Small Market Meetings January 2024 by The Group Travel Leader, Inc.

OVERLOOKED MEETING DESTINATIONS | GROWING YOUR TEAM | HEARTLAND MEETING GUIDE JANUARY 2024

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HISTORIC Vines. New ROOTS.

PLAN YOUR NEXT MEETING IN A HISTORIC REGION WITH A DYNAMIC NEW WINE SCENE.

2023 WINNER Wine Region of the Year

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ON THE COVER: Meeting attendees can visit more than 20 wineries, some of which offer event space, in the area surrounding Eugene, Oregon. Photo by Melanie Ryan Griffin, courtesy EugeneCascadesCoast.com.

INSIDE VOLUME 25 | ISSUE 1

IDEAS Undiscovered Destinations

CITY Eugene, Oregon

Courtesy Visit Henderson, NV

TOWN Henderson, Nevada

MEETING GUIDE America’s Heartland

D E PA R T M E N T S

6 INSIGHTS Rules of Engagement

8 PROFILE Teresa Chamley

10 MANAGING

Expanding Your Team

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 (859) 253-0503. 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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A sheriff, a shriner, a A sheriff, a doctor, a cattleman, cattleman, andwalk an executive and an executive into a bar... walk into a bar...

(There’s no punchline, we just host a lot of events. ) (There’s no punchline, we just host a lot of events. )

Kearney, where the Heartland gathers.

Typically, Kearney hosts more than 1,350 events a year. Everything from large conferences, to regional sporting events as well as hundreds of smaller professional and educational Every year Kearney hosts more than 1,350 events. Everything meetings all host their events in Kearney. The reason is even simple. from the Shrine Bowl to conferences large and small, heck half Because Kearney has the best facilities between Denver and a million Sandhill Cranes make sure to meet in Kearney every year. Omaha, staff and wonderful volunteers make You knowexperienced why? Because Kearney has the best facilitiesthat between sure every event that comes to town is taken care of. Denver and Omaha, experienced staff and wonderful volunteers who make sure every event that comes to town is taken care of. If you’re looking for a host city for your next event, make sure you look at Kearney. If you’re looking for a host city for your next event make sure you look at Kearney.

Wheret h eHear tland Gathers.com

MeetinKearney.com

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INSIGHTS WITH VICKIE MITCHELL

RULES OF ENGAGEMENT

f you want people to not only attend your conferences but also return year after year, you need to deliver an experience that engages them from start to finish. Here are some ways to foster engagement, from building excitement and interest through varied promotional marketing to choosing speakers who grab interest and give audiences what they need to know.

Follow these steps to plan events people are excited to attend

Serve up speakers who deliver Stir up excitement

Building engagement starts long before the conference. From Instagram and TikTok to postcards and podcasts, strategic planners send messages in a mix of formats to promote their conferences. Planners won’t need to create much original content thanks to a wealth of promotional marketing materials that meeting venues, hotels and destinations are happy to share. For meetings in Grand Rapids, Michigan, for example, the convention services team at Experience Grand Rapids could supply save-the-date refrigerator magnets or a video about the city. The team at Visit Jackson, in Mississippi, could share its digital visitors guide or Soul Sessions podcast, where local personalities, like restaurateurs and historians, sit down for a chat. There’s also plenty of material to push out to attendees about speakers, whether it’s the speaker’s own promo video or perhaps a podcast. (A great resource for finding speakers, by the way, is the Find A Speaker feature at nsaspeaker.org, a service of the National Speakers Association.)

As a conference attendee, there’s nothing more deflating than an educational session with a promising topic that doesn’t live up to its billing. Speakers who not only know their stuff but also how to deliver it will keep conference attendees engaged. In a column for Harvard Business Review, Deborah Grayson Riegel says the best speakers put the audience first. Instead of seeing a presentation as a chance to show what they know, they address what the audience wants and needs to know. Seek speakers who have shown they are attuned to their audience’s hopes and fears and don’t just talk about what they want to talk about. The Hamilton College’s Oral Communications Center has this advice for booking engaging speakers: Look for those who tell stories, relay personal experiences, ask provocative questions and lay down challenges.

smallmarketmeetings.com

Get the audience involved

There’s something about sitting in a hard chair in a long row that makes us a little less than sharp. Good speakers have techniques to rouse the crowd. To ensure your conference keeps everyone engaged, look for speakers who are lively and interactive. Humor is always welcomed, and a funny anecdote or an on-target cartoon will always wake up the crowd. Speakers who ask for a show of hands on a pertinent topic not only get the audience moving, but they also show them their opinion matters. Bringing an audience member or two on stage to participate in some fashion also elevates everyone’s interest. As Matt Abrahams, a lecturer in organizational behavior at Stanford Graduate School of Business and host of Think Fast, Talk Smart: The Podcast, said in a recent column, “Engaging your audience by asking a question, taking a poll, showing a video or using an analogy before introducing yourself sets an energetic tone.”

Appeal to the senses

Meetings are sensory experiences, and engagement is closely tied to what an audience sees, hears and feels. Think of all the times you’ve been distracted or distressed by a screeching microphone or by ear-pounding “background” music. As Julia Charles Event Management pointed out in a recent post on LinkedIn, “Sound can be the make or break of your event.” And of course, there’s also lighting and room temperature to consider. Lights that are too bright or a room that’s arctic also aggravate an audience. So, pay close attention your crowd’s body language — stop, look and listen, and then quickly move to correct any sensory issues. In creating an engaging environment, also consider seating configurations. Does the arrangement that was chosen fit the size and type of session? Could you work with the venue to tweak a typical setup and shake up attendees a bit? Instead of a typical classroom configuration for a seminar, maybe try a U-shape to promote more interaction among attendees and the speaker. Or get your board out of big chairs at a long table and into some couches and chairs for a more relaxed and perhaps more creative planning session.

January 2024

Keep engagement going

When attendees leave the last session, give them a chance to continue to engage. Have them walk out of an afternoon keynote session and into a space like like the towering glass-walled preconference area at the Grand Wayne Center in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Perhaps the speaker could be convinced to hang around and talk shop with attendees as they relax on the comfortable curved couches positioned to look out on the city’s streets. Have roving waitstaff greet attendees with a signature drink, with or without alcohol, and a few appetizers they can enjoy as they sit together or stand at high tops. Associations might want to take a page from the networking idea used by many chambers of commerce and disperse longtime members into the crowd to serve as “ambassadors” who introduce new members to old and find other ways to help attendees make connections and engage with one another. 7

MEETING LEADERS

“We really focus on repeat business thanks to giving our clients great customer service. We just do things a little differently.”

TERESA CHAMLEY

“H

BY RE B E CCA TRE ON

ospitality kind of gets into your blood.” Theresa Chamley has had the business in her blood for more than 25 years. Now the regional sales manager for Nebraska’s Younes Hospitality, the North Dakota native took her first job at a family-owned Holiday Inn while her husband was in college. “We moved to Nebraska while my husband was doing internships, and we were in some wonderful but very small communities that didn’t really have any hospitality options available,” she said. “So I did a lot of different things — I worked at a radio station, I worked at a flower shop — then we got transferred to Kearney, Nebraska, where Younes Hospitality is located. I started working for the company in the early ’90s, working part time in the catering department. We had small children at that time, so I didn’t want to be full time.” When her husband finished school and took a position with another company in the eastern part of Nebraska, Chamley assumed she’d have to leave her position at Younes Hospitality and find something else. But the company owner Paul Younes, who at the time had one hotel but in the past three decades has grown his empire to include several properties together on one campus, had a unique proposition for Chamley. “It was pretty innovative for the mid-’90s — he asked if I wanted to do sales, working from a home office, which worked because typically we meet clients at their offices,” she said. “The rest is history — it’s worked out so well and has been a wonderful partnership.” Chamley is the regional sales manager of

the family-owned company, working with two other salespeople. Instead of compartmentalizing the roles, the sales team all work each segment of the Younes market. In the time since Chamley started working for Younes Hospitality, what began as one family-owned hotel has grown into 14 hotels and three conference centers across Nebraska. In Kearney, the Younes Campus includes the North and South Younes Conference Centers, the Holiday Inn Hotel and Convention Center, a Crowne Plaza with a water park, a Hampton Inn, a Fairfield Inn, a Holiday Inn, a La Quinta Inn, a Comfort Inn and a Candlewood Suites, with two additional properties, Tru and Home 2, in the works. “It’s a very unique situation — I don’t know of anything like this elsewhere in the Midwest,” said Chamley. “I think what sets us apart is that we’re always looking at ways to give our clients a positive experience. We have many loyal customers who book various properties years in advance.” Because of the diversity of the Younes Hospitality portfolio, Chambley works with a wide range of needs, from corporate events and affiliate groups that may stay in different properties and attend the same conference to weddings, family reunions and groups that are part of the SMERF market. “It really runs the gamut,” said Chamley. “We’re very fortunate that we’ve been around for a long time, and Younes Hospitality has wonderful clients that have been working with us since before the 25 years that I’ve been with them. We really focus on repeat business thanks to giving our clients great customer service. We just do things a little differently.”

