Small Market Meetings February 2021

SITE INSPECTION TIPS | SPORTS DESTINATIONS | TULSA, OKLAHOMA FEBRUARY 2021

MAKE MEETINGS MEMORABLE WITH

r i a l F n r e h t u So

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

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.

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.

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

ON THE COVER: Groups can integrate Louisiana musical traditions into their meetings in Baton Rouge. Photo by Collin Richie, courtesy Visit Baton Rouge

INSIDE VOLUME 21 | ISSUE 2

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MANAGING Making the Most of Site Visits

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IDEAS Sports Event Destinations

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Courtesy Providence Warwick CVB

CITY Tulsa, Oklahoma

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MEETING GUIDE The South

D E PA R T M E N T S

INSIGHTS 6Navigating the Messy Middle

PROFILE 10 ONSITE 8Brooke Kastner Explore Oxford,

Mississippi, with Small Market Meetings

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

NAVIGATING THE ‘MESSY MIDDLE’

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s the pandemic enters what some are calling “the messy middle,” life and work will continue to change, hopefully for the better, as effective vaccines make it safer to have more in-person meetings and conventions. Here are five things to keep in mind about navigating the middle of the worldwide health crisis.

Expect continued flux in the meetings world for 2021

Hotels are in flux.

Many hotels face financial uncertainty after a year of upheaval. Industry forecasters believe that an uptick in business is in sight but say it will be several years, maybe even three, before hotels get back to the levels of business they enjoyed in 2019. In the meantime, some will close, others will be acquired, and some new properties will get off the drawing board and break ground. As Marriott CEO Arne Sorenson told investors, “We still have a long road ahead, but this crisis will come to an end, and I believe travel will rebound quickly.”

Some notable hotels in New York and Chicago have recently closed for good, and it’s estimated that as many as 25% of properties could face foreclosure. Even at that, some see opportunity. In Greenville, South Carolina, a vibrant area called Uptown is anticipating as many as four new hotels, including a plan to turn an old brick tobacco warehouse into a hotel. Some of the hotels hope to open by fall 2022.

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Virtual won’t vanish when the virus does.

You might be tired of Zoom, but it’s become clear that it and other virtual meeting platforms won’t vanish with the virus. “The digital model is here to stay,” said Sadie Lincoln, whose company, Barre 3, has moved all its fitness classes online.

Like engineers who design cars and kitchens, software makers are souping up these virtual platforms. Some of the new, smart features they are developing will make virtual more valuable to users like meeting professionals.

For example, Zoom is working on a way, using AI, to make Zoom meetings that include an in-office staff and those dialing in from home offices feel more equal.

This new feature would capture the images of everyone seated in the office at the boardroom table and put each face in its own little square, just like those who are joining from home. Meanwhile Cisco is honing gesture recognition, where AI would be used to identify signals like thumbs up and raised hands and so crowd reaction could be gauged. Other new developments include a virtual “nag” feature that sends reminders of tasks assigned to meeting participants.

Even with Zoom’s popularity, some businesses are trying to use it more sparingly, opting for phone conferences when possible. They recognize that virtual meetings are partly “performance,” which makes them more draining. www.smallmarketmeetings.com

The workweek will look different.

Maybe you’ll be headed back to an office soon, if you aren’t there already.

But it’s likely your office hours won’t be the standard 9-to-5 Monday through Friday. Businesses are adopting “split” schedules like those many schools are following to reduce class size and allow social distancing. Perhaps you’ll work from home on Mondays and Wednesdays and come into the office on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Maybe Friday will be a collaboration day, when meetings are scheduled. That day could be balanced by “No Meeting Mondays,” when everyone focuses on their projects without interruption. The physical layouts of offices might also change as companies create areas where smaller groups or teams can work together, with their own storage spaces, flexible work areas, coffee stations and comfortable seating clusters. Look for more flexibility in the workplace: job sharing, flex schedules, home offices and four-day workweeks.

Convention centers are playing new roles.

Idled convention centers have been put to new uses across the country during the past year. They’ve been used as COVID-19 testing centers, temporary homeless shelters, field hospitals, polling places and, most recently, mass vaccination centers. Venues like the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford and the Atlantic City Convention Center work well for mass vaccinations because they have plenty of room to physically distance, easy accessibility and ample parking.

During the quiet of the last year, other centers have plunged into improvements. Indianapolis is thinking about the future as it invests in a $500 million convention center expansion to attract larger conventions, including a dental convention five years from now. A new convention center is rising from the rubble of the old in Lexington, Kentucky.

In Wilmington, North Carolina, no meetings scheduled for June and beyond have been canceled so far, and the convention center is seeing new bookings, like military balls and annual dinners, for late in the year.

In the meantime, city government meetings are being held there regularly because participants can spread out.

“Groups are still cautious,” Fredia Brady, the convention center’s general manager, told local media. “Between now and June 2021, we have maybe 30 to 40 events planned, and if they hold up, well, that remains to be seen. Now, it’s all about small events that allow for social distancing.”

February 2021

Travelers will gradually get back on board.

Planes are flying, but not everyone is willing to fasten their seatbelts and take off. Lin Humphrey, a professor at Florida International University, has said it will be at least a couple of years, maybe longer for international travel, before numbers return to 2019 levels. When National Geographic and Morning Consult polled travelers back in October, only 13% said they’d be willing to fly before the end of 2020 and another 24% said they’d fly sometime in 2021. As might be expected, younger travelers were less averse to air travel.

Depending on the demographics of your meeting attendees, it might be wise for meetings planned later this year to stick with a hybrid-style meeting and perhaps break larger conventions into smaller regional meetings.

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“Tourism has always been a passion of mine since I was young. I’ve always loved to travel, and so it was a natural progression for me to go into hospitality and tourism.”

MEETING LEADERS BROOKE KASTNER

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BY REBECCA TREON

rooke Kastner’s career trajectory is like a playbook for those wanting to work in the tourism industry. As a student at Auburn University, she majored in public relations and did her internship at the Opelika Chamber of Commerce.

“I had always liked the marketing aspects of PR, but then learning more about that side of the hospitality industry, I just got the hospitality/tourism bug,” said Kastner, who is now the sales and marketing manager at Auburn-Opelika Tourism. “When I graduated, I started working at the Auburn Marriott Resort and Spa, where I worked for 14 years.”

Auburn, Alabama, was not just the place she decided to go to college; it was also the place she decided to make home. Along with its neighboring sister city, Opelika, Alabama, it has the type of charming, small-town feel that makes people want to stay and build a life there. What better way to show her love for her adopted hometown than to work in local tourism?

“It’s the best of both worlds in one area together,” she said. “Tourism has always been a passion of mine since I was young. I’ve always loved to travel, and so it was a natural progression for me to go into hospitality and tourism.”

Kastner was born in Mobile, Alabama, and raised in Huntsville, Alabama, and after coming to Auburn for college in 1994, she has been there ever since. Her husband owns a business in Opelika and her son attends Auburn city schools.

In her tenure at the Marriott Resort and Spa, Kastner started her career as a restaurant

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manager, moved into being an event manager and then transitioned into sales. During that time, she learned how each of the roles within the resort functioned and how they interacted, experience that would prove invaluable in the position she holds now. At the hotel, she led the group sales, catering sales and event management departments, and she planned and managed all the resort’s marketing and advertising efforts, including the hotel, the conference center, the food and beverage outlets and the spa.

During her time there, the resort won multiple awards. With such a diverse and expansive toolbox, her skill set made the transition to working in the tourism office a natural one.

“I did a little bit of everything there,” she said.

“Most of my time there, I was the director of sales and marketing, until I accepted a job with Auburn-Opelika Tourism as the sales and marketing manager last year.” She likens the jobs to each other because in both roles she has acted as a resource to encourage people to take advantage of the activities both cities offer.

In her spare time, Kastner loves to travel and cook, but she is also active in the community. She volunteers with the Junior League of Lee County and the Opelika Rotary Club and has been on the board of the Auburn-Opelika Tourism Bureau.

For those who want to pursue a career in tourism, Kastner advises looking at hotels and tourism as partners that work together. “When I saw that tourism was the next step I wanted to take from hotels, I just tried to learn as much as I could from the tourism folks by participating in events and asking questions,” she said. “Knowing the ins and outs of both sides of things, I could use my experience and transition easily.”

