Small Market Meetings June 2021

RISK MANAGEMENT | CALIFORNIA | KANSAS MEETING GUIDE JUNE 2021

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Interested in meeting in Missoula? Call 1.800.526.3465 or visit missoulameetings.com/smm.

ON THE COVER: Downtown Chattanoogas sits on a bluff overlooking the Tennessee River. Photo by Kevin Ruck.

INSIDE VOLUME 22 | ISSUE 6

12

MANAGING Risk Management

16

IDEAS Convention Center Updates

24 28

D E PA R T M E N T S

6 INSIGHTS

Lessons learned from a difficult year

TOWN Brandywine Valley, Pennsylvania

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8 CONFERENCE 10 PROFILE See Cheyenne Luke at Small Market Meetings Conference

SMALL MARKET MEETINGS is published monthly by Pioneer Publishing, Inc., 301 E. High St., Lexington, KY 40507, and is distributed free of charge to qualified meeting planners who plan meetings in small and medium size towns and cities. All other meeting industry suppliers may subscribe by sending a check for $39 for one year to: Small Market Meetings, Circulation Department, 301 East High St., Lexington, KY 40507. Phone (866) 356-5128 (toll-free) or (859) 253-0503. Fax: (859) 253-0499. Copyright SMALL MARKET MEETINGS, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction of editorial or graphic content in any manner without the written consent of the publisher is prohibited.

MEETING GUIDE Kansas

Gilliam

TO ADVERTISE CALL KYLE ANDERSON 866-356-5128

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Mac T. Lacy Publisher/Partner

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Courtesy Visit Berkeley

CITY Chattanooga, Tennessee

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

Sergio Executive Chef 26 years 702,412 meals

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

Penny Convention Planner 33 years 1,086,656 attendees

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Patti Convention Planner 22 years 847,440 attendees

Still making sure our attendees are happy.

Our employees are the Younes Difference.

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INSIGHTS WITH VICKIE MITCHELL

TAKEAWAYS FROM 2020

M

ore than a year into the pandemic, we’ve learned valuable lessons and reevaluated our lives in the face of personal and professional loss and change.

There’s a lot about 2020 we’d like to forget, but as with any devastating experience, there are parts we will remember as we move forward.

Writer Danya Ruttenberg, in a recent Washington Post column, called this “a time of possibility.”

“We have opportunities to create new social structures, new ways of being,” she said. “We don’t have to accept what we had before…. This is a moment when creativity and new thinking can help serve us and help us make the new chapter better.”

Here are five pandemic lessons to keep in mind in 2021 and beyond.

Lasting lessons from a tough teacher

To turn things around, pivot.

Pivot has become the pandemic’s most-used verb as we have watched businesses large and small turn on a dime. Shifting from tableside to curbside in a matter of days instead of months has saved many a restaurant; medical professionals’ quick innovations have saved lives.

Many meeting planners — who routinely face disasters of varied description — already know how to pivot. But for those still learning, Jay Campbell of Ken Blanchard Companies offered tips in a recent column for Chief Learning Officer. Emphasize experimentation, he said. And pull people together to problem solve and brainstorm.

“Cultivate an attitude of open-mindedness and gratitude,” Campbell said. “We are in a time of dramatic change. Pivoting will only become more important.”

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www.smallmarketmeetings.com

Small feels safer.

Learn by listening.

As people come together again, they’ll be talking about how they lived through the last year.

Why not use this common thread to create content for meetings?

It could be as simple as posting a pandemic-related question or topic at luncheon tables or creating a panel of leaders to talk about what went right and wrong over the past year at their organizations. Find local business or nonprofit leaders who would be willing to speak to your group or serve on a “What We Learned From 2020”-themed panel. It could give attendees the chance to learn how a restaurateur in Lexington, Kentucky, combined outdoor dining, curbside service and a “ghost” kitchen to survive hard times; or highlight how a nonprofit like Meals on Wheels in Asheville, North Carolina, countered increased demand for services and dwindling in-person giving with a fundraiser that allowed people who were running and walking to relieve pandemic-related stress to support the organization at the same time.

Doing less can mean more.

COVID-19 cases have leveled in the U.S., and in-person meetings and events are returning, but the pandemic is not over. After a year of lockdown, some still suffer from social anxiety or even post-traumatic stress disorder, psychologists say. The return to normalcy — and to in-person meetings — won’t arrive overnight for everyone.

“It’s not going to go from not being able to touch anyone to having a big party,” Tara Well, a Columbia University psychology professor, told Healthline. “It’s something that’s going to happen gradually.”

We’ve talked about the advantages of smaller cities as meeting sites for 20 years now, and the pandemic has placed a brighter spotlight on their virtues. To ease attendees back into in-person situations, 2021 could be the year to shift from a huge national conference in New York or Chicago to several regional meetings with fewer attendees in destinations to which people can drive, like Albany, New York, or Springfield, Illinois. All the good things about a smaller city, from lower room rates and taxes to less congestion and more reasonable dining options, still apply.

One lesson the pandemic taught many overscheduled Americans is that it is OK to do less, to say no, to not do everything that’s offered. Fear of missing out flew out the window as even the most social beings opted to stay home and stay healthy. The limitations wrought by the pandemic helped some of us achieve something closer to balance, although all the juggling still brought stress and dropped balls.

It might become harder to draw the line between personal and professional as life shifts to a nearer normal, but at the same time, many hope to preserve the parts that served them well and fed their souls at a time of isolation: phone calls to friends, returns to abandoned hobbies, long walks alone or with family, time spent talking and laughing around the family dinner table instead of finishing up calls and emails on long commutes. The hope is that we’ll hang on to the pieces of the pandemic that made us feel more whole.

June 2021

Virtual has virtues.

Zoom rhymes with doom and gloom, words that accurately describe how we’ve begun to feel about the virtual platform.

But thank goodness virtual platforms exist, for without them, we’d have missed seeing many of our colleagues and chums.

Perhaps we’ll appreciate virtual meetings more when we don’t rely on them so much.

And they will continue to be a part of the work world because people are comfortable with them.

Organizations also realize that hybrid meetings, those with virtual and in-person elements, help draw a larger crowd and make it possible for those who can’t attend in person to enjoy what the conference offers. Venues are beginning to step up by investing in production facilities for hybrid events. Many are in New York, Las Vegas and other major cities, but according to BizBash, venues in smaller cities are adding virtual meeting capabilities too, including the Hotel Roanoke in Virginia, the Monterey Conference Center and the Anaheim Conference Center in California, and the Esports Stadium Arlington and Expo Center in Texas.

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CONFERENCE

TRUE WEST EXPERIENCES AWAIT AT THE SMALL MARKET MEETINGS CONFERENCE

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BY DAN DICKSON

reat food and memorable experiences await attendees of the Small Market Meetings Conference in Cheyenne, Wyoming, September 26-28.

THE SMALL MARKET MEETINGS CONFERENCE WILL TAKE PLACE IN CHEYENNE, A CITY KNOWN INTERNATIONALLY FOR ITS FRONTIER DAYS RODEO.

Aside from meeting with destination providers in the marketplace, meeting planners that attend the conference will get to enjoy special theme mealtimes and sightseeing tours of the host city. This conference will be a treat for many delegates that will be visiting this part of the country for the first time.

Tentatively planned for opening night on Sunday is a sampling of the annual summertime Cheyenne Frontier Days. It will take place in the brand-new events center adjacent to the world-famous rodeo arena.

“There will be live country music and a mini-rodeo in the arena for conference attendees to enjoy,” said Jim Walter, vice president of sales and marketing for Visit Cheyenne, the local convention and visitors bureau.

“A chuck-wagon-style dinner will be served to the attendees, and local beers and spirits will be available as well,” Walter said. “We will have Miss Frontier and her Lady in Waiting in attendance, and some rodeo athletes from the University of Wyoming and Laramie County Community College will put on an exciting show for us.”

On Monday, the second night of the conference, delegates will spread out in Downtown Cheyenne for a dine-around.

The CVB will be working with various restaurants, breweries and bars to create a lively evening with good food, great drinks and live entertainment throughout the downtown district.

TERRIFIC TOURS

The Small Market Meetings Conference always features sightseeing tours in the host city, and delegates can choose from three such outings in Cheyenne. One will have an Old

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All photos courtesy Visit Cheyenne

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

A CHEYENNE WESTERN-WEAR SHOP

A TRAIN STOP IN CHEYENNE

West theme. It will feature the city’s popular and traditional Wild West Trolley Tour, where riders board trolleys for a narrated tour of Cheyenne with tales of muddy streets, cowboys, cattle, outlaws, railroads, shady politicians and ladies of the night. The tour will stop at the Depot Museum, the Botanic Gardens and the Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum for participants to see and contemplate those three unique meeting and reception spaces.

