2010 Facilities & Destinations Mid-Market Review by Facilities Media Group

Facilities & Facilitiesonline: Essential News, Information & Venues

2010

BEDROCK COMMUNICATIONS, INC. 152 Madison Ave., Ste. 802, New York, NY 10016

Destinations

For Association & Corporate Meeting Planners

F&D Mid-Market Review Value Destinations & the Planners who use them

F&D City Guide: Directory for Association & Corporate Meeting Planners

Whether you are a rock star, CEO, athlete or conventioneer, the Rhode Island Convention & Entertainment Complex has everything you need.

A Complex made simple Rhode Island Convention Center Exhibition Hall and Grand Ballroom Meeting rooms and pre-function space Accommodations up to 5,000 Two parking garages

Dunkinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Donuts Center - Providence Seating for up to 13,000 Sky-bridge to the RICC Luxury suites Hospitality and meeting rooms

Veterans Memorial Auditorium 1,900 seats National Register of Historic Places Hospitality and meeting space

401.456.0200 meetings@GoProvidence.com GoProvidence.com

sit-down banquet; 17 meeting rooms— Six of the rooms, designed for groups of 50 or fewer, measure 19’6” x 27’ and can be reconfigured into a single room large

overall space, including 700,000 sq. ft. of Exhibit Space (600,000 sq. ft. of contiguous space on one level); 5 sepa-

Facilities

MINNESOTA

GEORGIA

Entertainment/Sports/Performances/Exhibitions/ Concerts/Competitions/Shows/Special Events CALIFORNIA CALIFORNIA CALIFORNIA CALIFORNIA

nyle or 2,400 banata; Selland Arena; Theatre, whose r 38-48 Exhibit choettler 9eatures a 13,129dvid-that may be dividor er0orto 340 people or

SAVANNAH INTERNATIONAL TRADE

Wifi Wifi Wifi capabilities; capabilities; capabilities; On-site Wifi On-site On-site capabilities; newly newly newly renorenorenoOn-site newly renovated vated vated Sheraton Sheraton Sheraton Suites Suites vated Suites Fairplex Fairplex Sheraton Fairplex hotel, hotel, Suites hotel, aa aFairplex hotel, a 12-acre 12-acre 12-acre KOA/RV KOA/RV KOA/RV 12-acre Park Park Park with with KOA/RV with 185 185 185 fullfullfullPark with 185 fullservice service service sites sites sites and and and parking parking service parking for sites forfor more more and more than parking than than for more than 30,000 30,000 30,000 vehicles. vehicles. vehicles.30,000 vehicles. Convention/Guest Convention/Guest Convention/Guest Convention/Guest Hotel Hotel Hotel Rooms: Rooms: Rooms: Hotel Rooms: 247 247 247 suites. suites. suites. 247 suites.

Exhibit Space: 55,000-sq.ft. Main Exhibit Hall, 100,000 sq. ft. total Exhibit Space Theater: 367 fixed seats Technology: Internet service includes shared T-1 and full T-1 with up to 100 Mps; Voice, data, fiber optic, Distributed Television throughout facility, Simultaneous interpretive technology and full-service, in-house audio/visual support and videoteleconferencing. Food & Beverage: SAVOR is the exclusive food service contractor of the center.

& CONVENTION On The Cover......................................................................................2 CENTER Columns Caffin’s Corner..................................................................................2 Viewpoint..........................................................................................7 CVB Perspectives...............................................................................4 Technology Perspectives..................................................................6 F&D City Guide Destination Index............................................................................28 One International Drive Savannah, GA 31402 Trade Center (912) 447-4000; (888)644-6822 Savannah CVB (912) 644-6400; (877) 728-2662 FAX: (912) 447-4722 www.savtcc.com www.savannahvisit.com V.P/Sales Savannah Area CVB: Bill McKay (912) 644-6424

