Small Market Meetings October 2020

MEETINGS AT RETREAT CENTERS | AKRON, OHIO | ILLINOIS MEETING GUIDE OCTOBER 2020

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ON THE COVER: The L’Auberge de Sedona Creekhouse deck offers coffee breaks beneath open skies. Courtesy L’Auberge de Sedona.

INSIDE VOLUME 21 | ISSUE 9

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IDEAS Retreat Centers

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CITY Akron, Ohio

HOTEL L’Auberge de Sedona

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MEETING GUIDE Illinois

D E PA R T M E N T S

6 INSIGHTS 8 CONFERENCE Meetings French Lick with Masks

prepares for Small Market Meetings Conference

12 MANAGING Changing

demographics, changing dynamics

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

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INSIGHTS WITH VICKIE MITCHELL

MEETING IN PERSON?

F

ace masks have become a part of daily life, and that includes meetings.

Until a vaccine for the novel coronavirus is available and a good number of people are vaccinated, masks, combined with frequent hand-washing and social distancing, are all we’ve got to prevent the spread of the respiratory virus.

Taking a proactive approach to wearing masks reduces the possibility that your in-person meeting or gathering will become the source of an outbreak. But because few of us, save health care pros, are used to wearing masks, it can feel a bit odd and uncomfortable. Over time, masks have become more ingrained, but still, we all need nudges, reminders and positive reinforcement.

We all hope that when the pandemic ends, we’ll be able to put our masks away and dispatch with social distancing. In the meantime, here are some ideas about how to make masks a social norm at your events.

Put masks on the agenda

We look forward to seeing you, in a mask.

From the start, conference messaging, from emails and mailings to social media and videos, can communicate mask requirements. In most cases, you’ll be adhering to another entity’s mandate, such as a mask requirement set by the city or the state where your meeting is being held. As of August, the country’s largest 100 cities were either under a state mandate or had their own, and 34 states had mask requirements. Many venues, especially meeting facilities, will have their own safety guidelines. Learn about the required mandates in your meeting location, then relay that information to attendees so norms are clearly established at the outset. And there is no reason that you can’t add some fun to it. A quick video of staff or your board wearing their favorite masks can be a way of saying, “We look forward to seeing you.” A cleverly illustrated email could show items to pack — toothbrush, underwear, hand sanitizer and a couple of face masks — to make the point that a face mask is like wearing underwear: You need to wear a clean one every day.

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Signs, signs, everywhere signs.

It might seem silly to have signs posted about the importance of wearing a mask and washing hands, but we all need reminders, and repetition can help us develop healthy habits. Think about how well that worked with the antismoking campaign. A number of organizations have created free online resources for organizations like yours to use to promote masks. The American Hospital Association’s #MaskUp campaign — aha.org/wearamask — offers downloadable graphics like signs, tweets and public service announcements. You can use these in your meeting space as well as in conference materials. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has a COVID-19 toolkit with videos, public service announcements, checklists and social media messages on its website: cdc.gov. Some states and cities also offer online resources. California’s mask campaign includes social media content in multiple languages. Zenefits.org, a private company that supplies information to small businesses, has free 8.5-by-11-inch mask reminder signs free to download on its website.

Be a good model.

Modeling is elementary to human development: Children model their parents; teens model their idols; and as adults, we tend to model those around us, especially those we view as our leaders and admired peers. When the company CEO or the nonprofit’s executive director stands before an audience and wears a mask, it reinforces the value and importance of everyone’s doing the same. A quick Zoom discussion with board and staff before the meeting or conference can drive home the point they need to adhere to mask protocol so attendees will be compelled to do the same.

Monitor and kindly remind.

Until masks become more the norm, it’s wise to have staff cruise hallways and meeting rooms, gently reminding people to pull their masks up over their nose or point out that masks left dangling on an ear or around a neck aren’t protecting anyone. The best approaches are those that don't make people feel defensive or ostracized, so avoid demanding or condemning tones and words. Instead of “should,” try “please don’t forget to...” or “could I remind you to…” or “thank you for … .” There may be a few people who have legitimate reasons for not wearing masks; it will be up to your leadership to decide how to determine legitimacy and address these cases. Most medical professionals agree there are few health risks in wearing a mask, which is one reason some airlines now make no exceptions to the mask-wearing rule.

October 2020

Forgot your mask?

No worries, we gotcha.

Undoubtedly, some attendees will arrive without masks, and that opens the door to opportunity. Instead of the usual swag, present everyone with a COVID-19 safety bundle: a mask, hand sanitizer and a package of tissues.

Add a label that points out that masks and hand sanitizing are proven to slow the virus’s spread. You can also make these masks a plug for your company or association. Crestline, Vistaprint and many other companies, online and off, can produce personalized face masks, adding a company slogan or logo to a plain fabric mask in your corporate color. Vistaprint has an online system that allows you to provide a design or have them create a design for you. Another option is to have a mask design competition for art students and award prizes, like small scholarships or online courses, to the winner. Or have your employees’ children create a design based on what they think their parent does at work. At the least, have a supply of disposable three-ply masks on hand to give to those without a mask. Purchased in packages of 50 or more from national retailers like Office Depot, they cost about 30 cents apiece.

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SMALL MARKET

MEETINGS CONFERENCE

SMALL MARKET MEETINGS CONFERENCE IS UNDERWAY IN FRENCH LICK

A

t press time, delegates will be preparing to attend the 2020 Small Market Meetings Conference in French Lick, Indiana, at the historic French Lick Resort.

Unlike many other meeting planning gatherings this year, Small Market Meetings will be held in-person, onsite, at the venerable southern Indiana resort.

HISTORIC FRENCH LICK RESORT MASKED DELEGATES IN MARKETPLACE

HOSPITALITY PROTOCOLS IN FRENCH LICK

“Holding in-person meetings right now is not impossible,” said conference partner Charlie Presley, whose Group Travel Family staff manages the annual event. “What it takes is a great venue like we have in the French Lick Resort, and delegates who are willing to commit to practicing safe, sensible meeting procedures. It’s an attitude, really, and we have dozens of delegates coming who share our attitude that face-to-face meetings matter today more than ever.”

The resort successfully managed a similar conference in August for Presley and his partner, Mac Lacy, when 175 delegates gathered in French Lick for the combined Select Traveler/Going On Faith Conference. The French Lick Resort’s attention to safety procedures made the event possible.

All hotel guests were given friendly temperature checks daily and issued “all clear” wrist bands for use while in the property.

BY MAC LACY

Hand sanitizing stations, spacious seating for meals, and business appointment protocols using eight-foot tables with plexiglass sneeze guards all set delegates’ minds at ease throughout their stays.

French Lick Resort’s vice president of resort operations and sales, Joe Vezzoso, was personally present during most of the conference to oversee all preparations by his staff and to assure that delegates felt well cared for. The end result was a superb three days that allowed many travel industry delegates to gather face-to-face confidently for the first time in six months.

Small Market Meetings Conference partner Herb Sparrow plans to greet many meeting attendees at the airport himself.

“We are going to make sure that every attendee knows how much we appreciate their time and attendance,” he said. “I want to personally welcome them to the Louisville airport and make sure they get on their shuttles safely and comfortably.

America’s meetings industry cannot place too much value on hospitality right now.

We must all overcome this health crisis and bring our meetings industry back as soon as possible” That’s an attitude shared across America by meeting planners, meeting attendees, hotel and hospitality employees, convention and visitors bureaus staffs and others who are committed to restoring the country’s travel, hotel and restaurant industries as quickly and as safely as possible.

Photos courtesy Visit French Lick-West Baden

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“You can walk out of your meeting at the convention center and walk a couple blocks to one of the historic homes Natchez is known for and take a tour there.”

MEETING LEADERS LYNSEY SMITH

L

BY REBECCA TREON

ynsey Smith was a frequent visitor to Natchez, Mississippi, in her younger years. She grew up playing sports and coming to Natchez frequently for weekend football games in high school.

