Small Market Meetings July 2019

INCREASING ATTENDEE ENGAGEMENT | WISCONSIN’S FOX CITIES | FORT COLLINS, COLORADO JULY 2019

n I k c e h C

TO A HISTORIC HOTEL

START PLANNING

The Fox Cities offer convenience, versatility and venues for every type of meeting. An array of exceptional dining options, 3,500+ room choices and group activities, along with our walkable downtown areas will complete your experience. ©ADAM SHEA PHOTOGRAPHY; TOWN COUNCIL, NEENAH, WI

NOW BOOKING — Fox Cities Exhibition Center

Plus Wisconsin’s Best Shopping!

Contact Amy Karas akaras@foxcities.org or 920.734.3358

FOX CITIES

FoxCities.org/meeting

H O S T A M E M O R A B L E T R I P T O A M E R I C A’ S # 1 B E A C H HOS T A M EM RaA B L E drive T R Ifrom P T M- E R I C A’ S # 1 BAirport!

EACH Clearwater Beach is O only 20-minute theO St. A Pete Clearwater International Clearwater Beach is only a 20-minute drive from the St. Pete - Clearwater International Airport!

SAMPLE ITINERARY SAMPLE ITINERARY

Day 1 D ay 1 Arrive on the iconic Clearwater Beach, voted TripAdvisors #1 Beach in the

Day 3 DAfter ay 3 your morning breakfast, board the Clearwater Ferry and head over to the

U.S. for the pasticonic two years.

After Beach, lunch atvoted Bobby’s Bistro and Arrive on the Clearwater TripAdvisors #1getting Beachyourself in the on island time at one of Clearwater’s beaches, you should enjoy the U.S. for the past two years. After lunch at Bobby’s Bistro and gettingpanoramic yourself views at Marina experiencingbeaches, two aspects whatenjoy makesthe Clearwater on island time at Cantina one of Clearwater’s you of should panoramicso unforgettable: sunsets and grouper fish.

Clearwater is the Grouper Capital of so the views at Marina Cantina experiencing two aspects of what makes Clearwater

Clearwater Marinebreakfast, Aquarium board (CMA), of Dolphin Tale Dolphin Tale After your morning thehome Clearwater Ferry andand head over to the2 stars Winter and Hope.

If needed, plan an event or meal inside CMA’s recently Clearwater Marine Aquarium (CMA), home of Dolphin Tale and Dolphin Tale 2

World, with multiple their own fishing fleetsCapital catching and unforgettable: sunsets restaurants and grouperwho fish.have Clearwater is the Grouper of the serving some of the freshest seafood anywhere in the world.

World, with multiple restaurants who have their own fishing fleets catching and

andwater Cracker Jacks if it’s baseball you will wantpeanuts to will the for one of ready, CMA’s because dolphin excursion boat season tours. Then get your close out by enjoying America’s favorite pastime at a Clearwater Threshers and Cracker Jacks ready, because if it’s baseball season you will want to will

serving some of the freshest seafood anywhere in the world.

Day 2 Day 2

Start your morning off with breakfast and a walk along the beach. Make sure to planyour fun morning water activities as paddle jet the skiing, fishing Start off with such breakfast and aboarding, walk along beach.

Makeexcursion, sure to super boat ride, or a dolphin watching tour!

If land is more your hit the plan fun water activities such as paddle boarding, jet skiing, fishingstyle, excursion,

one or of aClearwater’s golf courses show off your skills superlinks boatatride, dolphin watching tour! If or land is more yourput-put style, hit theat Captain Bligh’s Landing .

You can end your day with dinner on the beach links at one of Clearwater’s golf courses or show off your put-put skills atat Frenchy Rockaway Grill. You and can try their famous Sandwich, Captain ’sBligh’s Landing end your dayGrouper with dinner on the which beach you at can have grilled, blackened, buffalo, Caribbean style or fried.

If you’d Frenchy ’s Rockaway Grill and try their famous Grouper Sandwich, whichrather you stayhave out grilled, on the water, book buffalo, your group on one style of theordinner/cocktail cruises can blackened, Caribbean fried. If you’d rather offered each evening! stay out on the water, book your group on one of the dinner/cocktail cruises

opened meetings and event space. youortake opportunity to get on stars Winter and Hope.

If needed, planBeansure event mealthe inside CMA’s recently the water for one of CMA’s dolphin excursion boat tours.

Then get your peanuts opened meetings and event space. Be sure you take the opportunity to get on

baseball game.

If visiting in thefavorite Spring, pastime be sure to in a Phillies game, as close out by enjoying America’s at take a Clearwater Threshers Clearwater is home to their spring training program.

On your way to the final baseball game. If visiting in the Spring, be sure to take in a Phillies game, as stop of theisday, your hotel,spring be sure to enjoy breathtaking views Clearwater home to their training program.

On your way of to the the bay finalwhile crossing the Clearwater Memorial Causeway. stop of the day, your hotel, be sure to enjoy breathtaking views of the bay while crossing the Clearwater Memorial Causeway.

Day 4 Day 4

Start your final day in Clearwater with a delicious breakfast at Salty ’s Island Bar

& Grill. take in the beach one lastbreakfast time before heading home.Bar Start yourAfter finalbreakfast, day in Clearwater with a delicious at Salty ’s Island & Grill. After breakfast, take in the beach one last time before heading home.

offered each evening!

/myclearwater | visitclearwaterflorida.com /myclearwater | visitclearwaterflorida.com

ON THE COVER: The Battle House Renaissance Hotel and Spa is the grand dame of Mobile, Alabama. Photo by Art Meripol.

INSIDE VOLUME 20 | ISSUE 7

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IDEAS Historic Hotels

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CITY Fox Cities, Wisconsin

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Courtesy Visit St. Pete/Clearwater

TOWN Fort Collins, Colorado

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MEETING GUIDE Florida

D E PA R T M E N T S

6 INSIGHTS 8 CONFERENCE 10 MANAGING Patriotic Attendee Touches

Speakers Lineup

Engagement

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INSIGHTS WITH VICKIE MITCHELL

A SALUTE TO SUMMER

S

ummer is peppered with patriotic holidays that celebrate democracy and the freedoms it affords. Memorial Day, Flag Day and the biggie, the Fourth of July, all remind us of how our freedoms have been protected in the past and must be preserved in the future.

From singing the national anthem to flying flags, patriotic elements are a part of many meetings and conventions. Here are five tips for including them in your next event.

Five ways to add patriotic spirit to your next meeting

Star-Spangled Singers

Wouldn’t it be nice to have a local singer perform “The Star-Spangled Banner” or other patriotic songs at a convention opening or awards banquet? But how do you find a qualified performer? Look to the baseball park. In smaller cities, minor league baseball teams audition and choose local talent each year to perform the national anthem at some 70 home games. Teams like the Round Rock, Texas, Express or the Fayetteville, North Carolina, Woodpeckers invite individuals and groups to audition. Among the 150 auditioning this spring in Fayetteville, which just opened a new ballpark, were the Triton High School Showstoppers and Gospel Choir and singer Bethany Walters, who has sung the national anthem at college baseball games. For more ideas about local talent, contact convention services at a city’s convention bureau.

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All-America Cities

The All-America City Award (nationalcivicleague.org/america-city-award) began in 1949 to encourage civic interaction, a quality integral to democracy, in communities of all sizes. Since then, more than 500 communities have earned the honor, which is awarded to 10 cities each year.

Many have received the award several times. Award winners are typically progressive, inventive and engaged communities, the kind that make great meeting destinations. Among the five-time All-America City recipients are Cleveland; Tupelo, Mississippi; Des Moines, Iowa; and Worchester, Massachusetts. Four-time winners include New Haven, Connecticut.; Toledo, Akron and Columbus, Ohio; Dubuque, Iowa; Grand Island, Nebraska; Peoria, Illinois; Rockville, Maryland; and Anchorage, Alaska. Award winners often see a bump in tourism. The program has also been credited with helping communities foster more partnerships. Cities where various entities work well together are always a plus for meeting planners.

