Small Market Meetings September 2024

Located minutes from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport

Near-perfect weather with 300+ sunny days for outdoor activities and exploration

Award-winning hotels at a variety of costs and price points to fit your budget

SO MUCH. SO CLOSE. SO NEVADA.

Book your next meeting experience close to all the action – Henderson. With many options for groups and excursions of all sizes. Just minutes from all the action of the Las Vegas Strip.

• Minutes from the Las Vegas Strip

• Over 25 Hotels to Choose From

• Over 350,000 Square Feet of Meeting Space

• Easy access to Harry Reid International Airport and the I-15

Nine Championship Golf Courses

M Resort: Official Hotel of the Las Vegas Raiders

A Variety of Shopping

Water Street: Dining, Events, Live Entertainment

Lake Las Vegas

Courtesy Visit

Beaufort

Puzzled Where To Meet?

Puzzled Where To Meet?

ACROSS

2. Hike and bike trails pass through here.

3. Has the best facilities between Denver and Omaha.

6. 1,350 of these happen every year.

DOWN

1. Downtown Hub for eats and drinks.

4. Historical monument on 1-80.

5. A campus of conference, events and hotels.

7. Every year 1 million of these migrate through 8. HS FB All-Star game.

(We’ll give you a hint: Kearney.)

(Planning your next event in Kearney is no gamble.)

The solution is simple, Kearney is a fantastic place for your next meeting. Where superior facilities, top-notch event staff, affordably, & ease for attendees come together to make your event a success!

Why? Because Kearney has the best facilities between Denver and Omaha, and experienced staff that make sure every event is a win!

If you’re looking for a host city for your next event, make sure you look at Kearney, Nebraska.

If you’re looking for a host city for your next event, make sure you look at Kearney, Nebraska.

Every year, Kearney hosts more than 1,350 events. From the Nebraska Shrine Bowl to conferences large and small, top-notch entertainment – heck, even a million Sandhill Cranes make sure to meet in Kearney every year. Why? Because Kearney has the best facilities between Denver and Omaha, experienced staff, and wonderful volunteers that make sure every event that comes to town is taken care of.

If you’re looking for a host city for your next event, make sure you look at Kearney, Nebraska.

TELISA RECH JOINS THE SMALL MARKET MEETINGS SALES FORCE

We’re pleased to introduce a new member of our team for Small Market Meetings magazine, Telisa Rech! Telisa works with our vice president of sales and marketing, Kyle Anderson, and comes to us from previous sales positions in the coffee and lottery industries. She is a successful travel agent as well. With a background in making travel arrangements for dozens of clients, as well as tradeshow experience, Telisa joins us with a lot of practical knowledge about the meetings industry.

Telisa lives just outside Lexington in Nicholasville, Kentucky, with her two dogs, Smokey and Bandit. Contact Telisa today to talk about your advertising needs for Small Market Meetings magazine — including print and digital advertising; custom content; OnSite familiarization trips with our meeting planners; and other services we provide to destinations just like yours.

Make sure to stop by our booth at the Small Market Meetings Conference in St. George, Utah, in a few weeks to meet her.

Welcome, Telisa!

Berkeley’s a breath of fresh air on San Francisco Bay

BY VICKIE MITCHELL

The 307-foot Campanile bell tower on the University of California, Berkeley campus is the perfect perch to take in this cool college town, situated between the San Francisco Bay and the Berkeley Hills.

Although Berkeley is best known as home to UC’s founding campus, the city has such a long list of innovative restaurants — many inspired by chef and California cuisine queen Alice Waters — that it’s become a food capital. Berkeley also spawned the Free Speech movement, an impressive number of Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners and a steady supply of tie-dye. And, while many think of Berkeley as peace, love and flower power, it is also a place for inquiry and creative thought.

“A lot of ideas in Berkeley start on campus,” said Dan Marengo, Visit Berkeley’s marketing director. “When you meet here, you get into that vibe. There’s a tremendous amount of brain power and creativity.”

UNIQUE AND QUIRKY VENUES

Berkeley’s personality seems to permeate everything, says Visit Berkeley’s sales director Shelbi Quintana. “Our hotels are just as unique and quirky as the city.”

Take, for example, the DoubleTree by Hilton Berkeley Marina, the city’s largest hotel with 378 rooms and 30,600 square feet of meeting space. It has the good fortune to sit next to the Berkeley Marina. “It’s an above brand-standard, resort-style hotel,” said Quintana, “and the view of San Francisco is one of the best in the Bay Area.”

VISIT BERKELEY

Shelbi

Quintana (Walker) Director of Sales and Strategic Partnerships

510-549-7040

swalker@visitberkeley.com visitberkeley.com

Another bonus? Group outings aboard City Cruises’ yachts leave from right outside the hotel.

The 330-room Residence Inn by Marriott Berkeley is another unexpected find, with a rooftop lounge and 19,000 square feet of meeting space. Meeting planners report it is far above brand standard.

Downtown, the historic 199-room Hotel Shattuck Plaza welcomes meetings in 8,000 square feet of meeting space; several blocks away, the Graduate Berkeley is decked out in UC colors and memorabilia.

Campus runs right into downtown, and so “UC Berkeley is the heart and soul of our city,” says Marengo. The campus welcomes meetings at varied venues, and the public is encouraged to tour campus and admire historic buildings and a grove of redwoods. “Some say campus is like our Central Park,” says Marengo.

AFTER HOURS

As a college town, Berkeley has no shortage of entertainment. The Downtown Arts District packs music venues, theater spaces and art museums into two blocks. Tours are especially sweet at TCHO, where 40,000 chocolate bars are churned out every 48 hours. Chocolate tastings can be chased by sake at Takara Sake, run by the largest sake producer in the U.S., or wines from the Wine Block, a city block that’s home to four all-natural wineries.

Ventures into San Francisco are easy, thanks to the Bay Area Rapid Transit system and its three Berkeley stations. BART also connects Berkeley to San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport, 15 miles away, and San Francisco International Airport, 25 miles away, so there’s no stress in getting to this buoyant city on San Francisco Bay for some fresh air and big ideas.

MULTIGENERATIONAL MEETINGS

As boomers head for the exits, the next generations will dominate the business world. Gen X, millennials and Gen Zs in the early years of their careers are now at the wheel. So, what kinds of changes and adjustments will these folks in their mid-20s to late 50s bring to the meetings industry — from the design of convention facilities and hotels to the creation of menus and meeting agendas? Here are some thoughts.

Seeking More than a Bed

Hotels have been early adapters when it comes to making changes that attract Gen X, millennial and Gen Z guests. By choosing properties that have the features and qualities these audiences value, meeting planners might boost attendance. These tech savvy crowds want wi-fi that’s fast, reliable and free — which, with a few exceptions, has become an industry standard. Digital check-in, mobile apps and in-room media are big pluses. Hotels that have inviting, casual gathering spaces and interesting extras like rooftop bars and pools; morning yoga or bikes to borrow; and happy hours or craft beverage bars also draw these generations. And, given their tendency to post their travels and experiences on Instagram and TikTok, these attendees can also serve as unofficial promoters of an organization, with their posts potentially stirring interest in future meetings.

Consider these tweaks for making events appeal to all ages

Rethinking Spaces

ASM Global knows younger generations are driving the events industry, so it set out to ask what they want and need by doing a survey of 20,000 ASM convention organizers and attendees. The results will guide how the company changes its convention facilities. Among its plans are “hush hubs,” quiet workspaces that allow meeting attendees to catch up on their work without leaving the convention center or missing important sessions. Other priorities of these next gens revealed by the survey: state-of-the-art digital networks, cutting-edge digital wayfinding, wellness programs, video/virtual immersive experiences, relaxation and productivity lounges, and personal meeting spaces. The respondents also spoke out about the importance of fun on-site or off-site events, interactive elements, high-speed digital connections, social media before, during and after the convention, and elevated food and beverage offerings.

Planning Variety

Keen on Connecting

Meeting planners have gotten the message — these attendees want to network. In fact, in one survey, 90% of meeting planners said that networking spaces adjacent to meeting spaces are more important than ever. But creating opportunities for networking should go beyond clutches of couches and chairs in the preconference area. So, opt for a cookout or a picnic over a staid sit-down meal or a pub crawl instead of a traditional meet-and-greet reception. On a free afternoon, a hike through the woods, a rafting trip down a river, or a few hours doing projects to help the poor could spark new professional connections. Warm drinks around a fire pit or a cozy indoor space stocked with board games and puzzles can keep people engaged with their peers instead of in their rooms, checking email and watching Hulu.

From speakers to suppers, it’s out with the old and in with fresh approaches. The traditional lecture-style educational session is a snooze for younger crowds, so consider a campfire format, where a speaker gives a short presentation, then the floor opens to audience questions and comments, with a facilitator in charge. Or, add elements of technology with polling and other apps that allow the audience to interact in real time with speakers. When it’s time to dine, avoid the standard plated dinner and host a food truck rally instead. Or set up food stations around the pool with varied seating, from stand-up tables and traditional rounds to couches with coffee tables. For breaks, shake it up in a cool way with a tasting that spotlights ice cream from a local maker. And it’s crucial to consider the different tastes and needs of this crowd, so pour zero-alcohol beer as well as local craft brews and aim for a diverse lineup of dishes to fit vegetarian, vegan, keto and other diets.

Supporting Sustainability

Environmental concerns were much less in the spotlight when boomers were in their heyday. But with each subsequent generation, sustainability has become more important. Today’s attendees appreciate and even demand venues that make meaningful efforts to reduce waste, whether by adding features like water refill stations, low-flow toilets and LED lighting; using alternative power sources like solar and wind; recycling as much as possible; and donating leftover food to those in need. Meeting planners can earn points with the crowd by using as little paper as possible and instead, putting agendas, educational materials and updates online. Choosing venues and hotels that have earned green certifications will win over these crowds, many of whom say they are willing to pay more to stay in sustainable properties.

SMALL MARKET MEETINGS CONFERENCE TO SHOWCASE Greater Zion

MEETINGS

SMALL MARKET CO NFERENCE

The Greater Zion area will thrill attendees of the Small Market Meetings Conference

BY RACHEL CRICK

Stunning scenery and close-knit communities await attendees of the 2024 Small Market Meetings Conference.

