Small Market Meetings September 2020 by The Group Travel Leader, Inc.

MAKING MEETINGS AFFORDABLE | STILLWATER, OKLAHOMA | KANSAS MEETING GUIDE SEPTEMBER 2020

e u q u b u D

DOWNTOWN IN

SMM Conference Preview Issue

MUST DO’S IN ZION iconic trails • Hike including Angels Landing & The Narrows

dinner at the • Have Bit & Spur down the • Tube Virgin River for homemade • Stop ice cream at Fort Zion in Virgin, UT

an E-Bike from • Rent an outfitter or do a guided tour

SPACE WITH A VIEW Cross Zion National Park off your bucket list at your next meeting and give your attendees a unique experience that they cannot find anywhere else. In Greater Zion you will find space to connect, space to heal, and space that will inspire long after you’ve left. Find your space in Greater Zion.

Reach out and let’s start planning your next event! Contact Jacqueline Grena at Jacqueline@GreaterZion.com or submit an RFP at Greaterzion.com/meetings INSPIRE GREATER. EXPERIENCE GREATER. LIVE GREATER.

ON THE COVER: A Dubuque resident enjoys a quiet moment downtown. Courtesy Travel Dubuque

INSIDE VOLUME 21 | ISSUE 8

IDEAS Meetings at Casinos

CITY Stillwater, Oklahoma

TOWN Dubuque, Iowa

D E PA R T M E N T S

PROFILE 6 INSIGHTS 14 Gathering Heather Larson Outdoors

MANAGING 16Making Meetings

MEETING GUIDE Kansas

Affordable

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

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INSIGHTS WITH VICKIE MITCHELL

GET OUT IN GROUPS

n most parts of the country, fall brings warm days without swelter. We embrace autumn and go outdoors, leaving air-conditioned homes and offices behind. Summer’s end also brings more meetings as vacation season ends and school begins. This fall, considering that experts say outdoors is safer than indoors in thwarting the spread of COVID-19, it might be time to keep meetings outdoors as much as possible. Nearly every hotel or convention center, even those in city centers, has outdoor spaces, from rooftops and lawns to patios and seasonal tents. Here are a few ideas.

Fall means cooler temps and more outdoor gatherings

New spin on a safe harbor

What were those Vanderbilts, Astors and Morgans thinking back in the early 1900s? They spent the summer in Newport, Rhode Island, but come fall, they shuttered their massive mansions and headed off to one of their other estates. But this harbor town is a treat anytime, and fall is no exception. Two Newport hotels have found ways to make the most of the season by bringing meetings outside. The Newport Harbor and Marina Hotel and partner Wave Cycle Studio’s Wave package start the day with a socially distanced, 45-minute outdoor cycle class on the Newport Pier. A mimosa is the workout’s reward. If the group wants to extend the event, they can have an a la carte dockside brunch on a covered deck. Other outdoor meals can also be arranged. A few blocks from the waterfront, at the historic Hotel Viking, the rooftop bar the Top of Newport looks out over the harbor. During the daytime, when the bar is closed, it can be used for meetings. The hotel’s courtyard has plenty of Adirondack chairs that can easily be moved as needed, and the hotel is also looking at ways to tent the space so it can be used in inclement weather. hotelviking.com

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

Lots of upsides to being lakeside

The Branson, Missouri, area isn’t all about live music shows. Evidence? Two meeting resorts that bookend the town. Both Big Cedar Lodge, 10 miles south, and Chateau on the Lake, about eight miles west, overlook winding Table Rock Lake. Big Cedar lives up to its name, covering 4,600 acres. Chateau on the Lake is smaller but still takes best advantage of its perch above the lake with a saline pool and a large green lawn that overlook the water. Among Big Cedar’s outdoor spaces is a large lawn and an open-air bar that sits high above the lake. Big Cedar is also big on outdoor activities, from its Arnold Palmer Driving Range with three teeing decks and 10 lighted target greens to its NASCAR-themed go-karts. bigcedar.com chateauonthelake.com

Mountain views for peak experiences

Picnics and movies under the stars are easily accomplished at the Broadmoor Resort in Colorado Springs. Colorado. Among the Broadmoor’s biggest advantages is that it is, well, big. With the addition of an exhibit hall early this year, it now has 310,000 square feet of meeting space and 784 guest rooms, so social distancing isn’t as challenging as before. The resort reports that it’s seeing demand from small groups, like boards and top executives who have likely tired of virtual meetings. The resort’s outdoor spaces don’t waste the mountains that surround them. A roomy patio at Cheyenne Lodge looks out on the Rockies and Colorado Springs and has a fireplace. The Mountain View Terrace is covered in case it rains. There are plenty of ways to be outdoors, active and distanced with golf, tennis and pickleball, hiking trails, a croquet garden and mountain biking. broadmoor.com

Far apart in a farm field

Pioneers in search of elbow room found it in the wide-open spaces of North Dakota’s Red River Valley. Now farm fields, those flat prairies can easily be turned into venues that allow groups to spread out even as they socialize. The Fargo-Morehead Convention and Visitors Bureau has worked on several dinners for locals that were hosted by Common Ground, a grassroots organization aimed at educating people about the value and importance of agriculture. The event, called Banquet in a Field, could easily be replicated for any meeting group. For Banquet in a Field, planners set up tables and high-tops, far apart, in an empty field next to a big stand of corn. The high-tops were perfect for visiting while chefs smoked meats over big grills and fiddlers played some tunes. An old-fashioned dinner bell brought diners to their tables. fargomoorhead.org

September 2020

Soothing benefits of sea breezes

Two neighboring hotels in Virginia Beach, Virginia, combine sea breezes and beautiful outdoor spaces. One is modern, the other historic. Directly on the beach, the Marriott Virginia Beach Oceanfront has made the most of its enviable location by turning its ocean side into a series of outdoor spaces, with a green oceanfront lawn, bocce courts, firepits and terraces. The rooftop also offers airy spaces for dining and drinking. Across the street, the century-old, redbrick Cavalier Hotel is looking regal after a four-year restoration. Its outdoor areas include the Magnolia Garden, a lush green space with a carefully preserved brick staircase as its grand entrance and the East Lawn, a rolling swath of green that faces the blue Atlantic. visitvirginiabeach.com

CONFERENCE

PLANNERS WILL GATHER IN OCTOBER AT SMALL MARKET MEETINGS CONFERENCE

BY DAN DICKSON

t’s called the Small Market Meetings Conference for good reason. Its annual meeting sites are purposely selected because they are located in smaller, second-tier locations around the country. But the 2020 conference will take place in an even smaller community — a tiny, highly unusual and fascinating place — the historic French Lick Resort, which encompasses parts of the southern Indiana towns of French Lick and West Baden. The conference is scheduled for October 4-6, and attendees will no doubt enjoy being pampered.

This annual gathering of meeting planners and destination providers is always a jam-packed affair, with thousands of professional marketplace meetings, numerous destination pitches, fun mealtime functions and local sightseeing. “We hope everyone travels here safely and enjoys their stay at the resort,” said Joe Vezzoso, vice president of resort operations and sales at French Lick Resort. “The resort and its spas and a long list of activities are fully open and running. The fall is a beautiful time of the year with the changing of the colors in southern Indiana, so we should have a great event.” History surrounds the beautiful resort compounds. For well over a century, the towns of French Lick and West Baden have drawn visitors to their mineral-rich spring waters, which are both relaxing and medicinal. French Lick Resort consists of two historic hotels just a mile apart. The French Lick Springs Hotel opened in 1901 and today presents 443 guest rooms and suites. The West Baden Springs Hotel opened a year later, offers 243 guest rooms and suites, and is known for its stunning lobby and atrium. The resort also operates a new 71-room hotel called Valley Tower. By the 1970s, the old hotels began to fall into disrepair. But a massive 10-year resort restoration project led by Indiana-based Cook

THE ELEGANT FRENCH LICK RESORT WILL PLAY HOST TO SMALL MARKET MEETINGS CONFERENCE.

All photos courtesy Visit French Lick West Baden

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

UNDER THE DOME AT WEST BADEN SPRINGS RESORT

POOLSIDE AT WEST BADEN SPRINGS

Medical brought them back better than ever. The worldwide medical device manufacturing company based in nearby Bloomington invested a staggering $600 million in the project. Delegates to the Small Market Meetings Conference will get to see the gorgeous renewal of French Lick Resort for themselves. Resort operators believe they won’t be disappointed.