Transportation: Transportation: Transportation: Fairplex Fairplex Transportation: Fairplex isisjust is just just 99miles miles Fairplex 9 miles is just 9 miles from from from Ontario Ontario Ontario International International International from Ontario Airport Airport Airport International Airport and and and 45 4545 freeway freeway freeway miles miles and miles from 45 from from freeway LAX, LAX, LAX, and miles and andfrom LAX, and hibit des s Hall includes also also also isiseasily is easily easily accessible accessible accessible also isvia via easily via three three three accessible major major major via three major ;atering kitchen; freeways. freeways. freeways. freeways. FAIRPLEX FAIRPLEX FAIRPLEXFAIRPLEX efice eroom/show office 1101 1101 1101 W. W.W. McKinley McKinley McKinley Ave. Ave. 1101 Ave.W. McKinley Ave. ltiple es phone lines Attractions: Attractions: Attractions: Retail Retail Retail Attractions: establishments, establishments, establishments, Retail establishments, Pomona, Pomona, Pomona, CA CACA 91768 91768 91768 Pomona, CA 91768 hoice -ch- and data techrestaurants, restaurants, restaurants, the thethe 18-hole 18-hole restaurants, 18-hole Mountain Mountain Mountain the 18-hole Mountain (909) (909) (909) 623-3111; 623-3111; 623-3111; Fax: Fax: Fax: (909) (909) (909) 623-3111; 623-9599 623-9599 623-9599 Fax: (909) 623-9599 drive-in mm rom access Director from Meadows Meadows Meadows Golf Golf Golf Course, Course, Meadows Course, cultural cultural cultural GolffaciliCourse, facilifacili- cultural faciliDirector Director ofofSales: of Sales: Sales: Melissa Director Melissa Melissa Tapia Tapia ofTapia Sales: Melissa Tapia directly onto www.fairplex.com ties, ties, ties, an anan art artart district, district, district, ties, historic historic an historic artsites, sites, district, sites, historic sites, www.fairplex.com www.fairplex.com www.fairplex.com nightlife nightlife nightlife and and other other other nightlife amusements. amusements. amusements. and other Just Just Just amusements. aa a Just a “Southern “Southern “Southern California’ California’ California’ “Southern ssEvent Event s Event California’ and and and s Event andand short short drive drive drive away away away are short areare theaters, theaters, drive theaters, away musemusemuseare theaters, musesno omiles from Fresno Entertainment Entertainment Entertainment Center” Center” Entertainment Center” Center” short ums, ums, ums, sports sports sports arenas, arenas, arenas, ums, local local local sports mountain mountain mountain arenas, local mountain al Airport. Snapshot: Snapshot: Snapshot: Fairplex Fairplex Fairplex Snapshot: isisSouthern is Southern Southern Fairplex is Southern retreats, retreats, retreats, Disneyland, Disneyland, Disneyland, retreats, Knott’s Knott’s Knott’s Disneyland, Berry Berry Berry Knott’s Berry Yosemite California’s California’s California’s most most most diverse California’s diverse diverse event event event most location location location diverse event location Farm, Farm, Farm, Universal Universal Universal Studios Farm, Studios Studios Universal to tothe to thethe west, west, Studios west, to the west, zlies Baseball attracting attracting attracting more more more than than attracting than 33million million 3 million more annual annual annual than 3 million annual and and and Victoria Victoria Victoria Gardens’ Gardens’ Gardens’ and Victoria alalfresco al fresco fresco Gardens’ shopshopshop-al fresco shopk.com. visitors. visitors. visitors. Home Home Home ofofvisitors. the of thethe L.A. L.A. L.A. Home County County County of Fair the Fair Fair L.A.ping County Fair ping ping to tothe to the the east. east. east. ping to the east. since since since 1922, 1922, 1922, the thethe facility facility since facility is1922, isalso is also also the thethe facility is also the premier premier premier location location location for for premier for consumer consumer consumer location shows shows shows for consumer shows ininSouthern in Southern Southern California, California, California, in Southern hosting hosting hosting California, more more more hosting more than than than 350 350 350 events events events per per than per year. year. 350 year.events per year. Meeting Meeting Meeting Space: Space: Space: 11,000 11,000 Meeting 11,000 sq. sq.sq. Space: ft. ft.of ft. ofmeetof meet11,000 meet- sq. ft. of meeting inging space, space, space, including including including ing11 11 space, 11 meeting meeting meeting including rooms; rooms; rooms; 11 meeting rooms; 325,000 325,000 325,000 sq. sq.sq. ft. ft.of ft. ofexhibition of 325,000 exhibition exhibition sq.space, space, ft.space, ofwith with exhibition with space, with exhibit exhibit exhibit halls halls halls ranging ranging ranging exhibit from from from halls 10,000 10,000 10,000 ranging sq. sq.sq. ft. ft.from ft. 10,000 sq. ft. toto105,000 to 105,000 105,000 sq. sq.sq. ft.; ft.;ft.; to 6,400-sq.-ft. 6,400-sq.-ft. 105,000 6,400-sq.-ft. sq. ft.; 6,400-sq.-ft. ballroom; ballroom; ballroom; 787-seat 787-seat 787-seat ballroom; theater. theater. theater. 787-seat theater. Venue Venue Venue Features: Features: Features: Large, Venue Large, Large, column-free, Features: column-free, column-free, Large, column-free, air-conditioned air-conditioned air-conditioned exhibit exhibit air-conditioned exhibit halls halls halls ranging ranging ranging exhibit halls ranging from from from 33,600 33,600 33,600 sq. sq.sq. ft. ft. from to ft. to105,000 to 105,000 33,600 105,000 sq. sq. sq.sq. ft.; ft. ft.;ft.; to 105,000 sq. ft.;

Snapshot: Located on the Savannah River with panoramic views of the city’s famed Historic Riverfront and eye catching vessels passing daily, the SMG-managed Savannah International Trade and Convention Center’s 330,000-sq.-ft. waterfront complex offers a vibrant and enjoyable atmosphere in a city so graciously known for its hospitality. Meeting Space: 50,000 sq. ft. including 13 meeting rooms; 4 board rooms; 25,000-sq-ft. ballroom.

