72 minute read
MANAGING
Rewarding Experiences
VETERAN PLANNERS SHARE TIPS FOR PERFECTING INCENTIVE EVENTS
BY RACHEL CRICK
What’s more motivating than the prospect of a day relaxing by turquoise Caribbean waters or exploring a historic European castle? Very little, which is why companies invest in incentive travel programs, designed to reward their top-performing employees and encourage competition.
Incentive programs often feature breathtaking destinations, luxurious lodging and plenty of fun activities. Incentive travel may seem like more play than work, but designing the perfect trip to reward a company’s hardest-working players involves a lot of careful planning.
These tips from industry experts will get any incentive program off to a good start.
DREAM DESTINATIONS
At first glance, choosing the perfect location for an incentive event may seem as simple as locating the nearest beach resort, but there are a lot more factors for planners to account for when designing the perfect program. A glamorous destination is a must, because the program needs to be based in a desirable location to inspire competition and hard work. But not just any desirable vacation spot will do.
“At the end of the day what our customers are looking for are locations that the winners wouldn't necessarily take their families on vacation,” said Michelle Crosby, account executive at Brightspot Incentives and Events, an event-services agency based in Irving, Texas.
For example, if a company is located in Texas and its workers tend to vacation in popular domestic destinations like Florida, a more exciting location such as the Caribbean or Europe may be a good alternative. The point is to hit items on their bucket list — rather than run-of-themill vacation sites — to truly inspire motivation among company employees.
Other factors, such as the potential attendee demographics, will inform the choice of locale, according to Crosby. The age, gender, travel history and activity level of a company’s employees are all factors that planners must consider when selecting a destination. A more active group of employees is more likely to enjoy a destination
Amy Beilke
DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
Carrousel Travel Experience: 25 years
Ashley Glade
FOUNDER AND PRINCIPAL
Events Done Right, Inc. Experience: 16 years
with a lot of potential for outdoor activities than a group of senior-level executives looking to relax.
Another important factor is the history of the incentive program; for many companies, the top performers and winners of incentive trips end up winning the trips multiple years in a row.
“A lot of companies don’t like to repeat destinations,” said Ashley Glade, independent hospitality contractor and the founder and principal of Events Done Right, Inc.
Glade also points to logistical factors such as safety as important considerations. It’s unwise to plan incentive events on the Gulf of Mexico during hurricane season, for instance. Factors such as group size are also important, because very large groups or very small groups exclude certain destinations by default. While meetings often take place domestically, the point of incentives is to think big, meaning international destinations are frequently on the table. “You’d go to Florida for a meeting, but you'd much rather go to Paris for an incentive trip,” said Crosby. Amy Beilke, director of business development at Carrousel Travel, a Minneapolis-based travel company, pointed out international travel comes with other considerations; factors like obtaining visas or other documents, dealing with air travel, variable exchange rates and fees, and even immunizations are all important to look into when planning an international incentive program.
BUDGETING FOR BONUSES
Another area where planning an incentive differs from planning a meeting, conference or similar event is the budget. That’s because incentive planners need to plan for a lot of extra expenses to make the trip special.
The first major budgetary consideration is budgeting for two. After all, one of the biggest purposes of an incentive is “to not only recognize and reward the award-winner who’s going on the trip but also those who support the award winner,” said Crosby. In other words, well-designed incentive programs usually accommodate a winner and their plus-one, which
MANAGING
means the budget needs to reflect that. All activities, meals and accommodations should be designed to include two people.
When it comes to incentive travel, the key to ensuring a rewarding experience for the winners is detail: Are they served welcome drinks? Is their luggage taken up to their room automatically? Do they have room credits for a spa visit? Are meals and transportation free? These details are what determines the level of luxury of an incentive program, and often these details don’t come cheap.
“Your incentive budget is all about how the winner and their guest don’t have to open their wallets,” said Crosby.
Another extra to budget for is gifts for winners and their guests. Gifts, which can be simple or more elaborate, depending on the company’s requests, are one more thing that leave winners feeling rewarded and appreciated for their hard work. Whether it’s a pair of sunglasses or a sweater, paying for a little extra something adds a level of detail and luxury to any incentive program.
One more factor to consider is paying for travel costs; while this may not be automatically included for attendees of a conference, travel to the destination should be included in the incentive program. Since many destinations for incentive travel are international, that means airfare, which can be pricey. There’s also transportation from the airport, as well as to and from activities. Planners should include all these expenses in their budgets so that incentive winners don’t have to pay for them.
The budget for an incentive trip is usually going to be larger than that for another kind of trip, but the point of having an incentive program is to motivate employees to work harder, meaning it all evens out in the end.
“The whole purpose of an incentive is that it’s a self-funded marketing initiative,” said Bielke.
On the difference between planning a meeting and an incentive program: “It's more about a luxury, highend experience as opposed to a meeting, which is more regulated and regimented.”
CRAFTING AN EXPERIENCE
Just like it’s fitting to choose a destination that guests wouldn’t normally go to for vacation, it’s important to choose activities they might not necessarily be able to do on their own, especially activities that may otherwise not be affordable or accessible to the average traveler. Activities like parasailing or scuba diving are great, as are other excursions or activities unique to the area.
Michelle Crosby
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
MANAGING
“We're always looking for things off the beaten path, things they can’t do on their own,” said Bielke.
When it comes to designing the agenda, the big difference between planning meetings and conferences and planning an incentive program is what the participants get out of them.
“Meetings have an objective, but incentives are about an experience,” said Glade.
Creating a rewarding experience is all about making good memories. Fun and unique activities, delicious meals and beautiful settings are what create these memories, so giving participants the time and ability to enjoy them is critical.
Some organization leaders might want to combine the incentive trip with a sales meeting or other business session. However, there’s a balance. Too much structure or too many activities may take away the relaxation aspect of an incentive trip. Too few activities may make the trip seem boring or poorly designed, so a good compromise is to offer the winners and their plus-ones choices on how to spend their time.
Whether they want to relax on the beach all day or participate in local adventures, they should participate at their leisure, “almost like there’s no agenda,” said Crosby.
When it comes to creating an ideal mix of work and fun, it depends on the company hosting the incentive. While some companies want to incorporate a meeting or ceremony into the agenda, or even a half-day of meetings before the fun begins, programs that include too much work may not be as rewarding for winners.
“Some kind of business can be accomplished, but the big difference is that incentives are more fun-focused,” said Glade.
There are other ways to build in work without it overwhelming the purpose of the trip. Some incentive programs accomplish this by building in time to recognize the winners’ achievements with a group breakfast with the executive team or a presentation honoring them. Group dinners or excursions are also a great way to include networking that’s productive without taking away from the rewarding aspects of the trip.
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ON THE MAP.
Travel withPurpose Across NorthAmerica.
As travelers, we all want rich, authentic, and meaningful travel experiences. As travel professionals, we want to ensure we use travel as a force for good. Through the Meaningful Travel Map of North America, visitors can connect to locally owned social and environmental impact experiences and opportunities, unique and hands-on cultural experiences, products, and services.
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Pictured: Take a cooking class with The League of Kitchens, to build cross-cultural connection and access to traditional cuisine.
CUSTOM CONTENT
Chandler’s entrepreneurial spirit energizes meetings and events
BY VICKIE MITCHELL
Dr. Alexander Chandler is long gone, but his entrepreneurial spirit lives on in the Arizona city that bears his name and many of his creative touches.
Dr. Chandler developed the state’s first grass golf course, still in play at the edge of downtown Chandler. The town’s main street follows his early 1900s design, shaded by palms, flanked by historic buildings. The hotel Dr. Chandler masterminded remains an anchor, serving meetings that enjoy its ambiance, meeting space and walkable downtown location.
Visitors who expect a suburb of Phoenix will be surprised. Chandler is a city in its own right, founded by Dr. Chandler only 30 years after Phoenix was established. There’s no doubt though that proximity to the metropolis is an advantage. Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, a major hub, is a 20-minute drive. Interstate 10 is 10 minutes from downtown.
Bordering the Phoenix metro on the southeast, Chandler is home to global corporations, start-ups and small businesses. It’s a thriving city where Dr. Chandler would feel at home among minds that, like his, buzz with new ideas. “There’s a lot of entrepreneurial energy that runs through our community,” says Kimberly Janes, tourism program manager for Visit Chandler. “It’s great to incorporate that energy into meetings; it really helps them blossom.”
GOOD VARIETY OF CONFERENCE HOTELS
A top choice for meetings is the 249-room Crowne Plaza Phoenix Chandler Golf Resort, with its 32,000 square feet of meeting space and the San Marcos Golf Course at its edge. When Dr. Chandler opened the resort and golf course in 1913, the then-San Marcos Resort was the first true resort in Arizona. Since then dozens of hotels have opened in Chandler, especially in the last 20 years, when its 1,300 total hotel rooms increased to today’s 3,900.