EXECUTIVE PROFILE NAME Brooke Kastner TITLE Sales and Marketing Manager ORGANIZATION Auburn-Opelika Tourism LOCATION Auburn-Opelika, Alabama BIRTHPLACE Mobile, Alabama EDUCATION Bachelor of Arts in public relations from Auburn University CAREER HISTORY Fourteen years at the Auburn Marriott Opelika Resort Spa in various positions, including director of sales and marketing. She joined Auburn-Opelika Tourism in June 2020.

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

TIPS FROM

BROOKE KASTNER • Use all the resources that the area’s DMO has to offer, from building itineraries to assisting with answering questions at your group’s registration.

• Try something fun and different in each new place you travel. Every community, no matter how small or large, has something worth experiencing to enhance your trip.

ALABAMA NATIVE BROOKE KASTNER LIVES IN THE AUBURN AREA WITH HER HUSBAND, NATE, AND HER 12-YEAR-OLD SON, JOHN DAVID.

Where

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Meets

• Incorporate some local flair into your group’s experience. Whether it’s a fun break during a conference or something locally made in a welcome amenity, it will make a lasting impression that your guests will remember and talk about.

Adventure

V I S I T H E N D E R S O N N V .9C O M

JOIN US FOR A SITE VISIT TO OXFORD, MISSISSIPPI, IN JULY

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re you looking for a distinctive Southern SITE INSPECTION ATTENDEES WILL ENJOY SOUTHERN CHARM AND DISTINCTIVE MEETINGS AMENITIES IN OXFORD. destination to host your organization's small-to-midsize meetings and events? Discover a hidden gem in Oxford, Mississippi, when you join Small Market Meetings for a site inspection there this summer.

Known as the home of The University of Mississippi — as well as a number of famed American authors — Oxford is perfectly situated to host meetings in the American South. You can discover the city’s charm and event venues yourself when you join the staff of Small Market Meetings in Oxford in July.

Visit Oxford is inviting up to eight of our meeting planner readers to enjoy a four-day site inspection trip, July 12-15. Qualified HERB SPARROW KELLY TYNER meeting planners will be guests of the Visit Oxford staff and will enjoy visiting accommodations, small meeting venues and attractions around the city.

If you are selected to attend, Visit Oxford will reimburse your airfare up to $350.

“Join Small Market Meetings’ Photos courtesy Visit Oxford executive editor, Herb Sparrow, and Kelly Tyner, our VP of sales and marketing, for this fun and educational site inspection trip to experience Oxford meeting venues and disAPPLICANTS WILL COMPLETE A BRIEF COMPANY PROFILE tinctive attractions,” said publisher Mac Lacy. “Herb and ONLINE THAT WILL BE USED BY VISIT OXFORD TO SELECT Kelly will accompany our Oxford hosts on this trip and will be sharing their travel experiences with everyone in ATTENDEES. REGISTRATION DEADLINE IS APRIL 30. attendance.”

TO SUBMIT YOUR PROFILE, GO TO All accommodations, sightseeing, transportation and SMALLMARKETMEETINGS.COM/OXFORD-FAM. meals are included once participants arrive in Oxford. This IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, CALL KELLY AT 888-253-0455. readership event and site inspection tour is limited to eight qualified meeting planners.

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MANAGING

Making the Most of Site Inspections PROPER STRATEGY AND INSIGHTFUL QUESTIONS MAKE PRE-EVENT VISITS INVALUABLE

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BY RACHEL CARTER

lizabeth Davis Peeler has traveled to numerous sites that look perfect on paper. But once she got there — whether it was decor or resources or the surrounding area — it “turned out to be an absolute mismatch.”

And vice versa. She once visited a venue that didn’t look great on paper but ended up being a perfect fit. What looked like disjointed flow on the floor plan turned out to be an ideal place to put exhibitors, and “I was able to visualize how to use it,” said Peeler, owner and lead planner of D-P Planning Meetings and Events.

Virtual site visits, which have become necessary during the pandemic, can be hugely useful to short-list properties or follow up on issues or if the client is on a tight budget. But virtual visits aren’t likely to replace in-person site inspections.

“I always feel it’s worthwhile to travel for a site inspection,” Peeler said. “There’s so much you can get from seeing it in person that you can’t get from the internet or from a brochure.”

Planners can get even more from site visits by scheduling multiple properties during one trip.

Even if a hotel or venue isn’t right for one event, it may be perfect for another conference, or you can add it to your inventory for future meetings — or cross it off the list.

On virtual site visits: “Virtual sites are great for short-listing programs, but it’s not nearly as good as in person. To get the bigger picture and experience the destination, you need to be there in person.”

BEFORE YOU GO Site visits, of course, start long before you walk through the door. They start by contacting a CVB or DMO about the destination’s available product and narrowing down possible properties through an RFP. Mary-Margaret Armstrong, president and managing director of Meeting Advantage, LLC, will often reach out to her network to see if other planners have recently booked the property. If someone she trusts recommends a venue, Armstrong will let her client decide whether to book the venue sight unseen or book plane tickets to visit the destination.

Before going, she also recommends digging into some of the venue’s contract non-negotiables — like attrition or cancellation versus rebooking, which could be deal breakers — or putting it on a soft hold to see a copy of the contract.

“Do not take your client into a place where they’re going to fall in love with it, and you’re up against a wall because you can’t negotiate based on the fact that you never even looked at a contract,” she said. “You need to know what you’re going into.”

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Julie Krueger SOURCING AND CONTRACTING MANAGER FOR MEETINGS AND EVENTS Land O’Lakes Experience: 23 years

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FROM THE EYES OF AN ATTENDEE

On why planners should visit several sites: “When I’m in town, I try to hit up as many sites as I can to make the most of the time and money and the trip. It may not be a good match for what you’re shopping right then, but that’s one more site you’ve added to your arsenal for future events down the line.”

The best way to start a site inspection is the same way an attendee would start: by walking into the lobby, said Julie Krueger, sourcing and contracting manager for meetings and events at Land O’Lakes.

What is the feel when the attendee arrives? How long does it take for someone to greet you? Where would the registration desk go? Attendees will be arriving after long flights or drives, sometimes with luggage; they don’t want to search for a registration desk in some out-of-the-way room.

“If they’re coming in, they’re hungry and tired from traveling, and then if they’re frustrated with their check-in, you’ve already started off the program badly,” Krueger said.

Planners should always walk the property with the attendee perspective in mind. How far are the guest rooms from the meeting space? How does the space flow? It may not look far on the diagram, “but my feet are hurting,” Armstrong said.

If the hotel is spread out, ask if you can book a block of rooms that’s close to the meeting space or areas where most group events will take place, Krueger said.

Planners should also consider the overall feeling and flow of the space, from elevator locations to proximity of restrooms, even down to things like decor. One venue Peeler visited had decor that was a bit R-rated, which she knew wouldn’t fly with her group.

Consider the venue beyond the walls. If a group will have a lot of free time or if attendees are on their own for some meals, make sure the venue is in a safe, walkable area close to restaurants and entertainment.

Planners should even consider the attendee experience before the lobby. A 30-minute drive from the airport to the venue could offer beautiful scenery or it could take attendees through a decrepit, dirty part of the city.

“Having that experience and not just looking at a map is huge,” Krueger said.

PLAN FOR THE MINORITY

Elizabeth Davis Peeler OWNER AND LEAD PLANNER

D-P Planning Meetings and Events Experience: 25 years

February 2021

Knowing what to look for starts with knowing your attendees and the overall goals of the program. That includes the usual suspects, like parking — whether it’s nearby or blocks away, free or paid — motorcoach accessibility, audiovisual, columns, free Wi-Fi and sufficient bandwidth to support the group’s usage. One of Peeler’s groups does online training, so they need more bandwidth as well as power outlets in the floor. If she has to run power from the wall, that adds labor costs and creates trip hazards.

Some groups have a lot of smokers who will need a nearby, easy-to-reach smoking area. A group with breastfeeding mothers may need a

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MANAGING

nursing room, and some organizations prefer unisex bathrooms.

For one of Krueger’s agricultural programs, many attendees drive in, and most drive big pickup trucks, “so we have to look at parking height clearances,” she said. Armstrong once organized an international meeting that had a lot of attendees who needed a place to pray during the day, so they set up a prayer room.

