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WELCOME to AMERICA’S First Meeting DESTINATION! It is my pleasure to share highlights of Palm Beach County’s exceptional attributes as a destination for meetings, conventions, conferences and special events. America’s First Resort Destination is indeed America’s First Meeting Destination. Our traditions of genuine hospitality and grand events date to the mid 1890s when Henry Flagler’s Royal Poinciana Hotel opened with an Jupiter incredible 1200 rooms – the Juno Beach largest wooden structure in the world at the time. Today Palm Palm Beach Beach County has evolved into Gardens a dazzling array of classic and Riviera modern resorts, hotels and bouBeach Lake Region tique properties for every taste West Palm Beach and budget. Palm Beach Also referred to as “The Palm Beaches”, our cities and towns Wellington are uniquely elegant, uncluttered, Lake and conveniently accessible to Worth visitors. While we are the largest county east of the Mississippi River, it is amazingly easy and Boynton stress free to reach any visitor’s Beach chosen destination—whether it is Delray Boca Raton in the south or Beach Jupiter in the north, or to our eco friendly Lake Region in the west. Boca Raton Ease of movement – to attractions, the beaches, special 95 Indiantown Rd
PGA Blvd
Northlake Blvd
95
Okeechobee Blvd
Southern Blvd
10th Avenue
6th Avenue
Boynton Beach Blvd
95
event venues, the convention center, hundreds of restaurants, marinas or sporting events—is a hallmark of the Palm Beach experience. The following pages will provide meeting professionals with a taste of our vast range of assets. From the fascinating historical facts that created the aura of Palm Beach County, to our convention and entertainment district; airport and road access, and special events venues. You will learn how easy it is to reach us from 32 cities with non-stop service to the award-winning Palm Beach International Airport. The Palm Beach County CVB has received full accreditation by the Destination Marketing Association International (DMAI). Our CVB is now part of an exclusive group of top destination management organizations worldwide, recognized for their commitment to excellence in Destination Marketing and Convention Services. Envision your next event in The Palm Beaches, talk to our expert sales professionals and see why we offer an outstanding warm weather alternative for corporate, association and incentive programs. I look forward to welcoming you to Palm Beach County – the Best of Everything!® Sincerely,
Atlantic Ave
Linton Blvd
Yamato Rd
Glades Rd
Palmetto Park Rd
95
Jorge Pesquera President and CEO Palm Beach County Convention and Visitors Bureau
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THE PALM BEACHES AT A GLANCE: America’s First Resort Destination 1893 – Henry Flagler, Father of Modern Florida, arrives; declares Palm Beach a “Veritable Paradise”. 1894 – Henry Flagler establishes Palm Beach as America’s First Resort Destination with the opening of the magnificent 1,200 room resort, The Royal Poinciana. The Breakers followed shortly thereafter in 1896. 1896 – Alexander H. Findley creates Florida’s first golf course - The Breakers Ocean Course.
Fascinating Facts to Share Palm Beach County’s coastline is closest to the Gulf Stream on the Eastern seaboard, providing exceptional deep sea fishing and scuba diving experiences. 123 miles (198 km) of inland waterways makes Palm Beach County a top water sports destination in North America.
1903 – Flagler builds Whitehall as a gift for his third wife, a 60,000 square-foot (5574 m2) winter home, overlooking the Lake Worth Lagoon.
Palm Beach County – largest county east of the Mississippi River – stretching 47 miles (75 km) along the Atlantic coastline – larger than the State of Rhode Island.
1909 – Palm Beach County is officially incorporated as a county.
170 + golf courses makes Palm Beach County Florida’s Golf Capital®.
1926 – Boca Raton Resort & Club opens as a private club. Designed by famed architect Addison Mizner.
1,100 + tennis courts makes Palm Beach County a mecca for tennis enthusiasts. It is home to tennis superstars such as Serena and Venus Williams, Chris Evert, among others. The Delray Beach Tennis Center, offering 21 courts and a 8,200seat stadium, hosts international events such as the Davis and Fed Cup.
1927 – Marjorie Meriwether Post builds Mar-A-Lago, a grand 115-room, 62,500 square-foot (6,000 m2) winter retreat in Palm Beach at a cost of $8 million. Donald Trump acquires Mar-A-Lago in 1985, transforming it into a unique conference, events venue and private club. 1979 – Wellington established as a global center for Equestrian events and Polo championship games. 1979 – Baseball Spring Training tradition starts in Palm Beach County with the Atlanta Braves and the St. Louis Cardinals. 1998 – The $20 Million Roger Dean Stadium opens with 13 ball fields and a main stadium – hosting the St. Louis Cardinals, the Montreal Expos and as of 2003 the Florida Marlins for their spring training. 2001 – The National Croquet Center opens in West Palm Beach as the world’s largest croquet sports facility.
200 + museums, performing arts companies, indoor and outdoor venues, historical sites and cultural organizations confirm Palm Beach County’s standing as Florida’s Cultural Capital. 2,000 + restaurants ranging from the finest award eateries to seaside raw bars makes Palm Beach County a gourmet’s paradise. Hotel & Resort meeting space combined with the Palm Beach County Convention Center provide over one million square feet of meeting space, from boardrooms to exhibit halls.
