Small Market Meetings October 2017

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Courtesy Condit Exhibits

Volume 18

Issue 10

October 2017

Innovations in Exhibiting

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Learn how new products and technology are changing tradeshow booths.

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Meetings at the Beach Explore coastal destinations that are popular draws for conference attendees.

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Branson’s Family Appeal This Ozark destination combines business and vacations.

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Discover York This Pennsylvania town is an American manufacturing giant.

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Silverado Resort and Spa offers luxurious accommodations in wine country.

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Arkansas Meeting Guide Find distinctive museums and historic venues for meetings in the Natural State.

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On the cover: The sun rises over Washington Oak Gardens State Park near St. Augustine, Florida.

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A Napa Valley Retreat

Courtesy Clinton Presidential Center

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Meetings Leaders: Gretchen Hall September 23-25, 2018

By Rachel Carter

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n her office at the Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau (LRCVB), Gretchen Hall has a photo of herself shaking hands with former President Bill Clinton. And, to keep Gretchen Hall things even, she has a photo of her meeting former President George W. Bush. She also met President George H.W. Bush and a few other former presidents.

“I think the variety that we deal with in our world of tourism is really what drives me,” said Hall, president and CEO of the LRCVB. “We can go from managing a presidential event and hosting multiple presidents, which we’ve done, to managing a taekwondo tournament that is our largest annual convention each year to bringing in a Broadway production.”

She said, “There is no 9 to 5; there is no standard day, which fits my personality.”

In some ways, Hall’s career in tourism began with her playing basketball. She grew up about an hour south of Little Rock but played high school basketball in the city. She was a good player, and the game was good to her because it “afforded me a good education” playing for Lyon College in Batesville, Arkansas.

After graduating from Lyon, instead of playing basketball, she started working in the sport, handling logistics for national tournaments. When a job opportunity came up to work for the CVB managing events at the convention center, “it ended up being the perfect marriage,” Hall said.

“I was managing sports events and all the logistics that go along with youth tournaments, and they needed someone to handle the variety of meetings and conventions and sporting events that come into the convention center.”

“I was in the right place at the right time to

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Conference Report

Photos courtesy Little Rock CVB

Gretchen Hall led the Little Rock CVB team through the $70 million renovation of the Robinson Center. discover a whole new world that became my career.”

Hall worked on the operations sides for the Statehouse Convention Center for several years and then moved into marketing and communications for the CVB before being named interim CEO in early 2011. She was named president and CEO in May that year.

During her time leading the organization, “building a team is probably first and foremost” among her duties, she said.

The Little Rock CVB is different than most CVBs because it manages over 1 million square feet of tourism-related space in the city, including the Statehouse Convention Center, the Robinson Center, River Market and several parking facilities. In addition, it serves as the liaison for two city-owned hotels.

That means 80 percent of the CVB’s staff fall within the operations division while the other 20 percent work in sales and marketing, so having the right people is imperative, she said.

The CVB, with Hall at the helm, oversaw and managed the $70 million renovation and expansion of the historic Robinson Center.

Crews broke ground on the project July 1, 2014, and the center remained closed during two and a half years of construction. All told, from shovels in the ground to ribbon cutting in November 2016, the project took five years.

During its first season, “The Phantom of the

Opera” played there, making its debut in the state, and “The Lion King” will open there in April for a three-week run.

Hall has a passion for live theater, so managing the Robinson project became a labor of love for her. Now that it’s done, she and her colleagues get to take a breath and take it in.

“From time to time, we get to step back and feel the effects of our industry,” she said, adding that the Robinson Center is “one of those things that make a difference in our own community and that makes us feel good.”

When it comes to making a difference, it’s difficult to overstate the effects of the Clinton Presidential Center since it opened in 2004.

Clinton chose to build his library and museum in a defunct industrial district that was “literally scrapyards and abandoned warehouses,” Hall said.

Now, the center is glass jewel box perched in the middle of a 30-acre urban park on the banks of the Arkansas River that’s an extension of the city’s walkable downtown. With it came the opening of the city’s streetcar, a boom in hotel development and a slew of restaurants, breweries, museums and other attractions. Heifer International chose to build its headquarters and educational village next to the center.

“It has spurred a tremendous amount of activity in downtown,” Hall said. “I was on the operations team when the Clinton

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Presidential Center opened, so I’ve seen firsthand all the redevelopment that has happened.”

In November, the city will mark the 25th anniversary of Clinton’s winning the presidential election — the same month Hall marks her 16th anniversary with the CVB. And she shows no signs of slowing down.

Executive Profile NAME

Gretchen Hall

TITLE

President and CEO

ORGANIZATION

Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau

LOCATION

Little Rock, Arkansas

BORN

Pine Bluff, Arkansas

EDUCATION

BA, Lyon College; MBA, University of Arkansas Little Rock

CAREER HISTORY

Been with LRCVB in a variety of roles since November 2001 and was named president and CEO in May 2011

FAMILY

Single, two (nonbiological) adult children, one niece and one nephew

HOBBIES

Travel and coaching her niece and nephew in basketball

Meeting Tips from Gretchen Hall • Make the content valuable. Everyone is busy, and time is so precious in today’s world; if you want to attract people to your meeting, make sure the content and program offer value to the attendee.

• Layer in some fun and unique experiences. No one wants to attend a conference without experiencing some level of local flavor. Work with the local CVB to add some fun, maybe making use of an unusual venue, a hands-on experience, a casual networking event or a local volunteer opportunity.

• Don’t go overboard on technology. Not all attendees are up on the latest social media platforms and mobile apps; make sure your conference offers a mix of communication platforms that work for all generations within your targeted audience.

October 2017

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Courtyard by Marriott Niagara Falls Opens to customize their travel experience.

Located at 900 Buffalo Avenue, the building was constructed in 1912 and originally housed the Niagara Chocolate Company. It was later occupied by a number of other companies and then converted to executive offices and the headquarters for Moore Business Forms when it first established a presence in Courtesy Courtyard by Marriott Niagara Falls Niagara Falls. The The new Courtyard by Marriott Niagara Falls offers a number of small meeting rooms. building is an example NIAGARA FALLS, New York — Courtyard by of Art Deco style, predominated by its limestone facades with granite inset panels.

Marriott Niagara Falls, which offers nearly The 82-room hotel offers guests convenient 500 square feet of meeting space in a terrific access to Niagara Falls, the Maid of the Mist location, is now open. Featuring an innovative lobby space as well, the new hotel proand the Cave of the Winds. vides flexibility and choices that allow guests Signature furniture and architectural ele-

ments replace traditional art in the new guest rooms. The LoungeAround sofa offers a pop of color and a comfortable area for relaxing or working. The new design also features a light desk on wheels, which allows guests to work from anywhere in the room.

The Courtyard Niagara Falls also offers the Refreshing Business Lobby environment, where guests can enjoy an open and bright area outside their rooms. Along with media pods, complimentary Wi-Fi and a variety of seating zones, the redefined space is convenient for everything from pop-up meetings to social gatherings. The lobby also features The Bistro – Eat. Drink. Connect., which offers casual, flexible seating; easy access to a highquality, healthful menu for breakfast; and light evening fare including snacks, cocktails, wine and beer so guests can unwind.

Throughout the hotel, guests can connect with ample electrical outlets. The business library features several computer terminals, along with a printer and separate computer stations dedicated solely to printing airline boarding passes and checking flight statuses.

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Industry News

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Boise Centre Completes $47.5 Million Expansion Project rooms and 86,000 square feet of highly flexible space, all featuring a modern and contemporary design.

New spaces added during the expansion include a 14,000-square-foot ballroom with a spacious twostory glass-enclosed lobby overlooking the city’s civic plaza and fountain, nine additional meeting rooms and a concourse to provide attendees convenient Courtesy Boise Centre access between spaces.

A three-year expansion of the Boise Centre added 36,000 square feet of meeting and Many of the newly added event space. rooms feature beautiful views of the nearby Boise Foothills or city skyline.