Made in America

It can be challenging to find items that are made in America, but one product that is readily available from U.S. makers is the American flag. American Flags (americanflags.com) is one of the largest suppliers of American-made flags in the country. Through the website Made in America (madeinamerica.com), you can purchase patriotic lapel pins made in the U.S. for $14 each or an 8-by12-foot American-made flag for $152.76. Made in America also sells American-made items that could be attendee or speaker gifts, like stainless steel straws for $6.95 or iPad and iPhone carrying cases.

Flying the Flag

As a proud symbol, the American flag demands respect, and the rules governing its use should be at every planner’s fingertips. Most are common sense: Flags shouldn’t fly in inclement weather, for example, and at night, a flag should always be illuminated. But do you know how to hang a flag? A flag’s union, the blue square with stars, must face north or south if it is hung above a street. If a group of flags is displayed, the U.S. flag must be front and center, at the highest point. The U.S. flag flies above all flags on a single staff, unless it is flown during church services conducted at sea by a Navy chaplain. And worn out, tattered flags should be disposed of in a respectful way.

July 2019

Patriotic Presenters

War heroes, military leaders, astronauts and explorers inspire. That’s why many speakers bureaus devote sections of their websites to speakers who have military or patriotic ties. These speakers typically use their own careers and experiences to convey messages about leadership, courage and even security. Such speakers appeal to corporations, nonprofits and government agencies. Crown Speakers’ roster includes Vernice “Flygirl” Armour, the first African American woman combat pilot; Sam Gemar, an astronaut who flew three successful missions in space; and Eric Maddox, an intelligence officer whose interrogations helped lead to the capture of Saddam Hussein.

Premiere Speakers offers an impressive lineup that includes Col. Oliver North; author Michael Reagan, the son of President Ronald Reagan; and Taya Kyle, the New York Times best-selling author and widow of Navy SEAL Chris Kyle.

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CONFERENCE

Speakers Announced for Upcoming Conference in Green Bay

Jim Spellos

Lisa Sommer Devlin

TECH NOW

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BY DAN DICKSON

mall Market Meetings Conference attendees will get the “professional treatment” when they gather in Green Bay, Wisconsin, September 24-26. That’s because three prominent speakers, all experts in their fields, will inform and entertain the delegates.

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Jim Spellos likes to call himself the Nowist because he believes tomorrow is already here. That’s how fast technology is racing.

Spellos is a technology expert who addresses 150 groups around the nation each year, bringing fresh tech ideas that his audience members can apply immediately to their personal and work lives.

Spellos tells groups about new technologies but, more importantly, exactly what gadgets and strategies they can use to help improve their productivity.

“They have to see what’s out there, but then rely on people like me to tell them

Bob Pacanovsky

whether to try it or not,” Spellos told an interviewer on the EventTech podcast. “Many people are not early adopters of technology; there’s a certain caution level. They don’t want to break the bank and spend too much money and time on things that may not have the payoff for them.”

Spellos promises to give planners useful information they can use now.

LEGAL PROTECTION

Meeting planners must attend to hundreds of details when setting up events. But one of the most important, and one that is often overlooked or diminished in importance,

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is the contract with a hotel or meeting venue.

That’s where attorney and speaker Lisa Sommer Devlin’s expertise comes in handy.

Devlin will tell conferencegoers how even the smallest contract mistakes can turn disastrous. Having represented hotels in their contract negotiations for 25 years, Devlin will reveal some of the most common contract mistakes and offer suggestions to planners on how to avoid legal entanglements.

Devlin says meeting and event contracts can be greatly affected by events right out of the news headlines. In recent years, Devlin said, hurricanes and wildfires, divisive politics, hot topics like the MeToo movement, gun violence and other issues have had an impact on meetings and events. Planners have got to think ahead and plan for the unexpected when considering contract language.

“People love to do business with people they like, trust and respect, and no matter how good your name is, it boils down to you.”

— Bob Pacanovsky

BLACK TIE EXPERIENCE

Bob Pacanovsky is a hospitality expert who emphasizes high levels of customer service. He urges people to go further and think customer experience.

“People love to do business with people they like, trust and respect,” he said. “And no matter how good your name is, it boils down to you.”

In creating what he calls the Black Tie Experience, Pacanovsky will ask the audience if their customer experience is the same for everyone or if it is more personalized. He also emphasizes making emotional connections with clients.

Pacanovsky further defines the Black Tie Experience as staff going above and beyond the usual in providing service, not just because they have to, but because they want to. That means doing the little things to reinforce the big thing: extraordinary service.

July 2019

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MANAGING

Mission: Engagement

TRY THESE TECHNIQUES FOR INCREASING INTERACTION AT YOUR NEXT EVENT

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BY RACHEL CARTER

obile apps and social media, live polling and game kiosks: Technology has turned attendee engagement on its head in recent years.

For today’s meetings, technology is invaluable and irreplaceable when trying to boost attendee engagement, whether it’s between attendees, or with speakers or sponsors. But there are still many low- or no-tech ways ways to encourage old-fashioned person-to-person connections.

KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE

ON USING GAMES TO ENGAGE ATTENDEES:

“If it’s related to the theme and the content, that’s really the win.”

Before planners can know how to engage their attendees, they have to know their attendees — and know them well. Intuit’s annual QuickBooks Connect conference brings together people from various industries and backgrounds, primarily accountants, entrepreneurs, app developers and small-business owners. When Chicago-based Agency EA took over the event four years ago, the staff did a deep dive to understand “what is this audience like, how do they normally interact, where do we push them a little, and what do we let them figure out on their own,” said Kristin Barbour, account director with Agency EA. It’s also important to understand the reason for that engagement. When you’re trying to boost attendee engagement or audience participation, “you’re trying to create a conversation,” said Samuel J. Smith, managing director of Interactive Meeting Technology, which specializes in attendee engagement for events. “If the goal is to create some kind of conversation, you also need to ask what kind of conversation are you trying to get people to have?”

ENGAGE DIGITALLY Though it’s common for events to have their own mobile apps these days, planners still don’t use apps to the fullest.

“Look for opportunities to build connections digitally,” Barbour said. Planners should lean into their event app to engage attendees. Have attendees fill out a five-question survey about their interests or backgrounds, and then deliver suggested connections based on the results. Provide a list of attendees in the app so others can see who they may want to seek out. And have an in-app messaging function so they can connect.

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Samuel J. Smith MANAGING DIRECTOR

Interactive Meeting Technology Experience: 13 years

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ON USING VARIOUS SOCIAL MEDIA OUTLETS AND FEATURES:

“Not only does it encourage attendees to participate, but it also creates connections that last well beyond the conclusion of the event.”

Paragon Events, headquartered in Delray Beach, Florida, has designed custom Snapchat filters branded with the event and client’s logos that are available to attendees on-site. In addition to promoting an event’s official hashtag, organizers can use Cvent’s SocialWall, which allows attendees to see their posts shared on a larger scale; that “provides an exciting, interactive experience,” said Paragon president and CEO Renee Radabaugh.

Paragon recently used Estimote Proximity Beacon technology for the first time to engage attendees based on their behavior and mobile app usage, Radabaugh said. Beacons broadcast a radio signal to smartphones, so when an eligible mobile app enters the signal’s region, vendors, planners and exhibitors can send information directly to an attendee’s smartphone based on the attendee’s location. Using Bluetooth notifications, beacons engage attendees with information that is relevant to them based on their proximity to the next session or special event.

DESIGNATE TIME AND SPACE Looking at your event agenda can be eye-opening. Most conferences are back-to-back breakouts and speakers, which forces attendees to the nearest Starbucks to chat over a cappuccino. Planners can and should provide attendees with designated time and space to connect and engage with one another, Barbour said. In addition to having lounge furniture throughout the venue during QuickBooks Connect, Agency EA also created themed “Connection Lounges,” like the Sound Lounge, with pop-up musical acts and performances, and listed them on the agenda.

GIVE THEM SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT

Renee Radabaugh PRESIDENT AND CEO

Paragon Events Inc. Experience: Over 30 years

July 2019

Not everyone is an extrovert, and in today’s age of smartphones and social media, it can be awkward to try to spark an IRL conversation. Give attendees something to talk about, whether it’s simple icebreakers or an over-the-top crowd wower. At Connect, organizers placed table tents in lounges and other areas with prompts such as, “What is your funniest story from owning your own business?”