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The Palm Beaches Fine Collection of Meeting Hotels & Resorts 200 hotels 16,000 hotel rooms Over 1 million sq ft (93,000 m2) of meeting space available*
18 hotels with more than 5,000 sq ft (464 m2) of meeting space, totaling 572,000 sq ft (53,140 m2)
Hotels with over 5,000 sq feet (464 m2) of meeting space: Boca Raton Resort & Club PGA National Resort & Spa Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach The Ritz Carlton, Palm Beach West Palm Beach Marriott Embassy Suites, West Palm Beach Embassy Suites, Boca Raton Renaissance Boca Raton Hotel Delray Beach Marriott Marriott Boca Raton at Boca Center
PGA National Resort & Spa The Colony Hotel, Palm Beach
Wint
The Breakers Jupiter Beach Resort & Spa Hilton Palm Beach Airport DoubleTree Palm Beach Gardens Embassy Suites, Palm Beach Gardens Palm Beach Gardens Marriott Holiday Inn Palm Beach Airport Hotel
Ritz-Carlton, Palm Beach
Hilton Garden Inn Palm Beach Gardens
*Hotel & Resort meeting space combined with the Palm Beach County Convention Center provide over one million square feet of meeting space, from boardrooms to exhibit halls.
The Boca Raton Resort & Club
The Breakers Palm Beach
Jupiter Beach Resort
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Stress Free Access And Mobility AIRPORT ACCESS: The award-winning PBI airport serves approximately 7 million passengers annually. An average of 200 scheduled flights from 30 cities, providing easy access nationally and internationally. A $23 million capital improvement project has expanded security checkpoints, providing a larger area for passenger screening and greeters. The concourses feature many restaurants and unique shopping boutiques, including a signature PGA Tour Shop.
Winter Equestrian Festival, Wellington
Complimentary wireless Internet access, convenient international arrivals and customs facilities as well as currency exchange. The Airport Ambassadors—a nationally recognized hospitality program — greet visitors and groups with a wealth of information on the destination’s services and attractions. PBIA is conveniently located in the center of Palm Beach County, right off I-95 and 5 minutes to downtown West Palm Beach and the Palm Beach County Convention Center. A rotating art exhibit showcases local artists’ work, and a putting green adds to the overall experience at PBIA. Fort Lauderdale and Miami International airports are just 30 and 45 minutes away respectively. ROAD ACCESS: The I-95 corridor provides 24 convenient exits that allow visitors easy access to eastern cities as well as towns and beaches throughout Palm Beach County. I-95 also provides convenient access to Fort Lauderdale (30 minutes) and Miami (45 minutes) airports.
Palm Beach International Airport
Florida’s Turnpike - which traverses the state from the Orlando area to Miami, also runs through Palm Beach County adding another 7 convenient exits to the central and western communities. State Road 80/441 is the most convenient east-west corridor connecting Florida’s East and West coasts, Okeechobee, the Western county communities of Pahokee, Belle Glade and South Bay. All are a short 45 minutes ride from the interstate I-95. A1A - This legendary road hugs the Atlantic Ocean and the Intracoastal Waterway on its north-south path through the State of Florida. Palm Beach County’s section of A1A is particularly scenic and dotted by access points to pristine beaches, nature preserves, parks, marinas and charming coastal villages. RAIL ACCESS: Tri-Rail provides convenient service from Miami and Fort Lauderdale Airports to 6 stations in Palm Beach County. Ride time from Fort Lauderdale and Miami are 1 hour, and 1 hour and half, respectively. Mizner Park, Boca Raton
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Palm Beach County Convention Center Palm Beach County Convention Center
Florida’s Finest Convention and Entertainment District Palm Beach County Convention Center IT’S HISTORIC – the Convention Center is constructed on a historic shoreline that is millions of years old.
IT’S EASY TO GET TO – Only 5 minutes from Palm Beach International Airport and 10 minutes from the beaches.
IT’S BIG – 350,000 total square-feet (32,516 m2)
IT’S GOT LOADING DOCKS Nine tractor trailer size docks, one large ramp enables easy access to the exhibit hall complemented by a 36 foot wide service road.
IT’S FLEXIBLE – 100,000 square-feet (9,290 m2) of exhibit space, divisible in 2 (50,000 square-feet each, 4,645 m2) sections and a 22,000 square-foot (2,043 m2) ballroom, divisible in 4 sections plus 19 breakout rooms. IT’S GOT ROOMS – 3,000 hotel rooms within a three mile radius IT’S GOT PARKING – Parking for over 1,100 vehicles IT’S GOT SERVICE – Expertly managed by Global Spectrum, a leading facilities management company, and, catered by Ovations, a global leader in food service, ensure optimum quality execution for conferences, conventions and trade events.
CityPlace Esplanade
CityPlace Across from the Convention Center, this European style town center features over 100 shops, restaurants and entertainment venues.
