Post Conference Tour - Santa Fe, New Mexico December 8-9, 2007 YOUR INVITED to "The Land of Enchantment" Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town Albuquerque, New Mexico! Plans are underway for the IAHMP Annual Conference on December 6-9, 2007 at the Hotel Albuquerque in Historic Old Town. Your going to love this destination! No other part of the country offers the ambiance of endless sunsets, brilliant mountains, and Mexican, Spanish Navajo Nation and Native American culture. Albuquerque is known as the "Land of Enchantment" When you go there you will never want to leave. So mark your calendar and make plans now to attend the 12th Annual IAHMP Conference and Trade EXPO on December 6-9, 2007.
Annual Membership Drive! Meeting planners, bring in 2 new meeting planner
Hotel Albuquerque exemplifies "Albuquerque Style," a unique blend of New Mexico's Pueblo, Spanish Territorial and Western cultural influences. Listed in Travel + Leisure in 2001 as one of “25 stylish hotels under $200,� Hotel Albuquerque is a landmark hotel nestled in the heart of the historic Old Town Plaza and museum district with its 400 year history and more than 200 shops, restaurants, and galleries to explore. Hotel Albuquerque is also a convenient starting point for further exploration of all that Albuquerque and central New Mexico has to offer. Call 1-800-237-2133 or 505-843-6300 www.hhandr.com/hotelabq
members and receive 50% off your annual dues.
Suppliers, recruit and sponsor 2 new meeting planner members and get 50% off your annual conference registration.
Suppliers, recruit 2 new supplier members and get 50% off your conference Trade Expo space. Contact Cathy Gonzales, Vice President of Membership at CATHY@ahcnm.org or Margaret Gonzalez, President at mgonzalez@gvragency.com or go online at www.IAHMP.org and submit the Membership Forms. But be sure to call 281333-1552 so you can receive your 50% discount.
Hosted Meeting Planners Be among the many Hosted meeting professionals at this year's conference. Do you plan meetings, conventions and special events? Are you the decision maker in selecting the site or destination? Do you help make the decisions? Are you the president or chairman of a Hispanic association? You could qualify for R/T airfare and a 3 night stay at the host hotel. Fill out the online Hosted Meeting Planner form at www.IAHMP.org to see if you qualify. All requests must be received by November 5, 2007.
Sponsored by International Association of Hispanic Meeting Professionals, the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce, Hispanic Meetings & Travel, Hispanic Hotel Owners Association, GVR Public Relations, Inc., and Heritage Hotels and Resorts, Inc. For additional information contac t the GVR Public Relations Agenc y, Inc. 1322 Space Park, Suite A-190 | Houston, Texas 77058 | Tel. 281-333-1881 | Fax. 281-333-1996 | www.gvragency.com
contents SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2007 | VOL/ 9 | NO/5
Cover Story 12 | New Mexico New Mexico is famous for its amazing natural beauty and ancient past. From dinosaurs to volcanoes to Native American Anasazi ruins you won't be disappointed. Since the days of the nomadic Native American tribes, the Spanish Conquistadores, and the traders of the Santa Fe Trail, the state of New Mexico has played host to touring peoples of all kinds. As the fifth largest state by land-mass, New Mexico lends itself well to touring by automobile, which millions of people did during the heyday of the famous Route 66. But whether you want to tour by car or on foot, if you want to see natural beauty, historical documents or breathtaking art of all kinds, New Mexico has something for you to see that you just won't find anywhere else.
4 HM&T | Hispanic Meetings & Travel
24 Feature 24 | Convention Centers
38 | Association Updates
Hispanic Meetings & Travel 2007 Convention
The International Association of Hispanic Meeting Professionals is preparing for their 12th Annual Educational Conference and tradeshow on December 6-9, 2007. The Greater Milwaukee Hispanic Professional Association held their annual luncheon and awarded several scholarships.
Showcase features several unique convention centers and facilities across the country. Kicking off the section is the Albuquerque Convention Center, followed by the Milwaukee Midwest Airlines Center, Norfolk's Waterside Convention Complex, Philadelphia's Pennsylvania Convention Center, The Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center
22
located in Kissimmee, Florida and the Laredo Civic Center and the Laredo Entertainment Center.
Departments 6 | Editors Note 6 | Credits 8 | Industry Briefs 22 | Arts & Culture
36
42 | HM&T Speakers Bureau
Inside the Torre贸n, at Albuquerque, New Mexico's National Hispanic Cultural Center internationally
Juana Bordas is President of Mestiza Leadership International -- a company that focuses on leadership, diversity, and organizational change. A former faculty member for the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL, she taught in the Leadership Development Program (LDP) - the most highly utilized executive program in the world. Mike Aguilera is CEO and founder of Aguilera & Associates. He has created and conducts a series of unique empowering workshops and presentations all based around subconscious communication techniques and strategies for relationships, both business and personal, stress reduction, creative solution thinking, sales, negotiations, and leadership.
renowned artist Frederico Vigil is at work on a massive painting depicting the cultural development
44
of Hispanic heritage from prehistory to the present. His painting is being executed in the ancient technique called "fresco" in which paint is applied to wet plaster creating a permanent chemical bond and images that should last for thousands of years.
36 | Cuisine Chef Tony brings an extensive talented culinary background to Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town venues, Cristobal's and Caf茅 Plazuela as well as the hotel's banquets. The typical hotel food you may
44 | Travel Destination Newport Beach is a Southern California beach community nestled 50 miles south of Los Angeles and 85 miles north of San Diego. Its' seaside sophistication caters to those individuals seeking the good life. Newport Beach is approximately 50 square miles, of which 25 are water, and has 9 miles of pristine beaches making it ideal for sailing, waterskiing, surfing, snorkeling, scuba diving, deep sea diving and taking in the California sun. With temperatures averaging in the mid 70's in summer and mid 60's in the winter Newport Beach is a great travel destination year round.
find in most hotels is certainly not what you will experience at Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town.
46 | Calendar of Events www.hispanicmeetingstravel.com | HM&T 5
EDITOR’S COMMENT
Border cities
The Border Wall Will the building of The Wall between the United States and Mexico impact local economies, natural habitats and the travel and
?
tourism industry
think it will and the McAllen Chamber of Commerce and the Convention & Visitors Bureau are taking an active and vocal role in opposing The Wall. McAllen Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Steve Ahlenius contends there are much better and much more effective ways to secure our border than building walls. “There may be some areas along the border where a wall makes sense, but South Texas is definitely not one of them,” he said. McAllen, Texas sits on the border with Mexico and will be significantly affected by the proposed wall along the Rio Grande. “What could be more offensive to a country than to have a wall built along its border?” Ahlenius asked. Border towns are pushing for alternative security rather than a physical wall, asserting that a wall will damage relations with Mexico and seriously impact the local environment and may have a negative impact on their economies. Government and business leaders in the Texas’ Rio Grande Valley, both Republican and Democrat, are in accord over their desire for secure borders without walls. While definitely in favor of security they do not believe physical walls will work. The Secure Fence Act of 2006 is a law that requires the federal government to build two layers of reinforced fencing along the border from Laredo to Brownsville by April 2008. Many people in the border cities believe The Wall has the potential to cripple their economy, devastate the environment, and blight their communities.
Not just a couple of chain link fences… Based on fencing recently built in California and comments by the Department of Homeland Security, a barrier along the border could consist of the following:
HispanicMeetingsTravel.com PUBLISHER GVR Public Relations Agency, Inc. www.gvragency.com EDITORIAL EDITOR Angela Gonzalez de Rowe Angela.Rowe@hispanicmeetingstravel.com MANAGING EDITOR Margarita G. Rodriguez ASSOCIATE EDITOR Steven Gonzalez DESIGN & PRODUCTION MARGIL VILLARREAL DESIGN CREATIVE DIRECTOR - Margil Villarreal ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR - Iris Villarreal www.margilvillarreal.com ADVERTISING STEVEN GONZALEZ sgonzalez@hispanicmeetingstravel.com MARIA GONZALEZ mdgonzalez@hispanicmeetingstravel.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Michael Aguilera, Albuquerque CVB, Albuquerque Hispano
Two steel and concrete walls 15 feet high and 50 feet apart with a cleared area on either side of up to 50 feet, creating a cleared swath of land 150 feet across. A fully lighted, graded road running between the fences allowing Border Patrol vehicles to travel up to 50 mph.
Chamber of Commerce, Juana Bordas, Edelman, Gaylord Palms Resort, Steven Gonzalez, Margaret Gonzalez, Heritage Hotels, Hispanic Professionals of Greater Milwaukee, Laredo CVB, Las Cruces CVB, Louisville CVB, M. Silver Associates, MGM Mirage, Doug Merriam, Chris Corrie, Jay Blackwood, Jack Parsons, Milwaukee CVB, Milwaukee Midwest Center, Nadine DeGenova Public Relations, National Hispanic Cultural
In Las Vegas the Gaming industry’s Gary Loveman, chairman and chief executive officer for Harrah’s Entertainment, Terry Lanni, MGM Mirage chairman and chief executive officer, Keith Smith, president Boyd Gaming and Andrew Pascal, Wynn Las Vegas president have joined the immigration debate. Speaking on behalf of 19 Strip casinos, the gaming executives want immigration reforms to protect their workers. “We are a nation of immigrants, and this is an issue that affects all of us,” Lanni said. More than half of MGM’s 70,000 workers are minorities, and 30 percent are Hispanic, company officials said. While Hispanic immigrants have been the focus of the immigration reform issue, the matter cuts across a wide path. At one Las Vegas resort, workers represent 84 nationalities. The National Association of Latino Elected Officials - NALEO has stated “Our nation’s immigrants have made invaluable contributions to the progress of the United States, and immigrants continue to enrich the social, economic, cultural and civic life of our country. Our immigration policies must recognize these contributions, as well as the important role that immigrant workers and their families play in the future growth of our nation. In order to best ensure our nation’s security, our immigration enforcement measures must be effective, fair and humane.” See entire statement at www.NALEO.org We invite you to join the International Association of Hispanic Meeting Professionals – IAHMP United States and IAHMP Mexico Chapter when they host the 12th Annual Conference – “Bridging Borders in the Meetings & Hospitality Industry” on December 6-9, 2007 at the historic Hotel Albuquerque in New Mexico. See conference update on page 40. This conference promises to raise the bar when it comes to building relationships in the America’s.
Angela Marie Gonzalez de Rowe | Editor 6 HM&T | Hispanic Meetings & Travel
Center Foundation, Newport Beach CVB, Norfolk CVB, Philadelphia CVB, Santa Fe CVB, Maria Sarabia, Switchback Public Relations, Taos CVB. PHOTOGRAPHY Albuquerque CVB, Gaylord Palms Resort, Heritage Hotels, Hispanic Professionals of Greater Milwaukee, Laredo CVB, Las Cruces CVB, M. Silver Associates, Milwaukee CVB, MGM Mirage, Nadine DeGenova Public Relations, National Hispanic Cultural Center Foundation, Newport Beach CVB, Norfolk CVB, Philadelphia CVB, Switchback Public Relations, Santa Fe CVB, Taos CVB. ADVERTISING SALES OFFICE 1322 Space Park, Suite A-190 Houston, Texas 77058 281-333-1755 / 281-333-1996 (fax) W E B PA G E www.hispanicmeetingstravel.com WEB MASTER - Margil Villarreal Hispanic Meetings & Travel, ISSN # 1527-8387 is owned and published bi-monthly by the GVR Public Relations Agency, Inc. at 1322 Space Park, Suite A-190, Houston, Texas 77058. ©1999-2007 All rights Reserved. Hispanic Meetings & Travel cannot by held responsible for unsolicited material. The publisher does not assume any responsibility for any unsolicited material and will return only those accompanied by stamped self-addressed envelope. We reserve the right to edit all copy. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior permission of the publisher. Subscription rates: $30.00 per year within the USA, $52.50 in Canada, and $75.00 elsewhere. All subscriptions must be paid in U.S. currency. Single copies: U.S. $5.00, Canada $8.75, and $12.50 elsewhere. Produced in the USA.
industrybriefs
N E W * F R E S H * P R O G R E S S I V E
Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau PRESIDENT/CEO NICKI E. GROSSMAN RECEIVES DIVERSITY AND MINORITY AWARENESS AWARDS R E CO G N I Z E D for her persistent support of minority travel initiatives and the promotion of Broward County’s rich cultural heritage, Nicki E. Grossman, the President of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau, has recently been named a recipient of the National Association of Black Hotel Owners, Operators and Developers (NABHOOD) Multicultural Tourism Trailblazer Award and the Urban League of Broward County’s Diversity Champion Award. The NABHOOD presented Ms. Grossman with the Multicultural Tourism Trailblazer Award during the 11th Annual Multicultural Tourism/Hotel Ownership Summit and Trade Show, July 18-21, 2007, in Atlanta. Ms. Grossman received this honor in recognition of her commitment and vision to diversity and inclusiveness for minorities. Leading a variety of efforts to promote diversity and travel for minorities, she is currently working to bring the Gospel Complex for Education and Preservation to Greater Fort Lauderdale. “We are proud that one of our dedicated direc-
tors has received two prestigious awards for her commitment to promoting the diversity of Broward County,” said Mayor Josephus Eggelletion of Broward County. On September 28, 2007, Grossman will receive the Urban League of Broward County’s Diversity Champion Award, at the Equal Opportunity Day Awards Dinner at the Broward County Convention Center. She is the first female recipient of the award, which names an individual who best promotes the equitable representation of African Americans and other minorities through various aspects of their organization. Specifically the Urban League is celebrating Ms. Grossman for her support of travel and tourism initiatives highlighting Broward County’s diversity and cultural heritage. Attractions such as the African American Research Library & Cultural Center and the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum represent some of the destinations best centers for cultural learning. Ms. Grossman and the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau’s success in market-
ing to minorities are not only evident in these awards but also in the increase in minority business and meetings revenues. In the past two years, Greater Fort Lauderdale has seen a 91 percent and 71 percent increase in multicultural business, respectively. For more information about Greater Fort Lauderdale’s diverse offerings log on to www.sunny.org/multicultural.