Meeting planners typically think in majority terms, but if you think in minority terms during a site visit, it will help ensure that everyone in your group is accommodated, Armstrong said.

EASY TO OVERLOOK Armstrong also recommends perusing site visit checklists online to get ideas of “weird” things to look for “that aren’t going to jump out at you.”

Krueger always likes to look at the back of the house, especially if it’s an older property, to know the location of service corridors and storage areas because noise from crash carts or other hotel activity could affect the program.

Logistics like loading docks and freight elevators can affect your ability to set up or break down on schedule. Consider how accessible the loading dock is and how much traffic the dock is already handling.

Ask if exhibitors or vendors can come through the front door and whether the venue has dollies and carts for them to use. Make sure there are enough elevators to move people and equipment. Once, Peeler’s group was moving out when another group was moving in, all sharing one big freight elevator, and “we were trying to orchestrate that so our group would be out by the end of our contracted period.”

On ethics of site visits: “So many people show up on a site visit and want to be entertained. If you're going for food or a massage or entertainment, you’re in the wrong business. Especially now, when so many are hurting, we need to spend their money like we spend our money.”

ETHICS AND ETIQUETTE Unfortunately, some planners request site visits to be wined and dined, entertained and indulged.

Planners should schedule site inspections only if they have legitimate, prospective business with the property, and they should approach hotel freebies with similar restraint: Don’t take the offered massage unless you know your group will likely use the spa; don’t ask for a round of golf unless your attendees plan to golf. For overnight stays, it’s probably fine to accept one meal, but don’t expect the hotel to provide all meals, Krueger said.

Give the sales rep your itinerary, and make sure to swap cellphone numbers. Try to stay on schedule, which may be challenging when visiting multiple sites, but always stay in touch.

Planners should also be transparent with the property, “just letting them know how good of a chance they really do or don’t have,” Peeler said.

“Personally, if I know the hotel really doesn’t have a shot, I’m not going to be asking them to put me or my client up for the night.”

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Mary-Margaret Armstrong PRESIDENT, MANAGING DIRECTOR Meeting Advantage LLC Experience: 30 years

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

IDEAS

Courtesy Seminole County Tourism

COMPETITION CENTRAL These destinations have invested in first-rate facilities for sports events

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BY RACHEL CARTER

ports are big business in the events industry. Whether youth or collegiate, amateur or professional, a single tournament can attract thousands of players and their families, driving massive roomnight numbers and bringing big economic impact.

Cities and CVBs nationwide know the value of both traditional and emerging sports and are doing whatever they can to court sporting events to their baseball diamonds, football stadiums, ice rinks, soccer fields and convention centers.

Here are five midmarket cities with enticing facility options for sports events.

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SEMINOLE COUNTY, FLORIDA

In Seminole County, Florida, just northeast of Orlando, facilities are the name of the game — and it’s a big game.

“Youth sports are definitely our bread and butter here in Seminole County, and a lot of our venues are outdoor venues,” said Danny Trosset, director of sports tourism for Orlando North, Seminole County Tourism.

The county’s marquee facility is Boombah Sports Complex, which opened in 2016 with 15 lighted fields, nine of those turf. People often think it’s only a baseball complex, but the synthetic turf fields offer flexibility for soccer, field hockey, lacrosse and football.

After a major renovation, Soldiers Creek Park reopened in 2017 as a six-field girls’ fast-pitch softball facility, and “to have a facility that was built and designed specifically for girls’ fast-pitch has been a big success,” Trosset said. The Seminole County Softball Complex offers another five lighted fields for softball.

Tennis is another major sport for the county.

Sanlando Park’s 25 lighted tennis courts will welcome the NCAA Division II Men’s and Women’s National Tennis Championships in 2022, and tennis competitions for the 2024 Division II Spring National Championships Festival. The women’s softball championships will also be played at Soldiers Creek.

Above: Boombah Sports Complex in Seminole County features 15 lighted fields suitable for baseball, softball, soccer, field hockey, lacrosse and football.

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The county’s wide range of hotels and restaurants close to the complexes makes it easy for groups “to maintain that bubble concept,” said Gui Cunha, director of leisure tourism. A new WoodSpring Suites recently opened, and a Holiday Inn Express is under construction. Three of the area’s full-service hotels — the Westin, the Hilton and the Marriott — have recently been refurbished and renovated. playorlandonorth.com

SIOUX FALLS, SOUTH DAKOTA

Sioux Falls, South Dakota, has been rolling out new facilities and venues over the past decade and is now home to two massive complexes just minutes apart.

“Youth sports are definitely our bread and butter here in Seminole County, and a lot of our venues are outdoor venues.”

— Danny Trosset, Orlando North, Seminole County Tourism

“You can do basketball, football, soccer, volleyball and swimming all within a drive time of 10 minutes max,” said Krista Orsack, director of marketing for Experience Sioux Falls.

The Sanford Sports Complex is home to the Sanford Pentagon, the Sanford Fieldhouse, Scheels IcePlex, Huether Family Match Pointe, the South Dakota Junior Football Park, and Power and Grace Gymnastics.

The Pentagon has nine basketball courts, including the 3,250-seat Heritage Court. The Sanford Fieldhouse offers 85,000 square feet for indoor soccer, baseball, softball and football, and Scheels IcePlex offers three sheets of ice.

Three miles south is the Denny Sanford Premier Center, which can seat 10,600 for basketball and hockey or 12,000 for concerts. The arena is attached to the Sioux Falls Convention Center, where two exhibit halls and a flexible ballroom combine to offer more than 50,000 square feet, and that connects to the multipurpose Sioux Falls Arena, which seats 7,000.

Softball and soccer “are big for us in the youth space,” Orsack said. Sherman Park offers nine lighted softball fields, Harmodon Park has seven lighted baseball fields and eight lighted softball fields, and

Courtesy Sandford Sports Complex

Courtesy Sandford Sports Complex

February 2021

Courtesy Denny Sanford Premier Center

Sioux Falls sports opportunities, clockwise from left: basketball at Sanford Sports Complex; a hockey clinic at Sanford Sports Complex; a hockey tournament at the Denny Sanford Premier Center

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Yankton Trail Park provides 21 lighted soccer fields.

College sports are also a major market for Sioux Falls.

The city is home to two of the state’s largest NCAA Division II schools and sits equidistant between the state’s two Division I schools. Those factors, plus the city’s central Midwest location, played into the Summit League’s decision to relocate its conference headquarters to Sioux Falls from suburban Chicago in 2018. experiencesiouxfalls.com

COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA

With 133,000 residents, the South Carolina capital of Columbia is small enough to offer a friendly feel and Southern enough to provide nearly yearround nice weather. As home of the University of South Carolina’s main campus in downtown, it also delivers the vibrancy of a college town.

“College sports, obviously, in a college town is huge,” said Scott Powers, executive director of Experience Columbia SC Sports.

Though the city benefits from the influx of college sports and can sometimes use the university’s facilities for events like state high school championships, Experience Columbia’s biggest markets include youth baseball, softball and soccer, as well as tennis.

Soccer tournaments often use the Fields at Saluda Shoals Park, an athletic complex with six multiuse fields, a couple of practice fields and 10 tennis courts, all in a 400-acre riverfront park with miles of trails, along with canoeing, kayaking, tubing and biking.

For baseball, the Lexington Sports Complex has five youth baseball fields; the Kelly Mill Sports Complex is a four-field facility. The city also works with the minor league baseball team, the Columbia Fireflies, to use Segra Park, a 9,000-capacity stadium that has hosted high school football games and the start/finish lines for half marathons, as well as general meetings and conferences.

“Tennis is another big sports market for us, both youth and adult,” Powers said.

Cayce Tennis and Fitness Center has 23 full-size hard courts and seven small courts for children’s 8-and-under matches. experiencecolumbiasc.com

PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND

Rhode Island may be the smallest of the nation’s 50 states, but it’s the second most densely populated, and Providence is its largest city with nearly 180,000 people. The Dunkin’ Donuts Center, or “The Dunk,”

Courtesy Experience Columbia SC

Clockwise from left: a USA Gymnastics event in Providence; sports facilities at Saluda Shoals Park in Columbia; Columbia’s Cayce Tennis and Fitness Center at Otarre Pointe

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Courtesy USA Gymnastics/ Providence Warwick CVB

Courtesy Experience Columbia SC

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IDEAS

seats 14,000 and connects to the Rhode Island Convention Center, which is anchored by the 564-room Omni Providence on one end and the 274-room Hilton Providence on the other. A 176-room Residence Inn opened across the street in fall 2019, and the Graduate Providence is half a block away.