“I’m originally from Vicksburg, which is about 70 miles north of Natchez, but I didn’t necessarily think anything about living in Natchez,” said Smith. She left home to study at Mississippi State University, where she earned a degree in biological science. “So, really nothing to do with tourism,” she said laughing. After college, she returned home and pursued a career in medical sales.

It was love that brought her to Natchez as an adult. Her significant other lived in Port Gibson, and Natchez was between her home and his.

“We started coming to Natchez on dates, and dinners turned into weekends here, and I just fell in love — with Natchez,” she said. She loved it so much, she relocated for a nontourism job but became active with the now defunct Natchez Downtown Development Association. It was a colleague there who tipped her off to the job opening at Visit Natchez and recommended she apply since she had such a passion for her new hometown. That was in 2013, and she’s been representing Natchez as the director of sales there ever since.

“I was obsessed with all things Natchez,” she said. “I’ve been with the CVB for seven years, and I just absolutely love it.”

Natchez retains its history and smalltown charm in part because it’s not as easy to get to as other would-be conference destinations. With the closest airport in Baton

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Rouge, Louisiana, Natchez attracts regional conferences. For example, a congress of mayors of towns along the Mississippi River gathered to celebrate the 300th anniversary of the town, which held special events around the event throughout 2016. Natchez typically gets regional conferences from around Mississippi and Louisiana.

“The good thing about Natchez is that literally everything that you want to see is walkable,” said Smith. “You can walk out of your meeting at the convention center and walk a couple blocks to one of the historic homes Natchez is known for and take a tour there.”

Local tour companies also provide an overview of the town using golf carts and horsedrawn carriages. The Natchez Trails provide ample walking options, and the entertainment district is full of local bars and restaurants.

Smith said the local hospitality and town pride are part of what makes Natchez so special.

“We would just go to dinner not knowing a soul, and we would just meet people,” she said.

The town’s locals are always looking to add something new and interesting to what’s already going on, she said. Many will simply strike up conversations and make personal recommendations.

That Southern hospitality is what Smith loves about what she does. She customizes meetings with activities tailored to a group’s needs, like having the local college’s band lead a parade bringing a group from their conference session to dinner.

“I feel like it was just all meant to be,” said Smith. “I fit in so great with the people down here, I mesh so well; our locals are so great and so proud of their town, and they want people to experience it.”

EXECUTIVE PROFILE NAME Lynsey Smith TITLE Director of Sales ORGANIZATION Visit Natchez LOCATION Natchez, Mississippi BIRTHPLACE Weatherford, Oklahoma EDUCATION Bachelor’s degree in biological sciences at Mississippi State University CAREER HISTORY Worked in medical sales before joining Visit Natchez in 2013

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TIPS FROM

LYNSEY SMITH • Rely on the local DMO for contacts and fun tips. We know who can offer one-of-a-kind experiences for your attendees.

• Inquire about a hospitality table at your event. Local partners are often available to set up with information they are happy to share with your members.

LYNSEY SMITH (THIRD FROM RIGHT) AND OTHER MISSISSIPPI MEETINGS COLLEAGUES REPRESENT THE STATE AT A RECENT INDUSTRY EVENT.

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MANAGING

Changing Dynamics

EVEN BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, THE MEETINGS INDUSTRY WAS MORPHING

A

BY JILL GLEESON

ll throughout the meetings industry, change is in the air, and it’s not just from COVID-19.

Even before the pandemic hit, meetings were morphing. Whether from millennial influence — after all, at 39, the leading edge of that age group is now heading companies — or because of larger, multigenerational trends, the industry has been changing in many ways. From a renewed passion for mixing business with leisure, recently dubbed “bleisure,” to a louder call for diversity and inclusion, attendees’ preferences have been altering how event planners organize meetings.

Want to ensure your events stay fresh and keep attendees coming back for more? Read on for some of the latest, greatest meeting trends.

On food and beverage: “For a while, everything was on a stick, like lollipop cakes.

I don’t know who sets these things, but it does seem like every year someone says, ‘This year everything is green.’”

BLEISURE PLEASURE Gone are the days when groups would head into the conference hotel en masse and stay there until it was time to get on a plane home. Instead, according to Beth Surmont, director of experience design for 360 Live Media, millennials have been tacking on an extra day at the beginning or end of the business trip so they can immerse themselves in the cities they’re visiting.

“People want to get out; they want to experience the location,” Surmont said. “That was a trend we were looking at as we determined where to place events because not everybody wants to keep going to San Francisco five times a year. When we get back to traveling, I would expect something very similar. I know I’m going to tack on an extra day when I have to go someplace, just to have the experience of being able to travel again.”

SINGULAR SPACES Millennials are known for thinking outside the box, but it’s not just Gen Y that’s getting tired of the same old meeting rooms. If they don’t need their laptops on hand, meeting-goers are yearning for more welcoming areas that allow them to connect with their fellow attendees.

“At one of our meetings, the hotel had a lot of flexibility,” said Krista LeZotte, associate director of meeting operations and special events for the American Society of Association Executives. “So

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Beth Surmont DIRECTOR OF EXPERIENCE DESIGN

360 Live Media Experience: 20 years

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On what millennials want: “They’re just getting us to think differently. And sometimes that's just something like the style of how it’s delivered, like the room setup. Instead of being OK with how we’ve done it before, millennials are asking, ‘How else can we do it?’ And I think that’s a positive influence.”

we brought in some of their foyer furniture and built out little pods within the room. People weren’t sitting at a table; they were sitting on a couch with another person or in a furniture grouping with five people. It depends on the demands of the meeting, but sometimes a unique setup helps with that goal of having people put down their device and really focus.”

HYBRIDIZATION HERE TO STAY The hybrid meeting, which is attended by people online as well as in person, was trending before the pandemic hit, and you can expect its popularity to continue after COVID-19 is long gone, said Cameron Curtis, president and CEO of the Association of Air Medical Services and the MedEvac Foundation International.

Able to engage broader audiences than a strictly in-person event, it can also help overcome space limitations and potentially increase revenue, although the logistics of planning this kind of meeting can be a challenge.

You can tip your hat to the latest generation of workers, which includes people as young as 24, for this trend, too.

“I think millennials, people who may not have the travel budget or work for an organization that can afford to pay for them to attend a meeting in person, are a big part of what’s driving this trend,” Curtis said.

TIME TO TAKE A BREATH

Krista LeZotte ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, MEETING OPERATIONS AND SPECIAL EVENTS

American Society of Association Executives Experience: 14 years

October 2020

Want to win over the people attending your meeting? Give them some time off during the day. And give them something fun to do, too.

“I’ve heard a lot of different things where planners are trying to build in a little bit more break time to allow people more time for reflection and networking,” LeZotte said. It doesn’t mean giving hourlong breaks, but just making sure there is time in between sessions.”

Curtis agreed, noting that wellness centers in the hall, be they meditation spaces or areas dedicated to yoga with goats, have become popular.

“Some meetings you can spend time with puppies,” she said. “They’re opportunities to step away to clear your mind and have some downtime.

FOOD AND BEVERAGE Whether it’s accommodating dietary restrictions or giving attendees the ability to make healthier choices, customization has become key in event food and beverage. Food trucks, which

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MANAGING

allow for a variety of options and were first popularized by millennials, “were a really big trend that was taking off,” said Curtis.

And just like in everyday life, their favored status could be lasting. “Think about giving a free lunch hour and gift cards,” Curtis said. “So you spend the same amount of money, but people can pick what they want.”

Or, you can go further and model eateries like Chipotle, “places where you can kind of co-create your meal,” said LeZotte. “I think people want that in their food and beverage at meetings, too. The trend right now is not having somebody say, this is what you’re getting, without adding too much cost or labor onto your food and beverage bill.”

Cameron Curtis

PRESIDENT AND CEO

Association of Air Medical Services and the MedEvac Foundation International Experience: 20 years

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On meeting size: “I think the size of meetings will become a little more intimate, which is not a bad thing. Sometimes, with getting the most people possible for meetings, you lose the personal interaction. With smaller groups, we’ll see more peer-to-peer learning and more interactive sessions. And people learn so much better that way.”