BOISE, Idaho – The Boise Centre, Idaho’s Custom chandeliers crafted from handpremier convention venue, recently finished blown Italian glass were chosen for their a three-year expansion project that added artistic features for the new ballroom and 36,000 square feet of meeting and event space two lobby spaces. A second 6,000-square-foot to accommodate larger regional and national commercial kitchen was added during the conventions and multiple events simultaneously. The Boise Centre now offers 31 meeting expansion to serve a growing number of

events and guests. High-efficiency lighting, a new sound system and wireless internet were installed in the expanded areas.

On the heels of completion in early June, the Boise Centre welcomed 1,500 public health officials to the annual Conference of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE).

Registrants included representatives from the United States and other countries, including China, India and Sudan. Beverly Christner, senior director of operations for CSTE, applauded the Boise Centre’s expansion. “We have heard only positive comments on the accommodations at Boise Centre and the friendliness of its staff.”

“It has been exciting to see our expansion in use right away; with 1,500 delegates, CSTE is the largest multiday convention in Boise Centre’s 27-year history,” said Pat Rice, executive director of the Boise Centre. “With the proven capability to accommodate conventions with over 1,000 attendees, we look forward to welcoming more national and international events of this size in the future.” www.boisecentre.com

From traditional hotel properties with conference centers and meeting rooms, to college campuses, historic buildings and museums with lake views, the Kenosha Area is prepared to welcome your next conference or special event with a touch of unexpected charm. Go to visitkenosha.com/meetings to find out more.

October 2017

VISITKENOSHA.COM 9

Table Talk

An etiquette expert shares tips for effective business meals

By Vickie Mitchell

C

ongratulations. You know your salad fork from your dinner fork, and you never put your elbows on the table.

But have you ever found yourself trying to eat spaghetti without slurping or ordering dessert while everyone else is eating their entrees?

As it turns out, knowing the basics of etiquette is not enough, especially when it comes to business dining. In her book, “Share a Meal. Close a Deal. Business Dining from A-Z,” etiquette expert Lynne Breil makes it clear that dining out for business is not just about eating; it’s also about creating a pleasant, convivial, near distraction-free atmosphere that makes it easy to dine and do business.

Here are a few points Breil, who has been central Pennsylvania’s “manners maven” for more than 20 years, makes about business dining that you might not have considered.

Stay in Step

“I always say that the business meal should be like a dance,” Breil said. What that means is that eating faster or slower than those around you is like stepping on their toes during a waltz.

“You don’t want to be finishing your steak while your dining partner is looking at the dessert menu,” she said. Keeping the same dining pace shows consideration, looks better — dining is, after all, as much about what you see as what you taste — and makes servers’ work easier. Because there are fewer interruptions, the flow of conversation is smoother.

Identify and Quash Nervous Habits

If you twist your hair, crinkle straw papers, drum your fingers or turn napkins into origami, you unwittingly become a dining distraction, Breil said. Because we don’t see our own nervous tics, ask a friend or co-worker for their assessment.

“Ask a colleague who you trust to give you honest feedback,” she said. “Tell them, ‘If I am doing something that looks weird, kick me under the table.’” You can also ask a supervisor to provide feedback on your dining habits. And if you are a supervisor, you might be doing your employees a favor if you nicely give them feedback about their table manners, said Breil. “No one likes to be criticized, but these are things we might not even know we are doing. In most cases, your manners are not going to lose a deal or a job, but it is visual, and it is a fixed impression.”

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MeetingPoint

Stay in Your Seat

Unless the meal lasts hours, avoid leaving the table, especially when you are the host, Breil said. There are exceptions, of course. If you are expecting an important phone call, tell your dining companions beforehand. A simple “I might need to take a call” is a sufficient explanation and prevents you from appearing rude when you do take the call. If you are the host and service is slow or otherwise problematic, leave the table to discuss it with the manager or maitre d’ so your guests don’t have to suffer through the discussion, Breil said. “The other time you leave the table is to do anything your mother told you not to do at the table,” she said; for example, clearing your sinuses or removing spinach from your teeth.

Choose Your Restaurant and Meal Wisely

If you are the host of a business meal, choose a restaurant you can count on for good food and service. When you dine in a place that you know and that knows you, you’ll be better able to focus on your guests, said Breil. Avoid meals that are messy or hard to eat. And don’t spend precious time studying a menu.

Breil suggests having a “go-to” meal and drink. “Remember, this is not your last supper,” she said. “Go with your go-to entree so you can focus on your guests.”

Prepare for Small Talk

Unless you want to spend your time talking about the weather, do research and reading beforehand about your dining companions’ organization and its culture. Use websites and social media to key on positive announcements the company has made or on industry issues.

Control the Seating

If you are the host, think ahead about who would be good dining companions, and orchestrate seating as guests come to the table, said Breil. Seat people who have similar work responsibilities and similar authority together, and don’t allow coworkers to cluster.

For more tips or for copy of Breil’s book, visit www.theprofessionaledgeinc.com or call 717-755-3333.

Vickie Mitchell is the former editor of Small Market Meetings. If you have ideas for future columns, contact her at vickie@smallmarketmeetings.com.

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Innovations in Exhibiting

These new ideas make tradeshow booths shine

By Savannah Osbourn

T

hough technological innovations such as touch screens and virtual reality have progressively transformed the way trade show marketers engage with clients, there are certain exhibiting features that vendors tend to overlook. To learn more about the latest trends and tips in exhibiting, we spoke with three exhibit design companies.

With over 30 years of experience, APG Exhibits specializes in designing dynamic exhibits for clients of all backgrounds, from Fortune 500 companies to local business owners. Condit Exhibits designs, creates and installs custom-made exhibits and display structures for companies around the world. Based in Chantilly, Virginia, Exhibit Edge Inc. designs exhibits and visual marketing systems for trade shows, museums and other industries. Here are a few of the trade secrets they shared.

October 2017

Courtesy APG Exhibits

APG Exhibits suggests adding LED lighting as a cost-effective way to help exhibit booths stand out.

Flooring

Conference centers are notorious for lackluster carpeting, so adding a cheap, rollable floor beneath the booth can make a substantial impact on its aesthetic.

“When an exhibitor has flooring, it’s like night and day compared to the other exhibitors,” said Matthew Baron, president of APG Exhibits.

One of the most popular styles now is faux wood flooring with padding underneath, creating an attractive, modern-home look. Exhibitors can also take advantage of faux marble, metal and other materials to give their booth a sophisticated appearance at a minimal cost.

Fabric Graphics

Another major trend in the trade show industry is the switch from hard-surface panel graphics to lighter weight tension fabric graphics,

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Courtesy Exhibit Edge

Exhibit Edge Employs Silicon Edge Graphics fabric to create clean, attractive fabric signs. which can cost up to a third less than their counterparts.

“It’s easy to ship, lightweight and relatively inexpensive to change fabric if you want to rebrand it,” said Kevin Trainor, design director at Condit Exhibits.

Whereas hard graphics are limited by size, fabrics provide more versatile arrangements by stretching them across larger surfaces. One product many exhibitors enjoy using is the b62 aluminum frame system by beMatrix, which supports standard panel graphics as well as fabrics.

Several years ago, a high-resolution, dye-sublimated fabric called Silicon Edge Graphic (SEG) fabric hit the market, and it works well with the b62 frame system. SEG fabric features small silicone notches along the edge of the material that slide right into the frame, making it easy to pull the graphic taut and create a clean, unwrinkled surface.

“It gives the graphic a great look, and designers love it,” said Kevin Gray, director of opportunity at Exhibit Edge Inc.

Backlit Graphics

Lighting is a fundamental aspect of any event, including trade shows. Thanks to the development of LED lighting, it has never been easier to add that finishing touch to your exhibit.

“We used to have to use incandescent lights, which were expensive and difficult to set up,” said Trainor. “LED has really changed the

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Managing Meetings

exhibit world a lot. It’s a much lighter, easier, faster way of doing a graphic.”

Now, exhibitors can use lightweight metal frames with preinstalled LED lights, often covered with a fabric skin that features the company logo. Since some conference centers may not provide adequate overhead lighting, making the graphics pop is essential.