The complex is key to the city’s sports markets, and events often use the convention center’s 100,000 square feet of exhibit space and 20,000-square-foot flexible ballroom.

Ice hockey is probably the city’s No. 1 sport, and cheer and dance are other major markets, but “my biggest event scheduled for this year is American Contract Bridge League,” said John Gibbons, executive director of the Rhode Island Sports Commission. The tournament is scheduled to take over the entire convention center for 12 days in July and has contracted about 12,000 room nights.

Varsity Spirit also uses the entire convention center as well as The Dunk for the annual Spirit Festival and regularly books the center for its Athletic Championships, U.S. Finals and Varsity University, a conference for coaches and judges.

Every January, the Kennedy Memorial Hockey

Tournament draws roughly 170 teams to play “on almost every sheet in the state,” Gibbons said.

Girls’ volleyball is a burgeoning sport for the city, and sold-out tournaments use the convention center as well as courts at Rhode Island College. goprovidence.com/gosportsri

BOISE, IDAHO

Boise, Idaho, is home to Boise State University and its famous blue turf Albertsons Stadium. The college town of 230,000 also sits at the base of the picturesque Boise foothills, which contribute to locals’ love of all things outdoors.

“We offer a really good experience outside of the sporting experience for families to enjoy while they’re here,” said Brandon Fudge, sports sales manager for the Boise Convention and Visitors Bureau.

One of the city’s largest events is the ASWD Twilight Criterium, a USA Cycling race that takes place in downtown. Local officials hope to expand Boise’s cycling events, possibly into trail competitions that could use the city’s extensive trail systems.

Bam Jam Boise is the city’s annual three-on-three basketball tournament for players of all ages and abilities that takes over courts across the city.

Soccer and softball are also major markets that bring events to town. Most soccer tournaments, like the U.S. Youth Soccer Far West Regional Championships, use the 161-acre Simplot Sports Complex, which has 20 grass soccer fields and 15 baseball diamonds. The Willow Lane Athletic Complex offers six lighted softball fields, and Ann Morrison Park also has softball fields.

Boise has “a ton of tennis and pickleball courts everywhere in the city,” Fudge said, among them the Appleton Tennis Center on the Boise State campus.

The Boise Centre in downtown offers the 24,000-square-foot Grand Ballroom, which can be used for indoor sports like cheer and dance. The center also connects to the 5,000-seat Idaho Central Arena, both close to the city’s growing portfolio of downtown hotels. boise.org

MEET IN KANSAS CITY, KANSAS!

Discover nontraditional meeting venues that deliver the unconventional.

VisitKansasCityKS.com

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www.smallmarketmeetings.com

February 2021

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a s l Tu

ON TOP

Tulsa’s Philbrook Museum of Art occupies a 72-room Italian Renaissance villa.

All photos courtesy Tulsa CVB

CITY

This Oklahoma destination is making waves in the meetings world and beyond

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BY ELIZABETH HEY

ulsa is on a roll.

The city has recently won a flood of accolades. National Geographic listed Tulsa among its “Best of the World: Destinations on the Rise” for 2021. Last December, Conde Nast Traveler named Tulsa in its “Best Places to Travel.” In 2020, Trip Advisor ranked it among the top 25 emerging destinations in the world, and Lonely Planet deemed it one of the nation’s five best unexpected foodie destinations.

Why all the buzz? Oil-wealthy Tulsa touts Art Deco architecture, sophisticated culture and a burgeoning foodie scene. Plenty of easy-to-access outdoor settings help differentiate Tulsa, too. Most notably, this uber-creative city can host even largescale events without a big-city price tag.

TULSA AT A GLANCE

LOCATION: Northeast Oklahoma ACCESS: Tulsa International Airport, Interstate 44 HOTEL ROOMS: 12,608 CONTACT INFO: Tulsa Convention and Visitors Bureau 918-560-0293 visittulsa.com COX BUSINESS CONVENTION CENTER

BUILT: 1964; renovated 2020 EXHIBIT SPACE: 102,600 square feet OTHER MEETING SPACES: 30,000- and 40,000-square-foot ballrooms and 28 breakout rooms MEETING HOTELS

Hyatt Regency Tulsa GUEST ROOMS: 444 MEETING SPACE: 31,686 square feet Tulsa Marriott Southern Hills GUEST ROOMS: 378 MEETING SPACE: 44,354 square feet DoubleTree by Hilton Tulsa Downtown GUEST ROOMS: 417 MEETING SPACE: 23,982 square feet WHO’S MEETING IN TULSA

Ironman Tulsa — North American Championship ATTENDEES: 10,000 SeneGence International — Global Sales Seminar ATTENDEES: 6,000 Mid-American Shelby Automotive Club — Ford Shelby Meet ATTENDEES: 2,000

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Destination Highlights

DISTINCTIVE VENUES

Harwelden Mansion

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mong Tulsa’s many facets, the recently developed Gathering Place sits on nearly 100 acres along the Arkansas River. Wide-ranging activities include hiking nature trails, attending concerts and cruising Peggy’s Pond on paddleboats and kayaks. The Boathouse Restaurant’s elegant dining juxtaposes the casual Overlook Deck that affords panoramic views. Anchoring it all, the glass-and-stone Williams Lodge houses meeting rooms and hosts activities.

Tulsa’s art scene flows into the outdoors. The Philbrook Museum of Art, a 72-room Italian Renaissance villa, contains the lovely La Villa restaurant overlooking the gardens, which host live music and movies. A collection of Western art amassed by self-made oilman Thomas Gilcrease is the cornerstone of the Gilcrease Museum, which also offers garden tours and nature trails.

As the birthplace of Route 66, Tulsa brims with history. Cain’s Ballroom was built in 1924 as a garage and is now a popular music venue with iconic neon signage. The Greenwood Cultural Center in Tulsa’s historic Greenwood District pays homage to the devastating 1921 Tulsa race massacre. Greenwood Rising, a world-class museum, will anchor the area in 2021.

“Groups will find that Tulsa has many unique sites, like the Gathering Place and Route 66, where every mile is different,” said Ray Hoyt, president of Tulsa Regional Tourism. “We’re developing the Route 66 corridor along 11th Street with breweries, distinctive retail, art galleries and neon signage. We’re creating a walkable journey that people want to be on.”

Mother Road Market, Oklahoma’s first food hall, supports upand-coming chefs who turn out everything from vegetarian bowls to fried chicken. Local boutiques sell their wares, and there’s live music and Route 66-themed mini golf. An afternoon with Pearl Brewery Tours delivers tastings along the city’s Ale Trail.

DESTINATION HIGHLIGHTS

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The Gathering Place

Distinctive Venues

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ostoak Lodge and Retreat, six miles from downtown, sits on wooded acreage with eight lodges and 13,000 square feet of meeting space. Options include all-inclusive day packages that feature a zip line, team-building activities, an outdoor pool, putting greens and hiking. Meals are wide-ranging and can include indoor dining; picnics at the pole barn, where attendees play horseshoes or human foosball; or evening snacks around a bonfire.

“The property has beautiful views of downtown, but people feel like they’re 100 miles away,” said Hoyt. “It’s unexpected, and it feels like you’re in the western part of the state.”

Built in 1923 by a wealthy oilman, the four-story Harwelden Mansion occupies a full city block. The mansion, carriage house and gardens can be booked for executive retreats or events by the hour or day. Add-ons include house tours, musicians and catering.

Encircling a seven-acre lake, the Tulsa Botanic Garden celebrates spring with more than 100,000 blooms. The J.E and L.E. Mabee Grange room accommodates up to 200 guests in 2,400 square feet with folding glass doors leading to a covered patio. A tent for 200-plus attendees can be erected on the adjacent lawn.

For a fun twist, the Tulsa Zoo hosts catered events at the giraffe area, the rhino reserve and the sea lion cove. The Oklahoma Aquarium’s walkthrough tunnel showcases the nation’s largest collection of bull sharks.

The shark-view room hosts meetings, and the entire aquarium, including the outdoor areas, can be rented after hours.