Among the newest is the 264-room Marriott Phoenix Chandler, which opened in 2019 in the Price Road Corridor, where many companies are located. Its 28,000 square feet of meeting space, all on the main floor, adjoins the lobby and a popular bar. The hotel’s west side faces the desert and mountains so sunsets are knockouts by the pool or on the poolside event lawn.
Other conference hotels include the 192-room Hilton Phoenix Chandler with 16,000 square feet of meeting space and the 106-room Holiday Inn Phoenix Chandler, with 2,000 square feet of meeting space. Limited-service properties are plentiful, including a number near the city’s popular Chandler Fashion Center mall, home to 200 stores and restaurants. The first Arizona location of destination sporting goods retailer SCHEELS will open there in fall 2023.
LOCAL IS THE NORM
Local businesses are abundant, including restaurants, which tend to cover a lot of culinary bases thanks to residents from many countries and cultures.
“Our diverse workforce really helps us, especially as far as dining options and the variety of things to do in the area,” says Janes.
In downtown, some 40 restaurants and bars serve meals to suit most every taste: Thai, Mexican, sushi, ramen, Italian, American steak and burgers, Irish and BBQ, to name a few. It can make planning for a group easy. “For an offsite dinner, they could just turn people loose downtown to explore for themselves,” says Janes.
There’s also plenty of post-dinner entertainment. “About 14 venues have live music. So every night live music is available,” she said.
Crust Simply Italian Bear Creek Golf Complex
Crowne Plaza Phoenix Chandler Golf Resort
Dining out can also be an adventure. At the Perch, guests meet exotic birds rescued by the bar and restaurant’s owner. The lush gardens and a massive rooftop bar feel like an oasis in the desert. And speaking of fowl, there’s also the Ostrich, a subterranean speakeasy named for one of Dr. Chandler’s business ventures. He hatched a plan to raise ostriches for their feathers during the roaring 20s. While the business didn’t work out, it did inspire an ostrich-theme festival, held each year in Chandler.
A lush patio is a feature at The Hidden House, a remade 1930s cottage with three dining areas with different atmospheres. It’s a favorite for celebratory and upscale dinners.
One of Uptown Chandler’s big surprises is SanTan Brewing, Arizona’s largest independent brewery and distillery combo. It can work its way into meetings in several ways. Tours of its 35,000-square-foot production facility tell its story, describe brewing and distilling processes and offer samples of beers and spirits. SanTan is also a popular events space, with a private room and extensive options from its kitchen--anything from passed appetizers to taco and slider bars and full-out buffets.
Another locally inspired off-site venue, Greenhouse Gardens, is a small urban farm run by a local couple. They are happy to arrange farm-to-table dinners prepared by a local chef and served at tables outdoors or in a restored barn.
Rush Extreme rock climbing wall “There’s a lot of entrepreneurial energy that runs through our community. It’s great to incorporate that energy into meetings; it really helps them blossom.”
— KIMBERLY JANES Crayola Experience
Pool at the Marriott Phoenix Chandler
To add Western spirit to an evening, there’s the Eddie Basha Collection, a corporate gallery that surrounds guests at private receptions with 3,000 pieces of Western and American Indian art.
FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY
As people begin to travel again, Janes is seeing more families tag along to meetings. They find plenty to fill their free hours in Chandler. Younger children love the Crayola Experience, one of five locations in the U.S., where kids can spend hours dashing among 20 hands-on Crayola-themed projects.
In the heat of the summer, indoor activity centers offers cool retreats for fun, with everything from bowling and climbing walls to escape rooms and trampolines. Many public pools in the area are like mini water parks, with elaborate water slides and lazy rivers. Chandler’s position on the desert’s edge, with mountains nearby, opens up opportunities for hikes, horseback rides and hotair ballooning.
All in all, it is a friendly, relaxed city for meetings and events.
“Chandler is a very personable community,” says Janes, who’s worked there nearly 20 years. “You get to know folks and part of that goes back to that entrepreneurial spirit. Have you ever met an entrepreneur? They’re always happy to keep talking about what they love.”
SanTan Brewing Company
Patio at The Hidden House
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
VISIT CHANDLER
Kimberly Janes 480-782-3037 kimberly.janes@chandleraz.gov VisitChandler.com
REGIONAL HOTSPOTS
Meeting groups flock to these cities from nearby states
BY RACHEL CRICK
Location, location, location — every planner knows that’s what’s important when it comes to designing a meeting or conference, especially one accommodating groups from a regional market.
After all, even the most elegant events have the potential to flop if they’re not accessible to attendees. To solve this problem, many meeting planners seek out destinations centrally located in the regions where their attendees live.
These regional meeting destinations are situated perfectly to accommodate different markets across the country. They’re also worth looking into for their excellent venues, local activities and distinct charms.
HAMILTON COUNTY, INDIANA
Hamilton County, Indiana, is a northern suburb of Indianapolis, representing four cities: Carmel, Fishers, Noblesville and Westfield. Because of its central location in both Indiana and the country, it’s a great location for Midwestern markets. It attracts plenty of regional association and SMERF groups thanks to the abundance of national corporate headquarters in the area, as well as its low hotel tax and free hotel parking.
“Because of our central location and proximity to several major metropolitan areas, we are easy to drive to and offer big city amenities at a much lower cost,” said Laura Kelner, director of sales at Visit Hamilton County Indiana.
Embassy Suites Noblesville is the area’s largest convention hotel, with over 31,000 square feet of
Courtesy Hamilton Co. Tourism
Above: Just outside Indianapolis, Carmel is a popular meeting destination for groups coming from around the Midwest.
event space in total and a conference center that can accommodate up to 1,550 attendees banquet-style. Another popular destination for smaller to midsize meetings is the Hotel Carmichael, an upscale Marriott Autograph Collection hotel in Carmel featuring a musical theme and plenty of live entertainment for attendees to enjoy. The Hotel Carmichael also has a 2,400-square-foot ballroom seating 200 and several smaller meeting rooms that provide an elegant setting for any event.
In the winter months, Hamilton County has an ice rink and inflatable igloos for attendees to check out in their downtime. The county is also home to a thriving performing arts district and a bourgeoning restaurant and brewery scene.
— Laura Kelner, Visit Hamilton County Indiana visithamiltoncounty.com
GULF SHORES/ ORANGE BEACH, ALABAMA
Serving the market in the Southeast is Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, Alabama. In addition to its most notable feature — its 32-mile whitesand, sun-soaked Gulf Coast beach — it offers plenty of venues for regional meetings and conferences. Also known for the ecosystems of its waterways and the nation’s largest artificial reef program, it’s a beautiful slice of the Gulf Coast for attendees to enjoy.
“Gulf Shores and Orange Beach is an ideal location for meetings, conventions and board retreats, being within an eight-hour drive of many major Southeast markets,” said Michelle Russ, vice
Photos courtesy Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism
Gulf Shores scenes, clockwise from left: The pool deck at Perdido Beach Resort; a beachfront lodge at Gulf State Park; public beach access
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The Orange Beach Event Center at the Wharf is located in the Wharf Entertainment district. It offers 18,000 square feet of meeting and exhibition space, a catering kitchen and audiovisual equipment. Gulf Shores also features several full-service hotels and resorts ideal for hosting meetings and events, such as the Perdido Beach Resort. It has 44,000 square feet of newly renovated indoor and outdoor spaces for meetings, banquets and other events, including a 7,800-square-foot beach deck with a view of the water that can accommodate 400 banquet-style. The Lodge at Gulf State Park offers 40,000 square feet of sophisticated event space, featuring the largest beach-view ballroom on the Gulf Coast, which can seat 800 banquet-style.
In their downtime, attendees can enjoy the beach or a sunset cruise to view dolphins and other marine life.
gulfshores.com
PADDLING IN GULF SHORES
courtesy Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism
NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND
Conveniently located between Boston, and New York City, Newport, Rhode Island, is an excellent destination for East Coast groups to meet. This well-known historic sailing town hosts meetings and events within every industry, from pharmaceuticals to associations, because of its accessibility and its array of offerings for attendees. In addition to its large selection of full-service meeting hotels, there is an impressive selection of elegant off-site settings for any event.
“There’s so much to choose from in this little town for activities and for the venues,” said Tim Walsh, vice president of sales at Discover Newport.
One of the area’s top meeting hotels is the Newport Marriott, located in historic downtown Newport. This hotel, which is within walking distance from many of Newport’s local attractions, is the town’s largest, with 16 meeting rooms and over 24,000 square feet of meeting space. The Hotel Viking is an elegant, historic setting for meetings and events, with ballroom seating 400 banquet-style and 12 total meeting rooms. There are plenty of other historic and boutique inns and hotels for planners to choose from, such as the Chanler at Cliff Walk and Castle Hill Inn, which features panoramic ocean views. Other popular venues in Newport include its many historic Gilded Age mansions, Newport Vineyards and the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
— Tim Walsh, Discover Newport
Newport scenes, clockwise from left: A corporate event at the Elms; dusk at Hotel Viking; Newport Marriott
Courtesy Hotel Viking
Courtesy Discover Newport Courtesy Newport Marriott
Attendees can spend their free time soaking up the area’s history while they enjoy the harbor breeze and fresh seafood.
discovernewport.org
SPOKANE, WASHINGTON
Spokane is the second largest city in Washington and a jewel in the region known as the Inland Northwest. The city’s charm is enhanced by its abundant water features, including Spokane Falls and the Spokane River, which run through downtown. The Spokane International Airport and its easy interstate access, along with local gems like its historic carrousel, make it a delightful and convenient destination for conferences and meetings.