F&D Mid-Market Review

MEET MINNEAPOLIS Review Index....................................................................7 Transportation: 20 minutes to THE Savannah International Airport.OFFICIAL Attractions: Jepson Center for the CONVENTION + Arts; Jepson Center for the Arts; City State-of-the-Industry. .....................................................................9 Market; SavannahVISITORS Theatre; Mary ASSOCIATION Hotel Rooms: 3,800 city-wide.

Ingalls Glass Studio; Meinhardt 250 Marquette Avenue South, Suite 1300 Vineyards & Winery; Diamond Minneapolis, MN 55401 Casino, Pirates’ House restaurant; The Club at Savannah Harbor Troon Golf (612) 767-8000; (800) 445-7412 & The Greenbrier Spa; Outdoor fun FAX:golf (612) 767-8001 includes championship courses, deep sea fishing charters, Historic www.minneapolismeetings.com District offers entertainment venues, VP of Convention Sales: Kevin Lewis night life, and restaurants. See ad on page 49

Planner Points & 2010 Mid-Market Gallery.......................................15 Mid-Market Hot List.........................................................................27 “There’ s no place quite like FMG Buyer’s Guide: Minneapolis” Your Products & Services Directory...............................................35 Snapshot: It’s a city of amazing contrasts and combinations. Where down Ad Index. ..........................................................................................36 home people meet uptown style. Where