MGM MIRAGE Named a Top Company for Hispanics Hotel and Gaming company Recognized by prominent organizations for inclusion of Latin community MGM MIRAGE was recently recognized by three prominent organizations as a top company for Hispanics. The company was named to the “Corporate Diversity Honor Roll” by Latin Business magazine; one of the “Top 60 Companies for Diversity” by Hispanic Business magazine; and one of the “50 Best Companies for Latinas” by LATINA Style magazine. Since its inception in 2000, the company’s diversity initiative has resulted in greater inclusion of the Latin community in human resources, procurement and construction. According to the company’s 2006 Annual Diversity Report, Hispanics comprise 27.6 percent of MGM MIRAGE’s total workforce and 10.4 percent of those who hold manager 8 HM&T | Hispanic Meetings & Travel
positions and above. Additionally, the company spent nearly $27 million in biddable goods and services with Hispanic vendors, and $51 million in construction related spending with Hispanic contractors. The company has also established partnerships with numerous national and local organizations that support the Hispanic business community such as the Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility, National Council of La Raza, Las Vegas Latin Chamber of Commerce, Texas Association of Mexican
American Chambers of Commerce and the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. In order to recruit and develop employees, MGM MIRAGE offers several training and management development programs, including ESL classes. Additionally, its premier Diversity Champion training program has aided employees in accommodating the growing Hispanic tourism market that has made Las Vegas the nation’s top city destination for Hispanic visitors according to a recent survey conducted by the Travel Industry Association of America.
The Hilton Anatole Announces A $45 Million Renovation; Transforms Meeting, Public Spaces and Tower Guestrooms Dallas’ Icon Undergoes Second Phase of Multi-Year Renovation; Uses the Inspiration of its Asian Art Collection and Contemporary Building Structure to Create Legendary Stays for Guests
The hotel recently completed the renovation of its new $4.5 million, 8,300 sq. ft. oval Stemmons Ballroom with the conversion of the previous Stemmons Auditorium. The ballroom features dark cherry hardwoods, rich, white-toned fabric wall treatments, custom carpets and cuttingedge meeting technologies. The space is divisible by four and gives the ballroom greater versatility, providing the hotel another spectacular and elegant, venue for high-profile group and catering events. The newly renovated Atrium pre-function
DALLAS’
legendary Hilton Anatole Hotel announces a $45 million renovation to transform 126,304 sq. ft. of meeting space, many of its public areas and its 700 Tower guestrooms. This marks the hotel’s second phase of its multi-year renovation project representing a total investment in excess of $100 million. The renovation design is inspired by the Anatole’s Asian art collection – the largest private assembly for any U.S. hotel – and the inherent contemporary design of the property’s structure to create a look and feel that will provide guests with a legendary experience. Additionally, it demonstrates the Hilton Anatole’s commitment to continually evolve to remain the region’s premier meeting, event and business travel hotel and to the renovation plans following Hilton’s property management agreement finalized in January 2006. “The Hilton Anatole is a Dallas landmark. Many guests have hosted or attended one-of-a-kind events at the hotel and a number of Dallas-ites have experienced life’s most memorable firsts such as anniversaries, engagements and birthdays,” said Marc L. Messina, general manager for the Hilton Anatole Hotel. “The renovations allow the hotel to evolve without losing the timeless aspect that people hold close to their hearts.” “The complete design of our space is unlike anything we’ve done before. Working with our onsite team and design firm, Portfolio Associates, we are creating the look and feel of guestrooms normally found at a luxury boutique hotel while maintaining the sizable space, functionality and conveniences that are synonymous with the Anatole,” said Tyler McDonald, director of sales and marketing for the Hilton Anatole Hotel. “The transformed space will be more modern and upscale while maintaining the integrity and special characteristics that only the Anatole has.” The contemporary décor with subtle Asian influences has been extended into all aspects of the renovations. The color palate features bold yet earthy tones including creams, greens, chocolate hues, yellows and oranges. The defined lines throughout the meeting and public spaces and guestrooms create a calm and soothing tone while the classic edginess adds an invariable coolness.
The spectacular new guest rooms feature custom-designed carpet – exclusive to the Hilton Anatole – custom art highlighted by framed, hand-painted Asian fabrics, Hilton Serenity Collection™ bedding with custom ottomans, new custom closets with in-room safes, hardwood and black lacquer finishes, couches in the living areas, large work desks with lamps and ergonomic desk chairs, high-speed Internet access, two-line speaker phones with data port and voicemail, self-controlled heating and air conditioning, irons and ironing boards and coffee stations. The inspired look and feel has been carried into the bathrooms which also are being fully recreated. The bathrooms feature new stainless fixtures, custom lighting, marble floors, granite countertops, separate sinks and vanities with two large, framed mirrors, make-up mirror and hair dryer, over-sized stone and glass shower surrounds in all king-bedded guest rooms, new ceilings and painted walls. The Tower features 54 spacious suites, as well as Executive Level accommodations, offering private-access floors with 60 deluxe guestrooms and an exclusive Executive Lounge that offers evening cocktails and appetizers, as well as complimentary continental breakfast. “Art is a significant part of the Anatole experience which is why we’re extending its inspiration and versatility into the newly designed spaces,” said Nick Briner, hotel manager for the Hilton Anatole Hotel. “It’s like having treasures throughout the property, and we are confident that our guests will embrace and enjoy the new design and comfort of our public, meeting spaces and guestrooms.”
area, located adjacent to the ballroom, features more than 9,800 sq. ft. of flexible and dramatic event space graced with stunning, grand lighting fixtures and Asian art offerings surrounded by bamboo plantings and Asian gardens. In addition to the Tower guestrooms and the Stemmons Ballroom, the hotel will also completely renovate its Chantilly Ballroom this year with new custom carpets, fabric wall coverings, doors, hardware and meeting technologies. Additional meeting space renovations include the Grand Ballroom, 17 Atrium breakout rooms, the nine Tower “M” ballrooms and meeting rooms, and the eight Tower “Gem” meeting rooms with new custom carpets, new ceilings and wall treatments. The update will include all meeting corridors, foyers and pre-function areas. These spectacular hotel renovations, scheduled for completion late 2007, follow another recent $39 million renovation to the hotel’s Atrium guestrooms, the addition of the chic and contemporary Gossip bar, the 25th floor Executive Lounge with sweeping views of Dallas, and a completely refurbished Wedgwood ballroom and Verandah Club & Spa. In January 2006, the Anatole was added to the Hilton portfolio starting a year in which the Hilton brand was reignited with major enhancements to amenities and facilities. The Hilton portfolio of hotels has also received over $1 billion in renovations on behalf of Hilton Hotels Corporations and its hotel owners at 145 existing corporate-owned, managed and franchised hotels. www.hispanicmeetingstravel.com | HM&T 9
industrybriefs
WALTZ THROUGH TIMELESS ELEGANCE INSIDE THE JW MARRIOTT HOTEL BUCKHEAD ATLANTA... $3 Million Grand Ballroom Renovation Is Now Complete Waltz through timeless elegance inside the JW Marriott Hotel Buckhead Atlanta and discover the breathtaking results of the newly renovated Grand Ballroom. Poised in the heart of Buckhead and connected to Lenox Square Shopping, the JW Marriott Hotel Buckhead Atlanta's 9,000 square-foot Phoenix Ballroom incorporates striking design and décor elements from rich carpeting and wall treatments together with innovative sound and lighting systems, enhanced ceiling structures for state-of-the-art rigging and sound-proof air walls providing versatility for groups of any size.
IndustryBriefs
NewHires Albuquerque Convention & Visitors Bureau welcomes new staff The Albuquerque Convention & Visitors Bureau (ACVB) welcomes new staff members to the destination marketing team. KC Flores, Convention Services Manager KC Flores joins the ACVB as a convention services manager, bringing 12 years of sales and management experience. As a convention services manager, he will be responsible for servicing convention groups after they have booked their meeting in Albuquerque handling everything from transportation arrangements and entertainment selection to special requests on-site. Flores’ most recent experience includes working as an account manager for Coca-Cola, after making his way through the ranks of the company. Flores was also an account manager for Bueno Foods for three years. In addition, Flores is a part-time student currently taking classes at CNM and UNM, and plans to graduate in 2008 with a degree in Business Management. Jessica Regensberg, Convention Sales Assistant ACVB welcomes Jessica Regensberg as a new convention sales assistant. Regensberg has previous experience in the hospitality industry coming to ACVB from the Comfort Inn Airport. She worked at the Comfort Inn for six years as the morning front desk supervisor with responsibilities including reservations, customer relations, and new employee training, among others. As a convention sales assistant, she will assist national sales managers in marketing Albuquerque as a viable destination for hosting conventions and meetings. Regensberg said she is excited about her new position and is looking forward to learning about the broader industry with experience at ACVB.
The grand ballroom was just the finale to the $4.5 million hotel renovations that began in 2005, which encompassed the 18,710 square-
The mission of the Albuquerque Convention and Visitors Bureau is to stimulate economic growth by marketing Albuquerque as a visitor and convention destination. For more information, please call 505.842.9918 or visit our web site at www.itsatrip.org.
feet of overall meeting space, lobby, indoor pool, and health club.
ALLISON FRASER JOINS RENO-SPARKS CONVENTION AND VISITORS AUTHORITY
Voted the Best Luxury Hotel in Atlanta by CitySearch readers, the Four Diamond JW Marriott Buckhead Atlanta offers distinctive elegance and
ALISON FRASER recently joined the Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority’s (RSCVA) convention sales team. Fraser is one of two sales managers designated to attract small meeting and convention groups to Reno-Tahoe. Her territory includes clients and prospective clients located east of the Mississippi River.
flawless execution at every level. "Our mission is to create exceptional experiences in a unique and stylish setting," stated Elaine Carlton, director of sales and marketing. Raising the bar for hotels
Most recently serving as a national convention sales manager at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, Fraser’s previous experience includes sales positions at the Residence Inn by Marriott in San Mateo, Calif. and Hotel Valencia in San Jose, Calif. As director of corporate events for the American Heart Association Reno division, Fraser gained experience planning events and fundraising functions.
across the globe, the JW Marriott Hotel Buckhead Atlanta offers guests a rare mix of impeccable services, stylish and relaxed accommodations and gracious hospitality. "All are elements of our vision to provide genuine, comfortable luxury," added Carlton.
The 371 elegantly
appointed guest rooms and suites boast Marriott
“Allison’s well-rounded background in sales and event planning will be valuable as she works to attract meeting and convention planners to the Reno-Tahoe region,” said Philip D’Amico, executive director of convention sales. Fraser can be contacted directly at 775-827-7683 or by e-mail at afraser@rscva.com. The RSCVA is the primary tourism agency supporting convention and tourism business for the RenoTahoe region. Reno-Tahoe, America’s Adventure Place supports unlimited possibilities from outdoor recreation to 24-hour Nevada style gaming and entertainment. For more information about RenoTahoe, America’s Adventure Place call 800-FOR-RENO(800-367-7366) or visit www.VisitRenoTahoe.com.
Revive® bedding, plush bathrobes, marble bathrooms, mini-bar, coffee maker, and high-speed internet. On site amenities, include a heated indoor lap pool, fitness center, saunas, and whirlpool. Enjoy easy access to downtown, Mid-
Kiawah Island Golf Resort Appoints New Director of National Sales KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. – Kiawah Island Golf Resort recently appointed Jami VanSant as its new Director of National Sales. VanSant is responsible for booking and assisting groups from South Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky and Indiana.
town and Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport with the hotel's close proximity to MARTA train station. For a limited time, hold a meeting or group incentive over value dates and receive double Marriott Rewards points. For details and current Value Dates, please call 404 262-3344, or visit www.jwmarriottbuckhead.com www.jwmarriottbuckhead.com.