The conference will be held September 25–27 in St. George, Utah, at the Dixie Convention Center. It will be hosted by the Greater Zion Convention and Tourism Office. Attendees can look forward to two engaging marketplace sessions, educational seminars, sponsored meals, plenty of networking time and excursions into the Greater Zion area. St. George is just a 45-minute drive away from Zion National Park, one of the country’s most visited park sites. In 2022, the park drew an estimated 4.5 million visitors.

Conference attendees will stay at the Best Western Plus Abbey Inn, which has 154 guest rooms and 5,000 square feet of meeting space. The hotel is within walking distance of the Dixie Convention Center.

WELCOME FROM GREATER ZION

Conference attendees will get to explore the Greater Zion area, which includes St. George and many other small communities in Washington County.

“We’re just really excited for them to come and experience the area,” said Joy Schroeder, meeting, convention and event sales manager at Greater Zion Convention and Tourism Office. “We realize a lot of them maybe haven’t had a chance to make it out our way. We’re in a market that’s growing.”

That growing market includes the brand-new Black Desert Resort, which will host the PGA Tour’s Black Desert Championship this October. The resort’s 200plus rooms will open following the tournament, and its luxurious amenities will be

ZION NATIONAL PARK IS ONE OF THE MOST VISITED PARKS IN THE COUNTRY, DRAWING IN MORE THAN 4.5 MILLION PEOPLE IN 2022.

MEETINGS

CO NFERENCE

a big addition to the area’s meeting and events offerings.

To kick off the conference, an opening event will be held at BigShots Golf St. George, an entertainment venue and restaurant with a focus on golfing and gaming. In addition to golf swing suites, there’s also a putting course, table tennis, cornhole and other games. The attached restaurant serves pub food and beverages.

“It’s a fun place with something for everyone,” said Schroeder. “And it includes meeting and banquet space we will be using for the event.”

WHAT TO EXPECT

Marketplace sessions at the Small Market Meetings Conference let meeting planners make appointments with industry partners to learn about the meeting and convention offerings available at different destinations.

“Where else can you go in two days and meet with 150-170 industry partners there?” said Jennifer Ferguson, general manager of The Group Travel Family, which organizes the conference. “This marketplace really gives amazing opportunities for meeting planners to

see what’s out there destination-wise. It’s a one-stop shop.”

In addition to the marketplace sessions, the conference provides opportunities for planners and industry partners to mingle at the sponsored meals and educational sessions. This year’s meal sponsors include Visit Henderson Nevada, ASM Global and Visit Buffalo-Niagara.

“With Small Market Meetings, we bring together all the meeting planners and all the travel industry for extra networking time,” Ferguson said. “You get that extra networking time with the meal functions.”

Evening events are designed not only for networking but also to show off the host city’s top selling points. Planners will get to learn about the extensive destination appeal of St. George while spending time with their industry peers.

“The conference is really an opportunity to grow relationships, do business on the marketplace floor, but also have fun,” Ferguson said.

SIGHTSEEING TOURS

The conference will include sightseeing tours designed to showcase Greater Zion’s charms. Instead of the usual four back-to-back

SMALL MARKET

MEETINGS

CO NFERENCE

sightseeing tours, attendees will have the choice of one of five tours. This will give them plenty of time to explore the sprawling Washington County’s many offerings for meetings.

The first tour on offer involves exploring downtown St. George. It will feature stops at historic buildings, where attendees can learn about the history of the town and the area. There will also be a stop at an art museum, where there will be a showcase of art from around Utah. They will also see the visitors center, where they’ll enjoy a presentation with live animals from the region. They’ll get to meet these local animals while learning about their natural habitat and their care.

In addition to its crown jewel, Zion National Park, the Greater Zion area is home to several state parks that also showcase the stunning natural features of the rugged Southwest. Two tours will highlight the area’s natural beauty. One will feature a trip to Pioneer Park, with a short hike to see the desert gardens.

The other outdoor sightseeing tour will be at Snow Canyon State Park. There, participants will hear a talk from a park naturalist about the geography and ecology of the park, as well as enjoy a short interpretive hike.

Another tour attendees can select is called “Taffyology,” where attendees will head to nearby Santa Clara to visit a well-known taffy shop. They will take a guided tour of the shop and factory, then have the chance to make a taffy with their own flavor. They will leave with samples of their own creation.

The final tour attendees can choose from is a behind-the-scenes tour of Tuacahn Amphitheatre, a 2,500-seat red-rock outdoor theater that puts on Broadway-style entertainment with a stunning background. Groups will learn what goes into producing one of these shows, get a look backstage and have a question-and-answer session with theater staff.

greaterzion.com

Scan the QR code to register for the 2024 Small Market Meetings Conference in St. George, Utah.

A PERFORMANCE AT TUACAHN AMPHITHEATRE

MEETING LEADERS

JERRY ROSENTHAL

“I come from the old school of hotel administration, where in days gone by, you made a deal with a handshake and service was primary to our customers. I took that philosophy and put it into a conference planning business.

TBY REBECCA TREON

he average person changes careers between three and seven times during their lifetime, but Jerry Rosenthal has worked in hospitality for more than 50 years.

Rosenthal was born and raised in Brookline, Massachusetts, and went to Nathaniel Hawthorne College, where he studied business administration. After graduating, he was hired by Sheraton Hotels to join a corporate training program. It was his first rung on the hospitality ladder.

Rosenthal spent two years in Columbus, Ohio, at Sheraton’s corporate headquarters in the training program and assisting the vice president of food and beverage for Sheraton Worldwide. He then went to the Copley Plaza in Boston (a Sheraton property) for a year and a half, where he was responsible for the hotel’s renovations.

“My portrait was painted on one of the mirrors in what was then Copley’s Restaurant,” said Rosenthal. “From there, I went to New York City to manage the Sheraton Hotel LaGuardia for three years, where I was one of the youngest hotel managers at the time, and then I was the general manager at the Sheraton Pittsburgh Airport for a year and a half.”

After his tenure with Sheraton, Rosenthal jumped ship and moved to Cleveland, Ohio, and managed hotels for the DeBartolo Corporation, which had five hotels in the area.

It was during his time at DeBartolo that he met his wife, Diane, when she worked as the hotel’s controller. Together, they went to Fort Wayne, Indiana, where he managed a Marriott hotel, then to Ann Arbor, Michigan, to open a Marriott there. From there, he joined Pickett

Suite Hotels, where he opened and managed their flagship property in Ohio for four-and-ahalf years, along with opening several properties including in Disney World and in Tampa.

“We eventually got married after jumping around the country for about nine years,” said Rosenthal. “We’ve been happily married ever since. We have three sons and eight grandchildren.”

Rosenthal went to Holiday Inn’s corporate offices, managing an award-winning flagship property in New Jersey, then moved to Chicago to follow his wife, who worked for Dolce Corporation at the time.

“We moved to Chicago because she was offered a position as the general manager of the Brook Hills Resort and Conference Center, which is a Hilton Hotel now. We have been in Chi Town, as we affectionately call it, since 1998 — the longest we’ve ever been in one location.”

Rosenthal’s background caught the attention of the founders of ConferenceDirect, who asked him to join their team. Rosenthal agreed to join the planning side of the hotel business and has now worked with them for 22 years. He is a global account executive, coordinating event and hotel needs for clients at properties around the world.

“I come from the old school of hotel administration, where in days gone by, you made a deal with a handshake and service was primary to our customers,” he said. “I took that philosophy and put it into a conference planning business. I not only seek out the best venue for the client, but research, create easily analyzed reports they can review, arrange site visits, evaluate the pros and cons of each opportunity, and negotiate the contracts. We are like the worker bees for their team.”

EXECUTIVE PROFILE

NAME Jerry Rosenthal

TITLE

Global Account Executive

ORGANIZATION

ConferenceDirect

LOCATION

Aurora, Illinois

BIRTHPLACE

Boston

EDUCATION

Nathaniel Hawthorne College, BS in business administration

CAREER HISTORY

Rosenthal worked for a variety of hotels, including several Sheraton and Marriott properties, from 1970 through 2000. In 2001, he joined Conference Direct, where he works as a global account executive.

TIPS FROM JERRY ROSENTHAL

• Involve and utilize convention and visitors bureaus. They are the authority of the cities they represent and as a result are an excellent resource for site tours of hotels, attractions and restaurants.

• Our industry was founded on hospitality and service. Go that extra mile to provide outstanding service.

• Be sure to give back to the community both monetarily and by providing volunteer services to charitable organizations.

JERRY ROSENTHAL POSES WITH HIS WIFE DIANE AND THEIR GRANDDAUGHTER ABBEY DURING A TRIP TO FLORENCE, ITALY.

PLANNING OUTSIDE THE BOX

Alexis Dick

What

EVENT PLANNER

Heating, Air-Conditioning, Refrigeration Distributors International

Alexis Dick is an event planner at Heating, Air-Conditioning, Refrigeration Distributors International (HARDI). She graduated from Ohio State University in 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in strategic communication before gaining corporate planning experience as an engagement and events specialist at Bath and Body Works. She’s a certified MPI member and a member of PCMA 20 in Their 20s, Class of 2024. She has additional planning experience through her volunteer work with several nonprofits around Columbus, Ohio.

have you noticed changing about attendee preferences and the event landscape

A:A:as a whole?

Specifically over the last year at HARDI, looking at our registration data, a lot of attendees tend to register super early or super late. They’re ready for launch, or they’re coming in at three weeks out from your conference. That can be stressful for a planner, because more than likely our hotel blocks, meal guarantees and other event components will be closed. That number for us has been fluctuating, but roughly 30% are registering early and 30% are registering late, which is a pretty big chunk. We’ve also noticed a drastic increase in attendance. Most people post-COVID are prioritizing getting out of the office and working on professional and personal development. They feel that networking with individuals and exploring through their company is beneficial to them.

When do you know it’s time to think outside the box rather than following a more typical run of show?

There are a few points you can look at. One is thinking about post the previous event, when you’re looking at data and attendee feedback. That is the prime time to ask not only the stakeholders and planning team that were involved, but you have feedback right there. Ask about what they loved and what they didn’t like. That way you have a starting point whenever you go to have your kickoff call. The other point is halfway through the planning phase, three to six months out, figuring out, ‘We have the core agenda identified, we have the basics — what value could we add to this to make it more engaging?’ That comes too when you’re thinking of a marketing plan: How are you advertising this event and telling people this is exciting?

