board meetings or breakout spaces. The park’s visitor center also has an 880-square-foot meeting room, as well as a small museum and gift shop.

“Being the highest point in Arkansas, the view is our biggest selling point.”

— Carolyn Jett, Lodge at Mount Magazine

22

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Meet Jefferson Parish! Let us help plan your next meeting or event. From facilities, accommodations, transportation, attractions & dining our team is dedicated to your success. Our destination partners have implemented safety and sanitation protocols to ensure your group can meet safely.

MEET JEFFERSON PARISH…WE’RE READY WHEN YOU ARE! W W W . M E E TJ E F F E R S O N P A R I S H . C O M 5 0 4 . 7 3 1 . 7 0 8 3 | T O L L F R E E 1 . 8 7 7. 5 7 2 . 7 4 7 4

IDEAS

A terrace wraps around the view side of the lodge, with outdoor seating and rocking chairs. The 125-person Skycrest Restaurant features a two-story native stone fireplace and large windows that frame the same view.

Outdoor venues include a 300-person amphitheater and a covered pavilion where groups of up to 50 can cook over the large fireplace. Cameron Bluff Overlook can also be used for group events, like yoga retreats.

Groups can take a scenic loop drive around Mount Magazine, and park interpreters are available for nature walks and talks as well as campfire chats, which can include s’mores, stargazing and a demonstration of open-fire kettle cooking.

Hiking is another popular activity. The Signal Hill trail, the park’s shortest, leads to the highest point in Arkansas, although it’s surrounded by forest, so there’s no view.

Groups can also arrange ATV rentals and horseback trail rides with park outfitters. arkansasstateparks.com/ parks/mount-magazine-state-park

Enjoying the mountainous surroundings of Arkansas’ Lodge at Mount Magazine

Photos courtesy AR DPHT

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www.smallmarketmeetings.com

This

LITTLE BIT OF

That

LITTLE BIT OF

DUBUQUE .COM

MORE THAN THE MEETING.

t s e W d l O

IN THE NEW SOUTH Visitors discover a fascinating history of frontier justice at the Fort Smith National Historic Site.

Courtesy NPS All other photos courtesy Fort Smith CVB

CITY

In Fort Smith, frontier heritage is only the beginning

I

BY KATHERINE TANDY BROWN

n 2013, True West magazine named Fort Smith, Arkansas, its Top True Western town, and thanks to the city’s genuine cowboy atmosphere, it has repeated bestowing this honor every year since.

Fort Smith was once the country’s jumping-off point into the West and pure lawlessness — with 66 saloons on Garrison Street, seven houses of ill repute and a jail known as Old Hell on the Border — until President Ulysses Grant commissioned Marshal Isaac Parker as the area’s first lawman.

These days, this thriving city is well-balanced, with noteworthy symphonies, spellbinding dance productions and cutting-edge, larger-than-lifesized art on enormous gray silos at the OK Feed Store. And Miss Laura’s Social Club, once designated the top whorehouse in the West, has become Fort Smith’s Visitor Center, the first of its kind to be on the National Register of Historic Places.

FORT SMITH AT A GLANCE

LOCATION: North Central Arkansas’ western border with Oklahoma ACCESS: Interstates 40, 540 and 49; Fort Smith Regional Airport HOTEL ROOMS: 2,600-plus CONTACT INFO: Fort Smith Convention and Visitors Bureau 800-637-1477 experiencefortsmith.com FORT SMITH CONVENTION CENTER

BUILT: 1966; expanded in 1981; new exhibit hall and new meeting rooms completed in 2001 EXHIBIT SPACE: 116,800 square feet OTHER MEETING SPACES: Exhibit hall divisible into five spaces; eight meeting rooms expandable into 13; ArcBest Performing Arts Theatre and Lobby MEETING HOTELS

DoubleTree by Hilton Fort Smith City Center GUEST ROOMS: 255 MEETING SPACE: 17,000 square feet Courtyard by Marriott GUEST ROOMS: 138 MEETING SPACE: 2,565 square feet WHO’S MEETING IN FORT SMITH

Rotary Mid-Atlantic Presidents-Elect Training Seminar (MAPETS) ATTENDEES: 500 Battle at the Fort (volleyball) ATTENDEES: 8,000 Mid-America Aerospace and Defense Summit ATTENDEES: 400

December 2020

27

Destination Highlights

MAJOR MEETING SPACES

S

uccessfully mixing a rich heritage with big-city amenities, Fort Smith can keep a group as busy as they want to be.

Thanks to the Unexpected Project, this unlikely town has become a world-class destination for urban and contemporary art. Begun in 2015, this ongoing downtown urbanization venture is a growing collection of outdoor art that includes more than 30 pieces by highly sought-after international artists who paint large murals on buildings and massive structures. A weeklong festival adds more art each year.

History waits around every corner in this border town. On a walking tour of the Fort Smith National Historic Site, visitors hear the heart-wrenching story of the Trail of Tears and Nations, retrace the footsteps of Deputy U.S. Marshal Bass Reeves and the nasty outlaws he brought to justice and learn about the notorious, misnamed “Hanging Judge” Parker. His remains are interred at 23.2-acre Fort Smith National Cemetery, worth a visit, as are the Army base and barber shop where Elvis Presley received “the haircut heard around the world” when he joined the U.S. military.

Decades of diverse architectural styles are preserved by Fort Smith’s lovely historic districts and grandiose churches. In the Belle Grove Historic District, the 1874 Clayton House, now a museum, is a luxurious mansion built by a local prosecutor during the elegant Victorian period, when the town was founded on the edge of Indian Territory.