10 HM&T | Hispanic Meetings & Travel
VanSant is a native of Asheville, NC, and grew up in Thomson, GA. She is a graduate of the University of Georgia, and joins Kiawah from The Sheraton in Birmingham, AL. Located along 10 miles of pristine beach just south of Charleston, SC, Kiawah Island Golf Resort is rated as the country’s top golf resort by Travel + Leisure Golf. It includes The Sanctuary – a AAA Five Diamond-rated, 255-room hotel and spa – and 600 private villas and luxury homes. The resort has five championship golf courses, including The Ocean Course – host of the 1991 Ryder Cup, the 2007 Senior PGA and 2012 PGA championships. The resort also ranks as the number one tennis resort in the world, has nine restaurants, and features a renowned recreation and nature program. For more information, visit www.kiawahresort.com or call 800-654-2924.
Industry Briefs New Hires GREATER FORT LAUDERDALE CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU APPOINTS NEW SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT AND DIRECTOR OF SALES
The Louisville Convention & Visitors Bureau has appointed three new members to its staff. Katie O'Bryan has been named Director of Midwest Sales and will prospect group
The Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau (GFLCVB) has announced two key sales appointments. John Webb has been named Senior Vice President and Christine M. Tascione has been selected as the Director of Convention and Group Sales. Both appointments will enable the GFLCVB to continue to build upon the transformation of the destination as an increasingly attractive site for meetings and leisure. John Webb, who previously served as the GFLCVB’s Vice President of Sports Marketing, has been appointed Senior Vice President, replacing Dennis Edwards. In his previous position, Webb oversaw the sports development department, where he secured more than 325 events – including this year’s Super Bowl XLI – generating more than $625 million worth of events for Greater Fort Lauderdale’s economy. He also helped orchestrate the Super Bowl’s return to the Greater Fort Lauderdale area in 2010.
business in the Midwest Region of the U.S. for Louisville. Most recently, Katie was a member of the Strategic Account Management team in Experient's Chicago office. "We are thrilled to have Katie on board," says Karen Williams, executive vice president of the Bureau. "Her experience in the Chicago area makes her a perfect fit for this position and we are positive she will be an excellent Louisville representative." Katie's appointment is effective October 1.
Susan Pass is the new Special Projects Coordinator for the Convention Development department. Pass will be responsible for providing back office support, coverage and assistance for Katie O'Bryan, director of Midwest Sales and Mark Barnes, director of Northeast Sales. She most recently worked as an Administrative Director for the 2007 Summer National Senior Games and prior to that, was the Events Coordinator at Champions Management Development Company. The appointment was effective September 5.
Mark Fredo is the new Purchasing Coordinator for the Bureau and will oversee the purchase order process for all departments. Fredo recently moved back to Southern Indiana from Burbank, Calif., where he worked for TBS Superstation as a production accountant. His appointment was effective
“John Webb has been a valued member of the CVB team for more than seven years,” said Nicki E. Grossman, President of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau “John has proven himself as a leader and team player, building excellent relationships throughout the hospitality industry and demonstrating the ability to bring incredible investments to the destination.” In naming Christine M. Tascione the Director of Convention and Group Sales, the GFLCVB has created a new position within the organization designed to showcase new facilities and offerings to groups and grow the destination’s meeting and conventions business. Tascione previously held the title of Director, Sales Administration for Luxury Resorts & Hotels (LXR), and has held various other executive and leadership positions at LXR and Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide. She is charged with attracting new, highprofile business to Greater Fort Lauderdale and leading the group and convention sales staff. “This is an exciting opportunity for both the CVB and Greater Fort Lauderdale’s tourism industry as Christine Tascione strengthens and bolsters our great sales team.” said Grossman “With our 600,000-square-foot Convention Center and a new onsite hotel planned, Christine will be able to secure new meetings business and market segments that in previous years may not have considered us.”
September 4.
New Mexico a Land of Many Contrasts ew Mexico is famous for its amazing natural beauty and ancient past. From dinosaurs to volcanoes to Native American Anasazi ruins you won't be disappointed. Since the days of the nomadic Native American tribes, the Spanish Conquistadores, and the traders of the Santa Fe Trail, the state of New Mexico has played host to touring peoples of all kinds. As the fifth largest state by land-mass, New Mexico lends itself well to touring by automobile, which millions of people did during the heyday of the famous Route 66. But whether you want to tour by car or on foot, if you want to see natural beauty, historical documents or breathtaking art of all kinds, New Mexico has something for you to see that you just won't find anywhere else. Web site: www.newmexico.org.
N
Most Popular Attractions: Billy the Kid Museum, Fort Sumner. Chaco Canyon Historic Park the Anasazi's major center of commerce. The Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad is a 64-mile ride from Chama to Antonito, Colorado over the 10,015-foot Cumbres Pass. International UFO Museum, Roswell to see Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs), aliens, and other life forms. Gila Cliff Dwellings was home to the Tularosa Mogoll贸n people. Sandia Peak Tramway is the world's longest aerial tram. Santa Fe is the state capital known as the Spanish "Kingdom of New Mexico" in 1610 is the oldest capital city in North America. Taos Ski Valley alpine skiing in an unspoiled, powder-packed with a 3,274 vertical feet of Taos Ski Valley. White Sands, Alamogordo 300 square miles
of white sand - it's a dune-textured sea of luxurious gypsum.
Cover Story
Albuquerque, New Mexico’s Largest City lbuquerque is the largest city in the state of New Mexico and Home of the Kodak International Balloon Fiesta, Sandia Peak Ski Area, the Albuquerque Biological Park, and historic Route 66. A thriving city, Albuquerque was once un chartered territory sought after by Francisco Vázquez de Coronado who was in search of what proved to be a highly elusive legend - the Golden Cities of Cíbola. What he found were vast, beautiful landscapes and a rich Pueblo heritage. The Santa Ana, Sandía, Zia, and Isleta pueblos remain and most of them operate successful business ventures, mainly in the form of Las Vegas-style casinos that feature nationally known musical acts. To the east, the Sandía Mountain range is visible from everywhere in the region. Named Sandía, the Spanish word for ‘watermelon’ by Spanish explorers, the Sandia mountainsides take on a pink color at sunset. Also of note is The Petroglyph National Monument on the West Mesa, which contains up to 15,000 ancient rock carvings, created centuries ago by Native American artisans. To the south along the Río Grande, on the old path of El Camino Real and the Chihuahua Trail are the peaceful farming communities of Los Lunas and Belén. Migrating birds gather along these old paths as well, lending texture and character to the pure blue skies. Albuquerque has been named among the top 50 adventure towns by National Geographic Adventure magazine for its biking paths along the Rio Grande and the 52-mile high desert Turquoise Trail. With a population of 507,785, Albuquerque is a wonderful city to visit and to hold your meetings and events.
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BALLOONING CAPITAL OF THE WORLD The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta®, the world’s largest hot air balloon festival, takes place each October in Albuquerque, New Mexico. At this magical hot air balloon festival you’ll see more than 700 balloons in the sky at a time. The festival is considered to be the most photographed event in the world, drawing a huge international crowd of balloonists and spectators. Clear blue skies, calm winds and mild temperatures are the norm in Albuquerque, encouraging year-round hot air ballooning and enabling more than 300 resident balloonists (more than any other state) to fly hot air balloons frequently and for long periods of time. If the hot air balloons you see dotting the sky pique your interest, why not take a flight yourself? Local hot air balloon companies provide rides for visitors on a daily basis. While in Albuquerque you do not want to miss a visit to the Anderson-Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum, the world's premier facility dedicated to the art, culture, science, history, sport and spectacle of hot air ballooning. It features one of the world’s finest collections of hot air ballooning equipment and memorabilia. Visitor Information: 1-800-284-2282 info@itsatrip.org
Las Cruces enturies ago, Spanish explorers brought their faith, culture, language and way of life to this land. Today, over four hundred years later, our past is one of our greatest treasures, still found in everything from our traditional architecture, to our spicy cuisine and unique artwork. To visit Las Cruces is to find yourself at the crossroads of Hispanic, Indian and American cultures, fertile river valleys and vast deserts. Located in southern New Mexico, Las Cruces enjoys warm weather and 350 days of sunshine a year. We offers guests a wide range of outdoor activities like golfing, biking, hiking and tennis, as well as a diverse assortment of museums, shopping, events and festivals - all suited to make your meeting or convention a memorable one. Local hotels provide over 2,800 rooms and numerous meeting areas equipped to handle groups of all sizes. Las Cruces has three full-service convention hotels and a Conference Service Center at New Mexico State University. Traveling to Las Cruces could not be easier. Air travel is through the El Paso International Airport - only 45 minutes south of Las Cruces and equipped with shuttle service to several Las Cruces hotels. The Las Cruces International Airport offers instate commuter service as well as private and charter aircraft. If you are traveling by car or bus, Las Cruces is easily accessible by Interstates 10 and 25. Guests can experience our age-old culture, heritage and hospitality through annual events such as the International Mariachi Conference, The La Vi単a Wine Festival, the Whole Enchilada Fiesta, Renaissance Craftfaire, and Cowboy Days, just to name a few. Those interested in sampling a little local flavor will need to visit the Las Cruces Farmers and Crafts Market. The market has over 150 vendors who gather weekly to offer fresh local produce, honey, herbs, spices and arts and crafts. Or, you could visit The New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, which offers a glimpse into the 3,000-year-old agriculture history, heritage and science of New Mexico, with hands-on exhibits, and demonstrations such as blacksmithing, western roping, southwestern cooking and dairy farming.
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If history is your priority, Las Cruces is where famous outlaws meet 19th Century Buffalo Soldiers, and where petroglyph rock art meets modern pop art. If time permits, take a trip over the Organ Mountains to White Sands National Monument - over 275 square miles of pure white gypsum dunes perfect for sight seeing and fun. With so many events and attractions, there is plenty to do at the end of the day, and we will be right there to help with tour suggestions and planning. In addition, the Las Cruces Convention & Visitors Bureau is a full service CVB, providing a wide range of pre-convention planning and support services including: convention coordination, housing assistance, media assistance, maps, visitor guides, photos, and more. Las Cruces is the perfect destination for any business professional - make it yours.
www.hispanicmeetingstravel.com | HM&T 15
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Santa Fe, New Mexico America’s Most Creative City Santa Fe, New Mexico is one of America’s most unique and historical cities. It’s Spanish name, Santa Fe which means Holy Faith is immediately evident with a visit to the ancient Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi in the city’s central square and the famed Loretto Chapel. New Mexico's third largest city behind Albuquerque and Las Cruces, Santa Fe is situated at 7,000 feet in the foothills of the southern Rocky Mountains. Santa Fe was founded between 1607 and 1610 making it the second oldest city as well as the highest and oldest capital in the United States. In 1912, it officially achieved statehood and today its unique offerings of art, culture and ancient traditions make it a world-class tourist destination, drawing more than 1 million visitors each year. In 2005, Santa Fe became the first U.S. city to be chosen by UNESCO as a Creative City, one of only nine cities in the world to hold this designation. Santa Fe has long been a center for arts and culture and ranks as the country's third largest art market with nearly 300 galleries and dealers. There also are more than a dozen major museums showcasing an array of art, culture, history and traditions, as well the world-class Santa Fe Opera. In recent years, the city has also earned a reputation with foodlovers. Whether you're hankering for basic New Mexican food, creative Southwestern cuisine, or authentic Italian, French, Asian and other world cuisines, the city offers more than 200 choices. Accommodations are equally diverse. You can choose from an array of resorts, motels, bed and breakfasts, inns, vacation rentals and other lodgings, including campgrounds and RV parks. The four seasons define the weather and Santa Fe averages 300 sunny days per year, with 14 inches of rain and 17 inches of snow annually. The hottest days arrive in June, when temperatures soar into the high 90s. Because of the altitude, temperatures can change by 30 degrees in a single day, and sometimes all four seasons seem to pass through in a 24hour time period. Expect sudden rain showers and cool evenings in summer and snow from November through April. 16 HM&T | Hispanic Meetings & Travel
Skiing in Santa Fe opens from Thanksgiving through Easter, and you can hike and bike year-round. You can also enjoy river rafting, horseback riding, hot air ballooning, fly-fishing, ice-skating and swimming or work out in Pilates and yoga classes and fitness gyms around the city.
heart of Santa Fe's historic district, on the northeast corner of Marcy Street and Grant. The center will be within easy walking distance of restaurants, museums, shopping, historic attractions, and over 1,500 hotel rooms.