“We serve a pretty big regional population that is part of eastern Washington and also northern Idaho, western Montana and even parts of southern Alberta, Canada,” said Ruth Fitzgerald, vice president of sales at Visit Spokane. “We’re kind of the place where everybody comes to meet and rest and recreate.”
The Spokane Convention Center is a bright, modern facility next to a river gorge that features 300,000 square feet of flexible meeting and event space, including 41 meeting rooms and two connected hotels. The First Interstate Center for the Arts is connected to the convention center but provides a separate event venue with 2,600 seats and a lobby with a capacity of 700 reception-style.
Another member of the Marriott Autograph Collection, the Davenport Grand is a full-service meeting and convention hotel with nearly 64,000 square feet of sophisticated meeting space. For smaller meetings, the Ruby River Hotel has 3,000 square feet of meeting space with a relaxing view of the Spokane River. Other notable off-site venues include Arbor Crest Wine Cellars, a stunning winery on a historic property, and the Pavilion at Riverfront Park, an open-air venue with a unique light display and views of Spokane’s skyline.
visitspokane.com
Spokane scenes, clockwise from left: Riverfront Park Carousel; Arbor Crest Wine Cellars; Spokane Convention Center
Photos courtesy Visit Spokane
FREDERICKSBURG, TEXAS
AN EVENT VENUE AT FREDERICKSBURG’S CONTIGO RANCH
By Trish Rawls, courtesy Fredericksburg CVB
Platte County
Centrally located within easy driving distance of all major metropolitan areas in Texas, Fredericksburg is the ideal location for regional groups in the South and Southwest. The town was founded in 1846 by German immigrants and is still home to a thriving German culture, in addition to its Texas charm. Fredericksburg is also famous for its spot in the heart of Texas wine country and features plenty of wineries with event space in addition to hotels, ranches and other traditional Texas venues. The small town is “where Texan hospitality and German traditions thrive,” said Amanda Koone, director of communications at the Fredericksburg Convention and Visitor Bureau. The Hangar Hotel is an aviation-themed hotel and event space. Its Pacific Showroom can accommodate up to 250 attendees, while its conference center can hold up to 350. It also offers full-service catering. Another popular hotel for events is the Fredericksburg Inn and Suites, featuring 3,700 square feet of total function space. Some of the area’s most prominent wineries to host events at include Lost Draw Cellars and Signor Vineyards, both of which offer tastings and outdoor event NEBRASKANEBRASKA space. Other off-site venues include the Contigo Ranch, a working ranch with 6,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space in the rolling Texas hills, and Meet you there the National Museum of the Pacific War, a 55,000-square-foot museum campus that can host events for up to 200 guests.
visitfredericksburgtx.com
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Clean and‘Cool, FRIENDLY’
The Grand River shapes the contours of downtown Grand Rapids, a thriving city in western Michigan.
All photos courtesy Experience Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids is a thriving destination for meetings
BY ELIZABETH HEY
People who know Grand Rapids characterize it as cool, clean and friendly with soft edges. Imagination and energy permeate this city’s arts, food and culture scenes, and beautiful natural areas lie at its doorstep. The Grand River flows through the city center, and numerous venues take advantage of panoramic river views. A mere 35 miles away, Lake
Michigan’s shoreline beckons with sand dunes and dazzling sunsets.
GRAND RAPIDS AT A GLANCE
LOCATION: West Michigan ACCESS: Gerald R. Ford International Airport HOTEL ROOMS: 10,300
CONTACT INFO:
DEVOS PLACE
BUILT: 1997 EXHIBIT SPACE: 240,000 square feet OTHER MEETING SPACES: 21 meeting rooms
MEETING HOTELS
Amway Grand Plaza, Curio Collection by Hilton
JW Marriott Grand Rapids
Courtyard Grand Rapids Downtown by Marriott
WHO’S MEETING IN GRAND RAPIDS
American Fisheries Society: JASM 2022
ATTENDEES: 3,500
US Travel Association: ESTO 2022
ATTENDEES: 900
National Forum for Black Public Administrators
ATTENDEES: 700
Destination Highlights After the Meeting
Creativity and a big-city vibe embody Grand Rapids. Halfway between Chicago and Detroit, in the western corner of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula, Grand Rapids boasts a walkable downtown with more than 200 restaurants, breweries, shops, museums and entertainment venues. Public art is everywhere. Some pieces were originally installed as part of the annual ArtPrize competition and festival. ArtPrize takes place each September on varied spaces within a three-mile radius of downtown, which is also home to two art museums.
Artistic license extends to the dining scene. The World Food Travel Association has named Grand Rapids one of the world’s best dining and beverage destinations. The Grand Rapids Food Trail spotlights a wide variety of deliciousness, including the Downtown Market, touting artisan food vendors, classroom kitchens and a dizzying schedule of food events under one greenhouse-covered roof. Known as Beer City USA, the city’s “Ale Trail” encompasses more than 80 breweries.
“We’re fortunate to have a culinary school as part of our community college, and many chefs are trained here,” said Janet Korn, senior vice president of Experience Grand Rapids. “We embrace locally owned, farm-to-table and culturally interesting dining.”
Nature inspires art at the renowned Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park and on the city’s numerous biking and hiking trails, parks and golf courses. Parks and green spaces are active much of the year. For instance, Rosa Parks Circle boasts ice skating in winter and concerts in warmer months. In the next several years, restoration of the Grand River rapids will include development of a river walk. S ports lovers will want to head to Van Andel Arena. From its 12,000-plus seats, crowds watch the Grand Rapids Griffins ice hockey team and the Grand Rapids Gold NBA G league, an affiliate of the Denver Nuggets. In addition, its calendar includes big-name concerts and other events.
Entertainment at the DeVos Performance Hall features the Grand Rapids Symphony, Grand Rapids Ballet, Opera Grand Rapids, Broadway Grand Rapids and touring concerts. Smaller and more contemporary, GLC Live at 20 Monroe hosts live music, comedy shows and more in its 2,600-seat concert hall. At Studio Park, attendees can take in a movie at the Celebration Cinema boasting nine indoor screens with heated, reclining seats, in-theater food and a full bar, plus a 10th outdoor screen. “Visitors can find many smaller music venues throughout downtown that, on any given night, are hosting live performances,” said Korn.
Brewery tours are always popular. Within walking distance of the hotels are eight craft breweries.
“Not only do our breweries specialize in great beer, they also curate cool food that accompanies their craft beer,” said Korn. “Beer lovers and foodies enjoy visiting our breweries.”
Top 25 Convention City
Travmar, 2022
Distinctive Venues
Numerous Grand Rapids venues showcase art and nature. The celebrated Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park is ranked in the top 45 most-visited art museums worldwide. Located on 158 acres, its sculpture collection features nearly 300 works, both inside and throughout the gardens, featuring artists such as Rodin, Degas and Moore. Spaces will accommodate 10 to 5,000 attendees in indoor and outdoor settings. Meetings can seamlessly transition into garden receptions and tours.
Across the river from the JW Marriott, the Grand Rapids Public Museum offers a large, open gathering space routinely reserved for conferences due to its walkable location from the downtown hotels. Meetings, social gatherings and dinners take place amidst museum exhibits for a one-of-a-kind experience. The museum’s Roger B. Chaffee Planetarium uses the latest projection technology and immersive surround sound for star shows.
Fostering team-building activities, John Ball Zoological Garden near downtown offers a variety of options. Attendees can tour like a kid, zip line through the trees and encounter animals via zoo experiences. Smaller meetings or luncheons, for up to 180 guests, can be held in the glass-walled Bissell Tree House, where attendees ride a funicular or shuttle to this hilltop location. After-hours zoo rentals can include camel rides, the zip line, a ropes course and more.
INDIANA
“Grand Wayne Center is a stunning work of architecturewith 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
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Meagan Drabik | Sales Manager
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
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Easy Drive-To Destination! Easy by Air via FWA
DISTINCTIVE VENUES Grand Rapids Public Museum
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Walkable Downtown
Unique Venues
World-Class Attractions
DESTINATION HIGHLIGHTS MAJOR MEETING SPACES
DeVos Performance Hall
MAJOR MEETING SPACES
DeVos Place Convention Center
Major Meeting Spaces
Situated on the Grand River, the DeVos Place Convention Center façade makes a contemporary statement while maintaining its original art deco lobby. The facility features a 162,000-square-foot exhibit space, 40,000 square foot ballroom (the state’s second largest) and 26 meeting rooms, totaling 32,000 square feet. Additionally, the center’s 2,543-seat DeVos Performance Hall can be used for general sessions or a keynote address.