But organizers also shipped in a robotic bartender from Italy, which “was insane and supercool,” Barbour said. “It was the highlight of the welcome reception.” During the rest of the conference, attendees could be overheard asking each other if they had gotten a drink from the robotic bartender.

“Always try to have one ‘delighter’ that is kind of out there that people can laugh about,” she said.

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MANAGING

Let the Outside In

Terrain Gardens at Devon Yards

Chester County’s Brandywine Valley

MAKE THEM PLAY Games are taking off as an interactive way to get attendees to play and learn.

“The content of the game is designed to mimic the learning objective, so you have the game as another touchpoint to reinforce your core message,” Smith said.

Different games work for different audiences, and not every game works for every event. There are trivia-based content games, like a trivia bar where sponsors provide the content, “so if you visit the suppliers’ booths, you should know the content,” Smith said. There are challenge-based games like a photo-based scavenger hunt or challenges related to a specific market.

Content-oriented participation games let attendees win by showing what they learned, answering questions to earn points or to spin the prize wheel.

As a twist on the trade show passport, attendees go around the trade show floor with a digital passport and participate in activities at stations, watch demos at booths or answer questions at kiosks to earn points.

Not everything should be in the event app, though, because there are attendees who aren’t app driven, Smith said. Smith’s company once placed buttons, each different but related to the event, around the show floor, prompting attendees to try to collect them all. One client has a game where attendees compete to assemble the company’s equipment the fastest.

“If it’s related to the theme and the content, that’s really the win,” Smith said.

ENGAGE IN-SESSION

Longwood Gardens

Franklin Commons

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Where top-rated hotels and unique venues feature both indoor and outdoor flexible meeting space.

And where the sales & service staff is sure to enhance your planning experience.

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At Connect, the breakout speakers added a slide before their presentation with a prompt like “Tell your neighbor why you’re here,” and “people actually ended up doing it,” Barbour said. “It was great because you’d walk into a breakout session before it started and people were already talking, instead of it being cold and silent.”

Live polling has become popular, but planners can use it more effectively.

“To get more ideas and better solutions, don’t ask people just one question,” Smith said.

Instead, break a problem or a topic into pieces, assign those to different groups, and have them come up with ideas; then ask the whole group to vote on their favorites. “In a room of 16 people, you can do that with flip charts; in a room with 600, you can use polling,” he said.

No technology is necessary to boost attendee engagement; discussion formats or facilitation can be just as effective.

The fishbowl technique, for example, allows people to jump in when they want and helps draw in more voices for richer dialogue, Smith said. Instead of having all speakers, switch to facilitated sessions. A facilitated session doesn’t need to have 50 activities; it can simply mean spending more time on topic-based discussion, dialogue activities, polls or Q&A sessions.

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“In order to increase attendee engagement, you really need to know your audience extremely well and know each segment really well. What are their needs?

What are their wants? What are they going to be more inclined to do on their own, and what do you need to guide them on?”

Kristin Barbour ACCOUNT DIRECTOR

Agency EA Experience: Over 13 years

Meetings meet Convenience

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Conveniently located directly off I-94, between Milwaukee and Madison in Wisconsin, we offer complimentary personalized services to help make your meeting a success. Additionally, our area offers:  More than 100,000 square feet of affordable, flexible meeting space  1,100 guestrooms with complimentary parking  Plenty of after-hours dining and entertainment options for your attendees

Learn more at visitwaukesha.org/meetings July 2019

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IDEAS

Courtesy the Brown Hotel

‘PLACE AND PRESTIGE’ These historic hotels add an air of elegance to meetings

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BY RACHEL CARTER

hen meeting planners choose a historic hotel, it “gives their attendees the feeling that maybe they took a little more care to pick somewhere for us,” said Marc Salmon, director of human resources and official resident historian of the Brown Hotel in Louisville Kentucky.

That may be because of the original details and fine finishes, or it may be because the hotel’s tenure gives it a sense of place and prestige. These grand hotels offer all of the above as well as historic meeting spaces with modern amenities.

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BROWN HOTEL

LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY The Brown Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky, has been a brick beacon on Broadway for 95 years and “holds a special place in people’s minds,” Salmon said.

The grand, two-story lobby sits on the second floor and is topped by a hand-painted, plaster-relief ceiling. “Our ceiling is a tourist attraction,” Salmon said. “Everyone comes in and looks up.”

Guests find details at the Brown that they simply won’t find at most hotels: oil paintings, antique furniture, original chandeliers, Botticino marble floors and hand-carved mahogany railings. And that includes the meeting spaces, all with features like original wooden windows, intricately painted moldings and friezes on the fireplaces.

The Brown’s 17 event spaces can accommodate groups of up to 600. Its signature venue is the 4,300-square-foot Crystal Ballroom, which looks like the inside of a jewelry box, with the original crystal chandeliers highlighting the hand-painted plaster

Above: Handpainted ceilings are among the many architectural details at Louisville’s historic Brown Hotel.

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ceiling and ornate moldings. The 3,060-square-foot Bluegrass Room on the second floor was once a restaurant and overlooks Broadway.

About three years ago, the hotel renovated its rooftop garden. The rooftop is about two-thirds open air and one-third enclosed space; the 3,300-squarefoot Gallery Ballroom makes it popular for receptions where guests can take in the skyline view. brownhotel.com

Guests find details at the Brown that they simply won’t find at most hotels: oil paintings, antique furniture, original chandeliers, Botticino marble floors and handcarved mahogany railings.

Photos courtesy Hotel del Coronado

July 2019

HOTEL DEL CORONADO

CORONADO, CALIFORNIA Since the Hotel del Coronado opened in Coronado, California, in 1888, it has hosted 16 U.S. presidents and many VIPs, including Charlie Chaplin, Charles Lindbergh and Marilyn Monroe, who filmed scenes for “Some Like It Hot” there in 1958.

The Queen Anne-style architecture is as rare as it is recognizable. The Hotel Del is the second-largest wooden structure in the country, and its white walls and red roof, especially the conical grand tower, have become symbols of San Diego.

The Del has 757 guest rooms and 65,000 square feet of indoor event space, as well as sprawling outdoor space that includes a private beach.

The 9,300-square-foot Crown Room “is kind of our crown jewel,” said Dane Gorup, director of catering and events. Its barrel ceiling is built much like the hull of a boat: pine beams are held together without a single nail or screw. “Wizard of Oz” author L. Frank Baum created the crown-shaped chandeliers exclusively for the room.

Hotel del Coronado scenes, clockwise from left: the hotel overlooking the ocean; a del Coronado ballroom; the pool deck

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IDEAS

The 12,500-square-foot octagonal ballroom on the second floor delivers panoramic ocean views, and stairs connect the ballroom to parklike Vista Walk, which celebrated its grand reopening in June after a renovation doubled its usable event space to about 14,000 square feet. The hotel’s sea-to-table fine-dining restaurant, Serea, also held its grand opening in June.

Planners can re-create historic event menus, like dinners for Lindbergh or the Prince of Wales, and arrange history tours and ghost tours. hoteldel.com

BATTLE HOUSE RENAISSANCE MOBILE HOTEL AND SPA

MOBILE, ALABAMA The 238-room Battle House Renaissance Mobile Hotel and Spa in Mobile, Alabama, is the story of two properties. “Half the hotel is 19th century, and the other half is 21st century,” said general manager Margo Gilbert.

The original Battle House hotel was built on the site in 1852 but burned down in 1905. The current hotel

reopened for business in 1908. The historic U-shaped hotel sits on half a block, so when the current owner bought it, he built the 35-story Battle House RSA tower, with modern meeting spaces and four floors of additional guest rooms, that connects to the original building.

The grand lobby of the historic hotel is crowned by an original domed skylight, and the ceiling and walls feature elaborate plasterwork. Meeting spaces in the historic hotel are also original; in one executive boardroom, attendees walk on 111-year-old wood floors, and another room overlooks the Tiffany-glass skylight in the ceiling of the Trellis Room below, which houses the hotel’s fine-dining restaurant.

The 4,180-square-foot Crystal Ballroom features ornate coral-colored columns and moldings crowned by crystal chandeliers.

Meeting space on the tower side includes the 9,600-square-foot Moonlight Ballroom, which features a color-changing ceiling, and the Treehouse and Bienville Square rooms that overlook the Port of Mobile. The hotel will begin a soft renovation in August that will refresh the entire property.