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION Just like in life, diversity and inclusion have been “a big hot button in the event space for several years,” Surmont said. “But just like we’re seeing in society with the social justice movement, every year there’s more and more and more. So, there has started to be a lot of intentionality around putting different types of speakers on the stage.”

Diversity in meetings is a trend that will, it is hoped, become a matter of course. It means not only adding speakers of different races, religions, cultural backgrounds, genders, sexual preferences and abilities, but also ensuring the meeting itself, including handouts and slides, is accessible to everyone. And, as LeZotte said, it’s also about being mindful you have a diverse pool of collaborators from preplanning on.

“I think it’s really just getting to know your attendees, your members, and not just dictating what you think they want,” LeZotte said, “but finding out what they do want and making that happen.”

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October 2020

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IDEAS

Courtesy Mount Madonna Center

MINDFUL MEETINGS These retreat centers make peaceful places for enlightened events

T

BY JILL GLEESON

he highlight of your next meeting may be a mediation session.

Known for their remote locations and scenic settings, retreat centers offer the best of two worlds: well-equipped spaces for meetings large to small, along with the kind of serenity that’s difficult to find almost anywhere else.

That’s because the best of them tend to be the result of a spiritual community’s decision to host conferences as a way of not only raising funds for their mission but also promoting personal growth.

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Whether they are based in Christian religions, Eastern philosophies or other faiths or ideologies, a wealth of retreats across the country welcome groups of all creeds, offering programs and facilities quite unlike conference hotels and convention centers.

MOUNT MADONNA CENTER

WATSONVILLE, CALIFORNIA Sure, Mount Madonna has typical meeting spaces, including a meeting hall capable of holding 500 with full audiovisual equipment and two breakout spaces, and the Orchard House, which can accommodate 30 people.

But those aren’t the only places groups can gather.

“The ambiance of this place is amazing,” said David Vishwamitra Prisk, director of guest services. “We’ve got a small lake that you can swim in and trails through 385 acres of redwood forest and meadow. We even have outdoor meeting areas, so even if you’re in a corporate meeting you can be outside overlooking the Monterey Bay.” Founded four decades ago as a community inspired by the teachings of master yogi Baba Hari Dass, the center can accommodate about 90 over-

Above: Retreat centers, such as Mount Madonna Center in California, offer serenity and mindfulness opportunities to meeting attendees.

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“There’s a calmness that’s different than if you’re going to a big resort. When you’re here, you’re focused on whatever it is that are the goals of your group.”

— Nancy Askins, Center of Renewal Retreat and Conference Center

night guests and features a Vedic temple where ceremonies of light are performed each morning and night. It also offers yoga and meditation programs to meeting-goers, which can bring great rewards.

“If you do yoga practices in the morning, you can go and meet your colleagues with a more concentrated mind,” Prisk said. “They provide you with an equanimity and way to ultimately achieve peace. And peace doesn’t mean inactivity. You’ll remain at peace through whatever your activity is. It provides a calmer, more concentrated mind, so you’ll be able to make better decisions.”

The center is currently closed due to COVID-19 but will reopen in February. mountmadonna.org

CENTER OF RENEWAL RETREAT AND CONFERENCE CENTER

STELLA NIAGARA, NEW YORK Tucked away on 100 acres, the Center of Renewal Retreat and Conference Center sits adjacent to 30 additional acres that once belonged to the Sisters of St. Francis, the order that sponsors it. The Niagara River runs along that property, and a century-old

Courtesy Mount Madonna Center

Courtesy Mount Madonna Center

October 2020

Courtesy Center of Renewal

Clockwise from left: a water garden at Mount Madonna Center; a Mount Madonna Center cabin; lakeside at Center of Renewal

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IDEAS chapel perches alongside the rushing water. It entices many meeting-goers to sit for a spell, letting the serenity found there soothe their stressed psyches.

It’s much the same throughout the rest of the center.

“People have a tendency to slow down while they’re here,” said the center’s executive director, Nancy Askins. “I used to work at hotels, so I have nothing against a resort environment, but that’s not who we are. At the end of the evening, we’re not going to gather around a bar to hang out. We have beautiful outside areas where people can go on walks. There’s a calmness that’s different than if you’re going to a big resort. When you’re here, you’re focused on whatever it is that are the goals of your group.”

The Center of Renewal has room for about 90 overnight guests. Meeting spaces include a large conference room that can seat 100, which is connected to a chapel meeting room able to accommodate 45.

Special programming can include workshops on various topics in workplace spirituality, organizational and leadership development and mission integration. stellaniagararetreats.org

“What we find is that the beauty of the land and spirit of the place helps people awaken up to their own wisdom. There’s both a peacefulness and a kind of wakefulness here that allows people to connect more deeply to themselves, each other and whatever they’re doing.”

— Faith Killough, Shambhala Mountain Center

Courtesy Center of Renewal

Clockwise from left: a shrine at Shambhala Mountain Center; a hedge maze at Center of Renewal; the Shambhala yoga studio

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By Karen O’Hern, courtesy Shambhala Mountain Center

By Karen O’Hern, courtesy Shambhala Mountain Center

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SHAMBHALA MOUNTAIN CENTER

RED FEATHER LAKES, COLORADO People come from far and wide to see the Great Stupa of Dharmakaya — and it’s no wonder. A traditional Tibetan Buddhist monument said to bring enlightenment, the stupa rises more than 100 feet from the valley in the Rocky Mountains that surrounds it. Awesome in the best sense of the word, the Great Stupa is perhaps the finest example of sacred Buddhist architecture in the country. But it’s not the only reason people flock to its home, the Shambhala Mountain Center.

Encompassing some 600 acres, the center welcomes meetings with lodging that can serve 400 in the summer with the addition of cabin tents and about 140 in the winter. Conference facilities range from the 1,600-square-foot Sacred Studies Hall, with room for 150, to the 600-square-foot Great Eastern Sun room, which provides seating for 45. Special programming options for groups include yoga and meditation instruction.

SHAMBHALA MOUNTAIN CENTER

By Karen O’Hern, courtesy Shambhala Mountain Center

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October 2020

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IDEAS

It all adds up to a special retreat, said Shambhala’s rental developer, Faith Killough. “What we find is that the beauty of the land and spirit of the place helps people awaken up to their own wisdom,” she said. “There’s both a peacefulness and a kind of wakefulness here that allows people to connect more deeply to themselves, each other and whatever they’re doing.”

The center is currently closed to most groups due to COVID-19 but will reopen in 2021. shambhalamountain.org

MERCY CONFERENCE AND RETREAT CENTER

ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI When meeting-goers first arrive at the Mercy Conference and Retreat Center, they immediately experience a sense of peace, according to executive director Dawn Stringfield.

“If a group needs someone to facilitate a strategic-planning session or a presentation on mindfulness, we also have the capacity to do that. That’s not something that most conference centers or corporate hotels do. In some respects, we’re like a spiritual hotel — and so much more.”

— Dawn Stringfield, Mercy Conference and Retreat Center

Courtesy Mercy Conference and Retreat Center

Clockwise from left: the scenic dining hall at Art of Living; the chapel at Mercy Conference and Retreat Center; an Art of Living yoga session

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Courtesy Art of Living Retreat Center

Courtesy Art of Living Retreat Center

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

That’s partly because of the tranquil nature of the center’s 72-acre campus, which is certified by the National Wildlife Federation as a nature refuge. The grounds offer a walking trail and an outdoor labyrinth, as well as a stained-glass chapel-in-the-round.

Capable of seating 300, it’s evidence of the Sisters of Mercy sponsorship of the center, which also accounts for the property’s halcyon feeling.

“There’s a different, spiritual element to this space,” Stringfield said. “We have programming more on the spiritual side, so there’s access to spiritual directors, and there’s some massage therapy, or healing touch resources, on-site. If a group needs someone to facilitate a strategic-planning session or a presentation on mindfulness, we also have the capacity to do that. That’s not something that most conference centers or corporate hotels do. In some respects, we’re like a spiritual hotel — and so much more.”