below zero temperatures meets above ing rooms; a 28,000-sq.-ft. ballroom; average intelligence. Where modern the 1,411-seat Ferrara Theatre; the St. In-depth Regional listings of Arenas, Civic Centers, glass architecture meets outdoor green ud980 - sq. ft., includLouis Executive Conference Center meeting/exhibit meeting/exhibit meeting/exhibit space; space; meeting/exhibit space; 32 3232 meeting meeting meeting space; 32 meeting large expanse of exhibit space, or subdill. ain Exhibit Hall. rooms; rooms; rooms; Three Three Three Ballrooms, Ballrooms, rooms;halls, Three including including including Ballrooms, including into fourBallrooms, separate including adventure. Where every season, accommodates meetings every up to 100; Coliseums,vided Auditoriums, 9,600 seats. 30,000-sq.-ft. 30,000-sq.-ft. 30,000-sq.-ft. Grand Grand Grand 30,000-sq.-ft. Floridian HALL A - 119,970 sq.Floridian ft.Floridian HALLGrand B - Floridian Stadiums, Convention multilevel, multipurpose Edward Ballroom, Ballroom, Ballroom, 20,000-sq.-ft. Ballroom, Floridian 20,000-sq.-ft. Floridian 117,648 sq.20,000-sq.-ft. ft.,20,000-sq.-ft. HALL C Floridian -Floridian 132,240 sq. 0 art and every type meet in every possi-Jones Ballroom, Ballroom, Ballroom, and and 10,000-sq.-ft. 10,000-sq.-ft. Ballroom, Palm Palm Palm 10,000-sq.-ft. Palm ft., HALL and D - 10,000-sq.-ft. 132,990 sq. ft.and Dome seats 70,000. miles aona a from Daytona Centers, Theaters, PACs, University Ballroom; Ballroom; Ballroom; 250,486 250,486 250,486 Ballroom; sq. sq. sq. ft. ft.of ft. ofExhibit of 250,486 Exhibit Exhibitsq. ft.Amphitheaters, of Exhibit ble way. We want everyone to Meet Venue Features: unlimited floor load64,887-sq.-ft.-Main Airport Space, Space, Space, including including including 64,887-sq.-ft.-Main Space, 64,887-sq.-ft.-Main 64,887-sq.-ft.-Main including Technological Features: Onsite comcapacity, and 35-foot ceilings; State-ofaytona area Beach area Exhibit Exhibit Exhibit Hall; Hall; Hall; 15,000-seat 15,000-seat 15,000-seat Exhibit Theater. Hall; Theater. Theater. 15,000-seat Theater. the-art telecommunications to suit Minneapolis, and see firsthand what an munication services include single Venues, Fairgrounds, Special Event Venues of sparkling Venue Venue Venue Features: Features: Features: wifi; Venue wifi; wifi; webcasting; webcasting; Features: webcasting; CAT CAT wifi; CAT webcasting; CAT every need. olf and tennis phoneis. lines and instruments, multi-line 5;5;on-site 5; on-site on-site kitchen; kitchen; kitchen; 5;Breezin’ Breezin’ on-site Breezin’ kitchen; Java/Cyber Java/Cyber Java/Cyber Breezin’ Java/Cyber amazing place this Convention/Guest Hotel Rooms: LPGA MIAMI MIAMIBEACH BEACH Café Café Café which which which features features features Café eight eight which eight permanent permanent permanent features eight permanent THE THE THE GREATER GREATER GREATER THE FORT FORT GREATER FORT FORT instruments, direct dial lines, special 6,000. he s United States MIAMI BEACH DAYTONA BEACH AREA CONVENTION CENTER CENTER terminals terminals terminals and and and atatleast at least terminals least eight eight eight more and more more at least eight more CONVENTION LAUDERDALE/ LAUDERDALE/ LAUDERDALE/ LAUDERDALE/ Transportation: ssFlorida Tennis circuitsSpace: and NextelThe phone rental. 1901Convention Convention Center CenterDrive Drive only minutes from plug-in plug-in plug-in table table table locations locations locations plug-in for forfor table laptops, laptops, laptops, locations for laptops,1901 CONVENTION CENTERCOUNTY CVB / OCEAN CENTER Main Convention BROWARD BROWARD BROWARD COUNTY BROWARD COUNTY COUNTY Walk goon; klk Ocean Walk Miami MiamiBeach, Beach,FlFl 33139 33139 Miami International 1901 Convention Center Drive Starbuck’s Starbuck’s Starbuck’s coffees, coffees, coffees, Starbuck’s asasAirport. well as well well asascoffees, specialty as specialty specialty as well as specialty CONVENTION COMPLEX Internet access with full T-1 bandwidth (305) (305)673-7311; 673-7311;Fax: Fax:(305) (305)673-7435 673-7435 -w au- spas and restauCONVENTION CONVENTION CONVENTION CONVENTION CENTER CENTER CENTER CENTER ST. LOUIS CONVENTION Miami Beach, FL 33139 foods foods foods &&beverages & beverages beverages foods and and and TV TV &TV beverages monitors monitors monitors and TV monitors 101 N. Atlantic Avenue Attractions: Ocean Drive, Lincoln Minneapolis Convention Center feawww.MiamiBeachConvention.com www.MiamiBeachConvention.com 1950 1950 1950 Eisenhower Eisenhower Eisenhower Blvd Blvd 1950 Blvd Eisenhower ay ing, and an array (305) 673-7311; Fax: (305) 673-7435 Blvd in all halls and meeting rooms. Daytona Beach, FL 32118 tuned tuned tuned to to CNN/MSNBC to CNN/MSNBC CNN/MSNBC tuned to news. news. CNN/MSNBC news. news. Director DirectorofofSales Salesand andMarketing: Marketing:Kay Kay & VISITORS FortFort Lauderdale, Lauderdale, Lauderdale, FLFL33316 FL 33316 Fort 33316 Lauderdale, FL 33316 Road, South Beach Art Deco District, www.miamibeachconvention.com al attractions; Fort (800) 858-6444; (386) 254-4500 white sandy beaches, and renownedFort Lauderdale-Hollander Hollander (954) (954) 765-5900; 765-5900; 765-5900; Fax: Fax: Fax: (954) 954 954954 763-9551 763-9551 765-5900; 763-9551Fax: 954 763-9551 Transportation: Transportation: Transportation: Fort Fort Transportation: Fort LauderdaleLauderdaleLauderdaleft. of exhibitGuest space, 87 Director of Sales: Kay Hollander nal the e Speedway;(954) the Fax: (386) 254-4512 Convention/Hotel Rooms: COMMISSION tures 480,000 sq. www.ftlauderdalecc.com www.ftlauderdalecc.com www.ftlauderdalecc.com www.ftlauderdalecc.com dining and entertainment. 22

THE SOUTHEAST FLORIDA FLORIDA FLORIDA FLORIDA

MISSOURI

FLORIDA FLORIDA Meeting Meeting Meeting Space: Space: Space: 349,514 349,514 Meeting 349,514 sq. sq. Space: sq. ft. ft.of ft. of of 349,514 sq. ft. of FLORIDA