REASONS TO ATTEND The main purpose of the Small Market Meetings Conference is for meeting planners from all types of industries and associations to sit down with destination providers to see if they can do business together. Having so many planners and providers at one conference makes it easy for professionals to meet and seek common ground.

September 2020

THE LOBBY AT FRENCH LICK RESORT

The format is fast-paced and fun yet can be productive as well. Marketplace meetings are set up in advance, and each one lasts just six minutes. But that’s enough time for the two parties to exchange contact information and hear each other’s straight-to-the-point elevator pitch. If the two sides want to further discuss business opportunities, they can seek each other out during a meal function or on a sightseeing tour or enjoy a drink together in a lounge. Follow-up contacts after the conference are also important to clinching the deal. The communities of French Lick and West Baden may be small, but the resort meeting facilities are of a quality you usually find only in much larger cities. “The benefit of folks coming to the conference is that they will be in a self-contained hotel and conference center, which mean everything in one building,” said Charlie Presley, president of the Group Travel Family, which operates the conference. “French Lick Resort has an exhibit hall with more than 32,000 square feet of floor space. The amount of space they have in all of their ballrooms is just incredible. There are multiple options for any planner thinking of going to a small market destination like this.” The upcoming Small Market Meetings gathering is the fifth conference the Group Travel Family has booked at French Lick Resort, and there must be a good reason. “French Lick is a top-flight resort with unbelievable restaurants that range from pizza and a bowling alley all the way up to a four-and-a-half-star dining experience,” said Presley. “They have more than a hundred things you can do just on the resort property alone. There is something for everybody. It’s multigenerational.” Presley said the on-site audiovisual team can be helpful to meeting planners who need advice. He said they will

CONFERENCE be pleased with all the resort’s service people. “They are easy to work with, and the resort has backup people to their backup people, so you can rest assured that they’ll take care of you.”

ABOVE ALL: SAFETY The pandemic has necessitated dozens of safety requirements, and French Lick Resort’s Vezzoso and Presley are committed to protecting everyone who attends the conference. “The safety, health and well-being of our members, travel industry partners and of our staff are our No. 1 concern,” Presley said. “We don’t want to put anyone in harm’s way. We are working with the city, county, state and federal governments, including the Centers for Disease Control and their guidelines. We have a safety plan that we are using right now and will incorporate into all of our future conferences as well.”

Social distancing will be required at general sessions, meetings and meals and on tours. The policy applies to anyone who goes anywhere within the confines of the conference. Staff will be monitoring entrances and exits to help people maneuver safely. Masks will also be mandatory for all delegates and staff. Plexiglas barriers will be set on each marketplace meeting table to keep planners and providers safely apart yet able to effectively communicate. Plexiglas will also be installed at the registration desk for safe separation. A sanitation system will be in place with hand washing and sanitizer stations. Snack and mealtimes will be safely handled by resort staff. Vezzoso hopes the meetings and hospitality industries can return to a semblance of normalcy in the not too distant future. It’s been a tough year for everyone. “Those industries are huge economic drivers for our state, but we want to reopen in a safe manner,” he said.

WESTERN

Authenticity, Hospitality, and Experience. Safely. Responsibly.

Cheyenne offers you the chance to meet this fall and winter safely and responsibly. We are open for meetings, pairing the history and romance of the west, with social distancing and plenty of space to spread out. Visit Cheyenne’s services are unmatched in the west and will help you move forward in-person. CHEY CH EYENNE.ORG ENNE.ORG | 800-426-5009 10

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

“There is a real buildup, a true desire of the American people to get out of their homes and do something leisurely and fun. We are taking all the precautions necessary, but we feel we also need to try and move things forward.”

JUGGLING MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER Guest speakers are always a welcome change of pace from the hard work delegates put forth in the marketplace meetings. This year’s conference presents Jeff Koziatek, who blends motivational messages, comedy and amazing feats of juggling into one memorable performance. Koziatek has been doing all this for 20 years and loves to meet new audiences. “As Juggling Jeff, I do juggling comedy shows, about 300 a year all across the country,” said Koziatek in one of his online videos. “There’s a lot of audience interaction. A few years ago, in order to help people more, I also became a certified life coach.”

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Koziatek also believes that in order to be most effective in the workplace, leaders need to remember one key thing. “All business is built on people,” he said. “If you want to provide good customer service, if you want teams that work well together, if you want vision so that you are all going in the same direction, then it all comes down to how you value people.” In addition to keynote speaker Koziatek, delegates will enjoy hearing from several destinations that welcome meetings. Speakers will come with lots of information and enticing videos to help planners reach their decisions.

AROUND TOWN

MEETING AMENITIES SHREVEPORT CONVENTION CENTER • 350,000-square-feet of meeting space • 313-room Hilton Hotel Shreveport connected to the convention center

HOTEL ROOMS

For many delegates, this visit to French Lick Resort will be a first. Exploring the local attractions and going to places of interest are always a highlight of the Small Market Meetings Conference. The local convention and visitors bureau, Visit French Lick West Baden, is arranging sightseeing trips on the second afternoon of the meeting. The staff are still working on specifics based on what sites are likely to be open at this time. “We are going to do our very best for everyone,” said Vezzoso. Everything on the resort property is operating. So, too, are local history tours and visits to the French Lick West Baden Museum. Another attraction that is popular and wide open is Wilstem Wildlife Park. It is a 1,100-acre attraction that features close-up animal encounters with elephants, kangaroos, giraffes, grizzly bears and more. There is an exciting zip line to try, and ATV tours and horseback trails to entertain guests. If the health situation improves sufficiently, meeting planners and destination providers will be able to see and do even more in the area during the fall conference.

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September 2020

“Our website is always being updated, especially right now during COVID. We have a special landing page that outlines which restaurants are open offering curbside pickup or takeout or have outside dining.”

MEETING LEADERS HEATHER LARSON

BY REBECCA TREON

eather Larson’s first job out of college was working for a corporate real estate agency that required her to cold-call businesses in person asking them about their real estate needs. While many people would find this daunting, Larson enjoyed the challenge; in her early years, she was always the top seller in her Girl Scout troop’s annual cookie sales. “I was a scout for 12 years, so going door to door and hearing ‘no’ didn’t really bother me,” said Larson, who is now director of sales at Meet Chicago Northwest. “It’s not a skill everybody has; it’s a drive that is part of my personality to find that type of thing fun.” It was on her calls to businesses that she fell in love with Chicago’s historic hotels, whose lobbies she would use to take breaks and gather her notes. “I just love the environment of the hotel lobbies,” she said. “There are so many grand hotels in the city of Chicago.” When a sales position became available at the celebrated Bismarck Hotel, Larson applied and got the job, getting her foot in the door to learn the business. Over the next decade, Larson worked at the Whitehall, Drake and Fairmont hotels, where she not only became an expert saleswoman, but also hosted guests from Princess Diana to Tony Bennett, something she says has been a highlight of her career. Making the move to Chicago’s northwest suburb of Schaumburg in 2010, Larson implemented marketing strategies for national corporate groups; group tour markets; and Illinois state associations, representing more than 60

hotels in eight suburbs, plus the convention center and local restaurants and attractions. “We have a lot of meetings, conventions, amateur sports, reunions and adult education,” she said. “Our goal is to look for groups, companies and associations that really don’t need to be in Schaumburg, Illinois, or who maybe have never even heard of it and introduce them to why they should have their program here.” Larson and her team create customized itineraries for groups, providing them with options for dining, outdoor activities and more. “We have lots of great attractions in the area that groups can take advantage of,” said Larson. “We publish a visitor guide, and our website is always being updated, especially right now during COVID. We have a special landing page that outlines which restaurants are open offering curbside pickup or takeout or have outside dining.” For those interested in pursuing a career in hospitality, Larson has nothing but positive things to say about the industry, noting that it’s one of the few businesses that give people the opportunity to work their way up through the ranks from an entry-level position. “There’s really no business like it,” she said. “It’s a lot of great people coming together who enjoy being with other people and whose main goal is bringing people together. What hospitality does is take care of them while they’re here, meeting their needs and anticipating their expectations before they even know what they need and really taking care of people in that way.”