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

Major Meeting Spaces

AFTER HOURS

Woody Guthrie Center

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ewly renovated, downtown’s Cox Business Convention Center (CBCC) sits within walking distance of four full-service hotels. The center’s 275,000 square feet of meeting space, which includes Oklahoma’s largest ballroom, hosts numerous events. As an ASM Global facility, VenueShield guidelines ensure advanced environmental hygiene and operational protocol.

The CBCC connects to the 417-room DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Tulsa Downtown via a skybridge. This property contains 23,982 square feet of event space.

Downtown’s 444-room Hyatt Regency Tulsa features 31,686 square feet of flexible space, a dedicated meeting planner lounge and an indoor-outdoor rooftop pool.

Also renovated last year, the 19,000-plus-seat Bank of Oklahoma (BOK) Center was named Arena of the Year in 2018 by the International Entertainment Buyers Association. Accompanying the 17,000-square-feet arena, a 130,000-squarefoot concourse occupies the main level. Foyers and breakout rooms are available for events and receptions.

The Golden Driller statue stands tall above Expo Square’s four-building complex. River Spirit Expo, one of the planet’s largest clear-span buildings, totals 448,000 square feet on two levels. The Exchange Center offers 58,500 square feet of space. The second-floor mezzanine of Art Deco Central Park Hall overlooks 43,000 square feet of exhibit space. The Pavilion, a historic Art Deco arena, boasts more than 4,200 seats, locker rooms, VIP boxes and meeting rooms.

Nearby, the 300-room Renaissance Tulsa Hotel and Convention Center provides 50,000 square feet of meeting and conference space. Marriot Tulsa Southern Hills recently renovated its 378 rooms and has a full-service spa. Up to 1,400 guests can be accommodated within 44,354 square feet that include 23 breakout rooms.

MAJOR MEETING SPACES

February 2021

The Golden Driller at Expo Square

After the Meeting

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hanks to Tulsa’s downtown renaissance, after-hours choices are many and varied. The BOK Center and Oneok Field bookend downtown. The BOK Center hosts the hottest names in music, such as Garth Brooks and Paul McCartney, plus major indoor sporting events. Oneok Field is home to AA baseball’s Tulsa Drillers and the city’s USL soccer team, FC Tulsa. Numerous indoor and outdoor private party spaces offer catering menus and a cash bar. The Coors Light Refinery Deck and the Eide Bailly Conference Center can accommodate more than 225 guests.

The Tulsa Arts District showcases the Woody Guthrie Center, which highlights Guthrie’s career. Across the street, Guthrie Green hosts free concerts, fitness classes and food trucks. The ground underneath is heated to 66 degrees Fahrenheit by ground-source heat pumps. The district’s Oklahoma Museum of Popular Culture is slated for completion in 2022.

“Guthrie Green is the lynchpin of our downtown renaissance,” said Hoyt. “Later this year, the Bob Dylan Center will open with all his archives, and the Oklahoma Museum of Popular Culture will be a tribute to all the creatives that have come out of our state.”

Music lovers can take in a show at Duet Jazz in the historic Archer Building within the Tulsa Arts District. And Hard Rock Tulsa schedules big-name, live entertainment.

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HOTEL

Europe in the Desert

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BY KRISTY ALPERT

here’s a distinct European aesthetic to the Green Valley Ranch Resort, Spa and Casino, in the Green Valley community of Henderson, Nevada. Romantic columned verandas peer over a Mediterranean-style landscape where white-washed bridges continue the path of palm tree-lined walkways over the crystal blue pools below. Guests wander leisurely through the chic lounges and corridors inside.

But despite the European design, there’s no mistaking this casino resort’s American roots. The resort was the star of the popular American reality show “American Casino,” in which viewers were given a behind-the-scenes look at the day-to-day operations that helped make this resort popular since it first opened in 2001. Over the years, the resort has attracted politicians and celebrities — including Bill Clinton, Michael Jackson, George Clooney and Anthony Hopkins — who have been attracted to the resort’s tranquil atmosphere.

The Green Valley Ranch Resort was the first boutique luxury resort to be built in the Las Vegas suburbs and features 495 guest rooms and suites outfitted with deep soaking tubs, pillowtop beds and complimentary Wi-Fi throughout the resort. There are eight restaurants onsite, as well as a 40,000-square-foot salon and spa. The casino includes more than 2,500 slot machines, a range of table games — blackjack, craps, roulette, Pai Gow Poker — and tons of other gaming options like a casino sports book, bingo, keno and poker.

For meeting guests, the resort offers the intimacy and personalization of a boutique hotel in a campus that is expansive enough to host any size gathering. The property is walkable and allows for easy access from check-in to arriving in the guest rooms, and then onward to the meeting spaces and venues, which include two expansive ballrooms with 19 breakout rooms. Just 20 minutes from the main strip of Las Vegas, this location provides a serene setting with manicured gardens and complimentary parking for guests meeting in any of the indoor or outdoor venues on-site.

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THE RESORT’S POOL DECK AND OUTDOOR EVENT SPACE

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

M E E T I N G S PAC E S

HENDERSON’S GREEN VALLEY RANCH RESORT FEATURES A MEDITERRANEAN AESTHETIC.

The resort offers indoor and outdoor meeting options for groups of 10 to 300, including two ballrooms — the Estancia Ballroom and the Grand Ballroom — each offering more than 10,000 square feet for up to 300 guests each. There are 19 intimate meeting rooms adjacent to the ballrooms that range from 935 to more than 1,600 square feet each. Outdoor meetings are held in the resort’s lush backyard, where the sprawling multiuse outdoor space includes a small vineyard. Other outdoor venues include the Backyard’s Lobby Patio, the Amphitheater and the private pool area known as The Pond.

C AT E R I N G The experienced catering team at the Green Valley Ranch Resort offers custom-crafted menus for all of its meeting groups. Whether it’s a live chef station or a gluten-free meal or even a stunning charcuterie display, the catering team offers an array of catering options to ensure that each event stands out. Intimate dinners are held in private or semi-private rooms in the resort restaurants, but meals in the event venues range from elegant plated affairs ending with handmade cannoli with chocolate and pistachios to healthy packed lunches in the boardroom with freshly squeezed orange juice. Bar packages for groups are available.

EXTRAS

Photos courtesy Green Valley Resort

HOTEL FACTS LOCATION

Henderson, Nevada

SIZE

Green Valley partners with full-service production company Encore Productions to ensure that meetings run smoothly all the way through closing curtain. The team brings expertise in audiovisual and staging to create a custom environment for each event.

Services include custom lighting, graphic design, script development and writing, music and audio production, video and multimedia production, choreography and costuming, talent coordination and booking, sets and scenery, and event labor management. The team can transform any of the meeting venues on-site into whatever groups desire, whether it’s creating a sense of serenity for a board meeting or casting a dramatic glow for a memorable reunion.

495 guest rooms and suites

MEETING SPACE

E N T E R TA I N M E N T

More than 10,000 square feet

ACCESS

15 minutes from McCarran International Airport

CONTACT INFO

702-617-7777 greenvalleyranch.com

February 2021

One of the most popular things to do while on property is to escape to the Green Valley Ranch Spa by Well and Being. The full-service spa offers a great place to retreat and rejuvenate after a full day of meetings. For a livelier nighttime experience, guests can venture to the casino or enjoy some bingo, as a group or individually. For groups that opt out of gaming, the multiple dining experiences onsite will provide a fine precursor for a stroll through the gardens or a short walk through the adjacent district outdoor shopping area.

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Southern Convention Centers CARTERSVILLE’S BROWN CONFERENCE CENTER FEATURES 40,000 SQUARE FEET OF MEETING SPACE AND AN ADJACENT 116-ROOM HOTEL.

Meetdieng Gui

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BY PAULA AVEN GLADYCH

he South has many charms, including its lush natural scenery, white sand beaches and Southern hospitality. It also has plenty of meeting space, including these full-service convention centers in the heart of some of the South’s most visited and historic cities.

Surrounded by boutique and upscale hotel offerings, these convention centers are also within walking distance of some notable attractions, including the William J. Clinton Presidential Library and Museum; the Virginia Capitol building, which was designed by Thomas Jefferson himself; and two Smithsonian-affiliated museums.