FLORIDA

meeting rooms a 28,000-sq.-ft. ballroom and a 3,400 fixed-seat, state-ofthe-art auditorium. Other Meeting Space: Hilton Minneapolis (connected via Skyway to the Minneapolis Convention Center) features 74,000 sq. ft. of function space including a 25,000-sq.-ft. foot ballroom, a 7,400-sq.-ft. junior ballroom, and the Hilton Meetings Conrad space; Walker Art Center (flexible indoor and outdoor space); Mill City Museum (Meet within a National Historic Landmark - the Washburn A Mill) Guthrie Theater (the 3-theater complex; Minneapolis Public Library (conference rooms, boardrooms and auditorium); Minneapolis Institute of Arts (Special event spaces include the new Graves Reception Hall.) Services: Meet Minneapolis provides a full range of meeting services, including turnkey housing programs for reserving and managing room blocks; one-of-akind on line Registration Services; onsite staff in registration and information booths; full-service Meeting Planning. OHIO Attractions: Hennepin Avenue Venue Features: DS3 Theatre District; Mall of America, Internet network, wir Nicollet Mall; Restaurants include Laonline ordering of ex fiber-optic connectio Belle, Chambers Kitchen and site Food Court & Sh business center, 33 lo Wolfgang Puck’s 20.21.

trade tradeand andpublic publicshows showssuch suchas: as:Cruise Cruise Shipping ShippingMiami, Miami,South SouthFlorida Florida Exhibit Space: 173,767 ft., includInternational International Auto Auto Show, Show,sq. Miami Miami ing 94,695-sq.-ft. Hall. International International Boat BoatMain Show ShowExhibit (Largest (Largest inin United UnitedStates) States)and andft; North North America’s Arena: 42,000 sq. 9,500America’s seats. most mostimportant importantcontemporary contemporaryart artfair, fair, Hotel Rooms: 13,000 Art ArtBasel BaselMiami MiamiBeach. Beach. Transportation: 5 miles from Daytona Meeting MeetingSpace: Space:127,000 127,000sq. sq.ft., ft.,includincludBeach International Airport ing ing72 72meeting meetingrooms, rooms,22,000-sq.-ft. 22,000-sq.-ft. Attractions: Ballroom. Ballroom. The Daytona Beach area is home to 23 miles of sparkling Exhibition ExhibitionSpace: Space:130,000-sq.-ft. 130,000-sq.-ft. beaches; top notch golf and tennis Exhibit ExhibitHall( Hall(502,000 502,000sq. sq.ft. ft.ofofexhibit exhibit facilities including LPGA center centerinincenter. center. International and the United States Technology: Technology: Wifi, Wifi,Video Video Tennis Association’s Florida Tennis Conferencing, Conferencing, Video Video Broadcasting, Broadcasting, Center; Daytona Lagoon; Ocean Walk Webcasting. Webcasting. Shoppes; several new spas and restaurants, shopping, an board array Venue Venueunique Features: Features: Business Businessand center; center; board of family and cultural attractions; room; room; cyber cyber café; café; concierge concierge desks; desks;concesconcesDaytona International Speedway; sion sionstands; stands; show showoffices; offices;skywalk skywalkwith withthe an an News-Journal thehalls. historic unrestricted unrestrictedview viewCenter; ofofall allfour four halls. 701 Convention Plaza, Suite 300 oceanfront Bandshell and Oceanfront St. Louis, Guest GuestRooms: Rooms:2,000 2,000hotel hotelrooms rooms withwith- MO 63101 Park; the Mary McLeod Bethune ininwalking walkingdistance. distance. (314) 421-1023; (800) 325-7962 Performing Arts Center; Peabody Transportation: Transportation:Miami MiamiInternational International Auditorium. Fax: (314) 621-7729 AirportAirport-15 15Minutes. Minutes. See Ad on Page 58 www.slcvc.com Attractions: Attractions:Atlantic AtlanticOcean; Ocean;Lincoln Lincoln National Road RoadMall; Mall;Miami MiamiBeach BeachGolf Golf Club; Club; Convention Sales Manager: Michelle Taylor Jungle JungleIsland; Island;American AmericanAirlines Airlines Arena. Arena.

drive-in ramps, conn by enclosed walkway, facility parking space tional parking spaces

THE FACILITIES MEDIA GROUP Essential Planning Tools

Hollywood Hollywood Hollywood International International International Hollywood Airport. Airport. Airport. International Airport. Life LifeisisGood, Good,On Onthe theBeach Beach www.oceancenter.com er; the historic Assistant Assistant Assistant General General General Assistant Manager: Manager: Manager: General Terry Terry Terry Kuca Kuca Kuca Manager: Terry Kuca Director of Convention Sales nt tont ll and Oceanfront Convention/Guest Convention/Guest Convention/Guest Convention/Guest Hotel Hotel Hotel Rooms: Rooms: Rooms: more more more Hotel Rooms: more Snapshot: Located in the heart of Snapshot: Snapshot:Located Locatedininthe theheart heartofof Daytona Beach Area Convention Premier Premier Oceanside Oceanside Oceanside Premier Convention Convention Convention Oceanside Convention Leod Bethune Premier than than than 33,000 33,000 33,000 hotel hotel hotel rooms than rooms rooms 33,000 atataat avariety variety ahotel variety ofrooms of of at a varietySouth of South Florida, in world-renowned South Beach, Beach, the theMiami MiamiBeach Beach and Visitors Bureau: Center Center Located Located Located In Center In In The The The Venice Venice Located Venice In The Venice nter; Peabody Center hotels, hotels, hotels, resorts resorts resorts and and and Superior hotels, Superior Superior resorts Small Small Small and Superior Small Miami Beach, The Miami Beach Convention Convention Center(MBCC) (MBCC)boasts boasts Sally GardinerCenter of ofAmerica ofAmerica America Lodgings. Lodgings. Lodgings. Lodgings. Convention CenterofisAmerica conveniently situover over1,000,000 1,000,000sq. sq.ft. ft.ofofflexible flexiblespace, space, Daytona Beach: ated only minutes from the Miami Snapshot: Snapshot: Snapshot: The The The 600,000-sq.ft. 600,000-sq.ft. Snapshot: 600,000-sq.ft. The Greater Greater Greater 600,000-sq.ft. Greater 23 including;over over500,000 500,000sq. sq.ft. ft.ofofexhibit exhibit Attractions: Attractions: Attractions: 23miles 23 miles miles Attractions: ofofBlue of Blue Blue Wave Wave 23 Wave miles of Blue Wave including; Way than A sq. Beach International Airport, Fort Fort Fort Lauderdale/Broward Lauderdale/Broward Lauderdale/Broward Fort downtown Lauderdale/Broward County County County County space, space,More over over100,000 100,000 sq.ft. ft.ofofversatile versatile beaches, beaches, beaches, 300 300300 miles miles miles of beaches, ofnavigable of navigable navigable 300 miles of navigable Snapshot: Located in the of the Miami and the Port of Miami. Convention Convention Convention Center, Center, Center, Convention one oneone ofofthe of thethe Center, premier premier premier one of inland the premier pre-function area areaspace space and andheart 70 70meeting meeting inland inland waterways, waterways, waterways, downtown downtown inland downtown waterways, Arts Arts Arts & && downtown Arts &pre-function Daytona Beach Resort Area and just Spanning fourvenues city blocks a southeast, sunny large large large meeting meeting meeting venues venues large ininmeeting the in theof the southeast, southeast, venuesisisinistheEntertainment southeast, is district, rooms roomscomprised comprised ofof127,000 127,000 sq. sq.ft. ft. Entertainment Entertainment district, district, Entertainment 4,000 4,000 4,000 restaurants, restaurants, restaurants, district, 4,000 restaurants, 400 feet from theMiami Atlantic Ocean, the south Florida Beach, thejust center isminutes easily easily easily accessible, accessible, accessible, located located easily located accessible, just just five fivefive minutes located minutesjust50 five minutes Amenities Amenities atatthe the Miami Beach Beach 50 golf 50 golf golf courses, courses, courses, International International 50 International golf courses, Swimming Swimming Swimming International Swimming Ocean Center is theinclude area’s premier within easy walking distance of the art from from from the the the Fort Fort Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Lauderdale-Hollywood Lauderdale-Hollywood from the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Convention Center Center include aabusiness business Hall Hall Hall ofofFame, of Fame, Fame, Sawgrass Sawgrass Sawgrass HallMills of Mills Fame, Mills Mall. Mall. Mall. Sawgrass Mills Mall. Convention meeting facility. The Ocean Center deco district and some ofAnd america’s center, center,board board room, room, cyber cyber café, café, box box is International International International Airport. Airport. Airport. International And And the thethe Airport. And the See See See ad adad on onon Cover Cover Cover 33See 3 ad on Cover 3 currently undergoing a $76-million most spectacular beaches. offices, offices,concierge concierge desks, desks, concession concession renowned renowned renowned five-star five-star five-star renowned food food food and and and beverage five-star beverage beverage food and beverage expansion that will nearly triple its size. stands, stands, show show offices offices and and a a uniquely uniquely department, department, department, famous famous famous department, for for for its its gourmet its gourmet gourmet famous for its gourmet Meeting Space: 72 meeting rooms; a designed designed skywalk skywalk that that features features a a center seated seated seated meals meals meals and and and selection selection seated selection meals of of snack of snack and snack selection of snack Meeting Space: 205,536 sq. ft.,center 21,252-sq.-ft. Ballroom; 125,910 sq. ft. pod podwith withaa37 buffet buffet &&cocktail cocktail loungeand and carts, carts, ensure ensure ensure meetings meetings meetings carts,atatensure the at thethe Center Center meetings Center are areareat the Center are including: meeting rooms;lounge ofcarts, meeting and function space on two an anunrestricted unrestricted view viewofofall allfour fourexhibit exhibit alevels; asuccess. success. a success. a success. 11,715-sq.-ft Ballroom. 502,848-sq.-ft Total Exhibit halls. halls.MBCC MBCCisishome hometotomajor majorannual annual Space that can be configured as one