Another tour option will be the Daddy of the Malt Tour. This will take delegates to Black Tooth Brewing Company, where they will see the inner workings of the brewery and be able to sample beers from Wyoming’s No. 1 brewery. Also, there will be a trolley running between three other breweries so delegates can taste the full array and selection of Cheyenne’s brewery scene.

A third tour option will take attendees to the Terry Bison Ranch.

Participants will enjoy a short train ride right into the middle of a giant bison herd and will stop and feed a bison from the safety of the train. To add to this interesting stop, folks can shop for souvenirs at the trading post, enjoy a cold beer in Senator’s Steakhouse and Saloon or see a horseshoeing demonstration up close.

TO REGISTER FOR THE 2021 SMALL MARKET MEETINGS CONFERENCE IN CHEYENNE, WYOMING, SEPTEMBER 26-28, GO TO: SMMCONF.COM/REGISTRATION

our yours

on the ground

Take a Load Off

June 2021

We all know how much work goes into planning meetings.

That’s why we believe YOU deserve to enjoy the event, too!

Deliver an authentic Western experience to your attendees, just 90 minutes from Denverwhile our team helps wrangle the details onsite. Experience our famous Wyoming hospitality in the areas that matter toYOU!

Plan your next meeting wit

9 Cheyenne.org/meetings

“You have to find a respect or appreciation for reasons your town is unique. It’s one way to learn about people that make up this world and share an experience with them.”

MEETING LEADERS LUKE GILLIAM

T

BY REBECCA TREON

hough he couldn’t have seen it coming, Luke Gilliam chose an unlikely time to start working in the events industry: He joined Visit Casper as a business development manager in January 2020, just at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic reaching the United States.

“The learning curve was very different than it would normally have been because as you’re reaching out to people, the first conversation you’re having is centered around what safety protocols will make them feel comfortable instead of what their group may need,” he said. “But one of the things we pride ourselves on as a smaller city in Wyoming is the relationships we have within the city, the county, our community partners; and because of that, every group, regardless of size, will have the best possible trip that is catered to their needs.”

Gilliam grew up in Austin, Texas, and went to Colorado Christian University in Denver on a basketball scholarship. Unlike many of his peers in the tourism world, Gilliam didn’t toil away in hospitality jobs. Instead, he studied communication and leadership application, a major that allows many students to segue into nonprofit or philanthropic work, public service or business uses.

“I knew very deeply that I wanted to help people accomplish something in a work role,” he said. “I really enjoy the opportunity to help people find experiences in different locations that they’ve never been before.”

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Gilliam met his wife while at Colorado Christian, where she was on the university’s women’s basketball team. With her teaching degree, she was offered a job in Casper, which also happened to be her hometown, and the couple decided that after spending their college years in a bustling city, they would like to put down roots in a small town.

One of the most important things he believes his role at Visit Casper has taught him to do and what he’d suggest anyone interested in working in tourism do is learn to appreciate all the aspects of a destination, even those that don’t naturally attract you.

“You have to find a respect or appreciation for reasons your town is unique,” he said. “It’s one way to learn about people that make up this world and share an experience with them.”

With an affinity for sports, Gilliam said he isn’t naturally drawn to the art scene but that if he hadn’t tried to get acquainted with Casper’s museums, galleries, and artists, he wouldn’t be able to do one of the key aspects of his job: introducing visitors to one of the things that makes the town so special. For Gilliam, this applies to every interest and arena: Understanding the importance of learning about what makes a person want to live in Casper has in turn created opportunities to share insider tips with visitors.

“People come to Wyoming to get away from the grind of big-city life and to be in the great outdoors,” said Gilliam. “We’re proud of our destination and the experiences we help create.”

EXECUTIVE PROFILE NAME Luke Gilliam TITLE Business Development Manager ORGANIZATION Visit Casper LOCATION Casper, Wyoming BIRTHPLACE Austin, Texas EDUCATION Bachelor’s degree in communication and leadership application from Colorado Christian University CAREER HISTORY Leadership development coach; joined Visit Casper in January 2020

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

TIPS FROM LUKE GILLIAM

• Utilize relationships: As a local CVB, we work very hard to build strong relationships with community stakeholders, unique businesses, hotels and attractions. Lean on these relationships.

• Dream big: Your local CVBs get excited about new ideas, so if your group has a bold idea, we would love to make that dream a reality.

LUKE GILLIAM ENJOYS A TRIP TO ESTES PARK, COLORADO, WITH HIS WIFE KAYLA.

• Make us better: Every CVB wants to be impressive and exciting. Your feedback helps us get there.

Whether you choose our destination or not, let us know what working with us was like.

COMING

2022

Excitement is building for our beautiful new hotel featuring 550 rooms and 60,000 square feet of meeting space.

To book your next meeting, call Dan Mies at 484.777.7928 or email at Daniel.Mies@windcreek.com

June 2021

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MANAGING

Just in Case

SMART RISK MANAGEMENT IS INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT FOR MEETING PLANNERS

C

BY JILL GLEESON

hances are if you hadn’t heard of event cancellation insurance before, you’re aware of it now.

A specific type of risk management insurance, event cancellation insurance covers organizations and event planners against the loss of revenue or committed expenses if an event is fully or partially canceled. And while loss from communicable disease was excluded from many event cancellation policies, before COVID-19 it was often possible to buy back this coverage for an additional premium. Organizations and event planners who did so are now reaping the benefits as underwriters pay out an unprecedented number of claims. Sometimes, as the saying goes, it is better to be safe than sorry.

Event cancellation has been on everyone’s mind recently. But it’s just one of the risks for which smart meeting planners plan. We spoke to three risk management experts to find out what’s changing in the field of event insurance and how meeting planners and associations should protect themselves moving forward.

“We’re looking at additional guidelines that we can implement. Even once people start meeting again in person, we’re still going to be keeping in mind physical distancing and protection and detection.”

MITIGATION FIRST There’s more to risk management for meeting planners than merely event cancellation insurance.

“Risk management from a meeting planning perspective is really taking a look and defining what all of those risks could be, preparing for the worst and doing what you can to avoid those risks and mitigate those in advance,” said London Docherty, the American Society of Association Executive (ASEA) manager of meeting operations and event experience.

To give a simple example, planners should begin by making sure the wires crossing the floor of the venue are taped down. They should do their due diligence and double check that motorcoach drivers have excellent driving records. And then once they’ve mitigated risk to the greatest extent possible, “of course it’s important having that insurance as extra coverage should something not go according to that plan,” Docherty said.

INSURANCE PROTECTION When their best laid plans do go awry, insurance meeting planners and associations will be relieved to have, among other types of insurance,

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London Docherty MANAGER, MEETING OPERATIONS AND EVENT EXPERIENCE

ASAE: The Center for Association Leadership Experience: 3 years

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

“Associations are saying to the hotels, We want to hold our meeting this summer or this fall, but we’re likely going to get 50[%], 60% of our typical attendance, and we’re going to get crushed by attrition penalties if you don’t waive those. That’s a significant financial liability risk for the association.”

professional liability insurance and property insurance. The former, also known as errors and omissions (E&O) insurance, protects against lawsuits brought for negligence because, in essence, work doesn’t meet a client’s standards. It covers issues like defamation and copyright infringement that could occur during the course of a meeting.

Property insurance “protects you if your property gets stolen, lost or damaged,” said Jeffrey S. Tenenbaum, managing partner at Tenenbaum Law Group PLLC. “In connection with events, I’d say that property insurance is as important as various types of liability insurance. If you’re an association that’s bringing a lot of property to events, you want to make sure you have good property insurance.”

And then there is commercial general liability coverage, also known as “slip and fall” insurance.

“It covers third-party injuries where, if someone, for example, were to fall down and get hurt during an event, they could sue the organizer,” said Seth Fleischer, business development professional at Aon Affinity | Affinity Nonprofits. “While the event venue might have their own liability coverage in place, they’re going to typically require anyone coming in and using their venue for an event to have their own liability insurance as well. Because it’s possible multiple people could get sued if something were to happen at the event.”

Just as the venue ensures that anyone using its space is insured with commercial general liability coverage, so should associations and planners make certain that exhibitors and vendors have it.

A certificate of insurance generally should provide all the proof needed, according to Tenenbaum. And as for the insurance itself, commercial general liability coverage will protect across the board against mishaps at meetings; no special liability insurance is needed. That holds true no matter what state the event is in, although, as Tenenbaum said, liability insurance has “a different construct for overseas events.”

Jeffrey Tenenbaum MANAGING PARTNER

Tenenbaum Law Group PLLC Experience: 25 years

June 2021

CONTRACTS Though, according to Tenenbaum, “it’s absolutely a best practice for every association to have all of the major forms of insurance,” he called contracts another important tool to protect against risk during an event. From hotels and convention centers to transportation vendors, caterers and more, associations and meeting planners should be trying to shift risk off to event partners contractually.