Below: A meeting space at the Battle House Renaissance Mobile Opposite: The Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island

By Art Meripol, courtesy Battle House Renaissance Mobile

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GRAND HOTEL

MACKINAC ISLAND, MICHIGAN The Grand Hotel opened in 1887 on Michigan’s Mackinac Island, and the resort’s tradition of luxury and leisure is still thriving, thanks in large part to its being owned by the same family since 1933. The hotel has kept its traditions alive and maintained its history while staying relevant to modern travelers — and appealing to modern meetings.

On the remote island where horse-drawn carriages replace automobiles, where attendees ride bikes around the island or relax on the hotel’s famed front porch, team building and networking happen naturally, “and it’s better if it happens naturally,” said managing director Ken Hayward.

The hotel has 22,000 square feet of meeting space under one roof, all of it decorated in the same signature bright colors and bold patterns as the rest of the hotel. The two-story, 16,000-squarefoot Woodfill Conference Center has six meeting rooms, including a 7,000-square-foot theater, which is the hotel’s largest and most flexible meet-

Courtesy Grand Hotel

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July 2019

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IDEAS

ing room. The Brighton Pavilion and Terrace Room are each a little over 3,100 square feet.

New construction in 2001 included the 3,000-squarefoot Grand Pavilion with 43 guest rooms above the event space.

On the Front Porch, up to 1,000 reception guests can enjoy views of the Straits of Mackinac and Mackinac Bridge, and in the Cupola Bar, in the hotel’s cupola, guests are surrounded on three sides with windows that deliver water views.

The hotel offers behind-the-scenes tours and cooking demonstrations, and the staff historian often speaks to groups. grandhotel.com

Left: The colorful Cupola Bar at Michigan's Grand Hotel Below: The front porch at Eagle Mountain House Courtesy the Grand Hotel

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Janesville offers a variety of meeting spaces and a wide selection of hotels, restaurants and attractions including many affordable options that provide you with great value. Janesville is easily accessible - right off of I-39/90. Call the Janesville Area Convention & Visitors Bureau today at (800) 487-2757.

Janesvillecvb.com 18

Courtesy Eagle Mountain House and Golf Club

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

EAGLE MOUNTAIN HOUSE AND GOLF CLUB

JACKSON, NEW HAMPSHIRE When rail service reached the New Hampshire town of Bartlett in the mid-1800s, the nearby artists’ colony of Jackson Village became a tourist destination, spurring construction of guest cottages and grand hotels. In 1879, Cyrus and Marcia Gale began offering accommodations for 12 guests at their Eagle Mountain Farm. By 1890, the property had expanded to Eagle Hall and Eagle Mountain House with lodging for 125 guests. A fire that destroyed the hall and the house in May 1915 prompted Cryus Gale to sell the property. His son, Arthur Gale, bought it and designed the current Eagle Mountain House in the Colonial Revival style. The new hotel opened July 4, 1916, and it looks much the same a century later.

A green metal roof tops the expansive white lodge; neat shutters flank every window; and bright flower baskets and dark-green rocking chairs dot the wraparound veranda.

In 1931, Arthur converted farmland into a nine-hole golf course, and guests today can play a round on it in summer or ski on it in winter.

The hotel now has 96 guest rooms and more than 5,000 square feet of meeting space. The newly renovated Carriage House is a 3,300-square-foot stand-alone venue with a private deck, and an outdoor event tent provides 3,200 square feet of space for receptions. The 970-square-foot Carter Notch room delivers mountain views, and the library features a gas fireplace and traditional New England furniture. eaglemt.com

Good events make good memories and there’s no better Midwest venue than Grand Wayne Convention Center in downtown Fort Wayne, Indiana, as the backdrop for your story. INSIDE: 225,000 square feet of fully carpeted, beautifully appointed, versatile space | OUTSIDE: 3 full-service, adjacent hotels and a million amazing experiences!

Let’s create

Below: New Hampshire’s Eagle Mountain House and Golf Club

grandwayne.com • 260.426.4100 The Midwest’s Favorite Drive-To Destination!

Easy by Air via Fort Wayne International (FWA).

Courtesy Eagle Mountain House and Golf Club

July 2019

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t n o r f r e t a W in

WISCONSIN

Appleton is the largest of the 19 municipalities on the Fox River that compose Wisconsin’s Fox Cities region.

All photos courtesy Fox Cities CVB

CITY

The Fox Cities offer a variety of scenic meeting locales

T

BY KATHERINE TANDY BROWN

hough “something for everyone” is a cliche, the area in Wisconsin known as the Fox Cities exemplifies that phrase nicely.

Comprising 19 individual communities sprinkled along the shores of Lake Winnebago and the Fox River, Fox Cities offers almost everything a meeting planner could want, including lovely water views. Its most populated municipalities, Appleton and Neenah, are rife with meeting spaces, attractions, arts and culture, and nightlife.

FOX CITIES AT A GLANCE

LOCATION: East-central Wisconsin between Oshkosh and Green Bay on the Fox River ACCESS: Appleton International Airport; interstates 41, 45 and 10 HOTEL ROOMS: 3,500-plus CONTACT INFO: Fox Cities Convention and Visitors Bureau 800-236-6673 www.foxcities.org FOX CITIES EXHIBITION CENTER

BUILT: January 2018 EXHIBIT SPACE: 30,000 square feet in three exhibition halls OTHER MEETING SPACES: 7,250 square feet of prefunction space and 17,000 square feet of outdoor exhibition space MEETING HOTELS

Red Lion Hotel Paper Valley GUESTROOMS: 388 MEETING SPACE: 40,000 square feet DoubleTree by Hilton Appleton GUESTROOMS: 227 MEETING SPACE: 5,000 square feet Best Western Premier Bridgewood Resort Hotel GUESTROOMS: 95 MEETING SPACE: 10,000 square feet DoubleTree by Hilton Neenah GUESTROOMS: 107 MEETING SPACE: 8,600 square feet

July 2019

21

Destination Highlights

DISTINCTIVE VENUES

Warch Campus Center at Lawrence University

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owering mills and factories, the Fox River and its rapids played an important part in the development of the area. By the 1870s, the area had become known for its paper, earning it the nickname Paper Valley. In 1882, Appleton made history when incandescent light illuminated Kimberly and Clark’s Vulcan Paper Mill and a local home now known as the Hearthstone Historic House Museum.

Today, the river and its banks are morphing into recreational areas with public trails, such as 3.2-mile Loop the Little Lake trail that connects the cities of Menasha, Neenah and the Village of Fox Crossing and includes a pedestrian bridge with fishing platforms. Former mills are becoming condos, hotels and restaurants. It should come as no surprise that Appleton landed on liveability.com’s 2019 Best Places to Live list.

“Fox Cities is safe, secure, walkable and affordable, all with a down-home feel,” said Mary Rhode, marketing director for the Fox Cities Convention and Visitors Bureau.

With four hotels opening this year and possibly two more breaking ground in 2020, Fox Cities is in the midst of a building boom. The new properties will provide overflow guest rooms for large meetings. And this fall, the 164,000-square-foot Fox Cities Champion Center will open in Grand Chute as the Midwest’s premier indoor sports tourism complex.

Known for friendly locals, Fox Cities will no doubt roll out the red carpet in these new venues.

“We pride ourselves in our experienced hospitality professionals,” Rhode said. “They get compliments from planners and attendees all the time.”

Downtown Appleton at night

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DESTINATION HIGHLIGHTS

Distinctive Venues

A

slice of green outdoors, the Gordon Bubolz Nature Preserve offers spectacular vistas and 8.5 miles of trails to stroll, sure to spark creativity and positive thinking. Accommodating four to 250 day guests, its lodge has indoor and outdoor meeting and activity space.

“Everywhere you look is green,” said event manager Shelley Lauer. “After lunch, many attendees grab their cookie, get on the trail and walk.”

Customized team building includes a low-ropes course, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. An outdoor survival skills challenge gives participants the opportunity to work as a team to choose a survival site, construct a shelter and build a fire.