The New Santa Fe Convention Center The new state-of-the-
Santa Fe Convention & Visitors Bureau
art Convention Center will enable Santa Fe to serve its meeting partners as never before. Total space in the center will increase to more than 72,000 square feet. The design will incorporate outdoor areas, fireplaces in some rooms, an open interior courtyard, and the flexibility to simultaneously accommodate multiple meeting, display, and dining needs. The building is also intended to serve the community as a place for local meetings and events. The new Convention Center will also reflect Santa Fe's leadership in both green design and greenhouse gas reduction. The building is constructed to a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Silver rating, a national standard for developing high-performance sustainable buildings. Santa Fe raised the bar for green design after Santa Fe Mayor David Coss became the first U.S. city mayor to sign the Architecture 2030 Challenge. The 2030 Challenge is a national effort to systematically reduce and finally reverse the amount of greenhouse gas emissions created during construction and operation of buildings over the next 24 years. The design for the new center fits logistically and aesthetically within the city's scale and surrounding neighborhood. Textured adobe walls, softly rounded corners, and earth colors will seamlessly merge with Santa Fe's historic adobe architecture. The new building constructed on the same site as the former Sweeney Convention Center is located in the
Keith Toler, Executive Director P.O. Box 909 Santa Fe, New Mexico 87504 Phone: 505-955-6209 or 800-984-9984 www.santafe.org
The Loretto Chapel 207 Old Santa Fe Trail Santa Fe, NM 87501 (505) 982-0092
Wedding Information CALL (505) 982-0092 EMAIL weddings@lorettochapel.com
Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi 213 CATHEDRAL PLACE SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO 87501 Phone (505) 982-5619 Fax (505) 989-1952
www.hispanicmeetingstravel.com | HM&T 17
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Life at a higher level – The Majestic Mountains of Taos
About Taos, New Mexico The town of Taos New Mexico is an undiscovered American treasure. This is a destination filled with 1100 years of history, culture, ancient society, art, magic and the true spirit of the southwest. Walk around town, it's very easy going. Today the historic Plaza is the center of a wonderful cluster of shops, galleries and adobe architecture that create the perfect place to stroll. Watch the magic happen as mountains, mesas and the tranquility of the desert southwest captivate your group.
Español Taos, Nuevo México es una ciudad Americana tesora, esperando descubrimiento. Es un destino saturado con más de mil y cien años de historia, cultura, sociedades antiguas, arte, magía y el espíritu verdadero del sudoeste. Camina alrededor de la ciudad, para sentir un ambiente deliberado. 18 HM&T | Hispanic Meetings & Travel
Hoy la plaza histórica es un centro de tiendas maravillosas y galerias de arte hechas con la arquitectura antigua de adobe, que juntas crean un lugar perfecto para pasearse. Encuentran la magía de las montañas, las mesas, y la tranquilidad del desierto sudoeste, que sin falta los cautiva. Estamos ansiosos para recibirlos aquí en su casa. Les invitamos a comunicarse a su conveniencia y de re verificar este sitio del web para recibir las noticias más corrientes, localizada en la sección del calendario, lo cual demuestra la información perteneciendo al Centro de Convenciones de Taos. ¡Los esperamos con una gran bienvenida! Convention Services 120 Civic Plaza Drive, Taos, NM 87571 (505) 758-5792 Fax (505) 751-1432 convention@taosgov.com
When you've seen majestic mountains soar into a sapphire blue sky… Toured a 1000-year old pueblo and looked at modern art all in one day… Skied the steeps, then relaxed with a hot rock massage… And followed a spicy New Mexican lunch with an elegant, candlelit dinner… Then you've experienced life at a higher level in Taos. Taos is a true escape - unique in the entire world for its perfect blend of natural beauty, rich history, diverse culture, and intangible energy that rejuvenates the soul. Nature has endowed Taos with more than 300 days of sun each year, cool mountain summers, and deep powder in the winter. You can ski, bike, and hike to your heart's content. Then satisfy your cultural side with world-class art galleries and museums, historic tours, fine dining, shopping and much more. Take your next getaway to new heights - Escape to Taos!
The Taos Pueblo village The foothills of the largest peaks in New Mexico are the pristine setting of the Taos Pueblo village Taos Pueblo is the only living Native American community designated both a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and a National Historic Landmark. The multi-storied adobe buildings have been continuously inhabited for over 1000 years. We welcome you to visit our village when you travel to northern New Mexico.
NORTHWESTERN NEW MEXICO Welcome to Indian Country, a place that holds a wealth of Native American culture. Walk in the footsteps of the Anasazi, an ancient people who lived in Chaco Canyon, now a National Historic Park featuring dramatic rock formations. Explore America's largest Indian reservation, the Navajo Nation, as well as the Zuni, Acoma, and Laguna pueblos, and the Jicarilla Apache Nation. Walk the streets of Gallup and discover the Native American arts. Witness the natural desert beauty of the Four Corners where Ancestral Pueblo civilizations flourished at what are now Chaco Culture National Historical Park, the Aztec and Salmon ruins and a number of smaller sites throughout the region. These societies were extremely observant of their natural surroundings, especially the moon, the sun and the stars. At Chaco Canyon, in particular, you can witness the stone structures they constructed to mark the paths of these celestial bodies. Archaeologists believe that drought ultimately forced these societies to leave in search of water. But today, some of the best trout fly-fishing happens on the San Juan River, which along with the Animas feeds Navajo Lake State Park near Farmington. Web site: www.stateparks.com/navajo_lake.html
been designed to bring back the feeling of 1947 – a newsroom, a government “cover-up” room, and also a room dedicated to providing information about “sightings” in general. The Research Center offers books, records, and other research materials galore. On the board of the Museum and Research Center are nuclear physicists, the best-known and most influential UFO experts in North America, Documentarians of strange phenomena, and one of the world's leading experts on the Roswell UFO events of 1947. Website: www.iufomrc.com
ROSWELL, NEW MEXICO Famous for what is now known as the Roswell Incident, the town of Roswell hosts an annual UFO festival and the International UFO Museum and Research Center where you can decide for yourself about the flying saucer that allegedly crashed here in 1947. Whatever you decide, you’re likely to be intrigued by the many exhibits and programs about the crash itself and the phenomenon of UFO research. Opened in 1991, the Museum and Research Center shortly thereafter earned 1996’s “Top Tourist Destination of New Mexico.” Each room in the Museum has
RUIDOSO Nestled in the Southern Rocky Mountains, Ruidoso, New Mexico is a village located in the valley of the towering Sierra Blanca that reaches 12,003 feet above sea level. The mountains offer Winter sports and skiing. Ruidoso a Spanish word translates as a noisy river for the many brooks and streams that makeup the region. It is an idyllic place to visit any time of the year and Lincoln National Forest has camping and hiking and cool pristine air to enjoy horse racing, golf, tennis, and fishing. The village offers Art galleries, museums, and many interesting shops featuring native jewelry, and beautiful clothing. Website: www.ruidosonow.com
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countries that have on-going or potential business interests in Albuquerque. It also provides its members Alex O. Romero, President & CEO and the business comalex@ahcnm.org munity at large the Phil Castillo, Chief Operations Officer necessary contact phil_castillo@ahcnm.org tools to expand busiRick Tafoya, Chief Financial Officer ness to other countries rick_tafoya@ahcnm.org particularly in Latin Cathy Gonzales, VP Convention & Tourism America and Spain. cathy_gonzales@ahcnm.org These tools involve Jeffrey Candelaria, VP Membership & Marketing the organizing of j_candelaria@ahcnm.org business missions where firms can be matched to explore relationships of mutual benefit, tours of manufacturing facilities, e-commerce, and attending international conferences, meetings and workshops. The Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce has numerous partnerships which include the City of Albuquerque Economic Development Office, New Mexico State Economic Development Office, The U.S. Department of Commerce, Albuquerque Mexican Consulate and local Universities. Companies and /or countries interested in utilizing these services may contact the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce through their web site or by writing to: Cathy Gonzales, VP Convention & Tourism Telephone: (505) 842-9003 ext. 117 or cathy_gonzales@ahcnm.org
ALBUQUERQUE HISPANO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE EXECUTIVE STAFF
he Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce (AHCC) is one of the largest Hispanic Chambers in the United States. It is a business membership organization designed to foster economic growth, work force development, online business and convention & tourism with an emphasis on the Hispanic business person. Additionally, the AHCC advocates for small business at the New Mexico legislature and for opportunities to increase resources for entrepreneurs. AHCC members can access nearly 1500 businesses, 60% of which are Hispanic owned. Most recently, the Chamber introduced two unprecedented economic development and workforce development programs: eMercadoNM.com and Dos Mundos. The first is an online based economic development tool designed to connect business to rural and urban markets throughout New Mexico. The www.eMercadoNM.com data base is comprised of nearly 70,000 New Mexico businesses. Members create a “Highlighted member profile” onto the electronic data base which becomes a concise advertisement of products and services online. The second, Dos Mundos is a customized bi-lingual workforce training program serving incumbent workers and work seekers. Industry specific workforce bi-lingual training is the foundation of Dos Mundos.
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THE CONVENTION & TOURISM OFFICE promotes Albuquerque and New Mexico nationally and internationally. The convention and tourism professionals assist meeting planners with a wide range of complimentary specialized services to insure successful meetings and conventions.
Services include:
Convention planning
Events planning
Assistance with registration
Las Amigas welcome ambassadors
Press and public relations
Assistance with competitive bids (Hotel Accommodations, Convention Center, Tours, Transportation, etc.)
Welcome packets with information on New Mexico for dignitaries
Marketing and promotions of AHCC member businesses at various trade shows
Statewide brochure distribution (mail inquiries and trade shows)
Tourism events and attendance promotions
Spouse and youth planning
INTERNATIONAL TRADE is an important part of the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce’s quest for the economic growth of its members, city and state. Services specialize in networking with 20 HM&T | Hispanic Meetings & Travel
ALBUQUERQUE AND NEW MEXICO’S PERFORMING ARTISTS
The “Unmask the Culture” ad and theme campaign proudly presents New entertain with music and dance that Mexico Entertainers and their Music and Dance and will knock your socks off! EnterAlbuquerque’s Cultural and tainment ranges from world-class Entertainment sites. Guitarist, Symphony, Mariachi, • National Hispanic Cultural Center Show Bands, Pop, Rock, Rap, Broadway Cultural Center Jazz, Broadway, Western, and all •• South Indian Pueblo Cultural Center that the music world has to offer. • Albuquerque’s Historic Old Town Plaza Albuquerque and New Mexico’s • Expo New Mexico (State Fairgrounds) diversity of entertainers enjoy national and international acclaim. • Journal Pavilion Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of • Pope Joy Hall at the University of New Mexico Commerce counts among its mem• Historic Kimo Theatre bers a variety of musicians such as • Albuquerque Biological Park and Los Primos who play Mexican mari- Aquarium achi and trio romantico music with • Rio Grande Zoo more contemporary elements to cre• Santa Fe Opera ate a festive entertainment experi• Ranchers Club Lounge (Hilton Hotel) ence. NY Louie & Friends play in Rio Grande Lounge-Hyatt configurations of 4 to 9 players with • Regency Tamaya Resort and Spa a mix of Smooth Jazz, Latin Jazz and • Sandia Casino Salsa to create a lively atmosphere • Isleta Casino for any occasion. Mariachi Nuevo Sonido plays Mexican traditional • Route 66 Casino music and New Mexican music of • San Felipe Hollywood Casino the past and present, to celebrate and • Santa Ana Casino maintain the continuing influence • Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta Park between Mexican and New Mexican • OHKAY Casino, Española NM culture. Baile en Fuego features • Acoma Sky City dance instructions and Folkorico per- • Albuquerque Convention Center formances and much more. • Kiva Auditórium
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Art & Culture
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BUON FRESCO
The Torreón Fresco is supported by the I.A. O'Shaughnessy Foundation, Sandia National Laboratories/Lockheed Martin and the National Hispanic Cultural Center Foundation and many donors like you. For further information please contact the National Hispanic Cultural Center Foundation at (505) 766-9858.
Frederico Vigil and the Art of Buon Fresco
Renowned Artist Frederico Vigil and the
Torreón Fresco Inside the Torreón, at Albuquerque, New Mexico’s National Hispanic Cultural Center internationally renowned artist Frederico Vigil is at work on a massive painting depicting the cultural development of Hispanic heritage from prehistory to the present. His painting is being executed in the ancient technique called "fresco" in which paint is applied to wet plaster creating a permanent chemical bond and images that should last for thousands of years. Expected to be completed in 2009, the fresco 22 HM&T | Hispanic Meetings & Travel
painting will cover more than 4,000 square feet including the ceiling and 45-foot tall interior walls of the Torreón. The Torreon building was inspired by stone defensive structures and watchtowers built by Spanish settlers. Settlers hoped that the lack of windows and the small entrance would make their towers easy to protect from invaders, an ancient tradition from the Iberian Peninsula used by Romans, Visigoths and Muslims through the medieval period.
Artist Frederico Vigil, is devoted to reviving buon fresco, an art form that reached its zenith in 16th century Italy. But it is appropriate that New Mexico is a focus of fresco's revival since long before the 16th century, Meso-American pyramids and Anasazi kivas were painted with a fresco technique much like that used today by Vigil. His materials, pure natural pigments, sands, lime and colored soils come from the earth of New Mexico and bear a natural relationship to that other "earth art" of the Southwest, adobe walls. While Vigil's favorite canvas is a blank wall—in a dimly-lit chapel, in the halls of a college or university, on the outside of any building—he has also created frescos on portable panels to be installed in private residences. As he walks through his native town, Frederico Vigil's constant preoccupation is his search for a wall . . . an expanse of any size that seems to beg to be turned into a permanent work of art.