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MANAGING

“You want to say, ‘If we the association get sued because of your negligence, you’re going to indemnify us and step in and pay our legal fees and judgements against us,’” Tenenbaum said. “A lot of associations will require exhibitors or others to name the association as an additional insured on certain insurance policies. That’s another way to contractually help shift the risk to other parties.”

And then there is force majeure, a contract clause that Tenenbaum said “many people didn’t really pay close attention to in the past, but they most certainly are now. It’s the provision that helped hundreds of our clients get out of their conference contracts last year, because it states that if some unforeseen event happens that makes it illegal or impossible to hold the event, then either party can get out without penalty. We’re seeing a loosening of restrictions on large meetings, and so force majeure terminations are really not possible right now. But it’s also a provision that we’re seeing much more heavily negotiated.”

“About 10 years ago there was a volcano that erupted in Iceland, and the smoke disrupted European air travel. So we had some events that we insured where people couldn’t travel and there was reduced attendance.

We don’t specifically exclude volcano eruption in our policy, so it was covered.”

NEW CONSIDERATIONS Because event cancellation policies vary somewhat from insurer to insurer, it’s difficult to generalize about crisis coverage. However, thanks to the financial devastation wrought by the pandemic, “the optional buyback of the communicable disease exclusion is no longer available,” Fleischer said. “That’s just it across the entire market.” For those seeking protection against other kinds of risk, like adverse weather, labor disputes and terrorism, expect to pay rates higher than at any time since the September 11 attacks.

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, associations and meeting planners are scrambling to try to find ways to mitigate risk around the virus.

Tenenbaum said his practice is seeing an increasing number of associations mulling over imposing a mandatory vaccination requirement on meeting attendees.

Docherty said that ASAE might ask that meeting attendees expressly accept health risks in writing.

“We’re considering using liability waivers that participants would sign to make sure that they’re accepting their risk if they attend these in-person, face-to-face events again,” she said. “Making sure that all of this is communicated to attendees is going to be an important step for us to make sure that they’re aware of risks and we’re protected as well through that communication.”

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Seth Fleischer BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT PROFESSIONAL Aon Affinity | Affinity Nonprofits Experience: 20 years

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

IDEAS

Courtesy Powell Convention Center

NEWER AND NICER Convention center debuts and expansions offer attractive opportunities

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BY JILL GLEESON

year without in-person events hasn’t been a total loss for convention centers.

In cities around the country, convention centers have fought through the pandemic and stayed the course on longplanned construction and improvement projects that will make them even better hosts for meetings.

Boasting world-class design inside and out, the latest and greatest technology and top-notch catering, the following new and upgraded facilities promise to host meeting attendees in style.

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ROLAND E. POWELL CONVENTION CENTER

OCEAN CITY, MARYLAND With the debut of its 30,000-square-foot exhibition hall in January 2022, the Roland E. Powell Convention Center will finally wrap up its massive, much-anticipated three-phase expansion. The hall will join the center’s 19,000-square-foot Bayfront Ballroom, which opened in 2012 as Phase I of the project, and Phase II’s 1,200-seat performing arts center, completed at the end of 2014. Hall C will connect to two existing halls, and in total, the three will offer 75,000 square feet of exhibit and meeting space.

According to Regina Brittingham, convention sales manager for the center, the new hall will provide theater-style seating for approximately 3,400, seating in rounds for 1,550 and room for 154 10-by10-foot booths. Other Phase III improvements to the convention center include an upgraded sound system across the facility, a new box office and a business center with staff able to fulfill client needs such as large-scale print jobs.

“While many facilities could offer similar square footage, few offer the serene and spectacular bay

Above: Ocean City’s Roland E. Powell Convention Center will have a new 30,000-square-foot exhibition hall in January.

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

views such as those along our bayfront galleria leading you to the entrance of Hall C,” Brittingham said.

“We are a full-service convention center, including our own in-house CVB, and would be happy to assist in planning your convention with a view. Who doesn’t want to conduct business or compete while staying at the beach?” ocmdconventioncenter.com

“While many facilities could offer similar square footage, few offer the serene and spectacular bay views such as those along our bayfront galleria.”

— Regina Brittingham, Roland E. Powell Convention Center

BROOKFIELD CONFERENCE CENTER

BROOKFIELD, WISCONSIN No matter what kind of space you need for your next meeting, chances are the Brookfield Conference Center, which opened in July 2020, can provide it.

“It’s 54,000 square feet in its entirety, but we really built it with the most flexibility in mind for our potential users and guests,” said Nancy Justman, president/CEO of Visit Brookfield. “So our two ballrooms can break into several different configurations of space, and we also built our hallways and our main atrium, as well as an outdoor area, for flexibility.”

The result of a partnership between Visit Brookfield and the city of Brookfield, the conference center features the 18,000-square-foot Connect Ballroom, which can accommodate 1,200 attendees for a seated meal or 1,800 theater style. The 6,000-square-foot Collaborate Ballroom can host 450 for a seated meal or 600 theater style. Celebration Plaza offers 9,000 square feet of clear-span outdoor space with carefully designed landscaping and conversation areas, and the Celebration

Courtesy Brookfield Conference Center

June 2021

Scenes from the new Brookfield Conference Center, clockwise from left: A boardroom with a view; a well-lit walkway; an outdoor event space

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IDEAS

Atrium, with floor-to-ceiling windows and original artwork, adds 8,000 square feet of elegant reception space.

Advanced audiovisual, Wi-Fi and table linens are complimentary at the Brookfield Convention Center, and in-house catering is also available. The facility connects to the 168-room Hilton Garden Inn via a glass walkway, providing another 1,680 square feet of event space and an additional meeting room.

There are 389 more sleeping rooms within walking distance of the center. brookfieldconferencecenter.com

MUSKEGON’S NEWLY OPENED VANDYK MORTGAGE CONVENTION CENTER

VANDYK MORTGAGE CONVENTION CENTER

MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN Muskegon, Michigan’s just-opened VanDyk Mortgage Convention Center has much to recommend it, and that includes a stunning site overlooking Muskegon Lake, a large port on the eastern shoreline of Lake Michigan. The 55,000-square-foot facility also connects to the recently renovated, 200-room Delta Courtesy VanDyk Mortgage Convention Center

Boise’s Best. At its Centre.

Centrally located in the heart of vibrant downtown Boise, the recently expanded Boise Centre has a variety of customizable meeting spaces, modern amenities, exceptional culinary services and a friendly and dedicated staff ready to make your next event an unforgettable experience. Explore Idaho’s premier convention center for yourself.

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• Centralized, downtown location • Only seven minutes from Boise airport • Over 23 direct flights to and from Boise • Closely surrounded by more than 100 restaurants • Over 1,300 hotel rooms within walking distance • Close to outdoor recreation, including the The Boise Greenbelt

LEARN MORE: boisecentre.com

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

Hotels Muskegon Convention Center, which offers 10,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, and the Mercy Health Arena, newly revamped as well.

The convention center’s downtown location means “you can walk outside, and restaurants and breweries are right there,” said Bob Lukens, director of Visit Muskegon. “Muskegon is a former Rust Belt city that’s changed immensely just in the past five years. There’s been huge growth downtown, so there are plenty of different, unique spaces for after-hours events.”

Inside the VanDyk Mortgage Convention Center, planners will find a 16,550-square-foot ballroom, 8,100 square feet of prefunction space overlooking Lake Muskegon, 3,050 square feet of adjacent meeting space, up to 13 breakout rooms and what Lukens calls a state-of-the-art audiovisual system. Catering will be provided by the Delta by Marriott, which is owned and operated by the same group that owns the convention center. Should planners require extra space, the Shoreline Inn, across the street, provides another 140 guest rooms and 5,000 square feet of meeting space. visitmuskegon.org/convention-center

THE GRAND ENTRY AT VANDYK MORTGAGE CONVENTION CENTER

Courtesy VanDyk Mortgage Convention Center

June 2021

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IDEAS

GREATER FORT LAUDERDALE/ BROWARD COUNTY CONVENTION CENTER

A WATERFRONT VIEW AT THE NEWLY EXPANDED GREATER FORT LAUDERDALE/BROWARD COUNTY CONVENTION CENTER

FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA Meeting planners can look forward to the opening of the new exhibit hall in the Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center come late fall of this year. Part of a $1 billion expansion that kicked off in February 2020, the hall will provide a whopping 350,000 square feet of contiguous exhibit space. But that’s just part of the project, which, when completed in 2025, will offer a 1.2-millionsquare-foot facility, twice the size of the current one.

That will include an additional 50,000 square feet of flexible meeting space and a new 65,000-squarefoot waterfront ballroom; all, like the exhibit hall, are equipped with high-speed Wi-Fi connections and cutting-edge audiovisual technology. But most exciting might be the new outdoor waterfront plaza that “will provide not only spaces for outdoor entertainment and recreation, but open-air options for conference breaks and even breakout meetings,” said Ed

Courtesy Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward Co. CC

WELCOME BACK TO THE FOX CITIES. 20

FOX CITIES EXHIBITION CENTER

Contact Amy Rivera at arivera@foxcities.org to plan your original event.