“When you walk through a conference hall, most of the exhibitors have traditional pop-up booths,” said Baron. “Companies that add two LED lights to their backdrop are going to stand out from 50 percent of the exhibitors.”

Finished Looks

Many exhibitors on a budget may hesitate to spend extra cash on flooring or lighting, but every polished feature goes a long way. Baron commented on how some exhibitors spend more than $3,000 on transportation, hotels and exhibit space, and then fork out a meager $600 for a backdrop, hoping to save on expenses.

“I always ask clients, ‘Would you build a retail store and then spend more on building it than stocking it with products to attract customers?’” he said.

With a certain amount of creativity and planning, any company can achieve a sharp look for minimal costs. Baron gave an example of a start-up clothing company on an extremely limited budget that set up

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a simple wood-themed background graphic and draped a burlap rope over it. The vendors then hung their T-shirts from the display, making the merchandise pop out like an ad photo.

Alternatives to Pipe and Drape

While the pipe and drape setup is standard for trade shows in the United States, many exhibitors in European countries use a shell scheme, which typically involves a bare frame of hard plywood panels.

Shell scheme exhibits are usually supplied by the exhibition organizers and sometimes include carpet tiles, furniture and the company logo banner in the package. Though this system is more simplistic and uniform in nature, it allows the exhibitor to focus on designing creative graphics without the hassle of assembling a booth.

Virtual Reality

Virtual reality has become one of the biggest trends at trade shows, enabling vendors to showcase real estate, manufacturing plants and other products that they cannot physically display to potential clients. It is an effective way to present a demonstration or an informational video. Baron described how he was once able to use a virtual reality system to explore a piece of real estate, using a remote control to move around inside the virtual projection. Even his kids tried it.

“If a 4-year-old can use it, then people at a trade show can use it,” he said with a laugh.

Exhibitors often bring one or two sophisticated virtual reality systems and then hand out cheap cardboard virtual viewers with a special QR code so clients can view the product later.

Courtesy Condit Exhibits

Condit Exhibits often employs backlit graphics in designing booths for tradeshows.

Interactive Experiences

Nowadays, many trade show attendees are looking for an interactive experience, and some of the best ways to engage that interest are through technology like virtual reality, touch screens and motion sensor displays. However, exhibitors should try not to lose their marketing message in all the extras. Quite often, simplicity is key.

“If you’ve got a good brand with a clear message and you know who you’re trying to reach, that could drive a lot of things that the exhibit company doesn’t need to get involved in,” said Trainor.

He gave an example of a recent client at a show who was marketing an iron supplement and who set up a booth where attendees could test the iron level in their blood with a quick pin prick.

Afterward, the vendor followed up with an email about the test results, along with information about different products the company offered that catered to the participant’s health needs. The activity was simple, focused and engaging, and allowed the vendor to collect quality client data.

October 2017

Uncomplicated. Uncongested. Unspoiled.

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Book your next meeting, conference, tradeshow or social event in Fairreld, California.

Contact Christian at christian@VisitFairfieldCA.com /VisitFairreldCA

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Catch the Wave

These coastal spots are a draw for meeting attendees and their families

By Savannah Osbourn

W

hen it comes to finding a scenic backdrop for meetings, there are few settings more relaxing than a sandy shoreline with the sound of crashing waves in the distance. There are so many incredible beach destinations to choose from; here are five prime locations to keep on your radar.

Newport Beach, California

Nicknamed the Hamptons of Hollywood, Newport Beach has long served as a popular getaway for Hollywood celebrities, causing the area to develop into an upscale, boutique community. It is conveniently located halfway between San Diego and Los Angeles, with easy access from three major airports.

“Newport really reinforces the positive imagery that people see in movies of southern California,” said Amanda Kliem, director of sales at Visit Newport Beach. “Gorgeous weather, sunshine, palm trees, active locals — you name it.”

The Newport Beach Marriott Hotel and Spa offers 31,999 square feet

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Meeting Ideas

Courtesy Visit Newport Beach CA

Boating, whale watching and skiing are popular activities in Newport Beach.

of meeting space, and there are numerous smaller venues available as well. For a taste of old Hollywood charm, groups can host an event aboard the Wild Goose, once the personal yacht of legendary Western film star John Wayne. This “floating museum” has been lovingly restored to its original condition, and visitors can even see the poker table where members of the Rat Pack, like Sammy Davis Jr. and Frank Sinatra, used to play.

Groups can also organize toes-in-the-sand parties, from more formal affairs to old-fashioned clambakes. The historic Crystal Cove State Park is a popular location for luaus and lobster fests, where attendees can dine and enjoy recreational activities like whale-watching, mountain biking and riding Jet Skis.

“Taking advantage of our seaside location is something that groups love to do,” said Kliem.

In town, foodies may want to explore Newport Beach’s burgeoning celebrity chef scene; popular options include Nobu Sushi from

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Courtesy Corpus Christi CVB

A couple enjoys free time on the beach in Corpus Christi. renowned Japanese chef Nobuyuki Matsuhisa, Red O. Bayless from Mexican cuisine aficionado Rick Bayless and Pizzeria Mozza from world-famous chef Mario Batali. www.visitnewportbeach.com

Corpus Christi, Texas

Protected by the Padre and Mustang islands off the Gulf of Mexico, Corpus Christi is one of Texas’ premier meeting destinations. Planners will find everything they need for a successful event at the American Bank Center complex, which includes a 76,500-square-foot convention center, a 10,500-seat arena and a 2,526-seat auditorium. The convention center provides easy access to more than 11,000 hotel rooms in the area as well as the Corpus Christi International Airport.

In the heart of downtown, visitors can spend hours exploring the Sports, Entertainment and Arts District, known as the S.E.A. District for short. The SegCity Segway Tour is a fun, interactive way to experience the local highlights. Art and history buffs may appreciate a visit to the

October 2017

Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History, or the Art Museum of Texas, and theatergoers can catch a live performance at the Harbor Playhouse or the Concrete Street Amphitheater.

There are endless recreational activities along Corpus Christi’s exquisite beaches, such as parasailing, dolphin cruises, kiteboarding lessons and floating yoga. On North Beach, the Texas State Aquarium features an aquatic nursery with touch tanks and a shark exhibit. Nearby, the USS Lexington, a World War II aircraft carrier nicknamed the Blue Ghost, permanently resides in Corpus Christi Bay. Groups can board and tour the vessel, which houses a naval aviation museum.

The Padre Island National Seashore is one of the region’s natural treasures, home to hundreds of migratory birds as well as endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtles. Groups can take a birding tour or a ranger-led hike through the dunes and grasslands of the 130,000-acre island, where they may catch a glimpse of wildlife such as ghost crabs, kangaroo rats and baby sea turtles. www.visitcorpuschristitx.org

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with a twist of unexpected sophistication.”

For larger meetings and events, planners can use the 86,500-square-foot meeting facility in Grand Traverse Resort and Spa. Nestled along the scenic Old Mission Peninsula, the Jolly Pumpkin Restaurant and Brewery offers several private rooms for smaller groups. A local wine bar and cidery called Left Foot Charlie also recently opened its barrel room as a private event space.

The winery is in the Village at Grand Traverse Commons, an urban complex of cafes, bakeries and restaurants housed within the historic buildings of the former Traverse State Hospital.

For those interested in the local brewery scene, a company called Kayak, Bike and Brew offers an unusual beer-tasting experience where participants alternate between biking and kayaking to four local craft breweries in town, among them the Right Brain Brewery, the Filling Station Microbrewery, the Rare Bird Brewpub and the Workshop Brewing Company. www.traversecity.com

St. Augustine, Florida

With over 450 years of history, St. Augustine, Florida, offers a special kind of Old World charm, characterized by Spanish Colonial architecture, 42 miles of pristine beaches and year-round temperate weather.

Planners will discover abundant distinctive meeting venues in the historic city, such as the open-air St. Augustine Amphitheatre, the beautiful River House on the bank of the Matanzas River and the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall, in a former church. In the heart of downtown, the iconic Lightner Museum provides a breathtaking backdrop for events for up to 350 guests. The Treasury on the Plaza features a gorgeous 250-seat ballroom inside St. Augustine’s first and only skyscraper.