Downtown Fort Smith

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DESTINATION HIGHLIGHTS

Fort Smith Convention Center

Major Meeting Spaces

W

ith 110,000 square feet of usable space for large conventions, meetings and special events, the Fort Smith Convention Center offers a 40,000-square-foot, customizable exhibit hall; eight meeting rooms that accommodate 30 to 100 people; and the 1,300-seat ArcBest Performing Arts Center, home to the renowned Fort Smith Symphony. The ArcBest is highly suited for live speakers, presentations, theater productions and concerts. The convention center’s architecturally striking North and South rotundas feature floor-to-ceiling panoramic windows that allow natural light into spaces for smaller group meetings and receptions.

Connected to the convention center, the DoubleTree by Hilton Fort Smith City Center features 17,000 square feet of meeting space that includes a 10,656 square-foot ballroom. A five-story waterfall cascades for patrons at its 1817 Grille and Tap Room Bar. “If the convention center needs more space, we can easily utilize some or all of the DoubleTree’s space,” said Bob Reykers, director of sales for the center.

The Courtyard by Marriott Fort Smith Downtown sits adjacent to the convention center, adding another 2,565 square feet of meeting area, on-site dining and a bar, and a 24-hour business center.

All three properties are a half-mile from downtown shopping, restaurants, nightlife and historic attractions and a 10-minute drive from the University of Arkansas, Fort Smith.

“We’re an area that can meet the economic needs of the different groups coming to meet here,” said Amy Jones, head of convention and event sales for the Fort Smith Convention and Visitors Bureau. “Grants and a hardworking corps of volunteers make us very affordable.”

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Distinctive Venues

DISTINCTIVE VENUES

Unexpected Project art in the Bakery District

DISTINCTIVE VENUES

U.S. Marshals Museum

W

ith 18,017 square feet of usable space across from the convention center, the Bakery District is a 1920s bakery facility with original brick-and-mortar walls that now houses a coffee lounge, a catering kitchen, a beer garden with a bocce court and four event spaces. The 5,900-square-foot outdoor patio can host 394 people. One meeting room with a living-plant wall holds 49 for small functions; another accommodates 550 standing for a reception.

Set on the banks of the Arkansas River, the 53,000-square-foot U.S. Marshals Museum is built in an impressive contemporary star design reflecting a lawman’s badge. Visitors take an interactive stroll through the history of these courageous tamers of the West from the 1789 beginning of the U.S. Marshals Service to the present.

Though the museum’s doors are not yet open, attendees may tour its Hall of Honor free, and beginning next year, planners can book its 14,000 square feet of space that includes a river-view atrium.

“We’re hoping to have a soft opening late next year if we meet fundraising goals,” said Casey Faber, museum coordinator.

A restored Masonic Temple with 53,000 square feet of meeting space, Temple Live boasts a combo of Art Deco and Egyptian Revival architectural style, with three banquet halls. Its ornate interior hosts corporate functions and special events.

Home to the Arkansas-Oklahoma State Fair, the Old Fort Days Rodeo and numerous meetings, conventions and concerts, Kay Rodgers Park has 88,260 square feet of space for year-round use.

MAJOR MEETING SPACES

December 2020

ArcBest Performing Arts Center

29

After the Meeting

Unexpected Project art in a local Fort Smith park

AFTER HOURS

“F

ort Smith is a city surrounded by nature,” said Russ Jester, marketing and events services manager for the Fort Smith Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Outdoors lovers can paddle a kayak or canoe on the area’s lakes and the Arkansas River. Attendees will want to bring their families and treat the kids to a summertime day in Parrot-dise at Parrot Island Waterpark. There’s even an Aqua-Jog for adult exercise.

From Fort Smith, it’s an easy two-hour drive to Crater of Diamonds State Park, where visitors can search a 37-acre field, the eroded surface of part of a volcanic crater, for naturally occurring diamonds. Park rangers offer gem and mineral history and the how-to’s of questing. Since the park’s opening in 1972, guests have found more than 33,100 of these sparklers, including the 43.2-carat Uncle Sam, the largest diamond ever unearthed in the U.S. The park features a 1,600-square-foot classroom in its interpretive center; an enclosed, climate-controlled pavilion; fishing; and miles of hiking and biking trails.

Successful “miners” can treat themselves and 49 friends or fellow attendees to a round of local craft beer in the Fort Smith Brewing Company’s Tasting Room. Munchies can include bar food such as pulled pork sandwiches or BYO food from any restaurant. With the city’s 200-plus clubs and restaurants representing cultures from around the globe, the choice is bound to satisfy every palate. Group favorites include fresh cut steaks at Doe’s Eat Place, real “Q” at Ralph’s Pink Flamingo BBQ and pure comfort food at Calico County.

g

star othfe western frontier

downtown fort smith

fs national historic site

u.s. marshals museum

fort smith convention center

#MeetInFortSmith the park at west end

bakery district

performing arts center

FORT SMITH is a city surrounded by nature, with a rich Western legacy and modern reputation as a town with incredible public art. Fort Smith is a central link on the U.S. Interstate System and Fort Smith Regional Airport offers daily jet service to and from DFW and ATL, and Fort Smith Convention Center boasts 116,000+ ft2 of flexible event space close to 2,600+ guest rooms and downtown dining, shopping, and more.

gg meetinfortsmith.com 30

Amy Jones . amy. jones@fortsmithar.gov . (800) 637-1477

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

STEP

WHEN YOU’RE READY TO RALLY, WE’RE HERE TO HELP.