About 90 guests can lodge with the Mercy Conference and Retreat Center, which features five meeting rooms, including an auditorium with a 200-person capacity, and audiovisual equipment like a large screen and handheld and lavalier microphones. mercycenterstl.org

ART OF LIVING RETREAT CENTER

BOONE, NORTH CAROLINA Resting atop a remote summit in the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Art of Living Retreat Center provides conferences an excellent learning environment in a multitude of ways — and that includes the arrangement of the buildings themselves.

“It was designed on the principles of vastu shastra, the art of placement to enhance harmony,” said Kimberly Rossi, the center’s director of business development.

“The dynamic of it supports bonding, community and processing. And the center also fosters team spirit through bonfires, labyrinths, hiking trails, yoga classes and meditation. So the extracurricular activities support the meeting’s purpose, too.”

October 2020

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21

IDEAS

Retreats at the center can help heal mind, body and spirit thanks also to a spectacular wellness spa and a dining room that doesn’t serve meat or processed food. Instead of a heavy meal and alcohol, meeting-goers eat “clean” nutritious fare with the goal of “improving performance, communication and creativity,” Rossi said.

The Art of Living Retreat Center offers accommodations for as many as 1,000 and can seat double that in the 17,500-square-foot Main Hall, which also provides advanced audiovisuals. Four smaller halls each have room for 279 seated, and the 5,000-square-foot Shakti Hall can welcome 315 for a seated event.

The center is currently closed due to COVID-19 but will reopen in March. artoflivingretreatcenter.org

MERCY CONFERENCE AND RETREAT CENTER

Courtesy Mercy Conference and Retreat Center

“It was designed on the principles of vastu shastra, the art of placement to enhance harmony. The dynamic of it supports bonding, community and processing. And the center also fosters team spirit through bonfires, labyrinths, hiking trails, yoga classes and meditation. So the extracurricular activities support the meeting’s purpose, too.”

— Kimberly Rossi, Art of Living Retreat Center

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www.smallmarketmeetings.com

October 2020

23

d n a n w o T

COUNTRY

The nationally recognized Akron Art Museum sits adjacent to the city’s convention center.

All photos courtesy Akron/Summit CVB

CITY

Akron embraces urban amenities and woodland surroundings.

A

BY ELIZABETH HEY

kron, Ohio, sits at the intersection of city and wilderness.

Effortlessly cocooned by nature yet welcoming attendees with sophisticated amenities, Akron ranks as Ohio’s fifth-largest city.

The city is almost surrounded by the 33,000 acres of lush Cuyahoga Valley National Park, but it also features museums, restaurants and shopping. History abounds too. The city’s Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath Trail is a major gateway to the state’s only national park, where locals and visitors alike come to unwind and unplug.

AKRON AT A GLANCE

LOCATION: Northeast Ohio ACCESS: Akron-Canton Airport, Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, Ohio Turnpike, interstates 76 and 77 HOTEL ROOMS: 5,400 CONTACT INFO: Akron/Summit Convention and Visitors Bureau 800-245-4254 visitakron-summit.org JOHN S. KNIGHT CENTER

BUILT: 1994 EXHIBIT SPACE: 41,000 square feet OTHER MEETING SPACES: 13,000-square-foot rotunda, 18 meetings rooms with an additional 13,000 square feet MEETING HOTELS

Sheraton Suites GUEST ROOMS: 207 MEETING SPACE: 23,000 square feet Hilton Akron Fairlawn Hotel and Suites GUEST ROOMS: 235 MEETING SPACE: 14,000 square feet Hilton Garden Inn Akron GUEST ROOMS: 139 MEETING SPACE: 4,400 square feet WHO’S MEETING IN AKRON

Crain Communication’s International Tire and Exposition and Conference ATTENDEES: 1,500 Carter Lumber Management Meeting and Trade Show ATTENDEES: 800

October 2020

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Destination Highlights

DESTINATION HIGHLIGHTS

Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad

DESTINATION HIGHLIGHTS

Summit Artspace

F

or many years, Akron was known as the Rubber Capital of the World, and Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company still maintains a strong presence in town. The stately Stan Hywet Mansion, once home to one of Goodyear’s co-founders, is less than a 10-minute drive from downtown. As the city’s first and largest National Historic Landmark, it’s the nation’s sixth-largest historic home open to the public. Surrounded by lovely gardens, this architectural beauty is filled with treasures from around the globe.

The nationally recognized Akron Art Museum shares the block with the John S. Knight Convention Center.

The 5,000-object collection consists primarily of modern art. Outside, sculptures are interspersed among the terraced gardens, and flexible event spaces are rimmed by ornamental plantings and canopied by an elevated birch grove. Across the street, Summit Artspace hosts artists-in-residence and gallery space.

The Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath Trail follows the canal in many spots. The historic canal allowed boats to travel from Cleveland to Akron, which is higher in elevation. Akron’s stretch bisects the heart of downtown.

“Our trail has been used as a model for many communities around the country who are reclaiming their history,” said Jim Mahon, vice president of marketing and brand management for the Akron/Summit Convention and Visitors Bureau. “Lock 3 has a shell pavilion for concerts and an ice skating rink in winter. At Lock 4, there’s beautiful cascading water and an outdoor jazz stage.”

From the Akron station, attendees can hop aboard the wildly popular Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad. It’s the only passenger excursion train of its kind that goes through the heart of a U.S. national park. Excursions can include breakfast or dinner, or wine or beer tastings.

"We regularly engage artists and entertainers for events, and we like to showcase Akron’s talented individuals, whether that’s music, dance or a live painting by a local artist."

— Jim Mahon, Akron/Summit Convention and Visitors Bureau

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www.smallmarketmeetings.com

DESTINATION HIGHLIGHTS

Brandywine Falls

Major Meeting Spaces

I

n the heart of downtown, the lobby of the John S. Knight Convention Center features a stunning glass rotunda and spiral staircase, plus a newly opened rooftop patio. The 29,000-square-foot exhibition hall is adjacent to the 12,000-squarefoot ballroom, and there are an additional 18 meeting rooms. An inhouse culinary team provides buffets and sit-down dinners for up to 1,500 attendees. An enclosed skywalk connects to city parking.

Across from bustling Summit Mall, the 235-room Hilton Akron Fairlawn Hotel and Suites offers 14 meeting rooms, theater seating for up to 900 people and classroom capacity for 400 attendees. Inhouse catering accommodates up to 580 for banquets. Last year, this hotel was recognized as the longest continuously owned and operated independent franchise property in the history of Hilton.

The 139-room Hilton Garden Inn Akron is situated in the East End. This up-and-coming neighborhood served as the former heart of Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company’s world headquarters before it moved to its new campus. The property offers five meeting rooms and theater capacity for 375 attendees, plus classroom and banquet facilities. A complimentary shuttle transports guests within a fivemile radius of the hotel. Nearby, the 1,458-seat Goodyear Hall and Theater was recently renovated and offers 20,000 square feet of exhibit space.

Nestled along the Cuyahoga River with idyllic views, the Sheraton Suites Akron Cuyahoga Falls offers 207 suites, 14 meeting rooms and theater capacity for 500, as well as banquet and classroom facilities.

Jutting over the river and rapids and constructed primarily of glass, the signature restaurant, Beau’s on the River, affords stellar views.

MAJOR MEETING SPACES

October 2020

John S. Knight Convention Center

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Distinctive Venues

Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens

DISTINCTIVE VENUES

Akron Civic Theatre

DISTINCTIVE VENUES

U

nique spaces and access to the original gardens make the Stan Hywet Mansion an inspired choice. The manor house can host receptions for up to 200 guests, and the former 10-car garage and attached three-season tent can accommodate up to 125 attendees. A break in the day allows time for a complimentary self-guided tour and access to the conservatory, which contains a waterfall and fruit trees.

Four preferred caterers provide meals, while the property handles the bar.

The Akron Civic Theatre remains one of only five atmospheric theaters nationwide.

The ceiling’s clouds seem to move, and its stars twinkle when the house lights dim. The interior of the theater, built in 1929, resembles a Moorish castle. With the empty theater as the backdrop, the mainstage can be used for a sit-down dinner, a performance, a meeting or a classroom.

“We regularly engage artists and entertainers for events, and we like to showcase Akron’s talented individuals, whether that’s music, dance or a live painting by a local artist,” said Mahon.

Another nontraditional site nestled in the Cuyahoga Valley, Hale Farm and Village, lies between Akron and Cleveland. Clustered around the village green, buildings date to the mid-19th century. Events can be held in the 1850 Greek Revival Meetinghouse, in the newly renovated Gatehouse or on the picturesque grounds.

Excellent for strategic retreats and board meetings, the Designer’s Barn and Gardens was formerly the extraordinary home of the late Robert L. Hunker, an architectural, environmental, and industrial designer. Hunker remodeled the 1860s barn using heavy copper entry doors and stained-glass windows salvaged from his grandparents’ church. Located in the quaint town of Peninsula, about 20 minutes from downtown Akron, this venue is available for daytime retreats, meetings and overnight accommodations.

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Courtesy Alabama Theatre

Hale Farm

DISTINCTIVE VENUES

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

After the Meeting

S

everal noteworthy trails have been developed by the Akron/Summit CVB. According to Mahon, the trails present Akron’s hospitality partners in a way that makes it easy for visitors to enjoy their time in the city.

The Summit Brew Path, with 25 stops, became Ohio’s second official trail. New Again Akron, the second self-guided trail, features vintage and reclaimed shopping. Launched last fall, the Drip Drive highlights coffeehouses, some in historic buildings.

“Many of the stops have the most outrageously delicious food, such as Lock 15 Brewing Company,” said Mahon. “And one must-see boutique is called the Bomb Shelter. It sells everything vintage, including clothing, hardware, furniture and photography equipment.”

On more than 800 acres, the Blossom Music Center is the area’s premier destination for outdoor concerts, including the summer series of the Cleveland Orchestra. After massive renovations, this venue holds more than 19,000 people with 5,700 seats under the pavilion and another 13,500 spaces on the lawn. The complex includes a restaurant, an art gallery, outstanding gardens and picnic areas.

Meeting attendees who visit the Akron Zoo will find nearly 1,000 animals on more than 35 acres. Planners can arrange events there too, such as picnics in an outdoor pavilion, cocktail receptions at the Lehner Family Zoo Gardens and parties in Komodo Kingdom. VIP animal experiences feature feedings and behind-the-scenes tours with penguins, lions, grizzly bears, ocean creatures and numerous animal ambassadors.

AFTER HOURS

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29

TOWN

s n e Ath

IN AMERICA

BY TOM ADKINSON

T

wo figures are inextricably tied to Athens, Georgia: One is a true Greek goddess, and the other is a jowly bulldog with a countenance only a mother could love.

The goddess, of course, is Athena, the city’s namesake, and the dog is Uga, the mascot of everything University of Georgia. They are from different universes, but they coexist quite well in this city of 130,000 people northeast of Atlanta that is the home of the University of Georgia, a hotbed of alternative rock music, a destination for craft beer lovers and a favorite of meeting planners.

You can see Athena, or at least a statue of her, at the Classic Center, which is the city’s multifaceted convention center, and you can see images of Uga just about everywhere you look in one of America’s most appealing college towns.

In normal years, Uga is an honored guest on the sidelines of Sanford Stadium for Georgia Bulldogs football games. The stadium capacity of 92,746 almost equals the city’s headcount.

As you might expect, there’s a youthful, vibrant vibe to Athens. The university, the first state-chartered public university in the nation, has been pumping out graduates since 1804, and today’s students generate an academic atmosphere complemented by a multitude of music clubs, bars and restaurants.

The music scene in Athens has been rocking for decades. Bands that sprouted roots here include R.E.M., the B-52s, Widespread Panic and Drive-By Truckers.

“You can enjoy live music every night of the week at spots all around downtown, which is very convenient to the Classic Center,” said Nick Arnold, sales manager for the Athens Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Many meeting attendees do exactly that because the Classic Center occupies some prime real estate within walking distance of more than 1,700 hotel rooms. The 190-room Hyatt Place, is attached to the convention center, and others, such as a Hilton Garden Inn, a Homewood Suites, a Springhill Suites, the Hotel Indigo-Athens and the Graduate Athens, are close by.

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STATE BOTANICAL GARDEN OF GEORGIA

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Meeting Space

THE ATHENS CLASSIC CENTER WAS CONSTRUCTED IN 1912.

A piece of city history anchors the Classic Center. It is Fire Hall Number 1, which was incorporated into the design after citizens objected to initial convention center plans that would have razed the structure, built in 1912.

Components of the Classic Center are numerous and substantial. It offers 105,000 square feet of space, including 56,000 square feet of exhibit space; a 2,100-seat performing arts theater; and a covered outdoor pavilion suitable for concerts, seated meals and marketplaces. Construction is to start in 2021 on a 5,000-seat concert-ready arena.

For an on-campus meeting experience, the University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education and Hotel is in the heart of things. It has 38,000 square feet of meeting space, 22 conference rooms and 200 guest rooms.

Getaways

Photos courtesy Athens CVB

ATHENS GEORGIA

As you might expect in a history-steeped college town, Athens offers a range of off-site venues. Among the most popular is the State Botanical Gardens of Georgia, where a stunning conservatory complements an array of horticultural highlights. The Morton Theatre is a vaudeville-era classic that has had many lives. Performers included Duke Ellington, Ma Rainey and Cab Calloway. It went dark for years but is now restored and available for banquets, receptions and other events. Its auditorium seats 544.

Two more venues with stories to tell are the Taylor-Grady House, built in 1834, and the Athens Cotton Press. The Taylor-Grady House can accommodate up to 350 for indoor-outdoor events, 150 for indoor receptions and 65 for indoor dinners. The Athens Cotton Press is a revitalized industrial building, whose 8,000 square feet of open space are a veritable blank canvas for event planners.

LOCATION

Northeast Georgia

ACCESS

About 60 miles northeast of Atlanta between I-85 and I-20; Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport

MAJOR MEETING SPACES

Classic Center, Georgia Center for Continuing Education, Bowman Hospitality Campus, Plamondon Hospitality Campus

HOTEL ROOMS 2,900

OFF-SITE VENUES

State Botanical Garden of Georgia, Morton Theatre, Athens Cotton Press, Taylor-Grady House

CONTACT INFO

Athens Convention and Visitors Bureau 706-357-4430 visitathensga.com

October 2020

After the Meeting Hanging around Athens itself after adjournment is a major temptation.

Take in another live club performance, enjoy nature on the Oconee River Greenway, design your own culinary tour — favorites include traditional hits such as DePalma’s Italian Cafe, the Porterhouse Grill and the Last Resort Grill, as well as Five and Ten and the National — or sample craft beer at Creature Comforts and learn how a small-town brewery got a free product placement in the Marvel superhero hit “Avengers: Endgame.”

Attendees catching flights in Atlanta can detour to major attractions such as the Georgia Aquarium, the National Center for Civil and Human Rights and the High Museum of Art, while those with time to head north can explore Georgia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. The mountains include a notable wine district, tumbling trout streams and little towns such as Dahlonega, site of America’s first gold rush. That event was triggered in 1828 and eventually led to creation of a branch of the U.S. Mint. A University of North Georgia building sparkles with gold leaf from the mining era, just as the dome of Georgia’s capitol in Atlanta does.

31

HOTEL

A Red Rock Lodge

U

BY KRISTY ALPERT

nlike the mountains that sing out along Arizona’s San Francisco Peaks, the red rocks that rise above the small town of Sedona welcome visitors with nothing more than a gentle whisper.

L’Auberge de Sedona is carefully woven into these surroundings, where nature and luxury intermingle throughout the 11 acres of the Red Rock region of Arizona. The resort is strategically located 28 miles south of Flagstaff and just a 90-minute drive from Phoenix, where it can provide respite for groups and travelers traversing the desert landscape to and from two of the state’s busiest metropolises.

The resort is the luxury property closest to the Grand Canyon and features 62 luxury free-standing cottages, all with private entrances; 21 traditional lodge-style guest rooms; and a five-bedroom Creekhouse that stands alone along the banks of Oak Creek. Nature plays a large role in the resort’s aesthetics; for example, some cottages are outfitted with open-roof cedar showers for guests to shower beneath the stars in an outdoor rain-head shower. The onsite restaurant Cress on Oak Creek offers an unparalleled outdoor dining experience.

The resort’s proximity to Arizona’s Oak Creek was by design, and L’Auberge strives to highlight the relaxing aspects of flowing water throughout the property, where the L’Apothecary Spa offers massages creekside as well as in the full-service spa, where guests can blend their own bath soaks and body scrubs from local ingredients. Complimentary forest bathing, star bathing and daily yoga immerse guests in the natural beauty of the resort, and the resort’s artist-in-residence program allows guests to interact with the artists as they paint, sculpt and craft within the inspiring landscape.

Meetings at the resort are held in five modern function rooms, with 3,500 square feet of meeting and event space indoors and 13,000 square feet of meeting and event space outdoors.

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SEDONA’S TOWERING RED ROCKS

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M E E T I N G S PAC E S

L’AUBERGE DE SEDONA’S CREEKHOUSE RESTAURANT OFFERS STUNNING VIEWS OF THE SURROUNDING WILDERNESS.

L’Auberge de Sedona offers a total of 16,500 square feet of flexible meeting space; 13,000 square feet are located outside among the stunning Red Rock landscape. The Monet Ballroom is the largest space: It holds up to 200 guests and features a wood-burning fireplace, vaulted ceilings and expansive patio doors that open to the Garden Lawn. The Creekhouse offers two levels for intimate meetings and retreats for up to 150 guests, and the Matisse Boardroom is great for working meals and all-day meetings for up to 14 guests. Outdoor spaces include the Cottageside Lawn for up to 200 guests, the Overlook Patio for up to 18 guests and the popular SpiritSong Terrace for up to 120 guests.

C AT E R I N G The catering team at L’Auberge de Sedona is skilled at crafting custom menus that highlight the bountiful produce and ingredients from the region, such as cage-free organic eggs and local trout. The team offers set menus that will pair with any style of meeting, from a morning power breakfast to an afternoon on the lawn. Its reception and display stations are great for parties or reunions, and its plated dinner menus cater to more formal affairs.

Lobster thermidor rests on a bed of seasonal mushrooms for dinner. Snacks are treated with as much care as main courses, and handcrafted trail mix bags delight guests on the trails. Alcohol is allowed on-site when purchased from the resort.

EXTRAS

Photos courtesy L’Auberge de Sedona

HOTEL FACTS LOCATION

Sedona, Arizona

SIZE

62 cottages and 21 guest rooms

MEETING SPACE 16,500 square feet

ACCESS

45 minutes from Flagstaff Airport

CONTACT INFO 855-905-5745 lauberge.com

October 2020

With L’Auberge’s wide-ranging state-of-the-art audio and visual equipment, such as 4K televisions and Sonos sound systems, meeting groups can enjoy a curated artwork collection in outdoor and indoor public areas. The resort offers complimentary valet transportation to shops, galleries, hiking trails and more within a one-mile radius of the resort, as well as daily activities for meeting guests. The on-site planners can also set up private wellness activities for groups, including sound healing, yoga and meditation, and adventure activities such as horseback riding, airplane tours and Vortex tours. Personalized touches are L’Auberge’s specialty; customized welcome boxes and personalized bath soaks are popular additions for group gatherings.

BEFORE AND AFTER Meeting guests can enjoy the culinary treats offered at L’Auberge’s creekside restaurant, Cress on Oak Creek, which serves breakfast, lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch. Outdoor enthusiasts will enjoy the resort’s proximity to the hundreds of hiking and mountain biking trails of the region, while art lovers can soak in the beauty of art created within the area at the many nearby art galleries and museums. Guests are invited to learn about crystals, which have made the region popular in recent years, or to take part in a private vineyard tour through Sedona’s little-known wine region.

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VENUE

GROUPS CAN MEET SURROUNDED BY WHISKEY MEMORABILIA AT THE EVAN WILLIAMS BOURBON EXPERIENCE IN LOUISVILLE.

Photos courtesy Evan Williams Bourbon Experience

A HEAVENLY TASTING

I

n theory, making bourbon is just a matter of cooking. You char some oak, ferment some grains, boil some water and let it all rest. But bourbon-making is a fine art, a true craft that has been passed along through generations of artisans and distillers.

That’s the case at Evan Williams: Its bourbon has been made using the same time-honored methods since its namesake opened a distillery on the banks of the Ohio River in 1783.

Evan Williams was the first commercial distillery to open in Kentucky. It’s now part of the Heaven Hill family of brands, the country’s second-largest distillery selling Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey.

The distillery closed its doors during the 1920s but was welcomed back as the first distillery to open in downtown Louisville since Prohibition.

Today, the distillery is just a few blocks from the first location of the original distillery. But bourbon connoisseurs and rookies alike can learn about the history and production of Evan Williams whiskey at Evan Williams Bourbon Experience, a museum with a small distilling operation and distinctive meeting spaces.

34

BY KRISTY ALPERT

The experience is intended for all ages. During an interactive museum tour, visitors are guided through the distilling process for 45 minutes to an hour. The group passes by the artisanal still and hears the legends and tales of more than 230 years of bourbon-making before those 21 and older are invited into the tasting rooms to sample some of the company’s creations.

The Evan Williams Bourbon Experience welcomes groups with two distinct meeting and event spaces that provide an opportunity to gather and connect within the halls of this historic distillery.

Within walking distance of all the downtown hotels and the convention center, the distillery is in the heart of Louisville’s Bourbon District.

The meeting spaces are infused with local flavor, and on-site event coordinators are on hand to ensure that attendees are taken care of throughout their time at the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience.

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

M E E T I N G S PA C E S The meeting spaces at the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience include rooms for gatherings of up to 100 guests with complimentary Wi-Fi for all attendees.

The most popular space, the Speakeasy, features audiovisual capability and flexible seating for up to 60 guests — maximum 100 guests standing — with a cherry wood bar and two 70-inch flat-screen

ENJOYING A BOURBON TASTING

televisions. For smaller groups, the Black Label Boardroom can accommodate up to 12 guests, with audiovisual capabilities that include a 70-inch flat screen television, and conference table seating at a 12foot conference table with leather chairs.

During social distancing, both spaces can accommodate groups at 50% capacity.

C AT E R I N G The on-site events coordinator assists meeting planners by providing a hand-picked list of local caterers. Planners are then free to collaborate with their caterer of choice to design their perfect menu. Bourbon-pairing dinners are popular, but menus can range from carving stations and passed hors d’oeu-

vres to catered lunches for a long day of meetings in the boardroom. In addition to the Bourbon Tours and Tastings at the distillery, groups can add one of the bar packages to follow any meeting or event held on-site, with a happy hour or a networking gathering following the meeting.

EXTRAS

V E N U E FA C T S

EVAN WILLIAMS BOURBON EXPERIENCE

Meeting and event attendees can get a deeper immersion into the distillery through a variety of tour options, including guided and self-guided possibilities, mixology workshops and behind-the-scenes bootcamps. All the tour options include a bourbon tasting for guests 21 years old and older. The onsite retail shop is a fantastic resource

for meeting planners to elevate their events with custom gifts for attendees, like personalized bourbon bottles with a logo or attendees’ names. The retail shop also carries glassware, apparel, chocolates and sauces, as well as new and rare bourbons from the Evan Williams family of products.

LOCATION

Louisville, Kentucky

TYPE OF VENUE

BEFORE AND AFTER

Off-site, distillery

CAPACITY

More than 100 guests

NEARBY ACCOMMODATIONS 21C Museum Hotel EVAN WILLIAMS ON LOUISVILLE’S WHISKEY ROW

October 2020

CONTACT INFO 502-272-2623 evanwilliams.com

The Evan Williams Bourbon Experience is within walking distance of the downtown hotels and convention center, so guests have direct and easy access to all of Louisville’s Bourbon District before and after events. Visitors can stick to the Urban Bourbon Trail or venture a bit farther out to cross off all 21 of the

world-renowned distilleries that make up the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. There are more than 100 restaurants within walking distance, and popular attractions include Churchill Downs, home of the Kentucky Derby; the Muhammad Ali Center; the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory; and the Belle of Louisville.

35

On the Water in Illinois

DOWNTOWN ST. CHARLES SITS ON THE BANKS OF THE FOX RIVER.

F

Meetdieng Gui

BY PAULA AVEN GLADYCH

rom the shores of Lake Michigan to mighty rivers like the Illinois and the Fox, Illinois has plenty of wonderful waterfront destinations that make great places to host a meeting or an event. Here are a few options that offer everything from big-city amenities and attractions to more charming and rustic possibilities.

ST. CHARLES

The Fox River wends its way through St. Charles’ historic downtown.

Meeting planners who want to incorporate the river into their meetings or events can book a sightseeing or dinner cruise on one of the Paddlewheel Riverboats or plan events in the historic Hotel Baker or Arcada Theatre right on the water. The riverboats can host up to 90 people for sightseeing tours or up to 40 guests for a seated lunch or dinner event.

The Hotel Baker has 53 guest rooms and can accommodate groups of up to 300 people for a banquet or a reception. The Arcada Theatre

36

Courtesy Greater St. Charles CVB

can host groups of up to 900 people for lectures or live music. Upstairs, Club Arcada can host up to 150 people in a speakeasy setting.

About 10 minutes away from the river and downtown, the Hilton Garden Inn can host a convention of up to 200 people.

The Q Center, which has 1,043 guest rooms and 150,000-square-feet of meeting space, is about two miles from downtown St. Charles. Spread out over 95 acres, the Q Center has basketball and sand volleyball courts, soccer fields, disc golf, a putting green, a huge fitness center and plenty of trails along the Fox River for running, walking and cross-country skiing. It also offers team-building activities to get groups’ creative juices flowing. stcalliance.org

LAKE COUNTY

Lake Michigan is the centerpiece of Lake County, which is north of Chicago. The area is known for its forest preserves, boating and bike trails. Towns like Waukegan, Zion, Lincolnshire and historic Libertyville, when combined, make a prime location for meetings and events.

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

“People from Chicago like to come to Lake County because it feels like such a getaway — so much open space and beauty,” said Maureen Riedy, president of Visit Lake County.

The Illinois Beach Resort and Conference Center in Zion, the only hotel in the state that is nestled on the shores of Lake Michigan, is a popular spot for smaller meetings and retreats, with 92 guest rooms and 12,000 square feet of meeting space. The resort is inside the boundaries of Illinois Beach State Park, a 4,000-acre park known for its beaches, dunes, wetlands and prairie.

The largest full-service hotel in the area is the Lincolnshire Marriott Resort, with 390 guest rooms and 26 event rooms with a combined 64,348 square feet.

Groups visiting the area can sample wines, craft beer and distilled spirits along the Lake County Libation Trail or book an offsite reception or dinner at one of the 20 brewpubs, distilleries or wineries in the area. If attendees like to shop, historic Libertyville’s downtown area is full of boutiques, restaurants and bars and is a “fun place to go and walk around,” Riedy said. Blarney Island, a Caribbean-themed bar and restaurant in the middle of Chain of Lakes, is a popular location for an off-site event. Guests can take a water shuttle across to enjoy live music and food in a beautiful waterfront setting. visitlakecounty.org

LAKE COUNTY’S ILLINOIS BEACH HOTEL

SPRINGFIELD

The capital of Illinois, Springfield maintains its small-city charm through its beautiful natural setting, its location on Lake Springfield and its connection to Abraham Lincoln.

There are more Lincoln sites to visit in Springfield than anywhere else in the world, including the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum and the only home Lincoln ever owned, which is now run by the National Park Service.

Groups can get out onto the lake by renting paddleboards, kayaks, Jet Skis or pontoon boats for the day or visiting the Henson Robinson Zoo, which sits on the lakeshore.

The Bank of Springfield Center, with its 72,000 square feet of meeting space, is the largest event venue in Springfield. The Grand Ballroom can host up to 960 people theater style or 600 people banquet style. The city has 4,000 guest rooms and 325,000 square feet of flexible meeting space available. visitspringfieldillinois.com

Courtesy Visit Lake County

BANK OF SPRINGFIELD CENTER

PEORIA

The Illinois River and Peoria Lake dominate Peoria’s landscape. Some of the city’s main attractions and unique meeting venues lie along the river, including the famous RiverFront Market, which takes place May through September; the Peoria Riverfront Museum; and the Doug Oberhelman Caterpillar Visitors Center, which tells an interactive tale about how construction and mining equipment manufacturer Caterpillar got its start.

The Caterpillar Visitors Center can host smaller groups of up to 104 people, and meeting attendees can tour the center’s

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Courtesy Visit Springfield

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Meetieng Guid SPIRIT OF PEORIA

exhibits as part of their event. At the Peoria Riverfront Museum, groups can enjoy wonderful views of the Illinois River and access to the museum’s exhibits if they rent space in any of the museum’s many unique spaces, including the Giant Screen Theater and the Dome Planetarium.

The Spirit of Peoria, an historic paddle wheeler, is a great off-site venue for meetings, lunch or dinner cruises. The paddle wheeler can hold 385 passengers.

Outside of Chicago, the Peoria Civic Center is the largest meeting facility in the state, with a theater that can seat up to 11,900 people, a 27,000-square-foot ballroom and a 110,000-square-foot exhibit hall all under one roof. It has 16 additional meeting rooms, the Lexus Club and an outdoor patio that also can be rented out for meetings and events. The full-service Peoria Marriott Pere Marquette and the Courtyard Peoria Downtown are attached to the Civic Center.

Across the river, the Embassy Suites by Hilton East Peoria Riverfront Hotel and Conference Center offers 225 rooms and 32,000 square feet of meeting space. peoria.org

SHELBYVILLE

Shelbyville, on the Kaskaskia River and Lake Shelbyville, is included in Illinois’ Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area. The Lincoln-Thornton debate took place in the town in 1856, not far from the Shelby County Courthouse, which was built in 1879. The Courtesy Peoria Area CVB

Visit Effingham... It’s what you’re craving.

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www.smallmarketmeetings.com

debate was Lincoln’s first foray into politics and the first time he spoke out publicly against slavery. In the upper courtroom, visitors can see historic paintings, including one that depicts the Lincoln-Thornton debate.

Meeting coordinators planning smaller events in the area, can take advantage of the beautiful lakeside scenery by renting space at the Lake Shelbyville Visitors Center and Project Office, which is on the east side of the Lake Shelbyville Dam; the center presents the history of the lake and showcases the variety of fish and animals that make the area home.

“It’s a nice place and a central location,” said Daley Schwengel, Shelby County Economic Development director. The auditorium can host groups of up to 90 people theater style or up to 50 guests in the site’s outdoor classroom, which features a fire ring. The nearby Findlay Marina offers party barge and pontoon boat rentals, which are a great way for attendees to get out onto the lake.

The Willow Ridge Winery in Shelbyville can host banquets of 175 people or 40 people in its tasting room. The winery is also known for hosting live music and festivals throughout the year.

The lake is surrounded by cabins and campgrounds, but the Shelby Inn is the closest hotel option in Shelbyville and is only a few blocks from the lake. Larger groups hosting meetings in the area can stay at the larger hotel chains in Mattoon, about 30 minutes away. greatershelbyville.com

LAKE SHELBYVILLE VISITORS CENTER Courtesy Shelby Co. Economic Development

Enjoy your next conference in

Carbondale, Illinois and explore beyond the scheduled breakout sessions and niche meetings. Adventure through the area in your spare time and head to the wine trail, go hiking or unwind with live music and delicious cuisine. Enjoy your evenings relaxing at our newest hotel, which is in walking distance from our vibrant food and nightlife scene!