EETIN G

Located at the crossroads of the northeast, Albany is easily accessible by plane, train, or automobile and is a short jaunt from major metropolitan areas such as Boston, New York City, and Montreal.

There are a variety of convention, special event, sports, and creative venues for your next event. Including the Capital Complex made up of four different venues: The Albany Capital Center, The Empire State Plaza Convention Center, The Egg Performing Arts Center and MVP Arena. Connected via enclosed walkways, these venues combine to make up the largest meeting space in Upstate New York at 159,000 square feet.

Visit albany.org and learn how we can make your next meeting

How does technology, including AI and certain software, help you think outside the box during the planning process?

A: When you’re planning an event, usually as a planner you get stretched a little thin, especially during launch, or while pushing it out to attendees, and when you’re on site. Sometimes it can feel overwhelming, or you don’t want to hand things off, or you’re worried about keeping things consistent. Checking off smaller boxes opens up a lot of time. When I’m building the app and getting ready to send it to attendees, I do use a lot of AI and ChatGPT, as well as built-in AI writing tools. The biggest thing to remember is you can’t have a shortage of information when planning an event; you have your whole team, multiple stakeholders and few employees. So, we use software that makes information available to people as they need it, with an access portal, up-to-date reporting around attendees, revenue and expenses. It eliminates the one-off questions.

What are some innovative or out-of-the-box ways you create engagement for attendees?

A:Within the framework of any conference, there’s an opening and closing reception. But when it comes to networking, it’s more than drinks and food. People are going for a connection. Something you can do is a themed reception, whether that’s sports-themed or Gatsby-themed. We get a very good response from our attendees. They don’t all 100% get engaged, but it’s a talking point and makes it fun. It breaks the ice when people get there, so I would encourage people to figure out how they can develop their opening and closing receptions. I encourage people to put themselves in the attendee’s shoes. If you’re sitting there and listening to ideas in a meeting and thinking ‘this is kind of boring,’ the attendee may also think that.

What nontraditional ways do you encourage more engagement around sponsorships?

A: Lots of people sponsor, and the goal is to drive revenue for the event or offer a unique experience. When what you see about that sponsor is a giant sign or the name is on the table in a stanchion, you recognize their logo, but it’s way more fun when they get to engage with individuals at the conference. Some things we’ve done are a doughnut wall. Attendees grab a doughnut and talk to the sponsors. It increases traffic to their table, and people like to pose with it, so the social media imprint you get adds way more value to the sponsor. We’ve also done a little exhibit, a tabletop event, photobooths for sponsors, a happy hour and even golf simulators during high traffic times. It’s engaging, and there’s something to bond over.

BRENTWOOD, Tennessee Groups360 has announced the launch of GroupSync Planner+, a single-source hotel planning and booking solution for enterprise-level meeting and event organizers.

Powered by Groups360’s GroupSync platform, Planner+ adds features specifically designed for corporate teams needing a standardized request and booking process. The initial release includes an in-app meeting request form with a customizable multistep approval process that ensures organizational and team member visibility, as well as reporting tools for financial accountability. Additional features will be available soon, including the ability to apply an organization’s Master Service Agreements (MSA) and set preferred hotel properties, chains or brands for every user within an organization.

Through the integrated web-based GroupSync marketplace, meeting planners and managers can shop, source and book hotels and event space, with the ability to see live real-time rates and availability at over 25,000 properties worldwide. Instant booking is also available at participating hotels, allowing planners to book 10 to 25 rooms online — along with event space for up to 50 people, including A/V and catering — without the need to contact the hotel or engage in a traditional RFP process.

NORTH LITTLE ROCK ADVANCES PLANS FOR NEW CONFERENCE CENTER GROUPS360 INTRODUCES GROUPSYNC PLANNER+

NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas

The city of North Little Rock, Arkansas, is moving forward with plans to build its own conference center.

The North Little Rock City Council recently voted to allocate $3 million for the initial phase of a 30,000-square-foot conference center that will be located at the former city services center in the Argenta Arts District. The facility will cost an estimated $12 million, Arkansas Money & Politics reported.

For larger meetings, a simplified RFP process streamlines, tracks and organizes hotel responses into a single dashboard.

Planner+ enhances the GroupSync platform with additional controls and parameters for corporate meeting planners, including request and approval workflows, meeting planner management, and booking and tracking tools designed to better manage the event planning process within a corporate environment.

“One of the inherent challenges that Planner+ solves for company meeting and event planners is organizing and standardizing the disparate processes that companies use to plan and track various types of events,” said Christian Oliver, Groups360’s senior vice president of product. “To address this growing industry need, we have developed a comprehensive system that allows corporate planners and teams to easily build and track all meeting data, including event criteria, budgets, expenditure and tiered approvals within a single portal that is accessible to all company stakeholders. Since it’s built within GroupSync, it also provides powerful hotel sourcing and booking capabilities that have been proven to save significant time and money — both valuable resources for any size organization.”

groups360.com

The city has engaged Taggart Architects for the project, with plans to open construction bids in September and break ground in October. The conference center is expected to open in early 2026. City officials plan to begin accepting reservations once the groundbreaking date is confirmed.

The project faced delays due to a tornado that hit the area last year. However, with funding from the Federal Emergency

Management Agency, North Little Rock is ready to move forward with the conference center.

For years, North Little Rock has had to redirect large events across the river to the city of Little Rock because it didn’t have a suitable venue. The new conference center will feature a ballroom, a large pre-function area and a kitchen and will be able to accommodate various events, including those hosted by the North Little Rock Chamber of Commerce at other venues.

The conference center is scheduled to open in conjunction with a new boutique hotel across the street that’s being developed by Makan Hospitality Management. The facility will be located near attractions such as Dickey-Stephens Park, Simmons Bank Arena, Argenta Contemporary Theatre, and nearby local bars, restaurants and entertainment venues.

northlittlerock.org

DOWNTOWN NORTH LITTLE ROCK

By Brent Walker, courtesy North Little Rock CVB

MAKE WELLNESS A PRIORITY AT MEETINGS

AAndrea Cannistraci

PRESIDENT & FOUNDER ANDGREAT

Andrea Cannistraci is the president and founder of andgreat , a marketing, branding and events firm that helps businesses design and execute unique marketing programs. As a competitive bodybuilder, she integrates her love of fitness and wellness into her meeting planning.

re your meetings helping people achieve their health and wellness goals — or, at the very least, not standing in the way of them?

Throughout society, there’s a growing interest in wellness. After the desperation and indulgence of the pandemic era, many people now are seeking healthier lifestyles. And while wellness priorities differ from one individual to the next, most share common themes, including mindfulness and intentional effort around eating, drinking and movement.

This pursuit of healthy living is impacting the meetings industry. Meeting attendees are increasingly looking for alternatives to typical event meal plans, and they’re eager for opportunities to move their bodies during conferences. Some wellness-focused events are even geared toward meeting planners.

While many planners may feel they are incorporating healthy choices and wellness activities into their events, in my view, many are falling short. If the point of a wellness-centric event is to help attendees stay energized, remain focused and motivated, and leave feeling inspired — and not completely depleted — meeting planners may need to reevaluate their strategy.

As a meeting professional and competitive bodybuilder, I have

an admittedly distinctive view on health. And though bodybuilding isn’t for everyone, I have found that many of the principles I have learned from that lifestyle can easily be applied to meetings and events.

Here are some things to think about to ensure your next event offers a truly healthy and wellness-focused experience for your attendees.

1. MEALS

For most people, a healthy lifestyle revolves around conscious food choices. And if you’re committed to providing healthy meals, you have probably started by working with the catering team to select lean proteins like fish and chicken, as well as farm-fresh veggies. That’s a great step, but you far from finished. Do you know how the chef will prepare those ingredients? If not, your good intentions may be undercut by longstanding culinary habits. Those lean proteins may be drowning in oils, accompanied by heavy carbs and slathered in sugary sauces. And there’s a good chance the veggies are swimming in butter and salt. So when

FOCAL POINTS

DEEP DIVES ON TRENDING TOPICS

you’re working with the catering team, ask not only what dishes they can provide but also how they will be prepared. Remember, what your attendees eat will affect their brains and their bodies.

2. SNACKS

Everyone loves a good break during a long conference day — especially mid-afternoon, when attendees’ energy begins to flag. But not all breaks are created equal. If you’re in pursuit of healthy events, you need to ask yourself the honest question: Are you providing a snack break or a sugar break? I was recently at a conference for meeting planners where the snack break consisted of whole chocolate bars, including Twix, Hersheys, KitKat and Kind bars. (Yes, Kind bars are marketed as healthy food, but they are highly processed and contain many ingredients you may not be aware of.) You may be smart enough to steer clear of candy bars, but other snack pitfalls can be less obvious. Have you made the mistake of choosing “bran” muffins over regular muffins because they sounded healthier?

It’s important to know what is in the foods you are offering. One of the best ways to do that is to select fresh whole fruits for snack breaks — locally sourced, if possible. Fresh fruits have natural sugars and provide that sweetness your attendees are craving. Plus, they are easy on the budget — you only pay on consumption, so it’s cost

ALLOWING ATTENDEES DOWNTIME IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF PLANNING A WELLNESS-MINDED EVENT.

effective. A trail mix with nuts and dried fruit (with no added sugar) is another healthy way to elevate your snacks.

3. MOCKTAILS

Alcohol used to be de rigueur at many professional events. But with the sober-curious movement gaining steam, many meeting attendees today are choosing not to indulge in adult beverages. As a solution, many meeting venues and caterers offer mocktails — mixed drinks without the alcohol. And while this can be a great alternative for people who want to avoid alcohol’s intoxicating effects, it doesn’t solve the problem of its high sugar content. Most mocktails are made with sugar-added juices. So while offering mocktails might sound like a healthy choice, in reality you are simply swapping one sugar for another. That’s why it’s important to ask what is in the mocktails. Freshsqueezed fruit juice mixed with seltzer water is a great, refreshing beverage choice with no added sugar.

4. DOWNTIME

Wellness is about more than eating and drinking — it also requires exercise. But if your event agenda is jammed packed, with attendees forced indoors all day with no downtime, you may be making it difficult for them to work out. To solve this problem, consider starting a little later in the morning to allow attendees to hit the gym or go for a run outside. Better yet, offer a sponsored spin class or a yoga session — outdoors, if weather allows. And if your event format is flexible, consider offering seminars or workshop sessions outdoors on nice days. End your daytime agenda before 5 p.m., so attendees have time to answer emails or to call home to their families before evening events. A looser schedule will equate to a more relaxed attendee who is able to retain more of your content and is not drained by the end of the meeting.