FLORIDA FLORIDA

13 13

ORANGE ORANGECOUNTY COUNTY CONVENTION CONVENTIONCENTER CENTER West Concourse - 9800 International Drive;

West Concourse Concourse -- 9800 Drive; South 9899 International International Drive; SouthConcourse Concourse- -9400 9899Universal International North Blvd.Drive; North Concourse Orlando, FL 32819- 9400 Universal Blvd. Orlando, FL 32819 (407) 685-9800; (800) 345-9800 (407)(407) 685-9800; (800) 345-9800 Fax: 685-9876 Fax: (407) 685-9876 Senior Director/Sales, Marketing, www.occc.net Event Management & Exhibitor Services: Senior Director/Sales, Marketing, Yulita Osuba Event Management and Exhibitor www.occc.net Services: Yulita Osuba

“The Center of Hospitality” “The Center of Hospitality”

Snapshot: Orange County Convention Snapshot: Orange County Center (OCCC) ranks as theConvention nation’s Centerlargest (OCCC) ranks asfacility, the nation’s second convention second largest convention feafeaturing 7 million sq. ft. offacility, combined turing 7 and million sq.space ft. ofincombined meeting public two meeting and public and spaceprovides in two a total remarkable facilities remarkable is of 2.1 millionfacilities.The square feet ofCenter exhibition located in one of the most beautiful space with adjacent covered dock access. It is locatedplaces in oneinofthe the most and entertaining beautiful and entertaining places in the world—Orlando. world, Orlando. Meeting/Exhibition space: 74 meeting Meeting/Exhibition million rooms/235 breakout space: rooms;762,182-sq.sq. ft of combined room; meeting and public ft. multi-purpose 2,643-seat Chapin Theater and a 160-seat lecture

Facilities & Destinations 42

See ad on Page 47

UNIVERSITY CENTER CONFERENCE CHICAGO 525 S. State Street Chicago, IL 60605 (312) 924-8000; Fax: (312) 924-8100 www.universitycenter.com Sales Manager: Mark Calderone Sales Associate: LaChandra Simon

P L A N N E R G U I D E S PRIME F. OSBORN III BATON ROGUE parking for 860 ParkingAREA spaces cars, CONVENTION CENTER CONVENTION with 4,000 additionalAND spaces within 1000 Water Street easy walkingBUREAU distance. VISITORS Jacksonville, FL 32204 (904) 630-4000; Fax: (904) 630-4029 Facility Director: Jim Pritchard www.jaxevents.com

Within fivehall miles of over 1,500 hotel exhibition

rooms; 22,425 in the Northeast Florida ➤ 9,000 hotel rooms Region. ➤ Arnold Palmer-designed The Bluffs

Snapshot: The 1.7-million-square-foot

Greater Columbus Convention Center With over 5,300 hotel rooms and meeting space is an award-winning facility located in for up to 10,000, Rapid City offers amenities expect, the heartyou of a vibrant entertainment district and within 550 miles of two plus adventures you might not, like the unique thirds of landscapes the nation’s population.of Managed by SMG, the Greater Badlands National Park and Mount RushmoreColumbus National Memorial. Convention Center is an exhibitor-friendly venue welcoming Getting here is easier than you think with direct fl ights more than 2.5 million guests annually from seven hubs. to the country’s 15th largest city.

Chicago Dallas/Fort Worth • Denver • Las Vegas Facilities & Destinations

Meeting Space: 99,410 sq. ft. of meeting space; 61 meeting rooms; 25,000sq.-ft. Ballroom; 15,000-sq.-ft. Ballroom; Five exhibit halls, including 336,000-sq.-ft. Main Exhibit Hall and a total Exhibit space of 426,000 sq. ft.

ity.com Storms@VisitRapidC 61 Facilities & Destinations 2009 SuperBook 87 -84 605-718 enough for 150 people. Two other 7-3223 ext. 8487 rooms measure 20’ x 44’ and accommo- 1-800-48

SALINA BICENTENNIAL CENTER 800 The Midway P.O. Box 1727 Salina, KS 67402-1727 (785) 826-7200; (888) 826-SHOW Fax: (785) 826-7207 Manager: Keith Rawlings www.bicentennial.org

date up to 100 people each; versatile Arena converts easily into an excellent auditorium, theater, sports facility, or exhibition hall with over 21,000 square feet of floor space (104’ x 203’), a 48foot ceiling (maximum to steel), and seating for up to 7,500 guests and includes two large concession areas, four large restrooms, team-style and plush dressing rooms, and a 14’ x 17’8” overhead-door entrance designed to accommodate virtually any exhibition equipment or vehicle. Venue Features: High Speed Wireless Internet; All rooms column free; Separate sound and air conditioning system for each meeting room; Excellent lighting and acoustics. Extra

Transportation: Por International Airpor Convention Center.

