Small Market Meetings October 2021 by The Group Travel Leader, Inc.

HISTORIC DESTINATIONS | KEARNEY, NEBRASKA | ILLINOIS MEETING GUIDE OCTOBER 2021

RETHINKING

y t i l i b i s s e c c A

G N I T E E M R U M A K E YO

C I T S E J MA

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ON THE COVER: Illustration by Kathryn Holloway

INSIDE VOLUME 22 | ISSUE 9

IDEAS Historic Destinations

CITY Kearney, Nebraska

Courtesy Visit Rapid City

TOWN Missoula, Montana

MEETING GUIDE Illinois

D E PA R T M E N T S

6 INSIGHTS Connecting on Campus

8 PROFILE Steven Hill

10 MANAGING Event Accessibility

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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Welcome back.

(Lists are not comprehensive.)

Kearney, where the Heartland gathers. Everyone knock on wood, but we’re back. Back to hosting more than 1,350 events a year. Back to networking, shaking hands, and having events. Back to being where the Heartland gathers now that we can gather again. Also, back to wearing actual pants. If you’re looking for a host city for your next event, look at Kearney. Kearney has the best facilities between Omaha and Denver and hosts everything from large conferences, and regional sporting events as well as hundreds of smaller professional and educational meetings. Everyone grab your pants; we’re going to Kearney.

WheretheHear tlandGathers.com

308 -2 37-3 178

INSIGHTS WITH VICKIE MITCHELL

CONNECTING ON CAMPUS

s leaves crunch, footballs fly and bands march, we pine for college days. One way to get back to campus is by holding a meeting at a college or university, many of which offer conference facilities that are on par or even superior to those found in the private sector. As the International Association of Conference Centers points out, college meeting venues have a lot to offer: attractive settings, tons of recreational and cultural options, the latest in technology and reasonable pricing. Meeting on campus can also be a way to invest in education, as money from conferencing ventures is often reinvested in college programs and research. Here are five college conference programs to consider.

These university venues offer inventive meeting programs

Calling All Conferences to AT&T/UT Center

A leader in technology and one of the country’s largest universities are partners in a conference center that capitalizes on the innovative city and energetic campus that surrounds it. Compared with most conference centers, the AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center at the University of Texas, Austin, is mammoth, with 85,000 square feet of meeting space. Its many small meeting spaces range from 145 square feet to 1,600 square feet; the center also offers private dining spaces and a fixed-seat auditorium for 300. A pair of ballrooms, one 10,000 square feet and the other 15,000 square feet, each have ample adjoining prefunction space, one brightened by a 4,000-square-foot mural. The center and its inn, with 276 guest rooms and 21 suites, wrap around a tremendous courtyard and are walking distance from downtown Austin’s music venues, restaurants, museums, the state Capitol and the Longhorns’ football stadium. meetattexas.com

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Lakeside Resort Meets College Campus

The Clemson University Conference Center and Inn in Clemson, South Carolina, looks and feels like a resort plunked down next to a college campus. A terrace alongside the conference center takes in views of Hartwell Lake. Walk out the door, and there’s the school’s 18-hole Walker Course, the No. 1 college course for 2021, according to Golfers Choice. Views from 62 guest rooms and 27 suites at the inn are of the lake or the golf course. Inside, the center is a great mix for groups that want to break into smaller sessions, with four meeting rooms, two seminar rooms, a 120-seat auditorium, an executive boardroom and a divisible 5,660-square-foot ballroom — some 17,000 square feet of meeting space in all. Clemson’s orange and blue school colors create a surprisingly appealing decorating theme. stayatclemson.com

Views of Blue Water and Bobbing Boats

If a water view and a short walk to a sweet town sound tempting, give the Hagerty Conference Center at Northwestern Michigan College a try. The center sits next to Lake Michigan’s Grand Traverse Bay, so blue water and bobbing boats are its neighbors. Traverse City, one of northern Michigan’s most attractive and popular tourist destinations, is handy for dining, shopping and accommodations. Meeting spaces include a divisible 5,800-square-foot ballroom with a wall of windows aimed at the lake and a prefunction space and an entrance foyer, both handy for trade shows and receptions. The center and neighboring Great Lakes Culinary Institute and Maritime Academy wrap around a large courtyard, which opens to the bay. Culinary graduates sometimes migrate to jobs at the conference center. Although it’s not accepting new business for 2021, the center is booking meetings for 2022 and beyond. hagertycenter.com

Florida School Capitalizes on Technological Strengths

For a decade now, Florida State University’s Augustus B. Turnbull III Center, near campus and the state Capitol in Tallahassee, has been known as a technology leader, noted for features like a 30-by-10-foot, 40-panel video wall. Now, in light of the pandemic, the center has turned its attention to helping plan virtual and hybrid events. Its website offers a number of case studies that describe how it has consulted with various organizations as they shifted from live to virtual or hybrid meetings. In addition to a computer lab with two 65-inch high-definition screen displays and 22 computer stations, and a full-service video studio, the center has an auditorium, a dining room, breakout rooms, an atrium and an executive boardroom. Parking can be reserved in an adjacent garage. learningforlife.fsu.edu October 2021

Student Center Serves as Town Square

College student centers often feel like a town square nestled under one roof. Like a small town’s main street, you will find banking, restaurants, a bookstore, coffee shops and other services. Many colleges go one step further and add a town hall element by incorporating meeting spaces in their students centers. The Nigh University Center at the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond, near Oklahoma City, has done so in a significant way, with 37,000 square feet of meeting space in its 25 meeting rooms. Among the spaces in this full-service conference facility are a grand ballroom for up to 500 guests and a courtyard for outdoor events. Guests can shop at Barnes and Noble or order espresso at Starbucks. From indoors, the views of campus include an adjacent pond and its lively fountain. uco.edu

“I grew up very humble, and as a kid, I never experienced being in a position to travel in an airplane or stay in a hotel room. I don’t want these kids to take it for granted.”

MEETING LEADERS STEVEN HILL

BY REBECCA TREON

rowing up, Steven Hill didn’t have the opportunity to travel much, but it was at the top of his list of life goals. “I grew up in the inner city in a single-parent home in a rough area, and I just always knew I wanted more than what I saw around me,” said Hill. “I knew there was more to life than the four corners I saw every day. It’s funny because I would always pray and say, ‘I want to be able to travel the world.’” Even though Hill didn’t have the means to travel at that time, he had an active imagination sparked by watching game shows, where the grand prize was a luxury vacation. Hill became the youth conference president of the National Brotherhood Ministry (Church of Christ Holiness USA) in 2009. Since 1968, the organization's annual youth conference has attracted young people from around the country. Taking the position was not without some unexpected challenges: The previous president left him with no budget available to host the conference. “Ultimately, we had to eliminate the meeting planner position because we couldn’t pay one,” said Hill. “So I was the meeting planner and the president, and by doing both jobs, I actually found it easier because I didn’t have to wait on a middleman.” Hill discovered that he was a good steward of the organization’s money and a natural at brokering agreements with the properties. And he was saving commission money by not having a meeting planner contracted to do what he could do himself. “The only thing I didn’t know how to do was write up a contract, so I went to meeting plan-

ner conventions and conferences,” he said. “I would go to the classes they offered, like ‘how to avoid attrition,’ ‘how to protect your group,’ ‘how to work with a CVB’ and so on. As a member of RCMA [Religious Conference Management Association], I was offered a two-year course to become a CFMP [Certified Faith-Based Meeting Planner], so I got certified.” Building on that, Hill is now in his 13th year of meeting planning; he plans not only the annual youth conference but also the diocese convention and the national Brotherhood Ministries retreats. He has been able to incorporate meaningful projects into the conferences. One of his most important additions has been having the youth attending the conferences participate in a service project in their host city. “I grew up very humble, and as a kid, I never experienced being in a position to travel in an airplane or stay in a hotel room,” said Hill. “I don’t want these kids to take it for granted, so I ask them to participate in something that can give back to the people where we are.” In one instance, he charged each participant with bringing canned goods to be donated to a local food bank where they were meeting in Cary, North Carolina. They raised more than 400 pounds of food, and not two weeks later, the area was hit with a series of devastating tornadoes that killed dozens of people and caused hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of damage. They followed up their original donation of food with a fundraiser. Hill believes that his group is making a difference rather than simply gathering youth together at a conference. “I love it, and I enjoy it,” he said. “I’m able to travel, and the prayers from when I was a little kid have been answered.”

EXECUTIVE PROFILE NAME Steven Hill TITLE Conference President ORGANIZATION Eastern Diocese and National Brotherhood Ministries LOCATION Wilmington, Delaware BIRTHPLACE Wilmington, Delaware EDUCATION Studied Business Administration, Delaware Technical and Community College CAREER HISTORY Project manager for 13 years and professional meeting planner for 12 years

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TIPS FROM STEVEN HILL

• Take the necessary time to listen and familiarize yourself with your clients, their needs and their history. • Always be professional and honest when doing business and keep deadlines.

STEVEN HILL POSES WITH ATTENDEES AT A NATIONAL BROTHERHOOD MINISTRIES EVENT.