5. BREAKS

Nobody can do their best work without breaks throughout the day. To help attendees stay mentally sharp, incorporate a few 30-minute breaks during the day and make sure they include options for movement. That may be as simple as a walk around the venue, a short scavenger hunt or a standing-up networking session — anything to get your attendees out of their seats and increase their blood flow. Going outside for fresh air and natural light can also help reenergize attendees so they come back with a renewed focus.

Whether it’s work or play, we’ve got you covered along Alabama’s Beaches.

Beating Back Burnout

MEETING PROS SHARE THEIR STRATEGIES FOR ACHIEVING WORK-LIFE BALANCE

BY RACHEL CRICK

Event planners aren’t putting out literal fires— but they often feel like it.

They’re consistently ranked among the most stressed professionals in the world, next to firefighters, surgeons and emergency dispatchers. That’s likely due to factors inherent to the job, including unpredictable hours and extensive problem solving. But the current state of the events industry isn’t helping either: Thanks to trends of staffing shortages, budgetary constraints and late registration, planners end up with fewer helping hands, more hats to wear and less information to work with.

As stress and burnout run rampant, many event planners find their personal lives falling to the wayside. So how do they recognize the need for improved worklife balance? Where can they start, and what tools and tricks can they use to get back on track?

Here’s what three busy event professionals had to say about restoring a sustainable rhythm at work and at home.

KNOW THE SIGNS

Fixing a problem requires acknowledging the problem exists. For meeting and event planners, it can be challenging to recognize the signs of an unbalanced work and personal life until it’s too late. They need to be on the lookout for some of the most common signs that things are amiss.

“I think some signs would be whenever our expectation conflicts with what our experience is,” said Naomi Tucker, founder of Planners on Purpose, a coaching firm dedicated to helping event planners maintain harmony between work and life.

This conflict could look like missed deadlines, disappointed clients or lackluster events. Everyone has off days or difficult projects, but if expectations aren’t being met on a routine basis, that’s a sign things are falling through the cracks and the planner needs to take inventory of their workload.

Angie Johnston, owner and lead planner for Colorado-based event planning company Sapphire Celebrations, said another sign is missing out on the things that are really important, like family time or even sleep: “A sign is if they’re working at 2 a.m. all the time, or if they’re always on the phone with clients instead of watching their kids’ sporting events.”

On bouncing back from burnout: “It’s about having openness and being amenable to making the changes needed so you don’t have a culture of spinning your wheels. You want to have a culture of aligning and thriving.”

Naomi Tucker

FOUNDER Planners on Purpose Experience: 28 years

On the work-life balance challenges in the meetings industry: “The reason events are really hard is because the job description itself requires balancing multiple elements. And at the core, the personality we are is type A, detail-oriented both at home and at work; we have a lot of passion.”

Another sign may be how a planner feels about their work. If dread or anxiety are the primary emotion that comes with clocking in, it may be well past time to change things.

If a planner is starting from a position of being completely overwhelmed or burnt out, it may be beneficial to reevaluate how they feel about the industry and their job. Huong Nguyen, founder and CEO of Shiloh Events, recommends “slowing it down, remembering what your purpose and your event vision is” when planners find themselves feeling unbalanced.

“To fuel your midnight oil, ask the purpose of what you’re doing; remind yourself why you’re doing it,” said Nguyen. “It’s getting out of the weeds and being able to get a high-level vision.”

Huong Nguyen

CEO AND FOUNDER

Shiloh Events

Experience: 15 years

SET BOUNDARIES

Boundaries are an important part of maintaining separation between home and work, which can lead to more fulfilling and focused time spent on each.

“I set boundaries with my clients without them even knowing it sometimes,” Johnston said. “I always say this lovingly, but not every emergency is really something I need to deal with on a Sunday morning at 7 o’clock.”

One of the best ways for planners to set boundaries is to communicate expectations for when they will or won’t be available. Informing clients that they won’t respond to emails late at night or on certain days of the week can keep the clients from becoming demanding and allow the planner to enjoy life outside of their job.

Johnston also recommends using a calendar-planning app, such as Calendly, that lets clients schedule time with a planner based on availability. That means clients can still book time to discuss their concerns as they occur but not at a time that interrupts the planner after hours.

“Event planners are often yes-people; when we’re given a project we want to say ‘yes,’” said Nguyen. “But taking a step back and understanding what you can output and slowing it down is important. At the end of the day, planners should clearly communicate and be transparent with their boundaries.”

It’s not just clients event planners need to set boundaries with; they also need to have strong

boundaries with their employers — and themselves.

In addition to honestly communicating working hours and what they’re able to produce, planners should incorporate breaks, vacations, and physical and mental wellness into their schedules. Sticking to this discipline helps them prioritize their health and their life outside of work.

Johnston implements tricks like color-blocking on her calendar to make sure she’s getting a healthy balance of work, family and personal activities into her week.

It’s also important to have preventative mental health measures in place to avoid burnout.

“You can have a stress management plan on how you can do different things to mitigate the burnout, like taking walks, journaling and doing things to resolve your stress,” said Tucker.

COMMUNICATE OPENLY

Honesty is always the best policy, including on an events team. That’s because isolation and noncommunication in the workplace are major causes of work-life issues.

Many event planners feel stigma or shame about asking for help. They may think they will be perceived as less competent if they ask for a lighter workload or an extension to complete their duties. This can easily add up to working unmanageable hours, feeling extreme stress or being burnt out, which can result in absenteeism and lost productivity.

“It’s important we’re able to talk about it, because many of us struggle in silence until we put in our two weeks,” Tucker said.

For event planners who are employed at an agency or work with a team, Tucker recommended being open with their leadership, especially if they’re struggling.

Johnston agreed.

“Make sure you’re communicating to your superiors, your peers and your family so they can hold you accountable to what it is you’re trying to do,” she said. “That way you don’t burn out and go crazy.”

For event planners who are self-employed or contract workers, one of the best ways to balance work with life is to ensure they are delegating

On helping employees maintain work-life balance:

“It’s important for employers to realize that while there are deadlines and goals that need to be set and client expectations that need to be met, the human that works for you needs to be taken care of.”

Angie Johnston

OWNER, LEAD PLANNER

Sapphire Celebrations Experience: 20 years

tasks. Whether that’s turning to AI to help manage their workload or employing an assistant to help with dayto-day details of planning, determining what’s necessary to do themselves and what they can take off their plates is a helpful way to make sure they’re not doing too much.

It’s also important for planners to be honest with themselves about the work they can comfortably take on; if they don’t know their limits, they may be continually biting off more than they can chew.

“I think knowing your capacity is No. 1, in terms of knowing within a given day how much output can you produce,” said Nguyen.

LEAD INTENTIONALLY

Lead event planners and business owners are captains at the helms of their ships, responsible for events and for their teams. They have a lot of say in making sure their employees are supported and have a healthy work-life balance.

The first way to ensure that employees aren’t being overwhelmed is by allocating staff appropriately. Nguyen recommends assigning at least two planners to each task.

“When I have a project coming on, I never assign a single person on it, even if it’s as simple as venue sourcing, I have two people to back each other up,” Nguyen said.

This is very important when the events are taking place, because they often entail 16-hour days for multiple days. Giving staff appropriate resources, assigning them to work in shifts, giving them breaks and prioritizing downtime can help everyone think clearly and tend to their other priorities.

There’s nowhere quite like it

CONNECT IN THE FOX CITIES

Start planning for your next meeting or event in the Fox Cities. From riverfront meetings by day to world-class dining at night, the Fox Cities are the perfect place to stage your original event experience.

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Alison Hutchinson

plan your original event.

Another way to help is to set clear staff expectations. There should be a service level agreement in place that lets them know when they’re expected to be reachable and the time frame they have to respond to communication.

Giving employees flexible hours, especially for remote work, can also help them take care of their life outside of work, from personal wellness to parenting responsibilities. Some employers could even offer flex hours to make up for especially busy seasons.

Lead planners can also provide their employees benefits or at least point them in the direction of resources, including mental health resources.

“It’s good to take a look at your employee support programs and benefits available,” said Tucker. “It could also be bringing them in to talk more about stress and overwhelm so you’re opening the conversation and pointing people toward the resources.”

Ultimately, setting a good example for employees is the best way to promote balance.

“I think a big thing is encouraging them to do all the things I’m doing myself, like taking vacation, finding hobbies that take them away from their work, making sure they understand that work life-balance is only going to make them a better member of our team,” Johnston said.

“It’s good to take a look at your employee support programs and benefits available. It could also be bringing them in to talk more about stress and overwhelm so you’re opening the conversation and pointing people toward the resources.”

—

Naomi Tucker, Planners on Purpose

SOARING VENUES

Aviation museums make memorable settings for meetings

BY RACHEL CRICK

The history of aviation is a testament to human ingenuity — and might provide just the inspiration you need for your next event.

After all, what could be more impressive than mingling under the wings of a plane that has touched the clouds? What could be more motivating than strategizing surrounded by the feats of engineering and science? What could be more fascinating than learning about the airships that carried out history in the wars of the 20th century? Meeting

in an aviation museum will impress any attendee, from the aircraft-obsessed to total newbies.

For their next event, whether it’s a large-scale banquet or a quiet board meeting, planners should look to these aviation museums across the country.

CRADLE OF AVIATION MUSEUM GARDEN CITY, NEW YORK

Opened in 2002 in Garden City, on Long Island, New York, the Cradle of Aviation Museum was founded to commemorate Long Island’s aviation history. It was built on the Mitchel Air Force Base, known as Mitchel Field. It now has more than 70 notable historic aircraft, which reside in World War IIera hangars. Planes from both world wars and even an unused Apollo Lunar Module can be found there.

In addition to being a well-respected aviation museum, it’s also a great backdrop for a wide range of social and corporate events for up to 10,000 attendees. The Reckson Atrium is the largest event space and the most awe-inspiring. It features eight aircraft or aviation-related objects suspended midair, as well as four stories of glass windows, high ceilings and multiple levels for event seating. The

Above: The Cradle of Aviation Museum in Garden City opened in 2002 and offers a stylish venue for meetings and events.

Courtesy Cradle of Aviation Museum

atrium can seat 1,200 people for a banquet or up to 2,000 reception-style.

Additional galleries of aircraft provide endless options for entertaining events, from small dinner parties observing the Apollo Lunar Module within the Space Gallery to cocktail receptions of up to 500 in the exhibit galleries. Red Planet Café, the museum’s in-house eatery, can be transformed into a stunning Mars-themed event space, perfect for parties of up to 250. Meeting rooms for up to 25 people

are also offered. The museum’s 295-seat dome theater and planetarium is another great option for presentations or films.

The museum’s in-house caterer is full-service. Lighting is done in-house, but additional A/V requires an external vendor for events with more than 100 attendees.

“For our area in particular, we’re a unique event space, so that draws a lot of people over,” said Seamus Keene, director of events at the Cradle of Aviation Museum. “We’re not a basic catering hall. We function full-service, and the backdrop setting of having the museum is really cool.”

cradleofaviation.org

“For our area in particular, we’re a unique event space, so that draws a lot of people over. We’re not a basic catering hall. We function fullservice, and the backdrop setting of having the museum is really cool.”

— Seamus Keene, Cradle of Aviation Museum

AIR ZOO AEROSPACE AND SCIENCE MUSEUM KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN

Founded as the Kalamazoo Aviation History Museum in 1979, the Air Zoo Aerospace and Science Museum is a nonprofit organization that is a pillar of the Kalamazoo community. The name Air Zoo refers to its number of aircraft on exhibit that have animals

Cradle of Aviation Museum scenes, clockwise from left: A catering display; a dinner setup in the space exhibit; an event in the atrium

Photos courtesy Cradle of Aviation Museum

in their names, such as Blackbird and Wildcat. It’s a popular venue for local events, from proms and weddings to corporate meetings and grand galas.

The museum has several small meeting rooms available for rent; three that are separated by partitions can each hold 30 attendees or be combined to accommodate up to 100. These rooms feature 70inch smart TVs. There’s also the Parish Board Room, which can seat 16 and has additional A/V included. For larger events, the mezzanine is where the museum’s Kitty Hawk Café is located. Tables are included in this rental, and the space, which looks out over the main exhibit hall, can hold up to 100 attendees.

The museum’s largest event space is the main exhibit hall, home to the exhibits and four rides and flight simulators for guests to take advantage of. The large hall can hold up to 1,500 attendees for a reception-style event or 650 for a seated event with a dance floor. Planners should know the event spaces come with time limits, and that there is a cap on free admission for event attendees; extra time and guest tickets

can both be added on. This is highly recommended so attendees can explore what makes the museum fun.

“It is a lot of fun to not be in the same space all the time,” said Carissa Asklipious, group and events coordinator at the Air Zoo. “They can have their meeting in the meeting room and explore the exhibits if they’d like to. For events, it’s all entertainment included.”

The museum has two catering partners to choose from, although other caterers can be selected for a fee. The Air Zoo opts for local vendors for A/V services. In addition to using the spaces, special programming for corporate meetings, including team-building activities, can be arranged. airzoo.org

KANSAS AVIATION MUSEUM

WICHITA, KANSAS

Wichita’s central location, not only in the state of Kansas but also in the U.S., gave it a unique advantage in aviation history. Before planes could fly the long distances they do today, cross-country trips

Air Zoo scenes, clockwise from left: a group meeting in the main exhibit hall; aviation exhibits; a Blackbird plane

Photos courtesy Discover Kalamazoo

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From public art to networking at an urban winery, Visit Lubbock mentions a few reasons why meetings are better in West Texas. Scan the QR code for more.

required a stopover to refuel. Wichita fit the bill, and at one point, a flight arrived or left every 90 seconds. It was also integral to manufacturing in the aviation industry, building more than 100 planes each week, earning the city the nickname the “Aviation Capital of the World” in 1928.

The Kansas Aviation Museum documents the city’s long, intermingled history with the aviation industry. It’s housed in what was once the Wichita Municipal Airport, a beautiful 1930s art deco building that was later given to the U.S. Air Force, then turned into a museum in 1991.

“It’s a historic location with beautiful art deco features,” said Ben Sauceda, president and CEO of the Kansas Aviation Museum. “You can relive the historic aviation glory days here.”

The museum’s largest event space is its central atrium, which features tall ceilings painted with restored art deco designs. It can accommodate up to up to 260 guests for a seated dinner. The thirdfloor mezzanine area is another great event space,

overlooking the atrium with views of the city. It has a capacity of 60 for seated events. The museum’s ramp area and the lawn are an excellent choice for outdoor events and can host up to 300 attendees.

Smaller spaces throughout the museum include the conference room, which is in the museum’s World War II exhibit and can hold up to 49 guests. There’s also a small theater (laid out like the inside of a passenger aircraft) that can be used for film showings accompanying a meeting or event.

Admission to the museum is free for meeting or event guests. There’s an open catering policy for events, except for a bartender the museum is contracted to use. Basic A/V equipment is provided.

kansasaviationmuseum.org

EVERGREEN AVIATION AND SPACE MUSEUM MCMINNVILLE, OREGON

The Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum comprises a 300-acre campus of buildings that double as

Kansas Aviation Museum scenes, clockwise from left: A- Tuskegee Airmen exhibit; the central atrium; a historic plane exhibit

Photos courtesy Kansas Aviation Museum

HOW TO PLAY

meeting and event spaces, including an aviation museum, a space museum, and a theater and event center. The museum was founded as the Evergreen Museum in 1991 as a nonprofit with a small collection of vintage aircraft; a new campus was constructed around the Spruce Goose aircraft. Each of the museum’s events are handled through its event partner, Evergreen Events.

The space museum doubles as the largest event venue in McMinnville. Two floors of event space are available to be rented at the museum. On the main level, the space museum floor is the largest space. Events for up to 450 attendees can be held among the aircraft exhibits. This room is available after the museum’s regular hours and comes with a 96-square-foot stage.

On the museum’s mezzanine level, the main hall has warm hardwood flooring and space for up to 150 attendees. A drop-down screen, projector and microphone are provided, and access to the game lounge, a smaller space with a capacity of 30, is included with the rental. The game lounge also features two flat screen televisions and a pool table. A double conference room and executive board room are also available for smaller meetings. All spaces on the mezzanine level can be rented during the museum’s regular hours.

The on-site theater has 232 seats, while the event center features smaller meeting rooms perfect for breakout sessions that each provide their own A/V equipment. Additional buildings on the campus, such as the lodge and reception hall, can also host events. Evergreen Events uses exclusive, in-house catering, including a customizable menu.

evergreenevents.org

The Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum comprises a 300-acre campus of buildings that double as meeting and event spaces, including an aviation museum, a space museum, and a theater and event center.

Courtesy Planes of Fame Museum

MALONEY HANGAR AT PLANES OF FAME AIR MUSEUM IN CHINO

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PLANES OF FAME AIR MUSEUM CHINO, CALIFORNIA

Founded by the late aviation historian and aircraft collector Ed Maloney in 1957, Planes of Fame Air Museum in Chino, California, was created with the goal of preserving aircraft and educating visitors about the history of aviation. Once simply called “the Air Museum,” it began with just 10 planes. The museum has moved several times to accommodate its ever-expanding collection and even opened an additional location in Arizona; however, today the Chino location is the museum headquarters and contains seven hangars of exhibits on a 14-acre campus. This includes more than 160 aircraft.

The museum’s Maloney Hangar can be used for banquets or receptions for up to 300 guests. There’s a flat fee for events with up to 100, with an additional charge per guest beyond 100. Weekday breakfast and lunch meetings and events can be arranged, while the museum can be rented out on the weekends for evening events. Also included in the rental of the hangar is the open-air atrium, which can be used for a cocktail hour, catering cooking space or lawn game area.

The Planes of Fame Museum does not require a specific caterer, though it can provide vendor lists upon request. The museum provides chairs and tables, including setup and tear down, at no extra charge.

planesoffame.org

Below: An event at Planes of Fame Air Museum

Courtesy Planes of Fame Museum

Expect Wall-to-Wall inspiration.

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"Wall to Wall" Murals

Tennessee’s MOUNTAIN TRIO

Courtesy Anakeesta

Visitors can enjoy beautiful views of the Great Smoky Mountains from atop an observation tower at Anakeesta in Gatlinburg.

These Smoky Mountain cities are perennial meetings favorites

BY CYNTHIA BARNES

It’s right there in the name — the majestic range stretching along the Tennessee-North Carolina border aren’t just the Smoky Mountains; they’re the Great Smoky Mountains. The national park preserving them covers more than a half million acres and draws more than 13 million visitors a year. In addition to wildlife, waterfalls, outdoor adventure and stunning natural beauty, surrounding communities offer world-class amenities and abundant attractions — all served with a warm smile and a heaping helping of Southern hospitality.

In the quaint but lively Smoky Mountain hamlets of Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg and Sevierville, meeting attendees will be wowed by a refreshing and entertaining escape filled with exceptional dining and entertainment, all in the midst of mountain splendor.

THE SMOKIES AT A GLANCE

LOCATION: Southeast Tennessee

ACCESS: About half of the U.S. population is within a day’s drive of the Smokies. Knoxville McGhee Tyson Airport is less than an hour away. The entire area is accessible via U.S. Interstate 40.

SEVIERVILLE AT A GLANCE

ACCOMMODATIONS: 4,200 rooms, suites, condos, chalets and cabins

CONTACT INFO:

Visit Sevierville 865-453-6411

visitsevierville.com

SEVIERVILLE CONVENTION CENTER

BUILT: 2007

EXHIBIT SPACE: 108,261 square feet of exhibit space, 20,000-square-foot ballroom

A

Destination Highlights

In any season, the Smokies are filled with an array of activities to suit attendees of all ages and inclinations, as well as their families. The nature on display at Great Smoky Mountains National Park is filled with wonders, whether explored by car, bicycling, on horseback or on foot. Wildflowers bloom throughout almost the entire year, and the pristine wilderness is home to black bears, woodchucks, elk, wild turkeys, pileated woodpeckers and colorful Eastern bluebirds. The 5.5mile Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail loops through old-growth forest and thundering mountain streams. History lovers will find a selection of well-preserved log cabins and grist mills, while hikers won’t want to miss Rainbow and Grotto Falls. Best of all, there’s no admission fee to enjoy all the natural grandeur.