Here are some notable facilities to consider for your next convention in the South.

CLARENCE BROWN CONFERENCE CENTER

Cartersville, Georgia The Clarence Brown Conference Center just celebrated its 10-year anniversary. The 40,000-square-foot building offers everything a group

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Courtesy Cartersville-Bartow Co. CVB

could need on-site, including production stages, risers, stateof-the-art audiovisual equipment and dance floors. The 10,000-square-foot ballroom can host everything from proms and weddings to general sessions and trade shows. It can handle up to 800 people banquet style and up to 1,200 people theater style. There are six additional meeting spaces, including an auditorium that can seat 350 people. A Courtyard by Marriott recently opened on the conference center campus with 116 guest rooms. The space between the conference center and the hotel is rentable outdoor space.

Within two miles of the conference center, there are about 800 guest rooms. The Cartersville-Bartow County Convention and Visitors Bureau offers a shuttle bus to and from the convention center from area hotels. Known as Georgia’s Museum City, Cartersville has two Smithsonian-sanctioned museums — the Booth Western Art Museum and the Tellus Science Museum — which are huge draws to the area. Its newest museum, the Savoy Automobile Museum, is scheduled to open in the third quarter of this year. visitcartersvillega.org

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

KNOXVILLE CONVENTION CENTER

Knoxville, Tennessee The Knoxville Convention Center opened in 2002 with 250,000 square feet of flexible meeting space. Its 27,300-squarefoot ballroom has floor-to-ceiling windows on all sides and naturally illuminated concourses. Its exhibit hall, which has 119,922 square feet of space, can be split in two with room for 600 booths, 5,000 banquet attendees or 10,400 general session participants. A lecture hall, Plaza Terrace and 14 individual meeting rooms are also available for events. The convention center is separated from the World’s Fair Exhibition Center by World’s Fair Park. That facility has an additional 67,000 square feet of exhibit space.

There are 11 hotels in downtown Knoxville, all within one mile of the Convention Center. The Knoxville Marriott, slated to open in October, will have 286 guest rooms and about 16,000 square feet of meeting space. It is connected to the convention center via a covered pedestrian walkway. The Hilton Knoxville, which is connected to the convention center, has 320 guest rooms and 14,000 square feet of meeting space. Nearby attractions include the Knoxville Museum of Art, the East Tennessee History Center, numerous art galleries and two theaters. kccasm.com

CHARLESTON COLISEUM AND CONVENTION CENTER

Charleston, West Virginia In the capital city of West Virginia, the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center is in the heart of Charleston’s entertainment district. The campus includes the 13,500-seat Civic Center Coliseum, the newly renovated 100,000-square-foot Charleston Convention Center, a 3,483-seat Municipal Auditorium and a 738-seat theater. The 50,000-square-foot exhibit space works well for trade shows and corporate events, and the 25,000-square-foot ballroom can host galas for up to 2,400 people. The complex is large enough to host concerts, sporting events, conventions, corporate events and trade shows.

Since opening its doors in 1959, the convention center has been expanded three times. Its most recent renovation and expansion took place in 2018. There are more than 1,400 guest rooms within walking distance of the convention center and 3,500 citywide. The center sits along the riverfront and is just minutes from Charleston’s historic neighborhoods and the state capitol. Other nearby attractions include the Appalachian Power Park, home of the West Virginia Power, a minor league baseball team; the Shawnee Sports Complex; and the Mardi Gras Casino and Resort, which features 1,500 slot machines, table games and daily greyhound races. chaswvccc.com

KNOXVILLE CONVENTION CENTER

By Justin Fee, courtesy Knoxville Convention Center

STATEHOUSE CONVENTION CENTER

Little Rock, Arkansas The Statehouse Convention Center sits on the Arkansas River overlooking Riverfront Park and the Vogel Schwartz Sculpture

CHARLESTON COLISEUM AND CONVENTION CENTER Courtesy Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center

February 2021

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Meetieng Guid Garden with its 100 whimsical sculptures. Operated by the Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau, the convention center has 80,000 square feet of exhibit space and an 18,360-square-foot ballroom that can be divided into five meeting rooms. The Little Rock Marriott is connected seamlessly to the convention center and offers 418 guest rooms and 44,747 square feet of meeting space.

The Convention and Visitors Bureau also operates the Robinson Center, a performing arts center that seats 2,222 people and has 25,000 square feet of meeting space. It is attached to the DoubleTree

by Hilton Hotel Little Rock, which has 288 guest rooms and 15,000 square feet of meeting space. The most visited attraction in Little Rock is about a half-mile from the convention center: the William J. Clinton Presidential Library and Museum. Anyone who loves World War II history should visit the Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum, home of the tugboat Hoga, which was at Pearl Harbor during the attack in 1941, and the submarine USS Razorback, which was in Tokyo Bay during the formal surrender of Japan. statehouseconventioncenter.com

NATURAL FEATURES AT LITTLE ROCK’S STATEHOUSE CONVENTION CENTER

CAJUNDOME AND CONVENTION CENTER

Lafayette, Louisiana Opened in 1995, the Cajundome Convention Center was an add-on to the Cajundome Sports Arena, which was built in 1985 by the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. The dome itself is a Courtesy Statehouse Convention Center

T H E M O U N TA I N S AR E CAL L ING

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70,000-square-foot arena that holds 13,500 people. It was built to house the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns men’s and women’s basketball programs and other university athletic events.

The arena did so well that the university built a convention center.

The convention center has 60,000 square feet of space, including 37,000 square feet of exhibit space. The 9,519-square-foot Festival Ballroom breaks into five rooms and can seat 1,000 people theater style or 420 people for a banquet.

The Mardi Gras Ballroom has 6,075 square feet of space and can be broken into five meeting rooms. Additional meeting rooms are scattered throughout the convention center and arena.

Lafayette has about 5,600 guest rooms citywide.

The Hilton Garden Inn is across the street from the convention center and has 130 rooms. Visitors can walk from the convention center to downtown with its shops and restaurants in five minutes. The city is known for its diverse music venues and many museums. Avery Island, where Tabasco Pepper Sauce was developed, is a short drive away. cajundome.com

Let’s Plan to Meet Again.

LAFAYETTE’S CAJUNDOME CONVENTION CENTER

Ridgeland offers your group a small market meetings destination with over 1,600 hotel rooms, 140 restaurants, the Bill Waller Craft Center and outdoor venues.

To assist you, we offer: • Hybrid Options • Rebate Programs • Welcome Bags • Name Badges Our staff is ready to help you plan safely and responsibly!

Courtesy Cajundome Convention Center

February 2021

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GREATER RICHMOND CONVENTION CENTER

Richmond, Virginia Built in 1986 and expanded in 2003, the Greater Richmond Convention Center is the largest facility of its kind in Virginia, with 700,000 square feet of space. In the heart of Richmond’s historic downtown, the center offers 178,000 square feet of exhibit space and a 30,550-square-foot grand ballroom with 36 breakout rooms and plenty of prefunction spaces. It also has a 258-seat lecture hall.

There are nearly 3,800 guest rooms close to the convention center.

The largest convention hotel, the Richmond Marriott, is connected to the center via skywalk. It is just finalizing a multimillion-dollar renovation, and it has 26,000 square feet of meeting space. The Hilton Hotel Downtown Richmond is across the street and has more than 20,000 square feet of event space.

The area surrounding the convention center is walkable and steeped in 400 years of the city’s history, including a canal designed

by George Washington and the Virginia State Capitol, which was conceived by Jefferson. The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, which features one of the largest collections of Fabergé eggs in the world, the Virginia Museum of History and Culture and the Science Museum of Virginia are all nearby. richmondcenter.com

MAPLE AND PINE RESTAURANT IN RICHMOND’S CONVENTION DISTRICT

Courtesy Richmond Center

Our beaches are ready to welcome you with open arms.

We know you’re scrambling to reschedule or plan new conferences and meetings, and we want to make the process as seamless and simple as possible. We’re ready to help make your event one to remember with our complimentary services, including finding your ideal meeting location, providing marketing materials and suggesting off-site adventures. The beaches have missed you. We’ve missed you. Contact us today to get started together.