• Always contact the local convention and visitors bureau first when considering a particular city/hotel/ venue, as they have many resources that can help you.

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October 2021

MANAGING

Improving Accessibility

EXPERTS SHARE BEST PRACTICES FOR MAKING EVENTS AVAILABLE TO ALL

BY RACHEL CARTER

he Americans With Disabilities Act, which became law in 1990, requires reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities as long as it’s not an undue hardship. But “the ADA is a floor, not a ceiling, so you can always go above it — you just can’t go below it,” said Jan Garrett, program manager for the Pacific ADA Center, which serves Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada and the Pacific Basin territories. As equity, inclusivity and intersectionality become a larger part of the cultural conversation, meeting planners may be looking for ways to go beyond the ADA to improve the accessibility of their events. And doing so makes sense — and dollars. “When we talk about accessibility and digital accessibility for events in particular, it’s not that somebody doesn’t get invited to the dance; it’s that they can’t even read the invitation. And they certainly can’t get through the door, and then they can’t participate,” said Sam Evans, certification manager for the International Association of Accessibility Professionals. “Nobody wants to do that, but it’s also a really huge market segment … with money to spend where they are able to engage.” A 2018 American Institutes for Research report estimated that the 64 million Americans who have at least one disability boast discretionary income of about $21 billion, which is more than that of Black American and Latin American market segments combined. So whether you look at it from a social justice standpoint or legal obligation, there’s also the business perspective, and “losing a prospective attendee or member can have financial implications down the road,” Evans said. “There are lots of great reasons to make events more accessible.”

“Integration is a key term; integration is really key for everything, from entrances to transportation to how you serve food. [People with disabilities] deserve to be able to do everything the same way as others.”

TAPPING RESOURCES Garrett said planners could and should do more to improve accessibility of their meetings, and “they need to utilize the resources out there.” The ADA National Network consists of 10 regional ADA centers and the ADA Knowledge Translation Center, and “we’re here to try to help people understand the law,” said Garrett, who helps plan many of the Pacific ADA Center’s events. ADA centers provide online resources like planning guides, articles and checklists and can

Jan Garrett PROGRAM MANAGER Pacific ADA Center Experience: 25 years

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“Start at strategy, start at planning, start at budgeting. With strategy, what do we want our event experience to be? Have we budgeted and planned for accessibility for our in-person guests or digital activities? If people don’t know the answer to those questions, that’s a key to start.”

help connect planners with local disability organizations and independent living centers for guidance. Each center “will know who is the best resource because we know our regions so well,” Garrett said. If they can afford to, planners should also bring in an accessibility expert to provide guidance, especially if it’s their first foray into the field, said Sheri Byrne-Haber, a disability advocate and senior staff architect of accessibility software at VMware. Planners should include an accessibility section on the registration page. There, they can tell attendees what they plan to offer, like auto captions in every room, and what they are able to provide if it’s requested by a set deadline. Planners also need to provide a contact person for questions and arrangements. At registration, planners could also ask attendees what kind of accommodations or assistive technology they need. By asking upfront, you’ll know how many wheelchair users you have, for example, so instead of trying “to be everything to everybody, you can focus on what your participants have told you,” Byrne-Haber said.

MAKING SPACE FOR ACCESSIBILITY

Sam Evans CERTIFICATION MANAGER

International Association of Accessibility Professionals Experience: 21 years

October 2021

Though the ways to improve physical accessibility are nearly endless, there are some simple, often-overlooked improvements planners can make, starting with space. Walkways and aisles should be free of obstructions, like signs and easels, and be wide enough for people using wheelchairs or other mobility devices or walking with an assistant or a service dog, or for two people conversing in American Sign Language to walk side by side. Consider creating a wheelchair-accessible seating area toward the back of the room so it’s easier for people to get in and out and a seating area at the front to make it easier for those with vision or hearing loss to see the screen, stage or interpreter. And always make sure the stage has ramp access. High-top tables are problematic, whether for food service or charging stations, and “you have to make sure you have at least one charging station that’s at wheelchair height,” Byrne-Haber said. “People with disabilities use a lot of assistive technology, so they require charging services even more than nondisabled people.” Planners should also consider distances — how far it takes to get from one part of the venue to another — and floor surfaces. Having gatherings on grassy lawns or plush carpet is difficult or downright impossible for people using wheelchairs and other mobility devices to access. Low light puts people with low vision at risk and is challenging for those who lip-read and sign. A sign language interpreter should be spotlighted so they can be seen. “Proper lighting for navigation, movement and communication is important,” Evans said.

Sheri Byrne-Haber DISABILITY ADVOCATE, SENIOR STAFF ARCHITECT OF ACCESSIBILITY VMware Experience: 17 years

Simple things like propping open bathroom doors can help people who don’t have or can’t use their hands or arms to open doors, Garrett said. Venues should also be near public transportation because many people with disabilities don't drive, so public transit is “really important,” she said. Planners could also offer a quiet room where neurodiverse people and those on the autism spectrum can take a break from the chaos of a conference.

DIGITAL AND MEDIA ACCESSIBILITY

Digital accessibility has always been important, although not always implemented; and it has taken on new importance in the post-pandemic world of virtual and hybrid meetings. The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines provide a testable “Meeting planners should checklist of online accessibility. Planners need to use alt-text for anything that’s represented as a visual graphic; the text descripthink about making sure tion of the image helps people who are using assistive technolothere’s at least one accessible gy to read information and gain context. Smartphones and devices sometimes can’t read information path to everything, whether it’s from apps, so planners should also send out text-based informathe website, the registration tion that devices can read. For in-person or virtual events, presenters should use inclusive process or the actual event.” presentation practices. That means that anything represented visually, like slides or videos, should be described or recapped, allowing someone who can’t see to understand what’s being shown. “Using those inclusive presentation techniques and practices is something everybody can do,” Evans said. “We can teach our presenters that, and we can do it ourselves.” Captions are incredibly important and should be included on presentations, videos, social media and training materials. Planners need to understand the difference between auto-captions and real-time Communication Access Realtime Transcription (CART) captioning, which a captioner does accurately at speed, synchronized with names and sounds and punctuation. And planners need to understand “when you can get away with using auto captions and investing in the CART,” Byrne-Haber said. All media needs to be accessible, including digital media and any print media or documents. Event coordinators should provide accessible templates to presenters and check the accessibility of the content their speakers submit. If a presentation includes slides that are shared as a handWhen you're ready to book, the team out, be sure to make those available in a at Visit Chandler is ready to help you. remediated format — be it Braille or large print — that planners can ask speakers to chandlermeetings.com provide, Evans said.

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CUSTOM CONTENT

Fort Wayne, Indiana, sees many happy returns

BY VICKIE MITCHELL hen meetings come to Fort Wayne, Indiana, they nearly always come back. “About 80 percent of our business is repeat, and usually, the longer a group comes here, the larger their convention becomes,” says Marcy McKinley, director of sales and marketing at the Grand Wayne Convention Center. When they do leave, one reason dominates, she said. “They have done so well they outgrow us.”

GRAND WAYNE IS A GRAND VENUE

It’s not that easy to outgrow Grand Wayne Convention Center. It covers two city blocks, yet is surprisingly easy to navigate. “No one gets lost, or walks their legs off,” says McKinley. The center’s 225,000 square feet of meeting and event space flows seamlessly into the 246-room Hilton Fort Wayne. Five years ago, the 250-room Courtyard by Marriott Fort Wayne Downtown was built across the street, linked by a skybridge. Three years later, a 136-room Hampton Inn & Suites opened next door to the Marriott. Skybridges also link the convention center to the historic Embassy Theatre, a botanical conservatory and one of three parking garages that serve the center. The view from the Hampton’s rooftop bar is of Parkview Field, home of minor-league baseball’s Fort Wayne Tincaps. Three blocks toward the St. Mary’s River and Promenade Park is

GRAND WAYNE CONVENTION CENTER Marcy McKinley 260-426-4100 mmckinley@grandwayne.com grandwayne.com

The Bradley, a 125-room boutique hotel opened in July 2021 by the founder of Vera Bradley, the luggage and handbag design company based in Fort Wayne.

CLASSIC GOOD LOOKS

Grand Wayne Convention Center has the classic good looks of an Elle MacPherson or George Clooney. It opened in 1985, but during a 2006 renovation, architects fully considered how to impart timelessness. The results are skylights and 1,860 large windows to pull in natural light, terrazzo floors that shine in the sunny foyer and carpet for comfort everywhere else, including the 50,000 square feet exhibit hall. Upgrades are constant. For example, well before the pandemic, the center invested in flexible seating that came in handy for social distancing. Rolling tables and chairs in its boardroom can be used as individual workstations or pushed together to create a traditional boardroom table. In some meeting rooms, moveable desks with swivel seats, cup holders and underseat storage, allow attendees to scoot about and reconfigure a room.