With 61,000 square feet of event space, the Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort and Spa is a golfer’s Courtesy FloridasHistoricCoast.com paradise, on Ponte Vedra Beach adjacent to the Castillo de San Marcos is a popular historic site in St. Augustine.

TPC Sawgrass, where the world-renowned Players Traverse City, Michigan Golf Championship takes place each spring.

Along the rich, blue waters of Lake Michigan, Traverse City provides After hours, groups can explore art galleries, live music scenes and an excellent getaway for meeting groups. In addition to the natural local restaurants in St. Augustine’s historic shopping and dining district beauty of attractions like Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, along Aviles and St. George streets. Several companies offer nightly which was named one of the most beautiful places in the United States ghost tours and haunted pub crawls throughout the city, and those

by ABC’s “Good Morning America,” the region’s sandy soil and temper- with a sweet tooth may enjoy the chocolate-tasting tour at Whetstone ate weather allows local agriculture to thrive, contributing to a vibrant Chocolatiers. Visitors can also experience local wildlife at the St. culinary, wine and brewery scene in town. Traverse City is known as the Augustine Alligator Farm and Zoological Park, the only animal facility Cherry Capital of the World, producing nearly 75 percent of the nation’s in the world that has every living species of crocodile. www.floridashistoriccoast.com tart cherries. It is also home to over 40 wineries and 12 breweries.

“When you drive here, you’ll be on the highway and all of a sudden you stumble upon this incredible overlook of blue waters that look Gulf Shores/Orange Beach, Alabama Meeting groups will find the perfect balance of business and pleatropical,” said Jenny Jenness, media and public relations manager at Traverse City Tourism. “You find a culture of small-town hospitality sure at Alabama’s Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, which features 32

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Meeting Ideas

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miles of white-sand beaches and a variety of after-hours entertainment. During the summer months, many attendees take the opportunity to turn the trip into a family vacation.

“People tend to have strong attendance numbers when meetings are held here because of the family attractions,” said Beth Gendler, vice president of sales at Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Tourism.

The Perdido Beach Resort contains the largest conference center on the Gulf Coast, with over 45,000 square feet of flexible meeting space and two beautiful outdoor decks that overlook the coastline. The Island House Hotel, a DoubleTree by Hilton property, is another beachfront facility, with nearly 4,000 square feet of meeting space. Near the Wharf, the Orange Beach Event Center offers 18,000 square feet of flexible meeting space as well as an expansive prefunction area.

There are several scenic venues in the area for an after-hours reception or banquet, such as the Beach Pavilion at Gulf State Park and the seaside Gulf Restaurant, which was constructed from old shipping containers. The sailing company Sail Wild Hearts offers a relaxing sunset cruise with light hors d’oeuvres and other refreshments.

To get some fresh air after a meeting, groups can explore the coastal scenery along 25 miles of paved biking and walking paths in Gulf State Park. Other activities in the park include parasailing, Segway tours, paddleboarding and kayaking. Later in the day, many attendees stop by the iconic Flora-Bama Lounge and Oyster Bar for a juicy Bama Burger and a glass of the bar’s signature coconut and coffee cocktail, the Bushwacker.

The Wharf is one of the most popular family destinations in the area, featuring entertainment options such as laser tag, an arcade, a Ferris wheel, a movie theater and a brand-new zip line. www.gulfshores.com

Courtesy Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Tourism

Stand-up paddle boarding is one of many aquatic activities available to meeting attendees in Gulf Shores.

Meet steps away from our bustling downtown,

any time of year

Historic charm combined with modern style and new facilities make Wilmington’s new Convention District the perfect meeting spot. With welcoming weather year-round, you’ll find the largest convention center on the NC coast and plenty to do in our renewed, walkable River District, while beaches beckon nearby.

NCCoastalMeetingsGroups.com | 800.650.9064

October 2017

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PRIDE OF THE OZARKS

By Elizabeth Hey

Branson a t tracts millions of visitors to the mountains of Missouri

Branson is famous for its live entertainment including a resident version of the hit musical “Million Dollar Quartet.�

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Destination Showcase

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

“We receive great feedback from planners about the food and beverage throughout all of our properties.”

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illions of people visit Branson, Missouri, each year, and for of meeting and convention sales at the Branson CVB. “Many people good reason. This Ozark mecca caters to groups with a have often thought of Branson as a place that their grandma came to variety of interests and tastes, from upscale to casual, counvisit, but we want groups to know that we’re a great location for meettry to contemporary. Situated in the rolling ings and conventions with a variety of attractions and amenities for all ages.” hills near the Missouri-Arkansas border, Branson Airport offers nonstops to five major What’s New cities, and there’s also easy access by major Branson reinvents itself year after year, so interstates. there’s always something new to experience.

Branson has live theater and entertainment The biggest new development for 2018 is the throughout the year. The Branson/Lakes Area debut of the biblical epic “Samson” at Sight boasts more theater seats than Broadway, with and Sound Theatre. A large cast, live animals, 47 theaters, 150 shows and more than 60,000 an original score, elaborate costuming and seats. Most productions take a few weeks off cutting-edge special effects bring this musical at various times during the calendar year to to life. A backstage tour before the show for up plan new additions and musical numbers. In to 200 people gives a snapshot of how this addition to entertainment, there’s first-rate elaborate production comes to life. dining, off-site venues and outdoor diversions Opened last September at Big Cedar Lodge, that cater to all types of groups. the Mountain Top Golf Course was designed “We’re the fastest-growing golf destination by golf Hall of Famer Gary Player. Also under in North America,” said Lynn Berry, director of development is an 18-hole course designed by communications for the Branson Convention Coore and Crenshaw, as well as Tiger Woods’ and Visitors Bureau (CVB). “Three courses first 18-hole public course. To be named have opened in the last four years, and another three are slated to open in the next two Payne’s Valley, it will honor Missouri native A stunt at the Haygoods show years. According to Golfweek magazine’s Payne Stewart. Top of the Rock, known as the ranking of ‘America’s Best Courses You Can first-ever par-3 course to be included in a All photos courtesy Branson Lakes Area CVB Play,’ Branson is home to Missouri’s two topprofessional championship, boasts the Arnold rated golf courses, which are Branson Hills Palmer Practice Facility, which offers a driving and Buffalo Ridge Springs.” range that lights up at night.

LOCATION Buzzing with activity, Branson Landing, Also at Big Cedar, Fun Mountain is a Southwest Missouri along Lake Taneycomo, provides plentiful 50,000-square-foot indoor adventure complex shopping, dining and nightlife. The $7.5 milwith a digitally augmented climbing wall, a ACCESS lion Branson Landing Fountains dance to a high-tech 60-game arcade, 360-degree bumSpringfield-Branson National Airport per cars, themed bowling and laser tag. synchronized water, light, sound and fire and the Branson Airport For more thrills, the Branson Jet Boat zips show throughout the day and evening. Up the up the Taneycomo River taking in the Ozark hill from the Landing in Branson’s historic MAJOR MEETING SPACES scenery. Passengers experience 360-degree downtown, visitors will find an old-fashioned Branson Convention Center; Chateau on the spinouts, power stops and slides executed by five-and-dime, galleries and cafes.

Lake Resort, Spa and Convention Center; experienced captains. Indoor events at Fritz’s Just a stone’s throw away, the Branson Radisson Hotel Branson Adventure feature rock climbing, slides, a Convention Center, managed by SMG, is conHOTEL ROOMS nected by a glass walkway to the 12-story ropes course and zip lining.

Over 16,000 Hilton Convention Center Hotel. The convenAttendees with a need for speed will gravition center offers the latest technology and tate to the Runaway Mountain Coaster at OFFSITE VENUES abundant natural light, which attendees Branson Mountain Adventure Park. On North Sky Deck, Sycamore Creek Family Ranch, appreciate. Another unusual lighting feature, America’s first double-alpine coaster, riders Showboat Branson Belle, Dixie Stampede, the ballroom’s fixtures resemble birds and can control the speed up to 30 miles per Titanic Museum Attraction, Branson can be synchronized to music for a custom hour. Debuting next spring at Silver Dollar Landing, Fritz’s Adventure light show during an event.

City, Time Traveler will be the 1880s-style CONTACT INFO “We receive great feedback from planners theme park’s biggest attraction to date and the Branson Lakes Area CVB about the food and beverage throughout all of only triple-inversion spinning coaster in the www.explorebransonmeetings.com our properties,” said Deborah Cohen, director world. It begins with a 10-story, 90-degree

Branson, Missouri

October 2017

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A multimillion-dollar fountain show headlines the entertainment and shopping area at Branson Landing. drop straight down a mountainside with top speeds of over 50 miles per hour.

Midwestern Hospitality

Branson’s 16,000 hotel rooms range from high-end resorts to rustic cabins. The CVB can assist groups that need to secure room blocks at several hotels. Citywide convention shuttle service coordination is available for groups who use multiple hotels.

Some properties are tucked into the rolling hills; others are along the main drag. On Highway 76, the centrally located, 472-room Radisson Hotel features 15,000 square feet of meeting space. This property lies within walking distance of several theaters, restaurants and attractions.

Near Branson Landing, the Branson Convention Center offers 220,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, including a 47,000-squarefoot exhibit hall and a 23,000-square-foot ballroom. The center is connected to the 293-room Hilton Convention Center Hotel. Across the street, the Hilton Promenade at Branson Landing offers 242 rooms.

Branson’s AAA Four Diamond resort, Chateau on the Lake Resort, Spa and Convention Center, features 43,500 square feet of meeting space, including an elegant 32,000-square-foot ballroom. The hotel’s 301 guest rooms boast panoramic views of Table Rock Lake and recently underwent extensive renovations. The hotel’s Spa Chateau offers 10

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Destination Showcase

treatment rooms, exotic European therapies and yoga.

Ten miles south of town on Table Rock Lake, Big Cedar Lodge is tucked into the wooded hillsides and offers panoramic views, lake access, a full marina and championship golf. The resort has 250 accommodations, ranging from rooms to upscale cabins. On property, the Grandview Conference Center comprises 19,427 square feet of meeting space.

Service With a Smile

The team at the Branson CVB offers services to streamline the planning before your group arrives. Event organizers can build excitement about Branson by showing a destination video, sending out digital “Save the Date” postcards and distributing printed materials ahead of time.

“Being a smaller CVB, we can really customize the meeting experience, such as providing creative ideas for spouse programs, providing entertainment resources, speakers, and welcome bags and tables” said Cohen. “If there’s something we can do, we will.”

Many destinations don’t have the abundance of entertainment that Branson offers. When groups attend a Branson show, most entertainers will add a special touch by recognizing your meeting or convention by name during their performance. The CVB can also contact Branson entertainers, who can perform for your group or make an appearance at an event.

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Showboat Branson Belle makes an elegant venue for private events.

Welcome letters from the mayor of Branson or the president/CEO of the CVB can be arranged. Or if you’d like to kick off your event with a brief, personalized welcome message, the CVB can line up a city official, a chamber executive or a local VIP. Optional welcome bags are large enough to hold registration materials and contain a vacation guide, area information and a Branson pen.

The CVB can connect planners to local resources for professional registration. If your meeting has a designated hashtag, Branson attractions, restaurants and retail shops can use the hashtag to promote deals and special offers to your attendees.

Noteworthy Off-Site Venues

Schedule a boot-stomping evening at Dixie Stampede complete with trick riding, buffalos and a four-course meal that’s reminiscent of a cattle drive. Other popular productions feature tribute artists such as the Blues Brothers at Legends in Concert; the Liverpool Legends, who look and sound like the original Beatles; and Elvis impersonators who can perform at your event.

The Showboat Branson Belle can be chartered for groups of up to 750 people, who will enjoy the new production “Country on the Lake.” The Titanic Museum Attraction hosts progressive dinners with food stations and bars throughout the exhibits. Costumed tour guides, in character and with British and Irish accents, greet guests.

October 2017

The Sycamore Creek Family Ranch sits 20 minutes from Branson Landing. The 245-acre farm features a heated barn, s’mores around the campfire, barbecue options and outdoor games for up to 300 people.

Several fire pits can be rented on the property.

For active groups, the CVB can assist in putting together a pub crawl or a scavenger hunt for an interactive team-building activity. For an unusual arrival, attendees can zip line up to the Sky Deck at Parakeet Pete’s Waterfront Zipline, which overlooks Branson Landing. The deck can hold up to 150 people, depending on the event; shuttles to the top are available. Main Street Lake Cruises offers customized charters that can include lunch or dinner for up to 100 guests per boat.

At College of the Ozarks, the Keeter Center offers meeting space, a 400-seat theater and dining. In a lodge-style setting, Dobyns Dining Room serves from-scratch fare. Grain for the restaurant’s bread is milled on campus, students grow many of the vegetables, and pork comes from the school’s own farm. For groups of 10 or more, the college offers a farm-to-table cooking demonstration at lunch. This easily customized event can include a campus tour that showcases the campus garden and hydroponic greenhouse, plus admission to the Ralph Foster Museum.

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Made in Pennsylvania

By Savannah Osbourn

Above: Steam Into History offers trips aboard a replica 1860s steam engine.

Left: Groups can take on team-building activities at Roundtop Mountain Resort.

Y O R K, P E N N S Y LVA N I A LOCATION South central Pennsylvania ACCESS Harrisburg International Airport, Baltimore/ Washington International Airport, Interstate 83 MAJOR MEETING SPACES York Expo Center, Wyndham Garden York, Heritage Hills Golf Resort HOTEL ROOMS 4,000 OFF-SITE VENUES Valencia Ballroom, York County History Center, Wyndridge Farm CONTACT INFO York County Convention and Visitors Bureau 888-858-9675 www.yorkpa.org

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Destination Showcase

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nown as the White Rose City, York, Pennsylvania, played an important role in America’s early history, serving as the first U.S. capital as well as the birthplace of the Articles of Confederation. Visitors will discover this rich past as they explore important local sites such as the York Colonial Courthouse, where the Founding Fathers first united the American Colonies in rejection of British rule, and the historic Hanover Junction Railroad Station, where President Abraham Lincoln stopped along his way to give the famous Gettysburg Address.

A railroad company called Steam Into History offers a two-and-half-hour train excursion aboard an 1860s replica steam locomotive, helping groups envision everyday travel during the Civil War era as they ride down the track on which Lincoln traveled.

“When people come to York, they don’t know what to expect, but often they’re surprised by how much there is to do,” said Patrick Bourque, sales manager at the York County Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Today, York carries on its patriotic heritage as the home of 15 American manufacturing companies, including Hershey’s Chocolate World and the Harley-Davidson Motor Company. Travelers come to York County from across the country to tour these unusual facilities and visit the wide selection of wineries and breweries in the region. The Mason-Dixon Wine Trail stops at local highlights such as the award-winning Naylor Wine Cellars and the Moon Dancer Winery, Ciderhouse and Taproom, which overlooks the Susquehanna River from a beautiful hillside.

York is conveniently located 30 minutes from Harrisburg International Airport and an hour from Baltimore-Washington International Airport. It is also easily accessed from major surrounding destinations such as Philadelphia, New York City and Washington, D.C.

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Photos courtesy York CVB

Primary Meeting Facilities

Unique Tours

On the York County Fair Grounds, the York Expo Center includes a 114,000-square-foot arena, a 58,000-square-foot exhibition hall, a 22,816-square-foot warehouse-style exhibit space, a 10,000-seat grandstand and several smaller venues. Attendees can reach the event complex within minutes from hotels, restaurants and other major attractions in downtown York. The Wyndam Garden York and Heritage Hills Golf Resort each offer more than 15,000 square feet of meeting space.