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ONE

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OCTOBER Accessibility at Meetings Historic Venues Illinois Meeting Guide

JULY Booking Entertainment Off-Season Meetings Mississippi & Ohio Meeting Guides

NOVEMBER Streamlining Registration Meetings on the Beach Wisconsin & Kentucky Meeting Guides

AUGUST Event Websites & Apps Meetings at Museums Iowa & Washington Meeting Guides

DECEMBER Event Photos & Video Meetings at Casinos New York Meeting Guide Directory Issue

STEP

TWO 1/6 Page 2.5” x 4.5” $1,800 net total for 3 ads 1/3 Page 5” x 4.5” $2,700 net total for 3 ads 1/2 Page 8” x 4.5” $3,900 net total for 3 ads 2/3 Page 5” x 9.25” $4,600 net total for 3 ads Full Page 9” x 10.875” $5,400 net total for 3 ads

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250 x 250 pixel banner ad on our website for 3 months Sponsored Article in one issue of our e-newsletter 300 x 250 pixel banner ad in three issues of our e-newsletter Your own advertisers page on our website for one year Facebook post promoting your destination or company Up to ten photos in our Photo Slideshow on our website for one year Your destination video on our website for one year

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TALLAHAS SEE, FLO RIDA | WI NTER

DESTINA TIONS | WI SCONSIN MEETING GUIDE NOVEMB

ER 202 0

CONTACT US! Call or email Kyle to secure your space!

Kyle@smallmarketmeetings.com

866-356-5128

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VIRT AND PE UAL RSONA L:

Bridging the Ga p

TOWN

ONLY IN

d n e B h t Sou T

BY PAULA AVEN GLADYCH

he University of Notre Dame put South Bend, Indiana, on the map, and it remains the city’s main attraction. But it’s far from the only one.

South Bend, in north-central Indiana, is the birthplace of the Studebaker, and classic car aficionados like to spend time at the Studebaker National Museum. If outdoor activities are your passion, South Bend has a Class II whitewater rafting course that runs right through the center of downtown.

Easy to reach by car from Indianapolis, Chicago, Michigan and Ohio, South Bend also has an airport that brings in four airlines from 13 different hubs across the country, making it a convenient meeting destination.

The Century Center, the city’s main convention center, is part of an 11-acre park along the St. Joseph River and has more than 100,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, including its 16,640-square-foot Great Hall with 35-foot floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook the St. Joseph River.

“We have a mini-convention district downtown,” said Lindsay Ference, director of sales for Visit South Bend Mishawaka.

The Century Center is connected to or within walking distance of three hotels with a combined 600 guest rooms. The recently renovated DoubleTree

by Hilton is connected to the center via a climate-controlled sky bridge. The Courtyard by Marriott is right across the street and is connected to the center via underground tunnel. The Aloft South Bend hotel is two blocks away. Both the DoubleTree and the Aloft have meeting space.

On the west side of town, the Gillespie Conference Center has 16,000 square feet of meeting space and is connected to a Hilton Garden Inn and the Inn at St. Mary’s, with a combined 250 guest rooms. This area is great for groups that want to incorporate meetings or tours on the University of Notre Dame or St. Mary’s College campuses.

Photos courtesy Visit South Bend Mishawaka

ON CAMPUS AT NOTRE DAME

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Destination Notre Dame

The home of the Fighting Irish is not only a great place to host a meeting or event but also a wonderful place to visit. Guided tours of the campus, football stadium, basketball arena and Basilica of the Sacred Heart are a must, said Ference. Groups can host meetings or banquets in spaces scattered throughout campus, including ballroom space overlooking the football field.

The Morris Inn, on campus, is a 150-room hotel that was built right across the street from McKenna Hall, the campus’ main conference center, which is being renovated and will reopen in September 2021. Between McKenna Hall and the Morris Inn, there will be 30,000 square feet of meeting space when the project is completed.

Unique Venues

With the pandemic going on, many groups are looking for outdoor spaces to host events. Howard Park in downtown South Bend was recently redeveloped and offers ice skating, a patio, event lawns that can host groups of 1,000 people, fountains and firepits. If groups want a mix of indoor and outdoor spaces for their event, the Howard Park Event Center, overlooking the park and river, can host up to 150 people. Smaller groups can host a dinner for about 80 people at the Studebaker National Museum.

Attendees have full access to the museum as part of their event.

THE DAHNKE BALLROOM AT NOTRE DAME IN SOUTH BEND OVERLOOKS THE FIGHTING IRISH FOOTBALL FIELD.

SOUTH BEND INDIANA LOCATION

North central Indiana

ACCESS

South Bend International Airport; interstates 80 and 90, U.S. Highway 31

MAJOR MEETING SPACES

Century Center, Gillespie Conference Center

HOTEL ROOMS 5,000

OFF-SITE VENUES

University of Notre Dame, Studebaker National Museum, Howard Park

CONTACT INFO

Visit South Bend Mishawaka 800-519-0577 visitsouthbend.com

December 2020

Attractions The Studebaker and Oliver families helped drive South Bend’s growth, and their influence is felt in many parts of the city. Visitors can learn more about both families through a visit to the Studebaker National Museum and the Studebaker mansion, or a tour of Copshaholm, the home of the Oliver family, which developed and manufactured the chilled plow in South Bend.

The Oliver mansion is one of the best-preserved homes of its kind.

“Just stepping inside there, the spices in the cabinets are back from when the Oliver family lived in the home,” Ference said. “You get a sense of what it was like for them to live in the mansion.” All three floors of the mansion are full of original Oliver family furniture and artifacts.

Free Time Groups interested in team-building activities should visit the East Race Waterway, the first man-made water rafting course in North America.

Teams of three or four people can race each other down the Class II rapids or take on a series of ropes courses at Edge Adventures. After hours, groups can take in a baseball game at the home of the South Bend Cubs, a Class A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs, or take a behind-the-scenes tour of the South Bend Chocolate Company, where everyone gets a chance to dip their own spoon into the chocolatey goodness. The Four Winds Casino opened in South Bend about a year and a half ago. Groups can arrange for a shuttle to bring their guests to and from the casino once their conference business is over.