STAFF ADD SPECIAL TOUCHES

People often forget that Fort Wayne is Indiana’s second-largest city, perhaps because even as it offers big-city convention facilities, it maintains its smalltown Midwestern character. Great examples are the local ambassadors who work part-time at the center, touting the town they love as they assist meeting attendees. Staff are constantly adding special touches like three-foot Rubik’s Cubes for the National Cubing Convention and discounts on fish and chips at local restaurants for the National Fishing Lures Collectors Convention. McKinley could go on about Fort Wayne’s advantages — a meeting cost that’s typically 15 percent less than comparable cities among them — but she knows from experience what’s most convincing. “They need to see us to believe us,” she says.

IDEAS

Courtesy Visit Durango

PIONEERING PLACES These historic destinations are popular with meeting attendees

BY RACHEL CARTER

istoric destinations give meeting planners and their attendees a sense a place that isn’t available in just any city. These are places such as the site of the nation’s first enduring English settlement, the spot where President Lincoln delivered his Gettysburg Address, sites where gold rushes and silver cities drew hordes of settlers seeking fortune. In these historic destinations, planners can weave history throughout their meetings and conferences.

DURANGO, COLORADO

The Denver and Rio Grande Railroad Co. formed the town of Durango in southwest Colorado in September 1880 to serve the surrounding mining towns, where lodes — and loads — of silver and gold were being found. The Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad opened in 1882, connecting Durango and Silverton 50 miles north, and has been in continual operation ever since. Today, passengers can ride in historic passenger cars behind a steam-powered locomotive to Silverton and take a motorcoach back, or take a shorter trip that goes to Cascade Canyon and back. The original depot houses a museum, and guides lead daily tours of the railyard and roundhouse. Two blocks north, the historic Strater Hotel has watched over downtown since 1887, and “it’s just like you’re transported back in time when you step into that place,” said Rachel Welsh, public relations and communications manager for Visit Durango. The ornate brick hotel has 88 guest rooms and five event rooms, including the 1,800-square-foot Pullman Room. The hotel houses the Mahogany Grille and the Diamond Belle Saloon, an Old West-style

Above: Groups can enjoy Durango’s historic ambiance when they meet at the city’s 1887 Strater Hotel.

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bar with ragtime piano players, saloon girls and occasional gunfight re-enactments. The 1892 Rochester Hotel is a smaller downtown hotel with 15 guest rooms, a bar and an adjoining “Secret Garden” courtyard. Main Avenue is home to art galleries and breweries, restaurants and bars, like El Moro Tavern, the site of a 1906 shootout between the county sheriff and the town marshal. Housed in the former 1893 power plant, the Powerhouse Science Center boasts a plaza overlooking the Animas River that can seat 150 guests, as well as an indoor gallery and a theater. durango.org

More than 6,000 acres have been preserved at Gettysburg National Military Park, but the town itself was also part of the battle.

GETTYSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA

Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, is a must-visit destination for history buffs, and “the history of Gettysburg definitely helps to attract meetings,” said Karl Pietrzak, president and CEO of Destination Gettysburg. More than 6,000 acres have been preserved at Gettysburg National Military Park, but the town itself was also part of the battle. “There are historic buildings that still have cannonballs in the walls or bullet holes,” he said. The park’s visitor center and museum features the 1884 “Battle of Gettysburg” cyclorama painting, a 360-degree, 3D oil painting intended to make visitors feel like they’re surrounded by the battle. Groups have numerous options for ranger programs and battlefield tours, including a double-decker bus tour with Gettysburg Battlefield Tours. For team building or leadership development, the Gettysburg Foundation and the Lincoln Leadership Institute will either come to the meeting venue or take attendees onto the battlefield and do a case study of decisions that were made in the heat of battle.

Photos courtesy Destination Gettysburg

October 2021

Gettysburg scenes, clockwise from left: a battlefield monument; the historic downtown square; the Gettysburg Hotel

IDEAS

The Gettysburg Hotel originally opened in 1797 on Lincoln town square. The hotel has 119 rooms and 9,000 square feet of flexible meeting space that includes a 3,350-square-foot ballroom, and a rooftop pool. The Federal Pointe Inn, part of the Ascend Hotel Collection, was built in 1898 as Gettysburg’s first high school. In 2012, it was transformed into a hotel with 26 guest rooms and two smaller meeting rooms. The Dobbin House Tavern is a historic restaurant built in 1776 with a ballroom that can seat 130 people. Nearby, the 1810 Farnsworth House Inn restaurant has over 100 bullet holes marking its facade. destinationgettysburg.com

RAPID CITY, SOUTH DAKOTA

Gold-seeking settlers flooded the Dakota Territory after gold was discovered in 1874, kicking off the Black Hills gold rush. Two years later, in 1876, a group of unsuccessful miners founded Rapid City, South Dakota, in an ef-

fort to create other opportunities, promoting their new city as the “Gateway to the Black Hills.” In Rapid City’s historic downtown district, “you feel what occurred, what happened here in times past,” said Tyson Steiger, director of sales for Visit Rapid City. Construction began on the Hotel Alex Johnson on October 3, 1927, just one day before construction began on Mount Rushmore 24 miles away. Hotel guests have included Mount Rushmore sculptor Gutzon Borglum, six U.S. presidents and Mark Twain. Today, the 143-room hotel features four meeting rooms, including a ballroom that can seat 150 for dinner. The Washington-Rushmore room can seat about 100 at rounds or be divided into two spaces. The Elks Theatre was originally built in 1912 as an opera house. Today, the movie theater is home to one of the largest screens in the state and can be rented for private events and presentations. From June through August, City View Trolley offers narrated city tours, highlighting points of interest like

GET LOST IN

INSPIRATION. Bring your next event to Greater Lima. visitgreaterlima.com

A THOMAS JEFFERSON STATUE IN DOWNTOWN RAPID CITY Courtesy Visit Rapid City

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Main Street Square, the City of Presidents and Chapel in the Hills, a replica of the 850-year-old Stave Church in Norway. The city’s largest venue, the Monument, is a 500,000-square-foot exhibition center that is home to the brand-new 12,000-seat Summit Arena. visitrapidcity.com

“[In Rapid City’s historic downtown district], you feel what occurred, what happened here in times past.” — Tyson Steiger, Visit Rapid City

RAPID CITY’S MAIN STREET SQUARE

LINCOLN'"

"CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU

Courtesy Visit Rapid City

October 2021

LINCOLN.ORG/SMM

GO LOCAL 6 RELAX

IN LINCOLN, NEBRASKA Kick back with a glass of wine, listen to a local band and relax. Our local wineries provide a variety of wine as unique as our sunsets. Come experience our local flavors with a touch of Midwest hospitality.

IDEAS

FORT SMITH, ARKANSAS

A TROLLEY APPROACHING THE FORT SMITH MUSEUM OF HISTORY

Courtesy Fort Smith CVB

On Christmas Day 1817, the first soldiers arrived to establish the first Fort Smith, Arkansas, and that site is now preserved as part of the Fort Smith National Historic Site. The park offers two venues for events. The 1903 Frisco Train Depot can accommodate about 100 guests for banquets, while the main building has three event spaces. There, the classroom can accommodate 47 people, the first jail can hold up to 77 guests, and the courtroom’s occupancy is 85. Outdoor events, with or without tents, can use various sites around the grounds, including Belle Point, where the first fort sat on a hill overlooking the Arkansas and Poteau rivers. Planners can also arrange for guided tours, ranger talks or living-history re-enactments for attendees. In downtown, the Fort Smith Convention Center and attached Wyndham Fort Smith are within walking distance of nearby historic attractions. Three blocks away, the Fort Smith Museum of History has been in continual operation since 1910. The four-story former warehouse features recently updated museum exhibits and artifacts, including an 1862 cannon used by Union troops. The museum’s soda fountain is a “working exhibit” where visitors can order ice cream and old-fashioned fountain drinks. Groups can take guided tours at Miss Laura’s Visitor Center, a restored row house that was once a brothel. Across the street, events can use the indoor-outdoor

In downtown, the Fort Smith Convention Center and attached Wyndham Fort Smith are within walking distance of nearby historic attractions. Three blocks away, the Fort Smith Museum of History has been in continual operation since 1910.

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Riverfront Pavilion. Two blocks away, on the banks of the Arkansas River, the River Park Events Building has two 1,160-square-foot event rooms adjacent to a 1,100-capacity amphitheater. fortsmith.org

WILLIAMSBURG, VIRGINIA

The city of Williamsburg was founded as the capital of Virginia Colony in 1699. Today, visitors can discover what John Smith’s Virginia Colony was like, visit an active archaeological dig and watch historical interpreters and actors re-create life on the eve of the Revolutionary War. Colonial Williamsburg is a living-history museum that encompasses part of a historic district within the city of Williamsburg. In the living re-creation of the Revolutionary-era town, horse-drawn carriages clop along Duke of Gloucester Street, and guests can watch craftspeople and artisans ply their trades, take interactive walking tours and be escorted to dinner by fifes and drums.