Another venue is downtown Appleton’s $45 million Fox Cities Performing Arts Center, host of a Broadway series that includes a run of “Hamilton” this October and the Fox Cities Symphony. Meeting spaces within the center’s 25,000 square feet include two private rooms; two performance spaces, 2,100-seat Thrivent Financial Hall with its 5,000-square-foot stage and the 450-seat Kimberley-Clark Theater; and a reception-perfect main lobby.

On the campus of Lawrence University in Appleton, the $35 million, 107,000-square-foot Warch Campus Center is a LEED Gold-certified facility. Offering 10 formal and informal spaces for many-sized groups, the center reflects surrounding nature with natural stone, open spaces, gorgeous views and a nearby river walk.

Home to the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers baseball team, Fox Cities Stadium hosts meetings year-round in its Fox Room, a banquet venue for 250. The stadium’s Leine Lodge can handle 30 to 50 guests, and private luxury suites overlook the baseball field.

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

Major Meeting Spaces

AFTER THE MEETING

History Museum at the Castle

B

uilt in downtown Appleton in 2018, the contemporary Fox Cities Exhibition Center (FCEC) is area headquarters for conventions, trade shows and special events of all sizes. Its 30,000-square-foot meeting space is divided among three exhibition halls, plus 7,250 square feet of prefunction space and 17,000 square feet of outdoor space bordering Jones Park.

Connected to FCEC by a skyway with wide park views, the Red Lion Hotel Paper Valley adds 40,000 more square feet of gathering space. One of its four restaurants is Vince Lombardi’s Steak House.

“Both properties are well located in a vibrant downtown,” said Linda Garvey, general manager for the Fox Cities Exhibition Center and Red Lion Hotel Paper Valley.

All the meeting rooms in the Best Western Premier Bridgewood Resort Hotel in Neenah overlook green space. The hotel’s nine-hole golf course offers an incentive to complete work and hit the links. With nine meeting rooms and four executive suites, the Bridgewood has a 5,653-square-foot ballroom that seats 500. Among its amenities, the area’s only resort hotel has a full-service restaurant and lounge and a 5,000-square-foot aquatic center.

“What separates us from the rest is our ongoing employees training program,” said Joe Williamson, director of corporate sales for Best Western Premier Bridgewood. “We put our money where our mouth is.” Green River Adventures The DoubleTree by Hilton Appleton is just off a complete renovation. Said Alyssa Shertz, the Doubletree’s director of sales and marketing, “Absolutely everything has been freshened, including our meeting space, all guest rooms and our outdoor courtyard.”

MAJOR MEETING SPACES

July 2019

Fox Cities Exhibition Center

After the Meeting

"W

e’re an urban destination close to nature,” the CVB’s Rhode said. “Our pace is slower, the traffic’s not crazy, and there’s so much to do.”

A great way to get to know the Fox River Valley is by touring aboard a 35-passenger restored canal boat, hiking part of the 42mile Paper Trail loop around the Fox Cities, paddling a kayak or visiting a few museums.

Housed in a 1923 Masonic Temple, the History Museum at the Castle features compelling exhibits on native sons Harry Houdini and Sen. Joe McCarthy. In addition to displays of sparkling paperweights, the Bergstrom-Mahler Museum of Glass teaches handson glass-object-making classes, fun for spouses or team building.

Other studios offer mosaics, painting and pottery sessions, all with wine.

The Fox Cities Performing Arts Center and the Conservatory at Lawrence University host frequent concerts throughout the summer. The region also has a lineup of festivals, such as August’s Mile of Music, which features 200 artists in 70 venues in a one-mile stretch through downtown Appleton.

The Fox Cities are also home to the state’s largest concentration of retail outlets. Shopping options include the Fox Cities Mall, eclectic boutiques, and top-class antique shops.

Attendees can wind down over handcrafted beer at Stone Arch Brew Pub; wine, yoga and flatbread pizzas at LedgeStone Vineyards; and locally sourced menus at myriad globally inspired restaurants.

“Often, a planner who chooses us for a meeting will come back for a vacation,” said Rhode. “We always hope they do.”

23

TOWN

A COLORADO

t s o p t u O

BY REBECCA TREON

I

n the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, Fort Collins, Colorado, is a small but growing city of less than 200,000. Historically an agricultural area, the town is home to Colorado State University, the state’s second-largest school. It has expanded by leaps and bounds in the past two decades, becoming a hub for conferences, retreats and meetings.

Colorado’s Front Range has drawn tech companies like Amazon and Google and has a reputation for being the next Silicon Valley, rolling out the red carpet for tech startups. Beyond the university’s large venues, including its ballroom and stadium, area hotels can accommodate those seeking flexible space to small groups wanting a boutique feel. Fort Collins is a hub of craft beer and artisan food production, and many of the local facilities have event spaces for groups wanting something with a flavorful twist.

Fort Collins makes a great getaway with a quaint and walkable historic downtown area full of shops, restaurants and boutique hotels. The town is also close to Colorado’s most popular outdoor areas, offering access to wide-ranging activities that include rafting and mountain biking. Because of its size, it still retains its small-town charm and hospitality.

“When it comes to Fort Collins, we have a great iconic Old Town with foodie destinations to explore as you walk around town,” said Lindsey Rohrbaugh, group sales manager for Visit Fort Collins. “There’s a new space, the Exchange, built from open shipping containers that connects the entrepreneurial spirit of Fort Collins to our love of bikes and the outdoors. This area is great for groups, with access to multiple shops and restaurants, distilleries and breweries.”

Visit Fort Collins offers full meeting-planning services to ensure that groups maximize the city’s offerings and have the amenities they need for a successful event.

TOP: THE LINDEN HOTEL IS A PICTURESQUE LANDMARK IN FORT COLLINS. BOTTOM: A SUMMER DINING EVENT AT HAPPY HEART FARMS

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Photos by Richard Haro, courtesy Visit Fort Collins

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

Large Meeting Venues The Ranch/Budweiser Events Center, with seven buildings of versatile event space on 240 acres of property, can host events for up to 2,000 people.

Downtown, the Lincoln Center can host up to 500 guests in its performance hall, up to 300 in the ballroom and up to 150 in any of its three conference rooms or on its rooftop deck. On campus, the Colorado State University stadium offers mountain views and can host events of all sizes for up to 900 people.

Major Meeting Hotels

FORT COLLINS COLORADO

The Hilton Fort Collins has 21,000 square feet of configurable meeting space that can accommodate 12 to 1,300. At the Marriott, groups can use 17 event rooms with up to 19 breakout rooms, for a total of 18,038 square feet. The Armstrong Hotel, which just underwent a multimillion-dollar renovation, features Mantz Hall, which can accommodate up to 70, along with its restaurant, which can accommodate an additional 80. The new Elizabeth Hotel can accommodate 160 guests in two meeting rooms totaling 3,693 square feet.

LOCATION

North-central Colorado

ACCESS

Roughly 70 miles north of downtown Denver and Denver International Airport via Interstate 25

MAJOR MEETING SPACES

Hilton Fort Collins, Fort Collins Marriott, Elizabeth Hotel, Armstrong Hotel

Creative Off-Site Venues

At the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery, meetings and retreats can use spaces from a rooftop boardroom and landscaped backyard to flexible classrooms for 90 in a fun and interactive setting. At the New Belgium Brewery, meetings can take place in any of three rooms, the brewhouse and a large backyard space with a patio. At Ginger and Baker, a farm-to-table restaurant and teaching kitchen, events can take place in the mill, the wine cellar, the kitchen and the rooftop patio.

HOTEL ROOMS 2,400

OFF-SITE VENUES

Ranch/Budweiser Event Center, Lincoln Center, CSU Stadium Events, New Belgium Brewery, Anheuser Busch Tour Center, Ginger and Baker

CONTACT INFO

Visit Fort Collins 970-232-3840 www.visitftcollins.com

July 2019

Postmeeting Activities With the help of a company called Front Range Guides, groups can arrange guided outdoor experiences like fly-fishing, mountain biking and whitewater rafting, or hiking in nearby Poudre Canyon. Others may enjoy scavenger hunts, tours highlighting Fort Collins’ history or catching live musical performances. There are grain-to-glass or beer-and-bike tours, plus foodie walks and cooking classes with Ginger and Baker. Groups will have no problem finding plenty of team-building after-hours activities in Fort Collins.