Connected to DeVos Place by a glass, above-the-street walkway are the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel, JW Marriott Grand Rapids and the Courtyard Marriott. The 659-room Amway Grand Plaza Hotel first opened in 1913. It provides 47,120-square-feet of meeting space, four ballrooms and 42 technology-rich meeting rooms. Luxury suites, located in the property’s Glass Tower, deliver panoramic views.
“Three of the ballrooms are on the historic side, so they have a lot of character,” said Korn. “One ballroom was originally built as a bank in the corner of the hotel.”
The next-largest property, the 336-room JW Marriott Grand Rapids, boasts a football-shaped curvature to all of its rooms that showcases attention-grabbing views. According to Korn, the commissioned photography throughout the hotel celebrates Grand Rapids’ international sister cities. Attendees will find 15,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, a ballroom for 1,000 and 14 meeting, breakout and banquet rooms.
Visitors mingle with the locals at the 214-room Courtyard Grand Rapids Downtown by Marriott. This tall downtown building houses the hotel, apartments and condos with river views. Meetings can utilize 10,639 square feet of event space, 10 meeting rooms and five breakout rooms.
Connecting in Oregon’s Eugene, Cascades & Coast
BY VICKIE MITCHELL
Working from home has advantages, but getting to know coworkers isn’t one of them. No wonder meeting planners are looking for destinations that help people connect.
A SAMPLING FOR ALL INTERESTS
As more groups try to “figure out how to come together,” the Eugene, Cascades and Coast region’s plentiful adventures have made it even more attractive, says Juanita Metzler, senior director, conventions, for Travel Lane County. A list of more than a dozen itineraries is just a start, and every idea is adaptable. “It’s all based on interests, price point and time,” she said.
For a tight schedule, a two-hour rafting trip along the Willamette River is “all in the downtown corridor so it’s very easy to do,” says Metzler. For a longer trip, or one with whitewater, groups can opt for the nearby McKenzie River.
Art becomes an appetizer or intermezzo on walking tours that take in downtown restaurants, breweries and wineries with stops to admire murals along the way, among them new ones painted for the 2022 World Athletics Championships, which were held for the first time in the United States in Eugene in July.
For a free afternoon, the 60-mile drive to Florence on the Pacific Coast leads to more than half a dozen activities. A horseback ride on the beach is popular aboard well-mannered horses. Tours of America’s largest sea cave include meet ups with res-
TRAVEL LANE COUNTY - EUGENE, CASCADES & COAST
Juanita Metzler, CMP 541-743-8758 Juanita@EugeneCascadesCoast.org EugeneCascadesCoast.org/meetings ident sea lions. The Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, one of the largest expanses of temperate coastal sand dunes in the world, makes for rollicking fun. Dune buggies large and small load up for memorable adventures in the wind-sculpted sand dunes towering to 500 feet above sea level.
OTHER OUTINGS
Other outings are more sedate: Strolls up to Heceta Head Lighthouse for a tour and picnic; tax-free shopping in historic Old Town Florence; a few lucky hours at Three Rivers Casino.
Whiling away time at a winery is a natural, with 700 of the state’s 980 wineries located in the world-renowned Willamette Valley. Near Eugene, King Estate Winery, the state’s largest winery, demonstrates how to eliminate rodents in a natural way using raptors. Some of the birds were rehabilitated at the Cascades Raptor Center, which offers tours. At smaller wineries, event options are varied. Groups might bring picnics to some and line up for food trucks and live music at others.
Travel Lane County even has a way for planners to fund all the fun. Groups meeting in the region for the first time can earn a rebate of $5 per room night up to $3,500 for meetings held by June 30, 2023.
There’s really nothing to keep groups from connecting in the region, including getting there. Eight airlines serve the Eugene Airport, with direct flights to Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Los Angeles, Phoenix and other major hubs. CVB and airport officials keep in touch, so airlines can adjust service for large conventions and events. It’s just one more way Eugene, Cascades & Coast makes it easy to bring people together.
METRO MEETS RURAL INLima
BY KATHERINE TANDY BROWN
The first things a visitor should know about Lima, Ohio, are the correct pronunciation and the origin of its name.
This town was built on land originally part of the Great Black Swamp, a 1,500-square-mile tract in Northwest Ohio, Lower Michigan and Northeast Indiana formed thousands of years ago by the Wisconsin Glacier. Lima was named after the town in Peru that was the source of quinine used to cure malaria caused by the swamp’s deadly population of mosquitos. Today, the land’s remaining 21,010 acres are preserved by a conservancy.
Unlike the South American Lima — pronounced LEE-mah — Ohio’s pronunciation is like the bean, LIE-ma.
Because Lima was part of the late 1800s oil boom, parts of town are rife with lovely Victorian mansions. One of those, the 6,500-square-foot MacDonell House, is part of the Allen County Museum. The only such accredited facility in the state, the museum is filled with history, culture and art.
“The museum really opens visitors’ eyes to our area’s rich treasures,” said Christine Pleva, executive director of Visit Greater Lima.
Surrounding the city, land tends to be flat and rich with crops, cattle and horses. Agricultural tourism reigns, with festivals, corn mazes and hayrides.
“In the past two or three years, we’ve seen new venues open with more of a rural, rustic, nature-based theme,” Pleva explained. “Renovated old barns and brand new ones as venues bring a small-town, low-key atmosphere to events. And a number of downtown restaurants, such as The Met and 318, have added banquet rooms.”
“It’s great that we can offer both metropolitan and rural meeting spaces.”
Lima’s agricultural and industrial background remain important parts of its modern identity. For instance, the 135-acre Allen County Fairgrounds hosts some of the area’s largest events, such as the Ohio National Motorcycle Championships, professional bull riding and horse shows in its 95,000-square-foot event center and 50,000-square-foot pavilion. That agrarian aspect coupled with recent downtown growth has made Lima a well-rounded gem.
“In the past few years,” Pleva said, “our downtown has experienced a big resurgence, resulting in more retail, restaurants and galleries.”
A lively example is ArtSpace, an arts organization with galleries and classrooms in a 160-year-old renovated brick building on Lima’s Town Square. The nonprofit places art in galleries at banks, restaurants and boutiques.
BOARD AND BRUSH CREATIVE STUDIO
A 31-FOOT CATHEDRAL CEILING MAKES 19 HAWTHORN AN ELEGANT VENUE IN LIMA.
LIMA, OHIO
LOCATION Northwest Ohio between Dayton and Toledo ACCESS Interstate 75, U.S. Route 30; Lima-Allen County Airport MAJOR MEETING SPACES Veterans Memorial Civic and Convention Center, Allen County Fairgrounds, Howard Johnson by Wyndham, Holiday Inn and Suites, Courtyard by Marriott, Quality Inn, Wingate by Windham HOTEL ROOMS 1,311 guest rooms OFF-SITE VENUES 19 Hawthorne Wedding and Event Venue, Vandemark Estate Event Center, Whitetail Acres, remodeled Hart Hall, UNOH Event Center
CONTACT INFO Visit Greater Lima 888-222-6075 visitgreaterlima.com
Major Meeting Spaces
Built to honor Lima residents who served in the armed forces, the Veterans Memorial Civic and Convention Center (VMCCC) in the Town Square includes a three-section, 13,950-square-foot exhibit hall, 10 meeting rooms and an outdoor patio. In addition, a 1,774-seat proscenium theater hosts a Broadway series and concerts. An enclosed sidewalk connects the center to a 100-room Wingate by Wyndham.
“After our three-story lobby renovations are complete, the space should accommodate 350 banquet-style,” said Matt Young, vice president of operations.
A new event space in a renovated 1885-era building next to the VMCCC, City Club houses six meeting rooms and the Center for Business Service.
Off-site Venues
A gorgeous, new facility on a 240-acre country estate, 19 Hawthorne Wedding and Event Venue features breathtaking views. The facility has a 31-foot cathedral ceiling and double-sided fireplace in a space accommodating 500-plus people. An amphitheater can seat 3,500 to 6,000, a 200-foot waterfall cascades into a lake and a century-old barn rests on rolling meadows.
“Our long entrance drive offers the inspiration of eagles, deer and other wildlife,” said Chad Hughes, creative director and manager. “It’s like being in a nature preserve.”
In town, the University of Northwestern Ohio’s 25,000-square-foot event center has meeting rooms and banquet facilities for up to 750 people.
AN OUTDOOR EVENT AT THE LIMA CIVIC CENTER
Photos courtesy Visit Greater Lima
TOWN Lima
— Christine Pleva, Visit Greater Lima
Outdoor Time
Part of the Johnny Appleseed Metropolitan Park District, both the Allen County Farm Park and Lauer Historical Farm have rentable facilities. The former features a rustic event barn, a log cabin, sand volleyball and autumn hayrides. Ideal for corporate retreats, the latter is a 65.3-acre, 1830s-era working farm with a historic home, barn, pergola and garden venues, plus a nearby bike trail.