FoxCities.org/originals

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

Simon, executive vice president of Visit Lauderdale.

“Our waterfront location provides the perfect opportunity for immediate access to our waterways, including our public water taxi and yacht charters,” Simon said. “Groups will have the option of hosting luncheons or cocktails receptions on yachts that pick up attendees right from the convention center, a perfect introduction to meeting in the Yachting Capital of the World.” sunny.org

SHELBYVILLE CONFERENCE AND WELCOME CENTER

Shelbyville, Kentucky Perched deep in the heart of horse country and less than an hour from Lexington and Louisville, Kentucky, the Shelbyville Conference and Welcome Center offers small-town Southern charm as well as a unique design that pays homage to the area’s equine heritage. Outside, “three historic silos act as visual centerpieces,” said Chenelle McGee, president and CEO of ShelbyKY Tourism, while inside, “the

THE NEW OUTDOOR PLAZA AT THE GREATER FORT LAUDERDALE/BROWARD COUNTY CONVENTION CENTER Courtesy Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward Co. CC

TH E M O U N TA I N S A RE CAL L ING

June 2021

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IDEAS

combination of woods and leather symbolizes Shelby County's designation as the American Saddlebred Capital of the World.”

The 16,000-square-foot facility, which will open September 1, includes a 6,800-square-foot banquet hall that can seat 450 banquet style, 680 theatre style and 300 crescent style. Or the space can be broken up into three equal-size rooms of 2,200 square feet, with the exterior chamber able to be split again into two smaller meeting areas of 1,100 square feet each. A prefunction area adds another 2,400 square feet of space.

With a location in the center of downtown, the Shelbyville Conference and Welcome Center is conveniently situated within five miles of five hotels. It also boasts a dedicated trolley available for pickups from hotels and/or excursions throughout the county, including, as McGee said, “agritourism, bourbon distillery tours or shopping at the only designer outlet mall in Kentucky. The trolley is a unique extension of the tourism and conference center offerings.” visitshelbyky.com/conference-center

NOW BOOKING 2021 and Beyond!

Missy Eppley | Sales Manager

• • • •

In-person ... fully universal Remote ... or Hybrid meetings Innovative meeting solutions for greater safety and efficiency Full sanitizing before, during, and post-event protocols Welcoming, safe downtown restaurants, shops, and sites

THE SHELBYVILLE CONFERENCE AND WELCOME CENTER OPENING IN SEPTEMBER

DOWNTOWN FORT WAYNE, INDIANA | grandwayne.com | 260.426.4100 • • • • •

WHAT YOU’LL LOVE ABOUT THIS PLACE:

225,000 sf. of beautifully appointed space • 18 carpeted, fully equipped event rooms 4500 theatre; 3100 banquet; 2900 classroom • 3 adjacent hotels with garage parking Easier event planning & guest navigation • In-house AV and Catering In-house event and guest experience managers 60+ walkable restaurants, boutiques, and riverfront parks >> Save up to 15% versus comparable cities!

The Midwest’s Favorite Drive-To Destination!

Easy by Air via FWA

#yourGrandWaynestory 22

Courtesy Shelbyville Conference and Welcome Center

@GrandWayneCC www.smallmarketmeetings.com

ON THE

t u o k o o L

Chattanooga’s high-tech downtown sits on the banks of the beautiful Tennessee River.

Courtesy Chattanooga Tourism Co.

CITY

Chattanooga is big on technology and scenery

C

BY TOM ADKINSON

hattanooga is sitting pretty: It’s halfway between the major convention cities of Nashville and Atlanta, happy with its size, surrounded by nature and practically humming with high-tech capabilities. Meeting planners have much to work with here in a city that’s easy to navigate and fun to explore.

CHATTANOOGA AT A GLANCE

LOCATION: Southeast Tennessee ACCESS: Interstates 75 and 24, Chattanooga Airport HOTEL ROOMS: Approximately 10,000 in Hamilton County CONTACT INFO: Chattanooga Tourism Co. 800-322-3344 visitchattanooga.com CHATTANOOGA CONVENTION CENTER

BUILT: 1985 EXHIBIT SPACE: 185,000 square feet, with 100,000 square feet of clear span exhibit space OTHER MEETING SPACES: 21 meeting rooms and 6 ballrooms MEETING HOTELS

Marriott Downtown (connected to convention center) GUEST ROOMS: 343 MEETING SPACE: 9,862 square feet Westin Chattanooga GUEST ROOMS: 259 MEETING SPACE: 15,308 square feet WHO’S MEETING IN CHATTANOOGA

Volkswagen Dealers Association ATTENDEES: 2,000 American Association of Woodturners ATTENDEES: 1,200 FreightWaves LIVE ATTENDEES: 1,500-2,000 International Association of Black Professional Firefighters ATTENDEES: 60

June 2021

25

Destination Highlights

DISTINCTIVE VENUES

Tennessee Aquarium

I

t’s difficult to beat the combination of attributes that Chattanooga possesses. Its mix of history, natural beauty and modern innovation have made it highly popular for meetings, business growth and leisure visitation. It occupies the sweeping Moccasin Bend in the Tennessee River. Lookout Mountain is one of several famous ridges around the city, and the Appalachian Mountains are off to the east. Smart municipal decisions have earned it the nickname Gig City.

In 2010, Chattanooga became the first city in the U.S. to build a communitywide fiberoptic network to deliver 1-gigabit internet speeds to every home and business within a 600-square-mile area, according to Marissa Bell, public relations manager for the Chattanooga Tourism Co. It upped the ante to a 10-gigabit speed in 2015. Along the way, it became the first midsize city to establish an innovation district. This downtown zone aims to be the driver of the city’s 21st-century economy, and meetings get the benefit of the resulting restaurants, hotels, coffee shops, public art and parks. There’s even a free electric shuttle system available to all.

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

Courtesy Tennessee Aquarium

Distinctive Venues

T

Hunter Museum of American Art

DESTINATION HIGHLIGHTS Courtesy Chattanooga Tourism Co.

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he Tennessee Aquarium isn’t just an aquarium. It’s two massive aquariums — one telling the story of rainwater’s descent from the mountains into the Tennessee River and onward and a second telling the story of the oceans’ inhabitants — plus an Imax theater. There are spaces for presentations, receptions and banquets, all with the added bonus of perhaps encountering a river otter, a jellyfish or a penguin.

Totally different yet similarly captivating is the Bessie Smith Cultural Center on the revitalized MLK Boulevard. The Bessie honors the city’s African American culture with an emphasis on Bessie Smith, “The Empress of the Blues.” Spaces include the Vilma Fields Atrium, which can hold 175 people for a reception and 104 for a banquet; the Bessie Smith Performance Hall, which can hold 400 people for a reception and 240 for a banquet; and an expansive terrace that can accommodate a 1,000-person event.

Groups that want to go the museum route might consider these two diverse choices: The Hunter Museum of Art crowns a bluff over the Tennessee River, offering great views of the river, the Walnut Street Bridge and the North Shore neighborhood. The permanent collection explores American art from the 1700s forward, and there is an appealing outdoor sculpture garden. A different focus — playtime — drives the Creative Discovery Museum, a children’s museum that offers fun activities for adults after the kids leave.

The Turnbull Building honors Chattanooga’s industrial past through an adaptive reuse of what once was the Turnbull Cone and Machine Co. It is on the National Register of Historic Places and has 10,000 square feet of high-ceilinged space on two floors of a historic warehouse loft.

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

Major Meeting Spaces

AFTER HOURS

Ruby Falls

W

hen you need lots of space, turn to the 185,000-square-foot Chattanooga Convention Center. That total includes 100,000 square feet of clear-span exhibit space, six ballrooms and 21 meeting rooms. It is attached to the 343-room Chattanooga Marriott, which has 9,862 square feet of meeting space. The convention center area features almost 1,500 additional first-class hotel rooms, and the city’s free electric shuttles help groups glide around town.

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga can put some sports flair into a meeting. The UTC Moccasins are the big users of Finley Stadium, but the Stadium Club is appealing to groups outside of football weekends. Its 4,000 square feet are adaptable for classroom setups, receptions, banquets or theater-style presentations. If you have a really big crowd or the need to stage a major entertainment production, McKenzie Arena, the university’s basketball venue, seats 12,000.

The Signal, which the Chattanooga Tourism Co. calls “an industrial chic warehouse-style venue,” offers a very non-hotel atmosphere for trade show and conference use. It has 11,830 square feet and can handle 800 people theater-style, 500 for banquets or 700 for classroom-style events.

Two more downtown hotels have space worth examining. The 259-room Westin Chattanooga has 15,308 square feet of meeting space, and the Chattanoogan Hotel in Hilton’s Curio Collection has 23,336 square feet.