33

HOTEL

A Chicagoland Retreat

C

BY KRISTY ALPERT

onstructed in Frank Lloyd Wright-influenced style and set alongside a championship golf course in Itasca, Illinois, the Eaglewood Resort and Spa was built to impress and delight its guests. The resort is less than 30 minutes from the original starting point of Route 66 and 25 miles from downtown Chicago. Its 106 acres welcome travelers to a respite of upscale accommodations and ample space for gathering with friends, coworkers or family.

The resort features on-site dining options and modern interiors with floor-to-ceiling windows prominently featured throughout the property. Each of the 295 guest rooms and suites is outfitted with rich cherry and mahogany furnishings to provide a luxurious backdrop for any stay, and the panoramic views from the guest rooms give a glimpse of the resort’s manicured grounds. On-site amenities include an 18-hole championship USGA-certified golf course, a six-lane retro bowling alley, four fitness rooms, a pool, a full-service health spa and a bocce ball court.

Eaglewood’s location and range of on-site amenities, activities and event spaces have earned it a spot as an IACC-certified conference space. The resort features more than 37,000 square feet of flexible meeting space where the 37 different meeting rooms range from a 7,031-square-foot ballroom to an outdoor terrace and patio with a fire pit. The Eaglewood Conference Plan — one-price-per-person rate — makes planning any type of event or meeting a breeze. The package includes deluxe overnight accommodations, all meals served buffet style in Burnham’s Restaurant, audiovisual equipment and Wi-Fi, continual refreshment breaks and a dedicated conference planning manager to help with all stages of planning and execution.

The on-site planners and conference concierge can help plan for team-building and group experiences both on-site and off-site, which include golf tournaments and outings, during guests’ time on the property. Highly skilled technicians are on hand to help manage the technology the resort employs for meetings and events.

34

RED OAK BALLROOM

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M E E T I N G S PAC E S There are 37 unique IACC-certified meeting rooms throughout Eaglewood Resort and Spa, and many have multiple configurations and options for breakout rooms. The Red Oak Ballroom, which holds up to 576 guests, is the largest event space, with three configurations as well as a prefunction area for up to 200 guests and a patio for up to 150 guests. The Linden Ballroom is great for gatherings of up to 250 guests. Multiple smaller venues —the Arrowhead, the Lilac, the Hollyhock and others — are better suited for boardroom-style meetings of up to 25 guests. The green areas around the property are also available; they include a covered outdoor pavilion for up to 300 guests.

C AT E R I N G Meal planning is easy at the Eaglewood Resort and Spa, where breakfast, lunch and dinner are included for all meeting guests through the Eaglewood Conference Plan. Meals are served buffet style in Burnham’s Restaurant on the first floor. Every item in the buffet is labeled with full nutritional information — including calorie content and potential allergen content such as nuts, gluten, etc. — to make it easy for guests to select entrees and side dishes that meet their specific dietary restrictions. The center holds a liquor license and offers a full bar package for meetings and events.

EXTRAS THE ARCHITECTURE AND DECORATION OF EAGLEWOOD RESORT AND SPA WERE INSPIRED BY FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT.

EAGLEWOOD RESORT LOCATION

Itasca, Illinois

SIZE

As part of the Eaglewood Conference Plan, meeting planners and groups will have access to complimentary Wi-Fi and audiovisual tools.

A dedicated conference planning manager is assigned for all meetings and events and will work with planners on all details of the event, beginning with the start of the planning and working all the way through with meeting execution assistance. Overnight accommodations are included in the price-per-person rate, and guests are invited to make full use of the resort’s many amenities, including the full-service spa and the championship golf course — both for an additional fee.

295 guest rooms

MEETING SPACE 37,000 square feet

ACCESS

25 miles from downtown Chicago and 12 miles from Chicago O’Hare International Airport

CONTACT INFO Courtesy Eaglewood Resort and Spa

December 2020

630-773-1400 eaglewoodresort.com

BEFORE AND AFTER Meeting groups have 106 acres to explore in their free time at the resort. On-site amenities include an 18-hole, par-72, championship USGA-certified golf course; a six-lane retro bowling alley; four fitness rooms; a pool; a full-service health spa; and a bocce ball court.

Golf lessons and group packages are available at the Golf Club at Eaglewood. Day trips around the area include visits to the Windy City, detours to the starting point of Historic Route 66 and tours of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Home and Studio in Oak Park, Illinois.

35

VENUE

THE CARRIAGE HOUSE AT ROSEMONT MANOR MAKES A LOVELY SETTING FOR ELEGANT EVENTS.

A SHENANDOAH ROSE

P

erched on a hill overlooking the Shenandoah Valley and the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Historic Rosemont Manor is a countryside venue that carries a long tradition of Southern hospitality.

In 1811, Jane Bowles Wormeley first laid eyes upon the stunning Historic Rosemont Manor, known then as simply Rose Mont. The manor was built for her as a wedding gift by her husband, George Horton Norris, the first high sherriff of Clarke County, and the newlyweds’ Georgian-style home was as white and glimmering then as it is to this day.

Over the years, the manor has been a country home and a primary residence for many prominent families and was even the focal point of a pivotal battle during the Civil War — many Civil War relics continue to be excavated on the property to this day — before becoming a political meeting ground. The grounds were used as a presidential landing pad for Roosevelt, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Nixon and Johnson, who were welcomed in by Virginia Sen. Harry F. Byrd Sr. Each owner played a role in maintaining and adding to the aesthetics of the manor, including the addition of the grand portico with its

36

BY KRISTY ALPERT

fluted Doric columns and, eventually, an impressive two-story grand staircase. But it wasn’t until 2009, under the guidance of owners William and Barbara Genda, that the manor’s renovations were completed and Rosemont was transformed into an exclusive bed-and-breakfast and special events venue. The manor is now a meeting point for groups, families, coworkers and friends to gather and celebrate in a beautiful historic setting.

The indoor and outdoor spaces at the manor are large enough for a full team to meet; smaller locations are suitable for breakout meetings and smaller gatherings. Each venue on the grounds is flexible to accommodate the needs of any group, with on-site planners and attentive event staff on hand to take care of every last detail. Business meetings and multiday corporate retreats alike are memorable at the Historic Rosemont Manor.

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

HISTORIC ROSEMONT SPRINGS

Meetings at the Historic Rosemont Manor range from grand affairs to cozy gatherings. A group of 10 is treated with as much care and attention as a group of 400. The manor is split into two venue options with plenty of space for breakout sessions within each, and groups can choose between them. The Historic

Rosemont Manor Main Manor House, which was built in 1811, can hold an event of up to 50 guests, and the Historic Rosemont Manor Carriage House can accommodate groups of up to 175 guests.

The new Amish-built barn at the Historic Rosemont Springs is suitable for meetings of up to 400 guests.

C AT E R I N G The culinary options at the Historic Rosemont Manor are provided by the inhouse kitchen staff for bed-and-breakfast guests. Three guest chefs tend to the specific needs for smaller, intimate corporate dinner receptions and other larger events. Passed hors d’oeuvres offer a fun variety for gatherings. Favorites include applewood smoked bacon lollipops, wild

mushroom artisan cheese tarts and beef Wellington puffs. More formal events can select from the plated trio option that includes a selection of three passed hors d’oeuvres, a beautifully presented salad course and an entree selection that includes multiple meat options as well as options for vegetarians, vegans and pescatarians. Alcohol is allowed.

EXTRAS Photos courtesy Rosemont Manor

V E N U E FA C T S ROSEMONT MANOR’S GRAND FOYER

HISTORIC ROSEMONT MANOR LOCATION

Berryville, Virginia

The event staff at the Historic Rosemont Manor fulfills the need for convenience, confidentiality and privacy for all groups by providing all the necessary amenities for successful meetings. WiFi is available throughout the Manor House, Carriage House and Studio, and additional business services, including faxes, copiers, wireless computer net-

working and internet connectivity, can be arranged upon request. The staff can also provide name badges, legal pads and pens for meeting attendees during meetings. The property is zoned for fireworks, and groups have the option for hosting firework displays on the property at Rosemont Manor during or after events.

TYPE OF VENUE Off-site, manor

BEFORE AND AFTER

CAPACITY

400 guests

NEARBY ACCOMMODATIONS On-site

CONTACT INFO 540-955-2834 rosemont1811.com

December 2020

Meeting guests are invited to stay in any of the 12 suites, many of which are named after the presidents and prominent figures who have visited the property. The 75 species of trees entice nature lovers to explore the manicured grounds. Lawn games and board games are available for groups during their time

at Rosemont, and hiking trails nearby and a horseback riding trail immerse guests in the Shenandoah Valley. Downtown Berryville offers a variety of shopping and dining options as well, but many guests prefer to stay on-site for the chance to enjoy an afternoon tea overlooking the historic site of the Battle of Berryville.

37

THE GATLINBURG CONVENTION CENTER WILL DEBUT A 10,000-SQUARE-FOOT EXPANSION NEXT YEAR.

I

Meetdieng Gui

Courtesy Gatlinburg CVB

BY TOM ADKINSON

n the panoply of Tennessee convention cities, Nashville, with its huge convention center, array of entertainment opportunities and variety of historical attractions, seems to suck all the oxygen out of the room. However, savvy meeting planners see an abundance of top-notch choices around the Volunteer State. Here’s a look at five of them.

GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS

The siren’s call of the Great Smoky Mountains pulls multitudes to east Tennessee, including meeting attendees. The majority head to Sevier County, where three communities — Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Sevierville — are ready with lodging, meeting spaces and plenty of leisure activities.

Gatlinburg, the smallest, is tucked up against Great

38

Meet Me in Tennessee

Smoky Mountains National Park, America’s most-visited national park. Its stature grew after the park was dedicated in 1940, and its calling card is that it’s largely a walkable town.

A building boom is underway in Gatlinburg: A 10,000-square-foot expansion on the Gatlinburg Convention Center is set for mid-2021. The Margaritaville Resort, with 4,000 square feet of meeting space and a laidback, Jimmy Buffett vibe, opened in 2018. And Annakeesta, which calls itself a mountaintop theme park, continues to expand its collection of observation towers, zip lines and suspended bridges through the trees.

Nearby Pigeon Forge, famous for its “five miles of fun” along its central corridor, is home to Dollywood, Tennessee’s most-visited paid attraction. Dollywood is popular with meeting groups for recreation and meal functions; its Blue Ribbon Pavilion seats 450. And the 300room DreamMore Resort and Spa has eight meeting rooms — almost 9,000 square feet, counting prefunction space — plus more than 2,500 square feet of outdoor meeting terraces. Directly in town, the Ramsey Hotel, for decades a Holiday Inn, is a mainstay for meetings, and Black Fox Lodge, in Hilton’s Tapestry Collection, is among the newer options.

Sevierville, the county seat and the most populous of the three cities, offers yet another feeling. Sevierville and Pigeon Forge both have massive event centers with more than 100,000 square feet each, and

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Sevierville has built a reputation for outlet shopping and other nonmeeting diversions, such as all-terrain vehicle tours and highspeed go-kart tracks. New is the group-friendly Soaky Mountains Waterpark, and the Ridge Outdoor Resort offers a meeting room that seats 200, an auditorium that seats 500 and the novelty of glamping tents and tiny-home cabins. gatlinburg.com mypigeonforge.com visitsevierville.com

DOLLYWOOD DREAMMORE RESORT

CHATTANOOGA

The city famous in song, history and geography has been on a roll in recent years for business relocation, leisure travel and meetings. With some of the nation’s best internet service, Chattanooga has honed a high-tech reputation, and it thrives on its close-to-nature attributes. The great outdoors practically smacks you in the face here.