EXECUTIVE PROFILE NAME Heather Larson TITLE Director of Sales ORGANIZATION Meet Chicago Northwest LOCATION Schaumburg, Illinois BIRTHPLACE Neenah, Wisconsin EDUCATION Bachelor’s degree from University of Wisconsin CAREER HISTORY Worked in sales at several downtown Chicago hotels, including the White Hall Hotel Chicago, the Drake Hotel Chicago and the Fairmont Chicago, and was manager of global accounts with HelmsBriscoe before joining Meet Chicago Northwest in 2010, where she has been sales director since 2014.

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

TIPS FROM

HEATHER LARSON • Most CVBs will be more than happy to help you create an RFP for your meeting or event. • The CVB can create a competitive analysis of hotel, restaurant and attraction options and assist with land transportation coordination. • CVBs save the planners time and energy as one-stop shops for all their event needs. HEATHER LARSON ENJOYS A CAMPING TRIP IN WISCONSIN WITH HER DOG, COMISKEY.

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MANAGING

Making Meetings Affordable LOWERING REGISTRATION COSTS COULD HELP MEETINGS BOUNCE BACK

BY RACHEL CARTER

eople are tightening their belts, and companies are tightening their budgets amid the economic fallout from the COVID-19 crisis. And that means everyone will be more frugal about attending conferences, even once it’s safe to meet again after the health crisis has passed. “In some ways, it’s like 10 years ago during the recession,” said Jan Aument, founder of Good Plan Jan. “Organizations still wanted to have their annual events, but companies couldn’t afford to send the same number of people they used to. The key was to figure out how to get those folks there.” Planners have a number of options to cut costs and pass along those savings to make it more affordable for people to attend meetings and conferences.

On cutting costs without undermining goals: “Look at the organization and what their goals and objectives are; there’s no reason to have a conference unless those are achievable.”

KNOW THE GROUP, KNOW THE GOALS As with most meetings, planners should start by knowing the organization’s goals and the attendees’ needs. “If you have the data, you should be analyzing it; and if you don’t have it, get it,” said Nikole Fridenmaker, owner of Fridenmaker Consulting. Planners can survey their groups to understand what’s important or valuable to attendees; that, in turn, gives planners a better idea of what they can cut to save money. If the main reason people attend is for the awards gala or the networking opportunities, then the planner has a better idea of what to keep. “Having the data and knowing why the organization is holding the event and why attendees are coming — that helps,” Fridenmaker said. “It gives you ideas of where you can trim.”

LEVERAGE RELATIONSHIPS Tough times and tight budgets make relationships with national sales teams and CVBs even more imperative; so if you have those, use them, Fridenmaker said. CVBs should always be involved in your RFP process, because “they have a vested interest in bringing your business to their cities,” she said. The CVB is your biggest friend and ally, said Linda Nelson, founder of To Plan Ahead. The CVB may have its own rebate or incentive program and can steer planners to properties and partners that can work with their budgets.

Jan Aument FOUNDER

Good Plan Jan Experience: 20 years

www.smallmarketmeetings.com

On being transparent about the budget: “I always put my cards on the table. I don’t play games. I say, ‘This is who we are, this is what we’re trying to achieve, and this is the budget we have. Can you work with me?’”

It’s also good to be transparent about your budget, both Fridenmaker and Nelson said. Put your cards on the table, don’t play games, and don’t be greedy. Planners often ask for things they don’t need. It’s better to know what’s important to your attendees, like free Wi-Fi or suite upgrades for VIPs, and ask only for concessions that matter.

DETERMINING DESTINATIONS Part of knowing your group is knowing where attendees will be coming from. If most attendees are flying in, planners may do better to choose a larger destination with a major airport to ensure flights are plentiful and affordable. Choosing a second- or third-tier city likely means lower hotel costs and free parking, but airfares may be pricier, Nelson said. Regional meetings could become more popular for the next few years for a couple of reasons. Choosing a place where attendees can drive in not only saves money on airfare, but also works better for people who are worried about the health implications of flying, Aument said. Another option is to hold two smaller events versus one large event, Fridenmaker said. If a conference has large contingents from the West Coast and the East Coast, an organization could hold bicoastal events. “The restrictions on travel and the fear of flying may last a little longer than preferred,” she said. “Even if their company is willing to pay for it, they’re not going” if they don’t feel comfortable flying for four hours. “They’ll find something to drive to.”

HOTELS AND VENUES

Linda Nelson FOUNDER

To Plan Ahead Experience: 25 years

September 2020

Hotels and venues in smaller cities may be more likely to negotiate rates, offer free parking and provide concessions. Unconventional venues may be another way to keep costs down. Fridenmaker speculated that planners could use the glut of large, vacant buildings that will become available in the wake of the pandemic as more companies downsize or allow employees to work from home indefinitely. Groups could consider meeting on a college campus during the summer when students are away, Nelson said. Planners should also ask what the best meeting pattern is for the hotel or venue to get the best rates: Is it better to meet over the weekend or during the week? Finding out what the hotel needs and what works best for them and then being flexible can provide planners quite a bit of leverage. “What can they give us that really doesn’t take away from them, and what can we give them that doesn’t really matter to us?” Nelson said.

MANAGING

FOOD AND BEVERAGE Food and beverage is one of the quickest ways to trim the budget, Fridenmaker said. Many attendees would gladly take fewer included meals if it meant lower registration fees, but cutting F&B has to work with the organization’s overall goals. If the awards banquet or networking luncheons are the main reason people attend, it would be detrimental to take away those opportunities. However, as organizations look at future conferences, “do we make meals optional now rather than just automatically including them?” Aument said. People may prefer to grab a takeout salad rather than have a sit-down lunch, “and that helps lower the registration costs.” However, planners can still get creative, maybe offer tiered menus that give registrants more price flexibility or work with the CVB to bring in food trucks during a lunch break. Many experienced planners do an a la carte breakfast rather than a big, hot meal.

Nikole Fridenmaker

OWNER

Fridenmaker Consulting Experience: 24 years

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“So long as you provide an area that they can all network and still eat together, that I think is important,” Nelson said. “That’s really why we have live meetings.” But no matter what, “if you’re making a big change from having a lot of food available to not, you do have to make sure people understand that; you need to communicate those changes,” Fridenmaker said.

On leveraging relationships: “So much of this goes back to relationships, so if you have any, leverage them. Relationships get you through those thick and thin times.”

INCENTIVES, SPONSORSHIPS AND CONTESTS Planners should look for ways to sweeten the pot. Consider offering discounts for early-bird registration or discounts for registering friends. Planners could run a contest and award some of their free nights to the person who brings in the most referrals, Fridenmaker said. Contests can also work well for sponsorships, which are “more important than ever,” Aument said. “How do you engage those sponsors when fewer people are going to be there?” Planners should understand what sponsors need to achieve and then get creative about how to help them achieve their goals via the conference. When Aument was a planner for a large corporation, her company sponsored a contest and paid for the winners to attend the trade show where the corporation was a major exhibitor. “In the end, it ended up being an exclusive sponsorship for my company, and we were truly promoting heartfelt goodwill,” she said.

Plan Now. Meet Later.

meetings.SHORESandISLANDS.com September S A N D 2020 U S K

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IDEAS

Courtesy Mystic Lake Casino Hotel

GAME ON! Casino resorts offer plenty of play for meeting groups

BY RACHEL CARTER

asino resorts are pretty much the full package for conferences. In addition to dedicated meeting and conference space, planners can choose from a host of “offsite” venues without ever leaving the property: pool decks and golf patios, concert venues and lobby lounges. And, of course, casino resorts offer both planners and attendees built-in entertainment, with live concerts, chic clubs, golf courses, full-service spas, high-end shopping, and slots and table games on the casino floor. These casino properties offer planners and their groups the experience of a resort without the expense of a big city.

MYSTIC LAKE CASINO HOTEL

PRIOR LAKE, MINNESOTA Mystic Lake Casino Hotel sits on the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community’s 4,000 acres, about 25 miles southwest of downtown Minneapolis. With 766 guest rooms and Minnesota’s largest gaming floor, the property is one of the Twin Cities’ largest hotels and the area’s only full-service resort. The Mystic Lake Center boasts 116,000 square feet of dedicated meeting and conference space and 30 flexible meeting rooms. The 17,300-square-foot Minnetonka ballroom can be split into nine rooms, and the 12,700-square-foot Waconia ballroom can be divided into six spaces. The Shakopee Boardroom’s balcony overlooks the golf course, and floorto-ceiling windows in the prefunction area deliver views of the greens. But meeting groups aren’t confined to the center. “Our team does a good job using all our spaces on-property,” said Amanda Rook, marketing account manager. The Mystic Showroom is a performance venue with 2,100 fixed seats, designated VIP seating and

Above: Mystic Lake Casino sits on 4,000 acres of Mdewakanton Sioux land near the Twin Cities.