Sevierville is the home of country singer and American treasure Dolly Parton, and fans will want to snap a selfie with the bronze statue of her that graces the Sevier County Courthouse lawn. More than 8,000 caves have been discovered in Tennessee, but many consider the enormous onyx wall at Forbidden Caverns to be the prettiest. The town is also home to the RainForest Adventures Discovery Zoo, where among the 600 creatures, guests can encounter the golden-headed lion tamarin, one of the rarest monkeys on the planet.

Then of course there’s Dollywood itself, in neighboring Pigeon Forge. Stretching over 160 acres, the top-rated amusement park is home to rides, nonstop musical entertainment, a waterpark, a spa, shopping and dining, all infused with Parton’s signature charm. Travelers can cool off (or warm up) at Pigeon Forge Snow, the nation’s first indoor snow park where the temperature is always a pleasant 60 to 70 degrees and snow tubing is always in season. Another popular stop is the Titanic Museum Attraction, a half-sized replica that’s guaranteed not to sink.

There’s real snow on Ober Mountain, and the views during the 2.1-mile ride up the Ober Gatlinburg Aerial Tramway will leave visitors breathless. Visitors can ski and snow tube (in season), but the year-round adventure park also offers an alpine slide, chair swings, an indoor ice rink and a carousel. At the Gatlinburg SkyPark, those who aren’t afraid of heights can cross the longest pedestrian cable bridge in North America — with 30 feet of clear glass panels looking down in the middle of the span.

SEVIERVILLE

Sevierville resort waterpark Forbidden Caverns Great Smoky Mountains National Park

SEVIERVILLE

A Dolly Parton statue in downtown Sevierville

GATLINBURG TENNESSEE

DESCRIBING GATLINBURG, TENNESSEE IS EASY!

Nestled in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountain Park, Gatlinburg is a quaint town providing everything a meeting planner needs for a successful event: a beautiful, state of the art convention center, 16,000+ sleeping rooms, comprised of full-service and limited-service hotels,and motels, cabins, and condominiums. Gatlinburg also offers hundreds of shops and restaurants as well as entertainment attractions for every age and interest.

PIGEON FORGE AT A GLANCE

ACCOMMODATIONS: 13,500 rooms, suites, condos, chalets and cabins

CONTACT INFO:

Pigeon Forge Department of Tourism 800-251-9100 pigeonforgemeeting.com

LECONTE EVENT CENTER

BUILT: 2013

EXHIBIT SPACE: 232,000 square feet with seating capacity in excess of 12,000 people

Major Meeting Spaces

If your meeting will have more than 1,500 attendees, the LeConte Event Center in Pigeon Forge can accommodate up to 12,000 people with its 232,000-square-foot exhibit space and 17 separate breakout rooms. The center books only one event at a time, so every meeting there gets personalized attention.

The Gatlinburg Convention Center offers 160,000-plus square feet of flexible meeting space. Its Mills Auditorium provides 8,800 square feet and can accommodate 1,100 people in theater seating and 580 people for banquets. The auditorium comes with a 925-square-foot built-in stage, as well as the Gatlinburg Boardroom and 16 meeting rooms, and is walking distance to all the attractions in the historic downtown. The Tennessee Ballroom offers 17,064 square feet, holding 2,100 people in theater seating and 1,050 people for banquets. It can be divided into four sections for smaller events.

The Sevierville Convention Center has two exhibit halls, with 108,261 total square feet of function space, and the ballroom can accommodate up to 1,100 guests. The auditorium at the Ridge Outdoor Resort events center comfortably holds 500 people.

At Dollywood, the DreamMore Resort and Spa welcomes groups with 6,000 square feet of meeting space, as well spacious porches and verandas opening onto outdoor areas. The 26,000 square feet of flexible indoor and outdoor space at the HeartSong Lodge and Resort are perfect for several hundred guests. Riverstone Resort and Spa has four meeting rooms, with 3,600 square feet of exhibit space, with a capacity of 350 people for theater seating and 250 for seated banquets.

Courtesy Pigeon Forge Dept. of Tourism

PIGEON FORGE

Courtesy HeartSong Lodge

Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort

The Ramsey Hotel Fall in Pigeon Forge

Courtesy Pigeon Forge Dept. of Tourism

Courtesy The Dollywood Company

After the Meeting

Open all year and proclaimed by Golf Digest Magazine as one of the most picturesque courses in America, Gatlinburg Golf Course is available for post-event golf outings.

There’s also plenty of arts and crafts. The largest grouping of independent artisans in North America call this area home, and the eight-mile loop of the Great Smoky Mountains Arts and Crafts Community has more than 100 shops with art such as straw brooms, pottery, dulcimers, jewelry, watercolors and photography. Visitors can buy a souvenir or get hands-on and take a class to create their own one-of-a-kind keepsake.

Baseball lovers will want to catch the Tennessee Smokies, a Minor League affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. Another popular stop is the Bush’s Visitor Center. Housed in the 1897 A.J. Bush and Company general store, the visitor’s center has a giant replica can of Bush’s Baked Beans, a museum, a theater, a gift shop, and a café that serves Southern delicacies and Pinto Bean Pie.

Auto enthusiasts will want to get behind the wheel at NASCAR SpeedPark Smoky Mountains, with 22 race-themed attractions including eight go-kart tracks, or tour some of television’s and movies’ most famous vehicles at the Hollywood Star Cars Museum, where they can get up close and personal with James Dean’s Porsche 550 Spyder, Mike Tyson’s Lamborghini Diablo VT Roadster and many more.

And to relax after a few full days of meetings, visitors can listen to bluegrass music and sample the spirits at Ole Smoky Moonshine or have a handcrafted beer at the Yee-Haw Brewing Company.

PIGEON FORGE The Grist Mill at Dollywood

Courtesy The Dollywood Company

GATLINBURG AT A GLANCE

ACCOMMODATIONS: 16,000+ rooms, suites, condos, chalets and cabins

CONTACT INFO:

Gatlinburg Convention & Visitors Bureau 865-436-4178

gatlinburg.com

GATLINBURG CONVENTION CENTER

BUILT: 1989

EXHIBIT SPACE: 160,000+ square feet of flexible meeting space, with 4,000 rooms surrounding the convention center

Distinctive Venues

At Anakeesta Adventure Park’s Cliff Top, where the indoor dining area and deck can accommodate up to 195 guests, attendees get an elevated dining experience with stunning mountain views. Anakeesta’s Vista Plaza has open-air dining for 200, and the Smokehouse can accommodate up to 240 indoors and out. The 35,000-square-foot hangar at the Tennessee Museum of Aviation offers the opportunity to socialize among vintage aircraft after touring the museum’s unique artifacts. Up to 100 guests can enjoy rustic elegance at The River Place, located on 56 acres of river with mountain views. The full-service Barn Event Center offers unique Appalachian architecture in a peaceful and comfortable setting.

Groups of up to 1,000 can enjoy an evening of horse-riding stunts, special effects, aerial performances and a four-course feast at Dolly Parton’s Stampede. At the Compass Rose Room at The Island in Pigeon Forge, event planners can hold receptions for up to 250 and banquets for 200. Attendees also enjoy free time to explore all of the exciting attractions at The Island in Pigeon Forge, including rides, an arcade, a 200-foot-high observation wheel, a multi-million-dollar show fountain and the Alcatraz East Crime Museum.

The Grand Majestic Theater features a number of live music shows, including an Elvis tribute, the “Soul of Motown Revue” and “Hit Parade Time Warp Jukebox.” And the Titanic Museum Attraction can provide an unforgettable private event for up to 350 guests. Visitors enjoy climbing the Grand Staircase, touching an iceberg and admiring more than 400 artifacts from the magnificent ship

Opportunities for team-building activities abound. Riders of all skill levels can try downhill mountain biking at Ober Mountain or get interactive with a hands-on cooking class at the Smoky Mountain School of Cooking, where attendees can prepare and eat mouth-watering mountain fair like hot honey chicken, black-eyed pea bruschetta and apple dumplings. And Gatlin’s Fun Center has a wide array of entertainment options, including an escape room and the Rugged Ropes Adventure Course, where they can face 38 challenges, such as rickety bridges, suspended ropes and other obstacles — all while suspending three stories above the ground.

GATLINBURG Ober Gatlinburg’s aerial tram

GATLINBURG

Gatlinburg Convention Center

Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies

SkyBridge in Gatlinburg

The premier event and meeting venue in Kentucky.

Centrally located between Louisville and Lexington, the Shelbyville Conference Center combines versatility, beauty, and modern amenities to provide a welcoming and accommodating venue for events of all types.

Flexible floorplans and state-of-the-art technology allow for groups ranging in size to intimate executive meetings to company-wide conferences to gather together in the premier event and meeting venue in Kentucky. Charming and historic Shelbyville is just steps away, offering dining, shopping, acommodations, and more for attendees to enjoy. Visit shelbykyvenues.com to learn more.

AGEM Lowcountry

NBY KATHERINE TANDY BROWN

amed “The South’s Best Small Town” multiple times by the readers of Southern Living, Beaufort, South Carolina, embraces its size with gusto.

“We don’t have the large convention space many other destinations may have,” said Rob Wells, executive director of Visit Beaufort. “But man, when we put on a show, we can do it well. Who wouldn’t want to come to the South’s best small town?”

And what a show it is. Surrounded by hundreds of miles of pristine marshes teeming with unusual flora and fauna, Beaufort lies in the South Carolina Lowcountry along the Intracoastal Waterway a few miles from the Atlantic Ocean. People of every ilk flock here, drawn by water, wildlife, sand and quality of light, while others come for fascinating history, luscious seafood, outdoor activities, an easily walkable downtown and, above all, natural beauty. Ancient live oaks draped with Spanish moss line its streets and create allées on its plantations. Days are often sunny and warm with brilliant sunsets.

“Your meetings can be outdoors almost any time of year,” said Linda Jeffries, director of sales for Visit Beaufort.

The second oldest town in the state, Beaufort began in 1711 on Port Royal Island, one of 200-plus islands making up Beaufort County. Too pretty to burn, this genteel destination was occupied by Northern troops during the Civil War, and stately mansions still abound. One of those, Tidalholme, an 1853 antebellum mansion in Beaufort’s historic residential section, was the filming location for “The Big Chill.”