GSOBmeetings.com | 888-421-8715

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www.smallmarketmeetings.com

business meets pleasure

• Over 1,300 hotel rooms

• World class dining

• Over 25,000 sq ft of meeting space

• Unique shopping experiences

• Historical & Cultural Landmarks

• Home of the University of Mississippi

662.232.2367 • info@oxfordconferencecenter.com • #VisitMSResponsibly 1013 Jackson Ave. East | Oxford, MS | 662.232.2477 | visitoxfordms.com

THE TOM FAZIO-DESIGNED FALLEN OAK GOLF COURSE IS A 30-MINUTE DRIVE FROM THE BEACHFRONT BEAU RIVAGE RESORT AND CASINO IN BILOXI.

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Biloxi, Mississippi Owned by MGM Resorts, the Beau Rivage Resort and Casino is the largest meeting hotel in Mississippi with 1,740 guest rooms and

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Courtesy Beau Rivage Resort

BY PAULA AVEN GLADYCH

ecause of its temperate weather and beautiful natural settings, the South is a coveted year-round golf destination. The number of world-class, professionally designed courses in the Southern states is astounding, from oceanfront locales to mountainous regions.

Here are some of the South’s best resorts and destinations for meeting groups that love to golf when they gather.

BEAU RIVAGE RESORT AND CASINO AND FALLEN OAK GOLF COURSE

Gather and Golf in the South

50,000 square feet of space. Perched on a white sand beach overlooking the Gulf of Mexico, the resort, known for its large casino, is also a premier golf destination with its own 18-hole golf course, Fallen Oak. The course, designed by Tom Fazio, is a 30-minute drive away in a woodlands area bordering a national forest.

“When you drive up, it gives you an impression of exclusivity,” said Randy Whiteside, executive director of sales at the Beau Rivage Resort and Casino. “It has a beautiful clubhouse and all the amenities, from people taking your golf clubs from the car to a first-class locker room and a restaurant that overlooks the 18th hole.”

The best part about Fallen Oak is you don’t have to be a professional golfer to play there. Golfers of every level are welcome. If you don’t have your own clubs, the resort will provide them for you. Many groups that host meetings at the resort will incorporate a golf tournament as part of their planning. beaurivage.mgmresorts.com

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

PINEHURST RESORT AND COUNTRY CLUB

Pinehurst, North Carolina More than half of the Pinehurst Resort and Country Club’s business comes from group meetings, conferences and golf. The 125-year-old resort was founded by the Tufts family of Boston.

They hired Donald Ross, a golf course architect from Scotland to develop Pinehurst, North Carolina’s most revered golf course: No. 2. That course became one of the most desired golf courses in America, leading to the resort’s hosting many professional golf tournaments.

And though No. 2 is still the favorite course, Pinehurst has eight and a half other courses. The game changer for Pinehurst was the addition of the Cradle, a nine-hole, par-3 course. The course “was probably the most transformational project we’ve done because golf had this perception that it was too expensive to play golf on a championship golf course,” said Eric Kuester, vice president of sales and marketing for the resort.

The resort can handle groups of up to 1,000 people, but its bread-and-butter is groups of 25 to 50 people based on the number of lodge rooms and meeting spaces. The resort has 18 outdoor event venues and five lodge options, including the Carolina, a 100-year-old hotel with 230 rooms, and the Manor lodge, which was built in 1926 and just underwent a complete makeover. pinehurst.com

THE FAMOUS NO. 2 COURSE AT PINEHURST RESORT

MYRTLE BEACH, SOUTH CAROLINA

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, is not only a beachfront paradise but also a golfer’s dream, with more than 90 golf courses along the Grand Strand, a 60-mile-long swath of beach that comprises 14 communities and stretches to the North Carolina border. The area hosts meeting groups of all sizes, many of which incorporate golf into their events.

The area caters to the golf traveler, and its numerous courses can accommodate golf groups of as many as 500 people. The area has 150,000 lodging units, from hotels and condos to timeshares and vacation rentals and sees 21 million visitors a year. Most of the area’s resorts do meetings and conferences and have a golf planner on-site who can arrange tee times for meeting attendees.

Among its most famous golf courses are the TPC Myrtle Beach, the Dunes Golf and Beach Club and the Barefoot Resort and Golf, which has four championship-level golf courses.

Myrtle Beach offers many golf packages that allow meeting attendees to get in a round or two at some of the spectacular professional golf courses, as well as at lesser-known courses. If a full round of golf isn’t your scene, the area recently welcomed a Top Golf recreational facility. visitmyrtlebeach.com

Courtesy Pinehurst Resort

ONE OF FOUR GOLF COURSES AT MYRTLE BEACH’S BAREFOOT RESORT

BRANSON, MISSOURI

A famous entertainment mecca, Branson, Missouri, is also one of the fastest-growing golf destinations in North America. In the past five years, the area has added five golf courses, including one Courtesy Myrtle Beach Area CVB

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Meetieng Guid BIG CEDAR LODGE’S BUFFALO RIDGE SPRINGS GOLF COURSE NEAR BRANSON

designed by Tiger Woods, bringing its total number of courses to 10.

The Big Cedar Lodge developed by Johnny Morris, the founder of Bass Pro Shops, is partly responsible for Branson’s golf boom. Big Cedar has five courses, each designed by a famous golf course architect, including the Jack Nicklaus-designed Top of the Rock Par-3, nine-hole golf course. Mountain Top is Big Cedar’s 13-hole course and is suitable for golfers who want to experience golf there but don’t want to play 18 holes.

“The momentum gains with each course,” said Dan Shepherd, who promotes golf for the Branson Convention and Visitors Bureau.

“We are starting to command people’s attention, and they are starting to remember names.”

Branson is a meeting planner’s dream. Along with its many theaters and restaurant scene, the city has a new 220,000-square-foot convention center and aquarium. With Branson’s 16,500 rooms, planners can take their pick of four-star resorts and brand-name chain hotels, many with their own meeting spaces. explorebranson.com

GULF SHORES, ALABAMA

Whether you are a beachgoer or a golf aficionado, the Gulf Shores and Orange Beach are prime destinations. With 15 golf courses, white sugar sand beaches, 18,000 lodging units and plenty of meet-

Courtesy Branson CVB

a meeting location that feels like a vacation

Bring a new view to your next meeting. Spend time networking by the water, where a picturesque riverfront setting seamlessly blends historic charm with modern new hotels and facilities, all connected by a Riverwalk. For planners in search of space best suited for socially-distanced meetings, we’re here for you when the time is right.

From our walkable River District to three island beaches, consider a fresh possibility in North Carolina and at the coast.

NCCoastalMeetingsGroups.com • 800.650.9064

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ing spaces, the area is great for small to midsize meetings and conferences that want to include golf and other outdoor activities. The Lodge at Gulf State Park has 350 guest rooms and 40,000 square feet of meeting space, and the Perdido Beach Resort has 300 guest rooms and 44,000 square feet of meeting space. Both properties are on the beachfront.

The three main courses in the area are Kiva Dunes, which is right on the water and was designed by Jerry Pate; the Craft Farms Golf Resort, which has two 18-hole courses designed

by Arnold Palmer; and the Peninsula Golf and Racquet Club, which has a 27-hole course designed by Earl Stone. The Peninsula is a great group golf destination because its golf course can easily accommodate larger groups. Its Mediterranean-style clubhouse has a full-service restaurant, a bar and lounge, two reception rooms and an outdoor patio that can be rented out for events. gulfshores.com

WE’VE RAISED THE STAKES. For meetings and groups, Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort will soon offer a wide range of amenities to complement your event. Our exciting casino, live Thoroughbred racing Jan.-May*, and multiple dining options will soon be combined with more than 18,000 sq. ft. of flexible event space and a 200-room luxury hotel/spa/pool ... all before this summer. There will be something for everyone.

Come experience a new level of excitement at Oaklawn. *COVID-19 limitations/protocols on website OAKLAWN.COM

KIVA DUNES GOLF CLUB IN GULF SHORES

Courtesy Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism

HOT SPRINGS, ARKANSAS

February 2021

GROUP SALES: (501) 701-1317 • DKACENA@OAKLAWN.COM 37

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HILTON HEAD, SOUTH CAROLINA

Hilton Head Island is a bucket-list destination for most golfers because it was built to be a resort and it has 24 golf courses. If visitors cross the bridge to the mainland, there are 40 more from which to choose. The Harbour Town Golf Links is the most famous course in Hilton Head because it is on the PGA Tour. When teeing up on the 18th hole, golfers have a direct line of sight to the iconic redstriped Harbour Town Lighthouse.