FORT SMITH NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE Courtesy Fort Smith CVB

Meetings meet Convenience

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Learn more at visitwaukesha.org/meetmore

October 2021

The Williamsburg Inn opened in April 1937 and today offers 6,500 square feet of meeting space, including the 3,900-square-foot Regency Room and the 1,650-square-foot East Lounge. The nearby 1939 Williamsburg Lodge has over 45,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space, including a conference center with the flexible 11,200-square-foot Virginia Room and the 6,650-square-foot Colony Room. At Jamestown Settlement, the site of the colony’s first permanent English settlement, planners can hold a reception on the pier along the James River, with views of the three replica English ships that came to Virginia in 1607, then move to the re-created fort for dinner in a Colonial setting. At the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown, groups often kick off an evening reception on the event lawn with a cannon firing followed by dinner in the lobby. visitwilliamsburg.com

At Jamestown Settlement, the site of the colony’s first permanent English settlement, planners can hold a reception on the pier along the James River, with views of the three replica English ships that came to Virginia in 1607, then move to the re-created fort for dinner in a Colonial setting.

TATUE D CITY

Williamsburg area scenes, clockwise from left: a private event at Jamestown Settlement; a Colonial Williamsburg garden party; the elegant Williamsburg Inn

Photos courtesy Williamsburg Tourism Council

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

CUSTOM CONTENT

To refresh and recharge, explore Eugene, Cascades & Coast

BY VICKIE MITCHELL he Eugene, Cascades & Coast region of Oregon is a geographic jackpot. Head west from the largest city, Eugene, and it’s an hour to the sands of the Pacific Coast. An hour east, the Cascade Mountains rise. Between those breathtaking bookends are refreshing waterfalls and wineries. So naturally, Eugene attracts lots of meetings, and that’s likely to become more the case as planners increasingly seek cities like it — small and safe with plenty to see and do outdoors. In July, Juanita Metzler, senior director, conventions, at Travel Lane County — Eugene, Cascades & Coast, picked up the phone more in a month than she had in a year, as meeting planners called for dates as far forward as 2027. “Everybody’s looking for that new place where they can explore and get people outdoors for a different experience,” she said.

DOWNTOWN HOTEL CHEERS OREGON DUCKS

Eugene is a college town, home to the University of Oregon. Downtown, the Graduate Hotel has plenty of school spirit, its décor a mix of the Pacific Northwest, school colors and Oregon Ducks’ traditions. With 275 guest rooms and 30,000 square feet of meeting space, it is the city’s largest hotel. Across the Willamette River, the 257room Valley River Inn has 15,000 square feet of meeting space, with riverfront balconies on a fourth of its rooms.

TRAVEL LANE COUNTY EUGENE, CASCADES & COAST Juanita Metzler 541-743-8758 or 800-547-5445 Juanita@EugeneCascadesCoast.org EugeneCascadesCoast.org/meetings

Smaller meetings often land a few blocks away at the 72-room Gordon Hotel and its sister property, the 69-room Inn at the 5th, adjacent to the Hult Center for the Performing Arts and tax-free shopping at 5th Street Public Market.

EUGENE, CASCADES & COAST’S LIQUID ASSETS

A winery, a waterfall or both easily fit into itineraries. The Willamette Valley, one of the world’s top wine regions, has more than 500 wineries, including King Estate, 25 minutes from Eugene. A European-style tasting room and restaurant overlook vast vineyards at this family winery, widely admired for its sustainable practices. Waterfalls are a short drive as well, with many located right off the highways, making it easy to see several in a few hours along a single route. Rafting trips on the McKenzie River are an option for those who want more action. On the coast, groups can opt for a wide range of hotels and resorts as well as the Florence Events Center. Dune buggy rides on the largest coastal sand dunes in the country are an exhilarating way to spend an afternoon. Eugene, Cascades & Coast will arrange these and other off-site events, and its planning services are complimentary.

ACCESS INCREASES; REBATE FOR NEW BUSINESS

At a time when many airports have lost service, Eugene Airport has gained flights, with nonstop service to 16 cities provided by seven airlines. Low-cost carrier Southwest Airlines recently entered the market. And, there may be no better time to explore the area thanks to a rebate offer. New business of 200 room nights or more, held now through June 30, 2022, can receive rebates of up to $2,000 depending on number of room nights.

FLOCKING TO

y e n r a e K

Sandhill cranes fill the skies over Kearney during their annual migration. By Mike Fernandez All photos courtesy Visit Kearney

CITY

This small Nebraska city attracts cranes and conferences

BY KATHERINE TANDY BROWN

irectly in the middle of Nebraska and of the U.S.A., the city of Kearney stretches along the banks of the Platte River, following the route of the old Lincoln Highway, the first official memorial to President Abraham Lincoln. Where buffalo used to roam, massive flocks of sandhill cranes now congregate once a year. This college town strikes an easy balance between heartland history, outdoor experiences and farm-raised food, with rodeos, county fairs and rockin’ nightlife. One remarkably entrepreneurial hospitality industry ties it all together.

KEARNEY AT A GLANCE

LOCATION: South-central Nebraska on the north banks of the Platte River ACCESS: Daily flights from Kearney Regional Airport to Denver International Airport and Chicago O’Hare International Airport; Interstate 80, U.S. Highway 30 and state highways 10, 40 and 44 HOTEL ROOMS: 9,000 CONTACT INFO: Visit Kearney 308-237-3178 meetinkearney.com YOUNES CONFERENCE CAMPUS OVERVIEW: Two freestanding conference centers, each with attached hotels. Campus has seven hotel properties and a total of 800 rooms. EXHIBIT SPACE: 123,000 square feet when expanded facility opens in January, with two connecting hotels and three more on the Younes Campus MEETING HOTELS Holiday Inn Convention Center GUEST ROOMS: 156 MEETING SPACE: 25,000 square feet WHO’S MEETING IN KEARNEY Nebraska Association of County Officials ATTENDEES: 1,100 Nebraska Council of School Administrators ATTENDEES: 900 Buckle Regional Meeting ATTENDEES: 750

October 2021

Destination Highlights

hough the original Lincoln Highway is now superseded by Interstate 80, even before the opening of that historic byway in 1913 and for millennia before, what is now America’s greatest bird migration transpired — and still does — during eight weeks each spring, from about Valentine’s Day through early April. This is why Kearney bills itself as the Sandhill Crane Capital of the World. Mother Nature graced the area along the wide, shallow Platte River with a perfect ecosystem for sandhill cranes to stop over during their arduous migration from northern Mexico, Texas and New Mexico to vast breeding grounds in Alaska, Canada and Siberia. In Kearney, they roost on sandbars safe from nighttime predators and feast for the long flight ahead by day. Large numbers of snow geese, shorebirds and ducks tag along, making the avian population soar to nearly a million during this time. Meanwhile, in 2015, downtown’s Central Avenue was paved with bricks. These days the area is known as The Bricks and is rife with boutiques, department stores, pubs, restaurants and entertainment. The Merryman Performing Arts Center, Minden Opera House and the University of Nebraska at Kearney play the culture card, and free parking abounds. “Affordability is the number No. 1 amenity in Kearney,” said Sarah Focke, tourism and convention sales manager for Visit Kearney. “That, and top notch service. Larger communities have big staff turnover. So many hospitality workers have been here for 20 to 30 years. They remember you, call you by name. It makes your planning experience easy.”

Yanney Park

DESTINATION HIGHLIGHTS

DISTINCTIVE VENUES

Museum of Nebraska Art

Distinctive Venues

he only attraction spanning an interstate highway, the Archway is a remarkable structure that honors the adventurers who journeyed west along the Great Platte River Road, the Mormon Trail and the Oregon Trail. The Archway is filled with significant history, and visitors there can watch a rider switch horses at a Pony Express station, hear Mark Twain recount a stagecoach trip cross-country, relive the driving of the Golden Spike that joined the nation’s railroads and look down on traffic speeding beneath them on Interstate 80. Complete with a soda fountain, a meeting/reception room can accommodate 120. Nearly 300 attendees can fill the circa 1927 World Theatre, a former Vaudeville movie house. When it closed in 2008 for demolition, a group of citizens organized a Save the World campaign that did that very thing. Reopened in 2012, this classic theater is known for its lovingly restored balcony with four booths, a mezzanine and a grand main auditorium. “We offer private movie screenings, musicals and plays,” said Mark Orr, president of its board of directors. Another marquee attraction is the Museum of Nebraska Art, housed since 1986 in Kearney’s iconic former U.S. Post Office. During the museum’s 45-year history, its initial collection of 30 artworks has expanded to more than 5,000. As growth continues, supporters have a new vision, and plans are afoot for a major renovation and expansion in the near future. “The expansion will offer visitors enhanced gallery and meeting spaces indoors and out,” said Gina Garden, the museum’s marketing coordinator.

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Major Meeting Spaces

earney’s hospitality hot spots cluster around the Younes Convention Center South, on Interstate 80’s Exit 272. A Fairfield Inn and a Comfort Inn are attached, as well as four other hotels, including the Younes-owned Holiday Inn and Conference Center, with its 30-foot waterslide to entice attendees to bring families. Also on the Younes Campus are restaurants, bars, a full-service spa, a cinema, the 80-acre Yanney Park with lakeside event tent rentals, and the 13-mile Kearney Hike and Bike Trail. Along with his family and loyal staff, some who are 20-plus-year employees, the hands-on entrepreneur behind this haven of hospitality is Paul Younes. His secret to success is no secret: It’s customer service. “We build relationships and friendships with customers from the minute they arrive until the minute they leave,” said Younes, “They believe in us; we believe in them. Our customers keep coming back for three years, five years, seven years.” In January 2022, the Younes Conference Center North will open. It will feature a 172-room Crowne Plaza Hotel with an indoor water park and 75,000 square feet of meeting space that can be configured with 37 breakout rooms. Its addition will bring Kearney’s guest room total to 1,900 and will elevate the city in the regional market. “Kearney’s 300,000-plus square feet of convention space is above average for a city of 35,000 thanks to Paul Younes,” Focke said. “The Younes Campus is a onestop shop with conference space and hotel rooms. Planners have no multiple contracts and only need to work with one representative for everything.”