With 500-plus years of history under its belt, the coastal town shows off its past on van tours, horsedrawn carriage tours, walking tours, movie tours, and Coastal Expeditions boat-based historic tours and ecological tours with dolphins frolicking beside the boats.

One of the nation’s oldest such structures, the Arsenal, originally built in 1798 and rebuilt in 1852, houses the Beaufort History Museum and Beaufort Visitors Center. Here visitors can learn the whole story of “Beautiful Beaufort by the Bay”.

“We’re very much an authentic Lowcountry destination,” Wells said. “The slower pace, the Americana feel to a downtown, all dripping with history, but without commercializing ticket sales for that experience.”

HUNTING ISLAND LIGHTHOUSE

LOCATION

Between Savannah and Charleston, slightly inland from South Carolina’s Atlantic Coast on the Intracoastal Waterway

ACCESS

U.S. highways 21 and 278; South Carolina highway 170; Interstate 95; Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport (50 miles); Charleston International Airport (75 miles); Amtrak

MAJOR MEETING SPACES

The Beaufort Inn, Best Western Sea Island Inn, Beaufort Holidaºy Inn and Suites, Beaufort Hilton Garden Suites

HOTEL ROOMS

1,900+ hotel and inn rooms

OFF-SITE VENUES

Port Royal Sound Foundation Maritime Center, St. Phillips Island, The Lyceum at Parris Island, Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park, Hunting Island State Park

CONTACT INFO Visit Beaufort 843-525-8526 beaufortsc.org

Major Meeting Hotels

Groups meeting in Beaufort can choose accommodations and conference space from a variety of historic inns or hotel chains. They can stay in multiple hotels downtown — all with free guest parking — and utilize Kelly Tours for transport to their meeting at the 97-room Beaufort Holiday Inn and Suites, which has 4,292 square feet of space, including a boardroom and hospitality suite.

With an island pink exterior, Beaufort Inn offers 48 rooms in its main building and surrounding cottages. Meeting space is in nearby Tabby Place, with 5,696 square feet indoors and a twinkle-lit 4,437-square-foot outdoor patio.

Off-Site Venues

Featuring stunning views of the Chechessee River, the Port Royal Sound Foundation Maritime Center has info on marsh critters and the Gullah Geechie culture; naturalist-led kayak tours through its 200,000 acres of salt marsh; happy-hour catamaran cruises; and a new 10,000-square-foot pavilion that seats 300.

Once a vacation home belonging to Ted Turner, St. Phillips Island is now part of Hunting Island State Park and can be rented for a small group. Coastal Expeditions can ferry attendees to its grounds.

Downtown on the Beaufort River, Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park has a rentable pavilion and lovely garden spaces for receptions and lunches.

All photos courtesy Visit Beaufort

Beaufort

Team-Building

Beaufort is teambuilding nirvana, with choices that include kayaking, hiking, charter fishing, stand up paddleboarding and more. Meeting attendees can bike past water and woods on the 14.1-mile rails-to-trails Spanish Moss Trail, admire marsh birds and shorebirds on a birding expedition, and beachcomb five miles of crystal sands at 5,000-acre Hunting Island State Park.

Beaufort is also a military town, home to the Marine Corps Recruit Depot. The depot features a golf course, rentable meeting space — the Lyceum — for up to 350 people, and a free, 10,000-square-foot museum full of Marine Corps history.

Teams can cap a competition with an oyster farm tour and an oyster roast.

Things To Do

The Pat Conroy Literary Center honors Beaufort’s beloved son, acclaimed author of such books as “The Prince of Tides” and “The Great Santini.” A docent-led tour highlights Conroy’s personal artifacts, such as his writing desk and the Great Santini’s flight jacket.

From there, it’s an easy stroll downtown to galleries, shops and waterfront restaurants. A Gullah storyteller — a descendant of slaves — can tell tales over a luncheon of Gullah dishes.

Pure outdoor immersion, Port Royal’s Cypress Wetlands features boardwalks, pathways, and an observation deck for upclose views of alligators and exotic birds. After a visit, groups can satiate seafood appetites at Fish Camp Restaurant.

“We’re very much an authentic Lowcountry destination. The slower pace, the Americana feel to a downtown, all dripping with history, but without commercializing ticket sales for that experience.”

— Rob Wells, Visit Beaufort

AN OUTDOOR DECK AT BEAUFORT’S ANCHORAGE 1770 HOTEL

THE ANCHORAGE 1770 PORCH KAYAKING IN THE BEAUFORT MARSHES

DRIFTWOOD ON THE BEACH AT HUNTING ISLAND

Indiana College Towns

RBY PAULA AVEN GLADYCH

esidents of the Hoosier state are known for their fanatical passion for basketball, a penchant that permeates many of Indiana’s college towns. Meeting groups wanting to embrace that college spirit will find plenty of unique venues in town and on campus that also offer the opportunity to watch sporting events, attend local festivals, shop local and enjoy food at local hot spots.

Here are five Indiana college towns that make great destinations for meetings.

BLOOMINGTON

More than half of the population of Bloomington is made up of college students from Indiana University Bloomington. The universi-

ty is connected to downtown Bloomington via the Sample Gates, an impressive entranceway at the intersection of Kirkwood and Indiana Avenue.

Meeting groups wanting to take advantage of the city’s proximity to the university can utilize its fine arts offerings or theater programs or take a behind-the-scenes tour of the Assembly Hall, where Big 10 basketball games reign supreme. Experts from the university are available to serve as guest speakers for conferences.

Groups can rent space overlooking IU’s Memorial Stadium and downtown Bloomington that can hold up to 250 guests. The 24,000-square-foot Monroe Convention Center downtown can host groups of 350 to 500 people. There is a 117-room Courtyard by Marriott attached to the convention center and several other hotels within walking distance, including the Hyatt Place Bloomington and Hilton Garden Inn Bloomington. The Indiana Memorial Union’s Biddle Hotel and Conference Center features 189 guest rooms and more than 50,000 square feet of meeting space, from the 5,000-square-foot Alumni Hall to more intimate

Courtesy Visit Bloomington

MEETING PLANNERS CAN HOLD EVENTS ON THE TERRACE AT THE INDIANA UNIVERSITY-THEMED GRADUATE BLOOMINGTON.

conference spaces.

Off-site venues include WonderLab Science Museum, which can host groups of 160, and Oliver Winery, which can host groups up to 150 for evening social functions. The city’s most iconic bar and restaurant, Nick’s English Hut, is close to IU’s Sample Gates and can host groups of 100 upstairs. For fun, groups can sample international cuisine on Fourth Street, which is known as International Row.

visitbloomington.com

EVANSVILLE

Evansville is home to the University of Southern Indiana and the University of Evansville. Situated on a scenic bend of the Ohio River, the city considers itself a small town with big city amenities. It is home to significant cultural sites, a robust arts scene and a burgeoning culinary scene. The downtown area is growing and thriving thanks to the addition of another educational institution — the Indiana University School of Medicine School of Medicine Evansville.

The colleges all offer facility rentals for meetings or events, and the city itself has several large venues.

The Ford Center is a 290,000-square-foot arena in downtown Evansville that is home to the Evansville Thunderbolts professional hockey team, as well as the University of Evansville’s men’s and women’s basketball programs. The facility also attracts major entertainers and concerts and is a premier facility for hosting meetings, exhibitions and conferences.

The arena can hold 10,000 comfortably. The theater can seat 2,200, and the ballrooms can break down to any size needed. The 241-room Double Tree by Hilton Hotel Downtown Evansville is connected to Old National Events Plaza and Ford Center by a skybridge. Hyatt Place Hotel Evansville and Holiday Inn Express and Suites Downtown Evansville are within walking distance of the facility.

Bally’s Evansville Casino and Hotel is also close to the Ford Center and features a 5,982-square-foot conference center that can host 560 for a banquet and three smaller meeting rooms that can host groups of up to 155. Bally’s has a 243-room hotel tower and a 95-room boutique hotel attached.

exploreevansville.com

FORT WAYNE

Fort Wayne is home to four universities: Purdue Fort Wayne University, University of Saint Francis, Indiana Tech and Ivy Tech Community College. They attract students from all across the country, as well as employers eager to hire from the talent pool they provide.

Meeting groups can host both indoor and outdoor events at the colleges. The 682-acre Purdue campus has several meeting spaces available in the Walb Union, including the Classic Ballroom, which can hold up to 350 guests, and the International Ballroom that can host 448 for a seated meal. Several smaller

Courtesy Visit Bloomington

BLOOMINGTON’S OLIVER WINERY

By Alex Morgan, courtesy Explore Evansville

AN EVANSVILLE FESTIVAL

meeting rooms are perfect for breakout sessions. Outdoor venues include Alumni Park and Alumni Plaza.

Indiana Tech rents out its conference center, theaters and recreation center for conferences and events.

In town, the Grand Wayne Convention Center offers 225,000 square feet of meeting and event space. The 246-room Hilton Fort Wayne is attached to the convention center. The Allen County War Memorial Coliseum includes a 13,000-seat arena, a 108,000-square-foot expo center, and a 27,155-square-foot conference center that can seat up to 1,810 for a banquet.

For fun, attendees can take in a TinCaps baseball game at Parkview Field; visit Science Central, which features hands-on activities and more than 200 exhibits; or wander the Botanical Conservatory, which sits across from the Grand Wayne Convention Center. Groups can rent kayaks at Promenade Park on the Riverfront, walk along the riverwalk or take a tour on a historic canal boat.

visitfortwayne.com

NEW ALBANY

New Albany is home to IU Southeast, a smaller campus of Indiana University with its own sports teams and mascot, the Grenadiers. Like most of the Hoosier state, New Albany and southern Indiana are full of sports fans.

Visitors to the area can embrace the Grenadiers spirit by attending sporting events on campus or taking in a show at IU’s Ogle Center, which features three indoor performance venues. Groups can rent out the 500-seat concert hall, 96-seat recital hall and 338-seat theater for meetings or events. The center also has a large outdoor amphitheater that can seat up to 6,000.

IU Southeast has a large conference center, which can host up to 375 in the Hoosier Room. There are also several smaller rooms that can host groups of eight to 90. In New Albany proper, there are several hotels with meeting spaces. The Calumet Club can seat 300 in its 5,000-square-foot Bliss Ballroom and up to 150 guests for a reception in Bliss Hall. The Grand is a former theater-turned-ballroom that can host 500 for a banquet or up to 1,200 guests for a reception.