P H OTO G R A P H Y BY R A N DY M O N TOYA A N D B L A I N A N D E R S O N
The earth of northern New Mexico is deep with history and tradition. Many of the traditions are translated by artists and craftsmen into contemporary woodcarvings, retablos, silver jewelry, carvings in stone or paintings meant to be carried away and added to a Collector’s home. True fresco, or buon fresco, however, is an ancient art form which is one of the most permanent forms of wall decoration known. Born in Santa Fe, New Mexico in 1946, Frederico M. Vigil is a self-taught artist whose first paintings were copies of retablos (religious paintings of Catholic saints on wooden boards). In 1976, he left his job with New Mexico's Environmental Improvement Division to take up painting full time. He became fascinated with the art of fresco, especially the works of Michelangelo and the Mexican master Diego Rivera, and in 1984, did an intensive apprenticeship with fresco masters Lucienne Bloch and Stephen Dimitroff in Gualala, California. Vigil's work celebrates his own Hispanic roots, as well as the religious and historic heritage of his native New Mexico and the Southwest. His materials, come from the earth of New Mexico and bear a natural relationship to the adobe walls also found in the Southwest. He has completed frescoes in chapels, colleges and universities, outside of school buildings and other public facades. Since the completion of his first fresco in 1984, Vigil has created 12 major fresco murals. He has also been very active in a group of Hispanic artists, La Confradia that formed in 1978 to show their own work outside of the established Santa Fe "art scene," from which they felt excluded. Aside from his frescos, Vigil has exhibited his work at the Museum of Fine Arts, the Institute of American Indian Art, Saint John's College in Santa Fe and at the Millicent Rogers Museum in Taos, the Museo de Arte e Historia in Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico, among others.
The revival of the art of fresco in the Southwest can be largely attributed to Vigil. While reaching its peak in 16th century Italy, the art of fresco has been present in the Americas long before then and can be found in MesoAmerican pyramids and Anasazi kivas, among other locations.
National Hispanic Cultural Center The National Hispanic Cultural Center (NHCC) in Albuquerque, New Mexico is dedicated to the study, advancement, and presentation of Hispanic culture, arts, and humanities. Since its grand opening in 2000, the NHCC has staged over 20 art exhibitions and 400 programs in the visual, performing, and literary arts. Programs have featured local, national and international artists, scholars and entertainers. The NHCC provides venues for visitors to learn about Hispanic culture throughout the world. In 1998, a sixteen-acre site was chosen for the $34 million project along the east side of the Rio Grande in the heart of the historic Barelas neighborhood in Albuquerque. Since then the project has grown to encompass over 50 acres with an estimated cost of over $50 million. Barelas, a traditionally Hispanic neighborhood, has historically been a crossroads for New Mexico’s people. The community was settled for its proximity to a natural fork in the Rio Grande River and the Camino Real, the Spanish colonial era Royal Road used primarily for trade between Mexico and northern New Mexico. The Barelas neighborhood is also home to the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce. The architectural design of the NHCC has been created to accommodate a wealth of cultural programs in the visual, performing, media and literary arts. The various buildings and structures speak to the history and culture of Hispania with features recalling styles from Spain, Mesoamerica and early New Mexico.
The National Hispanic Cultural Center enjoys the broad support of the New Mexico State Legislature as well as the federal government. The NHCC is part of the State of New Mexico’s Department of Cultural Affairs along with seven other state museums and six state monuments.
Clara R. Apodaca Clara is the former First Lady of New Mexico and is the President & CEO of the National Hispanic Cultural Center Foundation in Albuquerque. She served in the Clinton Administration from 1993 to January 2001 and was General Assistant to Chairman Ron Brown from 1989 to 1992. Prior to moving to Washington, DC , she served as Cabinet Secretary for the New Mexico Office of Cultural Affairs. Today Ms. Apodaca serves on the Board of Directors of the National Soccer Foundation, the National Association of Art Agencies (NASAA) and the Coca Cola Scholars Foundation Board. While living in DC she served as Commissioner on the DC Commission of the Arts & Humanities. She is also Chairman of the Jeff Apodaca Celebration of Life Foundation at UNM Children’s Hospital and a member of the White House Millennium Commission, appointed by former First Lady Hillary Clinton. Clara is the mother of 5 children and has eight grandchildren. www.hispanicmeetingstravel.com | HM&T 23
Convention Centers
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Convention Centers
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onvention Centers are an important cornerstone of any successful convention or meeting and are equally important to the cities that erect them. They can drive hundreds of millions of dollars each year into the local economy’s and at the same time provide incredible backdrops that create unforgettable meetings for associations. Today’s convention centers are
always expanding and updating to meet future needs.
Hispanic Meetings & Travel 2007 Convention Showcase features several unique convention centers and facilities across the country. Kicking off the section is the Albuquerque Convention Center, followed by the Milwaukee Midwest Airlines Center, Norfolk’s Waterside Convention Complex, Philadelphia’s Pennsylvania Convention Center, The Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center located in Kissimmee, Florida and the Laredo Civic Center and the Laredo Entertainment Center.
Each year Hispanic Associations and Organizations across the country plan out their meetings and normally they utilize the services of a convention center to hold their expos. Some of the biggest annual Hispanic Conventions are The National Council of La Raza, The U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and The League of United Latin American Citizen, to name a few.
Convention Centers in general are ever changing. Every city has plans to put them ahead of the curve, ever expanding their centers to include more square footage, advanced audio/visual, wireless internet, more food & beverage options, and to provide meeting facilities that are in short, people friendly.
While some of these aspects are vitally important to meeting planners seeking a convention center, the location is also equally important, as is the city, its culture, and the willingness of the convention and visitors bureaus to assist planners. Each of the cities featured has something different to offer planners.
Albuquerque offers a sense of the Old World, Milwaukee is set on Lake Michigan, Norfolk's seaside location is key, Philadelphia’s historic setting, Kissimmee’s proximity to all of Florida’s attractions, and Laredo’s location set on the border of two countries. Each city has something different to offer, each has its own style, culture, feel and of course convention center facilities.
www.hispanicmeetingstravel.com | HM&T 25
Convention Centers
The Albuquerque Convention Center Flexible space, convenient location and great service. It all adds up to the Albuquerque Convention Center being the perfect place to do business! The ACC is in short-walking distance of 900 hotel rooms and the city's dining and entertainment heartbeat. Just a quick 10minute drive from the Albuquerque International Sunport where I25 and I-40 meets, the Center is easily accessible for in-town and out-of-town visitors. The facility showcases 167,000 square feet of exhibit space with 106,000 square feet of contiguous, column-free space. It has 27 flexible meeting rooms, which can hold an intimate meeting of 10 people to a large breakout for 1,110 people. The amazing 31,000-square feet Ballroom lends itself to a magnificent banquet space for up to 2,000 people or an impressive general session area for 2,500 people. The crowning jewel of our facility, the 2,300seat Kiva Auditorium, is the perfect space for a keynote speaker. The ACC Event Services staff is at your service to ensure that you 26 HM&T | Hispanic Meetings & Travel
have a successful event. The professional and courteous Event Coordinators/Managers will be there to assist you throughout the event planning process. At the ACC, in-house services and vendors are an integral part of any event's success. The ACC Event Coordinators/Managers will help guide you and assist in facilitating the in-house services you require for you event's operation. Here are just some of the services the Center can provides: Audio Visual Services Electrical & Utility Services (*) Equipment Rentals Event Management Food & beverage/Catering (*) In-house Sound Operation (*) Internet and Telecommunications (*) Meeting Room Set-Ups Note: (*) Exclusive Services
The ACC is also proud to partner with some of the leading providers of meeting and event services in the City and nationwide. A list of pre-approved vendors authorized to work at the ACC is available for your use.
Convention Centers
Milwaukee Midwest Airline Center Opened in July, 1998, and completed by the end of 1999, the Midwest Airlines Center has 188,695 square feet of contiguous, state-of-the-art exhibit space and a 37,506 square foot ballroom with capacity for 3,150 diners and ample utilities for corporate theater. An additional 39,364 square feet of meeting space can be partitioned into as many as 28 meeting and breakout rooms equipped for satellite links, video teleconferencing, data transmission and other telecommunications and audio-visual technology. Other innovations and tried-and-true technologies have been applied to heating, ventilation, air conditioning, lighting, security and electronic signage systems. The goal has been to create a flexible environment that anticipates the technical expectations of 21st century customers, controls costs, and facilitates hassle-free move-in, show operation and move-out. At the same time, the Midwest Airlines Center better connects events to Milwaukee's flourishing downtown. Skywalks to the Hilton and Hyatt hotels link some 1,500 rooms to the Midwest Airlines Center, with more nearby. We're just a block from the Museum Center containing the Milwaukee Public Museum, Humphrey I-Max Theater and Discovery World Museum, two blocks from the Riverwalk, three blocks from the Theater District, three blocks from Amtrak, two blocks from regional & national bus terminals, and easy walking distance to other hotels, shopping, dining, nightlife, festivals and attractions. Extensive use of glass provides elegant pre-function and reception spaces and makes the building feel friendly and accessible, while actual access to event areas can be well controlled. Attractive and durable finishes, fixtures and amenities are used throughout, and the Wisconsin Center District invested over $1 million in integrated and commissioned artworks for the building. The building is exceptionally welcoming in practical terms as well. One-way loading dock traffic provides for smooth, fast move-ins. The exhibit hall spans across Wells Street, providing almost two blocks of weather-protected curb space for dropping off passengers. A 190-space parking lot is also suitable for outdoor exhibits, reception tents and other uses. The Midwest Airlines Center is best viewed in the context of a flurry of development throughout Milwaukee. Projects completed in the past few years include the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts, the Museum Center, our own U.S. Cellular Arena renovations, the incredible new Santiago Calatrava wing of the Milwaukee Art Museum, the new
Miller Park baseball stadium, the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design, the Shops of Grand Avenue and many more. In addition, over 1,000 new hotel rooms have opened downtown since 1996, and more are being discussed. Meanwhile, Milwaukee's tradition of attending to its basic services and infrastructure continues to keep it an attractive, affordable, safe and friendly city. www.hispanicmeetingstravel.com | HM&T 27
Convention Centers
Waterside Convention Center There's no better place to stage your next meeting or convention than Norfolk, Virginia. The city boasts more than 5,200 hotel rooms citywide that accommodate every budget and style. Norfolk’s downtown meeting place is the “Waterside Convention Connection” – a central collection of hotels, convention and retail space perfectly suited to host your next event. Within 10 square blocks downtown, you will find more than 1,000 committable rooms within walking distance of 206,000 square feet of meeting space, dynamic attractions, a restaurant and theater district, and retail merchants. For a listing of upcoming conventions contact Kristi Kennedy. Several hotels and meeting spaces are conveniently located near Norfolk International Airport, which sees over 200 daily flights from major carriers. Serving this busy travel hub and providing a centralized setting with easy access to all parts of the Norfolk, these properties are in a prime location near several office and industrial parks, and government facilities. No matter where you stay, you’ll rest assured knowing your delegates will never be more than a 15-minute ride from any of the city’s amenities. 28 HM&T | Hispanic Meetings & Travel
Convention Centers
For truly memorable events, Norfolk offers many unique meeting venues from riverboats for cruising, to arts centers, museums and a renovated movie theater. Arrange an event outside in the picturesque Norfolk Botanical Garden or inside the nationally acclaimed Tiffany glass collection at the Chrysler Museum of Art. Consider setting sail aboard a tall ship schooner or taking a walk on the wild side with an event at the Virginia Zoo. No matter what setting your group demands, Norfolk provides the perfect backdrop for your next event. Major interstates make driving to Norfolk easy. And since the city lies within driving distance of two-thirds of the population of the East Coast, Norfolk is an ideal meeting spot. The centerpiece of Norfolk's perfectly convenient convention destination is the Waterside Convention Connection. Composed of the Norfolk Waterside Marriott and Waterside Convention Center, the Sheraton Norfolk Waterside, the Radisson Hotel Norfolk and the Waterside Festival Marketplace, the Waterside Convention Connection offers over 1,000 firstclass rooms and suites, 55 meeting rooms and 121,000 square feet of convention space. And,
just blocks away is Norfolk Scope Arena - with an additional 85,000 square feet of meeting space. The Norfolk Waterside Marriott Hotel soars 23 stories above Norfolk's sparkling downtown waterfront, offering stunning views of the city's working waterfront. The hotel features 405 stylish guest rooms and suites and the service and standards that consistently rank Marriott at or near the top of meeting planner satisfaction surveys. Centrally located in the arts and entertainment district of Norfolk Scope, Chrysler Hall, Harrison Opera House, Chrysler Museum of Art, TCC Roper Performing Arts Center and the Wells Theatre. Closest downtown hotel to Norfolk Medical Center Complex, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk State University and Old Dominion University. Norfolk's only waterfront hotel, the Sheraton Norfolk Waterside sits in the heart of the New Downtown Norfolk Waterfront. We offer 445 deluxe guestrooms and over 30,000 square feet of flexible function space. The Waterside...it's exciting, it's memorable and an entirely unique shopping, dining, and entertainment adventure. Poised at the mouth of the Elizabeth River on Norfolk's downtown waterfront, The Waterside offers major restaurants, specialty retail shops, an international food court, and exciting nightlife with music, dancing, and live entertainment.