Mental stimulation and physical exercise are found on the Visit Greater Lima GeoTrail. The trail was created for geocaching, an outdoor high-tech treasure hunt that uses GPS coordinates and online clues to guide participants to hidden “caches” of interesting items.
Team Building
With a participant capacity of up to 500 and an 80-seat banquet room, Westgate Entertainment Center, stages “corporate Olympics” competitions via bowling, bumper cars, virtual reality, arcade games, axe throwing and trivia.
“Our teambuilding package includes a short presentation on Patrick Lencioni’s book, ‘The Five Dysfunctions of a Team,’” said Jaiden Johnston, the center’s group and event coordinator.
At Fassett Farms, groundwork with horses helps corporate team members develop leadership skills, better understand individual communication styles and learn about building stronger workplace relationships. The results of this Equine Experiential Education are dramatic and instant, while the work is engaging and fun.
AERIE’S RESORT OFFERS 46 GUEST ROOMS AT THE CONFLUENCE OF THE MISSISSIPPI AND ILLINOIS RIVERS.
Illinois Meeting Resorts
Meeting Guide
BY PAULA AVEN GLADYCH
Some of the best meeting venues in Illinois can be found at its resorts. These five Illinois resort properties are situated in some of the prettiest locations in the state, along rivers, bluffs and woodlands. Along with first-class meeting venues, they also offer plenty of on-site entertainment and activities for attendees who want to get out of the conference room and out into nature.
AERIE’S RESORT
Grafton
Perched atop a bluff overlooking the confluence of the Mississippi and Illinois rivers in beautiful Grafton, Aerie’s Resort attracts smaller meeting groups that want to mix business with pleasure. The resort is best known for the Grafton Skytour, a chondola, which is a combination of gondola and open air chair aerial ride, that takes visitors soaring from downtown Grafton 300 feet up the bluff to Aerie’s full production winery at the top.
Visitors don’t have to stay at the resort to take a leisurely chondola ride up the bluff for fantastic views of the two mighty rivers. While at the top, they can stop and have a meal at Aerie’s restaurant or enjoy a glass of wine on the terrace while enjoying the gorgeous views.
The resort has 46 overnight accommodations, both on top of the hill and down below on Main Street. Aerie’s can host smaller events of up to 40 people in its meeting room, which is equipped with A/V gear and has a fantastic view of the river. A former event venue was converted into the Winery and Terrace at Aerie’s Resort and features a 30-foot bar, an expansive deck and weekly live entertainment.
Grafton Zipline Adventures offers a classic team-building opportunity for groups meeting at the resort. One of the largest zip lines in Illinois, the facility has seven cables of varying heights, lengths and speeds, testing the mettle of even the most adventurous of meeting attendees. Treehouse Leap is the longest cable on the course, and the Soaring Eagle reaches the highest point. Creek Hopper is the fastest cable, reaching up to 45 miles per hour.
Courtesy Aerie’s Resort
aeriesresort.com
EAGLE RIDGE RESORT AND SPA
Galena
Located just outside historic Galena and two-and-a-half hours from Chicago, Eagle Ridge is surrounded by 6,800 acres of the Galena Territory, a private housing community that offers tennis, horseback riding, swimming pools, boating and fishing on the 225-acre Lake Galena, and hiking and biking along 31 miles of wooded trails.
The 80-room resort boasts 15,000 square feet of event space that can host 300 guests for a sit-down banquet, conference or presentation. Beautiful outdoor venues overlook Lake Galena or offer stunning views of the surrounding northern Illinois hills and woodlands. There are nine function rooms, three boardrooms, the 5,300-square-foot Eagle Ballroom and 3,300-square-foot Galena Room. There are three restaurants on-site, from casual to formal, including the acclaimed Woodlands Restaurant.
The conference center features calibrated acoustics and lighting, ergonomic furniture, and state-of-the-art technology, ranging from high-speed wireless internet to built-in video systems for presentations and video conferences. Full-service catering is also available.
A team of professionals works with planners to customize events, and the resort offers several recreational programs and team-building activities designed to promote leadership, communication, cooperation and creative thinking. Blindfold Pizza is a team-building exercise that promotes communication within a group. Each team of five people chooses one person to be blindfolded. The other team members will then lead the blindfolded person in creating a pizza the team will enjoy at the end of the exercise.
The resort is known for its 63 holes of championship golf and its full-service spa.
eagleridge.com
HARPOLE’S HEARTLAND LODGE
Nebo
Harpole’s Heartland Lodge isn’t your typical resort. Instead of offering things like spas and swimming pools, the lodge property is more outdoor focused, offering hunting, fishing and side-by-side UTV Polaris rentals that allow guests to scoot around the 1,500acre property’s rolling countryside. There are also horseback rides, hayrides, sporting clays, paintball and bonfires.
Guests can stay in individual cabins or lodges, or they can rent out the whole resort, which has 42 guest rooms. Meeting groups can host meetings, come to play or do a combination of both. The lodge has a 1,500-square-foot conference room, as well as a huge building outdoors that can be used for cookouts or larger events. It can accommodate 300 to 400 people.
Groups meeting at the lodge enjoy scratch-made meals served family-style. For fun or team-building activities, guests can fish at one of four fishing ponds located at Heartland OHV Park or drive to nearby Pittsfield Lake. Heartland has 1,200 acres of horseback riding trails, where visitors will get to explore forests, creeks and prairies.
EAGLE RIDGE RESORT
HARPOLE’S HEARTLAND LODGE
Courtesy Eagle Ridge Resort
Courtesy Harpole’s Heartland Lodge
GRAND BEAR RESORT AT STARVED ROCK
For something less strenuous, groups can take a one-hour scenic hayride along the Mississippi River bluffs. Smaller groups can rent a six-person Polaris Ranger to ride around the 15-station sporting clays course. Each shooting station simulates different hunting situations. After a long day of meetings and adventure, groups can relax around the bonfire and enjoy some s’mores.
heartlandlodge.com
GRAND BEAR RESORT AT STARVED ROCK
Utica
Courtesy Grand Bear Resort
Located just steps from the natural beauty of the Starved Rock and Matthiessen state parks, Grand Bear Resort has several different styles of lodging, including 92 traditional lodge suites, 140 vacation villas and 48 luxury cabins. The luxury cabins can sleep up to 18 people per unit and are perfect for smaller meeting groups visiting the property.
With 11,000 square feet of newly renovated flexible meeting space, the resort hosts conferences, conventions, special events and weddings. The main banquet facility is designed for about 660 guests depending on configuration, and there are several smaller meeting spaces between 420 and 1,200 square feet. The property also has a 1,000-square-foot outdoor pavilion and canyon deck. Complimentary WiFi and audiovisual equipment are available. Grand Bear also handles all of the catering, table setup and cleanup.
Grand Bear Falls Indoor Waterpark is a great way to relax after a long day of meetings. The waterpark features a wave pool and swimming area, a lazy river, a whirlpool, a slide tower, a kids pool, a family slide and a hot tub. The resort also has four food and beverage outlets and additional onsite entertainment, such as Cave Arcade, which features more than 60 interactive games. For team building, the resort offers trivia and miniature golf at Canyon Creek Mini Golf. Off-site but in the area, groups can go hiking, take guided tours, visit an escape room or go horseback riding. Starved Rock State Park in nearby Oglesby has 13 miles of trails, 18 canyons and seasonal waterfalls to explore. Matthiessen State Park, which is just a few miles from Starved Rock, has an archery range, camping, cross country skiing, equestrian trails, fishing, geocaching, hiking and mountain bike trails.
grandbearresort.com
LINCOLNSHIRE MARRIOTT RESORT
Lincolnshire
Built by Bill Marriott in 1975, the historic Lincolnshire Resort sits on 175 acres in the north suburbs of Chicago, along the Des Plaines River. One of the main features of the resort is Crane’s Landing Golf Club, an 18-hole golf course that is also a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary that protects the natural heritage and areas of natural habitat in and around the golf course. There’s also a river trail for walking, biking or hiking.
The resort has an herb garden and raises its own honeybees, peach and pear trees. The resort’s chef and pastry chef utilize the products grown on property in the food that is prepared for guests, including salad dressings, soups and sauces. The Marriott shares its honey with Tighthead Brewing Company, which in turn makes Five Eyes honey beer especially for the hotel’s bistro and pub.
Another hidden surprise is the 850-seat Marriott Theater, which presents musicals in theater-in-the-round style with a small orchestra for accompaniment.
The resort has more than 64,000 square feet of unique flexible meeting space that can host weddings of up to 600 guests and meetings up to 1,000. Three of the resort’s spaces are pavilions, two of which are permanent and one that is temporary. The Grand Marquis is 12,000 square feet with one full wall of glass windows overlooking the Des Plaines Trail. Lakeside Pavilion is 5,000 square feet with 270-degree views of the sanctuary, lake, outdoor plaza and outdoor pool.
The Grove is a 3,200-square-foot seasonal tent. The resort has 390 guest rooms with unique views and many of the first-floor rooms have patios.
marriott.com
MARRIOTT LINCOLNSHIRE RESORT
Courtesy Marriott Lincolnshire Resort
GROUPS CAN MEET IN A HISTORIC 1940S MANSION AT MONTICELLO’S ALLERTON PARK AND RETREAT CENTER.
Illinois Originals
Meeting Guide
BY PAULA AVEN GLADYCH
Meeting planners looking for unique places to hold events will find plenty in Illinois.
From a museum celebrating the life and legacy of President Abraham Lincoln to beautiful gardens, historical mansions and an extensive railway museum with artifacts and buildings dating back before the Civil War, these unique Illinois sites are not only fun and educational but also wonderful places to host meetings or special events.
ALLERTON PARK AND RETREAT CENTER
Monticello
The historic Allerton mansion and grounds in Monticello were donated to the University of Illinois by the artist and philanthropist Robert Henry Allerton in 1946. The property encompasses Allerton’s mansion, gatehouse and a cottage that served as home to his chef and kitchen staff, as well as 1,500 acres of woodlands and prairie.
There are four hotel buildings on property with a total of 36 guest rooms that can host 90 to 100 people on-site if every bed is occupied. Meeting groups can rent out the entire mansion, which has 2,642 square feet of meeting space.
Allerton, which was built in 1900, is known for its 14 formal gardens and the more than 100 ornaments and sculptures collected by Allerton and his son, John Gregg, that are placed throughout. The library is the largest meeting space, with enough room to seat 90 people theater-style. Three smaller rooms in the mansion can accommodate groups of 10 to 40 people. The repurposed greenhouse is now a visitor center with meeting space for 40, set in the middle of the site’s formal gardens. Groups renting out the entire mansion for their events can also utilize the common areas and lobby.
Meeting planners are encouraged to use the outdoor spaces, including a terrace with a firepit, gardens and vast
Courtesy Allerton Park and Retreat Center
A COMMON AREA AT PINE MANOR ESTATES
Courtesy Pine Manor Estates
A MEETING VENUE AT ANDERSON JAPANESE GARDENS
Courtesy Anderson Japanese Gardens lawn. The facility provides lawn games for groups to enjoy during their free time and will organize guided tours, hikes or scavenger hunts around the property for team building. Allerton’s sweet spot for a meeting is 30 to 50 people, but the property has hosted groups of up to 300.
“We get very creative with our space,” said Jordan Zech, retreat center manager at Allerton. With 300 guests, meals are held in a tent pitched on the flat bowling lawn adjacent to the mansion.
allerton.illinois.edu
PINE MANOR ESTATES
Carbondale
Pine Manor Estates is a vacation rental resort in Carbondale on the shore of a private lake in the heart of Shawnee National Forest. Its 10 guest houses, including Pine Manor Mansion, are within a few feet of each other and can accommodate up to 80 guests for events ranging from corporate training and group retreats to weddings and family reunions.
All of the rentals are high-end luxury properties featuring things like heated floors, chandeliers and beautiful sunrooms. The property’s conference center can host smaller groups up to 50 people. An expansive deck spans the entire length of the conference center and is accessed via sliding glass doors. When groups want to take a break from their meeting, the deck provides a nice, private area to relax and enjoy the scenic vistas.
Pine Manor doesn’t feel like a typical conference center. It is constructed in the style of a log cabin, with a stone fireplace and comfortable seating area inside.
Groups also can host events outside. The property has extensive grounds where groups can set up tents. The property works with a list of approved caterers, and the facility has organized team-building activities such as cook-offs or will take attendees off-site to Shawnee Bluffs Canopy Tour for ziplines and ropes courses or rock climbing at Touch of Nature Outdoor Education Center.
Guests can spend a leisurely afternoon paddleboating on the lake or take advantage of the resort’s basketball and tennis courts. Visitors can rent golf carts to ride around the property, and Pine Manor is building new walking and golf cart trails across the property.
The estate is a five-minute drive from town, giving meeting attendees the feeling they are far from a typical urban setting. The area is wooded with lots of beautiful landscaping.
thepinemanor.com
ANDERSON JAPANESE GARDENS
Rockford
Anderson Japanese Gardens was built as a private garden in the original owner’s backyard in Rockford. It was designed by Hoichi Kurisu, the same garden designer who oversaw construction of Portland Japanese Garden. Incorporating elements of stone, water and plants throughout, the gardens are a place of tranquility, peace and meditation.
Groups renting the gardens for events — or hosting meetings or dinners at Fresco at the Gardens restaurant, which is in the visitor center — get access to the gardens. Fresco can host groups of 125. It has large windows giving attendees stellar views of the Japanese gardens outside. There are additional meeting spaces downstairs on the lower level of the visitor center. The gallery holds about 60 people and does have access to a projector, audiovisual equipment and a microphone. The site’s staff are available for event set-up and tear-down.
Many visiting groups choose the site because of its natural beauty so they include a guided tour of the gardens or participate in the Frank Lloyd Wright 16th Century Japan architectural tour, which takes guests between the nearby Frank Lloyd Wright house and Anderson’s guest house. Others have organized scavenger hunts with things hidden throughout the gardens.
The gardens host a summer concert series where guests seat themselves on three different decks, two attached to the visitor center and one in the gardens by the reflection pond. Corporate groups can reserve those decks for team building or networking events after 5 p.m. With that rental, they also get access to the gardens, and the facility can arrange bar service and catering from Fresco.
andersongardens.org MEET.
Come for the meeting... Stay for the woods, wine, and the adventures in between.
AUTUMN AT ANDERSON JAPANESE GARDENS
Courtesy Anderson Japanese Gardens
618-529-4451 carbondaletourism.org
A BANQUET EVENT AT ABRAHAM LINCOLN PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
ABRAHAM LINCOLN PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Springfield
Courtesy Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum
One of the most elegant venues in Illinois, Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield gives groups a one-of-a-kind experience that not only details the life and times of the 16th president of the United States but also offers an elegant location for meetings, dinners, conferences or receptions.
As part of their facility rental, groups can tour the 200,000-square-foot museum, learning more about Lincoln’s early life, his law practice and presidency through interactive exhibits. When groups first enter the building, they are met with replicas of the White House and Lincoln’s boyhood cabin in Kentucky. The Treasures Gallery hosts some of the most significant artifacts from Lincoln’s life, and the Illinois Gallery features important traveling exhibits. Meeting groups can host a breakfast and guided tour of the museum before it opens to the public or rent out the library’s beautiful glassed-in rotunda for a meal or reception up to 100 guests.
After hours, groups can rent out the museum and add on a variety of extras, like taking a behind-the-scenes tour, watching “Ghosts of the Library” in the Holavision theater or visiting the museum’s top exhibits. Larger groups may want to bring in Abraham Lincoln and Mary Todd Lincoln reenactors to greet attendees and hold question-and-answer sessions. The museum and library have many smaller venue spaces for meetings or events. The Union Theater, which can hold 250 guests, is perfect for lectures, annual meetings and awards ceremonies, and Museum Plaza can host 300 guests for dinner or 500 for a reception.
lincolnlibraryandmuseum.com
ILLINOIS RAILWAY MUSEUM
Union
Union’s Illinois Railway Museum is a museum in motion. Not only does it have the largest collection of historic railway equipment in the country, but it also offers rides on train cars pulled by steam and diesel engines. The Main Line ride is a 45-minute journey that takes visitors either east or west into the countryside, where they will see some of the best-preserved prairie in Illinois adjacent to the railroad tracks. The second ride offers a 15-minute loop around the property on an electric streetcar or trolley.
The property features several historic diesel and steam locomotives, streetcars and trolleys, freight and passenger cars, including Pullman coaches. It also displays railroad signs, signals, stonework and other rail infrastructure and a model railroad exhibit.
There are several historic structures on property, including a pre-Civil War 1851 East Union Depot and a 1910 Chicago “L” station.
Groups wanting to host events at the museum can rent out the central pavilion, which is covered and seats about 75 people. Groups can bring in catering and have easy access to board a train or trolley from that location.
The museum has a large outdoor property with plenty of grassy areas that are perfect for larger tented events such as banquets or receptions. Groups can add on admission to the exhibits and train rides as part of their rental.
Smaller groups can rent private diner and passenger cars for a Main Line train ride for up to 75 people. Food service is provided by approved outside caterers. Groups also can organize a docent-led tour of the property that highlights aspects of the museum’s transportation technology.
irm.org
We are more than a college town.