The Sporting Club at the Farm has two barns and a conference room for large or small events. Groups can choose to participate

In town, the Grand Wayne Convention Center offers 225,000 square feet of meeting and event space. The 246-room Hilton Fort Wayne is attached to the convention center.

By Stephen Bailey, courtesy Visit Fort Wayne

FORT WAYNE’S PROMENADE PARK

Courtesy SoIN Tourism

THE GREENWAY IN NEW ALBANY

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Meagan Drabik Sales Manager

in shooting sports or archery as part of their rental. Smaller groups can rent out Culbertson Mansion State Historic Site for a small dinner or murder mystery party.

In their free time, attendees can explore downtown New Albany, taking in the beautiful mansions that pepper the area, or cross the river to Louisville, Kentucky, to enjoy the city’s extensive bourbon scene or visit Churchill Downs Racetrack. gosoin.com

WEST LAFAYETTE/LAFAYETTE

Boilermaker pride runs deep in West Lafayette, the home of Purdue University, a globally recognized research institution. The area has a rich and diverse culture, and the university and community are always collaborating on events, including Purdue Athletics and festivals such as The Taste of Tippecanoe or the Feast of the Hunter’s Moon.

With a train as a mascot, along with Purdue Pete, Purdue infuses West Lafayette and its counterpart across the river, Lafayette, with youthful energy. Groups wanting to host events in this consummate college town can utilize the Purdue Union Club Hotel on campus, which is decorated in Purdue’s colors and is infused with the college’s history. The property is close to West Lafayette’s downtown, Chauncey Village, with its local restaurants and nightlife, and features 182 guest rooms and 20,104 square feet of meeting space across seven event rooms. The North and South ballrooms can be combined to accommodate nearly 800 guests. Attendees can play golf at Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex or schedule a massage at the brand-new Union Club Hotel Spa.

Purdue Conferences has facilities and services that can accommodate groups of 10 to 6,000, the majority of which are connected to the Union Club Hotel by hallways or an underground tunnel. Tippecanoe County Fairgrounds and Event Center features 13 meeting and event spaces, a full kitchen, shelters and outdoor recreation areas. There are 34 hotels in the area, with a total of 3,102 rooms.

homeofpurdue.com

With a train as a mascot, along with Purdue Pete, Purdue infuses West Lafayette and its counterpart across the river, Lafayette, with youthful energy.

PAGEANTRY AT A PURDUE FOOTBALL GAME IN WEST LAFAYETTE

Photos courtesy Visit Lafayette/West Lafayette

BALLROOM

Sample Gates, Indiana University

Meet Indiana’s Museums

By

ABY PAULA AVEN GLADYCH

treasure trove of museums and historic sites pepper the state of Indiana, showcasing the history of people from the Native Americans who first called the area home to the European settlers and other groups that have migrated here over the centuries. These five museums offer meeting groups the chance to host events in settings more unique than hotel ballrooms while absorbing a little history at the same time.

CORYDON CAPITOL STATE HISTORIC SITE

Corydon, Indiana

Corydon served as the capital of Indiana when it first became a state in 1816. The city is in the southern portion of the state. The capitol building was built between 1814 and 1816 and has

Dev.

been perfectly preserved, in part because it has remained in constant use since its founding. It served as the seat of government until 1825, when the state capital moved to Indianapolis. It is well known as the site where Indiana’s first constitution was signed into law. After 1825, the building served as the county courthouse until a new one was built in the 1920s. At that time, there was a push to turn the historic capitol into a museum to tell the story of Indiana’s founding and the men who made it happen. As part of the renovation, the building was restored to its original appearance on the inside.

The historic site also has a governor’s headquarters building, which was purchased for the governor to use while the legislature was in session, as well as the First State Office Building.

The capitol building sits in the middle of a square that can be rented out for large outdoor events. The office building, which was built in 1816, can accommodate 75 guests for a standing reception or 45 for a sit-down event. indianamuseum.org

Emily Winship, courtesy IN Office of Tourism

INDIANA’S FIRST STATE CAPITOL IN CORYDON MAKES A MEMORABLE SETTING FOR SMALL MEETINGS.

ANGEL MOUNDS STATE HISTORIC SITE

Evansville, Indiana

Located on the banks of the Ohio River in southwest Indiana, Angel Mounds State Historic Site preserves one of the best precontact Native American sites in North America. Built between A.D. 1000 and 1450, the town was occupied by more than 1,000 people during its heyday. The site stands out because of the large earthen mounds that were built to elevate important buildings.

The historic site comprises 575 acres, and its interpretive center offers a place for visitors to learn about the Native Americans who lived there and the artifacts discovered by archaeologists. The interpretive center is being renovated and is expected to reopen with its first new exhibit in 20 years in November. The old exhibit told the story of the site from an archaeological perspective. The new exhibit is a collaboration with representatives of the local tribes that are descendants of the Mississippian culture that built the mounds.

The renovation will allow groups to better make use of the interpretive center for events. Overlook Hall features a window overlooking the property’s central mound. It can host groups of up to 120 people. A smaller conference room can host more intimate groups. Groups that rent out the entire site for large events can have total access to the village site.

The museum rental includes tables, chairs and A/V equipment. Groups can bring in off-site caterers to serve their event. indianamuseum.org

ELKHART COUNTY HISTORICAL MUSEUM

Bristol, Indiana

The Elkhart County Historical Museum in Bristol was founded as the Elkhart County Historical Society in 1896. It moved into its current building in 1968.

The museum strives to tell the stories of the many residents of this county in northern Indiana, not just those of its earliest European settlers. That includes the stories of the native cultures, including the Miami and Potawatomi tribes. The museum’s leaders want to build relationships among all groups, including African Americans, Hispanic and Latino groups in the community and others that aren’t represented by a historical European pioneer focus.

The museum incorporates interactive exhibits whenever possible. Clues Through the Lens, its latest exhibit, uses the museum’s image collection to ask questions of history and to encourage people to think like a detective to better understand the past. A permanent exhibit gives an overview of Elkhart County from its paleo residents up through modern times.

The museum is attached to a gymnasium that was built in 1925. Groups of up to 300 can rent it out for meetings or events. The facility provides tables and chairs, but groups must bring their own A/V equipment and food. No alcohol is allowed. Since the building is historic, it does not have air conditioning and is

By Andrew Hancock, courtesy IN Office of Tourism Dev.

THE GOVERNOR’S QUARTERS AT CORYDON CAPITAL STATE HISTORIC SITE

Courtesy IN Office of Tourism Dev.

ANGEL MOUNDS STATE HISTORIC SITE

most often rented out in the colder months of the year. Groups can plan a visit to the museum as part of their facility rental. If the event is outside normal business hours, they will have to make a reservation to include a visit to the museum exhibits. elkhartcountyparks.org

T.C. STEELE STATE HISTORIC SITE

Nashville, Indiana

Theodore Clement “T.C.” Steele was an American Impressionist painter who was best known for his paintings of Indiana’s natural landscapes. Steele was a member of the renowned Hoosier Group and studied at the Royal Academy in Munich, Germany, from 1880 to 1885. Upon his return to Indiana, Steele made his living painting portraits but developed a love of landscape painting through his travels in Southern Indiana.

After his first wife died, he moved with his second wife to Brown County, Indiana, in 1907. They built their home among the rolling hills, calling it the House of the Singing Winds. They built a large studio in 1916 to hold T.C.’s artwork, and his wife planted several gardens around the home and studio and landscaped the surrounding property to help it blend in with the area’s natural beauty.

The property is open to visitors, and groups can take advantage of it for meetings or events. The property’s grounds make a lovely backdrop for weddings or receptions among the gardens

INSIDE THE STUDIO AT T.C. STEELE STATE HISTORIC SITE IN BROWN COUNTY

Courtesy IN Office of Tourism Dev.

Courtesy IN Office of Tourism Dev.

T.C. STEELE PAINTING

or spruce grove. The outdoor spaces can host groups of 50 to 300 guests.

T.C. Steele’s Large Studio was designed to display his work in a way that was consistent with the surrounding landscape. It has a large window on one side overlooking Brown County and is a great indoor venue for groups of up to 50.

The property also has a classroom space with a small kitchen that can host groups of up to 15.

indianamuseum.org

Theodore Clement “T.C.” Steele’s Large Studio was designed to display his work in a way that was consistent with the surrounding landscape.

SUSTAINABLE TOURISM EXPERIENCES IN JUST ONE CLICK

Travelers want rich, authentic, and meaningful experiences.

As travel professionals, we need to ensure we use travel as a force for good.

Discover hands-on cultural experiences, impact organizations, sustainable products and more through the Tourism Cares Meaningful Travel Map.

Explore meaningful travel at tourismcares.org/meaningful-map

T.C. STEELE STATE HISTORIC SITE

By Amy Payne, courtesy IN Office of Tourism Dev.

Pictured:

AUBURN CORD DUESENBERG AUTOMOBILE MUSEUM

Auburn, Indiana

The Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. It is located in a historic Art Deco building that was constructed in 1930 as the showroom and corporate offices of the Auburn Automobile Company. Visitors can not only enjoy the building’s architecture but also spend time perusing the 120 vehicles in the collection, many of which are on loan from private collections and other museums.

The museum displays cars that were built by Auburn, Cord or Duesenberg; vehicles that were built in Indiana; and prototype vehicles. It also features racing and engineering exhibits.

The facility has three meeting spaces: two smaller rooms that can accommodate team building or corporate retreats and a large event space, Willennar Hall, that can host 816 guests for weddings, large community events or fundraisers. The museum is always open when an event is going on, and groups can explore the different exhibits on their own. Docent-led tours must be arranged in advance. There is a list of preferred caterers, but the museum has everything a group would need to pull off an event, including A/V equipment. The facility has its own liquor license, so if a group would like alcohol service, it can be provided.

The museum hosts the ACD Festival, an annual classic car show and festival, as well as the Gatsby Gala Ball, a 1920s dance. automobilemuseum.org

Meet in Terre Haute, Indiana

Courtesy Indiana Office of Tourism

AUBURN CORD DUESENBERG AUTOMOBILE MUSEUM

30,000

5,000+