EXECUTIVE PROFILE NAME

Teresa Chamley TITLE

Regional Sales Manager O RGA N IZ AT IO N

Younes Hospitality LOC AT IO N

Kearney, Nebraska B I R T H PL ACE

North Dakota E DU C AT IO N

Bellevue University, Bachelor of Science C A R E E R H IS TO RY

• Younes Hospitality, catering department, 1993-1994 • Younes Hospitality, sales, 1994-present

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TIPS FROM

TERESA CHAMLEY • Collaboration between the conference facility, the local visitors bureau and the meeting planner is the best formula to achieve a positive outcome for attendees.

TERESA CHAMLEY AND HER HUSBAND STEVE POSE IN FRONT OF ROCKEFELLER CENTER ON A TRIP TO NEW YORK CITY.

• Meeting planners should consider suggestions for their events from local sources. Since COVID, attendees are looking for new experiences at a conference. What might not have been considered for a planned event in the past might now be more appealing.

s g n i t ee

how GROW YOUR M TO

Wondering how to attract more attendees to your meetings? Get tips from meetings experts in our free guide. Download the free PDF to learn how to market your meetings, increase attendee value and bring more attendees to your next event. SMALLMARKETMEETINGS.COM/GROW

January 2024

MANAGING

Staffing Up

MEETINGS VETERANS SHARE INSIGHT ABOUT WHEN AND HOW TO GROW YOUR TEAM

BY R ACHEL CRICK

t takes a village to plan a meeting — that’s what many planners discover when they start their own businesses. That’s also what experienced planning companies have been reminded of in recent years, thanks to pared-down budgets. Building that village by adding staff lets companies handle more business and makes life easier. But planners often wonder when it’s really time to hire more help — and what kind of help would be most beneficial. They may wonder what jobs they should outsource or if hiring permanent employees is the better choice. Whether they’re a one-man shop in need of administrative help or an established company considering adding more employees to the mix, planners should hear what industry experts have to say about scaling up.

“Don’t be too quick to bring on someone for the team because you feel an external pressure to bring someone onto your team. Move at the pace that’s comfortable to you.”

WHEN TO EXPAND With the demanding nature of the meetings and events industry, it can be difficult to determine when it’s time to expand. After all, when executing a large event, it’s normal for planners to work long hours and have a milelong to-do list. But pinpointing when it’s time to expand your team can keep you from facing burnout, or worse, disappointing clients. “I can only speak from personal experience,” said Trish Simitakos, owner of Trish Star Events. “For me, it was once I started seeing that my work-life balance was in jeopardy.” Work-life balance being out of whack leads to job dissatisfaction, so avoiding it is critical. This is often a problem for solopreneurs who want to shoulder every aspect of their businesses, but it can also be a problem at larger event-planning companies. “Burnout is severe,” said Michael Schaumann, director of business development at Cadre, a company that specializes in helping companies hire independent contractors in the meetings and events industry. “What’s happening is meeting and event teams aren’t as big as they used to be. People are being asked to wear two, three, four more hats.” Another potential problem for too-small teams is the inability to handle a growing workload. If a great opportunity comes around and a planner doesn’t have the hands to deliver an excellent event, that’s bad for business.

Trish Simitakos OWNER

Trish Star Events Experience: 27 years

smallmarketmeetings.com

“You have to be really clear about what’s your industry, what’s your product, what’s your region, what’s your culture. You’ve got to have somebody that can fit into your culture.”

“Usually, I’ll find they’re scaling up when they start to get proposals from different companies for work, and all the sudden they realize they need the extra hands,” said Dawn Penfold, president of Meetingjobs, a company owned by Cadre that specializes in permanent job placement in the meeting and events industry. So if burnout is running rampant and a meeting planner is struggling to meet client expectations, it’s probably time to consider a new addition to the team.

SOURCING YOUR HELP

Michael Schaumann DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Cadre Experience: 20 years

January 2024

Because of all the hats meeting planners wear, it can be hard for them to decide what kind of help they need most. Is it an administrative assistant or someone specific to help managing catering? Would they benefit from another planner to help them tackle a particularly packed event calendar, or do they need an audiovisual specialist to consult with tech-forward events? “I think they should look at it strategically,” Penfold said. “Why do they need this person; what will they contribute?” Penfold added that factors like timelines, budgets and the size of a company are important considerations in hiring a planner. They must ask themselves if they’re looking to bring someone on board long-term or short-term, full-time or part-time, and what benefits they can offer. Simitakos started expanding her business by adding administrative help, then slowly began giving the tasks she didn’t enjoy to the admin. She said, “It’s finding within yourself what components do you enjoy doing. You hold onto those, and you hire for everything else.” If a planner loathes spending time on the phone with vendors, hiring an administrative assistant might lighten the load and make dayto-day work more enjoyable. Once they have an idea of what areas of the business they need help with, sourcing them is the next step. Like many other aspects of the planning industry, planners can source additions to their team through networking. There are also other ways of seeking help, such as job sites and staffing agencies.

MANAGING

“For me, a lot of my staffing solutions have come from working through agencies and through individual relationships,” Simitakos said. Traditional job sites and staffing agencies may be an especially good fit for administrative assistants or site management because these positions don’t always require an extensive knowledge of the industry, and they involve a lot of transferable skills. Platforms like Cadre and Meetingjobs are unmatched in their ability to pair planning companies with contractors and permanent employees in the meetings and events industry. Whether they’re looking for someone who speaks a certain language or has experience with a particular event type or software, these companies can match them with someone who meets their requirements.

“They have to decide strategically, are they a longterm contract or someone we need to hire permanently, because they both have different needs.”

HIRING EMPLOYEES Perhaps one of the biggest decisions for a planner to make is whether they’ll be hiring permanent employees or independent contractors. Each type of help has pros and cons and can play an important role in growing a business. A permanent employee, whether they’re being brought in on a full- or part-time basis and no matter how small their role, can be a big commitment. It comes with a discussion of benefits, salary and training, which can be time-consuming and expensive. But if they fit a company’s needs, they can be an invaluable addition. “Right now, my team is a 50-50 mix of permanent and freelancers,” Simitakos said. “The permanent are the people who are deeply involved with the business: strategists, people you’re relying on for future growth.” This means they’re people who share the company’s vision and deliver work that’s up to its brand standards. Finding someone who meets these criteria often involves using a more rigorous hiring and training process, because they need to know the ins and outs of the business to deliver the best results. “A full-time employee you have to look at more strategically,” Penfold said, adding that they should be “someone who can understand the idiosyncrasies of your clients.” In addition to knowing the clients and the industry, they should also fit in well with the current team and feel at home in the business. “A big thing that people neglect to acknowledge is cultural fit,” Schaumann said. “When hiring the right person, you need someone who can swim with your team.”

Dawn Penfold PRESIDENT

Meetingjobs Experience: 20 years

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MEETINGS WITH A VIEW

Looking for a place to host your next meeting, conference or convention? Look no further than Corbin, KY. Conveniently located off of I-75 exit 25 in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, Corbin is home to 2 premier meeting and conference centers. The Corbin Arena features a 31,250 square foot floor and a 19,261 square foot concourse, making it perfect for conferences and tradeshows. Directly below the Arena is the Corbin Center, a 20,000 square foot facility complete with an executive board room, five classrooms and an 85 x 63 square foot multipurpose space. After the meeting get out and enjoy the Original KFC, Cumberland Falls State Park, the Laurel Lake and our vibrant and eclectic downtown! We can’t wait to host you…..Corbin LOVES Company!