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four suites. In addition to general sessions, keynote speakers and award ceremonies, some planners have “booked their own national entertainment acts as part of their event,” Rook said. At the Meadows at Mystic Lake golf course, groups of 150 can hold private events indoors at the Meadows Bar and Grille or host events for up to 80 persons on the patio. Groups can also visit Hoċokata Ti (ho-cho-kahtah-tee), the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Com-

At the Meadows at Mystic Lake golf course, groups of 150 can hold private events indoors at the Meadows Bar and Grille or host events for up to 80 persons on the patio.

munity’s new cultural center that opened in 2019 less than a mile from the resort. Guided tours lead groups through the 3,800-square-foot public exhibit that educates visitors about the Mdewakanton Dakota people and their history. mysticlakecenter.com

L’AUBERGE CASINO RESORT

LAKE CHARLES, LOUISIANA The L’Auberge Casino Resort sits on Bayou Contraband, which connects to a series of waterways that eventually wind their way to the Gulf of Mexico. The Lake Charles, Louisiana, resort has its own marina, and the resort has meeting groups that arrive by boat, including one that comes in from Houston by Jet Ski, said Karen Kober, hotel sales manager. Most groups, however, prefer to drive to the resort, which is midway between New Orleans and Houston.

Photos courtesy Mystic Lake Casino Hotel

September 2020

Mystic Lake scenes, clockwise from left: a pre-function space; a boardroom patio; sweeping views from a guest suite

IDEAS

THE GAMING FLOOR AT L’AUBERGE CASINO RESORT

Photos courtesy L’Auberge Casino Resort

L’Auberge hosts meetings for 10 to 900 people, “so we’re able to accommodate and customize anything from small to large,” she said. But with the spa, the 18-hole golf course and a full-service barber shop, “we can provide a little more customization for the smaller groups.” The resort offers more than 26,000 square feet of meeting space, including a 14,000-square-foot ballroom that can be broken into six separate rooms. The 3,770-square-foot Sycamore Room can be divided into four rooms, and both ballrooms open onto the 10,000-square-foot Event Center Terrace, Kober said. Groups can dine on the patio at Jack Daniel’s Bar and Grill, rent private poolside cabanas and gather at Touloulou's, a waterfront beach club with a 5,500-square-foot deck. Some companies will arrange group blackjack lessons or give away chips as door prizes, and the resort can refer planners to boat companies to schedule fishing charters or dinner cruises. lakecharles.com

BACK T BUSINESS Get back to taking care of business safely, soundly and in style. With 150,000 square feet of spectacular meeting space, plus 2,000 luxury hotel rooms, we have the perfect place for you to get back on track. Our newly implemented Safe + Sound procedures are in place for your peace-of-mind. We are committed to remaining FLEXIBLE in the face of evolving conditions: • Zero attrition or cancellation fees • Zero risk in rebooking Visit hardrockhotelatlanticcity.com/meetings or call 609-449-6060 today and receive additional booking incentives.

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BELTERRA CASINO RESORT

FLORENCE, INDIANA The Belterra Casino Resort is in Florence, Indiana, nearly midway between Louisville, Kentucky, and Cincinnati, Ohio, and roughly the same distance from both Indianapolis and Columbus, Ohio. The resort’s central Midwest location makes it an easy drive from many of the tri-state’s major cities, and once planners arrive, they “prefer our destination because we offer a resort experience without all the distractions of a larger city,” said Heather Holt, director of hotel and sales operations. The resort sits on the Ohio River and has 608 guest rooms and over 55,000 square feet of meeting space, the most popular of which is the flexible 10,600-squarefoot ballroom. But a close second is the CenterStage Showroom, a 12,800-square-foot space that serves as the live entertainment venue. The lower level can seat 570 people at rounds, and the mezzanine has fixed, tiered seating for 1,300, making it popular for general sessions, awards banquets and concerts.

A PEACEFUL POOL DECK AT L’AUBERGE IN LAKE CHARLES

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

September 2020

• Centralized, downtown location • Only seven minutes from Boise airport • Over 20 direct flights to and from Boise • Closely surrounded by more than 100 restaurants • Over 1,200 hotel rooms within walking distance • Close to outdoor recreation, including the The Boise Greenbelt

LEARN MORE: boisecentre.com

IDEAS

Groups can also arrange a Boat Top party atop Belterra’s riverboat casino with food, bar service and live music, all with scenic river views. The Lobby Bar’s floor-to-ceiling windows, outdoor terrace and fireplace make it popular for VIP check-ins and cocktail receptions for up to 90 guests. Over the past couple of years, the sales team has “put a lot of work into building a fun and unique team-building menu,” Holt said. Groups can organize tournaments on the golf course and schedule services at the spa. Cooking experiences take groups into the resort’s kitchen to learn new recipes with the chefs. Planners can incorporate a bourbon tasting, a group yoga class or a selfie scavenger hunt, as well as group lessons for blackjack, roulette and poker. belterracasino.com

BELTERRA CASINO RESORT

Photos courtesy Belterra

TEXAS

When you’re ready to plan in-person meetings again, we’re here to assist you!

VisitMcKinney.com/SMM 888-649-8499 24

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AMERISTAR BLACK HAWK CASINO

BLACK HAWK, COLORADO The Colorado mountain town of Black Hawk was founded in 1859 when settlers swarmed the area during the Pike’s Peak Gold Rush. Today, people still visit Black Hawk looking to strike it rich at the city’s casinos, the largest of which is the Ameristar Black Hawk Casino Hotel. Black Hawk is less than an hour’s drive from downtown Denver, thanks in large part to the Central City Parkway, a four-lane highway that opened in 2004 to provide direct access to Black Hawk and its gaming sister city, Central City. Ameristar has 536 guest rooms, including 64 suites, and boasts 15,000 square feet of meeting space. Ameristar’s largest event space is the 5,000-square-foot Summit Ballroom, which can be split into two rooms and offers 800 square feet of prefunction space. Two additional 1,400-square-foot rooms can each be halved, and planners can also use

September 2020

SUNSET ON BELTERRA’S GOLF COURSE

IDEAS

the hotel’s seven hospitality suites. Some hospitality suites can be combined for more space, including two suites that also connect to the spa patio. The hotel’s rooftop pool features a movable glass wall that can enclose the pool in the wintertime while preserving panoramic views of the surrounding mountains. About three miles away, groups can tour the operational Hidee Gold Mine, where they can mine directly from the vein with a hammer and chisel and learn how to pan for gold. blackhawkameristar.com

DOWNTOWN IN BLACK HAWK

Photos courtesy Ameristar Black Hawk Casino

The Colorado mountain town of Black Hawk was founded in 1859 when settlers swarmed the area during the Pike’s Peak Gold Rush.

AMERISTAR BLACK HAWK CASINO

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CACHE CREEK CASINO RESORT

BROOKS, CALIFORNIA The Cache Creek Casino Resort has come a long way since it began as a bingo hall in 1985, and it’s going even further with a major expansion set to be completed in the coming months. The Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation owns and operates the resort in Brooks, California, about 50 miles northwest of Sacramento. Crews broke ground in May 2017 on the expansion, which includes two new hotel towers that will add 459 guest rooms, bringing the resort’s total to 659. As part of the hotel expansion, a new event center will feature a flexible 13,000-square-foot ballroom and an adjacent junior ballroom with 4,000 square feet. The project also includes a multipurpose entertainment venue that doubles as event space. New venues will include an elevated bar and lounge with casino access, a resort pool complex and new restaurants that will join several existing dining options. At the Yocha Dehe Golf Club, groups can play 18 holes and gather at the Bahtenta Grill, which can accommodate up to 240 guests and features a large patio with views of the course. Planners can take their attendees to the Séka Hills Olive Mill and Tasting Room, less than a mile away. Guided tours show how the tribe’s olives are grown, milled and finished into olive oil, and visitors get tastings of the nation’s olive oils, wines, honey, beef jerky and seasoned nuts. cachecreek.com

Let’s Plan to Meet Again.

Ridgeland offers your group a small market meetings destination with over 1,600 hotel rooms, 140 restaurants, the Bill Waller Craft Center and outdoor venues. To assist you, we offer: • Hybrid Ready Options • Rebate Programs • Welcome Bags • Name Badges

A new event center will feature a flexible 13,000-square-foot ballroom and an adjacent junior ballroom with 4,000 square feet.

September 2020

Our staff is ready to help you plan safely and responsibly! For more information about visiting Mississippi, explore visitmississippi.org, #VisitMSResponsibly.

r o f p U e l d d a S STILLWATER Oklahoma State University students participate in a rodeo event at Stillwaterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Payne County Expo Center. All photos courtesy Visit Stillwater

CITY

This Oklahoma college town is Old West at heart

BY KATHERINE TANDY BROWN

f the name Stillwater sounds like a town from the Old West, that’s because it is. The city was settled by hardy folks who joined the run into the Unassigned Lands of central Oklahoma in 1889. Their descendants embrace all things Western: wide-open ranges, cattle and horses, rodeos, and get-out-and-experiencethem woodsy trails, parks and lakes. And yes, cowboy boots, Stetson hats and pickup trucks. Stillwater even has its own music genre: Red Dirt. This mix of folk, country, blues, bluegrass and rock ’n’ roll always tells a story. And Stillwater’s Big 12 Conference member, Oklahoma State University (OSU), is home to the fighting Cowboys; their mascot, Pistol Pete; and 52 national championships.

STILLWATER AT A GLANCE

LOCATION: North-central Oklahoma between Tulsa and Oklahoma City ACCESS: Off Interstate 35 at the intersection of state Highway 51 and U.S. 177 HOTEL ROOMS: 1,520 CONTACT INFO: Visit Stillwater 800-991-6717 visitstillwater.org MEETING HOTELS Holiday Inn and Suites Stillwater-University West GUEST ROOMS: 120 MEETING SPACE: 2,100 square feet Best Western Plus Cimarron Hotel and Suites GUEST ROOMS: 76, including 10 suites; 50 rooms available for blocking MEETING SPACE: 4,245 square feet OFF-SITE VENUES Tumbleweed Dance Hall MEETING SPACE: 100,000 square feet indoors, plus capacity for 10,000 people outdoors Payne County Expo Center MEETING SPACE: 85,000 square feet WHO’S MEETING IN STILLWATER National Rural Water Association ATTENDEES: 500 Special Olympics Summer Games ATTENDEES: 5,000 Cimarron Valley Quilters Guild ATTENDEES: 200

September 2020

Destination Highlights

DESTINATION HIGHLIGHTS

A public sculpture downtown

live with lovingly restored storefronts, eclectic boutiques, intriguing museums, linger-awhile cafes and restaurants worth writing home about, 11-block Historic Downtown Stillwater is also the location of the city’s institution of higher learning. “We’re the nation’s ‘Friendliest College Town,’” said Cristy Morrison, Visit Stillwater’s president and CEO. “We truly believe that’s a promise we can keep. People you’ve never seen before say hello, and if you look lost, folks will always help you find your way.” Major pluses of this agriculture-based community include no big-city traffic, easy fly-in via two American Airlines flights daily from Dallas/Fort Worth and no strain on the pocketbook. “Room rates are reasonable here,” Morrison said. “You can get a lot done — live music, art and dance lessons, for instance — more affordably than in larger places.” Outdoor recreation abounds at nearby Lake McMurtry and Lake Carl Blackwell. Both offer ample opportunities for camping, swimming, boating, fishing, hiking and mountain biking. Boomer Lake features a paved 5K walk/run/bike trail. Attendees will want to arrive early or stay post-meeting and bring their families for fresh-air fun. Kids will love Lost Creek Safari: Exotic Animal Park, a U.S. Department of Agriculture-certified habitat that allows up-close encounters with such critters as kangaroos, monkeys, a zebra and porcupines. And Insect Adventure is a bug-petting zoo with 18 types of tarantulas, where folks can learn about insects that eat styrofoam and about making bulletproof vests from spider silk.

DISTINCTIVE VENUES

National Wrestling Hall of Fame

Distinctive Venues

pened in 1976, the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum in Stillwater honors the greatest amateur wrestlers — high school, college, Olympics and world — in our nation’s history. Among those lauded are such noted individuals as former secretary of defense Donald Rumsfeld, actor Kirk Douglas and 12 U.S. presidents. Jack Carnefix, the facility’s operations manager, explained: “The Wrestling Hall of Fame is equal to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York; the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio; the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts; and the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto. We’re here to preserve wrestling’s history, recognize individual excellence and inspire future generations.” Meeting space includes a conference room for 15 and a larger room for up to 100. At White Barn Estates, a 4,200-square-foot pavilion can host 300 guests for a reception and provide playtime at mini-golf, bumper boats, water balloon wars and sand volleyball. A creativity-focused venue downtown, the Prairie Arts Center leads up to 20 people in artsy teambuilding through paintyour-own pottery mugs. Run by the OSU Department of Wellness, Camp Redlands is akin to renting your own state park, with a ropes challenge course and a recreation center. Groups can compete at the 18-hole Karsten Creek Golf Club. Named a Five-Star Facility by Golf Digest, Karsten Creek features a golf shop, a dining room and a practice facility. Tucked in trees that overlook the 18th fairway, three stone-and-cedar guest lodges with six rooms each are a great size for a woodsy corporate retreat.

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Major Meeting Spaces

AFTER HOURS

Live music in Stillwater

ome to a number of Stillwater’s annual events, the Payne County Expo Center offers nearly 100,000 square feet of space and includes theater seating for up to 1,700 and standing room for up to 400 at a reception. In this agriculture-based community, the center has animal pens and stalls and rodeo grounds. Outside catering is available. In the center of Stillwater, OSU is rife with meeting venues, including three performing arts centers. The caveat for planners is that university events get first option at all spaces. With 21,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting and event space, the Conoco Phillips OSU Alumni Center can accommodate gatherings of eight to 400, and the nation’s largest student union, OSU’s Student Union Conference Center, has 20 meeting rooms, including a 7,535-square-foot ballroom for up to 850 seated guests, in-house catering and dining options, and a wide terrace under the stars. Adjacent to the college campus, the Wes Watkins Center focuses on OSU’s internationalization and outreach programs, with lots of high-tech meetings spaces, among them a courtyard for up to 120 and an exhibit hall for up to 750. With some 25,000 students, OSU affords access to expert speakers in numerous colleges, so planners don’t have to bring in meeting lecturers. Two meetings hotels are near the campus. The Holiday Inn and Suites Stillwater-University West offers 24-hour business and fitness centers, reception space for 120 and an outdoor patio that works well for meetings. The Best Western Plus Cimarron Hotel and Suites boasts a Western-inspired atmosphere and five meetings rooms, including a dedicated boardroom for 10. MAJOR MEETING SPACES

McKnight Center for the Performing Arts

After the Meeting

owdy, foot-stomping times abound at Tumbleweed Dance Hall, which accommodates crowds of up to 2,500. Add 10,000 to that number in an outdoor event space. Home of the annual world-famous three-day Calf Fry, this 100,000-square-foot venue offers privatized and full-venue buyouts, corporate-function staff and catering that can include a barbecue. A jumpin’ little juke joint, Eskimo Joe’s is famous for its cheese fries and T-shirts. This college-town favorite was voted Best College Post-Game Hangout by Sporting News. Among Stillwater’s myriad entertainment spots, Willie’s Saloon, which features the city’s red dirt music, introduced the music world to country-singing hunk Garth Brooks. Craft beer aficionados can sample local brews at the Iron Monk Brewing Company. Tours happen twice a day and include tasting flights. Its taproom seats 99. For quieter gatherings, Sparrow Beginnings has 8,500 square feet of space for 400 seated in a pastoral setting. “Our 30 acres overlook rolling hills and fields with lots of trees and walking paths,” said owner Susan Hartford. “We have fishing poles, canoes on a pond and a natural amphitheater with permanent seats.”

September 2020

TOWN

e u q u b u D

MEETINGS ON THE MISSISSIPPI BY PAULA AVEN GLADYCH

erched on the mighty Mississippi River, Dubuque is the oldest city in Iowa, first settled by fur trader Julien Dubuque in 1785. And even though the city’s history and architecture bring its past to the forefront, it continues to invest in its future. Dubuque sits in the southeast corner of the state, where Iowa, Wisconsin and Illinois meet, and is easily reached via daily flights from Chicago O’Hare. The city is connected to its neighbors by major fourlane highways going in all directions. It is about an hour-and-a-half drive to Madison, Wisconsin, and about three and a half hours to Chicago. The Mississippi River is a huge part of what makes the city tick and is the primary reason the city was chartered in 1837. The river brought in settlers who built boats, milled lumber, mined the area’s abundant lead deposits and took advantage of the large swaths of open prairie and plains to grow crops and raise cattle. Meeting planners love the area because of the river, the plethora of lodging, the nearby casinos and riverboats and its proximity to Wisconsin and Illinois. The city has slowly invested more than $400 million into a former industrial site along the river. Called Port Dubuque, the area is home to the Grand River Center, the city’s 86,000-square-foot conference center, a large aquarium and museum, a world class brewery and a beautiful trail called the Mississippi Riverwalk. The Grand River Center boasts a 30,000-square-foot exhibit hall for large meetings or trade shows; the Grand Ballroom, which can host formal gatherings for up to 1,000 guests in its 12,000 square feet; and the third-floor River Room, which features floor-to-ceiling windows and a large balcony that hovers over the Mississippi Riverwalk with stunning views of the water. “It is great for breaks,” said Julie Kronlage, vice president of sales for Travel Dubuque. “People can step out and get fresh air, see a barge going through the lock and dam and all the boat traffic on the Mississippi.”

Photos courtesy Travel Dubuque

A PUBLIC MURAL DOWNTOWN

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GROUPS CAN MEET IN HISTORIC AMBIANCE AT HOTEL JULIEN DUBUQUE, NAMED FOR THE CITY’S FOUNDER.

Meeting by the Sea

The National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium was built as part of the Port Dubuque redevelopment. Its many exhibits highlight the Mississippi River Valley, including the stories of settlers, Native Americans, boat building and commerce in Dubuque. The aquarium features animals commonly found in and around the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. Event planners can host themed events for up to 1,500 people incorporating the different exhibits or plan a company picnic on the harbor-facing outdoor plaza. The 30-foot-long, 40,000-gallon saltwater tank makes an impressive backdrop for any event. Guests can wander the museum and commune with various aquatic creatures as part of their event.

Grand Harbor Resort

The Grand Harbor Resort is a premier meeting hotel joined to Dubuque’s conference center in Port Dubuque via an enclosed, climate-controlled skywalk. With 193 guest rooms and smaller meeting spaces that can accommodate up to 100 guests, the resort is a perfect complement to the Grand River Center. The 25,000-square-foot indoor water park makes the location great for meeting attendees who want to bring their families along, and Tony Roma’s Restaurant offers a classic dining experience for those who want to stay on-property. The Grand Harbor Resort is within walking distance of the National Mississippi River Museum and the Diamond Jo Casino.

DUBUQUE IOWA LOCATION

At the junction of Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin in the eastern part of the state

ACCESS

Dubuque Regional Airport; interstates 80, 90 and 35 via U.S. highways 61 and 20

MAJOR MEETING SPACES

Grand River Center, Hotel Julien Dubuque, Holiday Inn Dubuque/Galena

HOTEL ROOMS 1,808

OFF-SITE VENUES

Celebration Belle, Millwork Ballroom and Event Center, National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium

CONTACT INFO Travel Dubuque 563-845-7698 traveldubuque.com

September 2020

Historic Millwork District

Dubuque’s next great entertainment epicenter is the historic millwork district, where the lumber going up and down the Mississippi River was made into windows and doors. Its cavernous warehouses now play host to breweries, retail shops, quaint restaurants and coffee shops. The Millwork Ballroom and Event Center is nestled in the center of the district. The beautiful brick building with its gorgeous wood beams makes for memorable meetings or evening receptions. The grand ballroom can accommodate 450 guests, and the junior ballroom can host 175. The area is also home to three bars and two restaurants.

After Hours Meeting planners love to take their guests out on the 750-passenger paddle-wheeler Celebration Belle for a scenic cruise along the Mississippi River. The boat features three different levels of food and entertainment. The Diamond Jo Casino is a great stop to gamble, see a show, go bowling or dine out at any of its five restaurants. For something a bit different, groups can take part in the Amazing Race Dubuque scavenger hunt, take a walking tour of Dubuque’s 40 murals or visit the Mines of Spain State Recreation Area, which is the site of the area’s first lead mine and the original home of the Mesquakie tribe.

HOTEL

A Smoky Mountain Lodge

BY KRISTY ALPERT

amed after Cherokee Chief Black Fox, who ceded a portion of modern-day Sevier County, the Black Fox Lodge Pigeon Forge, Tapestry Collection by Hilton, is a beautiful reminder of the region’s history and an example of Smoky Mountain hospitality. The serenity of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is part of the ambiance at the Black Fox Lodge, where the gentle murmurs of the Little Pigeon River and the soothing crackle of a fresh log on the fire act as the soundtrack for every stay. Modeled after the Smoky Mountain cabins nearby, it’s hard to believe that this natural stoneand-beam lodge is in the heart of Pigeon Forge’s urban parkway. Views of the Smoky Mountains and the tree-lined Little Pigeon River add to the mountain mystique of this 178-room hotel, where oversized loungers and a fire pit await guests on the handcrafted stone deck. A heated pool with waterslide creates a fun environment during the warmer months, and the outdoor grilling area provides hot options for a chilly night. Inside, two grand fireplaces create natural gathering spaces for guests to mingle and muse over the rustic chic decor and impressive sliding barnwood doors. The public spaces inside were designed for use, and it’s not uncommon to find guests sharing a wood-fired pizza or sipping mugs of handcrafted coffee, in the leather couches surrounding the fireplaces. The hotel is just steps from the famous Pigeon Forge Parkway, where the U.S. Pigeon Forge Mass Transit, formerly the Fun Time Trolley, will whisk guests along the five-mile stretch for a hop-on/hopoff experience. The natural beauty of the mountains calls to adventure-loving guests, and families and groups need only walk the parkway to find historic venues or drive three miles to arrive at Dollywood. Groups meeting at the Black Fox Lodge can choose between four separate spaces with flexible floor plans and options for hosting groups of anywhere from 10 to 300 guests. Staff event planners help groups make the most of their time in Pigeon Forge, providing anything from on-site adventures to suggested itineraries for exploring the Great Smoky Mountains and beyond.

THE ISLAND RECREATION AREA IN PIGEON FORGE

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M E E T I N G S PAC E S

PUBLIC AREAS OF THE BLACK FOX LODGE EVOKE THE COZY FEELING OF A SMOKY MOUNTAINS CABIN.

There is more than 4,500 square feet of flexible meeting space within the Black Fox Lodge, a Tapestry Collection by Hilton. The Black Fox Ballroom features beautiful floor-to-ceiling windows and ample space to host gatherings of 10 to 300 guests. For smaller meetings or events, the ballroom can be broken down into three separate sections: the Red Fox Room, the Black Fox Room and the Gray Fox Room. Setups can include theater-style seating, standing receptions or cocktail hours, or even round tables for more formal banquet events.

C AT E R I N G Meetings at Black Fox Lodge take a delicious turn with the onsite catering team. Every menu is customized by the event’s staff to ensure that all dietary requirements are met and that each group will enjoy the feast of their choosing. Morning menus are wide-ranging and include mountain morning breakfasts and omelet stations and an Appalachian brunch with smoked trout, smoked pit ham, and the lodge’s signature hash brown potatoes. Boxed lunches are available for quick meals between meetings, and many groups enjoy the backyard picnic or Tennessee barbecue options for a taste of the Smoky Mountains. Don’t miss the lodge’s signature homemade banana pudding and hand-breaded fried chicken. Alcohol is available.

EXTRAS

Photos courtesy Black Fox Lodge

HOTEL FACTS

Guests won’t find any king beds during their stay at the Black Fox Lodge. All of the rooms at the lodge are equipped with two queen beds to allow families and meeting guests to get more “bang for their buck” by sharing rooms. Rooms can hold four to eight people, depending on room type. In the meeting spaces, planners can select from custom-made menus and are allowed to bring their own AV equipment at no additional cost. The lodge offers a full range of AV equipment for rent: drop-down screens, projectors, microphones and more.