Courtesy Ruby Falls

After the Meeting

I

MAJOR MEETING SPACES

Chattanooga Convention Center

By Matthew Mendenhall

June 2021

f ever there were a city with incentives to stay and play after a meeting, it’s Chattanooga. Three of America’s most famous visitor attractions draw people to Lookout Mountain to see the fanciful gardens of Rock City; the underground novelty of Ruby Falls, a 145-foot waterfall inside a massive mountain cave; and the seemingly near-vertical pitch of the Incline Railway, which marked 125 years of gliding up and down the mountain in 2020.

A relaxing after-meeting activity is strolling through the Bluff View Art District near the Hunter Museum. This quiet neighborhood is atop a bluff overlooking the river, and it comes complete with a sculpture walk, a coffee shop, a bakery and shops. You can cover more distance on foot or on a bicycle along the 16.1-mile Chattanooga Riverwalk or on the Walnut Street Bridge, one of the world’s longest pedestrian bridges. Its eye-catching blue trusses are a photographic favorite.

Real adventure is only an hour away on the Ocoee River, where the Tennessee Valley Authority regulates water flow for some of the most exciting whitewater rafting in the eastern U.S. Yet another way to enjoy time on the water is much more placid: kayaking or paddleboarding right through the city. More extreme adventure is nearby at the Lookout Mountain Flight Park, where brave souls can learn to hang glide while the simply curious can marvel at people who willingly run off the side of a mountain.

“Our area’s outdoor recreation possibilities are especially appealing to meeting attendees who can tag on an extra day,” said White of the Chattanooga Travel Co. “It’s all right here.”

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TOWN

g n i h t a e r B m o o R IN BRANDYWINE VALLEY

BY KATHERINE TANDY BROWN

L

ocated between the sprawling metropolitan areas of New York City and Washington, D.C., and west of Philadelphia, Chester County, Pennsylvania, provides welcome rural relief amongst the lush Brandywine Valley’s winding, woodsy backroads; through its historic inns and covered bridges; along its beer, wine and spirits trails; and in its spectacular gardens.

“The Greater Philadelphia region is known as America’s Garden Capital, with over 30 public gardens,” said Courtney Babcock, director of sales for the Chester County Conference and Visitors Bureau. “Ten of those are in Chester County.”

Three distinctive downtown areas highlight the county: the boroughs of Kennett Square, West Chester and Phoenixville. All are known for rustic, small-town appeal, cobblestone streets and striking storefronts.

Nicknamed the Mushroom Capital of the World, Kennett Square is surrounded by farmland but is not quite country, with 500-plus historically protected buildings built between 1875 and 1924.

Boasting awards from the Trust for Historic Preservation and Main Street America, fast-growing West Chester is home to quaint buildings circa 1789 that cozy up next to cutting-edge boutiques, award-winning restaurants and bars known for splashy nightlife.

On the Schuylkill River, the one-time steel town of Phoenixville is all repurposed architecture, sought-after antiques, artsy galleries, vintage clothing, funky vibes, river adventures and a restored 1903 theater showing classic, cult and feature films.

Chester County offers more than 50 meeting venues for groups of 10 to 300 people. New options continue to pop up.

Lovingly restored, the 150-year-old Loch Aerie Mansion, 6,552 square feet of Romanesque artistry, has an ample choice of event spaces, plus an elegant new ballroom that accommodates up to 250 guests. A new contemporary space, 430 West, brings an industrial-chic, open-air event option to the table with an al fresco courtyard.

The 229-room Embassy Suites recently completed a $12 million renovation of its entire property, a prime location for small conferences and retreats in its 5,000-square-foot meeting space. The county CVB can keep planners abreast of everything that’s new.

“We are a planner’s best resource to enhance a meeting,” Babcock said. “For example, as an incentive through the rest of 2021, each new meeting or event booked in a Chester County lodging property with 25 or more room nights will receive a $500 signing bonus.”

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All photos courtesy Chester Co. CVB

LOCK AERIE MANSION

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

Meeting Spaces

GROUPS CAN MEET SURROUNDED BY STUNNING GREENERY AND TOWERING FOUNTAINS AT LONGWOOD GARDENS IN BRANDYWINE VALLEY.

Chester County’s largest event and conference center, the 195-room Desmond Malvern, a Doubletree by Hilton, offers 26,000 square feet of meeting space. Its awning-covered outdoor dining deck seats 150, and the glass-ceilinged conservatory can accommodate 60 guests. Amenities include a walking/jogging trail and a pickleball court.

Tucked in the woods, the property specializes in culinary teambuilding.

Themes include a mystery basket cookoff and an hors d’oeuvre-making challenge followed by a cocktail party.

“What sets us apart is the way we go above and beyond service-wise thanks to the longevity of our employees,” said Kim Mullen, marketing director. “Attendees want to come back here just to hang out.”

Off-Site Venues

BRANDYWINE VALLEY PENNSYLVANIA LOCATION

Dedicated to the history of rotor flight, the American Helicopter Museum and Education Center features a spacious gallery where 350 attendees can gather among helicopters such as the iconic Bell 13 featured in the opening scene from “M.A.S.H.” “You’re in a massive two-story industrial building surrounded by three dozen helicopters that span from an early model made in Sikorsky’s garage to the latest and greatest,” said Paul Kahan, executive director. A docent-led tour can be added.

Built in 1882 on the banks of French Creek, architecturally stunning Phoenixville Foundry’s industrial exterior belies a sophisticated and elegant interior with space for up to 500.

Southeastern Pennsylvania, between New York and Washington, D.C.

ACCESS

Interstate 95 to U.S. Highway 1, SEPTA commuter rail, Amtrak, Philadelphia International Airport

MAJOR MEETING SPACES

Desmond Malvern, a Doubletree by Hilton; Sheraton Great Valley; Embassy Suites by Hilton Philadelphia Valley Forge; Mendenhall Inn

HOTEL ROOMS 4,000

OFF-SITE VENUES

Phoenixville Foundry; American Helicopter Museum and Education Center; Conference Center at Penn State Great Valley; Faunbrook Bed and Breakfast; Malvern Retreat House; 430 West; Loch Aerie Mansion; Inn at White Wing

CONTACT INFO

Chester County Conference and Visitors Bureau 484-770-8550 brandywinevalley.com

June 2021

PHOENIXVILLE FOUNDRY

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y e l l a V e n i w y d n Bra TOWN

Corporate Retreats

Discover world-renowned Longwood Gardens

A circa 1860 Victorian inn in the Brandywine Valley, Faunbrook Bed and Breakfast has seven guest rooms. Two suites have fireplaces. Function spaces include the inn, the porch and a tented patio that is illuminated at night.

“Faunbrook is ideal for a corporate retreat because it doesn’t feel corporate,” said owner Lori Zytkowicz, owner. “Our two wooded acres are a peaceful retreat setting.”

With roots in the Underground Railroad, the 70-guest-room Inn at Mendenhall has 25,000 square feet of flexible space. Two ballrooms can accommodate 650. If walls could talk, the inn’s upscale, historic restaurant and friendly tavern would have many tales to tell.

Area Attractions

Meet & Stay

Explore & Play

Discover a charming destination nestled in the southeastern corner of Pennsylvania, just 40 minutes from Center City

One of the world’s premier horticultural display gardens, 1,077-acre Longwood Gardens features 20 indoor and 20 outdoor gardens with 5,000 types of plants, as well as the country’s most significant fountain collection. Built in 1919, its gorgeous conservatory is considered one of the world’s great greenhouses.

Honoring the artistry of the beloved Wyeth family, the Brandywine Museum of Art hugs the banks of the Brandywine River and features paintings

by N.C., Andrew and Jamie Wyeth; the museum offers studio tours.

The county’s Brandywine Valley is home to historic Chaddsford Winery. Up to 30 attendees can enjoy a guided tasting in its newly renovated, 100-year-old farm cottage with a tented brick patio.

Philadelphia and the International Airport. Chester County’s Brandywine Valley is an ideal location for board retreats,

CHADDSFORD WINERY

regional meetings and conferences for groups of 25-250.

New Meetings and Events booked in a Chester County lodging property with 25 or more room nights through December 2021 will receive a $500 signing bonus.

EXPLORE VENUES BrandywineValley.com/Meetings

For planning assistance, contact: Courtney Babcock, Director of Sales Chester County Conference & Visitors Bureau (484) 840-7213 30 MeetinCC Courtney@BrandywineValley.com |

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

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

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

WITH SMALL MARKET MEETINGS

OXFORD, MISSISSIPPI JULY 12-15, 2021 Join us in Oxford, home of the University of Mississippi, also known as Ole Miss, this July. Touted as the “Cultural Mecca of the South” creativity abounds as musicians artists and many notable authors including William Faulkner, John Grisham, Larry Brown and Barry Hannah have made the city their home.