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MANAGING

HIRING CONTRACTORS Independent contractors or freelancers are a popular choice because they’re immediate solutions to a crisis. If a planner finds herself in need of an immediate expert on catering for an upcoming event, she can hire a freelance catering consultant. “You want them to put a fire out,” Penfold said. “You want them to come in and solve the problem.” Planners can also bulk up an event team in times of high demand. If there’s a season that’s particularly packed, extra planners, consultants and on-site help will help them meet this demand and client expectations. In this instance, a freelancer may be the right choice if there’s no guarantee that high demand will be sustained. “Leveraging a freelancer, you bring them on and let them go with the ebb and flow of your workload,” Schaumann said. Freelancers are also beneficial because they’re not stagnant; they’re constantly moving around in the industry and seeing new things. They’re the experts, and when it comes to expanding your team’s horizons, they may do just that. “It’s beneficial to have a percentage of freelancers because it’s fresh, new ideas,” Simitakos said. There’s also the budget question; while freelancers often have a more expensive hourly rate, they’re usually hired for less time, meaning hiring them could save a company money in the long run. They also won’t have to worry about salary and benefits for a temporary member of the team. But with all the benefits of hiring contract workers, there are some things planners must be cognizant of. “You have to be mindful of how you bring in freelancers,” Schaumann said. He pointed out there are special considerations planners must take when hiring independent contractors to ensure everything is done legally and by the book to avoid headaches during tax season. This includes a 20-point IRS checklist to ensure freelancers are being hired correctly and legally. Building a staff of mainly freelancers can also be a little too transient for some, as there’s less of a guarantee they will be available for future events.

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c a e to l P A

Your Story

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IDEAS

Courtesy Visit Mobile

HIDDEN GEMS These overlooked meeting destinations are worth discovering

BY R ACHE L CRICK

mall cities can shine just as bright as large cities, and this is especially true in the meetings industry. These often-overlooked meeting destinations have the natural beauty, historic venues, capable hotels and entertaining activities often found in major metros. But what makes them gold mines is their low price point, flexibility and lack of large crowds. To discover the distinct appeal and signature charms of lesser-known locations, planners should unearth these hidden gem meeting destinations.

MOBILE, ALABAMA

Home to the first Mardi Gras in North America, Mobile, Alabama, has a long history under several different flags. Once home to Native Americans, it was settled by the French in 1702. The port city then changed hands, first to Britain, then to Spain and finally to the U.S. Being on the Gulf Coast, Mobile enjoys mild winters and fresh seafood with Cajun and Creole influences at its dozens of restaurants. But one of its biggest benefits for meeting planners is its price tag. “The cost of living is amongst the lowest,” said Tom White, vice president of convention and leisure sales. “Room rates, costs of the meeting spaces, and food and beverage is very low. The dollar goes further.” Right on Mobile Bay, the Arthur R. Outlaw Mobile Convention Center has 300,000 square feet of meeting space with waterfront views. It features two exhibit halls with 50,000 square feet each, as well as two ballrooms with 7,750 square feet each. The convention center’s two levels have an additional 16 meeting rooms, 52,000 square feet of pre-function space and 45,000 square feet of outdoor space. Connected to the convention center via skywalk is

Above: Dauphin Street in Mobile draws in visitors year round with its colorful buildings and nearby attractions.

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the Renaissance Mobile Riverview Plaza Hotel, with 373 guest rooms and 44,000 square feet of meeting space. This is just one of many downtown hotels; altogether, they offer 1,400 guest rooms within walking distance of the convention center. The Gulf Quest Maritime Museum has additional waterfront meeting and event space for off-sites. Attendees can see the city’s distinct architecture in its historic neighborhoods, learn about the city’s history at the Mobile Carnival Museum or catch live music. mobile.org

“The cost of living is amongst the lowest. Room rates, costs of the meeting spaces, and food and beverage is very low. The dollar goes further.” — Tom White, Visit Mobile

FOX CITIES, WISCONSIN

The Fox Cities refer to the 19 communities along the Fox River in Wisconsin’s Greater Appleton area. The region is also known as the Paper Valley, thanks to its history in the paper-making industry. The Fox Cities are conveniently located off Interstate 41 and have a regional airport, making them easy to access. The Fox Cities Exhibition Center, which opened in early 2018, has 38,000 square feet of meeting space and an additional 17,000 square feet of outdoor plaza space. The center overlooks Jones Park in Appleton and is connected to the town’s largest hotel, the Hilton Appleton Paper Valley Hotel. The hotel has 388 guest rooms and 40,000 square feet of meeting space. In Neenah, the second largest of the communities in the Fox Cities, the DoubleTree by Hilton was remodeled in 2017 and has 12,000 square feet of meeting space. It’s also home to the Best Western Premier Bridgewood Resort Hotel, with 95 guest rooms and 10,000 square feet of meeting space. “The great thing about the Hilton Appleton Paper Valley and the DoubleTree Neenah is they’re located in downtown settings,” said Alison Hutchin-

Photos courtesy Fox Cities CVB

January 2024

Fox Cities scenes, clockwise from left: Walking through the Fox Cities Exhibition Center; Bubolz Nature Preserve; Poplar Hall

IDEAS

son, sales director at the Fox Cities CVB. “Within walking distance, you have chef-owned restaurants, shopping and nightlife.” The Fox Cities also have several distinct venues perfect for banquets, receptions or off-site events. Poplar Hall, an upscale venue with lots of natural light, overlooks the Fox River in downtown Appleton and is perfect for a banquet. North of Appleton, the Bubolz Nature Preserve offers several spaces for meetings and events, from ballrooms to conference rooms to private log cabins. Attendees can hike the trails or participate in outdoorsy team building activities on the nature preserve’s 700-plus acres. foxcities.org

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA

Once home to prominent historical figures such as Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe, Charlottesville, Virginia, elegantly combines the past and the present. It’s a college town that comes alive with the academic calendar, but it’s also home to historic es-

tates like Jefferson’s Monticello and Monroe’s Highland. It’s also an up-and-coming wine region, with the Monticello Wine Trail featuring stops at 40-plus area wineries. “It’s a small town with 10 square miles, but it’s got a lot of unique charm,” said Brantley Ussery, director of marketing and public relations at Charlottesville Albemarle Convention and Visitors Bureau. “It’s a very historic place situated at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains with lots of scenic beauty.” At the University of Virginia, construction of a convention center is underway and slated for completion in 2025. It will feature 25,000 square feet of meeting space and a 214-room hotel. Charlottesville’s current roster of meeting hotels includes The Forum, a newly opened 198-room hotel with 22,000 square feet of meeting space. There’s also the Omni Hotel, renovated in the fall of 2023, with 208 guest rooms and 14,000 square feet of meeting space. The Omni is located directly on the historic pedestrian downtown mall, giving attendees easy access to one

Courtesy Charlottesville Albemarle CVB

Meeting venues, clockwise from left: Willamette Heritage Center in Salem; Charlottesville’s Wool Factory; the Forum Hotel in Charlottesville

Courtesy Travel Salem

Courtesy Charlottesville Albemarle CVB

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Beautiful, white-sand beaches, coastal venues and endless entertainment possibilities, brings new meaning to business casual on Alabama Beaches. Let us book your next meeting or conference and we will handle the rest.

IDEAS

of the city’s liveliest districts. Just west of downtown, Boar’s Head Resort has 22,000 square feet of meeting space and 168 rooms. Planners have a variety of venues to choose from for off-site events, including the Dairy Market, the region’s first food hall, which has 18 food vendors. It offers event space just downstairs from the food hall, with a 6,000-square-foot space known as the Brick Cellar. Other off-site venues include the historic Monticello and Highland properties, as well as the textile-mill-turned-venue at The Wool Factory. Many of the local wineries also offer meeting space with mountain views, such as the Pippin Hill Farm and Vineyards. visitcharlottesville.org

SALEM, OREGON

Surrounded by the beauty of the Willamette Valley, Salem is Oregon’s capital. This city of nearly 178,000 is conveniently located an hour south of Portland on Interstate 5. In addition to its natural

beauty, Salem has a long list of appealing amenities for meetings. “We’re centrally located in the state, and we have free parking at the convention center and many of the other venues,” said Debbie McCune, director of sales and vice president at Travel Salem. On its list of capable venues, the Salem Convention Center is located in the heart of downtown. It has 30,000 square feet of meeting space on two floors, including the 8,750-square-foot Santiam Ballroom. The second floor features an additional ballroom with 11,400 square feet. The convention’s center’s adjoining lodging, The Grand Hotel, has 193 guest rooms. Newly opened in April 2023, the chic Holman Riverfront Park Hotel has 127 guest rooms and several meeting rooms, including a 1,150-squarefoot ballroom. It’s also just across the street from the convention center. Another downtown venue perfect for off-sites is the Willamette Heritage Center, a historic woolen mill perfect for banquets. Outside the city, the Oregon State Fair and Expo

Courtesy Discover Kalispell

Meeting venues, clockwise from left: Willamette Valley Vineyards in Salem; Kalispell’s Sherman Lodge; Snowline Acres in Kalispell

Courtesy Travel Salem

Courtesy Discover Kalispell

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W I D E

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Center is set on 185 acres and can handle large expos and trade shows. Its newest facility is the Pavilion, an arena with 5,000 fixed seats and a 30,000-squarefoot arena floor. The Willamette Valley is known as a prominent wine and agriculture region, making Salem’s food and beverage scene one of the best in the region. Many of its wineries double as meeting venues. travelsalem.com

KALISPELL, MONTANA

Tucked away in the northwest corner of Montana, Kalispell is a town of 28,000. It’s surrounded by the natural beauty of national parks and landmarks and offers an abundance of outdoor activities, from skiing to e-biking along the famous Going to the Sun Road. “It makes a great destination people want to come to because it’s a great way for attendees to take preand post-vacations,” said Dawn Jackson, group sales manager at Discover Kalispell. “We’re so lucky to have Glacier National Park and Flathead Lake nearby, but we’re an all-around seasonal destination.”