LOCATION

Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

BEFORE AND AFTER

SIZE

178 rooms

MEETING SPACE

More than 4,500 square feet

ACCESS

McGhee Tyson Airport

CONTACT INFO 865-774-4000

September 2020

The town of Pigeon Forge has made a name for itself as a haven of entertainment, and Black Fox Lodge is no exception. Guests of the lodge are free to make use of the outdoor pool, convene by the multiple fireplaces within the public spaces, gather around the outdoor patio with fire pit and take part in the live entertainment on-property near the holidays. The LeConte Center is less than a half-mile from the lodge, and the Ripken Experience is less than a mile away. Guests can either drive or hop on the U.S. Pigeon Forge Mass Transit to be at Dollywood or Dollywood’s Splash Country within minutes.

EXPLORATION PLACE IN WICHITA FEATURES A NUMBER OF OUTDOOR SPACES AVAILABLE FOR LARGE GATHERINGS.

Kansas’ Outdoor Venues

Meetdieng Gui

BY PAULA AVEN GLADYCH

rom flower-filled plains, limestone-rich hills and rolling tallgrass prairie to beautiful rivers and lakes, Kansas is a hidden outdoor gem in the middle of the country. Agriculture continues to be king in the state, but its hardy residents have found many ways to make a living in its remote areas, including guest ranches, agricultural tourism, and meeting and event activities. Here are a handful of outdoor venues that take advantage of everything Kansas has to offer.

Courtesy Exploration Place

EXPLORATION PLACE

Wichita Exploration Place, the Sedgwick County Science and Discovery Center, is a museum in the heart of Wichita. Its exhibits highlight Kansas history, space, science and Wichita’s proud aviation history. The Design Build Fly exhibit showcases Wichita as the air capital of the world. “It is not about the science of flight but how planes are put together,” said Christina Bluml, director of marketing and communications for Exploration Place. Like many museums across the country, Exploration Place rents out its indoor and outdoor facilities for meetings and events. The Festival Plaza and Picnic Grove outside the museum is a popular spot for large corporate events, employee picnics and client appreciation gatherings. Many groups will rent the entire museum, allowing their guests to eat and mingle outside and then tour the museum on their own. Because the museum sits on 20 acres, it can host groups of almost any size outdoors. In-

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side, the museum’s theater, exhibit building, main lobby and promenade can all be rented out. The museum itself can host groups of up to 1,000 people. The museum has open catering and offers tables and chairs, as well as setup and tear-down for events held on-property. Groups can take advantage of the museum’s scientific experts as part of their events. The museum can arrange private tours of different exhibits and bring in guest speakers. exploration.org

AN EXPLORATION PLACE EXHIBIT

CLOVER CLIFF RANCH BED AND BREAKFAST

Elmdale About 30 minutes west of Emporia, the Clover Cliff Ranch Bed and Breakfast is first and foremost a working cattle ranch. The property, which was first homesteaded in 1860, sits on more than 4,000 acres. Susie and Walter Harshman are the fourth owners of the property. They purchased it at auction in 2014. It had been vacant for eight years, and it needed a lot of TLC. The couple refurbished four houses on the property, including the main house, as a bed-and-breakfast. They filled the main house with antiques dating from 1840 to 1900. “It was a labor of love,” said Susie Harshman. The property can sleep 31 people, but it also hosts events up to 250 people in its indoor and outdoor spaces. Three years ago, the couple built a stone event pavilion north of the main house to host corporate retreats, weddings and family reunions. It has a floor-to-ceiling limestone fireplace and large windows with panoramic views of the rolling hills. The large outdoor patio has two stone fire pits. Teambuilding activities include a professional 18-hole disc golf course that takes players on a three-mile hike. It also has horseshoe pits, cornhole, bocce ball and other patio games groups can play. Horseback riding and skeet shooting are some of the most popular activities on the property. Clover Cliff also is home to a 400-head bison herd that guests can see with a guide as part of their event. clovercliffranch.com

Courtesy Exploration Place

LAZY T RANCH AND GUEST HOUSE

Manhattan The historic Lazy T Ranch sits on 400 acres in the Flint Hills of Kansas. The property features native tallgrass prairie and incredible views of the Kansas River Valley. Ron and Chris Wilson took over Ron’s family ranch in 2006. Ron, who works for Kansas State University, was interested in getting into agritourism. The Wilsons started small by offering chuck wagon dinners for tour buses. They now run a guest house and host corporate events, weddings, picnics and bonfires. The property rents four buildings for events: the Tallgrass Arena, which can hold up to 300 people; the Prairie Pavilion, a building with 20-foot doors on both ends that can be opened for great views of the ranch’s historic stone barn; the Bluestem Barn, which is open on one side and fantastic for barn parties; and a

CLOVER CLIFF RANCH’S HISTORIC FARM HOUSE Courtesy Clover Cliff Ranch

September 2020

Meetieng Guid gazebo with native prairie and a beautiful meadow as a backdrop. Groups enjoy a chuck wagon meal before taking part in fun ranch activities like a hay rack ride or a hike to the top of Sugarloaf Hill, with its spectacular views of the Flint Hills. They also can play a game of laser tag on the ranch’s three-acre laser tag field. The animals are a big draw, and groups also love to let their attendees make a stuffed animal in the ranch’s workshop. lazytranchadventures.com

AN EVENT PAVILION AT CLOVER CLIFF RANCH

WALTERS’ FARM

Courtesy Clover Cliff Ranch

Burns Carroll and Becky Walters were looking for ways to keep the family farm in business back in the 1980s, so they explored agritourism. Although the farm still grows some crops, such as soybeans, pumpkins and grass to feed cattle, it spends most of its energy on various seasonal festivals and hosting private events for up to 700 people on its property. The owners built an events barn with a large banquet hall with room to set up a dance floor and a bandstand. It hosts many weddings, as well as corporate events, private campfires and picnics. Located about 30 minutes northeast of Wichita, the farm has a couple of open-air pavilions that groups can rent. The owners are happy to cater events on the property, but guests are welcome to bring in their own food. The site does have a licensed commercial kitchen. The couple’s annual Pumpkin Festival brings in 30,000 people each summer, and a sunflower event will be held this fall. “We are trying different things we like doing. If we don’t like doing it, we don’t do it a second time,” said Becky Walters. “We decided that as a business plan a long time ago.” Groups can take advantage of numerous fun activities on the farm, including two giant jumping pillows, a corn maze, pedal cars and Boo Mountain, a slide that takes willing participants underground. It also is converting a former grain bin into an outdoor beer and wine bar. thewaltersfarm.com

BLACK JACK HILLS

St. George Black Jack Hills is a 13-acre event venue in the foothills of Kansas, about 10 miles outside Manhattan. Originally part of the Fields of Fair Wineries, the property was purchased by the Webster family 17 years ago and turned into an indoor and outdoor entertainment facility, hosting everything from weddings and birthday parties to outdoor concerts and corporate meetings. The size of the property and its remote location make it a destination for folks in the area who want to get away from it all. The venue has a beautiful event building with a dance floor and a full-service bar that can host 250 people. Outside, it has a large event patio and a gazebo that can be used for outdoor picnics, receptions or barbecues.

CONVERTING A SILO TO AN OUTDOOR BAR AT WALTERS’ FARM Courtesy Walters’ Farm

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Black Jack Hills’ catering specializes in smoked meats like brisket, pork, ribs, turkey, ham and chicken. Guests can select their choice of meat and sides. Groups that want to include teambuilding activities can take advantage of the property’s sand volleyball and horseshoe pits and basketball hoops. Groups can also wander the property’s many trails winding through the beautiful woods that cover the property and overlook the neighboring vineyards. Because of the pandemic, Black Jack Hills has opened its doors as an outdoor barbecue restaurant one night a week. “It is open to the public, and there is plenty of room for social distancing or outdoor seating on those evenings,” said Joni Webster, owner of Black Jack Hills. “That has been working out well.” blackjackhills.com

A WEDDING AT BLACK JACK HILLS NEAR MANHATTAN

The size of Black Jack Hills and its remote location make it a destination for folks in the area who want to get away from it all. SmallMarketMeetings Aug.qxp_Layout 1 7/10/19 1:46 PM Page 1

Manhaan

Courtesy Black Jack Hills

MEET IN

Manhattan exceeds your expectations. • Unique dining

• Exceptional meeting venues

• Walkable meeting destinations

Oh Manhaan !