www.hispanicmeetingstravel.com | HM&T 29
Convention Centers
Pennsylvania Convention Center Hundreds of Supporters on Hand in Philadelphia to Witness the Beginning of New Economic Growth for the City, State, and Region A bigger future for Pennsylvania and the Philadelphia region was commemorated when the first building in the footprint of the Pennsylvania Convention Center expansion was demolished. Representatives from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Convention Center Authority, and Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau spoke prior to the demolition on the important role that the larger convention center will play for years to come in creating new jobs and building a stronger economy in the region and the state. "We call this the Pennsylvania Convention Center because it benefits the entire commonwealth, not just the Philadelphia region," Governor Edward G. Rendell said in a statement. "Supporting this expansion is vital to our goal of improving the state's economy by investing in jobs and stimulating travel to the commonwealth.” "The construction of the expansion alone will create nearly 2,500 jobs for the duration of the project, with at least $300 million in total earnings,” said Michael J. Masch, the state Secretary of the Budget and an ex officio member of the Convention Center Authority board. “The expanded convention center will support almost 19,000 jobs for Pennsylvanians. Expansion construction will generate at least $10 million in annual Pennsylvania income tax revenues. And when the expanded center is up and running, it is expected to generate total spending of nearly $1.1 billion each year.” Hundreds of expansion supporters watched as Ben Franklin cut a 200-foot “kite string” attached to the “key to the expansion door” and activated the first smash by a 2,000-plus pound wrecking ball into the roof of a three-story brick building at 122 N. 13th Street. The building was the first structure to be demolished and make 30 HM&T | Hispanic Meetings & Travel
way for the much anticipated Pennsylvania Convention Center expansion. “The convention center has been a huge hospitality engine for Philadelphia from the time it opened in 1993, and its expansion will only enhance that momentum and help us move full speed ahead as a premier tourism destination,” said Philadelphia Mayor John F. Street. “The spectacular addition will certainly bring great benefits to North Broad Street, but it will also spark more economic development for our entire city, and generate jobs and opportunities for our citizens.” Once completed, the Pennsylvania Convention Center will be able to accommodate the largest conventions and tradeshows, or host two major conventions simultaneously, with one million square feet of saleable space – more than doubling the building’s current size. The center will also feature the largest convention ballroom space on the East Coast and a total of 87 meeting rooms. For customers, this means more available booking dates and flexible space. For the community, this means 2,000 new hospitality-related jobs equaling more than $150 million in regional economic impact annually. “There have been so many people from across the entire region who have been instrumental in getting us to this historic day,” said Buck Riley, chairman of the Pennsylvania Convention Center Authority. “My late friend, Bill Rouse, who was the first chairman of the convention center authority, paved the way for this expansion project. And he would be proud of the hard work, dedication, and regional partnership that took place to bring us to this day.” "For weeks now, I've been telling people that by investing in the expansion of the Pennsylvania Convention Center, the State is investing in people, not just in Philadelphia, but in the whole region," said State Rep. Dwight Evans (D-Philadelphia), chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, who was instrumental in securing state funding for the project. "This is a jobs program - it's good for everybody: it's good for unions, for contractors, for suppliers, for businesses. The impact of this project will be felt throughout the community and for a generation to come." “Funding for the convention center expansion enjoyed bipartisan support in the Senate and the House,” said Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi (RChester/Delaware). “That happened because this expansion will make the Pennsylvania Conve ntion C e nte r a world-class asset that benefits our region and the entire state.”
Convention Centers
Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center is a total destination resort offering world-class meeting facilities, exceptional service, family entertainment and recreation. Situated on 63 acres and a short drive from Central Florida's world-famous theme parks, the 1,406-room Florida- themed resort features 115 suites, restaurants, lounges, unique shops, full- service spa, on-site childcare center and a variety of entertainment venues. An adjoining convention center offers 400,000 square feet of convention, meeting, exhibition and pre-function space, including a 178,000-squarefoot exhibition hall. Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center is reminiscent of a grand Florida mansion and draws from classic Florida architecture. The comprehensive theme reflects and brings to life the state's history, culture, architecture and natural beauty. The signature architectural feature is the hotel's massive glass-enclosed atrium in which guests will discover a variety of themed environments that depict such popular Florida destinations as Key West, St. Augustine and The Everglades, plus a unique area designed in the grand style of 19th century Florida resorts, known as The Emerald Tower. Highlights include: - A replica of Castillo de San Marcos, the historic Spanish Fort that still stands in St. Augustine - the oldest settled city in North America - is a focal point in the main atrium. - Native fish and fauna provide memorable and authentic details to the guest experience. - Rockscape finishes used in the main atrium replicate natural geological formations found throughout the state. - Key West building details include clapboard siding, stucco and stone finishes, shakes and shingles, louvered doors, porches, patios and courtyard spaces. - Primitive boardwalks, metal-roofed shanties built on log stilts and a cypress and sable palm canopy mirror the rustic, swampy character of the Florida Everglades. - Thousands of tropical plants native to Flori32 HM&T | Hispanic Meetings & Travel
da - including a small orange grove inside the atrium - provide a magnificent atmosphere of a true Florida landscape. The wetlands are set low and flat and evoke a boggy and mysterious atmosphere through the use of lily ponds and native marsh grasses. Spanish moss, blooming bromeliads and orchids set high in the trees and at the water's edge add color to the landscape. Convention And Meeting Facilities: Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center can accommodate meetings for groups of from five to 5,000. A dedicated convention center, adjoining the hotel offers 400,000 square feet of convention, meeting and exhibition and pre-function space. Three ballrooms and meeting rooms, including a 178,000-square-foot exhibition hall, are conveniently located on two levels and connected to the hotel by an enclosed walkway. Small groups, including corporate meetings, may enjoy the more intimate setting of The Emerald Tower. Meeting highlights include: - Exhibition offices and permanent registration desks located on exhibition level and ballroom level - Three ballrooms: 46,650 square feet, 28,690 square feet and 3,600 square feet. The largest, Osceola Ballroom, contains a 40' x 100' permanent stage equipped with built-in sound and lighting. - 61 breakout rooms in the meeting area - Pre-func-
tion space overlooking pool courtyards - Terrace lawn space available for outdoor functions - 14 bay loading docks connected to the exhibition hall - Three docks dedicated to the ballroom space with direct load-in to a car-sized freight elevator and a standard freight elevator - On site audio-visual department - On-site decorating company - On-site technology staff Additional meeting space at The Emerald Tower includes: - 14 executive meeting rooms 3,600- square-foot Orange Blossom Ballroom Technology: Specially designed, technology is built into all phases of the hotel's operations, including networking, high-speed internet access, security, amenities, food-and-beverage operations, reservations and registration. Meeting and convention planners will be able to tap into Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center's timesaving technology systems to make event planning easier, more convenient and reliable. (See separate Technology Fact Sheet). Pitney Bowes Business Service Center: The hotel's business center is operated by industry leader Pitney Bowes. The center's services include a full range of copying and printing services, document binding, notary services, packing and shipping, workstation rental, office supplies and assistance in communications services such as digital pagers, cellular telephone and facsimile services.
Convention Centers
Laredo: Making amazing things happen! While Laredo is looking at the future of a new meeting complex, a beautiful convention center hugging the storied Rio Grande in its downtown area, the Convention and Visitors Bureau has made amazing things happen in its two existing meeting facilities. Located on the sunny bend of the river boundary connecting the United States and Mexico just a short drive south of San Antonio on IH35, Laredo meetings and events take on the warmth of its south Texas climate in its cool facilities. The Civic Center complex, Laredo’s first meeting facility, provides an auditorium, a 24,470 square foot banquet hall, and four meeting rooms. A beautiful display of cross-cultural, business and tourism offerings can be seen annually during the amazing Laredo International Sister Cities Festival. This Festival fills up the flexible Civic Center space scheduled for January 25-27, 2008, with wall to wall products from across the globe. This remarkable gathering of people from Mexico, the U.S. and beyond, brings together a group of 400 exhibitors and participants that show off oldworld tradition and timely commercial pursuits. Their artisan skills and products are on display and for sale, including textiles,
MEETING ROOMS Four Rooms: 24ftX32ft Capacity 65 per room (class room style) Portable stage Air conditioned Public address system Folding door converts four rooms to one large room totalling 4,140 sq.ft. It seats 250 people banquet style, 300 auditorium style. Lighting-overhead Chalk boards Projection facilities Screen Paved Parking 1,000 car capacity Facility offers internet access
BANQUET & EXHIBITH HALL 24,470 sq. ft. Main hall-120ft.X80ft. Ceiling 17ft. 10in. Capacity 1,500 Auditorium style 1,200 banquet style Portable stage Receiving doors-10ft.X10ft. Public address system Light control equipment Indirect lighting Unlimited floor load capacity 34 HM&T | Hispanic Meetings & Travel
pottery, hand blown glass products, food and beverage, clothing, shoes, accessories and so much more. The event has been recognized by the Sister Cities International organization with a best overall program award in 2004, and from 2005-2007 was selected to be presented as a best practice program at the groups’ annual conference. The Laredo Entertainment Center, another viable meeting facility, has provided a stage for a variety of world–renowned artists such as Elton John, Shakira and Daddy Yankee, as well as WWE Smackdown events and sports entertainment like the Harlem Globetrotters. One of the most amazing transformations to the arena occurs during the Emmy-award winning broadcast Miss Texas USA® pageant. Laredo hosts 140 of the most beautiful women in the state for the annual spectacular slated again for June 2008. The rigging and staging morphs the indoor space to accommodate the two-hour televised event, allowing for ample floor and bowl seating with great views from every angle. The 10,000-seat areElectrical outlets na is also home of the two-time Central Hockey League Tables Champions, the Laredo Bucks. It has 28,000 square feet of Chairs continuous floor space and an additional 32,000 square feet Lecterns Movable platforms on the concourse level. It also offers six meeting rooms and Dollies in-house catering. Restrooms Laredo also has several full service hotel properties that Utility units can accommodate your meeting including the award winMicrophone connections ning Embassy Suites and historic La Posada, along with Full-service kitchen industry stalwart, the Holiday Inn Civic Center. Of the newAUDITORIUM ly expanded hospitality markets’ 44 hotels, 18 offer meeting 1,979 upholstered chairs space as well. If you are looking for an academic air of influStage size-81ft.X44ft. ence, meetings can also be booked at either of the two LareLoft-73ft. do Community College campuses or Texas A&M InternaOrchestra pit 48ft.X16ft. tional University, both offering a variety of spaces to accom4 carpeted aisles Excellent acoustics modate any size group. Air conditioned Getting to Laredo is simple, drive in on IH-35 or fly into Public address system the Laredo International Airport with six daily flights into Spacious lobby and out of the city on Continental or American Eagle. LareBox office do CVB makes each event an amazing occasion to rememConcession sale area Receiving doors-10ft.X10ft. ber. The warmth of its people resonates with visitors, planFour group dressing rooms ners and others and beckons them to return. Orchestra shell Microphone connections Office space Spotlights Piano Risers
For more information on planning your next meeting in Laredo contact the Laredo Convention & Visitors Bureau at 1-800-361-3360 or online at http://www.visitlaredo.com.
Cuisine
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CULINARY EXCELLENCE
Chef Michael Anthony (Tony) Trujillo Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town, A Heritage Hotel & Resort
a chef. After high school, I attended the Santa Fe Community College during the first year of its culinary arts program. The program was so new, in fact, that instructors from Albuquerque's Technical Vocational Institute commuted to Santa Fe to conduct the classes. I completed a two-year program; afterwards, I apprenticed for two years with Chef Ernest Bolleter, a Swiss Chef and owner of Ernie's Restaurant, a renowned bistro (at the time) on Canyon Road in Santa Fe. It was with Chef Ernie that I learned the fundamentals. He was such a patient and thorough teacher, and a great mentor. With the exception of patience, I can say that I still carry with me much of what I learned during those years. I am definitely meticulous and thorough in my work.