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MEET. October 2020

126 S. Illinois Ave. | Carbondale, IL 62901 39 618.529.4451 | carbondaletourism.org

Meet Historic Illinois

DECATUR’S GOVERNOR OGLESBY MANSION WAS BUILT IN 1873 AND CAN ACCOMMODATE UP TO 75 GUESTS FOR EVENTS.

I

Meetdieng Gui

BY PAULA AVEN GLADYCH

llinois is rich in Civil War history but is also famous for its connection to Abraham Lincoln.

Groups that want to incorporate a bit of history into their meetings or conferences can plan events at historic sites around the state. From mansions and a Swedish communal colony to a living-history museum and the Old State Capitol in Springfield, there are many options from which to choose.

GOVERNOR OGLESBY MANSION

Decatur Meeting planners can capture a unique part of U.S. history by renting out the Governor Oglesby Mansion in Decatur. The home was built by Richard Oglesby, a jack-of-all-trades who ended up becoming one of the most prominent men in Illinois. He not only served as a U.S. senator, a brigadier general in the Union Army

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Courtesy Oglesby Mansion

during the Civil War and governor of Illinois three times, but also counted Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant as close personal friends.

The Oglesby mansion was built in 1873 as an addition to the Oglesby’s original residence. The old part of the house became the kitchen and servants’ living quarters.

The Oglesby family lived in the Decatur mansion until 1882, when it was sold to another family who lived in it until 1972. The Macon County Conservation District took over restoring the property in 1976. The house is open for tours, and its claim to fame is that President Grant visited Oglesby there. The home is full of period pieces from the mid- to late 1800s, including Mexican president General Santa Anna’s cork leg that was confiscated during the Mexican-American War. Meeting groups can soak up the history of the mansion by hosting an event in the large dining room, which can hold 75 guests for receptions and 46 for sit-down meals. Attendees can tour the home with a docent as part of their event. oglesbymansion.org

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

BISHOP HILL STATE HISTORIC SITE

Bishop Hill Bishop Hill was a colony founded by followers of Erik Janson, a religious leader in Sweden who came into conflict with the state Lutheran Church because of his unusual theology. Between 1846 and 1861, about 1,200 of his followers came from Sweden to Illinois. The colony lasted only 15 years before it was dissolved, but it was the catalyst for a mass migration of people from Sweden to the United States. Fourteen of the original buildings from the colony have been preserved by numerous groups, and many spaces are available for meetings or events.

The Dairy Building is the largest event space on the historic site. The remodeled 1855 brick building is used for weddings, meetings and reunions. The space can hold up to 75 people for a seated gathering. The Steeple Building museum can hold smaller groups of about 40 people. Groups that book the Steeple Building can wander the museum to see two floors of artifacts and exhibits that date back to the 19th century. The Colony School is twice the size of the Dairy Building and is used for larger events. Outdoor spaces are available as well.

“We have a lot of colony descendants in the area who live in Bishop Hill and the surrounding communities,” said Todd DeDecker, administrator for the Bishop Hill Heritage Association.

There are 18 pre-Civil War buildings still in use today in Bishop Hill and six museums in the town of 125 people. bishophillheritage.org

BISHOP HILL STATE HISTORIC SITE

Courtesy Bishop Hill Heritage Association

EVANSTON HISTORY CENTER AT THE CHARLES GATES DAWES HOUSE

Evanston Charles Dawes served as vice president of the United States under Calvin Coolidge. Not only was his great-grandfather Paul Revere but Dawes had an incredible political career, working for five U.S. presidents. He received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1925 for helping to reduce tensions between France and Germany after World War I. His home is now a history museum stocked with original furnishings, including Tiffany lamps and oil paintings. Groups of 150 people can rent out the mansion, which was built from 1894 to 1895 in the French Chateau style.

When groups host meetings there, “it takes them out of their everyday and permits them to think on a larger scale and think more holistically, and it is just a beautiful environment to be in,” said Kris Hartzell, director of facilities, visitor services and collections for the Evanston History Center at the Charles Gates Dawes House. There are two rooms that can be used for meetings. The east parlor is “lighter and brighter and smaller, and the great hall is very impressive and better for larger groups,” she said. The parlor can hold up to 40 people, and the great hall can hold up to 80 people. The outside

CHARLES GATES DAWES HOUSE Courtesy Charles Dawes House

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Meetieng Guid terrace is also available for meals or receptions. During breaks, meeting attendees can visit the exhibits or have a drink on the terrace overlooking the lake. evanstonhistorycenter.org

NAPER SETTLEMENT

A HISTORIC HOME AT NAPER SETTLEMENT Courtesy Naper Settlement

A LEGISLATIVE CHAMBER AT THE OLD STATE CAPITOL

Naperville The Naper Settlement is a 19th-century living-history museum that demonstrates what life was like in northern Illinois and Naperville during that period. Costumed interpreters lead tours through 30 historic buildings that were relocated to the grounds since the settlement was established in 1969. The settlement got its start when a group of individuals set out to save a Civil War-era church from demolition. They raised funds to have the church transferred to the grounds of the Martin Mitchell Mansion.

The Victorian mansion, which was built in 1883, and the carriage house are the only original buildings on the property.

“The entire 13 acres feels more like a park with lots of gardens,” said Adison Glick, special events team leader for the Naper Settlement.

Meeting planners can use both indoor and outdoor rental spaces at the settlement, including the Century Memorial Chapel and Century Heritage Hall, the Meeting House and the Pre-Emption House Tavern. The chapel, which was built in 1864, can hold groups of 175 people, and Heritage Hall, in the basement of the church, has a catering prep kitchen, which makes it a great space for receptions and business meetings. The meeting house, built in 1841, can host groups of 100 people. The tavern, built in 1834, is a much smaller venue for groups of up to 45 people.

In downtown Naperville, right next to the Riverwalk that runs along the DuPage River, the site is perfect for outdoor festivals, concerts and holiday events. napersettlement.org

OLD STATE CAPITOL

Courtesy Old State Capitol

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Springfield Built between 1837 and 1840, Illinois’ Old State Capitol is one of the most iconic buildings in Illinois because of its connection to Lincoln. The building served as the Illinois statehouse from 1840 to 1876.

Lincoln served his last year as a state lawmaker in the building, and he famously gave his “house divided against itself cannot stand” speech in 1858 when he announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate.

Even though the new state capitol is only blocks away, the Old State Capitol captures the most attention.

“It’s the most photographed building in town because of its historic nature, but also, up against modern architecture, it just stands out,” said Justin Blandford, superintendent of State Historic Site at Springfield. The two-story Greek Revival structure is a beautiful orange sandstone color, which sets it apart from its brick neighbors.

Meeting planners are attracted to the building because it is one of the few downtown venues large enough to host big groups and because it has such historical significance that attendees feel honored to be there.

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

Groups can rent Foundation Hall, which is a large modern hall that can seat up to 90 people and has all the modern amenities, including a 10-foot screen and a projector. Representative Hall, where Lincoln gave his historic speech, is the largest space and can easily host evening receptions for up to 220 people. historicspringfield.dnr.illinois.gov

“It’s the most photographed building in town because of its historic nature, but also, up against modern architecture, it just stands out.”

— Justin Blandford, Old State Capitol State Historic Site

With state-of-the-art convention space, world-class museums, and meeting-focused hotels Springfield, IL guarantees your group a legendary experience.

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Central Illinois location with over 4,000 guest rooms

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National historic sites and attractions offer a memorable experience

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BOS Convention Center adjacent to two downtown hotels with over 900 guest rooms

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Southeast corridor anchored by Crowne Plaza Convention Center with 1,300 rooms along the corridor

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A full menu of bureau services designed to make meetings (small or large) a success

ATE IL ST CAPI

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UNDER THE DOME AT ILLINOIS’ STATE CAPITOL Courtesy Old State Capitol

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