MAJOR MEETING SPACES

October 2021

Younes Convention Center South

AFTER HOURS

The Great Hall at Rowe Sanctuary

After the Meeting

o learn about those magnificent sandhill cranes and the other birds that wing into Kearney every spring, the 2,418-acre Iain Nicholson Audubon Sanctuary at Rowe Center offers guided educational tours in 30-person “blinds” with expansive windows for observing the flocks during the annual fly-in, as well as motorcoach driving tours to witness afternoon feedings in the fields. The awesome “purrs” and “trills” of these huge birds must be heard to be believed. From April through October, Kearney Paddlesports offers canoeing and kayaking down the 2.3-mile Kearney Whitewater Trail. Folks can enjoy watery teambuilding or catch the area’s natural beauty from a paddler’s perspective. In 2022, for thrills, the company will add artificial rapids to the current flat river or creek float. Groups of up to 16 can spiff up their kitchens at Look What’s Cookin, the state’s largest cooking store, which features a 100-foot wall chock full of gadgets and tools. Home cooking is a terrific way to eat healthy and spend quality time with friends and family. Small groups, spouses or both can take classes here in the how-tos of the genre or simply relax during a wine-tasting. A short drive away, family-owned and operated Mac’s Creek Winery and Brewery is a sustainability-focused spot for wine and beer lovers alike. Tastings can be five wines, five beers or a mix of each and are accompanied by tasty munchies. In the summertime, guests can sip while enjoying live music. Up to 100 revelers can gather around a creekside area with fire pits.

TOWN

‘URBAN’

a n a t n o M

BY TOM ADKINSON

t’s only a modest exaggeration to say there are more reasons to meet in Missoula than there are residents of Montana’s second-largest city. The mountains, rivers and vistas add up quickly, and good air service, nice meeting hotels and notable off-site venues complement them. “Missoula has a fun, urban feeling because of the youthful vibrancy of the University of Montana,” said Emily Rolston, Destination Missoula’s group sales manager. “Urban,” of course, is relative in Montana. Missoula’s population is 75,000 — only 100,000 in the metro region — the trophy-trout Clark Fork River flows right through town, and mountains rise to the sky. Missoula is in a sweet spot on Interstate 90 in the northern Rocky Mountains, minutes from Idaho, four hours from Yellowstone National Park and less than three hours from Glacier National Park. Six major carriers serve Missoula International Airport, and completion of a new terminal is expected next spring. “We have all sorts of outdoor diversions. That’s what people think of in Montana,” Rolston said, noting that the city’s riverfront trail system is an amenity that meeting attendees can enjoy easily. The trail on both sides of the river is flat, paved and inviting. From downtown to the University of Montana campus is about 1.5 miles, and the surface changes to gravel. From campus, you can claim some Missoula bragging rights by hiking the steep, threequarter-mile climb to the M, a substantial white marker on Mount Sentinel that’s visible for miles. The walk to the M has 11 switchbacks and gains 620 feet. If you’re really energetic and don’t have a meeting session right away, you can continue to the top of Mount Sentinel for views of Hellgate Canyon and Mount Jumbo. For nonclimbers, the trail’s treat is viewing Brennan’s Wave, a $300,000 engineered wave on the Clark Fork River, where rafters, kayakers and even surfers play.

Courtesy Destination Missoula

RIVER RAFTING IN MISSOULA

By Tom Adkinson

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

Meeting Space

Most Missoula meetings use three hotels and a university facility, and a nearby resort attracts executive retreats. For a return-to-college feel, the University of Montana’s University Center has 16 meeting rooms, including a 10,000-square-foot ballroom, a 288-seat theater and a boardroom. Just blocks apart downtown are the Holiday Inn Missoula, with 198 guest rooms and 20,000 square feet of meeting space, and the DoubleTree Missoula Edgewater, with 171 guest rooms and 9,000 square feet of meeting space. The Hilton Garden Inn is the largest in terms of meeting space with 22,000 square feet. It has 146 guest rooms and 15 meeting rooms. Its largest space is 13,195 square feet. Executive meetings can target the Resort at Paws Up, where size is measured in acres, as in 37,000 wilderness acres, including 10 miles of the Blackfoot River of “A River Runs Through It” fame. Event facilities include the Bull Barn — an authentic cattle barn converted into a conference center and venue — and the Saddle Club, a riding area suitable for special events.

GROUPS CAN ENJOY ON-CAMPUS MEETINGS SURROUNDED BY MOUNTAIN SCENERY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA IN MISSOULA.

MISSOULA MONTANA

THE WILMA, A HISTORIC DOWNTOWN THEATER

LOCATION

Western Montana

ACCESS

In western Montana on Interstate 95 and U.S. highways 12 and 93; Missoula International Airport

MAJOR MEETING SPACES

University of Montana University Center, Hilton Garden Inn, Holiday Inn Missoula Downtown and DoubleTree by Hilton Missoula Edgewater

HOTEL ROOMS 3,400

OFF-SITE VENUES

The Wilma, Caras Park, Missoula Children’s/Community Theater, The Barn on Mullan

CONTACT INFO

Destination Missoula 406-532-3282 destinationmissoula.org missoulameetings.com

October 2021

Courtesy Destination Missoula

TOWN

a l u o s s i M

MOUNT SENTINEL

Courtesy Destination Missoula

“Missoula has a fun, urban feeling because of the youthful vibrancy of the University of Montana.” — Emily Rolston, Destination Missoula

EXPLORING FLATHEAD LAKE NEAR MISSOULA

Getaways The Wilma, a theater treasure built in 1921, is a Missoula landmark on the National Register of Historic Places. New owners in 2015 restored the 1,400seat venue to its past glory, and it is a memorable space for an off-site event. If you don’t book the venue for your own events, you may find a national touring act there whose performance complements your meeting. The Missoula Children’s Theater Center for the Performing Arts is another arts-oriented event location, although smaller. Its theater seats 302, and its lobby capacity is 350. It also has a community room that can seat 180 auditorium-style, a conference room and a meeting room. Downtown’s Caras Park includes the rentable Caras Park Pavilion, a magnet for the eyes, with its tentlike, white-peaked roof. It can accommodate a dinner party for 150, and river entertainment is mere feet away at Brennan’s Wave. Just six miles from downtown, the Barn on Mullan is a banquet or reception venue with a famous Montana big-sky view. Mountains surround you, and you have a 360-degree panoramic view.

After the Meeting

By Kerrick James, courtesy Flathead CVB

Despite the nearness of Glacier and Yellowstone national parks, many attractions can divert you much closer to Missoula. The southern tip of Flathead Lake, the largest natural freshwater lake in the West, is just 70 miles north. The lake is popular with anglers — lake trout, whitefish, bass and more — and sailboats’ colorful sails against mountain backdrops offer pretty images. Even closer is the National Bison Range, a tract of almost 19,000 acres, with driving routes to view bison, many of which are descended from a herd started by Native Americans in the 1800s to preserve the species. Whitetail and mule deer, pronghorn antelopes, bighorn sheep and black bears can also be seen, and birding is excellent. For a ghostly but not spooky experience, head to Garnet, hailed as Montana’s most intact ghost town. The boom-and-bust mining town, whose population peaked at almost 1,000, went bust for the last time and now is preserved in a state of “arrested decay.” More than 20 buildings survive, telling ghost stories of hopes and dreams that mostly didn’t come true.

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MORE THAN RIVERS MEET

Welcome to Missoula, where ideas are inspired by nature and nurtured by top notch hospitality, technology and amenities. A place where groups gather to explore three rivers and seven wilderness areas, and indulge in art, culture, drink, food and friendly locals. Come together in Missoula—a refreshingly unique meetings destination dedicated to creating a safe and memorable experience for corporate events, retreats, conferences and conventions.



CLARK FORK RIVER, DOWNTOWN MISSOULA

Interested in meeting in Missoula? Visit destinationmissoula.org.