Kalispell has two meeting hotels in town, the Hilton Garden Inn Kalispell, which has 144 guest rooms and 14,000 square feet of meeting space, including an 8,550-square-foot ballroom. The Red Lion Hotel Kalispell has 170 guest rooms and 12,000 square feet of meeting space with an 8,823-square-foot ballroom. The city’s other major meeting space can be found at Flathead Valley Community College’s Wachholz College Center, a newly built 58,000-square-foot facility. It contains a 1,014-seat concert hall, as well as a reception hall and several other meeting rooms. Kalispell’s museums each have event space, including the Conrad Mansion Museum, a historic house museum showcasing exceptional Victorian architecture and beautiful grounds. The Northwest Montana History Museum, dating back to 1894, was the town’s first school and can now be rented for events. Other off-site venues include the town’s wineries and craft breweries; nearby lodges such as the Sherman Lodge; and the Ashley Creek Historic Venue at Snow Line Acres, a restored lumber building. discoverkalispell.com

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Meeting Space

Red Bus Tour

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There are some places that feel like magic, especially during autumn. In Kalispell, our full-service hotels, distinct venues, thriving downtown and fall colors combine to create the perfect Montana-loving backdrop for your next meeting. Embrace the magic; come meet in Montana.

Be Our Guest:

s e d a c s a CAND Coast Salt Creek Falls is one of more than 200 waterfalls in the scenic Eugene Cascades Coast area of Oregon. By Melanie Griffin, courtesy EugeneCascadesCoast.org

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CITY

Eugene’s scenic beauty is a natural attraction for meetings

BY K ATHE RINE TA NDY BROWN

ounded in the 1860s, Eugene, Oregon, lies within an area that sweeps from the Cascade Mountains to the Pacific Coast and where Mother Nature happily rules. Officially known as the Eugene Cascades Coast, this remarkable region features 30 miles of sandy and rocky shores, 2.5 million acres of forestland, more than 250 lakes and reservoirs, 500-year-old forests, over 200 waterfalls and 74 parks. It should come as no surprise that the Oregon Coast is eco-friendly and all about the outdoors.

EUGENE AT A GLANCE LOCATION: Central Western Oregon ACCESS: Eugene Airport, Amtrak, Interstate 5 HOTEL ROOMS: Over 6,000 CONTACT INFO:

Eugene, Cascades and Coast 800-547-5445 eugenecascadescoast.org MEETING HOTELS

The Graduate Eugene GUEST ROOMS: 275 MEETING SPACE: 30,000+ square feet Valley River Inn

GUEST ROOMS: 257 MEETING SPACE: 15,000 square feet

Gordon Hotel

GUEST ROOMS: 82 MEETING SPACE: 2,422 square feet

WHO’S MEETING IN EUGENE Living Proof Live with Beth Moore ATTENDEES: 8,500 Neighborhoods, USA ATTENDEES: 600 International Association for Language Learning Technology ATTENDEES: 250 The Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies ATTENDEES: 225

January 2024

Destination Highlights

nly an hour to the east of Eugene, volcano-formed mountains offer thrill seekers the opportunity to go whitewater rafting on the McKenzie River, skiing in Willamette Pass and hiking through old-growth forests. An hour to the west, groups can ride horses on the beach, admire sea lions in the country’s largest sea cave and hop aboard a dune buggy for a wild ride at 40,000-acre Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. Two gigantic buttes rise on either side of town. Easily accessible Skinner’s Butte, named for Eugene’s founder, offers terrific views of the city. Attendees can relax on electric or pedal-it-yourself bikes before or after conventions on more than 43 miles of bike paths through downtown, where locally owned coffee shops, bakeries, restaurants and hotels — with a total of 5,500 area rooms — stay busy. More than 20 murals add color and interest to the city’s buildings. Known as TrackTown USA for its history with, and training facilities for, world class runners, Eugene is home to Nike, Inc., started in 1964 by University of Oregon track athlete Phil Knight and his coach Bill Bowerman. The town’s populace is focused on wellness and taking care of the land. “We live and breathe sustainability, accessibility and inclusion,” said Juanita Metzler, senior director of conventions for the Eugene Cascades Coast. “We are the ideal location for any group with those as a part of its goals or values. And meetings are more affordable here because Eugene has no sales tax.” DESTINATION HIGHLIGHTS

Oregon Dunes National Recreational Area

Courtesy Turell Group

DISTINCTIVE VENUES

The Gordon Hotel Courtesy The Gordon/EugeneCascadesCoast.org

Distinctive Venues

modern, urban event space that began as the Eugene Planing Mill in 1942, Venue 252 is a stunning, contemporary building with exquisite attention to detail. Great for dinner galas, corporate conferences, trade shows and concerts, the 9,410-square-foot Grand Hall accommodates 800 for a reception and has a balcony that can hold 150. Its lobby is “funky upscale,” and there’s a Green Room for VIPs or keynote speakers. Located downtown adjacent to the artistic Whiteaker neighborhood, Venue 252 has a culinary team that can plan menus customized for a planner’s needs. Also in the heart of Eugene, the 275-guestroom Graduate Eugene lies adjacent to the Hult Center for the Performing Arts. The hotel’s 30,000 square feet of event space includes its 3,890-square-foot Vistas Ballroom and Rooftop with park, stadium, campus and river views and can host events for up to 1,000 attendees. The landmark hotel showcases the city’s running history with a Nike Museum and 44 pairs of “Just Do It” shoes on artsy display in its lobby. And attendees can play virtual golf at the world’s top courses in the hotel’s Top Golf Swing Suite, an immersive experience great for teambuilding. Named by TripAdvisor as one of 2022’s Hottest New Hotels, the Gordon Hotel is only one of two so named in the state. Part of a recent $75 million 5th Street Public Market downtown expansion, the property has 82 eclectic guest rooms, two restaurants, a hidden speakeasy and 3,700 square feet of multi-windowed meeting space.

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Major Meeting Spaces

ith an expansive 75,000-square-foot campus, the Lane Events Center (LEC) provides meeting and event space galore. Included are an exhibit hall, performance hall, atrium, pre-function concourse and multiple meetings rooms, plus a separate 36,000-square-foot arena with a standing capacity of 1,730 people and a 12,000-square-foot auditorium. Fresh off of a facelift, an additional 11,000-square-foot pavilion accommodates 400 for a banquet and looks for all the world like a gorgeous, upscale tent. This flexible venue offers spaces to adapt to nearly any size group. Several meeting rooms break down into even smaller ones. A 5,100-square-foot atrium with a theater capacity of 340 can be used as a stand-alone space for smaller events or along with the Performance Hall or the Exhibit Hall. “The atrium’s high glass ceilings give it an open-air feel,” said Jeff True, a sales representative at the Lane Events Center. The University of Oregon campus’ 63,000 square feet of convention, meeting and event space includes 12,364-seat Matthew Knight Arena. The largest indoor venue in Eugene, the arena is home to the University of Oregon Ducks basketball team. Its 1939 squad won the first-ever NCAA Division I Tournament. Also on campus, the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Contemporary Art was built in 1933 to house the prestigious 3,700-piece Murray Warner Collection of Oriental Art. Among the museum’s offerings are three meeting rooms and an elegant courtyard with a peaceful garden, reflecting pool and lush landscaping. All can be adapted as settings for cocktail parties, corporate meetings, lectures or luncheons. MAJOR MEETING SPACES

Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Contemporary Art

Couretsy EugeneCascadesCoast.org

January 2024

AFTER HOURS

In the Vineyard at King Estate Winery Turell Group/EugeneCascadesCoast.org

After the Meeting

or a breath of fresh air, adventurous visitors can head outside at Cascades Outdoor Center for rafting, mountain biking, hiking, and snowshoeing through the high mountains, cascading streams, narrow canyons and wooded slopes of 1.6-million-acre Willamette National Forest. Or they can take a fresh-air outing to the 128-foot-high Heceta Head Lighthouse on a 1,000-foot promontory down the coast. Options abound for lifelong learners, including planetarium shows at the Eugene Science Center. A life-size wooly mammoth greets visitors at the Museum of Natural and Cultural History, where millennia of natural history and geology includes the world’s oldest shoes and the skeleton of a giant spike-tooth salmon. Wineries, distilleries and breweries pepper the area. The largest certified biodynamic winery in North America, King Estate Winery, opened in 1991 and has since added orchards, berries and culinary gardens. Its farmto-table fine-dining restaurant features wine pairings and outdoor dining options. The heart of Eugene’s arts and counter-culture community, the Whiteacre neighborhood is a mix of businesses, residential streets, lovely parks and a dazzling display of international cuisine. Its moniker is “the fermentation district” due to its wealth of breweries, wineries and distilleries, including WildCraft Cider Works that sources its ingredients locally. “We are a wonderful location for attendees to bring their families or significant others,” said Metzler. “They can scope the community all day and tell their partner about opportunities to go wine-tasting and dune buggy riding. Inevitably, they will stay a bit longer to participate in the area’s fun activities.”

TOWN

A VEGAS

s i s a O B

BY CL A IRE HA NNU M

ig city or small town — in Henderson, Nevada, the choice is yours. Located just a 15-minute drive from the Las Vegas Strip and Harry Reid International Airport, Henderson offers all the logistical perks of a global city but with a more relaxed and personal touch. “A lot of people ask, ‘Why would we stay in Henderson when Vegas is right there?’” said Ed Kirby, national sales executive at Visit Henderson, NV. The answer is clear: In addition to Henderson’s unique local attractions, the town’s more intimate surroundings are a better backdrop for lasting networking. “If networking is important to you, the [Las Vegas] Strip does a great job, but you’re not going to keep your group together,” Kirby explains. “Everybody’s going to go to the Strip one night, and have some fun, but if you want to keep your group together and encourage networking, [Henderson is] great.” Henderson is one of the fastest-growing cities in the country, and the second-largest city in Nevada. Over the 20 years that Kirby has lived in Henderson, he’s seen incredible growth. “When I first started with the city, we really didn’t have a downtown,” Kirby said. “And now, we have a bustling downtown with a ton of restaurants. We have apartments going up, new housing coming in, live entertainment and breweries as well.” Depending on an organization’s needs and the meeting spaces they choose, Henderson can feel like the Strip’s playful neighbor or like a tranquil oasis that shares nothing more with the neon chaos of Vegas than a conveniently placed world-class airport.

GREEN VALLEY RANCH CASINO

Photos courtesy Visit Henderson, NV

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GROUPS MEETING IN HENDERSON CAN ENJOY TRANQUILITY AND AMENITIES SUCH AS RIO SECCO GOLF CLUB, JUST MINUTES FROM THE LAS VEGAS STRIP.

A Retreat Within a Retreat

Alongside the charms of central Henderson, the city is also known as home to a destination-within-a-destination: Lake Las Vegas. This 320-acre reservoir is surrounded by over 3,500 acres of resorts, homes, attractions, golf courses and an idyllic Italian-inspired village packed with cozy restaurants and shops. All resorts at Lake Las Vegas are nongaming properties, and the lake’s peaceful surroundings are worlds away from the big city. “You don’t feel like you’re in Vegas at all,” Kirby said. Lake Las Vegas’ abundance of outdoor space makes it ideal for meetings that favor group activities. The lake offers kayaking, paddleboarding, a seasonal aquatic obstacle course and other water sports.

Stylish Stays

HENDERSON NEVADA LOCATION

Southern Nevada ACCESS

Harry Reid International Airport (LAS); interstates 215, 515, and 11 MAJOR MEETING SPACES

M Resort Spa Casino, Westin Lake Las Vegas Resort and Spa, Green Valley Ranch Resort Spa and Casino

Henderson’s popular gaming hotels include Green Valley Ranch Resort Spa and Casino, which offers 500 rooms and 69,000 square feet of meeting space, and M Resort Spa Casino, a shimmering property with 390 rooms and more than 92,000 square feet of event space. “With both of those hotels you can go straight from your guest rooms to the meeting space, which a lot of companies like,” Kirby said. For smaller groups, Sunset Station Hotel and Casino is located across the street from the bustling Galleria at Sunset mall and offers 13,000 square feet of meeting space, an in-house movie theater and the largest bowling center in Las Vegas. In Lake Las Vegas, the Westin Lake Las Vegas Resort and Spa features over 109,000 square feet of event space, and the Hilton Lake Las Vegas Resort and Spa boasts nearly 42,000 square feet of space.

After the Meeting Downtime in Henderson begins with the Water Street District, a lively downtown area with mom-and-pop restaurants, bars and live entertainment. Henderson caters to a wide range of tourism interests with nine golf courses, 180 miles of hiking and biking trails, a water park, a lion sanctuary, and the wildly popular Ethel M Chocolates Factory, which offers tours and tastings. Sports fans are also in luck. Henderson is home to the headquarters of the Las Vegas Raiders and the WNBA Las Vegas Aces. It’s also the home base of a minor-league hockey team (the Silver Knights), a pro indoor football league (the Nighthawks) and Las Vegas’ brand-new pro volleyball team (the Vegas Thrill).

HOTEL ROOMS

4,500 OFF-SITE VENUES

Bad Beat Brewing, Vegas Valley Winery, Chinitas Tapas and Sushi, The Event Plaza at Whitney Ranch CONTACT INFO

Visit Henderson, NV 702-267-2323 visithendersonnv.com

January 2024

Off-site Venues Henderson’s Artisan Booze District is home to an array of microbreweries and wineries, many of which have space to accommodate groups. Local hangout Bad Beat Brewing is a great venue for groups to gather, as is Vegas Valley Winery, which shares its space with Grape Expectations, a sister company that teaches winemaking on-site. Another popular gathering space is Chinitas Tapas and Sushi, a vibrant Asian-fusion restaurant in the Water Street District. An especially versatile option is The Event Plaza at Whitney Ranch, a customizable event space.

DOWNTOWN KALAMAZOO IS VERY PEDESTRIAN-FRIENDLY AND EASILY MANAGEABLE FOR MEETING GROUPS.

Heartland Charmers

Meetdieng Gui

Courtesy Discover Kalamazoo

BY PAU L A AV EN GL A DYCH

merica’s Heartland is full of smaller cities that are rich in history, culture and natural beauty, offering many of the same amenities as larger urban centers but at a less hectic pace. This makes them ideal destinations for meeting groups wanting to get away from it all. Here are five small Heartland cities that will have people clamoring to attend meetings in their midst.

KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN

Kalamazoo is not only fun to say but a fun destination in which to host a meeting or event. The Michigan city has a walkable downtown that features the nation’s first outdoor pedestrian mall. The mall is home to many local makers and retailers that offer cool DIY experiences, including The Kalamazoo Candle Company, where groups can make their own candles, or the Aroma Lab, where they can create their own scents to turn into perfumes or lotions. It also offers live music, breweries, wineries, distilleries and a beverage district where adults can walk around with their beverages. The historic Kalamazoo State Theatre, which was built in 1927, got its start as a vaudeville house. It is now restored to its former grandeur, and visitors can take guided tours or rent out the full theater, mezzanine, or stage for concerts, shows or corporate parties.