Oxford has many venues that can host meetings of all sizes. Whether corporate retreats, trainings or small conferences, there are facilities in Oxford that can accommodate you and your group’s needs.

Registration deadline is June 1st.

smallmarketmeetings.com/oxford-fam

AIKEN, SOUTH CAROLINA OCTOBER 26-29, 2021 Join us in Aiken, South Carolina for a 3-night site inspection where we’ll showcase the city’s lodging accommodations, historic and modern meeting spaces and treat you to a polo match. Aiken exudes pure Southern charm with its rich equestrian history, majestic live oaks, beautifully landscaped gardens and massive estate homes dating back to the 1800s.

Located only 20 miles from Augusta, Georgia, Aiken is the perfect destination for your next board meeting, small conference or incentive meeting.

Registration deadline is September 1st.

smallmarketmeetings.com/aiken-fam

If you have any questions, please contact Kelly Tyner at:

June 2021

866-356-5128

KELLY@SMALLMARKETMEETINGS.COM

31

HOTEL

A Royale Resort

S

BY KRISTY ALPERT

andwiched between the Atlantic Ocean and the Isle of Wight Bay, the 4.5-square-mile barrier island of Ocean City has been a relaxing escape since the Algonquian tribes first arrive to the sandy shores for fishing and soaking in the Maryland sunshine. Today, the island includes a roughly 10mile stretch of beachfront property, but it’s about halfway through the island where many visitors find their perfect spot in the sand.

The Princess Royale Oceanfront Resort is the largest beachfront property in Ocean City. There, more than 30,000 square feet of convention space provides a fantastic setting for hosting memorable gatherings with room to roam and reconnect along the Atlantic shoreline. The resort is in a prime location on the island, close to the boardwalk but just far enough away to allow a crowd-free, relaxing experience on the beach. Each of the 300 one-to-three-bedroom suites and condo-style accommodations features a spacious living area with a sleeper sofa, a full kitchenette and a private balcony.

Water is a main feature of this oceanfront resort, both inside and outside its towering walls. Guests can dive into the Olympic-size, indoor, heated atrium pool that acts as a tropical oasis with four-story glass windows that look out on the ocean beyond. An indoor arcade and hot tub round out the pool deck at the Princess Royale, where guests can order tropical drinks and light gourmet fare direct to their chaise lounge chairs. The resort is best known for its signature crab cakes at its oceanfront steakhouse Schooners, but kids and adults alike enjoy the homespun ice cream flavors from Maryland’s own Chesapeake Bay Farms Ice Cream at Ice Tiki on the East Lawn.

Meeting guests can take advantage of everything the resort offers, from an on-site spa and fitness center to electric bike rentals to cruise up and down Highway 1 before or after meetings. Every day is an adventure at the Princess Royale, where on-site meeting professionals work alongside planners to ensure that events are inspired and engaging, from small, intensive work sessions to major corporate summits.

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Photos courtesy Princess Royale Oceanfront Resort

A PRINCESS ROYALE BALLROOM

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

M E E T I N G S PAC E S There are 12 different meeting options within the Princess Royale Oceanfront Resort’s venues. Each of the two ballrooms can be divided into five sections for breakout sessions and dining options; the Palmetto Ballroom’s 10-foot ceilings provide an elevated ambiance for up to 400 guests, and the Caribe Ballroom’s direct access to the Exhibit Hall offers optimum meeting flow for up to 400 guests. The four-story Atrium, for up to 250 guests, is located poolside and offers views of the Atlantic Ocean, and the East Lawn provides an al fresco option for those wishing to break free from the traditional four-wall setting for events and meetings.

C AT E R I N G The culinary team at the Princess Royale Oceanfront Resort has decades of experience catering for all types of events. The team can customize a menu to meet the dietary needs of any group. Menus take an experiential twist at the resort, where meals can be served cafe style on the East Lawn. Outdoor favorites include displays of vegetable crudité and passed hors d’oeuvres and crab cakes. In the banquet rooms, groups can opt for such wide-ranging four-course wine-tasting dinner options as chicken cordon bleu, beef tenderloin of beef and lightly breaded and baked eggplant parmesan. Alcohol is available.

E N T E R TA I N M E N T Guests at the Princess Royale Oceanfront Resort can take advantage of on-site grocery service, which delivers fresh produce and pantry staples directly to guest rooms. During events, the resort provides a complimentary green-screen photo booth for some in-house fun; younger meeting guests can have fun anytime during their stay at Finn’s Cove Kids Activities Center. Parking at the resort is complimentary, and the on-site shopping boutique makes it easy to never have to leave the resort to find locally made products and must-have beach staples like sunscreen, lotions and beach supplies.

MANY OF THE 300 SUITES AT OCEAN CITY’S PRINCESS ROYALE OCEANFRONT RESORT OVERLOOK THE BEACH.

HOTEL FACTS

to your meeting .

ADD SOME MEMORIES

BRING YOUR EVENT TO OCEAN CITY, MD. •

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

•

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

•

Up to 400 guests

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

•

17 nearby golf courses

ACCESS

•

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

LOCATION

Ocean City, Maryland

SIZE

300 suites

MEETING CAPACITY

20 minutes from Ocean City Municipal Airport

CONTACT INFO 800-476-9253 princessroyale.com

Visit OCMDCONVENTIONCENTER.COM or call 1.800.OC.OCEAN.

OCO-2021-26881 Small Marketing Meetings-June_5x4.5.indd 1

June 2021

5/3/21 2:52 PM

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THE PECHANGA RESORT CASINO IN TEMECULA OVERLOOKS A 27-HOLE GOLF COURSE.

I

Meetdieng Gui

Courtesy Visit Temecula Valley

BY PAULA AVEN GLADYCH

n California, the suburbs are the place to be — and to meet.

Meeting planners hosting events in the Golden State are always attracted to the state’s most populous cities because of their tourist attractions, waterfront locations and full-service meeting hotels and spaces. But there are many smaller towns within driving distance of these larger cities that have distinctive offerings for visitors and meeting planners.

Here are a few California exurbs of San Diego, San Francisco and Los Angeles that are close enough to enjoy what those cities have to offer but are easier on the budget.

34

Sunny in the Suburbs

TEMECULA

Temecula is about an hour’s drive from Orange County, Palm Springs and San Diego and is a stone’s throw from nearly 50 wineries, many with both lodging and event spaces.

Group wine tours are available by bicycle, horseback or traditional San Francisco cable car. Groups interested in teambuilding should participate in Bottaia Winery’s wine-blending lab, where attendees don disposable lab coats and mix their own special private-label wines to take home. The Temecula Valley has plenty of lodging options, from traditional branded hotels with meeting space to villas, casitas and bungalows that overlook the vineyards. The Pechanga Resort Casino and the Temecula Creek Inn, which overlooks a 27-hole golf course, are wonderful local options for groups.

Planners can book a reception by the pool at Bottaia Winery or the Cove, Pechanga’s pool complex and restaurant. The Galway Downs Equestrian Center hosts meetings and events on hundreds of acres in wine country. In their free time, meeting attendees can participate in Yoga in the Pines, tour a lavender farm where they can learn how oils are extracted from the plant, or visit the Oil Plantation and learn about the production of olive oil. visittemeculavalley.com

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

BURBANK

Burbank is in the Los Angeles metropolitan area, tucked behind the famous Hollywood sign. Considered the media capital of the world, Burbank is home to Warner Brothers Studios, Universal Studios Hollywood, Disney Studios, the Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon, Netflix Animation and the CW, among others. It is also next door to the Los Angeles Zoo. With 600 shops and restaurants downtown, Burbank is a popular destination in its own right, but it is also close enough to Los Angeles for visitors to make the city their base as they explore the region.

Groups wanting to host events in the area can stay at any of the city’s 18 hotels, including the Courtyard by Marriott Los Angeles Burbank Airport, which has 46,000 square feet of event space, and the Holiday Inn Burbank-Media Center, which has 30,000 square feet of event space.

Add a bit of movie fun to a conference by hosting a reception or event on the back lots at Warner Brothers Studios, or plan a picnic on the lawn at Calamigos Los Angeles, a ranch that sits on 75 acres in Griffith Park. Calamigos also has indoor ballrooms and several other event spaces. The Castaway restaurant has amazing views of the Los Angeles skyline from its nine indoor and outdoor dining spaces, which can accommodate 50 to 550 people for a banquet and up to 1,000 people for a reception. visitburbank.com

DISNEY ANIMATION STUDIOS IN BURBANK

Courtesy Visit Burbank

OXNARD

About 53 miles from Los Angeles, Oxnard is one of the best kept secrets on the Pacific coast. Unlike L.A., Oxnard is not crowded. It has seven miles of white sand beaches and is the closest access point to the biologically diverse Channel Islands National Park. One of the largest sea caves in the world is off the shore of Oxnard, and the city has one-third of California’s kelp forests, which makes it popular for scuba diving, sailing, parasailing, kayaking and other watersports.