HOTEL

A Steel Country Getaway

BY KRISTY ALPERT

n land that once belonged to the illustrious Bethlehem Steel Works empire, the Wind Creek Bethlehem Casino and Hotel in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, first broke ground in 2007 and quickly grew into a gathering place for groups once it began hosting meetings in 2011. Affordable bus fares brought in travelers from New York City in just 90 minutes, and drivers from Philadelphia spent 60 minutes in the car before arriving at the casino floor. This hotel and casino has blossomed over the years. In 2022, the steely hotel is preparing for a golden future with an expansion project that will more than double the meeting space now offered throughout the property. Despite the renovations, the Wind Creek Bethlehem remains open during the expansion project as it continues to host meetings, events and celebrations for guests and groups. Along with more than 35,000 additional square feet of meeting space, the project will add three ballrooms, new guest rooms inside a new hotel tower, a high-end lobby bar, custom art installations, spacious new pool areas and even a new spa. Once the project is complete, the property will boast more than 550 hotel rooms and more than 60,000 square feet of combined meeting space. Guests of the hotel will continue to have access to the gaming options at the connected casino, as well as easy access to the shopping at the Outlets at Wind Creek. There’s no need to research dining around town, as the Wind Creek Bethlehem is home to some of the best restaurants in the city. Fast casual concepts, an upscale buffet and even an Asian fusion restaurant are on-site to welcome guests of all ages, but at chef Emeril Lagasse’s two on-site restaurants, reservations are always recommended. There’s something for everyone in the group to enjoy at Wind Creek Bethlehem, so whether plans are for a concert, a meeting, a reunion or even just a weekend out for the group, having fun is a sure bet.

Photos courtesy Wind Creek Bethlehem

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

M E E T I N G S PAC E S At present, Wind Creek Bethlehem has 26,000 square feet of meeting space — great for hosting corporate events, trade shows and intimate gatherings. Groups of all sizes can find a space that fits their agenda, whether it’s the Wind Creek Event Center for up to 600 guests or the board meeting-friendly Northampton Room for up to 75 guests. In fall 2022, Wind Creek Bethlehem will debut its Tower 2 expansion, which will feature 35,000 square feet of additional meeting/events space. Once complete, the integrated resort will boast 60,000 square feet of combined meeting space, including three new ballrooms for larger events, the largest of which is a 21,160-square-foot ballroom.

C AT E R I N G

MEETING ATTENDEES CAN ENJOY A FULL COMPLEMENT OF CASINO GAMES AT WIND CREEK BETHLEHEM.

From grab-and-go snacks to upscale plated entrees, the catering options at Wind Creek Bethlehem are designed to please every palate. Breakfast buffets kick meetings off with a healthy start — or a hearty start when they begin with brioche French toast — and coffee breaks and themed snacks keep the momentum going throughout the day. Boxed lunches are filled with gourmet options like roasted beef sandwiches on fresh ciabatta rolls with creamy horseradish, or garden-fresh salads with garbanzo beans and grilled chicken on a bed of tender greens. Passed hors d’oeuvres and lavish dinner buffets are always a hit, but the hotel’s plated dinner is the best chance to sample local Amish chicken breast with wild mushrooms. Alcohol is allowed.

EXTRAS

HOTEL FACTS A LOBBY SITTING AREA

LOCATION

Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

SIZE

550 guest rooms

MEETING SPACE

Space for more than 1,000 guests

ACCESS

Located 15 minutes from Lehigh Valley International Airport

CONTACT INFO

877-726-3777 windcreek.com/bethlehem

October 2021

Meeting groups at the Wind Creek Bethlehem can experience the resort’s premium meeting space, as well as gaming, signature dining, a spa, shopping at the Outlets at Wind Creek and endless on-site entertainment. For guests looking to stay connected during their time on-property, Wi-Fi is available for attendees throughout the guest rooms and meeting spaces. Planning a successful event is a team effort, and the resort’s dedicated audiovisual and meeting planning teams are always on hand to ensure meetings are executed well from start to finish.

BEFORE AND AFTER Wind Creek Bethlehem is a true integrated resort that affords meeting planners and their guests conveniences and luxuries that extend beyond an event’s itinerary. Guests don’t have to leave the resort to experience A-list concerts, vibrant nightlife, casino games or even family-friendly arcade games. Off-site, summer visitors can take to the Lehigh or Delaware rivers for paddling adventures or hike portions of the Appalachian Trail. During winter, the town of Bethlehem shines brightly with its annual German Christmas market. Self-guided tours of the region’s covered bridges or log cabins are offered by Discover Lehigh Valley.

VENUE

SUNSTREAM RETREAT CENTER IN IOWA CAN ACCOMMODATE WORSHIP SERVICES AND OTHER EVENTS WITH STAGE LIGHTING AND AUDIO.

IOWA’S RIVERFRONT RETREAT

ime moves differently at the Sunstream Retreat Center. It can rush by in a flash during a game of human foosball, where groups work together swiftly for a common goal, or it can slow to a breathtaking halt at the sight of a bald eagle soaring by the Kate Shelly Bridge above the mighty Des Moines River. Time is a gift, and at the Sunstream Retreat Center, that gift is a precious resource. This retreat center in Ogden, Iowa, is part of the Christian Retreats Network, whose meetings are faith-based by nature. Groups are immersed in 210 acres of beautiful natural surroundings while on the property. The center overlooks the Des Moines River, and although it is less than an hour’s drive from Des Moines, it is nestled in a remote slice of the river’s valley away from the hustle and bustle of day-to-day life. Fresh air and soaring oak trees take the place of boardrooms and city landscapes at this retreat center, where motel and dorm-style lodging make sleeping amidst the Des Moines River Valley landscape a cozy experience for groups of all ages. Options for accommodating couples, families, singles

BY KRISTY ALPERT

and friends, even if they’re new friends, are available, as well as recreational vehicle and tent sites for groups looking to get a bit closer to nature while on-site. The Christian Retreat Network’s planning team takes all the guesswork out of organizing a memorable retreat and offers inclusive packages that cover everything from entertainment and dining to lodging and meeting spaces. Large gatherings and small group meetings are given the same care and planning at the center, including additions like worship services, workshops and game nights. Time spent at the Sunstream Retreat Center is intended to be intentional, and even activities like archery and wacky games like gaga ball have an underlying message of teamwork and comradery. Whether it’s a weeklong gathering of 350 guests or an overnight getaway for 20 couples, the Sunstream Retreat Center’s welcoming and friendly staff help ensure any amount of time spent on the property is time well spent.

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M E E T I N G S PA C E S

A SUNSTREAM CABIN

There is space for groups with up to 350 guests at the Sunstream Retreat Center, where gatherings can take place indoors and out among the retreat’s 210 acres. The five dedicated indoor spaces range in size to accommodate a wide variety of groups. The Retreat Center is the largest and is capable of hosting

up to 400 guests at one time; the Conference Center is geared toward smaller gatherings and can host up to 80 guests at one time. Small group meeting rooms and breakout rooms are available on-site as well; these include the Cedar room, the Hickory room and the Garage, and each holds up to 40 guests.

C AT E R I N G

All Sunstream Retreat Center’s per-person retreat packages include buffet-style meals served in the dining room for all-you-can-eat breakfast, lunch and dinner. A breakfast typically consists of a protein, hot side dishes, cereals, fruit and a beverage from the beverage center. A lunch or dinner typically consists

V E N U E FA C T S

of multiple hot entrees, a variety of side dishes, soup, access to the salad bar, desserts and a beverage center of juice, soda, coffee and water. A dedicated food service manager works alongside planners to create a menu that accommodates dietary restrictions. Alcohol is not allowed.

PRAYING BEFORE A GAME

SUNSTREAM RETREAT CENTER LOCATION Ogden, Iowa

TYPE OF VENUE

On-site, retreat center

CAPACITY

350 overnight guests

CONTACT INFO

515-275-3078 sunstreamretreat.org A CLIMBING ACTIVITY BETWEEN SESSIONS

October 2021

All photos courtesy Sunstream Retreat Center

EXTRAS

A SUNSTREAM YOUTH RETREAT

Basic recreation is included in all of the packages at Sunstream Retreat Center, where meeting groups can take advantage of the center’s extensive list of complimentary indoor and outdoor offerings. Leaders can challenge the group to carpetball or basketball indoors or get funky with a game of indoor blacklight dodgeball. Outdoor options are

wide-ranging and include hiking and disc golf and groupcentric sports like sand volleyball, gaga ball and human foosball. There are multiple fields available for pop-up games, and the center’s premium recreation options create extra opportunities for groups. They include zip-line tours, a climbing tour, team-building activities and an outdoor pool.

BEFORE AND AFTER

Spend time before or after meetings exploring the 210 acres of the Sunstream Retreat Center, including Pioneer Village, where attendees can test their skills at archery, skeet shooting and sling shotting, or even take part in an experiential program at Grandpa’s wood shop or the blacksmith shop. The center has a partnership with Seven Oaks Recreation

that allows visitors access to river tubes and kayaks on the Des Moines River in the summer and snow skiing in the winter. Groups always arrive back to the center happy — and speckled in paint — after returning from the paintball field at Seven Oaks Recreation, just a 10-minute drive away.

A TEAM-BUILDING ACTIVITY

GATHERING AROUND A FIRE PIT

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Illinois Meeting Museums

Meetdieng Gui

Courtesy Illinois Holocaust Museum

BY PAULA AVEN GLADYCH

ou don’t have to visit Chicago to immerse yourself in world-class Illinois museums. The state has plenty of historical spots that have unusual venue spaces and give meeting groups an opportunity to peruse the diversity of exhibits. Highlights include one of the largest holocaust museums in the world, a first-class military museum, an interactive presidential museum, a museum dedicated to America’s rivers and another that pays homage to timepieces and stained-glass masterworks from around the world. Consider these distinctive museums for meetings or off-site events in Illinois.