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The Radisson Plaza Hotel at Kalamazoo Center downtown is the largest meeting venue in the city at 50,000 square feet. The facility can host over 1,000 people theater-style or 800 for a banquet in the Arcadia Ballroom. There are 26 meeting rooms in total. The city and surrounding county have 3,971 rooms. Across the street from the Radisson, the Hilton Garden Inn, and a Home2Suites by Hilton act as overflow hotel spaces for larger conventions. Off-site venues include the Gilmore Car Museum, North America’s largest automobile museum with more than 400 vehicles on display, as well as Wings Event Center, Bell’s Brewery and Air Zoo Aerospace and Science Museum. discoverkalamazoo.com

KALAMAZOO MALL

JANESVILLE, WISCONSIN

Janesville is located on the Rock River in scenic south-central Wisconsin. It is about an hour west of Madison and Milwaukee and about two hours north of Chicago. It is best known for its beautiful parks and trails, including the largest section of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail, a 1,000-mile trail that travels through some of Wisconsin’s most beautiful natural areas. The mid-size city of 66,000 people is also home to Rotary Botanic Gardens, 13 historic districts, public art and a vibrant downtown filled with restaurants and shops. Janesville has 12 hotels and 987 hotel rooms, including the Holiday Inn Express and Janesville Conference Center, TownePlace Suites by Marriott, Cobblestone Hotel and Suites and Hampton Inn. The city is taking conference reservations for the new Woodman’s Sports and Convention Center, which will open in 2025 with 20,000 square feet of meeting space and easy access to hotels, dining and entertainment. Janesville Conference Center has 15,000 square feet of venue space that can host 800 people for a banquet. It features soundproof movable partitions to create different size meeting and event spaces. The Rotary Botanical Gardens offers indoor meeting space for up to 250 guests, and meeting groups can take group tours of the gardens as part of their events. Other meeting venues include Rock County Historical Society and The Venue, a 5,000-square-foot combined meeting, exhibit, event and banquet space that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. janesvillecvb.com

Courtesy Discover Kalamazoo

ROTARY BOTANICAL GARDENS IN JANESVILLE

Kalamazoo’s off-site venues include the Gilmore Car Museum, North America’s largest automobile museum with more than 400 vehicles on display. By Marsha Mood, courtesy Janesville CVB

January 2024

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shaping brilliant minds.

ST. JOSEPH, MISSOURI

During the westward expansion era, St. Joseph, Missouri, was as far west as the railroad went. For that reason, it became the place many people came to either establish themselves in business or to outfit wagons for trips to claim their own destinies out west. Many entrepreneurs came from the East via railroad and made their wealth selling items that folks would need on their journey, from Stetson hats and Studebaker wagons to Quaker Oats and Saltine crackers. It is also where the Pony Express was founded in 1860 to speed up mail delivery using a series of fast horses and waystations. Visitors to St. Joseph can see where the Pony Express got its start or visit the home where infamous outlaw Jesse James was shot and killed. The city is a cultural destination as well, with 13 museums, 12 annual festivals and plenty of historic architecture to admire. The Kansas City Chiefs Summer Training Camp is also in the area. The city has 800 hotel rooms and a handful of new hotels in the works. Stoney Creek Hotel is the city’s only full-service

ST. JOSEPH’S REMINGTON NATURE CENTER

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Courtesy St. Joseph CVB

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AN EVENT SPACE AT LENEXA’S UNION HORSE DISTILLERY

meeting hotel, with 129 rooms and 9,282 square feet of meeting space that can host events of up to 300 people. Missouri Western State University has 1,000 available beds and many meeting venues to choose from. St. Joseph Civic Arena has 40,000 square feet of meeting space for events up to 5,000 people. The Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art can accommodate 150 to 300 guests for an off-site event. The Missouri Theater, a historic cinema built in 1927 in the Art Deco and Moorish style, can host groups of 900. stjomo.com

LENEXA, KANSAS

Lenexa is a city of 60,000 people on the Kansas side of the Kansas City metro area. Its city center is home to Lenexa Public Market, which features food, shopping and coffee and an outdoor area that is a popular gathering spot for outdoor events. The market is part of the Civic Campus at Lenexa City Center, which includes City Hall, Lenexa Rec Center, the outdoor seasonal farmers market and Lenexa City Center Library. Courtesy Visit Lenexa

January 2024

Meetieng Guid AN EVENT SETUP AT THOMPSON BARN IN LENEXA

Many of the city’s newest hotels are in the City Center, including Hyatt Place, which is attached to the Lenexa Conference Center. The Hyatt has 127 guest rooms and nearly 12,000 square feet of meeting space, the largest of which is 6,928 square feet. Radisson Hotel Lenexa Overland Park is the largest hotel in the city, with 18,000 square feet of meeting space. Its largest meeting room can hold more than 900 people. Springhill Suites Kansas City Lenexa/City Center has two event rooms. Its largest space can host groups of 100 theater-style. The city is also getting ready to build a Residence Inn and AC Marriott, which will share a lobby. Meeting planners hosting events in Lenexa have easy access to both Overland Park and Kansas City attractions, but Lenexa is famous for its festivals, including the Great Lenexa BBQ Battle, which attracts 30,000 visitors annually. The Lenexa Spinach Festival commemorates the city’s history as the Spinach Capital of the World in the 1930s. The event offers food, music and entertainment, and art and antique vendors. lenexa.org

MUNCIE, INDIANA

Known for Ball State University, mild-mannered public television painter Bob Ross and Garfield comics creator Jim Davis, Muncie, Indiana, owes much of its success to the Ball family, which moved their Ball mason jar glass manufacturing business to the city in 1887.

LENEXA PUBLIC MARKET

Photos courtesy Visit Lenexa

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Small Meetings.

BIG OUTCOMES.

CARMEL

FISHERS

NOBLESVILLE

WESTFIELD

HOST YOUR ORGANIZATION’S NEXT SMALL-SIZED MEETING OR CONFERENCE IN HAMILTON COUNTY AND REST EASY. In Hamilton County, we know how big a small meeting can be. Whether it’s a conference, trade show or any other type of gathering, we can comfortably accommodate all your organization’s needs. With a diverse array of gathering places— from barns to boardrooms to ballrooms—more than 5,000 hotel rooms and 30,000 sq. ft. of contiguous event space in one hotel, you can REST EASY when you select Hamilton County as your meeting destination. Start planning your next meeting at

VisitHamiltonCounty.com/Meetings. January 2024

JUST NORTH OF INDY

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DOWNTOWN MUNCIE

Many of the top attractions in the city were either owned by the Ball family or funded by philanthropic organizations started by the Ball family. Minnetrista Museum and Gardens is one of the biggest attractions in Muncie. The museum is located on the property where the Ball family lived, and visitors can walk past many of the original Ball family homes, some of which are open to the public for various programs or events. Groups will enjoy the Bob Ross Experience, a museum inside the restored television studio where he filmed his famous PBS show “The Joy of Painting.” A gallery at the museum highlights Ross’ paintings, and a painting workshop teaches groups and individuals Ross’ signature wet-on-wet painting technique. Fans of Garfield, the mischievous orange feline created by Jim Davis, can follow the Garfield Statue Trail through town. The city has more than 800 hotel rooms. The full-service Horizon Convention Center can host up to 1,200 attendees. The center is in Muncie’s historic hospitality district downtown, which features a variety of restaurants, pubs, shops and entertainment venues. The Courtyard by Marriott is attached to the convention center and has 150 rooms. Ball State University’s Student Center can host meetings or events and also has a small hotel with 24 guest rooms. visitmuncie.org

Courtesy Visit Muncie

THE BOB ROSS EXPERIENCE

Courtesy Minnetrista Museum & Gardens

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Our Storied Past

Your Next Memorable Meeting

January 2024

812-936-3418 • vflwb.com

•

#MyFrenchLick •

CHESTNUT MOUNTAIN RESORT IN GALENA FEATURES 99 ROOMS AND 19 SKI RUNS, IN ADDITION TO MORE THAN 3,600 SQUARE FEET OF MEETING SPACE.

Heartland Meeting Resorts

Meetdieng Gui

BY PAUL A AVE N GL A DYCH

ork and play are a natural pair in America’s Heartland. Resorts throughout the Midwest offer not only firstrate meeting and convention services but also recreational experiences that include skiing, kayaking, zip lines and treetop adventures. From Nebraska to Minnesota, here are several resorts that are well worth a visit.

Courtesy Chestnut Mountain Resort

CHESTNUT MOUNTAIN RESORT

Galena, Illinois Chestnut Mountain Resort is a popular travel destination in Illinois. Located near historic Galena, the resort is perched on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River. The 99-room lodge is slope-side to the ski hill, which has 19 ski runs that range from novice to black diamond, and a seven-acre terrain park called The Farside, which features more than 25 rails and structures for snowboarders. The resort features an indoor swimming pool, sauna, whirlpool and electronic game room. In the warmer seasons, visitors to Chestnut Mountain can ride the Alpine Slide (which travels 2,050 feet down the hill to the banks of the Mississippi River), take a cruise on the Mississippi River, get their heart rates up on the Soaring Eagle zip line or take a 75- to 90-minute Segway tour through the Chestnut Hills. The Farside Mountain Bike Park offers lift-serviced downhill mountain biking trails. There are also hiking trails, an 18-hole miniature golf course and a nine-hole disc golf course for additional outdoor adventures.