VISITMANHATTANKS.ORG

September 2020

FORT HAYS STATE UNIVERSITY CAN HOST LARGE ATHLETIC EVENTS AT ITS BICKLE-SCHMIDT SPORTS COMPLEX.

On Campus in Kansas

Meetdieng Gui

BY PAULA AVEN GLADYCH

rom colorful mascots and the excitement surrounding home sporting events to vibrant shopping districts and exceptional culinary scenes, college towns have a buzz about them that is unmistakable. Here are a few of the top college towns in Kansas that also make great locations for meetings or events.

Courtesy Hays CVB

HAYS

In the past 10 years, investors in Hays have spent millions of dollars revitalizing the downtown area to make it more attractive and walkable for visitors and the students who flock to Fort Hays State University each year. The city added an award-winning brewpub and a wine bar with live music downtown, and an investor purchased the historic Strand Theatre on Main Street to convert into an events space. The city and Fort Hays State also partnered to build an outdoor pavilion for concerts. “There’s exciting stuff going on,” said Melissa Dixon, director of the Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau. “The most exciting part is that Hays people are investing in Hays and seeing its potential.” The city will open its brand-new convention center and hotel, a Hilton Garden Inn, in October. Before that, the city’s default large host site was the university campus, but university events always took precedence. The convention center gives Hays additional opportunities to host larger meetings and events with its 100 guest rooms and 8,000 square feet of meeting space. In total, Hays has 1,100 guest rooms, with two new hotel properties in the works.

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Fort Hays State has numerous meeting venues, including the Fort Hays Ballroom in the campus Memorial Union, which can host banquets for up to 497 people, and the Beach/Schmidt Performing Arts Center, which seats 1,100. The campus has numerous other rooms and buildings that can be rented. In their free time, visitors like to tour Fort Hays, the former U.S. Army fort that was built to protect the railroad workers in the 1800s, or visit the city’s many historic churches, including a cathedral that was designated a minor basilica by the pope. visithays.com

A BALCONY VIEW OF THE KANSAS UNIVERSITY CAMPUS IN LAWRENCE

LAWRENCE

Lawrence is home to two schools: the University of Kansas and the Haskell Indian Nations University. The Kansas Jayhawks basketball team is the pride of the area, and the team is said to have the loudest stadium in the country. Arts, culture and diversity are center points of the area. Haskell Indian Nations University gives the community an opportunity to learn more about the 200 Native American tribes represented at the university through cultural events, art markets and a large annual powwow. Wherever you go in Lawrence, you are bound to run into live music, from local musicians to national touring acts. Downtown Lawrence is within walking distance of both university campuses, which makes it a great place to host a meeting or an event. The city doesn’t have a large conference center, but it has meeting venues that can host events for up to 1,500 people. The DoubleTree by Hilton has 192 guest rooms and 14,000 square feet of meeting space. The Oread has 99 guest rooms and meeting space for 600 people reception style. The Lied Center of Kansas has six unique meeting spaces that can host up to 2,000 people theater style. The University of Kansas has plentiful meeting venues, including the KU Memorial Unions, which can host 950 people for a reception or 438 for a banquet. There are three museums on campus that make great off-site meeting venues: the Spencer Museum of Art, the Biodiversity Institute and Natural History Museum, and the Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics Museum. unmistakablylawrence.com

Courtesy Explore Lawrence

MANHATTAN

Manhattan is a prime meeting and event location because of its proximity to Kansas State University and nearby U.S. Army base Fort Riley. The constant flow of new soldiers and students motivates the city to continue to reimagine itself with new hotels, restaurants, attractions and shopping. “College students bring an excitement to the community,” said Karen Hibbard, vice president of Visit Manhattan. “They bring energy.” In the past 15 years, Manhattan has changed dramatically, including the redevelopment of its downtown area. One of its most popular meeting venues and attractions is the Flint Hills Discovery Center, an interactive museum about the Flint Hills and the

MANHATTAN’S FLINT HILLS DISCOVERY CENTER Courtesy Visit Manhattan

September 2020

Meetieng Guid area’s tallgrass prairie. Its immersive experience theater plays a movie that pulls the audience in using sight, sound and innovative effects. The center can host groups of up to 375 people. There are four full-service meeting properties in Manhattan. The Hilton Garden Inn is attached to the Manhattan Conference Center. Between the two, planners can bring in groups of up to 2,300 people. The largest spaces are the Manhattan Grand Ballroom and the Manhattan Grand Ballroom Foyer in the conference center. The city has about 1,400 lodge rooms. Planners can use the spaces on the KSU campus as well. For fun, groups can plan a wine tasting at the Liquid Art Winery, try their hand at zip lining at the Wildwood Adventure Park, take in a Broadway show at the McCain Performing Arts Center on campus or play a round of golf at Colbert Hills, a PGA-sanctioned golf course carved out of the Flint Hills. manhattancvb.org

PIONEER HALL AT KANSAS WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY

SALINA

Courtesy Visit Salina

V I S I T D O D G E C I T Y . O R G

DISCOVER

The home of Kansas Wesleyan University and Kansas State University Polytechnic, Salina is in the middle of a revitalization. The area has seen new restaurants and new shops pop up in the city center. “We’re rural with a flair of the artsy,” said Jo Ann McClure, convention sales manager for Visit Salina. “We have a little different atmosphere than one would expect in a rural community.” From an outdoor display of sculptures downtown to a new streetscape, Salina continues to pull away from its mill town persona. It recently opened a Homewood Suites by Hilton that was designed to look like an early-1900s brick building, with 113 guest suites and 2,400 square feet of indoor meeting space. Tony’s Pizza Events Center is the largest meeting venue in Salina, with 40,000 square feet of space. The arena seats 7,000 people and is excellent for concerts, rodeos and large trade shows. Closer to the Kansas State campus is the Hilton Garden Inn, with about 10,000 square feet of meeting space and 96 guest rooms. The Hilton’s meeting space can be broken into five rooms, along with a large pre-convention area. In total, Salina has about 2,000 guest rooms and more than 100,000 square feet of meeting space. Meeting planners looking for something a little different can book a dinner or reception at the Rolling Hills Zoo or a nearby Christmas tree farm. The Webster Conference Center offers meeting spaces and ropes courses that are great for teambuilding. salinakansas.org

Unexpected

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TOPEKA

Topeka is a meeting planner’s dream, with its proximity to Washburn University, two convention centers and one of the kitschiest venues around, the Evel Knievel Museum. Visit Topeka often hosts the opening night of conventions at the museum. Guests can enjoy cocktails and dinner, visit the museum at their leisure and even try making one of Knievel’s death-defying motorcycle jumps on a 3D ride. “It is a fun conversation piece and a great way to open or close a conference,” said Jessica Schenkel, vice president of Visit Topeka. The Capitol Plaza Hotel and Maner Conference Center has more than 32,000 square feet of meeting space, with an additional 66,000 square feet at the Kansas Expocentre, a convention hotel that can host large events. The Ramada Topeka Downtown Hotel and Convention Center has 32,000 square feet of meeting space and can host banquets of up to 1,000 people. Evergy Plaza is a new gathering place in the heart of the city that hosts conference events, concerts, movie nights and sporting event watch parties on its 30-foot digital screen. Groups can gather around the 16-foot-long fire pit or hire food trucks to line the plaza for their event. Washburn University’s 160-acre campus can host banquets for up to 400 people, and there are plenty of rooms available for breakout spaces. The Mulvane Art Museum on campus is a great cocktail reception location. For teambuilding, groups can visit an ax-throwing company or the North Topeka Arts District, which is full of restaurants, a brewery, art galleries and unique shops. topekapartnership.com

THE FOOTBALL STADIUM AT WASHBURN UNIVERSITY IN TOPEKA

Courtesy Washburn University Athletics

“We’re rural with a flair of the artsy. We have a little different atmosphere than one would expect in a rural community.” — Jo Ann McClure, Visit Salina

meet in kansas city, ks! 913.321.5800 visitkansasCitykS.com

September 2020

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