GROUPS CAN MEET AMONG THE COMPELLING EXHIBITS AT THE ILLINOIS HOLOCAUST MUSEUM IN SKOKIE.

ILLINOIS HOLOCAUST MUSEUM AND EDUCATION CENTER

Skokie The world’s third-largest holocaust museum was founded in Skokie by local holocaust survivors with the mission of remembering the past and transforming the future. The permanent exhibit is a narrative of the holocaust told through the eyes of local survivors. After 1945, the story continues, following the families who survived the holocaust and immigrated to Skokie and the Chicago area. Founded in 2009, the goal of the museum is for visitors to leave with a sense of hope, empowerment and inspiration and the question of “what can I do now?” said Bernadette Marty, inside sales associate for Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center. Many groups choose to host a meeting here because they have a theme of diversity, equity, accessibility and inclusion and they are searching for inspiration, she said. The museum has spaces to accommodate groups of 20 to 350

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people varying in size from full-day meetings with keynote speakers and breakout sessions to board meetings. Goodman Auditorium can hold 240 people for a lecture or a theatrical performance, while Rowe Hall can host a banquet of 200 people or 325 theater style. Pritzker Hall of Reflection can hold 100 people for a cocktail reception, with its 30-foot ceilings, natural light and flickering candles throughout. Groups that rent the facility have access to the exhibits, and staff members in the museum’s education department can facilitate group discussions or take them on guided tours through the exhibits. ilholocaustmuseum.org

AN OUTDOOR MEMORIAL AT THE ILLINOIS HOLOCAUST MUSEUM

FIRST DIVISION MUSEUM AT CANTIGNY

Wheaton The First Division Museum interprets military history through the lens of the U.S. Army’s First Infantry Division that was founded during World War I and is still an active duty unit serving at Fort Riley in Kansas. The museum’s immersive exhibits take visitors through the trenches, dugouts and bunkers of World War I; to the beaches of Normandy during the D-Day invasion; and to the jungles of Vietnam. Visitors can watch a film with live footage from D-Day or inspect numerous tanks in the outdoor tank park. The museum property also includes the McCormick Museum, the former home of Chicago Tribune editor and publisher Robert McCormick, who served in the First Division during World War I and left his home and property to the state of Illinois when he passed away in 1955. The McCormick Museum is scheduled to open in 2022. The property has gardens, walking trails and a visitors center that is home to Le Jardin restaurant and several meeting spaces. The restaurant can accommodate 230 guests, and the Visitors Center Gallery can host receptions for up to 80 people. The Visitors Center Theater can host 100 attendees for a meeting or lecture. The Joseph Medill Room is suitable for smaller events of 35 people. At the museum, groups can rent out the large lobby for a banquet for up to 120 people or a meeting of up to 180 people, with overflow spilling into the two museum wings. In-house catering is available. fdmuseum.org

Courtesy Illinois Holocaust Museum

FIRST DIVISION MUSEUM AT CANTIGNY PARK

Founded in 2009, the goal of the [Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center] is for visitors to leave with a sense of hope, empowerment and inspiration and the question of “what can I do now?”

Courtesy First Division Museum at Cantigny Park

October 2021

Meetieng Guid ABRAHAM LINCOLN PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Courtesy Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum

ABRAHAM LINCOLN PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Springfield One of the most visited presidential libraries in the country, the 200,000-square-foot Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum offers not only artifacts from Lincoln’s life, law practice and presidency but also the stories of his life through interactive and contemporary technologies, including the Holovision Theater experience “Ghosts of the Library.” Meeting groups can host a breakfast and guided tour of the museum before it opens to the public for the day or rent out the library’s beautiful glassed-in rotunda for a meal or reception for up to 100 guests. After hours, groups can rent out the museum and add a variety of extras, like taking a behind-the-scenes tour, watching “Ghosts of the Library” or visiting the museum’s top exhibits. Depending on the size of the group, the museum will bring in Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln re-enactors to greet the guests and answer historical questions. The museum uses mobile apps and creative exhibits that can be touched and felt to get visitors involved. The museum and library have many smaller venue spaces for meetings or events. The Union Theater, which can hold 250 guests, is great for lectures, annual meetings and awards ceremonies; Museum Plaza can host 300 guests for dinner or 500 for a reception. lincolnlibraryandmuseum.com

After hours, groups can rent out the museum and add a variety of extras, like taking a behind-the-scenes tour, watching “Ghosts of the Library” or visiting the museum’s top exhibits.

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NATIONAL GREAT RIVERS MUSEUM

Alton The 12,000-square-foot National Great Rivers Museum opened in 2003 and is operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It was founded to tell the story of the Mississippi River through interactive exhibits and displays, educating visitors about the importance of the river to commerce and the natural environment. Many people have called the river home through the years, including Native American tribes, and the museum attempts to tell their story. Exhibits detail the topography along the river and the variety of plants and animals that call the river environment home. A large aquarium is home to many species of native Mississippi River fish. The museum emphasizes the importance of water to everyone’s lives, and interactive exhibits ask visitors to estimate how much fresh water they use in their household every day. The museum is built adjacent to the Melvin Price Locks and Dam, where groups can take a guided tour of the engineering marvel as they watch towboats and barges navigate their way through the system.

Anderson Japanese Gardens

Prairie Street Brewhouse

Embassy Suites

BUSINESS WITH A SIDE OF LEISURE Rockford. It’s easy to get here and once you arrive, you’ll find dozens of distinct meeting spaces. Plus, during downtime, your guests can explore Real. Original. Rockford. Call or email Kara for a complimentary virtual coffee date and learn more! 815.963.8111 • kdavis@gorockford.com

GOROCKFORD.COM NATIONAL GREAT RIVERS MUSEUM

Courtesy National Great Rivers Museum

October 2021

Meetieng Guid Groups that want to host a meeting or event at the museum can rent out the theater, which can accommodate 110 people and works well for presentations or lectures. The museum gallery can host groups of up to 150 for a banquet, and the classroom can host a sit-down dinner for 60 people. The venue is made more unusual because of its location on the river. riversandroutes.com

HALIM TIME AND GLASS MUSEUM

MEET.

Evanston The four-story modern Halim Time and Glass Museum houses marvelous collections of mechanical timepieces dating from the 1600s through the mid-20th century, and beautiful, intricate stained-glass windows and glass pieces made by America’s most famous stained-glass masters, including Louis Comfort Tiffany, John Lafarge and Mary Tillinghast. The museum’s first floor is dedicated to stained glass and how these masters took what was originally an artform for church windows and Americanized the process. The exhibits detail how they created different textures and techniques such as herringbone patterns and drapery glass to emulate the folds of clothing to give added depth to their stained-glass creations.

Come for the meeting... Stay for the woods, wine, and the adventures in between.

618-529-4451 carbondaletourism.org

A RIVERFRONT PLAZA AT THE NATIONAL GREAT RIVERS MUSEUM

Courtesy National Great Rivers Museum

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Hilton Chicago Oak Brook Hills Resort & Conference Center

Discover DuPage For Future Meetings and Events. • 2 Million Sq. Ft. of Combined Meeting Space • 57,000 Sq. Ft. Largest Meeting Space • 16,000+ Total Hotel Rooms

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Hotel Arista Hyatt Lodge Oak Brook

Meetieng Guid The second floor highlights timepieces from different regions and periods, including British, French, American and Asian clocks; marine chronometers, or sea clocks; and pocket watches. Meeting planners that want to host an event at the museum can rent out the Tiffany Garden Room on the third floor, which has six large Tiffany stained-glass windows in it. Or they can choose the fourth-floor Wisteria Room, which is capped off with a 12-foot-diameter stainedglass dome decorated with wisteria flowers and vines, six Tiffany windows and a window whose maker is unknown, all with garden themes, plus large Victorian-era chandeliers. The space can comfortably seat 175 people for a plated meal. The rooftop space can accommodate 175 people and offers 360-degree views of downtown Evanston and the Chicago skyline. Catering and bar service is offered in-house. halimmuseum.org

A BANQUET EVENT AT THE HALIM TIME AND GLASS MUSEUM Courtesy Halim Time and Glass Museum

Once your meeting is over – relax and unwind in the only place in America where Route 66 meets the Great River Road. LEARN MORE AT RIVERSANDROUTES.COM 42

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Small Town Illinois

Meetdieng Gui

Courtesy Galena Country Tourism

BY PAULA AVEN GLADYCH

ome of Illinois’ best meeting locations are found in its small towns. From its beautiful rivers, including the Mississippi, to its many state parks and forests, Illinois has much to offer those who are attracted to rugged natural settings. It also is home to historical figures like Abraham Lincoln, who were instrumental in guiding the U.S. to what it is today. Meeting planners wanting to tap into the state’s rich natural and historical settings should look no further than these small Illinois towns that offer full-service meeting venues and plenty of attractions to entice meeting attendees.

AFTER A MEETING, ATTENDEES CAN EXPLORE CHARMING GALENA ON A TROLLEY TOUR.