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The resort’s 3,627-square-foot meeting space can accommodate groups of up to 250 people. There are three meeting rooms over 1,000 square feet and two large guest rooms that can host smaller meetings of 20 or fewer. The executive chef works with groups to plan customized menus for their events, which can feature traditional fare or more exotic options. chestnutmtn.com

AN AERIAL VIEW OF ARROWWOOD RESORT IN ALEXANDRIA

ARROWWOOD RESORT AND CONFERENCE CENTER

Alexandria, Minnesota Located in central Minnesota, Arrowwood Resort is easily accessible from every corner of the state. Nestled on the shore of Lake Darling, the resort offers a quiet respite from the bustling urban centers of the Heartland. Groups hosting events at the resort can rent pontoon boats from the full-service marina to get out and enjoy the lake, or they can rent canoes, paddleboats, kayaks or standup paddleboards. Meeting planners will love that there is so much to see and do on property that no one has to leave the resort. Attendees can enjoy an executive putting course and plenty of yard games during their free time. There’s also tennis and basketball courts, an 18-hole championship golf course, a spa, and Big Splash Minnesota Indoor Waterpark, which features three four-story waterslides, a lazy river and a tropical whirlpool spa. The resort offers plenty of team-building activities, such as scavenger hunts, miniature golf tournaments, game shows and fun runs. At the end of a long day of workshops and lectures, attendees can decompress around a bonfire. The conference center features 28,000 square feet of meeting and event space, including 14,000 square feet in the Exhibit Center, as well as 12 breakout rooms. There are 200 main lodge rooms, 16 townhomes and 13 cottages, and the Conference Center can easily host 600 people for an event. The kitchen serves breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. It also provides customized menus. arrowwoodresort.com

LAKEFRONT FUN AT ARROWWOOD RESORT

In the warmer seasons, visitors to Chestnut Mountain can ride the Alpine Slide, take a cruise on the Mississippi River, get their heart rates up on the Soaring Eagle zip line or take a 75- to 90-minute Segway tour through the Chestnut Hills. Photos courtesy Arrowwood Resort

January 2024

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AN THE OUTDOOR FOUR SEASONS EVENT ATISLAND THE HISTORIC RESORT BARN AT ARBOR DAY FARM

ARBOR DAY FARM/LIED LODGE AND CONFERENCE CENTER

Nebraska City, Nebraska Nestled in Nebraska City, Nebraska, Arbor Day Farm encompasses 260 acres of tree-filled natural beauty. Meeting planners wanting to host more traditional events can rent space at Lied Lodge, which has 140 guest rooms and meeting spaces that can accommodate up to 280 guests for a banquet or nearly 400 theater-style. All the lodge’s meeting spaces have access to natural light and the outdoors. The Historic Barn is a rustic option for groups that want to get out of the traditional ballroom for dinner, a reception, a trade show or teambuilding activities. Groups can participate in a murder mystery or take a guided tour of Arbor Day Farm. Arbor Lodge is a mansion across the street from Lied Lodge. Groups can arrange teas in the sunroom or organize lawn and garden parties on the terrace. The carriage house is perfect for elegant, intimate receptions. Steinhart Lodge is a throwback to the 1950s, with tall wood-beamed ceilings and a rustic fireplace that can be used for elaborate dinners or team-building activities for up to 140. Courtesy Arbor Day Farm

of meeting space Experience the one-of-a-kind Lied Lodge — less than an hour south of Omaha. • 14,000+ square feet of amenity-rich meeting space • Beautifully appointed guest rooms and chef-inspired dining • Experienced staff solely focused on serving your needs • Unique and engaging team-building opportunities Follow nature’s lead at Arbor Day Farm, where the takeaways are as rich as the experiences themselves.

Nebraska City, NE • 800-546-5433 • arbordayfarm.org

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We’re called ‘Grand’ for a reason. We call it

the Totality of Experience.

Treetop Village in the resort’s three-acre aerial adventure area allows guests to explore 11 treehouses that are connected by unique bridges and netted walkways. The WonderNet is a large, raised area for jumping and playing, and there is a 50-foot slide to race down. Groups can also hike into the heart of the forest on the South Table Creek Trail. arbordayfarm.org

DEER CREEK LODGE AND CONFERENCE CENTER

Sterling, Ohio An hour south of Columbus, Ohio, Deer Creek Lodge and Conference Center is in the heart of Deer Creek State Park, with its miles of scenic hiking trails and lush woodlands. The property also has a marina, where guests can rent kayaks, standup paddleboards or pontoon boats to get out and enjoy the lake. The resort has 110 guest rooms and 26 two-bedroom cabins. Corporate groups tend to use the traditional guest rooms, but church groups and organizations that want to host more intimate retreats like to rent out the cabins. The ballroom can seat 450 theater-style or 272 for a banquet, and the conference center has several smaller spaces to use as breakout rooms.

“Grand Wayne Center in downtown Fort Wayne, Indiana, is a really welcoming place.” David Christ , Baldman Games Winter Fantasy Gaming

DOWNTOWN FORT WAYNE, INDIANA Everything good you can imagine is here for you:

THE DEER CREEK LODGE LOBBY Courtesy Deer Creek Lodge

Meagan Drabik Sales Manager

» Full in-house Event, AV, F&B, and Host services » 225,000 sf beautifully appointed space » 18 versatile event spaces » 3 adjacent hotels with garage parking » Walkable, safe and enjoyable downtown » Easier event planning » SAVE UP TO 15% versus comparable cities ! » Easy Drive-To Destination » Easy by Air via FWA

grandwayne.com | 260.426.4100 | @GrandWayneCC

Meetieng Guid

Since the lodge is in the middle of a state park, groups can organize golf outings or scrambles or access the park’s many hiking trails, which begin right outside of the lodge. The resort has an indoor and an outdoor pool. The outdoor pool has a tiki bar that is open in the summer. There are bonfire pits that groups can enjoy, and the resort provides marshmallows, chocolate and graham crackers for s’mores. The outdoor pavilion is a more relaxed space that can fit groups of 150 for a cookout. There is a restaurant and lounge on-site, as well as a gift shop, fitness center and game room. On-site catering and audio-visual equipment are available for meeting groups. deercreekparklodge.com

Since Deer Creek Lodge is in the middle of a state park, groups can organize golf outings or scrambles or access the park’s many hiking trails, which begin right outside of the lodge.

SUNSET AT DEER CREEK LODGE

Courtesy Deer Creek Lodge

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Meetieng Guid

A BANQUET IN THE BALLROOM AT TREETOPS RESORT

TREETOPS RESORT

Gaylord, Michigan Gaylord, Michigan, is known as an outdoor lover’s paradise, with fun recreational opportunities year-round. Treetops Resort takes advantage of that with its five award-winning golf courses and its 80 acres of winter terrain, 24 downhill ski runs and 30 other activities on and off the slopes. In total, the resort covers 2,500 acres. Treetops has 209 hotel rooms and features a variety of lodging options. Larger meeting groups will enjoy staying in the resort’s lodge or inn. Small retreat groups that want to stay together and do some of their own meal prep can rent out one of the Chalets at Treetops, which are at the base of the ski slopes, or the Treetops North Condominiums, which can accommodate up to 12 guests each and overlook the only Tom Fazio golf course in Michigan. The 25,000-square-foot convention center features 20-foot ceilings and can be divided into four equal rooms. One of the 5,000-square-foot rooms can be divided into three separate spaces for breakout sessions. In the main lodge, the Oak Room and Birch Room can host 200 for a banquet, and both rooms can be split in half so that groups can meet on one side and have their meals on the other. There’s also a small boardroom. The resort offers several fun team-building activities, including rafting trips on the Sturgeon River and competitions on the resort’s par-three golf course. treetops.com

A WATERFRONT HOLE AT THE TREETOPS GOLF COURSE

For Event Planning Assistance visitgreaterlimaohio.com Photos courtesy Treetops Resort

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Historic Heartland Venues

GROUPS CAN HAVE ELEGANT MEALS IN HISTORIC SURROUNDINGS AT CUNEO MANSION AND GARDENS.

Meetdieng Gui

Courtesy Cuneo Mansion and Gardens

BY PAU L A AV EN GL A DYCH

he past is impressive in America’s Heartland. Communities throughout the Midwest were settled by pioneers and entrepreneurs who came West to fulfill a dream or make a name for themselves. Many of them founded businesses and built lavish homes, some of which still exist today and are available to rent for meetings or events. Here are a handful of noteworthy historic event venues that add a touch of elegance and class from bygone days.