“When you can look out of your hotel room and see the mountains and admire the sweep of the Tennessee River, it lifts your spirits and makes for a better meeting,” said Barry White, president and CEO of Visit Chattanooga.

The 185,000-square-foot Chattanooga Convention Center is the focus for many planners. Ask the staff about the “mood-enhancing” photovoltaic lighting technology that filters sunlight inside through 30-foot ceiling openings. The convention center is attached to the 341-room Chattanooga Marriott, which has 7,500 square feet of meeting space. Almost 1,500 additional first-class rooms are nearby, and free electric shuttles weave through the core of the city.

The 199-room Chattanoogan Hotel is part of Hilton’s Curio Collection, and the boutique 90-room Edwin Hotel in the Marriott Autograph Collection overlooks the river almost at the foot of the city’s famous blue bridge, the Walnut Street Bridge, a pedestrian-only structure. Nearby are the Hunter Museum of American Art, a popular off-site venue, and the Bluff Art District.

Chattanooga’s mainstay visitor attractions continue to offer planners activity and event options. Among them are Rock City, Ruby Falls and the Incline Railway, which, in 2020, marked 125 years of climbing Lookout Mountain. The Tennessee Aquarium, with both freshwater and saltwater collections, is popular for free-time diversion and special events. It will celebrate its 30th birthday in 2021.

“Chattanooga is especially appealing for meeting attendees who can tag on an extra day for outdoor activities,” White said. “You can go hiking, kayaking, rock climbing or hang gliding right here or go only an hour away for whitewater rafting thrills on the Ocoee River.” visitchattanooga.com

Courtesy Pigeon Forge Dept. of Tourism

CHATTANOOGA’S TENNESEE AQUARIUM

KNOXVILLE

About 190 miles up the Tennessee River by boat but only 115 miles by car is Knoxville, famous as the home of the University of Tennessee, along with its riverside football stadium, and as a gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains. It’s also a solid choice for meetings.

Courtesy Chattanooga Area CVB

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Meetieng Guid

KNOXVILLE’S DOWNTOWN TROLLEY

Knoxville’s downtown, once as moribund as almost any American city’s core, now hops with excitement, hotels, restaurants, shopping and meeting potential. The city still is earning dividends from the Knoxville World’s Fair way back in 1982.

The 500,000-square-foot Knoxville Convention Center and the 66,000-square-foot World’s Fair Exposition Hall, overlook World’s Fair Park and the iconic Sunsphere. The Holiday Inn World’s Fair Park, known to many planners because it is adjacent to the convention center, is being transformed into the full-service Marriott Knoxville Downtown, expected to open in 2021. Away from downtown, the Chilhowee Park Exposition Center has a 57,100-squarefoot exhibit hall that is popular for trade shows.

The immediate downtown area has 1,800 first-class rooms in multiple properties, several suited for smaller corporate meetings. All benefit from Market Square and Old Town. Market Square is a pedestrian mall almost always vibrant with music and events, including Shakespeare on the Square, and bustling with restaurants and shops.

Nearby Old Town, for years known for nighttime entertainment, has matured into a daytime destination, too, according to Sarah Rowan at Visit Knoxville. In addition to off-site venues such as Jackson Terminal, and Mill and Mine, Old Town offers the Pretentious Beer and Glass Company. It’s part brewery — Knoxville is quite the craft beer town — and part glassblowing art facility. Enjoy a brew while watching an artist make your souvenir glass.

Additional off-site venues to consider include the Knoxville Museum of Art, with its stunning Cycle of Life sculpture, and the Museum of East Tennessee History, which illuminates everything from Native American culture to World War II’s Manhattan Project. visitknoxville.com

CLARKSVILLE

Tennessee’s other major river, the Cumberland, provides the setting for Clarksville, a city of approximately 165,000 residents made especially vibrant by a four-year university and a military base. The military base is Fort Campbell, home of the 101st Airborne, the Army’s only air assault division, and the university is Austin Peay State University, where every sports enthusiast enjoys yelling, “Let’s Go Peay!”

The real charm of Clarksville is the heart of its downtown atop a bluff overlooking the river. Clarksville is sometimes called the City of Spires because of its numerous steeples and towers that poke into the Tennessee sky. Among them are the imposing Montgomery County Courthouse and the Customs House Museum and Cultural Center. The Customs House, a popular event venue, occupies a building completed in 1898 to handle the foreign mail created by the region’s once substantial international trade in tobacco.

Brick storefronts in the historic district are entrances to numerous shops, galleries and restaurants. A popular destination is the Strawberry Alley Ale Works, which offers craft beers and a diverse menu. Its second level, called Upstairs at Strawberry Alley, has 5,000 square feet of open space and a 360-degree view of downtown, the river and the surrounding countryside.

KNOXVILLE MUSEUM OF ART Photos courtesy Visit Knoxville

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www.smallmarketmeetings.com

More event space is available at locations such as the Old Glory Distillery; the Wilma Rudolph Event Center, which has space for a 500-person banquet; and Historic Collinsville, a rural pioneer settlement that features restored log homes and buildings, some from as early as 1830. visitclarksvilletn.com

FRANKLIN

Franklin is a tale of two cities for meeting planners. One is new and modern along Interstate 65, where the Franklin Marriott Cool Springs Conference Center offers plenty of facilities — 297 guest rooms, 22 meeting rooms, banquet space for 1,200 — and the other is five miles west, where the historic heart of the community lives in a pleasant jumble of intersecting roads and along the banks of the Harpeth River, a scenic float stream.

Main Street Franklin has a somewhat Norman Rockwell or Hallmark movie feel. Sidewalks are lined with specialty shops, and chef-driven restaurants occupy spaces that originally were mercantile locations.