Visitors to the area like to tour the Mullen Automotive Museum, which was founded by a billionaire with a love of fancy French cars. It also is a premier destination for weddings and events. Oxnard Levity Live/Copper Blues, a comedy club and music venue that hosts big-name acts like Adam Sandler and David Spade, also rents space for groups of up to 350 people.

The Scarlett Belle, a paddle-wheel riverboat, takes groups of up to 150 guests on dinner cruises around the Channel Islands Harbor or can be rented out for corporate events like casino nights, dance parties or Mandalay Bay cruises. The Oxnard Performing Arts Center can host larger groups in its 12,464 square feet of event space and 2,147 square feet of meeting space that can hold groups of 45 to 700 theater style.

The Embassy Suites by Hilton Mandalay Beach Resort has 250 guest rooms and 13,150 square feet of event space right on the beach. visitoxnard.com

OXNARD’S HERITAGE SQUARE

Courtesy Steel Cut Productions

June 2021

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Meetieng Guid

BERKELEY

THE CRYSTAL BALLROOM AT BERKELEY’S HOTEL SHATTUCK PLAZA

Courtesy Visit Berkeley

BENICIA YACHT CLUB

Known for its hippie past, Berkeley is a laid-back university town that considers itself a major food mecca. The city, a 15-minute BART ride from downtown San Francisco, has about 350 restaurants within its 18 square miles.

Thousands of visitors flock to the area every year to tour the University of California Berkeley campus, but the city is also known for the free speech movement that got its start on Telegraph Avenue in the 1960s. Meeting groups can stay at the DoubleTree Berkeley Marina Hotel, right on the water, which has great views of San Francisco and 22,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting spaces; Hotel Shattuck Plaza downtown, which is right next to the BART station and offers 8,000 square feet of meeting space; or the Julia Morgan-designed Berkeley City Club, an opulent hotel with 7,500 square feet of meeting space that is reminiscent of Morgan’s most famous architectural wonder, Hearst Castle.

The new 329-room Marriott Residence Inn Berkeley opens in September 2021 with 13,000 square feet of meeting space.

A popular off-site venue got its start as a movie house in 1917.

The newly renovated UC Theatre Taube Family Music Hall is now a 1,350-seat, three-tiered concert hall that is available for private events. During their free time, groups should stroll through the UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley, which has the largest collection of plants and flowers in North America, or visit Tilden Regional Park, which has a botanical garden, a lake and plenty of natural areas to explore. visitberkeley.com

BENICIA

A hidden gem in the Bay Area, Benicia is a waterfront town that is an easy drive from San Francisco, Napa Valley, San Jose and Silicon Valley. The city’s historic downtown is full of locally owned boutique shops and restaurants. Founded in 1847, Benicia is rumored to have sparked the California gold rush. Someone inadvertently let slip at a Benicia tavern that gold had been discovered at Sutter’s Mill, and the rest is history. The town became a major way station for gold seekers on their way to the Sierras.

The city also served as California’s capital from 1853 to 1854 before it was permanently moved to Sacramento. Groups can tour Benicia Capitol State Historic Park, to see the old capitol or spend some quality outdoor time in Benicia State Recreation Area, which offers 563 acres of pristine natural areas for hiking and biking. The Best Western Plus Heritage Inn and the Holiday Inn Express are the largest hotels in the city, but three smaller boutique hotels offer themed rooms and a more intimate lodging experience for smaller groups.

Courtesy City of Benicia

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www.smallmarketmeetings.com

Meeting spaces are available at the Benicia Yacht Club or the Bella Siena Restaurant. The Benicia Historical Museum, which is in the city’s historic arsenal building, has both indoor and outdoor event spaces that can accommodate up to 300 people. The historic Clock Tower, which was also part of the former arsenal, can hold 536 people for a banquet. escapebythebay.com

the people

MAKE THE SPACE

Meeting groups can stay at the Julia Morgan-designed Berkeley City Club, an opulent hotel with 7,500 square feet of meeting space that is reminiscent of Morgan’s most famous architectural wonder, Hearst Castle.

THE HISTORIC BENICIA CLOCK TOWER

A destination becomes the ultimate experience when people come together in a space surrounded by choice and opportunity. Being in the heart of sunny Southern California comes with many benefits, including the ultimate backdrop fit for fun and inspiration. All you need to bring is an adventurous disposition, and we’ll take care of the rest.

ONTARIO CONVENTION CENTER OFFERS: • 225,000 sq. ft. – 70,000 sq. ft. column free exhibit space • Over 6,000 hotel rooms – 2,500 within walking distance •

2 miles from International Airport – 28 nonstop destinations

•

Award winning Culinary team

•

Excellent Guest Services

GOcvb.org/meet | 800.455.5755

By Kellen Young, courtesy Visit Benicia

June 2021

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Kansas Quaint

K

Meetdieng Gui

Hays got its start because of Fort Hays, an Army fort that was built to protect railroad workers and give them a place to replenish their supplies. But it’s also known for its large German population

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Courtesy Visit Hays

BY PAULA AVEN GLADYCH

ansas’ small towns have some big personality.

From infamous Wild West towns to frontier Army forts that protected settlers and the railroad during Western expansion, small-town Kansas has much to offer meeting planners trying to escape the hubbub of the state’s largest cities. Here are a few smaller Kansas towns that are not only rich in history, but also have vibrant downtowns and plenty of unique meeting spaces to choose from.

HAYS

THE STRAND EVENT CENTER IN HAYS BEGAN ITS LIFE AS A MOVIE HOUSE IN THE EARLY 1900S.

that emigrated from the Volga region of Russia in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Groups planning events in the area will want to make a point of touring the historic fort or the historic German churches of Ellis County, including the Basilica of St. Fidelis, known as the Cathedral of the Plains, named a minor basilica by the pope.

Fort Hays State University has many meeting options for groups, including a ballroom in the Memorial Union that can seat up to 500 people for a banquet and the Gross Memorial Coliseum, which can seat 6,814 and has an additional 1,400 square feet for seating on the floor. The Hilton Garden Inn and Convention Center, which opened in October 2020, has 100 guest rooms and 7,800 square feet of meeting space that can hold groups of up to 500 people.

For something different, groups can host an event in the Strand Event Center, a historic movie house from the early 1900s that was recently renovated into an event venue. The Fox Theatre downtown is undergoing a major renovation and will soon host concerts and live performances, as well as private events. Hays has 1,130 hotel rooms. visithays.com

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EMPORIA

Emporia was the first dry town in the country, banning alcohol 61 years before Prohibition became the rule of law in the 1920s. The city is in the Flint Hills, so is within easy driving distance of the Flint Hills National Scenic Byway and the Flint Hills Quilt Trail. The small town has gained notoriety as a bicycle-friendly destination, playing host to La Grind, the world’s premier gravel riding event that draws 4,000 cyclists and 10,000 visitors annually from 40 different countries. It also is considered the Disc Golf Capital of the World. Both sports are responsible for a big part of the city’s year-round tourism.

Emporia is halfway between Wichita and Kansas City and 45 minutes from Topeka, which makes it an attractive location for regional groups pulling attendees from across the state. The city’s other claim to fame is it is the only community in Kansas that has a winery, a brewery, and a distillery, which make for a trifecta of off-site receptions and tastings. The largest meeting spaces are at Emporia State University. The university’s Memorial Union has a lecture hall and a ballroom; each can accommodate 1,000 people. Downtown, the historic 1930s Grenada Theatre was recently restored to its former grandeur and can accommodate groups of up to 800 people.

The Anderson Building at Emporia’s fairgrounds can host 800 people, and the Clint Boyer Community Building can host groups of 300 people. For smaller events, planners should explore the Emporia Arts Center, the Gufler Mansion and the Twin Rivers Winery. visitemporia.com

GARDEN CITY

Known as the Wichita of Western Kansas, Garden City gained notoriety because of its connection to two notorious murders.

Groups hosting events in the city can learn more about Garden City’s true crime past by visiting the Finney County Historical Museum, which documents the life and crimes of the Fleagle Gang, bank robbers whose founding members grew up in Garden City.

The gang robbed a bank in Lamar, Colorado, killing four people during the heist. The Clutter family murders, which were famously documented by Truman Capote in his book “In Cold Blood,” happened in a rural area about 17 miles outside Garden City.

Two area hotels can accommodate larger meeting groups: The Clarion Inn has 109 guest rooms and meeting space for up to 400 people, and Sleep Inn and Suites has a small conference center attached that can host groups of up to 152 guests for a banquet. To get outside the hotel ballroom, planners can host an event at the Lee Richardson Zoo, which has a lecture hall and a conference room that can host groups of up to 110 people. Outside events are held on the west lawn inside the zoo. Attendees can meet the zookeepers and get a close-up view of some of the zoo’s inhabitants as part of their event.