“Hilton Head is a really unintimidating place to learn the game of golf when it comes to meetings and groups,” said Charlie Clark, vice president of communications for Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Visitor and Convention Bureau. “We have found that when people come in groups, if they intend to play, our courses get it. They make it fun no matter what level of golfer you are.”

There are 3,000 hotel rooms, 6,000 villas and 150,000 square feet of meeting space on the island. The most prestigious resort is the Inn and Club at Harbour Town, which sits on the first tee box of the Harbour Town Golf Links. It has more than 20,000 square feet of indoor meeting space and unlimited outdoor venues. hiltonheadisland.org

GOLFING IN HILTON HEAD Courtesy Hilton Head Island CVB

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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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The Southern Experience

GROUPS MEETING IN BATON ROUGE CAN INCORPORATE SECOND LINE PARADES — A LOUISIANA MUSICAL TRADITION — INTO THEIR EVENTS.

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BY PAULA AVEN GLADYCH

he South is steeped in history and varied cultural traditions. Meetings in the South can be steeped in them too.

Destinations throughout the region have thought up many creative ways for meeting planners to add a bit of Southern flair or local flavor to their events. Here are just a few ideas to get you started. But don’t be afraid to ask the local convention and visitors bureaus for other ways to spice up your events.

BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA

Baton Rouge considers itself authentic Louisiana, from its Cajun cuisine to its jazz and blues music. Meeting planners who want to add a little Cajun flair to their conferences or events in the capital

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By Frank McMains, courtesy Visit Baton Rouge

city can bring in local musicians or feed their guests fresh gumbo and other staples of Southern cooking. One of the unusual things groups can have at their events is a Second Line parade, which is basically a mobile celebration where groups march or dance behind a brass jazz band as they move through the event venue or out on the street. The idea was taken from traditional jazz funerals, where instead of mourning the dead, relatives and friends celebrate their loved ones with a musical parade.

Other groups will hire a Cajun band and Cajun dancers to perform.

“It is a surprise element,” said Anna Gasperecz, destination experience manager for Visit Baton Rouge. “Attendees think they are there to enjoy the music and watch Cajun dancers, and then they start bringing people up, pulling them from their seats and teaching them dances to get everyone involved.

If groups are more interested in learning about Cajun cuisine, meeting planners can bring in local chefs for cooking demonstrations or classes. visitbatonrouge.com

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY

Louisville, Kentucky, is famous for its Thoroughbred horse racing, and many groups hosting meetings or conferences in the city want to incorporate a bit of the Kentucky Derby into their events.

Louisville Tourism has helped groups bring in jockeys and horse trainers to talk about what it is like to race horses and what it takes to raise a foal from birth and turn it into a champion Derby horse.

“A misnomer about the industry is that they are celebrities, the track announcer and bugler, but it is such a wonderfully small nomadic society in thoroughbred,” said Angi Van Berg, vice president of trade show sales at Louisville Tourism. “It is similar to the bourbon industry. They are willing to talk about their craft and the trade.”

If the group wants a more robust Kentucky Derby experience, Louisville Tourism will set up a Derby lunch featuring traditional Southern fare, including tea sandwiches with Louisville’s famous Benedictine spread made from cream cheese, onions and cucumbers. Each place setting has a racing program with eight to 10 horses listed. The program relates to a real race run at Louisville’s famous Churchill Downs track, but the names of the horses are changed to reflect the industry or group hosting the meeting. The official track announcer and bugler from Churchill Downs enter in full regalia and proceed to announce the race. The event gets everyone involved, cheering on their favorite horse. The winner from each table gets to take home the centerpiece: a full bottle of Kentucky bourbon. gotolouisville.com

FRANKLIN, TENNESSEE

Most people know that Nashville, Tennessee, is the hub of the country music industry. What they don’t know is that many of the country artists who record in Nashville make their homes in nearby Franklin. Groups hosting meetings or events in Franklin can tap into that legacy by bringing in musicians, songwriters and producers to talk about the industry and how they fit into it. From musical performances to songwriting sessions, meeting planners can fit just about all of those into one of the area’s fine meeting venues or take their groups to places where the music is produced, said Matthew Maxey, associate director of public relations for Visit Franklin.

A RACING EXPERIENCE AT LOUISVILLE’S CHURCHILL DOWNS

Courtesy Louisville Tourism

LIVE MUSIC IN FRANKLIN

Most people know that Nashville, Tennessee, is the hub of the country music industry. What they don’t know is that many of the country artists who record in Nashville make their homes in nearby Franklin.

Courtesy Visit Franklin

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“Nack-A-Tish”

Castle Recording Studios, which has worked with gold and platinum artists like Taylor Swift and Bon Jovi, now rents space for small groups. Meeting planners can work with Visit Franklin to bring in artists to speak or perform for the group or watch musicians recording their next album.

Another way to add some Southern flair is to visit a local winery or distillery. Whiskey is a big part of Tennessee’s history, and Franklin has gone from three to 60 distilleries in the past decade. Organizations can hold meetings at several of these locations, followed by a tour and tasting. The Leiper’s Fork Distillery hosts what it calls stillhouse sessions where groups enjoy some whiskey and live musical performances. If wine is more their scene, groups can visit Arrington Vineyards, founded by Kix Brooks of Brooks and Dunn. visitfranklin.com

INDEPENDENCE, MISSOURI

Independence, Missouri, is steeped in history, from the Oregon Trail to infamous outlaws and the Civil War. Groups that would like to immerse themselves in the area’s rich history should take a covered wagon tour of the area through Pioneer Trails Adventures.

Ralph Goldsmith started the company in 1999. He wanted a fun way to get visitors to engage with Independence’s past. He hand-built four covered wagons. Instead of using horses, he bred Missouri mules to pull them. Groups can rent out one or all of his wagons for a trip back in time they won’t forget. The wagon train follows in the deep ruts left behind by the thousands of covered wagons that set out from Independence on the Oregon Trail in 1845.

Goldsmith spins yarns about those early pioneers, the violence surrounding the Civil War and the outlaws and bank robbers who terrorized the area in the late 1800s as he takes visitors past historic homes, including one where President Harry S. Truman lived and worked, and the infamous jail that once housed William Clark Quantrill, the leader of Quantrill’s Raiders, and the notorious outlaw Frank James of the James-Younger Gang. When the tour is over, the group can enjoy a chuck wagon dinner around an open campfire in the square outside the National Frontier Trails Museum. pioneertrailsadventures.com

WILKESBORO, NORTH CAROLINA

• State of the art meeting facilities • National chain and independent hotels • Distinctive dining and unique shopping • Small Group Friendly

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Visitors to Wilkesboro, North Carolina, can’t escape the legends of the moonshiners who illegally made and distributed distilled liquor throughout the state. Meeting planners hosting events in the area can bring a bit of that history to their attendees by having a local distiller come and talk about the sometimes-bloody history of North Carolina moonshine. Because of local laws about where stills can operate, the distillers can’t bring those to your meeting venue, but they can bring different varieties for you to taste and tell you about how it is made.

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

More adventurous groups can set up a tour of Call Family Distillers, a family-owned distillery that has made moonshine from cornmeal mash since 1868. It was the Rev. Daniel Call who made his own whiskey and is credited with teaching Jack Daniels how the distillation process worked. The most infamous Call family member, the grandfather of the distillery’s current owner, Willie Clay Call, earned the nickname “The Uncatchable” during his time evading the Revenuers as he illegally transported moonshine across the state during the 1940s, ’50s and ’60s.

Visitors to the distillery can examine some of the vehicles Willie used to run moonshine, with their hidden trap doors for hiding liquor and a switch to turn off the brake lights when he wanted to evade the authorities. Meeting attendees can compare how moonshine was made in the backwoods of North Carolina using wooden steamer stills to the science and artistry of its modern production, including a closeup look at “The Bull,” the distillery’s 2,100-gallon direct steam injection still made from brass and copper. wilkescountytourism.com

FOLLOWING PIONEER TRAILS IN INDEPENDENCE Courtesy Pioneer Trails Adventures

A MOONSHINE-RUNNING CAR ON DISPLAY AT CALL FAMILY DISTILLERS

Courtesy Wilksboro TDA

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