Known as the Factory Tour Capital of the World, York County is home to a variety of major companies that offer guided tours of their facilities, including Harley-Davidson Motor Company, Snyder’s of Hanover Pretzels, Martin’s Potato Chips, Bluett Brothers Violins and the Sunrise Soap Company. During these behind-the-scenes tours, groups can see how some of their favorite American snacks and products are made, from seasoned potato chips to chocolate and motorcycles.

Off-Site Venues

Local Food Scene

The York County History Center offers two beautiful, vintage event venues: a renovated 1920s car dealership and a remodeled 1800s factory building with an expansive reception area and courtyard.

Wyndridge Farm, a local craft brewery and restaurant, provides a lovely, rustic aesthetic with event spaces such as a restored barn structure and a private pub room. Valencia Ballroom is a historic event and catering venue from the early 1900s that once hosted esteemed artists like Frank Sinatra, Glenn Miller and Benny Goodman. Catering is available from White Rose Bar and Grill.

The award-winning White Rose Bar and Grill offers delectable menu items such as crab omelets with cheddar cheese, coconut shrimp and Texas toast doused with creamed chipped beef. The Restaurant at Wyndridge Farm features a beautiful outdoor patio, a large stone fireplace and a sweeping view of the surrounding farmland, with fresh offerings like pastrami smoked salmon, chicken pesto pizza and baked seafood mac ’n’ cheese. Housed within an 1850s building, the First Post serves traditional pub fare such as shepherd’s pie, and fish and chips. Tutoni’s Restaurant offers locally sourced Mediterranean cuisine with an elegant dining atmosphere.

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Laramie’sHistoric

By Kristy Alpert

T

he smokestacks loomed in the distance that morning of May 4, 1868, tracing the freshly laid tracks of the Union Pacific Railroad up and over the mountains that connected the Wyoming towns of Laramie and Cheyenne. The looming sound of a locomotive whistle announced the arrival of the first train to enter the brand-new station and marked a new chapter for the then sparsely populated Laramie Plains.

The station continued to grow in popularity until October 17, 1917, when a fire destroyed most of it, leaving only one section, the women’s waiting room, to act as the passenger depot for the next seven years.

The need for a new station was evident with the growing number of passengers arriving each month, and on October 6, 1924, a new station was constructed to serve Union Pacific customers, offering the finest modern amenities that even the most discerning 1920s traveler could desire.

The train station became an icon in the town, and through the efforts of local citizens, the station survived the next decades, transforming into a community center after train service to Laramie ceased in 1997. The station stands today as a reminder of Laramie’s significant railroad heritage; a group of volunteers maintain and operate the space as a railroad museum and the Depot rental hall.

Much has changed since the arrival of that first train, but the locomotive legacy continues full steam ahead at the Laramie Historic Railroad Depot through the events and meetings held within its walls.

The Depot is available for small groups to rent for private parties,

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Venue Showcase

Photos courtesy Laramie Historic Railroad Depot

Left: The Laramie Railroad Depot has been a fixture of town since the 1860s.

Above: Historic concourses at the depot are available for event rentals.

meetings and weddings. Its large main concourse is divided into smaller sections by the station’s small partition. Reservations are available seven days a week throughout the year, and the meeting’s staff regularly updates the rental schedule online, so it’s easy to plan events.

Meeting guests frequently remark about the wonderful feeling of walking back in time to Laramie’s golden railroad era the minute they arrive at the former station, and the connection they make within the walls is one that stays with them long after they depart.

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Depot

Meeting Spaces The Laramie Historic Railroad Depot was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1988, and the entire building has been carefully preserved. Original Union Pacific shields still mark the east- and west-facing facades of the exterior. Inside, the space opens up with high windows and vintage lighting hung from

Craftsman-style ceilings. Dark wooden beams bring the eyes upward while tile flooring guides guests through the open floor plan. The South Side of the main concourse can hold up to 209 guests, and the slightly smaller North Side on the other side of the small partition is able to accommodate up to 178 guests.

Catering Although the Laramie Historic Railroad Depot does not provide food, its on-site kitchen — complete with microwaves, sinks, a refrigerator and freezer, and multiple outlets for appliances — makes it easy to prepare and serve meals for any size gathering. Groups can select a caterer of their choice, and the city of

Laramie offers an ever-growing list of reputable caterers and chefs, most notably the Chef Without a Kitchen, Pioneer BarB-Que and Catering, and Altitude Chophouse and Brewery’s Catering Department. Alcohol is allowed through licensed providers.

After Events

Laramie Historic Railroad Depot

While at the depot, guests can check out the railroad memorabilia on display inside the building or head outdoors to gaze up at the authentic snow train adjacent to the Union Pacific’s mainline.

The snow train was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2013 and has become a mustsee of Laramie’s historic sites. For more railroad history, guests can

make a short trek out to the Ames Monument, a structure built by the Union Pacific Railroad Company to mark the highest elevation — 8,247 feet — of the original transcontinental route.

The monolithic 60-foot-high granite pyramid dates to 1882 and was announced as a National Historic Landmark on November 2, 2016.

LOCATION

Laramie, Wyoming

TYPE OF VENUE Off-site, museum

CAPACITY 387

NEARBY ACCOMMODATIONS Fairfield Inn and Suites by Marriott

CONTACT INFO 307-399-7345 www.laramiedepot.org

October 2017

Extras The Laramie Historic Railroad Depot has an inventory of tables and chairs available for meetings groups to use during events. The depot offers a selection, including 15 five-foot-diameter round tables, eight six-foot-long rectangular tables, three five-foot-long rectangular tables and approximately 120 chairs. The depot also features

a food preparation kitchen on-site for groups to use during their time in the depot, and the space includes access to sinks, a refrigerator and freezer, two microwaves, multiple outlets for appliances, and ample counter space for preparation or potluck-style serving.

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A Wine Country Estate

By Kristy Alpert

I

f acres were chapters, those covering the Silverado Resort and Spa’s property would read like a history book spanning the foundation of America. Although today the resort boasts more than 1,200 acres, the property was strategically pieced together by a series of deeds purchased over the years from legendary names in the country’s history, among them notable figures such as President Ulysses S. Grant and California Gov. Newton Booth.

The resort was once the home of Gen. John Franklin Miller and his wife; they began construction of the mansion in the late 1870s.

Miller named the mansion La Vergne in 1881, just one year after Robert Louis Stevenson’s notorious honeymoon trip to the area with his wife that he would later recount in his travel memoir “The Silverado Squatters,” a name given in memory of the first Civil War battle in which he fought for his country.

Ownership of the estate changed hands only a few times before it was sold as the Silverado to the Westgate Development Company in 1966, when the incoming president of the Napa Chamber of Commerce at the time, Ken Imrie, said “the multimil-

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Hospitality Showcase

Photos courtesy Silverado Resort & Spa

lion-dollar recreational-residential development was probably the most important thing to hit the Napa Valley since the grape.”

The resort is now owned by World Golf Hall of Fame member and lead NBC analyst Johnny Miller and his partners, who have transformed the resort into an award-winning contemporary resort with 370 guest rooms, a 15,500-square-foot conference space, two championship golf courses and two signature restaurants. The resort also features a 16,000-square-foot spa, 10 swimming pools and 10 tennis courts. It is a great home base for visiting the more than 540 wineries that surround the Napa Valley wine region.

Over the past five years, the resort has undergone many renovations. The guest rooms and the conference facilities have benefited from the addition of a new market and bakery on-site, and the new mansion gardens feature a 5,000-square-foot pavilion and 18,000 square feet of outdoor garden space. The new additions and the historic traditions make the Silverado Resort and Spa a remarkable blank page for many memorable meeting and event stories.

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Silverado Resort and Spa Meeting Spaces The Silverado Resort and Spa features 17,000 square feet of beautiful indoor and 30,000 square feet of beautiful outdoor meeting space, including a recently renovated conference center. The Mansion offers seven options for meetings, where the largest space can accommodate up to 200 guests. The ballroom features eight options, with the largest accommodating up to 480 guests. The conference room level of the property features eight options that can accommodate groups of 12 to 150, and the outdoor space offers eight spaces for meetings, the largest of which can accommodate up to 3,000 guests.