Kravis Center for the Performing Arts A premier center and multi-purpose facility in the Southeast; includes the 2,193-seat Dreyfoos Hall, 300-seat Rinker Playhouse, 1,400-seat Gosman Theater, and the Cohen Pavilion with a total of 25,000 square-feet (3,250 m2) of meeting and event space.
Norton Museum
Museum
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Unique Offsite Venues The following represents a sampling of a wide range of unique arts, culture and sports venues throughout Palm Beach County. The CVB stands ready to assist in booking any of these venues and others through our professional Destination Services team.
CityPlace Esplanade & Harriett Himmel Theater Morikami Japanese Gardens Worth Avenue in Palm Beach
The quintessential South Florida shopping, dining and entertainment mecca! From dine-a-rounds to intimate group dinners, shopping sprees and fun-filled action – it is all yours at CityPlace, (capacity unlimited).
Delray Beach - Atlantic Avenue Old Florida comes to life – with over 80 restaurants, nearly 200 shops and constant day and night activities, with an inviting small town atmosphere, (capacity unlimited).
International Polo Club Palm Beach Palm Beach at its best…elegant, exclusive and action packed events for any size group, (up to 500 guests).
Kravis Center for the Performing Arts
Kravis Center for the Performing Arts
Elegant affairs choreographed with culture at the forefront, including 3 auditoriums, 1 ballroom and 8 additional meeting rooms, (up to 700 guests).
Lion Country Safari Experience an “Out of Africa” moment amongst animals from the 7 continents, (up to 500 guests).
Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens Taiko drums and Japanese gardens create a memorable occasion for midsize groups at this one of a kind environment, (up to 300 guests).
Museum at Ragtops Historic 1910 Cadillac Dealership filled with collectibles and classic automobiles, (up to 1500 guests).
Roger Dean Stadium Take your crowd out to the ball game for picnics, team mascots and box seats all ready for your exciting outing, (up to 7,000 guests).
Sports Immortals Museum Executive groups will revel in the atmosphere filled with the singly owned largest sports memorabilia museum, (up to 300 guests).
Palm Beach International Speedway Feel the engine power from drag racing to Go-Karts and fuel your group’s imagination at this unique venue, (up to 500 guests).
Palm Beach Kennel Club Graceful greyhounds compete for your attention where a good time is a sure bet! (up to 200 guests).
South Florida Fairgrounds and Americraft Expo Center Hold your consumer or trade show with exhibit space ranging from 3,000 to 150,000 square-feet (14,000 m2 ), 7 miles west of Palm Beach International Airport.
Worth Avenue - Town of Palm Beach International Polo Club, Wellington
National Croquet CenterThe world’s largest croquet facility! A unique venue for team building events and creative affairs on the lush greens where everyone can be a player, (up to 600 guests).
Ever thought of inviting your group to “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”? The best of Rodeo Drive, Michigan and Madison Avenues – with a twist of South Florida, (capacity unlimited).
Yesteryear Village Norton Museum of Art Internationally renowned for 19th & 20th century art and photography; creates the ideal backdrop for creative gatherings, (up to 375 guests).
Over 30 historic and restored buildings completely furnished in a unique village setting of Florida circa 1850 – 1950, ideal for private events, (up to 300 guests).
For more information and options go to: www.PalmBeachFL.com/Meetings
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A World of Resources to Take Your Meeting to the Next Level Contact any of our team of sales professionals who have an in-depth and detailed expertise of knowledge in our destination’s hotels, resorts, venues, attractions, and transportation logistics. We’re a convenient and complimentary service that offers a variety of special destination planning services. Palm Beach County Convention Center
Contact Any of Our Global Sales Team: Douglas McLain Senior Vice President, Global Sales dmclain@palmbeachfl.com • 561.233.3026
The Ritz-Carlton, Palm Beach
Steve Crist Associate Vice President, Groups and Meetings Midwest and Florida Corporate / Associations gmvp@palmbeachfl.com • 561.233.3050 Donna Del Gallo Associate Vice President - Convention Sales Mid-Atlantic / National Associations gmconventions@palmbeachfl.com • 703.536.5961 Connie Hunter Senior Director of Sales - SMERF Nationwide gmsmerf@palmbeachfl.com • 561.233.3054 Susan Carlson Director of Sales - Northeast & Canada gmnortheast@palmbeachfl.com • 401.619.0039 Sandy Mukitarian Director of Sales - Southeast gmflcorp@palmbeachfl.com • 561.233.3022 Marriott Delray Beach
Yvonne McGill Small Group Specialist / Weddings / Reunions gmservices@palmbeachfl.com • 561.233.3057 Sophie Gaeta Director of Airlift Development sgaeta@palmbeachfl.com • 561.233.3034 Eda Ruddock Director of Leisure Sales eruddock@palmbeachfl.com • 561.233.3033 Rodrigo Trujillo Director International Sales rtrujillo@palmbeachfl.com • 561.233.3032
Palm Beach County Convention and Visitors Bureau 1555 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd., Suite 800 West Palm Beach, FL 33401 Toll Free: 877.722.2821 www.PalmBeachFL.com/Meetings
Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach