Athens Convention & Visitors Bureau Meeting Planners Guide
Unleash your potential. Unleash the potential of your next meeting or convention in Athens! This vibrant, eclectic college town offers countless opportunities to create a schedule for both work and play that will have attendees buzzing. Our first-rate meeting facilities and acclaimed level of customer service will ensure that your time is productive at every phase of the planning and execution of your event. Just steps outside your meeting, our historic Southern streets are pulsing with creative energy and provide a broad range of options for planned social events or free time for attendees.
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Take a walk. Stop and shop in funky boutiques, chic shops, and classic record stores. Hear hot licks and cool grooves in downtown hot spots. Discover your pedigree. Tour Athens’ renowned historic districts, featuring 15 neighborhoods on the National Register and four antebellum house museums along the “Museum Mile.” Paint the town red. Take in an exhibit at the Georgia Museum of Art or several local galleries. See a live Broadway production or local theatre, or have a theatre group come to you!
Athens Convention & Visitors Bureau
Play a dog leg right! Hit the links at the University of Georgia Golf Course or one of several other local courses. The award-winning Georgia Club is less than 10 miles from downtown. Give yourself a treat. Take a brewery tour and sample award-winning Terrapin Beer. Then raise your glass to distinctive dining at one of our dozens of signature restaurants. Bark after dark. Acoustic or amplified, hear live music nightly in intimate downtown clubs, classic concert halls, and bustling bars like the famous 40 Watt club.
VisitAthensGA.com • 800.653.0603
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Theatre and Meeting Facilities
300 North Thomas Street, Athens, Georgia 30601 706.208.0900 • 800.918.6393 Fax: 706.548.0870 • ClassicCenter.com
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• Banquets for up to 2,300 • Seating for up to 2,900 • 80,000+ total square feet of flexible meeting space • 29 breakout meeting rooms • Indoor and outdoor reception areas • Exhibit space for 300 8' x 10' booths • One-day and multi-day meeting packages • In-house pipe and drape • In-house AV equipment and service • State-of-the-art 2,050-seat theatre • 85' high-fly space with full rigging • 82' x 59' stage with orchestra pit • Full complement of acoustical drapes • In-house sound and lighting system available • Parking deck
Athens Convention & Visitors Bureau
The Classic Center
With more than 80,000 square feet of flexible meeting and exhibit space, The Classic Center is the region’s premier conference and convention venue and the perfect location for events of all sizes. The facility boasts 29 breakout rooms and can accommodate up to 300 8' x 10' trade show booths, banquets for up to 2,300, and seating for up to 3,000. The 2,050-seat Classic Center Theatre is a cornerstone of the thriving local arts scene. Impress your group with a performance from one of the national touring productions that graces our stage throughout the year, or let us coordinate a private show featuring local talent. The Center is ideally located in downtown Athens, which features more than 150 shopping, dining and entertainment options. The facility is adjacent to the 185-room Hilton Garden Inn and is within walking distance of 1,000 more rooms. Parking in our 650-space deck is free for convention participants, provides easy access to the facility, and is monitored by attendants and video surveillance 24 hours a day. Having successfully integrated pieces of historically significant architecture with stateof-the art new construction, The Classic Center is a unique multi-faceted venue that has been recognized by industry professionals as a prime meeting and convention site.
VisitAthensGA.com • 800.653.0603
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Foundry Park Inn & Spa 295 East Dougherty Street • Athens, Georgia 30601 706.549.7020 • Fax 706.433.1933 FoundryParkInn.com • sales@foundryparkinn.com The Foundry Park Inn & Spa is a boutique property that takes pride in preserving on-site historical buildings that date back to the 1800s and celebrate the unique history of Athens. The distinctive conference center setting features high beam ceilings, wrought-iron chandeliers, and exposed brick walls with an abundance of windows and easy access. The Foundry Park Inn & Spa is a complete destination for meetings, conferences, and special events such as weddings. Features • On-site restaurants: Hoyt House and The Melting Point • Day Spa • Award-winning live music venue: The Melting Point • Fitness center • Work desk, two dual-line telephones, voice mail • Wireless Internet throughout the property • Custom iron high beds with down bedding • In-room coffee maker with herbal tea, decaf, and regular coffee choices
To Classic Center
Guest Rooms
Meeting Rooms
Banquet Capacity
Theater Capacity
Classroom Capacity
Reception Capacity
Total Square Feet
.2 miles
119
8
200
300
130
350
9,000
Holiday Inn 197 East Broad Street • P.O. Box. 1666 • Athens, Georgia 30603 706.549.4433 • Fax 706.548.3031 • Group Sales 706.354.6400 • Hi-Athens.com The Holiday Inn hotel and conference center boasts 12,000 square feet of meeting space in downtown Athens. Fourteen meeting rooms range from 250 square feet to over 3,100 square feet. The Georgian Ballroom features 14-foot ceilings, chandeliers, state-of-the-art audiovisual, and accommodates up to 300. Guests may choose from well-appointed, standard accommodations or spoil themselves in the Executive or North Towers, which offer extra large rooms and work stations. Features • On-site dining: Ginkgo Tree Restaurant and Ginkgo Tree Lounge • Room service, valet, and bellman services • Large indoor pool, whirlpool, and two fitness centers • Data ports, work desk, and high-speed Internet access • Coffeemaker, hair dryer, iron, and ironing board • Airport shuttles to Athens (complimentary) and Atlanta (fees apply) • Off-premise catering available
To Classic Center
Guest Rooms
Meeting Rooms
Banquet Capacity
Theater Capacity
Classroom Capacity
Reception Capacity
Total Square Feet
.3 miles
305
14
220
375
175
300
12,000
Capacity numbers typically refer to largest room in facility.
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Athens Convention & Visitors Bureau
Conference Center Hotels
Hilton Garden Inn, at The Classic Center 390 E. Washington St. • P.O. Box. 1666 • Athens, Georgia 30603 706.353.6800 • Fax 706.353.6807 • Hi-Athens.com The Hilton Garden Inn’s two-story atrium lobby is the setting for a piano bar and lounge and overlooks The Classic Center, the premiere convention and performing arts center in Athens. The hotel is steps away from dozens of unique downtown restaurants, shops, and a world-renowned music scene. Luxury guest rooms include granite countertops, hospitality center with refrigerator, microwave and coffee maker, work stations with spacious work desk, two-line phone, and data port. Features • Breakfast café • Fitness room and indoor pool • Business center and complimentary high-speed Internet in guest rooms • Four-room Presidential Suite, and two-room and mini-suites • Luxury mattresses • In-room iron and ironing board, hairdryer • 100% non-smoking hotel • Parking garage
To Classic Center
Guest Rooms
Meeting Rooms
Banquet Capacity
Theatre Capacity
Classroom Capacity
Reception Capacity
Total Square Feet
On-site
185
2
140
280
110
180
2,600
University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education Conference Center & Hotel 1197 S. Lumpkin Street • Athens, Georgia 30602-3603 706.542.2654 • Toll Free 800.488.7827 • Fax 706.542.2635 GeorgiaCenter.uga.edu • sales@georgiacenter.uga.edu The Georgia Center is the world’s largest and most comprehensive university-based conference center. The facility encompasses 300,000 square feet including space for meetings, banquets, exhibitions, dining, and lodging. The Georgia Center’s 200-room hotel is conveniently located on the campus of UGA and minutes from Downtown Athens. The Georgia Center’s professional staff can handle all the details for your conferences, meetings, and special events. Features • Two on-site restaurants: the Courtyard Café and the Savannah Room • Fitness Center on site, plus access to nearby UGA athletic facilities • Wi-Fi access in all public spaces and two telephones with seperate lines and data ports in rooms • In-room hairdryer, iron, and ironing board • Local shuttle service (complimentary) and Atlanta airport shuttle (fees apply) • Five executive boardrooms, 20 meeting rooms, and computer lab • Two auditoriums - 375 and 600 seats; private ballroom for up to 500 guests • Registration services and flexible meeting space To Classic Center
Guest Rooms
Meeting Rooms
Banquet Capacity
1.8 miles
200
25
600
Theater Classroom Reception Capacity Capacity Capacity
600
140
600
Exhibit Sq. Feet
Total Sq. Feet
6,500
30,000
Capacity numbers typically refer to largest room in facility.
VisitAthensGA.com • 800.653.0603
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Comfort Inn 3980 Atlanta Highway • Athens, Georgia 30606 706.227.9700 • Fax 706.227.3351 • ChoiceHotels.com Located adjacent to Georgia Square Mall on Atlanta Highway, the Comfort Inn offers 37 well-appointed suites and many convenient amenities. The meeting room features audiovisual, overhead projector, dry-erase board, and restroom facilities. • • • •
Complimentary continental breakfast Exercise room and outdoor pool Free high speed Internet In-room microwave, refrigerator, coffee maker, hair dryer, iron, and ironing board
To Classic Center
Guest Rooms
Meeting Capacity
Meeting Sq. Feet
6 miles
70
45
500
Comfort Suites 255 North Avenue • Athens, Georgia 30601 706.995.4000 • Toll-free 877.424.6423 • ChoiceHotels.com Comfort Suites is a top choice with business travelers who appreciate quality, comfort, and attention to detail. Get a busy day off to a great start with a complimentary breakfast and newspaper in the café area, or relax on the sundeck. • Complimentary continental breakfast • Exercise room, indoor pool, sauna, and whirlpool • High speed Internet and business center
To Classic Center
Guest Rooms
Meeting Capacity
Meeting Sq. Feet
1 mile
73
45
1,000
Country Inn & Suites 236 Old Epps Bridge Road • Athens, Georgia 30606 706.612.9100 • Fax 706.612.9115 • CountryInns.com Country Inn & Suites Athens is in the Alps/Beechwood district, near major shopping, dining, and St. Mary’s Hospital. The 100% smoke-free facility includes a four-story atrium lobby and wellappointed meeting facilities with a meeting room plus separate board room and prefunction area. • • • •
Complimentary deluxe breakfast Fitness center, indoor heated pool and whirlpool Free high-speed wireless/wired Internet and business center In-room microwave and refrigerator
To Classic Center
Guest Rooms
Meeting Capacity
Meeting Sq. Feet
2.2 miles
81
100
1,300
Capacity numbers typically refer to largest room in facility.
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Athens Convention & Visitors Bureau
Accommodations
Courtyard by Marriott 166 North Finley Street • Athens, Georgia 30601 706.369.7000 • Fax 706.548.4224 • CourtyardAthens.com The Courtyard by Marriott is located in downtown on the corner of Broad Street, (downtown’s main thoroughfare) and North Finley Street, site of the historic “Tree That Owns Itself.” This property is filled with Southern charm, including a rocking chair veranda. • Courtyard Café for breakfast • Fitness center, outdoor pool and whirlpool • Free high-speed Internet, extended cable service, HBO • Guest laundry, valet service, and in-room coffee service • 100% non-smoking property To Classic Center
Guest Rooms
Meeting Capacity
Meeting Sq. Feet
.6 mile
105
55
860
Georgia Gameday Center 250 West Broad Street • Athens, Georgia 30601 • 706.583.4500 Fax 706.583.4501 • StayatGameday.com • info@gagameday.com Georgia Gameday Center’s one-, two-, and three- bedroom condominiums offer nightly and extended stay rates just steps from local shops, restaurants, and nightlife. A grand clubroom features multiple wall televisions/pc-compatible screens, highspeed Internet access, and kitchen. • On-property restaurants and pub • Exercise room • Courtesy shuttle (within 5 miles) and private parking deck • UGA-themed decor To Classic Center
Guest Rooms
Meeting Capacity
Meeting Sq. Feet
.4 mile
70
40
650
Hampton Inn 2220 West Broad Street • Athens, Georgia 30606 706.548.9600 • Fax 706.548.8268 • Hampton.com The Hampton Inn is just two miles from downtown Athens and the UGA campus and is conveniently located in the midst of the Beechwood and Alps Road retail area. Popular restaurants and retail stores are within easy walking distance of the hotel. • • • •
Complimentary continental breakfast Fitness center and outdoor swimming pool High speed Internet and data ports Free HBO, Disney, and ESPN
To Classic Center
Guest Rooms
Meeting Capacity
Meeting Sq. Feet
2.2 miles
116
30
500
Capacity numbers typically refer to largest room in facility.
VisitAthensGA.com • 800.653.0603
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Accommodations
Holiday Inn Express 513 West Broad Street • P.O. Box 1666 • Athens, Georgia 30603 706.546.8122 • Fax 706.546.1722 Group Sales Office 706.354.6400 • Hi-Athens.com Only three blocks from the UGA campus, the Holiday Inn Express features extensive amenities at an attractive rate. Relax in comfortable, newly-renovated executive or standard rooms. Complete catering and audiovisual services are available. • • • • •
Complimentary continental breakfast Exercise facility and outdoor pool Business center and high speed Internet access Hair dryer, in-room coffee maker, iron, and ironing board Airport shuttle to Athens (complimentary) and Atlanta (fees apply)
To Classic Center
Guest Rooms
Meeting Rooms
Meeting Capacity
Meeting Sq. Feet
.5 mile
160
6
200
3,618
More Accommodations Lodging America’s Best Inn 2715 Atlanta Hwy. Best Western Colonial Inn 170 N. Milledge Ave. Bulldog Inn 1225 Commerce Rd. Campus Inn 3425 Atlanta Hwy. Days Inn 230 N. Finley St. Howard Johnson 2465 W. Broad St. Microtel Inn 1050 Ultimate Dr. Perimeter Inn 3791 Atlanta Hwy. InTown Suites 2044 S. Milledge Ave. Travelodge 898 W. Broad St.
Phone/Web To Classic Center 706.549.1530 3.3 miles 800.237.8466 706.546.7311 • 800.528.1234 .9 mile BestWestern.com 706.543.3611 1.8 miles BulldogInnAthens.com 706.549.0251 4.8 miles CampusInnMotelAthens.com 706.543.6511 • 800.329.7466 .6 mile DaysInnAthens.com 706.548.1111 • 800.446.4656 2.8 miles HoJo.com 706.548.5676 • 800.771.7171 3 miles MicrotelInn.com 5.7 miles 706.548.3000 • 800.934.2963
# Rooms 45
Amenities C, H, S, P
70
C, H, P
51
H, P
40
H, P
75
C, H, P
100
C, P
61
C, H
33
C, H, P
706.208.8812 • 800.951.7821 InTownSuites.com 706.549.5400 • 800.578.7878
4.5 miles
138
H
.8 mile
40
C, H, P
706.559.9595 TheColonels.net
8.1 miles
7
C, S
Dawgs Allowed
Bed & Breakfast The Colonels 3890 Barnett Shoals Rd.
Amenities Key: C - Complimentary Breakfast, H - Handicapped, P - Pool, S - Suites
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Athens Convention & Visitors Bureau
VisitAthensGA.com • 800.653.0603
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Unleash your creativity. There’s no need to keep your delegates on a short leash. Venture out from traditional boardrooms to assemble and motivate your group in unexpected venues. Athens has several creative and artistic spaces for inspiring meetings, out-of-the-box breakout sessions, sophisticated soirées, and much more. Host an unforgettable formal function for hundreds or a casually chic event for a few dozen. Our team of convention specialists can help you produce a unique and memorable event in Athens. Posh places to unleash your creativity: • Get flowered with compliments when you host an elegant reception in the stunning tropical conservatory at the State Botanical Garden of Georgia. • Plan a grand affair of historic proportions at an authentic antebellum Greek Revival mansion, such as the Taylor-Grady House (ca. 1844). • Make an artistic impression with a modern opening reception at the Georgia Museum of Art
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• Create real drama with theatrical receptions at The Classic Center or Morton Theatre. Dine like divas on center stage and thrill audiences with performances in the opulent auditoriums. • Get natural inspiration with a pastoral retreat at the State Botanical Garden’s Callaway Building. • Make beautiful music or motivational speeches on the acoustically superb stage at the UGA Performing Arts Center. • Get the best of both worlds with a spectacular event at the Lyndon House Arts Center, which houses a gleaming modern art gallery and an antebellum house museum. This multifaceted venue has exceptional indoor and outdoor spaces. • Go green for your next outing at the Sandy Creek Nature Center, with small classrooms, exhibits, and access to the North Oconee River Greenway. • Meet in historic facilities full of character and functionality, like the Seney-Stovall Chapel, Trumps at the Historic Georgian, the Community Room at the Church-Waddel-Brumby House, and Firehall No. 2.
Athens Convention & Visitors Bureau
Listen up! Wherever you are in Athens, make time for experiencing our world-renowned live music. Plan a pub crawl or book your own band. Hiring Athens musicians will lend that only-in-Athens, multi-sensory element to your event that will have delegates talking for years to come. They will beg to come back for more! The Athens CVB represents all local facilities and venues. We will work closely with you to plan a quality custom event produced just for your unique audience. For more brainstorming ideas, facility details, or musical talent booking information, just call or send us an e-mail. We are here to help!
VisitAthensGA.com • 800.653.0603
Venue
Meeting Rooms
Banquet Classroom Reception Theater Capacity Capacity Capacity Capacity
Total Sq. Feet
Church-Waddel-Brumby House
1
—
25
75
—
1,500
Firehall #2
1
40
45
70
60
915
Georgia Museum of Art
2
150
49
350
200
52,000
Lyndon House Arts Center
3
50
50
300
100
3,500
Morton Theatre
4
150
40
150
544
12,600
Sandy Creek Nature Center
4
50
60
100
100
2,600
Seney-Stovall Chapel
1
45
60
240
3,968
State Botanical Garden of Ga.
4
250
40
300
250
17,600
Taylor-Grady House
2
65
—
210
—
10,379
UGA Performing Arts Center
2
216
—
215
1,100
45,000
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Loosen up your collar. Step outside The Classic Center and take a walk through the vibrant downtown historic district for a real big slice of Athens life. Experience sensory overload and take it all in on the Southeast’s hippest streets. Eclectic art galleries, vintage record shops, signature restaurants, and live music venues beckon visitors and locals to linger. Take a front-row seat for sipping cocktails and watching people at an al fresco café. Catch a live Athens band at the famous 4o Watt Club. Enjoy awardwinning cuisine at Five and Ten and organic delicacies at Farm 255. Athens is always open and everyone is always welcome. We can’t wait to see you in Athens!
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• Athens CVB Readers Choice Award Convention South, 2006 and 2007 • The Classic Center Prime Site Award Facilities magazine, 2008 • Top 25 Arts Destination AmericanStyle, 2002–2007 • Georgia’s Second Safest City • Melting Point and 40 Watt Club “Top 40 Music Venues in America” Paste Magazine, May 2007 • The Globe, “Best Bars in America” Esquire Magazine, October 2007
Athens Convention & Visitors Bureau
CVB Meeting Services Let the professional staff at the Athens Convention & Visitors Bureau assist in all aspects of planning your meeting. We partner with all Athens-Clarke County facilities. Most of our services are at no charge to the meeting planner. • Event registration service (fees apply) • Customized proposals • Bid presentations to your site selection committee • Activity suggestions • Transportation shuttles (fees apply) • Advance publicity, literature, DVDs, images, and media kits • Staffed information tables during your event • Entertainment booking You’re invited to a personalized site inspection of Athens and its facilities. Schedule a visit at your convenience, or join one of our familiarization tours. Contact us: Athens Convention & Visitors Bureau Convention Sales Department 706.357.4434 • madams@VisitAthensGA.com tourinfo@VisitAthensGA.com
Athens is 61 miles northeast of Atlanta via GA 316.
Photo Credits: Cover, clockwise from top left: CVB, Georgia Center, CVB, Marcus Williams/ADDA, Georgia Center; Inside cover: Canopy Studio, Marcus Williams/ADDA; p. 3: UGA Athletics, The Georgia Club, CVB, CVB; p. 4–5: The Classic Center; p. 8: Country Inn & Suites by Magnolia Color, Inc.; p. 11: clockwise from top left CVB, Georgia Center, The Georgia Club, CVB, Best Western Colonial Inn; p 12: clockwise from top left: UGA Performing Arts Center, Michael Hitchcock, GDEcD, CVB, State Botanical Garden of Georgia, The Melting Point; p. 13: Georgia Museum of Art, CVB, State Botanical Garden of Georgia, Michael Wharton; p. 14: Top image and bottom right image: Marcus Williams/ADDA, others are CVB; Back cover, clockwise from top left: Marcus Williams/ADDA; Georgia Center, Marcus Williams/ADDA; CVB; Marcus Williams/ADDA; Marcus Williams/ADDA, The Melting Point
VisitAthensGA.com Athens Convention & Visitors Bureau 300 North Thomas Street • Athens, Georgia 30601 706.357.4430 • 800.653.0603 • tourinfo@VisitAthensGA.com