Groups that want to get out into nature should take a truckpulled wagon tour of the Sandsage Bison Range, home to one of the oldest buffalo herds in Kansas, or plan an event at the Parrot Cove Water Park with its indoor waterslides and lazy river. visitgck.com

EMPORIA STATE UNIVERSITY Courtesy Visit Emporia

GARDEN CITY’S WINDSOR HOTEL

Courtesy Finney Co. CVB

June 2021

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Meetieng Guid

LEAVENWORTH

Leavenworth grew up around Fort Leavenworth, an Army outpost in Kansas that has operated since 1827. Groups planning meetings in the area can sample locally grown wines and international cuisine, tour the fort itself or visit four museums in the area, including the Frontier Army Museum, which details the Army’s role in the area from the time of Lewis and Clark to 1917, and the Richard Allen Cultural Center and Museum, which is dedicated to telling the stories of African Americans both locally and nationally.

About a 15-minute drive from the Kansas City International Airport, Leavenworth has plenty of choices in meeting venues, both on the base and in town.

The Frontier Conference Center on Fort Leavenworth can accommodate groups of up to 500 people for formal events, banquets or corporate meetings. Meeting on base does require attendees to apply for daily entrance passes. The J.W. Crancer Building in downtown is a historic event center that can host groups of up to 300 people. June’s Northland is a 5,000-square-foot event venue that can accommodate up to 225 guests with a dance floor and a full-service bar. Meeting spaces also are available on the campus of the University of St. Mary, a small, private Catholic university in the city. Leavenworth has 421-plus hotel rooms in town, including at the Holiday Inn Express Hoge Hall on Fort Leavenworth. visitleavenworthks.com

SALINA

Home to Kansas Wesleyan University and Kansas State University Polytechnic, Salina is a college town with a vibrant arts community. The former mill town has experienced a major resurgence in the past couple of years, with numerous boutique shops and a wide range of dining options popping up throughout the city center. Meeting planners wanting to plan events in the city have some great full-service hotel options as well as a host of unique venues to choose from. All told, Salina has about 2,000 guest rooms and more than 100,000 square feet of meeting space.

The Hilton Garden Inn near the Kansas State campus has 10,000 square feet of meeting space and 96 guest rooms. The meeting space can be divided into five rooms with a large preconvention area. Tony’s Pizza Events Center is the largest meeting venue in the city, with 40,000 square feet of space. The arena can hold 7,000 people and is a good location for large trade shows, rodeos and concerts.

The Rolling Hills Zoo is the newest zoo in Kansas and not only makes a great place for groups to visit but is also an unusual venue for off-site dinners or receptions. For groups that want to get attendees outdoors for team building, the Webster Conference Center offers ropes courses and meeting spaces. Bel Tree Farm is a wonderful off-site location for a picnic or a reception. The venue will bring in barbecue, and groups of up to 200 people can enjoy the beauty of the Christmas tree farm while playing outdoor games. salinakansas.org

KANSAS

MEET US IN THE MIDDLE Meet Kansas 40

meetkansas.com www.smallmarketmeetings.com

Kansas On Exhibit

M

Meetdieng Gui

Manhattan In Kansas’ beautiful Flint Hills, the Flint Hills Discovery Center is a science and technology center as well as a museum with exhibits.

It focuses on the natural environment, plants and people that have

June 2021

Courtesy KS Tourism

BY PAULA AVEN GLADYCH

useums in Kansas aren’t dusty, dull or boring: They are vibrant, interactive facilities that use the latest technologies to engage visitors of all ages in their stories and discoveries.

The Sunflower State is brimming with firstclass museums that not only rent out space for meetings and events, but also work hard to engage attendees in ways museums of the past never could accomplish.

FLINT HILLS DISCOVERY CENTER

THE FLINT HILLS DISCOVERY CENTER IN MANHATTAN CAN HOST UP TO 400 ATTENDEES FOR EVENTS.

called the Flint Hills home. The building’s design was inspired by natural elements in the Flint Hills. The stone on the outside and interior of the building was quarried in the area. The metal railing going up the staircase looks like the waving grass of the tallgrass prairie, and even the terrazzo floor was inspired by a river running through the hills.

Larger groups that want to meet at the discovery center can hold receptions in the exhibit space or rent out the entire facility for after-hours banquets or receptions of up to 400 people. Each floor can have food and drink stations.

Smaller groups can hold board meetings or retreats during the day in the center’s small meeting room and classroom space. Those spaces can hold up to 30 people. The private meeting rooms are just off the rooftop terrace, so attendees can get some fresh air without mingling with the museum’s daily visitors. All events there allow attendees to wander and explore the museum’s many exhibits, including the 4D “Tides of Time” film in the theater that talks about the Flint Hills’ unique and underappreciated ecosystem. flinthillsdiscovery.org

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Meetieng Guid

DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER LIBRARY, MUSEUM AND BOYHOOD HOME

THE GRAVESITE AT ABILENE’S EISENHOWER LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Courtesy Eisenhower Library and Museum

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Abilene The Dwight D. Eisenhower Library and Museum documents the early life and career of one of the United States’ most storied presidents. The museum underwent a major renovation and reopened in fall 2019 with 25,000 square feet of new exhibits. Using the latest in interactive technologies, visitors will learn about Eisenhower’s childhood growing up in Abilene, his marriage to Mamie Doud, his time in the Army as a five-star general and his presidential legacy.

It also details the military decisions he made during World War II. The new exhibits place more emphasis on Mamie’s role in the partnership and use the couple’s own words to emphasize different parts of their life stories. President Eisenhower, Mamie Doud Eisenhower and their first-born son, Doud Dwight, are interred at the Place of Meditation across from the Eisenhower home.

Groups that want to rent space in the library can expect to have a full museum experience as part of their event. The glass-covered Library Courtyard is the facility’s premier event space for up to 300 people theater style. The room is carpeted and has a beautiful crystal chandelier that hangs two stories above the space. Other spaces include the Library Auditorium, which is wonderful for lectures or presentations, and the Visitors Center Auditorium, which can host 250 people theater style.

The staff at the museum can arrange rental packages that include tours of the museum and Ike’s boyhood home or other Abilene attractions. eisenhowerlibrary.gov

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STRATACA UNDERGROUND SALT MUSEUM

Hutchinson Opened in 2007, Strataca is 650 feet below the earth’s surface and is the only place in the world where visitors can tour that far underground. The museum is housed in tunnels that were mined during the 1930s through 1950s. Many of the artifacts on display at the museum were left there by the miners, including personal artifacts and heavy mining equipment.

Groups can take a train or shuttle ride through two different sections of the underground mine. They also can tour the museum, which includes famous movie memorabilia on loan from Underground Vaults and Storage, a private company that stores items in the mine tunnels. The temperature in the mine perfectly preserves all kinds of artifacts, including Hollywood movies, costumes and medical records. A large underground event space gives meeting planners a truly original banquet or meeting experience for up to 250 guests.

“It is bigger than people expect,” said Holly Leiker, director of national sales and sports events for Visit Hutch. “The ceilings are super high, and there is a ton of space. It is not claustrophobic. It is taller and bigger than in a typical hotel ballroom banquet room.”

It takes 90 seconds to get down to the event space on the double-decker hoist elevator, which holds 30 people. And although hard hats are required in the museum exhibits, meeting attendees can remove them in the event center. underkansas.org SmallMarketMeetings December.qxp_Layout 1 11/17/20 3:01 PM Page 1

BOOT HILL MUSEUM

Dodge City Learn the myths, tales and legends of some of Dodge City’s most notorious gunfighters, outlaws and marshals that called the city home during the late 1800s to early 1900s at Boot Hill Museum.

Built on the site of the original Boot Hill Cemetery, the museum displays more than 20,000 artifacts in more than 30 exhibits that tell the stories of Kansas’ early settlers; the Native Americans who called the area home; lawmen like Bat Masterson, Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday; the expansion of the railroad; and the booming cattle industry. It recently opened nine new interactive exhibits and the Mariah Gallery, a new 3,000-square-foot exhibit space that can host groups of up to 175 people. Union Church can hold up to 70 people.

The Front Street exhibit is a replica of Dodge City’s original main thoroughfare, with saloons, a drugstore, dry goods, and clothing and hardware stores. Behind the storefronts is one large building full of exhibits that can be rented out for meetings or events. The museum offers its own catering and also allows outside catering. The Long Branch Saloon and the Occident Saloon have sound systems, and the Mariah Gallery has a high-quality screen and projector that can be used in any of the museum’s meeting spaces.

Many planners like to set up food stations near different Front Street exhibits, like a dessert station by the guns or appetizers by the jail, allowing attendees to enjoy the history and exhibits while savoring a variety of cuisine and beverages. boothill.org

Manhattan MEET IN

Our conference center expansion

continues to make Manhattan the

#1

walkable meeting destination in Kansas

Oh Manhattan !

VISITMANHATTANKS.ORG

June 2021

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