HM&T What is the best thing you like to prepare? What food do you love to eat? A While working at the Saint Anthony Hotel, a four diamond property in San Antonio, I had the opportunity to learn how to prepare sushi from a Japanese sushi chef. Sushi is such a structured, yet expressive, art form. I love to eat sushi as well, and I have a weakness for imported cheeses and exotic fruits. HM&T Are you doing anything to get young people to be Chefs? A I like to think I inspire my staff with my kindness and loving patience. Actually, I tend to be pretty exacting and a tough leader; still, it works. My kitchen staff is incredibly talented, and I know that many of them will continue and go far within the industry. HM&T hef Tony brings an extensive talented culinary background to Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town venues, Cristobal’s and Café Plazuela as well as the hotel’s banquets. The typical hotel food you may find in most hotels is certainly not what you will experience at Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town. Chef Tony has elevated the hotel cuisine expectation to that of fine dining. He has apprenticed under two award-winning chefs, Swiss Chef Ernst Bolleter and Swiss Pastry Chef, Philippe Muller. Throughout his culinary career he has been featured in publications such as Santa Fe Hot & Spicy Cook Book and Chef’s De Santa Fe. He has won numerous culinary awards for his deserts, appetizers, breakfast buffets and more. Among them Grand Prize Award, First Place for Dessert and First Place Award for Best Appetizer Taste of Santa Fe. Best Dessert at the Tasters Showcase and Chefs Choice Bay Area California. His most recent accomplishment was earning a 6th place award at the 2007 World Ice Art Championship. Chef Tony is a member of the American Culinary Federation and the Texas Chef’s Association. Hispanic Meetings & Travel caught up with Chef Tony on a recent visit to Albuquerque and asked him about his award winning career.
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HM&T Chef Tony - tell me about yourself. Where did you grow up? Are you the oldest in your family? Is anyone else a chef? Did your mother cook and did you help her? A I was born and raised in Santa Fe, New Mexico but have traveled extensively throughout the United States to develop my career. I am the youngest of three children in my family. My mother and grandmother were fantastic cooks and baked amazing pies and breads. While other children played outside, I spent much of my time in the kitchen with my family, learning how to create traditional New Mexican cuisine. I have been happily married for 20 years and have two beautiful daughters, one of them currently working within the hospitality industry. I have twenty-six years experience in food service, and I have served as an executive chef for fifteen years.
HM&T Where did you go to school when you were a child? Did the school offer any cooking classes?
A I attended Catholic School throughout my childhood, and I am a graduate of St. Michael's in Santa Fe. St. Mike's did not offer any cooking classes. My early culinary education came from my home.
HM&T
When did you decide to become a Chef? Did you go to school to become a Chef or did you learn on the job? A I was fourteen years old when I decided to become
What do you enjoy most about being a Chef? A I really enjoy that the essence of my job is to be creative, and that I am challenged to repeatedly surpass the expectations of our guests. Every day is a new opportunity to wow someone.
HM&T When you’re not in the kitchen where do you spend your time? Any hobbies? A I have a garden at home, and, believe it or not, a hummingbird sanctuary! I spent a lot of time outdoors, and I really enjoy riding my Harley Davidson. After a long day in the kitchen, nothing is better than hitting the open road. HM&T
Does your wife cook or do you also cook at home? Do your children help? A Surprisingly, my family life is not centered around food. We enjoy eating out often. With my long hours, it is our favorite way to stay connected.
HM&T Would you recommend to others choosing to be a Chef as a career? A Yes. It is extremely rewarding. HM&T Anything you dislike about being a Chef? A Working within the hospitality business means that you are always available. If I am not at work, I'm most likely thinking about work. Still, at the end of the day, a satisfied client and a job well done make all the challenges worthwhile.
Dining at Hotel Albuquerque Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town offers many choices for dining and nightlife all under one roof. There’s fine dining in the elegant atmosphere of Cristobal’s. Genuine New Mexican cuisine is featured at Café Plazuela and Cantina. Signature drinks and dishes are on offer at Q Bar, the place to see and be seen in Albuquerque.
Cristobal’s – This fine-dining establishment serving Spanish Style Cuisine is located within Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town. Cristobal’s, open from 5:30 pm to 10:30 pm for dinner only, and features Spanish tapas and entrees with New Mexican flair. An assortment of Paella, Prime aged steaks, and fresh seafood can be found at this original Spanish upscale restaurant. Catering and large party accommodations are available.
Cafe Plazuela & Cantina – Set in a festive but casual atmosphere, diners will be sure to enjoy the New Mexican cuisine featuring enchiladas, burritos, green chile cheeseburgers, sandwiches, and specialty salads. After hours enjoy the Cafe Plazuela Cantina featuring delicious tapas and signature drinks including Sangria Margarita, New World Sangria, Spanish and Amadora Martinis, and Cristobal's Margarita. Open daily from 6:00 am to 10:30 pm.
Associations|Update
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S C H O L A R S H I P S & AWA R D S
HPGM Announces Scholarships and Professional of the Year Awards ispanic Professionals of Greater Milwaukee (HPGM) announced five scholarship recipients at its annual meeting. The scholarships were awarded to Hispanic professionals in the state of Wisconsin who are pursuing advanced degrees. HPGM also announce this year's Hispanic Professional of the Year and Hispanic Young Professional of the Year.
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The annual meeting, "Reaching for the Stars," was being held at Discovery World at Pier Wisconsin and was sponsored by Northwestern Mutual Foundation.
Milwaukee
County Executive Scott Walker and Milwau-
Scholarship recipients include: ISMAEL CARDENAS Masters in Business Administration, Cardinal Stritch University MARIA ROSA SCALONE Alternative Dispute Resolution, Marquette University DARELE BISQUERRA Masters in New Media Communication, Marquette University LESLEY DELGADO Medical School at the Medical College of Wisconsin
kee Mayor Tom Barrett both spoke at the event. "The Hispanic community plays an increasingly vital and important role in the greater Milwaukee area," said Amelia Macareno, President of the HPGM Board of Directors. "This event showcased and recognized the value of diverse leaders and the role they play in making our city a vibrant community where people want to live, work and play."
MARIA CADENAS, Masters in Business Administration, Alverno
Hispanic Professional of the Year is being awarded to ENRIQUE E. FIGUEROA Ph.D., Director of the Roberto Hernandez Center at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Hispanic Young Professional of the Year is being awarded to JANNETTE CAZARES Program Manager for GE Healthcare Information Technology. HPGM is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to create a dynamic environment for Hispanic professionals to thrive by fostering leadership, mentoring, education, networking and new initiatives that support Hispanics. 38 HM&T | Hispanic Meetings & Travel
Yvonne Brodsky Hispanic Professionals of Greater Milwaukee (HPGM) has hired Yvonne Brodsky as its first full-time executive director. HPGM is a professional organization committed to developing Hispanic leaders in the Milwaukee community. Since its launch in 2003, HPGM has build a membership of 350 individual members, 24 corporate members, 16 small business members, and 11 nonprofit members. It has granted 11 scholarships to Hispanics working toward post-graduate degrees. The organization also hosts an annual leadership development conference, monthly networking events, and a gala fund-raiser featuring authentic Hispanic music, food and beverages. Prior to joining HPGM, Brodsky worked for CB Investment Services as an Investment Executive where she was responsible for the growth of the investment department of Community Bank and Trust in the Milwaukee market. She also worked as a financial advisor for Ameriprise Financial where she partnered with many Hispanic organizations to create awareness and educate the Hispanic community about financial matters. Brodsky is very involved as a volunteer in the Milwaukee community. In addition to her new role with HPGM, she is an active member of several organizations including: Junior Achievement, the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Latino Girl Scouts Committee, and the mentorship committee at St. Joan Antida. Yvonne has a B.S. in International Business and Marketing with minors in Spanish and French from Marquette University, and completed foreign studies in France and Canada. She is an alumnus of the Spanish Honor Society of Sigma Delta Pi. Brodsky lives in Mequon with her husband and son, and enjoys traveling around the world. Her most memorable trip was to her native country Peru while hiking the ruins of Machupichu. HPGM is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to create a dynamic environment for Hispanic professionals to thrive by fostering leadership, mentoring, education, networking and new initiatives that support Hispanics.
Looking for editorial pieces that inform, stimulate, entertain and motivate? Look no further . . .
$30 FOR A FULL YEAR The inside track to convention planning, meeting planning, national/international travel destinations, the Hispanic business market, and national/international meeting professionals. Find the information your looking for in the pages of Hispanic Meetings and Travel magazine. Where the Hispanic market is just an arms length away.
To start your subscription for a full year go to: www.hispanicmeetingstravel.com You may also subscribe to Hispanic Meetings and Travel by telephone at 281-333-1881
Associations|Update
Bridging Borders in the Meetings & Hospitality Industry
California, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, Florida and New York receiving the largest economic impact. The 18 billion spent in the US by Latin American travelers generated over 250,000 full-time American jobs.
Educational Sessions will include
The International Association of Hispanic Meeting Professionals, the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce, Hispanic Meetings & Travel and Heritage Hotels and Resorts invite you to New Mexico the Land of Enchantment! Join us when we present “USA and Mexico - Bridging Borders in the Meetings & Hospitality Industry”
IAHMP 12th Annual Conference December 6-9, 2007 Albuquerque, New Mexico Come help us welcome the Mexico Chapter with a delegation of over 50 members to their first IAHMP conference. Come meet the members from the Iberian Chapter representing Spain and Portugal. Official Conference Hotel Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town 800 Rio Grande Boulevard NW Albuquerque, New Mexico 87104 telephone 505-843-6300 toll-free 800-237-2133 facsimile 505-842-8426 www.hhandr.com/hotelabq
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Come enjoy the ambiance of the historic Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town The Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town exemplifies "Albuquerque Style," a unique blend of New Mexico's Pueblo, Spanish Territorial and Western cultural influences. Listed in Travel + Leisure as one of “25 stylish hotels under $200,” Hotel Albuquerque is a landmark hotel nestled in the heart of the historic Old Town Plaza and museum district. When you call ask for the conference rate for IAHMP. Opening Session will address the State of the Travel and Tourism Industry Did you know that Latin America, comprised of the Caribbean, Central and South America and Mexico, provided over 13 million visitors to the US last year, making it the largest source of inbound travel to the entire US with Texas,
Strategies for Destinations to Capture the Hispanic Market Developing Leadership and a Win Win Attitude Public Speaking - Advanced Skills for Presenting at Meetings or Speaking Engagements Understanding the Value of Your Meetings
Attend the 3rd Annual Gala Diversity Awards Banquet, Who will be this year’s winners? Attend the Presentation of the Diversity Awards and Post-Awards Dance featuring the sound of the Micky Cruz Salsa Band Enjoy a post conference tour to Santa Fe on December 8-9, 2007 when the Santa Fe CVB will host a special Merienda and VIP Tour for IAHMP. Stay in the heart of Old Santa Fe and steps away from the historic Plaza at the Hotel Plaza Real. The hotel is a picturesque blend of Native American, Mexican, Spanish and Western influences threaded together throughout the property providing a distinct atmosphere. From the authentic territorial architecture, handcrafted furnishings and art, and Old World courtyards, to the original paintings, pottery and weavings by the Southwest's foremost artists, this hotel has a sense of magic and mystery that entrances the soul. Supplier rooms are $99 and Meeting Planners are hosted by Heritage Hotels and Resorts.
Santa Fe Post Conference Tour – Saturday, December 8 and Sunday, December 9, 2007 at Hotel Plaza Real 125 Washington Avenue Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501 telephone 505-988-4900 toll-free 877-901-7666 facsimile 505-983-9322 www.hhandr.com/plazareal
Are you a meeting planner or the decision maker in site selection for your next confer-
ence or convention? You may qualify to attend the annual conference as a Hosted Meeting Planner. If qualified you will receive R/T Airfare and a two (2) night stay at the Historic Hotel Albuquerque, in New Mexico and a one (1) night stay at the Hotel Plaza Real in Santa Fe. This offer is good for the first 40 meeting planners who complete and submit the application form posted online at www.IAHMP.org. To qualify, register for the conference and pay your membership dues. The Hosted Meeting Planner program is made possible by Heritage Hotels and Resorts sponsorship. www.hispanicmeetingstravel.com | HM&T 41
speakersbureau Victor Gonzalez
Manuel Medrano
Ruben Gonzalez
Carlos Conejo
Franco Soldi
Bobby González
Dr. Camilo Cruz
Pegine Echevarria
Jimmy Cabrera, CSP
Julia Muguerza
Patsy Cisneros
Deborah Deras
Xavier Cortada
Juana Bordas
Dr. Ana Nogales
Daniel Gutierrez
Charles Garcia
Yasmin Davidds
Joachim de Posada
Dr. Jo Ann Piña
Mike Aguilera
HISPANIC VOICES
We Have a Positive Message to Share With You! Hispanic Meetings & Travel Speakers Bureau brings you Hispanic Speakers your audiences will LOVE! In English or Spanish our speakers will deliver a message your group will REMEMBER! •
We can match your needs with the VERY BEST world-class speakers to make sure your group will LIVE your message!
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HM&T speakers can help DEVELOP your leaders and help GROW your business or organization.
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When you chose an HM&T Speaker you can make your next meeting or event a CELEBRATION that will take you to the next LEVEL!
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We have the proven speakers who will make you look GREAT! Whatever the topic, the industry, the audience, the budget or the timeline ... HM&T Speakers can help YOU!