25

VENUE

MUSICIANS PERFORM DURING A BANQUET EVENT AT CONNOR PRAIRIE IN INDIANA. Courtesy Connor Prairie

MEET THE PAST AT CONNOR PRAIRIE

I

n 1823, William Conner, an Indiana trader and interpreter, built a grand home for himself and his family on a hill overlooking the floodplain that would soon become known as Conner Prairie. The land changed hands several times and was eventually purchased by Eli Lilly, president of Eli Lilly and Company pharmaceutical company. Lilly had a penchant for preservation, believing in the importance of experiencing history rather than just reading about it in textbooks, and he quickly took to restoring the 111-yearold structure.

Lilly opened Conner Prairie in 1934, inviting visitors to come explore the grounds, but it wasn’t until 1970 that Conner Prairie took on a new form as a living-history museum, where staff dress, act and speak in 1800s style. Today, friends and families of all ages come together at Connor Prairie to interact with one another while experiencing history and science in a stunning setting of more than 800 acres.

Throughout the years, the organization’s mission statement has re-

26

BY KRISTY ALPERT

mained the same: to be “a unique historic place that inspires curiosity and fosters learning by providing engaging and individualized experiences for everyone.” The organization fulfills that mission every day by offering animal encounters, historic demonstrations, hands-on workshops, once-in-a-lifetime experiences such as an 1859 hot-air-balloon voyage and more.

For groups looking to experience this living-history museum, Conner Prairie offers multiple meeting and event spaces throughout the property that can host up to 200 guests. As Indiana’s first Smithsonian Institute affiliate, Connor Prairie gives meeting groups the rare opportunity to experience modern amenities while gathering in a lovingly preserved space that brings history to life.

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

M E E T I N G S PA C E S The meeting spaces at Conner Prairie are spread throughout the property’s 800 acres and include such wide-ranging options as rooms with uninhibited views of the open prairie and a private home set in the woods. The Overlook Room, for up to 250 guests, offers panoramic windows and a large fireplace. Woodland Hall can be divided into two separate spaces: Woodland Hall North can hold up to 200

guests, Woodland Hall South can hold up to 125 guests, and the two spaces combined can hold up to 300 guests. Other spaces include the Featherston Barn for up to 112 guests, the Prairie House and the Hilltop Pavilion for up to 125 guests each, the Bayt Pavilion for up to 315 guests, the Lilly Theater for up to 100 guests, and the Delaware and Wapahani classrooms for up to 33 guests each.

C AT E R I N G The team at Conner Prairie works exclusively with MBP Distinctive Catering in Indianapolis, where menus are customized to meet each group’s specific needs. The caterers have been serving the surrounding Indianapolis area for more than 30 years, crafting menus for breakfast, brunch, lunch, hors d’oeu-

vres, dinner and late-night snacks. They can create picnics for groups looking to dine outdoors or craft culinary journeys that take place throughout the night indoors. Their desserts often leave lasting impressions on their clients; options like their decadent S’more Entremet take the cake. Alcohol is available.

EXTRAS CONNOR PRAIRIE INTERPRETERS Courtesy Visit Indy

A RUSTIC MEETING SPACE AT CONNOR PRAIRIE

V E N U E FA C T S

CONNOR PRAIRIE

Conner Prairie offers nonprofit pricing for eligible groups and can help arrange custom experiences for meeting groups. A few of its regular offerings include the Historic Challenges, which put guests to the test to see if they have what it takes to survive life on the prairie while competing in 19th-century games and scavenger hunts. Another

option, Picnics on the Prairie, includes period entertainment such as caricaturists, magicians and live bingo callers.

Groups can rent the entire park for larger events or book a VIP experience that will give their guests exclusive perks like reserved parking, private dinner buffets and access to select attractions during Conner Prairie festival weekends.

LOCATION

Fishers, Indiana

TYPE OF VENUE

BEFORE AND AFTER

Off-site, living-history museum

CAPACITY

300

NEARBY ACCOMMODATIONS Hampton Inn and Suites Indianapolis-Fishers Courtesy Connor Prairie

July 2019

CONTACT INFO

Before and after meetings and events, guests can take part in any of the offerings at this 800-acre living-history playground. Meeting attendees get Conner Prairie admission and can join in on an 1859 Balloon Voyage, take a guided group tour or book a private tour, take hikes in the woods and enjoy the sea-

sonal activities that take place at Conner Prairie throughout the year. The organization even has an Apple Store where guests can purchase treats like handdipped caramel apples, cider slushes, apple doughnuts and pies during September and October.

317-776-6000 connerprairie.org

27

HOTEL

A Mountaintop Experience

I

BY KRISTY ALPERT

n the 1870s, the Mountain Top Inn and Resort was not much more than a single barn in the middle of a turnip field.

It was William Barstow, an associate of Thomas Edison, who first saw the potential in the land as a place to gather with friends and soak in the Vermont scenery. Barstow purchased the farm as a gift for his New York socialite wife, and the couple began work renovating, improving and adding to the original barn building so they could soon welcome in visiting friends and family.

The couple eventually turned the place into a full-service inn and tavern, attracting the eye of William and Margery Wolfe, who purchased the inn in 1945 and continued improvements while maintaining the historical integrity of the original building. In 1955 a visit from President Dwight Eisenhower during a long fishing expedition with friends made headlines and put the little inn on the map. Even a small fire in 1977 couldn’t dampen the inn’s resolve, and it quickly bounced back after a restoration that included traditional post and beam construction.

Since then, the inn has grown to include 32 rooms within the main lodge and more than 20 guesthouses spread throughout more than 700 acres, where stunning features like a glass “silo” staircase and walls of windows look out over the expansive property, welcoming visitors to this much-loved inn and resort.

A small group of passionate investors purchased the Mountain Top Inn and Resort in the early 2000s, turning the property into one of Vermont’s top destination resorts while preserving the beauty and history of the property. Images of Eisenhower’s fishing expedition still line the halls. Guests and meeting groups can enjoy this historic ambiance while taking advantage of the resort’s many on-site activities, which include trails for hiking, cross-country skiing and horseback riding.

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THE BEACH PAVILION AT MOUNTAINTOP INN AND RESORT CAN ACCOMMODATE UP TO 75 GUESTS.

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

M E E T I N G S PAC E S The Mountain Top Inn and Resort has more than 10,000 square feet of flexible meeting space. The Mountain Top Event Barn, for up to 200 guests, offers three floors of flexible banquet space between the loft and the main floor, and is home to a dedicated kitchen as well as the Mountain Top Spa and Salon, Fitness Center and Sauna. The Mountain Top Beach Pavilion, for up to 75 guests, sits lakeside on a private beach and is open from May through October. The Southside Lobby, for up to 50 guests, and the Mountain Top Restaurant, for up to 75 guests, are great options within the main lodge, and the Mountain Aire Lodge, for up to 20 guests, and the Jewel at Meadows Edge, for up to 20 guests, offer private spaces for smaller groups with room for breakout sessions and dining functions.

C AT E R I N G The Mountain Top Inn and Resort features a full-service restaurant and catering kitchen with a dedicated staff. The catering team offers numerous menus and specializes in crafting customized menus to accommodate the dietary requirements and preferences of parties of from two to 250. The team works with planners on everything from selecting the perfect snacks to organizing elaborate buffets or multicourse dinners. They can create culinary experiences for groups that include wine and beer pairings, New England clam bakes, backyard barbecues, farm-to-table holiday buffets, Mexican fiestas, Italian buffets with pasta bars and more. Alcohol is available.

EXTRAS

By Joanne Pearson, courtesy Mountaintop Inn

A MOUNTAINTOP INN AND RESORT GUEST HOUSE

HOTEL FACTS LOCATION

Chittenden, Vermont

SIZE

32 rooms and more than 20 guesthouses

MEETING SPACE

More than 10,000 square feet

ACCESS

Secluded in central Vermont, approximately three hours from Boston

CONTACT INFO

By Barrie Fisher, courtesy Mountaintop Inn

July 2019

802-483-2311 mountaintopinn.com

Each of the meeting spaces at the Mountain Top Inn and Resort comes with complimentary wireless internet service, flat-screen TVs, LCD projectors, screens, flip charts, sound systems and DVD players. The staff is also happy to help arrange for team-building activities and exercises such as cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and paintball biathlons. The resort operates an on-site ice skating rink that opens in December and runs through the winter season. Other activities include sledding, clay shooting, disc golf tournaments, hiking, fishing, horseback riding and a variety of lawn games. Kayak, canoe and paddleboard rentals are also available.

AT T H E R E S O R T Meeting guests don’t have to travel off-site to find entertainment before or after events, as this 700-acre resort offers abundant options. From mid-May through September, the resort’s heated pool and hot tub are open for guests to enjoy; the 740-acre lake with private beach provides a great option for a day of boating, swimming or relaxing with a picnic lunch on one of the lounge chairs. The resort operates a state-of-the-art fitness center on the lower level of the Mountain Top Event Barn alongside the spa and sauna, but guests looking to get a workout in the sun can hit the outdoor tennis courts or volleyball court for a quick game or two.

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Florida Oceanfront

MEETING ATTENDEES CAN ENJOY FUN ON THE WATER AFTER BUSINESS IS DONE IN ST. PETERSBURG.

Meetdieng Gui

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Courtesy Visit St. Pete/Clearwater

BY RACHEL CARTER

hether it’s the Atlantic Ocean or the Gulf of Mexico, Tampa Bay or the intercoastal waterway, Florida’s shores are home to many seaside cities. These coastal destinations offer meeting groups plenty of ways to enjoy the water: on boats, kayaks and jet skis or on land with ocean views and beachfront sand.

FORT LAUDERDALE

Fort Lauderdale is a casual yet vibrant up-and-coming city with an “exciting dining scene, exciting craft brew scene and exciting arts scene,” said Ed Simon, executive vice president of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau. “We are as cosmopolitan as we need to be; we’re as laid-back as you’d want to be.”

An expansion of the 600,000-square-foot Broward County Con-

30

vention Center is set to begin in February 2020. It will expand the exhibit hall and add a wing of ballrooms and breakouts, including a 65,000-square-foot ballroom overlooking the water. When complete, the center will have five ballrooms, 350,000 contiguous square feet of exhibit space and over 60 breakout rooms. Plans are also in the works for a new 800-guest-room headquarters hotel at the center.

“That will be a game changer,” Simon said. “That, coupled with the expanded meeting space, will open up a whole new world of opportunities for us.”

The Dalmar, a 209-room Tribute Portfolio hotel, opened this spring with over 11,000 square feet of event space. The Seminole Hard Rock and Casino is nearing completion on its $1.5 billion expansion that includes three new hotel towers, one of which is a 35-story, guitar-shaped tower.

Planners can arrange parties on the beach, in the Everglades or on a private island and host receptions at the Fort Lauderdale Antique Car Museum or the NSU Art Museum in downtown. sunny.org

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

ST. PETERSBURG/CLEARWATER

Despite being just a stone’s skip over the water from Tampa, St. Petersburg and its sister city of Clearwater are “kind of a hidden gem, which is crazy considering you use the Tampa airport to fly here,” said Suzanne Hackman, vice president, business development, for Visit St. Pete/Clearwater.

Downtown St. Pete is a cultural and art mecca, she said. A string of waterfront parks line the shore, which is also dotted with museums: the Salvador Dali Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts, the St. Petersburg Museum of History. A few blocks inland, visitors will find the James Museum of Western and Wildlife Art and the Morean Arts Center with its permanent Dale Chihuly collection. Groups can book events at most museums, using dedicated space or mingling among the exhibits, and can take art tours by foot and by boat.

St. Pete’s largest meeting property is TradeWinds Island Resorts, which offers 71,000 square feet of flexible meeting space along with outdoor decks, patios and lawns. The Innisbrook Golf Resort has over 400 guest rooms, 65,000 square feet of indoor meeting space and four golf courses. The Vinoy Renaissance provides over 60,000 square feet of event space in 22 rooms.

St. Pete’s newest property is the 343-room Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach, which offers 22,000 square feet of meeting space.

Another property, the Hilton Clearwater Beach, completed a multimillion-dollar renovation in December that included its 40,000 square feet of event space. visitstpeteclearwater.com

BROWARD COUNTY CONVENTION CENTER DISTRICT Courtesy Greater Ft. Lauderdale CVB

ST. AUGUSTINE

Founded in 1565, St. Augustine is the oldest city in the United States, and whether groups gather in its historic heart or at a luxury seaside resort, “the beauty, the history, the outdoors and the great golf are why meetings come here,” said Barbara Golden, communications manager for St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra and the Beaches Visitors and Convention Bureau.

The Sawgrass Marriott resort is the city’s largest venue, with 61,000 square feet of meeting space. Marriott’s World Golf Village Renaissance resort offers 45,000 square feet of event space next to the World Golf Hall of Fame, one of the city’s signature off-site venues. There, groups can use 35,000 square feet of museum space, choose from 13 event venue locations and enjoy two putting greens and a golf simulator.

Ponte Vedra Inn and Club is a luxury resort that specializes in higher-end meetings in its 25,000 square feet of indoor event space. The resort just announced a $40 million historic preservation and modernization plan that will start with an $8 million restoration of its historic 18-hole Ocean Course. Plans also include building a new Ocean House with 41 rooms and suites, slated to open in summer 2020.

The Embassy Suites by Hilton St. Augustine Beach Oceanfront Resort’s 25,000 square feet of meeting space includes two oceanfront lawns and a 5,200-square-foot ballroom with ocean views.

In the historic district, groups can gather at the Lightner Museum or Treasury on the Plaza, a converted 1920s bank. floridashistoriccoast.com

July 2019

THE OCEAN COURSE IN ST. AUGUSTINE Courtesy FloridasHistoricCoast.com

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Meetieng Guid

DAYTONA BEACH

A COASTAL CONCERT IN THE BANDSHELL AT DAYTONA BEACH

Courtesy Daytona Beach Area CVB

EMERALD COAST CONVENTION CENTER

Say “Daytona,” and people immediately think “beach” or “500.”

Racing has put the Atlantic-side Florida city, home to the Daytona International Speedway and the Daytona 500, on the international stage, and its 23 miles of beach have made it a well-known vacation destination. But Daytona is — and offers — much more for meeting planners.

“Many planners tell us their meetings experience record attendance and attribute this to the fact that attendees are bringing their families for pre- and post-meeting vacation stays,” said Linda McMahon, director of group sales for the Daytona Beach Area Convention and Visitors Bureau.

The Ocean Center sits just 400 feet from the water and has 205,000 square feet of meeting space, including 164,000 square feet of exhibit space, 36 breakout rooms and a 9,600-seat arena. Just steps from the complex, the Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront Resort is the area’s largest hotel, with 744 rooms and 60,000 square feet of meeting space.

The speedway is still fresh from a $400 million renovation that included five expanded entrances and new seating for 101,500 spectators. It now features 75 luxury suites and meeting spaces with trackside views.

The Hard Rock Hotel Daytona Beach opened in May 2018 with 200 guest rooms. The Shores Resort and Spa and the Daytona Beach Resort and Conference Center, both with meeting space, have also recently been renovated. daytonabeach.com

EMERALD COAST

With its sparkling emerald water and white sugar sand beaches, it’s not difficult to see why Florida’s Emerald Coast is a popular destination for business and pleasure.

The coastal stretch, which includes Destin, Fort Walton and Okaloosa Island, also delivers fishing charters — Destin is known as the “world’s luckiest fishing village” — sightseeing tours on glass-bottom or pirate-themed boats, and dolphin tours on Sea-Doos.

The Emerald Coast Convention Center’s 31,000 square feet of event space includes a dozen rooms that range from boardrooms to the 21,000-square-foot ballroom and exhibit hall; the 30,000-squarefoot Bayview Plaza overlooks the Choctawhatchee Bay. The center was recently refreshed with fresh interior paint — with the exterior soon to follow — and new flooring, chairs and artwork.

Groups can stay across the street and on the beach at the Holiday Inn Resort Hotel, the Four Points by Sheraton Destin-Fort Walton Beach hotel or the Hilton Garden Inn, which has 5,000 square feet of meeting space for up to 400 people.

Down the street but still within walking distance is the Island resort, formerly the Ramada Plaza, with 335 guest rooms, 14,000 square feet of flexible meeting space and a swim-through grotto bar.

In Destin, the Henderson Beach Resort is a 170-room luxury hotel with 10,000 square feet of flexible meeting space and 30,000 square feet of outdoor group options, including beachfront lawns and pool decks. emeraldcoastfl.com

Courtesy Emerald Coast CVB

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Inland Florida

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MEETING PLANNERS WILL FIND A VARIETY OF APPEALING VENUES IN FLORIDA’S INLAND DESTINATIONS, INCLUDING THE SOUTH BEACH ORLANDO RESORT IN THE SUBURB OF KISSIMMEE. Courtesy Experience Kissimmee

BY RACHEL CARTER

lorida is the 22nd largest state in the United States by land area, land covered in marshes and bayous, horse pastures, citrus groves and, of course, theme parks. The state’s seaside destinations get a lot of attention, but its inland cities are home to the state’s flagship universities, some of Florida’s most breathtaking natural scenery and some of its largest meeting venues.

Here are five inland destinations that make attractive hosts for meetings and events.

KISSIMMEE

Kissimmee is a 30-minute drive south of Orlando, which means it’s “right next to those world-famous theme parks,” said Michelle Moore, Experience Kissimmee’s senior director of meeting sales and services.

“But we’re also far enough away that [visitors] would never have to see a character or attraction if they don’t want to.”

July 2019

The Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center is Kissimmee’s biggest venue, and it’s about to get bigger. The resort just announced an expansion that will add 300 guest rooms for 1,700 total and another 90,000 square feet of event space for a total of 490,000.

The 862-guest-room Omni Orlando Resort at Championsgate, which completed a renovation in October 2017, has nearly 250,000 square feet of meeting space. The 300-suite Embassy Suites by Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista South offers 40,000 square feet of event space. Though Reunion Resort has 25,000 square feet of meeting space, the property’s claim to fame is its three 18-hole championship golf courses.

Margaritaville Resort Orlando opened in January with 184 hotel rooms and 40,000 square feet of meeting space.

At Island Grove Winery at Formosa Gardens, groups can choose from a dozen indoor and outdoor event spaces, including a grand room that can seat 150 for meals.

Attendees can tackle the aerial ropes course at Orlando Tree Trek Adventure Park, zip line over alligators at Gatorland and dine at six restaurants headed by James Beard Award-winning chefs at Disney Springs. experiencekissimmee.com

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GAINESVILLE

GAINESVILLE’S HISTORIC THOMAS CENTER Courtesy Visit Gainesville, Alachua County

Gainesville is known for its gators, the University of Florida (UF) kind. As a college town and the seat of Alachua County, Gainesville provides plenty of big-city offerings while still being small enough to manage, said Elizabeth Reyes, sales and marketing coordinator for Visit Gainesville, Alachua County.

After a recent renovation and expansion, UF’s Reitz Union now offers more than 50,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space; the spaces include two ballrooms, two auditoriums, 20 conference/ meeting rooms, the North Lawn and an amphitheater. The Reitz Union Hotel has 36 guest rooms on the union’s fifth and sixth floors.

At UF’s Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, groups of up to 450 can gather in Holloway Touchdown Terrace or enjoy seated meals in the Evans Champions Club; a variety of other spaces, including outdoor decks, work well for 100 to 200 guests. The 10,000-seat Exactech Arena at the O’Connell Center is home to UF basketball and also hosts large-scale events.

At Celebration Pointe, groups will find restaurants, retail, a movie theater and a new 140-room Hotel Indigo near the pedestrian-only City Walk Promenade.

In downtown, the Florida Museum of Natural History can host seated meals for up to 200, and the Harn Museum of Art welcomes groups of up to 170. The Hippodrome Theater offers its main stage, a smaller cinema and the larger lower level for events.

The annual Frank conference uses all of downtown as its venue, holding sessions in restaurants and cafes rather than in a single space. visitgainesville.com

TALLAHASSEE

A MEETING AT TALLAHASSEE’S HOTEL DUVAL

Tallahassee sits in the skinny part of Florida’s “arm,” with the Georgia border 20 miles north and the Gulf Coast 20 miles south. It’s the state capital, a thriving college town and a nature lover’s paradise, said Renee Jones, public relations specialist for Visit Tallahassee.

At Florida State University, the 47,000-square-foot FSU Conference Center has 11 meeting spaces, including a 350-seat auditorium, a 280seat dining room and seven breakout rooms. FSU’s Donald L. Tucker Civic Center has a 13,800-fixed-seat arena as well as a 35,000-squarefoot exhibit hall and six additional meeting rooms. Inside Doak Campbell Stadium, the University Center Club offers planners 64,000 square feet with outdoor decks overlooking the field.

The 242-room DoubleTree by Hilton has over 15,000 square feet of meeting space, and the hotel recently built a 17th-floor cocktail lounge and event space called Eve on Adams that opened this month.

The FourPoints by Sheraton in downtown has 8,000 square feet of event space, and the hotel recently opened a venue next door: Bricks and Brass. The renovated appliance store has a 3,500-square-foot ballroom and a 2,100-square-foot patio.

The 117-room Hotel Duval is another full-service property and offers 7,450 square feet of event space, the largest of which is the 2,700-square-foot ballroom.

Three new hotels opened in Tallahassee in 2018, and several more are in various stages of development or construction. visittallahassee.com

Courtesy Visit Tallahassee

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OCALA/MARION COUNTY

Florida may be known for alligators, but the city of Ocala and Marion County are known for horses. Marion County is home to more than 400 thoroughbred farms and training centers, and visitors will see horses grazing in green pastures on almost every horizon. Construction is underway on the new World Equestrian Center, and the first phase is set to open in 2021. Along with equestrian facilities, the 4,000-acre complex will have a luxury hotel, high-end shopping and fine-dining restaurants.

The Hilton Ocala has 40,000 square feet of event space, including a 4,200-square-foot ballroom and a 20,000-square-foot courtyard, and the 113-room Holiday Inn and Suites Ocala Conference Center offers 11,000 square feet of meeting space. A Holiday Inn Express opened in August 2018, a new Springhill Suites opened this February, and a Hilton Garden Inn is slated to open in January 2020.

At the College of Central Florida, the Webber Center can seat 130 for meals, and the Klein Conference Center provides 4,000 square feet of meeting space.

Circle Square Commons offers three event spaces. The Circle Square Cultural Center can accommodate 600 people for banquets, and smaller groups can choose from two multiuse halls.

At Silver Springs State Park, floor-to-ceiling windows in the Paradise Ballroom give up to 300 dinner guests views of the head springs. ocalamarion.com

LAKELAND/WINTER HAVEN

Lakeland and Winter Haven are the largest cities in Florida’s Polk County, and “even though we’re right between Orlando and Tampa, we’re kind of ‘old Florida, natural Florida,’” said Al Snow, convention, meeting and event representative for Visit Central Florida.

In Lakeland, the RP Funding Center completed a $14.2 million renovation in January that touched nearly every inch of its 100,000 square feet of meeting space. The center has four venues under one roof: a 10,000-capacity arena, a 2,200-seat theater, a 28,000-squarefoot exhibit Hall and a 34,000-square-foot conference center.

Construction is underway on a new 120-room Marriott at the RP Funding Center that is scheduled to open in March 2020, joining the 118-room Hyatt Place there.

In Winter Haven, a new 60,000-square-foot conference center and field house is slated to open in November that will host sports tournaments as well as large meetings and events.

Streamsong Resort is a five-star property with 216 guest rooms and nearly 25,000 square feet of meeting space. The resort’s three championship golf courses make it “very popular with financial meetings and high-end meetings,” Snow said.

At Safari Wilderness, groups can take a sunset safari in a safari vehicle, on camelback or by kayak and then have a reception in the 10,000-square-foot main building. visitcentralflorida.org

YOUR NEXT CONFERENCE IS ABOUT TO MAKE

History

Timeless beauty, legendary history and seaside elegance has made Florida’s Historic Coast® a meeting place of choice for more than 450 years. Come and experience the unique attractions, historical sites, storied hotels, elegant resorts and acclaimed championship golf courses that promise to make your next meeting a historic gathering.

MyFloridaMeetings.com | 800-418-7529, ext. 2012

July 2019

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