GALENA

A small community of about 3,500 people, Galena still attracts more than 1 million visitors a year because of its perfectly preserved historic downtown dating to 1826 and its connection to President Ulysses S. Grant. Visitors enjoy wandering the streets and learning the history of Galena’s historic buildings, including the Dowling House, the oldest residence in town, which was built out of limestone, and the oldest continuously operated Post Office in America. Lincoln once gave a speech from the balcony of the historic DeSoto House Hotel on Main Street, now a popular meeting location. The hotel has 55 guest rooms and a large ballroom that can accommodate up to 200 people. Cityowned Turner Hall has a stage and seating for 300 people for events or receptions. Among Galena’s full-service venues are Chestnut Mountain Resort, with 99 guest rooms and meeting spaces large enough to host groups of 250 people, and the Eagle Ridge Resort and Spa, which has 80 guest rooms and numerous villas to rent on-property. Its 14

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meeting rooms include a 5,300-square-foot ballroom. Galena can comfortably host groups of 300 to 350 people and has six hotels. In their free time, attendees can tour the Ulysses S. Grant Home, take a behind-the-scenes tour of a local brewery, enjoy a cemetery walk or experience a living history encampment and Civil War battle at General Grant’s Home Front Reenactment. visitgalena.org

A STATUE ON THE SQUARE IN DOWNTOWN CARBONDALE

CARBONDALE

Surrounded by the rolling hills of the Shawnee National Forest, Carbondale has an excellent climate for growing grapes. Groups hosting events in the area enjoy sampling the distinct and award-winning flavors at the 11 local wineries that make up the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail. Outdoor enthusiasts can hike or bike their way along the many trails carving their way through the national forest, taking them beneath beautiful sandstone bluffs that were carved 12,000 years ago. Just hours from Chicago, St. Louis, Nashville and Memphis, the city’s main conference facilities include the Holiday Inn Carbondale-Conference, with 100 guest rooms and 2,800 square feet of meeting space for groups of up to 200 people theater style or 160 for a banquet; the Varsity Center, a downtown performing arts facility that used to be a single-screen movie house in the 1940s; and the many venues operated by Southern Illinois University (SIU). The SIU Student Center has 21,000 square feet of meeting space, the SIU Arena can seat S8,339 people, and Shryock Auditorium can seat 1,212 guests. SIU’s Touch of Nature Environmental Center offers team-building opportunities such as hiking, biking, a ropes and zip-line course and educational programs that teach guests how to canoe, kayak or rock climb. Smaller lodge and conference facilities include the Hampton Inn, with 80 guest rooms and 784 square feet of meeting space, and the Days Inn and Suites, with 73 guest rooms and 800 square feet of meeting space. carbondaletourism.org

CARBONDALE’S VARSITY CENTER

Photos courtesy Carbondale Tourism

October 2021

Meetieng Guid THE EMBASSY SUITES IN ROCKFORD

ROCKFORD

Located along the Rock River, Rockford is within easy driving distance of Chicago, Madison and Milwaukee. Founded by Swedish immigrants, the city pays homage in many ways, from its cuisine to its cultural attractions. The Stockholm Inn is famous for its Swedish pancakes but also makes a unique location to host a meal for 200 people. Rockford’s famous Anderson Japanese Gardens, one of the top attractions in Rockford, got its start as a backyard project and grew to include 12 acres of beautifully sculpted grounds, koi ponds and waterfalls. Fresco by the Garden, a glass-enclosed Italian restaurant that overlooks the gardens, can accommodate events for up to 125 people, or groups can rent a pavilion in the gardens. The largest convention space is the BMO Harris Bank Center, an 8,000-seat arena that hosts concerts, conventions and trade shows and has a theater seating capacity of 10,000. It is just a block away from the Embassy Suites by Hilton Rockford Riverfront and Rockford Conference Center, which opened in 2020; the complex has 160 guest rooms and 14,191 square feet of event space that can host groups of up to 1,000 people. Cliffbreakers Events at Riverview Inn and Suites has 23,200 square feet of conference and meeting space and 94 guest rooms overlooking the Rock River. It can host up to 2,000 guests.

ROCKFORD’S ANDERSON JAPANESE GARDENS

Visit Effingham... It’s what you’re craving. 46

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Hello, Fort Wayne! I N D I A N A

Other venues include the Coronado Performing Arts Center — a 1920s-era theater — and the Prairie Street Brewing Co., which can accommodate 300 people for a banquet and offers behind-the-scenes tours and beer tastings. gorockford.com

Founded by Swedish immigrants, the city pays homage in many ways, from its cuisine to its cultural attractions. The Stockholm Inn is famous for its Swedish pancakes but also makes a unique location to host a meal for 200 people.

“Grand Wayne Center is a stunning work of architecture with easy access to hotels, restaurants and entertainment. Our members were impressed with how clean, modern, walkable, and friendly downtown Fort Wayne, Indiana, proved to be.”

— Dallas. W. Johnson, North American SCRABBLE® Championship

NOW BOOKING 2022 and beyond! Marcy McKinley | Director of Sales & Marketing

AUTUMN AT ANDERSON JAPANESE GARDENS

WHAT YOU’LL LOVE ABOUT US:

• Full in-house services for In-person, Hybrid, or Remote meetings • 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 • In-house Sales, AV, Catering, Event management, and Guest experiences • 60+ walkable restaurants and pubs, boutiques, and riverfront parks • Easier event planning & guest navigation >> SAVE UP TO 15% versus comparable cities! Easy Drive-To Destination! Easy by Air via FWA

DOWNTOWN FORT WAYNE, INDIANA | grandwayne.com | 260.426.4100

@GrandWayneCC #yourGrandWaynestory

Photos courtesy Rockford Area CVB

October 2021

Meetieng Guid

ITASCA

Where you can safely meet in a community that leads by innovation.

Itasca is a small village of 9,200 residents 25 minutes from downtown Chicago via Metra commuter train and just west of O’Hare International Airport, making it a great spot to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city for a conference or event and still be close enough to take advantage of everything the city has to offer. The Eaglewood Resort and Spa and the Westin Chicago Northwest are the village’s two top meeting locations. The Eaglewood has 295 sleeping rooms and 37,000 square feet of event space: the 7,031-square-foot Red Oak Ballroom, a tiered outdoor amphitheater that seats 75, outdoor terraces and a patio with a fire pit. When attendees are done with their meetings, they can play a round of golf on the resort’s 18-hole golf course, visit the full-service spa or challenge their colleagues to a game of bowling or bocce ball on-property. The Westin has 416 guest rooms and 44,935 square feet of event space. Its largest space can host groups of up to 1,100 people. The hotel features 2.5 miles of walking trails and green spaces. Groups can participate in yoga on the lawn, take advantage of the full-service health club or participate in team-building activities, including 5K races.

WESTIN CHICAGO NORTHWEST IN ITASCA

The University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign led the nation in pandemic response. Now we’re leading the way in safely bringing back meetings & events. Learn more about expanded and new meeting space for your return to events. Schedule a site visit today to receive an Outside of Ordinary gift! 800.369.6151 caitlynf@visitchampaigncounty.org

champaignmeets.com

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The Springbrook Nature Center makes an unusual venue for smaller groups, with two miles of hiking trails that wander past a stream, woods, flower-filled meadows, prairies and marshes choked with cattails and willows. It has a barn with classroom space and a large aquarium. chicagonorthwest.com

go rogue

The Eaglewood Resort and Spa and the Westin Chicago Northwest are the village’s two top meeting locations.

Meetings don’t have to be boring You provide the agenda,

we’ll provide the adventure gucci rooms grasshoppers mob mansions mediterranean castles tunnel tours mississippi brews EAGLEWOOD RESORT AND SPA OUTSIDE CHICAGO

Photos courtesy Meet Chicago Northwest

October 2021

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Meetieng Guid

ALTON

Situated right on the Mississippi River and on a section of the Great River Road National Scenic Byway, Alton is known for its soaring limestone bluffs and beautiful, ever-changing forests. It was a major river port in the 1800s, rivaling nearby St. Louis, and the area is steeped in Lincoln lore, as the 16th president spent time practicing law in the area and even held his final debate with Stephen Douglas in the city. Meeting planners can host events at Alton’s main convention facility, the Best Western Premier Alton-St. Louis-Area hotel, which has 135 guest rooms and a large ballroom that can host banquets for up to 250 people. The Argosy Casino also has exhibit and banquet spaces; the largest, the Music Hall, can host groups of 250 people for a sit-down dinner. In total, Alton has 416 guest rooms. Unusual venues include the National Great Rivers Museum, right on the Mississippi River, which can host groups of 60 to 150 people for meetings or banquets, and the Audubon Center at Riverlands, on the banks of the Mississippi inside the 3,700-acre Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary. The facility hosts events and offers guided tours through its exhibits, wildlife viewing and a 12-minute movie about Riverlands. The Old Bakery Beer Co. has a private event space for seated events for up to 100 people or receptions for up to 130 people. Meeting guests can participate in a tour and tasting at the facility. riversandroutes.com

BEST WESTERN PREMIER IN ALTON Courtesy Great Rivers and Routes Tourism Bureau

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