SUCCESS is our only option! Winter Showcase December 8, 2007 Albuquerque, New Mexico! Contact us today at 281-333-1755. Let's work together to meet your goals!
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Juana Bordas President Mestiza Leadership International Juana Bordas is President of Mestiza Leadership International — a company that focuses on leadership, diversity, and organizational change. A former faculty member for the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL, she taught in the Leadership Development Program (LDP) - the most highly utilized executive program in the world. As founding President/ CEO of the National Hispana Leadership Institute, the only program in America that prepares Latinas for national leadership, she forged partnerships with Harvard’s JFK School of Government and CCL to provide training for Hispanic women. An active community member, Juana was one of 50 leaders chosen by the Colorado Legislature to design the state’s future plan and was selected by Colorado Business Magazine as one of 100 influentials in the state. In 1977 she was a founder of Denver’s Mi Casa Women’s Center and served as executive director until 1986. Today, Mi Casa is recognized as a national model for women’s empowerment. Juana holds an MSW from the University of Wisconsin. She has twenty two years’ experience managing nonprofit corporations and building partnerships with the private sector to support innovative programs. Her publications include: “Passion and Power: Finding Personal
Purpose” — essay in “Reflections on Leadership” (John Wiley & Sons). Juana is a contributing author to “Leadership in the 21st Century” in “Rethinking Leadership” published by Sage Publications. “Latino Leadership: Building a Diverse and Humane Society” was published by the Journal for Leadership Studies. Her paper, “African American Leaders: Guardians of Public Values,” was included in the inaugural issue of the International Journal on Servant Leadership. Her book, “Leadership for a Multicultural Age”was published by Berrett-Koehler in the spring of 2007. Juana recently served as advisor to Harvard’s Hispanic Journal on Public Policy and the Kellogg National Fellows Program. She received the Wise Woman Award from the National Center for Women’s Policy Studies and was inducted into the Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame. Currently, she is vice president of the board of the Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership and board President of the Circle of Latina Leadership – a program that prepares young and emerging Latina women to advance their community forward. A dynamic national speaker and trainer, Juana weaves leadership, diversity, and community building into a multicultural tapestry. She utilizes music, movement and leadership practices to illustrate the richness and wisdom diversity brings. A former Peace Corps volunteer, she received the Franklin Miller Award from the US Peace Corps for her life long commitment to advance communities of color. The Denver Business Journal selected her for their 2003 Outstanding Women in Business Award for her efforts in promoting public partnerships and nonprofit involvement in the business arena. She was recognized by the National Organization of Black Elected Legislative Women as a Colorado Pioneer for her “Legacy of Outstanding Leadership.” In 2006, Juana received the Leadership Legacy award from Spellman College’s Center for Leadership.
Mike Aguilera “The way people communicate fascinates me.” Mike Aguilera has always been fascinated and interested with language and communication. Mike realized early in life that communication is much more than words alone. Communication experts say only seven percent of face to face communication is based on the words spoken. The majority of communication is generated by body motions, gestures and voice tonality. All of this is sensed at a subconscious level. Mike Aguilera conducts trainings and presentations on communication with a focus on its subconscious impact. Mike says that the way you communicate to yourself effects the way you communicate to the world. Your self-talk words and thoughts effect the way you feel, the way you communicate to others, and even your health. Mr. Aguilera is CEO and founder of Aguilera & Associates. He has created and conducts a series of unique empowering workshops and presentations all based around subconscious communication techniques and strategies for relationships, both business and personal, stress reduction, creative solution thinking, sales, negotiations, and leadership. Mike Aguilera has been invited to conduct his workshops at many major companies that include; Sun Microsystems, Netscape/AOL, HP, Cisco Systems, IBM, PG&E, GE, and Lockheed. Mike is a certified NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) master practitioner and trainer, who has trained thousands of people worldwide in cutting-edge technologies of accelerated human change and is a constant guest of radio and TV programs across the country. When you hear Mike Aguilera present you will understand why his unique combination of business experience, empowering NLP skills, certification in hypnosis, and martial arts training make for a learning experience that will guarantee results. www.hispanicmeetingstravel.com | HM&T 43
TRAVEL
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA BEACH COMMUNITY
destinations
Newport Beach Sun, sand and sophistication! ewport Beach is a Southern California beach community nestled 50 miles south of Los Angeles and 85 miles north of San Diego. Its’ seaside sophistication caters to those individuals seeking the good life. Newport Beach is approximately 50 square miles, of which 25 are water, and has 9 miles of pristine beaches making it ideal for sailing, waterskiing, surfing, snorkeling, scuba diving, deep sea diving and taking in the California sun. With temperatures averaging in the mid 70’s in summer and mid 60’s in the winter Newport Beach is a great travel destination year round. Newport Beach boasts a wide array of restaurants, retail shopping, and accommodations to fit every traveler’s budget. One of the most unique lodging experiences is at the Crystal Cove Beach Cottages in Crystal Cove State Park. There are about 22 restored cottages with 24 cottages waiting restoration by the Crystal Cove Alliance. These cottages were original homes to Japanese fishermen when the area was a fishing village. During World War II, these cottages became part of the Japanese detention camps in California and today many of the furniture and artifacts of that sorrowful era have been preserved in the cottages. The cottages overlook one of only two places along the California Coast where dolphins give birth. Guests can oftentimes see dolphins swimming off the coast making these cottages extra special. Cottage #15 is especially special since it sits right on the sand and is home to The Beachcomber Café, a full-service restaurant offering great California cooking for daily breakfast, lunch and dinner. And don’t forget the historic raising of the Martini Flag which takes place daily at 5:00pm and 7:00pm. These incredible accommodations are a jewel on the beach especially because the cottages can accommodate up to nine people at an incredible rate. As a result, the cottages are booked up to seven months in advance!
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If your palate for accommodations is a bit more posh then Newport Beach will not disappoint. With a Five Diamonds ranking by the Automobile Association of America, 2006, The Island Hotel Newport Beach is a luxurious hotel situated in the epicenter of Newport Center – Newport Beach’s busiest and most upscale business district. The Island Hotel features a tropical, resort-like ambiance in tandem with first-class service and a full array of luxury accommodations. The property boasts sweeping views of the shimmering Pacific Ocean and the nearby islands of Balboa, Lido and Catalina, and is just minutes from Newport Harbor and its array of water-oriented activities. The Island Hotel is also ideally situated adjacent to Fashion Island, the region’s premier outdoor shopping and restaurant center with over 200 upscale specialty shops and restaurants, cinemas and a Venetian carousel. For those individuals looking to be pampered The Spa at The Island Hotel features nine treatment rooms for massages, body treatments and facials. The only full-service waterfront hotel in Newport Beach is The Balboa Bay Club & Resort. The private 58 year old Balboa Bay Club, hangout for many old Hollywood stars such as John Wayne, Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, opened a “public” side in the spring of 2003 with 132 guest rooms and suites. The resort is set against a stunning backdrop of sleek million dollar yachts and spectacular bay views. After a day of boating in the harbor, hotel guests and locals alike can pull up to the dock of The Balboa Bay Club & Resort for easy access to the property’s award-winning The First Cabin Restaurant and recently opened The First Cabin Bar. The menu highlights an innovative cuisine with a Continental flair created by Austrian Executive Chef Josef Lageder. Spirited live entertainment and dancing can also be enjoyed nightly at Duke’s Place. Newport Beach’s convenient location in the heart of Orange County allows visitors easy access to the most recognized California tourist destinations such as Disneyland and Universal Studios Hollywood. Newport Beach also has an extensive Annual Events Calendar ranging from Whale Watching from January thru March; the Newport Beach Film Festival in April; the Sandcastle Contest in October to the Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade in December and celebrity watching year round.
The city has always been a sanctuary to celebrities looking for the promise of relative obscurity. Kobe Bryant, George Clooney, Nicolas Cage and Tiger Woods are but a few current celebrities with homes in Newport Beach. In every season of the year a trip to Newport Beach will guarantee plenty of activities to do in this casual but sophisticated Southern California beach haven.
Editorial content provided by the Newport Beach Conference & Visitors Bureau; Lee M. Goldston, Integrated Marketingworks; Marguarite Clark, Marguarite Clark Public Relations. For more information on Newport Beach please visit www.visitnewportbeach.com, www.crystalcovebeachcottages.org, www.theislandhotel.com, www.balboabayclub.com. www.hispanicmeetingstravel.com | HM&T 45
eventscalendar m e e t i n g s
SEPTEMBER Latina Style Magazine National Latina Symposium www.latinastyle.com Washington, DC September 06
Hispanic Heritage Foundation Annual Hispanic Heritage Awards www.hispanicheritage.org Washington, DC
OCTOBER Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Public Policy Conference and Gala www.chci.org Washington, DC October 01 - October 03 National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts 11th Annual Noche de Gala www.hispanicarts.org Washington, DC October 02
Development Agency MED Week 2007 Conference
Texas Association for Bilingual Education 2007 Annual Conference www.tabe.org San Antonio, Texas October 03 - October 06
www.medweek.gov Washington, DC September 13 - September 14
Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund 23rd Annual Texas Dinner www.maldef.org San Antonio, Texas September 14
National Alliance for Hispanic Health Salud Con Sabor www.hispanichealth.org Chicago, Illinois
Hispanic National Bar Association 2007 Annual Convention www.hnba.com Puerto Rico October 03 - October 07 National Society of Hispanic MBAs 2007 Annual Conference www.nshmba.org Houston, Texas October 04 - October 06 Texas Conference for Women 2007 Annual Texas Conference for Women www.txconferenceforwomen.org Austin, Texas October 04
September 14 - September 16
National Association Hispanic Real Estate Professionals 2007 Hispanic Marketing Convention & Expo www.nahrep.org Lake Buena Vista, Florida September 16 - September 20
United States Hispanic
www.ushcc.com San Juan, Puerto Rico September 19 - September 22
Hispanic Council for Reform
Hispanic American Police Command
and Educational Options
Officers Association 2007 National
2007 Conference
Training Conference
www.hcreo.org
www.hapcoa.com
Dallas, Texas
Las Vegas, Nevada
October 13 - October 15
October 23 - October 26
Hispanic Women's Corporation
Hispanic Dental Association 2007 Annual Meeting www.hdassoc.org Miami, Florida October 25 - October 27
22nd National Hispanic Women's Conference - Latinas: Legacies in Leadership www.hispanicwomen.org Phoenix, Arizona
United States Hispanic Leadership Institute 7th Annual Northeast Latino www.ushli.org Philadelphia, Pennsylvania October 14 - October 15 SER-Jobs for Progress National, Inc.
National Association of Latino Arts and Culture 7th National Conference www.nalac.org San Antonio, Texas October 11 - October 15
www.ser-national.org
and International Awards www.dialogueondiversity.org Washington, DC September 26
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Hispanic Engineer National Achievement Award Conference 2007 Career Conference and Awards Show www.henaac.org San Diego, California October 11 - October 13
NOVEMBER
Austin, Texas October 15 - October 18 Tomas Rivera Policy Institute 4th Annual Education Conference www.trpi.org
National Hispanic Business Association 2007 Leadership Conference www.nhba.org Chicago, Illinois November 01 - November 03
Long Beach, California October 15 - October 15 National Latino Peace Officers Training Institute and Convention
National Hispana Leadership Institute 2007 Executive Leadership Training and Mujer Awards Conference www.nhli.org Denver, Colorado November 08 - November 09
www.nlpoa.org San Juan, Puerto Rico October 17 - October 20
2007 Alumni Hall of Fame Gala www.hsf.net
Hispanic Contractors Association de Tejas 12th Annual State Conference and Expo www.hcadetejas.org Dallas, Texas November 10 - November 11
Washington, DC October 17
DECEMBER
Hispanic Association of Colleges
ASPIRA Association, Inc. 2007 Annual Technology Tools Conference www.aspira.org San Juan, Puerto Rico December 03 - December 06
and Universities 21st Annual Conference www.hacu.net Chicago, Illinois October 20 - October 22
Dialogue on Diversity Entrepreneurial Excellence
Association of Hispanic Advertising Agencies 23rdSemi Annual Conference www.ahaa.org New York, New York October 31 - November 02
42nd Annual Conference
Hispanic Scholarship Fund United States Hispanic Leadership Institute 9th Annual Midwest Hispanic Student Leadership Conference www.ushli.org Chicago, Illinois October 08
Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers 31st Annual Conference www.shpe.org Philadelphia, Pennsylvania October 31 - November 04
Student Leadership Conference
Association 2007 Annual National National Association of Hispanic Journalists Annual Noche de Triunfos Journalism Awards Gala www.nahj.org Washington, DC October 05
Chamber of Commerce 28th Annual Convention
c o n f e r e n c e s
October 13 - October 14
September 07
Minority Business
&
National Hispanic Corporate Council Membership Meeting Conference www.nhcc-hq.org Chicago, Illinois October 22 - October 24
International Association of Hispanic Meeting Professionals 12th Annual Conference & Tradeshow www.iahmp.org Albuquerque, New Mexico December 06 – December 09