ILLINOIS RAILWAY MUSEUM
Courtesy Illinois Railway Museum
We Are
An Affordable, Hi-Tech Meetings Destination The Fastest Growing City in Illinois Centrally Located Between Three Midwest Hubs The Greatest Midwest Food Town
Schedule a site visit today! 800.369.6151 caitlynf@visitchampaigncounty.org champaignmeets.com
QUEEN AND GRANT OFFERS A SECLUDED OUTDOOR COURTYARD FOR EVENTS IN BRUNSWICK.
Georgia’s Outdoor Venues
Meeting Guide
BY PAULA AVEN GLADYCH
Outdoor events in Georgia don’t have to be run-of-the-mill. Several locations in the state are famous for their historic buildings and formal gardens or have been repurposed as fairly industrial properties, turning them into outdoor canvases for event planners. These include a former artist studio, an old powerhouse and a replica of some of the most iconic buildings in Virginia’s Colonial Williamsburg, among others.
QUEEN AND GRANT
Brunswick
A brand-new event venue in Brunswick, Queen and Grant took over a former artists’ studio that had some interesting architectural features. With its soaring ceilings, abundant natural light and trusses perfect for hanging decorations and lights, one would never guess the building’s origins as an auto body shop.
The brick building looks nondescript from the outside, but inside it has pecky cypress doors, a terrazzo floor with artifacts of coastal Georgia nestled inside, a room that can be used as a bridal suite and ready room, and an office for planners. The facility, which is scheduled to open in October, is adding a catering kitchen and brand new bathrooms with waterfall sinks.
The property’s outdoor space is a nicely landscaped courtyard with potted plants and palms that makes guests feel as if they are outside the city because it is so secluded. Alongside the building is a gate and a rambling walk with fountains and crawling jasmine overhead. In total, Queen and Grant has about 20,000 square feet of venue space, with about 6,000 of that indoors. The event venue can accommodate groups of 500 comfortably, depending on the configuration.
The Grand Reception Hall is wide open, so groups can lay it out however they want. It is a blank canvas. The property is in historic downtown Brunswick, which is going through a major revitalization. Brunswick is a port city with the second most active port in the country after Newark.
By Brooke Roberts, courtesy Queen & Grant
Newcastle Street is full of retail shops, restaurants and a brewery with an outdoor beer garden, and the city has pockets of squares with fountains, benches and art galleries.
portcitybrunswick.com/queen-and-grant
MANSELL HOUSE AND GARDENS
Alpharetta
Alpharetta’s Mansell House has a storied history. The Queen Annestyle Victorian farmhouse got its start in 1910 as the centerpiece of the Mansell family’s 160-acre farm. It was built from wood found on the property. After the Mansells passed away, their oldest son bought the property and raised his children there. Eventually the property was sold to Herman Miller of office furniture fame. The company built a furniture factory there. The house stayed vacant.
The house began to fall into disrepair, so when Walmart bought the property, the company said the house either had to be moved or it would be demolished. Residents of Alpharetta banded together to save the house, deciding to move it to Wills Park in 1992. The Alpharetta and Old Milton County Historical Society runs the property, renting out the parlor and the Rose Room, a large double room where the wall was taken out. Groups can host luncheons, dinners, parties and showers inside. In the warmer months, groups up to 200 can utilize the house, wraparound porch and patio.
Many groups will lay out the food in the dining rooms and the drinks outside on the porch. A dance floor and tents can take up the large flagstone patio. The property has tents large enough to cover part of the patio or be situated on the grassy area on the back side of the garden. The Alpharetta Garden Club takes care of the gardens. The facility is busy from May through October and sometimes into November. Smaller groups that want to host outdoor events can always bring them back inside the house if the weather turns cold.
aomchs.org
THE JAMES MADISON INN
Madison
The 17-room James Madison Inn is one of the oldest hotels in downtown Madison. The boutique hotel offers up antique-style accommodations with an intimate bed-and-breakfast feel. The hotel has several meeting rooms. Its smallest room is set up conference-style for up to 12 people and is perfect for private executive meetings.
The hotel has one of the nicest venues in the city. Variety Works is a beautiful barn-style venue that fits up to 250 guests. The two-story building was originally built in the 1870s as a manufacturing facility and features old wooden walls, a concrete floor, stunning chandeliers and sconces that create a rustic and refined ambiance. The Variety Works terrace overlooks the gardens and Round Bowl Springs Gazebo and Event Lawn. The spring, gardens and event lawn make a picturesque setting for any type of outdoor event, including corporate and private functions. The outdoor space, which is surrounded by woods, also has walking trails and a beautiful pond and can accommodate up to 300 guests.
ALPHARETTA’S MANSELL HOUSE AND GARDENS
Courtesy Alpharetta CVB
JAMES MADISON INN
Courtesy James Madison Inn
AN AERIAL VIEW OF POWERHOUSE PRIVATE EVENT VENUE IN COLUMBUS
Courtesy Powerhouse Events
For indoor functions, the James Madison Hall and Daniel Morgan Room can host up to 200 guests seated at round tables. There is a raised stage and double doors between the two event spaces.
The venue provides chairs and tables as part of the facility rental, but groups can pick from an approved vendor list for companies that provide linens and catering. Groups can rent the entire inn, taking over all of the individually themed luxury guest rooms and two grand suites. Each room includes custom furniture created by local artisans, and the inn utilizes reclaimed heart pine flooring, antique doors and windows, and a repurposed mantel from a local antebellum home.
jamesmadisoninn.com
POWERHOUSE PRIVATE EVENT VENUE
Columbus
PowerHouse Private Event Venue in Columbus is an indoor and outdoor facility in a refurbished powerhouse that used to power the textile mills adjacent to it. There are two structures, separated by a large green space on the Chattahoochee River, that can be rented for events. To get to the venue, guests must cross a bridge that was installed across the old canals that diverted water into the mills and powerhouse.
“When you have that aspect of the river and sunsets, it creates a really unique experience for the people using it,” said Peter Bowden, president and CEO of VisitColumbusGA.
ONE OF INOLA BLUE RIDGE RE-CREATED HISTORIC BUILDINGS
A TENTED EVENT AT INOLA BLUE RIDGE
Photos courtesy Inola Blue Ridge
The site is used for weddings, receptions, networking events and conferences. Groups meeting in the green space can set up food stations and tents. The inside event spaces can accommodate up to 300 people. If both the indoor and outdoor spaces are utilized, the facility can host even larger groups.
The PowerHouse doesn’t have tables and chairs, but it works with an outside company to provide everything a meeting group would need to host an event on the property, including tents, tables, chairs and lights. The center also works with several outside caterers, or groups can order food and beverages from Epic, a four-diamond restaurant that is steps away from the event venue.
The lower powerhouse has a viewing platform that looks down on the river and the man-made whitewater rafting course, which ends at the site. Meeting attendees enjoy seeing the kayakers doing stunts on the artificial surfing wave below or watching the whitewater rafters as they paddle down the river. Inside the two buildings, groups can expect exposed brick, historic iron beams supporting the ceiling, and gigantic windows for plenty of natural light.
powerhouse-events.com
INOLA BLUE RIDGE
Blue Ridge
Inola Blue Ridge is an enigma just outside the town of Blue Ridge. The previous owner of the 40-acre property decided to re-create historic buildings from Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia as a tourist attraction. Rick Skelton, principal at Inola Blue Ridge, and his wife, Susie Council, bought the property in the hopes of turning it into a new urbanist town, with hotels, retail and private event spaces, all centered around this replica Colonial town with its manor house, tavern and chapel. The streets leading to the chapel are lined with tiny replica shops and a post office.
The Wythe Estate and Suites, which is a focal point of the town, is available for rent, offering sleeping accommodations for up to 10 people with four king suites, each with a private full bathroom and fireplace. In Williamsburg, the Wythe House belonged to George Wythe, a delegate to the Continental Congress and Virginia’s first signer of the Declaration of Independence. It also served as the headquarters of General George Washington just before the British siege of Yorktown. The replica is identical to its counterpart in Virginia, down to the placement of each brick.
When groups rent space at Inola for a conference, special event or wedding, they essentially rent the entire town, which makes for great photographs. The Hopewell Chapel on seats 90, while Wetherburn’s Tavern, another faithful copy from Virginia, can seat 65 to 75 depending on the type of event. Larger events are held in the 6,000-square-foot Orchard Pavilion, with its beautiful sheers and fairy lights, which holds 250 guests. The pavilion is adjacent to formal gardens with a large arbor and hedges and, surprisingly enough, is next to an apple orchard that grows heirloom apples.
There is plenty of green space by the lake that can accommodate a stage and is where the venue holds its concert series and special events up to 1,500 attendees.
inolablueridge.com
Meet at the crossroads of south Georgia
We’ve cultivated the perfect place for your next meeting—first class facilities, unique venues, affordable lodging, southern cuisine, downtown charm, and historic sites. Let us craft a memorable experience for you and your organization in Tifton.
Over 95,000 sq. ft. of meeting space—events from 20 to 2,000 attendees. Unique Meeting Venues
Georgia Museum of Agriculture + an array of other memorable locations.
thinktiftonga.com
229.382.8700
THE ROOFTOP BAR AT THE HYATT HOUSE HOTEL OFFERS BEAUTIFUL VIEWS OF DOWNTOWN AUGUSTA.
Meet Georgia’s Small Towns
Meeting Guide
BY ROBIN ROENKER
Georgia’s small towns offer big possibilities for meetings.
From historic homes and Civil War history sites to some of the top museums in the country, these diminutive Georgia destinations exude charm, Southern hospitality and a more relaxed way of life while still managing to offer first-class hotels and meeting facilities.
AUGUSTA
Augusta’s booming culinary scene, walkable downtown, history and location on the Savannah River make it an appealing destination for meeting planners seeking fun locations. The downtown area is just one block from the Augusta Convention Center. The 38,000-squarefoot venue is attached to the Marriott Standard and Marriott Suites hotels. Both hotels also have meeting space, bringing the convention complex’s total meeting square footage to 100,000, all under one roof. There are 372 guest rooms in the complex, as well as an Italian eatery called Agustino’s.
The city boasts several rooftop bars that make great offsite venues. The Partridge Inn Augusta, a boutique hotel that is part of Curio Collection by Hilton, has some limited meeting space, along with a rooftop bar overlooking downtown Augusta. The Hyatt House Augusta/Downtown also has a rooftop bar and serves as overflow for the Marriott.
The Augusta Museum of History relates the history of Augusta and the surrounding region. Augusta is known as the City of Soul, as it is the birthplace of James Brown. It also is famous as home of the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Course.
For fun, meeting attendees can take a historic tour or bike tour of the city, touching on the top historic sites and sites that were meaningful to James Brown. Groups wanting to get competitive can rent Broad Axe Throwing Club, which offers food, drink, events and team-building activities. Groups also can rent kayaks downstream of the Marriott. The Augusta
Courtesy Destination Augusta
Canal Heritage Center has bike and walking paths but also offers cruises aboard an old Petersburg boat that runs on hydropower. The boat can seat up to 40 people and visitors will see turtles, alligators and other wildlife.
Augusta has more than 7,000 guest rooms at 70 hotels and more than 300 restaurants.
visitaugusta.com
TIFTON
Tifton is a small town with a big-city vibe. It is right off Interstate 75, and many visitors discover the quaint destination as they are passing through on their way to somewhere else. The city has a rich agricultural history as well as tons of shopping, including 80,000 square feet of antique stores.
The Georgia Museum of Agriculture is a top attraction in the city. It is also a great place to host meetings or events. The museum has 5,000 square feet of conference space that can accommodate up to 400 people, including the Atrium and conference rooms, East and West. The Opry Shelter, Peanut Museum, Pole Barn and Fulwood Garden Center also have meeting spaces.
Meeting groups can immerse themselves in the agrarian and cultural traditions of the 19th century American South. Attendees can explore the historic village, visiting businesses, workshops and homes that give them a taste of what life was like over the past 150 years. Visitors also can take a ride on the Vulcan Steam Train, the only steam
SHOPPING IN TIFTON
Courtesy Tifton Tourism
Easy to get to yet off the beaten path, Brookhaven has just the space you ’ re looking for to host your next gathering. Whether it’ s a corporate event, wedding, or family and friends reunion, you ’ll find just the right venue–and pitch-perfect hospitality–for every occasion. Begin your search at exploreBrookhaven.com/gather
Murphey Candler Park Brookhaven, GA.
DOWNTOWN MADISON
Courtesy Madison-Morgan Co. CVB
CARTERSVILLE’S BOOTH WESTERN ART MUSEUM
Courtesy Cartersville-Bartow CVB locomotive still in operation in Georgia. It was built in 1917. Langdale Nature Center helps visitors interact with the local flora and fauna, and Destination Ag offers learning stations and exhibits that connect guests to where their food, fiber and shelter come from.
The largest meeting facility in Tifton is the UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center, with 95,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, including a 2,035-seat auditorium, ballroom and banquet facilities and 17 conference rooms. The entire ballroom, which can be divided into four rooms, boasts 14,400 square feet and can host group up to 1,000.
The city has five hotels with meeting space and several unique offsite venues, including the Peach Barn at Timbermill Acres, which has 5,000 square feet of rustic indoor space. Tifton has 1,300 hotel rooms.
tiftontourism.com
MADISON
Madison has one of Georgia’s largest historic districts, with house museums downtown. Just an hour outside of Atlanta, the town of fewer than 5,000 residents has kept its welcoming and charming atmosphere with nearly 30 family-owned shops and restaurants.
Founded in 1809, the city has pushed historic preservation of local architecture. The city has three historic house museums to tour, including Rogers House, which was built the same year the city was incorporated; Heritage Hall; and Rose Cottage, which was built by Adeline Rose, a former slave, who bought land in town with her earnings as a laundress. Before the Civil War, the city was rich in agriculture and cotton farming.
Visitors can also learn about Madison’s African American heritage at the Morgan County African American Museum or take a guided walking tour through 26 points of interest in the city, including historic sites.
A local developer who fell in love with Madison started buying up downtown spaces, repurposing them as a coffee house, a Mexican restaurant and an English pub. He plans to open more businesses in the area all while keeping the integrity and beautiful designs of the historic buildings.
Cultural heritage travelers are attracted to the history and architecture of the area, and many wellness travelers enjoy the welcoming atmosphere. The city has 600 hotel rooms and several meeting spaces in smaller inns. The 17-room James Madison Inn has an attached conference center that can accommodate up to 100 people. It also has a beautiful outdoor venue with a gazebo and event lawn.
Like many smaller towns, Madison has several chain hotels, including Days Inn, Deerfield Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Quality Inn and Red Roof Inn.
visitmadisonga.com
CARTERSVILLE
Cartersville considers itself Georgia’s museum city. With fewer than 25,000 residents, Cartersville is fortunate to have two Smithsonian-affiliated museums, the Booth Western Art Museum, with one of the largest collections of Western art in the Southeast, and the Tellus Science Museum, with its digital planetarium,
AN ELEGANT EVENT AT BARNSLEY RESORT NEAR CARTERSVILLE
HILLS AND DALES ESTATE IN LAGRANGE
Courtesy Cartersville-Bartow CVB
Courtesy Visit LaGrange dinosaurs and world-class mineral gallery, featuring more than 4,000 rocks, gems and minerals. The Savoy Automobile Museum, which opened in December 2021, also has applied for Smithsonian status. Sitting on 37 acres, the museum has four exhibition galleries, a presentation theater, an on-site café, a storage garage and outdoor pavilion for car shows, concerts and swap meets.
Cartersville was a rail stop and has a wonderful historic downtown, with locally owned shops and restaurants. One of the city’s claims to fame is a top-notch selfie spot: the first known outdoor Coca-Cola sign, which was painted in 1894 on the side of Young Brothers Pharmacy by a syrup salesman.
Allatoona Lake and Red Top Mountain State Park are perfect for outdoor enthusiasts and outdoor networking events. The lake features fishing, kayaking, hiking and Pine Acres Retreat, a 210-acre retreat center with cabins, campsites and event space. Barnsley Resort, on the opposite end of the lake, is a luxury resort with an inn and cottages, and event and meeting space. It has a championship golf course, horses, archery, canoeing and a shooting clays facility.
The largest meeting venue in the area is the Clarence Brown Conference Center, with 44,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting spaces. A new 118-room Courtyard by Marriott is adjacent to it. The Hilton Garden Inn on Main Street has 3,000 square feet of meeting space.
visitcartersvillega.org
LAGRANGE
Situated on the border with Alabama, LaGrange’s top attraction is the only Great Wolf Lodge in Georgia, with a fantastic water park and meeting space that can host groups of 1,000. LaGrange is right on West Point Lake, which is a big attraction for families and fishermen and offers many recreational opportunities.
LaGrange’s most famous attraction is Hills and Dales Estate, which features a large 19th century home and includes formal gardens. Visitors can take a step back in time as they tour the home and gardens or host an event there. The estate’s visitor center and terrace is suitable for events of all sizes and includes a 1,200-squarefoot great hall, 1,000-square-foot gallery and the Legacy Theater, equipped with audiovisual equipment for short films or presentations. The facility includes restrooms and a catering kitchen. In addition, the pool terrace, home terrace, porte-cochere and historic garden provide scenic locations for outdoor events.
The city has 12 hotels, ranging from the Courtyard by Marriott downtown to a variety of chain hotels encompassing 1,488 guest rooms. Most of them have smaller conference spaces for groups between 40 and 50 people.
Del’avant Event Center downtown can host groups up to 350 people theater-style, and the Oakfusty Conservation Center, which is expected to open in fall 2023 or spring 2024, will host 400 people right on the lake. The facility, when completed, will be an outdoor conservation center by day and an event venue by night.
visitlagrange.com