An example is Gray’s on Main, a restaurant and bar that brought new life to a Victorian building built around 1876 that was a pharmacy for more than a century. Nearby is the Franklin Theatre, a movie theater from 1937, now reimagined as a 300-seat performance hall and event location. You’ll find more stories, literally and figuratively, at Landmark Booksellers, housed in a building that Andrew Jackson, Sam Houston and Davy Crockett visited.

One base of operations for a downtown meeting is the Harpeth Hotel, part of the Hilton Curio Collection. It is sleek and trendy, but it blends well into its historic setting.

Surrounding Williamson County is famous for its open spaces and scenic horse farms, and its off-site venues are noteworthy. Check out the Barn at Sycamore Farms, Graystone Quarry or Dark Horse Studios, especially for corporate and awards events. Dark Horse Studios’ primary function is as a recording studio for top-name acts.

You probably know some of its prior patrons: Taylor Swift, Keith Urban, Hunter Hayes, Bela Fleck and Carrie Underwood. visitfranklin.com

LUNCH AT CLARKSVILLE’S LIBERTY PARK GRILL

By Lucas Ryan Chambers, courtesy Visit Clarksville

EXPLORING DOWNTOWN FRANKLIN

The real charm of Clarksville is the heart of its downtown atop a bluff overlooking the river. Clarksville is sometimes called the City of Spires because of its numerous steeples and towers that poke into the Tennessee sky.

Courtesy Williamson Co. CVB

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2020 SMALL MARKET MEETINGS INDUSTRY DIRECTORY ARKANSAS

ILLINOIS

B U S I N E S S

ARKANSAS STATE PARKS

1 Capitol Mall Little Rock, AR 72201 501-682-6921 Nioka McNabb nioka.mcnabb@arkansas.gov www.arkansasstateparks.com Natural beauty and state-of-the-art facilities in Arkansas State Parks Lodges make them perfect meeting, retreat and conference venues. We have meeting rooms that can accommodate 20 to 200. Meeting amenities include projection and sound equipment, full-service catering, restaurant on site, overnight accommodations, beautiful views and curated activities.

ARKANSAS

FORT SMITH CVB

KENTUCKY

A L L I A N C E

ST. CHARLES BUSINESS ALLIANCE

2 E. Main Street St. Charles, IL 60174 630-443-3962 Laura Purdy lpurdy@stcalliance.org www.stcalliance.org Located 40 miles west of O’Hare airport, St. Charles, IL offers scenic river views, unique venues, helpful staff and planning resources. Host an unforgettable event, then enjoy a self-guided brewery tour in 6 breweries, explore the Fox River and discover world-class entertainment and all-star restaurants. Plan your visit today!

IOWA

MEET DUBUQUE

2 N. B Street Fort Smith, AR 72901 800-637-1477 Amy Jones amy.jones@fortsmithar.gov www.meetinfortsmith.com Fort Smith, Arkansas, is a city surrounded by nature and rich in living history and world-renowned public art. It’s easy to get here by road or sky, the Fort Smith Convention Center offers 116,000+ sq. ft. of infinitely-flexible event space, and over 2,600 guest rooms accommodate large groups. Meet in Fort Smith!

300 Main Street, Ste. 120 Dubuque, IA 52001 563-845-7698 Julie Kronlage jkronlage@traveldubuque.com www.meetdubuque.com With a little bit of this and a little bit of that, Dubuque, IA offers more than the meeting in safe, spacious hotels, event venues and outdoors spaces.

ARKANSAS

KANSAS

OWENSBORO CONVENTION CENTER

501 W. 2nd Street Owensboro, KY 42301 270-687-8800 Laura Alexander laura.alexander@spectraxp.com www.owensborocenter.com The award-winning Owensboro Convention Center is Western Kentucky’s full-service facility overlooking the Ohio River. With just under 102,000 sq. ft. of space, including a 44,000+ sq. ft. exhibition hall, 8,900+ sq. ft. Kentucky Legend® Pier, plus additional ballroom and meeting space, let us help you customize your next event!

LOUISIANA

JEFFERSON CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU, INC.

2705 Central Avenue Hot Springs, AR 71901 501-623-4411 Doug Kacena dkacena@oaklawn.com www.oaklawn.com Oaklawn Racing has upgraded to Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort – a newly expanded destination now featuring a boutique hotel and plenty of meeting space in addition to racing, gaming, dining, sports betting, entertainment, and much more.

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VISIT MANHATTAN

501 Poyntz Avenue Manhattan, KS 66502 785-776-8829 Visit Manhattan cvb@manhattan.org www.visitmanhattanks.org Oh, MANhattan!

The #1 walkable meeting destination in Kansas. The ideal choice for your next meeting. Manhattan offers exceptional meeting venues, over 1,370 sleeping rooms, unique dining.

Hometown to Kansas State University and nearby Ft. Riley.

The gateway to the Flint Hills, Oh, MANhattan - we can’t wait to meet!

VISIT OXFORD

1013 Jackson Avenue E. Oxford, MS 38655 800-758-9177 Nadia Thornton nadia@visitoxfordms.com www.visitoxfordms.com Touted as the “Cultural Mecca of the South”, creativity abounds in Oxford which has become known for offering exceptional culinary experiences, as well as the home of the University of Mississippi. Whether corporate retreats, trainings or small conferences, there are facilities in Oxford that can accommodate you and your group’s needs.

MISSISSIPPI

VISIT VICKSBURG

1221 Elmwood Park Boulevard., Ste. 411 New Orleans, LA 70123 504-731-7083 Angela Matherne angela@visitjeffersonparish.com www.meetjeffersonparish.com Next door to New Orleans, we offer over 8,000 hotel rooms, an international airport, two convention centers and various venues from quaint and comfortable to big and bold.

Our destination partners have implemented safety and sanitation protocols to ensure your group can meet safely.

We’re ready when you are!