Tee Time It wouldn’t be a Johnny Miller resort without an award-winning golf course to go along with it, and the two championship courses at the Silverado do the PGA Hall of Famer’s reputation justice. Both courses are open only to members and resort guests and only when they are not being used for the Safeway Open PGA Tour each October. Each was redesigned by Johnny Miller himself to feature dozens of water crossings, elevation changes and challenges that route through historic oak trees. The resort offers group lessons and clinics, along with customized group tournament services and packages for meetings guests.

October 2017

Location Napa, California Size 370 rooms Meeting Space More than 47,000 square feet Access 62 miles from San Francisco International Airport; 12 miles from the Napa County Airport Contact Info 707-257-0200 www.silveradoresort.com

Left: A Silverado break setup pays homage to the area’s wine country.

Right: Guests can relax on the Silverado porch in rocking chairs during free time.

Opposite page: California elegance is a hallmark of events at Silverado Resort.

Catering Executive chef Jeffrey Jake heads the Silverado’s catering department, where he offers numerous menus that feature a range of locally farmed and sustainably produced ingredients. His brioche cinnamon French toast is a top pick for early-morning breakfast or brunch meetings, especially when combined with the resort’s two-hour serviced mimosa bar, but items can be selected for a la carte or buffet service alongside a series of break and snack menus. All lunches and dinners come with coffee, tea and rolls, and the team is renowned for its creative themed reception and hors d’oeuvres offerings. Alcohol is available.

After Events Surrounded by the Vaca Mountains and the Napa Valley vineyards, the Silverado is a great hub for day trips and delicious adventures. The meetings team at the Silverado includes a dedicated destination experience coordinator that will arrange signature Napa Valley experiences for meeting groups, like a wineblending program on-site, winery tours off-site and the resort’s signature Silverado GPS Challenge, which takes teams around the area on a scavenger-hunt-style quest. As an add-on, groups can book the resort’s Olive Oil and Wine Tasting Reception, where two Napa Valley Wineries and a local olive oil company will attend the reception to educate and entertain guests with their products.

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Diversity on Display

By Rachel Carter Courtesy Clinton Presidential Center

Little Rock’s Clinton Presidential Center contains a full-scale replica of Bill Clinton’s Oval Office.

S

it behind President Bill Clinton’s desk in the Oval Office. Step into the torpedo room aboard the 1944 USS Razorback submarine. Sip on a malt in a working soda fountain.

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Museums today strive to get away from glass cases hoarding artifacts and, instead, give visitors experiences that will stay with them for the rest of their lives.

And meeting attendees will have the same opportunities when planners hold their events at these Arkansas museums.

William J. Clinton Presidential Center Little Rock

The city of Little Rock and President Bill Clinton are nearly synonymous, and there’s no venue more quintessentially Little Rock than the Clinton Presidential Center.

The striking, modern building looks like a floating glass ark perched in the middle of a 33-acre urban park The glass-walled Great Hall is the center’s main event space, with room to seat 250 for a banquet or welcome nearly 400 guests for a reception. The space also has an adjoining balcony with “the best view of the city,” said Mike Selig, director of food, beverage and events for the center. “It looks smackdab into downtown Little Rock.”

Progressive events can move around the building, and “it’s fun to switch up different venues,” Selig said.

In the orientation theater, attendees can watch a film about Clinton and the history of the museum. Groups can mingle in galleries among exhibits during receptions and wrap up with coffee stations downstairs.

The museum is designed to be self-guided — visitors can download the center’s new app to enhance their

Arkansas Meeting Guide

experience — but groups can also arrange for docentguided tours. Among the museum’s exhibits, visitors always love the Oval Office, where they can have their photo taken sitting at a replica of Clinton’s desk; he still uses the real one.

Another “beautiful thing about the Presidential Center is the park,” Selig said, and many events are held around the grounds. Groups can reserve the on-site restaurant, Forty Two, for after-hours dinners for up to 120 people or a 200-guest reception, and the restaurant’s River View Terrace overlooks the Arkansas River and the Clinton Presidential Park Bridge. www.clintonfoundation.org

Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art Bentonville

Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art sits on 120 acres just on the edge of downtown Bentonville. As visitors descend into the valley of a lush Ozark forest, they’re greeted by sparkling white-and-glass buildings perched on and over two crystal ponds.

The entire museum is available for events, and guests can explore galleries that were designed to intertwine art and nature, with walls of windows that provide views of the blue ponds and green forest. In the galleries, guests can see some of the museum’s most-recognizable works, such as two iconic portraits of George Washington as well as Asher Durand’s “Kindred Spirits.”

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By Dero Sanford, Courtesy Crystal Bridges

In the Great Hall, guests sit beneath an arched pinebeam ceiling, and floor-to-ceiling windows overlook the upper pond. The hall can accommodate 250 for seated meals or 450 for receptions and is adjacent to the South Lobby, which is available during nonpublic hours. On the lower level, three 800-square-foot suites open onto Walker Landing, a paved 200-person pavilion that overlooks the lower pond and has a circular waterfront amphitheater. Planners can also reserve Crystal Bridges’ restaurant, Eleven.

The South Lawn can accommodate 200-person events; a new entrance, elevator and pedestrian bridge opened in April, improving access to the North Lawn and to the museum’s trail system. The museum’s guided Trails Tour of the grounds boasts three and a half miles of sculpture-dotted walking trails, and the museum also offers group tours for 10 to 60 people. www.crystalbridges.org

Fort Smith Museum of History Fort Smith

Fort Smith was established in 1817 when the first soldiers set up on Belle Point overlooking the Arkansas and Poteau rivers. The Fort Smith Museum of History was established in 1910, and “we have been in continuous operation ever since,” said executive director Leisa Gramlich.

The museum got its start when a group of women

October 2017

rallied to save the city’s oldest building from demolition. In 1979, the museum moved into its current home: a four-story former hardware warehouse that’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Groups of up to 150 people can reserve the museum’s meeting room, which has original hardwood floors and exposed brick walls. The museum’s soda fountain is both an event space and “a working exhibit,” Gramlich said.

The soda fountain came from a drugstore in a neighboring town, and the walls are lined with historic inventory and deadstock from former Fort Smith drugstores. The space can hold up to 50 people and can be used in conjunction with the meeting room. And, yes, they do serve ice cream and old-fashioned fountain drinks.

Event attendees are welcome to explore the museum, which is now updating its exhibits. In April, “On the Air” opened; the new exhibit covers the city’s radio and broadcasting history. One of the most popular artifacts, though, is an 1862 cannon that was used by Union troops in the Civil War. www.fortsmithmuseum.org

Buildings at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art are designed to complement the Arkansas landscape.

Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum North Little Rock

The Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum is in North Little Rock, just across the Arkansas River from its sister city of Little Rock. But technically, the museum is in the Arkansas River.

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Courtesy Fort Smith Museum of History

The museum, which opened in 2005, is a collection of military vessels, including the historic USS Razorback submarine, the USS Hoga tugboat and the USS Arkansas battleship.

Groups can book the museum for meetings, receptions and banquets outside normal operating hours, Wednesday through Saturday. In the entry barge, groups will find artifacts and exhibits, as well as an indoor event space with seating for up to 36 people for meals or meetings, said maintenance chief Jim Gates.

The area also has two flat-screen televisions that can be hooked up for presentations and is popular for lunch meetings, he said.

The museum’s largest event venue, however, is outdoors atop one of the museum’s three barges that are tied together. The barge has a covered area with seating for about 40 people but is large enough to host events for up to 150 guests, Gates said.

Guides lead group tours through the ships but limit each tour to 10 people because many of the spaces are small. However, docents can rotate larger groups through over several tours.

Planners can also arrange for a one-of-a-kind souvenir for their attendees: The museum will punch personalized dog tags for guests on its 1951 dog tag machine, Gates said. www.aimmuseum.org

Groups can meet among century-old artifacts at the Fort Smith Museum of History.