CUNEO MANSION AND GARDENS

Vernon Hills, Illinois Cuneo Mansion and Gardens in Vernon Hills, Illinois, was built for Samuel Insull, one of the original founders of the General Electric Company. Designed to look like an Italian villa with formal gardens, the home was completed in 1916. Insull sold the home and 100-acre property to John Cuneo Sr. in 1937, and his family lived in the home until his wife passed away in 1990. The home was run as a museum for 20 years before the Cuneo Foundation donated it to Loyola University Chicago in 2009. The donation included the museum’s extensive collection of art and furnishings from Europe, including pieces that date to the French Revolution and early 1800s. The university added a 5,500-square-foot ballroom and a full catering kitchen that can accommodate up to 300 guests. The property doesn’t have its own catering on-site but contracts with four area caterers, and the formal dining room in the 30,000-square-foot mansion can be used for small events of up to 60 people.

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Unfortunately, the mansion is not air-conditioned, so the property will only allow mansion rentals from April to May and from mid-September through mid-December when Cuneo closes for the season. The ballroom is air-conditioned and has a terrace overlooking the formal gardens, which were originally designed by world-renowned landscape architect Jens Jensen. The gardens have been redone many times and now include sculptures and small fountains. luc.edu/cuneo

A LAWN AND GARDENS AT CUNEO MANSION

HOTEL JULIEN DUBUQUE

Dubuque, Iowa Hotel Julien Dubuque has a storied history that began in 1839, when the first hotel building, Waples House, was built at the intersection of Second and Main in Dubuque, Iowa. The hotel was enlarged and remodeled in 1854 and renamed Hotel Julien after the city’s namesake. Before a fire ravaged the original building in 1913, it attracted the rich and famous, including Abraham Lincoln and Mark Twain. The hotel was rebuilt and reopened in 1915. The current owner’s grandfather purchased it in 1962 and extensively remodeled it. The hotel’s decor incorporates many historic objects that the owner collected over the years, beautifully accenting the building’s turn-of-the-century architecture. Groups wanting to host events at the historic hotel have their choice of spaces that can accommodate six to 400 guests. The hotel has 133 guest rooms and more than 14,000 square feet of event space, including the Grande Ballroom, which can host groups of 215 guests and features 17-foot ceilings. The room is adjacent to The Atrium, a pre-function space that is ideal for exhibits or breakout sessions. The River Room and River Terrace are next to the Riverboat Lounge and can seat 120 guests for a banquet. The terrace overlooks the Mississippi River and is a popular spot for receptions or outdoor gatherings. The Harbor Gallery features floor-toceiling windows overlooking the Port of Dubuque and the Mississippi River. In their free time, attendees can book a treatment at Potosa Spa, use the indoor pool and fitness center, or enjoy a drink at Riverboat Lounge or a meal at Caroline’s Restaurant. hoteljuliendubuque.com

By Ian Borgerhoff, courtesy Cuneo Mansion and Gardens

HOTEL JULIEN DUBUQUE

Hotel Julien’s decor incorporates many historic objects that the owner collected over the years, beautifully accenting the building’s turn-of-the-century architecture. Courtesy Hotel Julien Dubuque

January 2024

Meetieng Guid

HISTORIC ELGIN HOTEL

Marion, Kansas The Historic Elgin Hotel was built in 1886 in the beautiful Flint Hills of Kansas. It originally had 42 rooms and a ballroom. The current owners have run the Elgin for seven years as a boutique hotel and say it has been a “labor of love.” “We’re not next to Disney World or something that draws people here, so we have to be a destination,” said Tammy Ensey, who owns hotel with her husband, Jeremy. The hotel has been completely redone and modernized. It now has 12 guest rooms, five living rooms, an outdoor veranda, a fitness center, a game lounge and a full-service restaurant. The 1,200-square-foot ballroom can host up to 75 guests for meetings or events. The facility is perfect for groups interested in an intimate event. There is a full-service kitchen attached to the ballroom, and groups can bring in their own food. As part of their rental, groups can tour the property to learn about its rich history. Several properties in the community are on the National Register of Historic Places, and the hotel staff is happy to organize tours of them, including the Santa Fe Depot, which has been renovated into a library. Library staff double as tour guides, telling guests about the history of the train depot and a little bit about Marion’s past. The city also has a historic courthouse and a historic church that is now a museum. historicelginhotel.com

AN ELEGANT BANQUET SPACE AT THE HISTORIC ELGIN HOTEL

By Jumping Rocks Photography, courtesy Historic Elgin Hotel

INSIDE BLOOMINGTON’S FAMOUS INDIANA’S VERAESTAU HISTORIC SITE MALL OF AMERICA Courtesy Veraestau Historic Site

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VERAESTAU HISTORIC SITE

Aurora, Indiana A big misconception about Veraestau, a historic site in Aurora, Indiana, is that its name is French. In fact, the historic property’s name is a nonsense word, a mashup of the Latin words for spring, summer, and fall. Jesse Holman, an early settler to the area and an Indiana Supreme Court justice, built the house in 1810 as a residence and law office. He decided to only use three seasons in the name because he never wanted winter to come to Veraestau. The home sits on a 430-foot-high bluff overlooking a horseshoe bend in the Ohio River. Because the house is on 116 acres, it feels very secluded, even though it is only about 30 miles from Cincinnati. Holman’s son-in-law Allen Hamilton added on to the house in 1838. Hamilton’s daughter Margaret Vance Hamilton enlarged the home again in 1913. Industrialist Cornelius O’Brien, an early preservationist, bought the estate in 1933 and expanded it in 1936. He also planted thousands of trees on the property. Visitors to Veraestau will enjoy the oak treelined driveway that leads to the house. The property is now on the National Register of Historic Places and has been under the care of nonprofit Indiana Landmarks since 2004. The stately home can host large outdoor events for up to 200 guests. Even though the property has a lot of space, there isn’t enough parking to accommodate more visitors than that. Indiana Landmarks does offer limited interior access for smaller groups, but most events take place on the grounds. Groups can also schedule guided tours of the home. indianalandmarks.org

PHELPS HOUSE

The Facilities, The Lodging The Fun ... Just Perfect! Located along the Ohio River directly adjacent to Ohio and Kentucky, our proximity to Cincinnati means we’re close to big-city amenities with all of the meeting customization and service a smaller location can provide. Home to Hollywood Casino and the Lawrenceburg Event Center, we’re ideal for small and mid-size meetings and conventions of all types, offering: ✦ Large, customizable meeting and event space ✦ 15 miles to the Cincinnati International Airport ✦ 468 hotel rooms ✦ Walkable Main Street offering casino gaming, destination dining, entertainment options, historic tours, riverfront access, outdoor recreation, trails, winery/brewery properties, and more

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Carthage, Missouri Built in 1895 by Col. William Phelps, who was prominent in state politics, Phelps House in Carthage, Missouri, was the first private residence to be

The Perfect Place To Meet January 2024

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Meetieng Guid constructed from Carthage-mined gray marble. Phelps wanted his house to be comfortable to live in but fancy enough to host grand balls for prominent political figures and friends. The 8,300-square-foot Victorian mansion has been owned and managed by the nonprofit Carthage Historic Preservation since 1988. The group lovingly restored the home to its original splendor after the property sat vacant for years. It features 10 fireplaces built with imported tile and marble, original handcarved woodwork, hand-painted wallpaper, a hand-operated dumbwaiter and a heated coat closet. Meeting groups can host events for up to 100 seated guests in the home’s third-floor ballroom. The main floor can accommodate 100 guests for receptions or other types of events. The grounds can be used for outdoor wedding ceremonies or parties. Corporate groups can hold a catered tea or lunch on the main floor and adjourn to the third floor for their business meeting. With enough notice, catered events can be served by historically dressed servers who give short historical presentations on a variety of topics. Horse-drawn carriage rides can be arranged to take guests through the city’s historic neighborhoods and Carthage Square, which features a historic courthouse. carthagehistoricpreservation.org

A DINNER SETUP IN THE GREAT HALL AT THE PHELPS HOUSE

Courtesy Phelps House

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Explore meaningful travel at tourismcares.org/meaningful-map

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Pictured: Visit the Alaska Native Heritage Center to explore the preservation of the traditions, languages, and art of Alaska’s Native People through statewide collaboration and education.

January 2024

The Perfect Meeting Place Caesars Southern Indiana is perfect for business meetings, corporate events, banquets & more.

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Only 30 minutes from Louisville, KY & two hours from p@ Indianapolis, IN. n ia th d isi n sin isi s i dia n h a. o r g | w w w .t

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