1619 Walnut Street Vicksburg, MS 39180 601-883-9939 or 1-800-221-3536 Ashley Gatian ashley@visitvicksburg.com www.visitvicksburg.com Attendees can enjoy wonderful meetings while they relive history by visiting Vicksburg’s historic homes, churches, museums and the Vicksburg National Military Park.

Vicksburg offers an authentic Southern experience you don’t want to miss. Just be sure to leave some time to check out our live music scene, eat at one of our signature restaurants and browse our boutiques and antique shops.

LOUISIANA

NEVADA

LouisianaNorthshore.com

OAKLAWN RACING CASINO RESORT

MISSISSIPPI

ST. TAMMANY PARISH TOURIST COMMISSION/ LOUISIANA NORTHSHORE

68099 Highway 59 Mandeville, LA 70471 800-634-9443 Zondra Jones zondra@louisiananorthshore.com www.louisiananorthshore.com/meet St. Tammany Parish is conveniently located at the convergence of three major interstates. Our full-service team is ready to assist the planning of your next meeting with complimentary services and personalized assistance with group rates, site inspections, group activity planning, and more.

VISIT HENDERSON

280 S. Water Street Henderson, NV 89015 702-267-2670 Ed Kirby edward.kirby@cityofhenderson.com www.visithendersonnv.com Near the action, far from ordinary. Just minutes away from one of the world’s most famous entertainment destinations, Henderson is the perfect spot for a family getaway or easy business trip. From shopping and culture to outdoor recreation and entertainment, Henderson is the safe, easily-accessible, and charming heart of Southern Nevada.

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

2020 SMALL MARKET MEETINGS INDUSTRY DIRECTORY NEW JERSEY

HARD ROCK HOTEL & CASINO ATLANTIC CITY

1000 Boardwalk Atlantic City, NJ 08401 609-449-6060 Shelley Williams shelley.williams@hrhcac.com www.hardrockhotelatlanticcity.com Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City is ready to welcome you for good, clean, fun at this award-winning resort destination. This casino resort has created and introduced the ‘Safe + Sound’ program, establishing the best practices and protocols, for a responsible approach to provide guests with an exceptional experience from the moment they arrive.

OHIO

VISIT GREATER LIMA

144 S. Main Street, Ste. 101 Lima, OH 45801 419-222-6075 Sharree Brenneman-Reehling sbrenneman@visitgreaterlima.com www.visitgreaterlima.com No matter what type of event, we offer a wide range of services to assist you. We are happy to offer our expertise to make your event the best it can be. Located conveniently in Northwest Ohio with easy access to major state routes and I-75, Lima/Allen County is ready to welcome you. Big or small, we’re here to make your next event both memorable and successful.

TEXAS

DESTINATION EL PASO

One Civic Center Plaza El Paso, TX 79901 915-534-0692 Brooke Underwood bunderwood@destinationelpaso.com www.visitelpaso.com Visit the new El Paso and you’ll be blown away. From new Downtown hotels to vintage streetcars and an award-winning Triple-A ballpark/USL soccer stadium, you’ll absolutely love what’s new. Plus, we have great outdoor adventures just minutes away from downtown. Come see a brandnew Sun City!

VIRGINIA

HARRISONBURG TOURISM & VISITOR SERVICES

RESTART YOUR MARKETING TO MEETING PLANNERS IN 2021 WITH THE FIRST ISSUES OF THE YEAR JANUARY CVBs 101 Meetings at Hotels The Heartlands FEBRUARY Making the Most of Site Inspections Sports Meetings The South

MARCH Rebate & Incentive Programs Special-Interest Programs Rocky Mountains & Indiana Meeting Guides APRIL Managing Room Blocks Religious Meetings Texas Meeting Guide

212 S. Main Street Harrisonburg, VA 22801 540-432-8940 Jennifer Bell jennifer.bell@harrisonburgva.gov www.visitharrisonburgva.com Vibrant modern and diverse, Harrisonburg, VA offers a charming atmosphere infused with a serious passion for local food, libations and entertainment. With state of the art conference facilities and over 2,000 hotel rooms Harrisonburg offers a relaxed, friendly atmosphere with urban amenities, small-town charm and natural beauty.

TENNESSEE

VISIT KNOXVILLE

301 S. Gay Street Knoxville, TN 37902 865-342-9156 Sarah Rowan srowan@knoxville.org www.visitknoxville.com/meetings Knoxville is a nature-loving-adventure-seeking-artsy-kinda-meeting-town. Offering a refreshingly authentic yet sophisticated mix of culture, adventure and cuisine rooted in genuine Southern hospitality, Knoxville is the ideal destination for meetings and events of all sizes. Knoxville’s convenient location and downtown walkability are just a few reasons Knoxville would be perfect for your next event!

December 2020

CONTACT KYLE ANDERSON FOR MORE INFORMATION ON DISCOUNTS OF PRINT & DIGITAL PACKAGES

GTL-ADVERTISING.COM 866.356.5128 KYLE@SMALLMARKETMEETINGS.COM

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KNOX ROCKS SAFE MEETINGS & EVENTS

Knoxville has been waiting patiently for you – and preparing to welcome you to a reimagined destination that is committed to hosting safe meetings and events.

From newly implemented guidelines at the Knoxville Convention Center to a community-based approach for a safe reopening, you can experience peace of mind in a destination that is committed to the health and safety of you and your attendees.

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Here are a few of the enhanced safety measures you can expect from the Knoxville Convention Center, the city’s cornerstone meeting facility: • •

Masks and digital temperature checks required for all staff and meeting attendees •

•

Hand Sanitizing Stations throughout facility

Modified food and beverage services to incorporate enhanced safety practices

Meeting Room and Exhibit Hall layouts reconfigured to accomplish physical distancing

Contact us today to learn how #Knoxrocks Safe Meetings & Events 800-727-8045 • sales@knoxville.org • visitknoxville.com/safemeetings