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Arkansas Meeting Guide

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

South Arkansas Arts Center El Dorado

El Dorado is closer to Louisiana than it is to the Arkansas capital; the Louisiana border is only 16 miles due south of the city of 20,000 residents. That’s why visitors will find a performing arts center and an art museum dedicated to showcasing the best of south Arkansas and north Louisiana.

The South Arkansas Arts Center includes three gallery spaces, a full theater with a stage, a ballet studio, a scene and costume shop, classrooms and a photography studio. The center showcases monthly gallery exhibits, community theater productions, concerts and classes in visual arts, ballet, photography and drama.

Groups can reserve the center for events and mingle in the three galleries. The Lobby Gallery is a long galley space of about 950 square feet. It connects to the 830-square-foot Price Gallery, which leads into the largest of the three: the 1,950-square-foot Merkle Gallery. The center hosts exhibits by local and regional artists, such as “Finding My Way: An Exploration in Art”

by Louisiana-based artist Robert Fogel, which ran through September.

The Lobby Gallery acts as the central space separating the galleries from the Callaway Theatre, which has 207 fixed seats in the auditorium and a stage. The center also has a kitchen and a ballet studio. www.saac-arts.org

Courtesy Clinton Presidential Center

Exhibits at the Clinton Presidential Center detail important events in the Clinton administration.

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Arkansas’ Historic Venues

By Rachel Carter Courtesy Petit Jean State Park

Historic Mather Lodge offers scenic views of Petit Jean State Park.

S

oldiers settled the first Fort Smith on the banks of the Arkansas and Poteau rivers in 1817, 19 years before Arkansas became a state.

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With such a long history, Arkansas has no shortage of event venues that showcase the state’s heritage. Groups can gather at the original Fort Smith, now a National Historic Site, or in venues that feature more recent history, such as a lodge built by Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) workers in the 1930s or a renovated 1949 movie theater. These venues not only preserve the best of Arkansas’ varied history but also give meeting attendees the opportunity to learn about it.

Mather Lodge in Petit Jean State Park Morrilton

Kathleene Fitch has met plenty of people in the 33 years she has worked at Mather Lodge in Petit Jean State Park, but her favorite was the man who walked into the lobby and told her he had built the furniture in the lodge’s CCC room when he worked for the corps in the in the 1930s.

“He was astounded that his furniture was still here and had been used all these years,” Fitch said. “He actually got a little emotional.”

CCC workers built Mather Lodge out of local timber and native stone in the 1930s, and the lodge is the crown jewel of Arkansas’ first state park. The Arkansas Room is a small meeting room for up to 25 people, and the Legacy Room is a windowless interior room that can accommodate meetings for 50 people.

In the dining room, stone walls and timber beams frame the floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook the

Arkansas Meeting Guide

Arkansas River Valley and Cedar Creek Canyon.

Although the on-site restaurant doesn’t offer private dining or group reservations, meeting attendees can always dine at their leisure.

Groups can also book the lodge’s 24 guest rooms or stay in its 32 cabins, and two group pavilions can be rented in the park. The park’s recreation hall isn’t available beyond June 2018 because it will be torn down to make way for a new visitors center that will include meeting space, Fitch said. www.petitjeanstatepark.com

Apollo on Emma Springdale

Tom Lundstrum and Brian Moore managed to keep it a secret until the grand opening of the Apollo on Emma: The business partners had tracked down the statue of the Greek god Apollo and returned it to the lobby of the historic theater in downtown Springdale, much to the delight of locals who grew up walking past it on their way to see a movie.

After its having been gone for 40 years, “we were able to return the original namesake statue to the Apollo Theater,” Lundstrum said. “He’s sitting there in the lobby on a pedestal welcoming everybody.”

The renovated 1949 theater reopened as an elegant event venue in mid-August after having been on a list of condemned buildings possibly headed for demolition. It was Moore’s idea to save the theater,

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

By Pat Schmidt, courtesy NPS

but there wasn’t much left to save.

“We really only bought four walls and a floor; the roof was there in name only,” Lundstrum said.

After being denied historic designation because everything historic “was all rotted away,” the duo had the green light to start from scratch within the building’s shell. They leveled the theater’s sloped floor to create a 3,000-square-foot open auditorium with a prefunction lobby area; the two can be rented together or separately.

Crews demolished the former projection room and its two flanking “cry rooms” to create an 800-square-foot VIP space with a glass wall that overlooks the auditorium below. The room can also be rented separately for 40-person events. www.theapolloonemma.com

Historic Washington State Park Washington

The town of Washington was founded on George Washington’s birthday in 1824. Today, it’s a state park with more than 30 historic buildings that give visitors a glimpse of life during the 19th century.

The site’s largest event space is the 1940 gymnasium that was a Works Progress Administration project. The gym can accommodate 200 guests for a seated meal or seat about 350 people for presentations using the bleachers, said Sheila Little, park sales and marketing director.

Inside the 1914 schoolhouse, an auditorium can seat

October 2017

up to 100 for banquets, and two rooms across the hall can each accommodate meetings for about 25. The building also has a 12-person boardroom.

Williams’ Tavern, the on-site restaurant, will cater events in any of those venues, or groups of 20 can make reservations to eat in the restaurant.

During the day, a horse-drawn surrey offers driving tours of the park, but groups can also hire the surrey and driver for after-hours events, Little said.

Park staff can also arrange to have living-history programs or re-enactors at the park during events, something they often do for overnight or school groups. Groups can cook dinner in a Dutch oven over an open fire or watch 19th-century dancing demonstrations, for example.

By next fall, the site’s former jail will reopen as a bedand-breakfast with several guest rooms, and the 1860 Brunson House is being converted into a dedicated venue for meetings and events. www.historicwashingtonstatepark.com

Visitors can learn about frontier days at Fort Smith National Historic Site

Fort Smith National Historic Site Fort Smith

The first soldiers arrived December 25, 1817, to establish the first Fort Smith, and this Christmas Day will kick off a yearlong, citywide bicentennial celebration of the historic fort and city.

Fort Smith National Historic Site is part of the National Park Service, so groups need to get a permit to

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Courtesy The Aud

The Aud in Eureka Springs offers events with 1920s ambiance.

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hold events there, a process that isn’t difficult. Two venues at the site are available for events: the historic Frisco Train Depot and the main building, which has several spaces, said Michael Groomer, chief of interpretation and education who handles special-use permits.

The 1903 depot has high ceilings, original woodwork and leaded glass windows and can accommodate about 100 guests for banquets, he said. Although the depot doesn’t have Wi-Fi, the main building does. In the main building, three spaces can be used for events: 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 places around the grounds, and historic Belle Point, the site of the first fort on a hill overlooking the Arkansas and Poteau rivers, is popular for weddings.

Planners can also arrange for guided tours, ranger talks or living-history re-enactments for attendees.

Floyd and Sue Robison portray Judge Parker and his wife, Mary Parker, and “they’re amazing; they do stellar programs,” Groomer said. www.nps.gov/fosm

Arkansas Meeting Guide

The Aud Eureka Springs

Construction of Eureka Springs City Auditorium, or “The Aud,” was completed just weeks before the stock market crash of 1929. And since opening nearly 90 years ago, the venue in downtown Eureka Springs has hosted the likes of Bo Diddley, B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Merle Haggard, Jefferson Starship, Ray Charles, Dwight Yoakam and Arlo Guthrie, to name a few.

But one of The Aud’s biggest names and most-frequent performers is Willie Nelson, who “used to have a house here, he played here so many times,” said Rick Bright, finance manager for the city’s Advertising and Promotion Commission, who also handles the venue’s booking.

The stone building houses a performance hall with 986 fixed seats and a stage, and the front lobby is also available for events. Downstairs, the gym is a large open area with audiovisual components, including a screen and a projector, but the basement space isn’t ADAaccessible. The building also has high-speed Wi-Fi. The Aud welcomes a wide variety of meetings, events and entertainment, such as training sessions for state associations and the recent Miss Gateway to the Ozarks Pageant.

The building is in the heart of downtown, so it’s within walking distance to art galleries, restaurants and shops. www.theaud.org

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