Attractions: More th casual eateries, fun n attractions within wa the convention cente Union Station, an arc art that connects the to shopping and dini Arena, home of the N Blue Jackets and the League’s Columbus D Village/Brewery Dis Science and Industry Franklin Park Conse See Ad on Page 69

Mesa/Phoenix Minneapolis • Salt Lake City • •

OHIO

Host a memorable meeting at an affordable cost. CONFERENCE

Contact Lisa Storm

Convention/Guest 2,600 committable h 22,000 citywide.

Facilities & Destinations utes from the Greate

You’llDirectory find savings on hotels, transportation and attractions Comprehensive of Conference Centers, College & University Conference Facilities, at www.RapidCityMeetings.com. Meeting & Boutique Hotels, Small-to-Mid-Size Meeting & Event Venues

KANSAS

Theater Seating: 175 Classroom Seating: 80 Meeting Technology: Meeting spaces feature white board, projection screen and has wireless internet access. Some meeting rooms are equipped with an LCD projector, DVD player, VHS player, Copy Cam and one lavaliere microphone. Audio/visual equipment, computer data projection and video conferencing available. Food & Beverage: On premise catering provided; onsite restaurant. Lodging: 504 guest rooms. Amenities: During the summer, University Center offers full-service overnight accommodations, including use of the building’s recreation area, fitness

Convention/Guest Hotel Rooms: ➤ New 70,000-square-foot

Snapshot: When it was built in 1919, onTransportation: 20 minutes away from Thompson Creek golf course Jacksonville Terminal was the railroad International Airport. Page:Jacksonville 50 gateway to Florida. Now it is completeNearby Attractions: Jacksonville ly restored and renovated. Where the Landing; Zoo; St. Augustine; Beaches. trains once ran on time, boat shows, conventions, trade shows, banquets, and meetings now run like clockwork. With John Robertson 265,000 square feet of space, the Prime CHARLESTON Osborn Convention Center is large enough andCIVIC versatile enough to accomCENTER modate gatherings of virtually any size, ➤ 50,000-sq.-ft.Grand small or large. Convention Hall Meeting Space: 156,184 sq. ft. of total ➤ 4,000+hotel rooms meeting space; 78,500 sq. ftRacetrack of contigu➤ Tri-State ous exhibit space; 100,000 sq. ft. total: & Gaming Center can fit 450 10x10’ booths in contiguous Page: 57 space, 550 total; 2 Executive

The Southeast

ILLINOIS

See Seead adon onpage page43 43

400 N. High St. Columbus, OH 43215 (614) 827-2500; (800) 626-0241 Fax: (614) 827-2659 www.columbusconventions.com Regional General Manager: Craig Liston Senior Director of Sales: Sherry Fish, CMP

35,000 city-wide hotel rooms. Transportation: The Lambert-St. Louis International Airport is located 13 miles from America’s Center. Attractions: St. Louis features variety of recreational areas, including the 419-acre Route 66 State Park, and regional wineries, including the popular Mt. Pleasant Winery; 1,000 one-of-a-kind restaurants including America’s Incredible Pizza Co.; City Museum, the Cherokee-Lemp Historic Downtown District, both the Casino Queen and Ameristar Casino, several historic houses (including the home of Daniel Boone).

Meet Face to Face

Snapshot: Founded in 1909, The St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission is the sales and marketing organization responsible for selling St. Louis City and St. Louis County as a convention and meeting site. The organization also manages and operates the America’s Center convention complex, Edward Jones Dome at America’s Boardrooms and VIP Suite; 19,000-sq.Center, the Ferrara Theatre, a 28,000ft. pre-function area, 11,000-sq.-ft.terrace; 31,500-sq.-ft.. fencedsquare-foot grass ballroom and the St. Louis Pavilion; 10,000-sq.-ft. Grand Lobby Executive Conference Center. with 75’ vaulted ceiling. Venue Features: Internet andMeeting wifi; Space: America’s Center feastate-of-the-art audio and visual sys• tems available throughout thetures center; 502,000 sq. ft. of contiguous fully equipped, 5,000-sq.-ft. kitchen exhibit space within six halls; 83 meetcapable of gourmet service for over Geraldine Bordelon • 3,000 guests; the center has on-site

FLORIDA Facilities Facilities Facilities & &Facilities & Destinations Destinations Destinations & Destinations Planner Planner Planner Guide Guide Guide Planner Guide

hall. including 2.1 million74sq. ft. of exhibit ion space, meeting rooms and space, 1.1 million ft. of whichballis 235 breakout rooms;sq. 62,182-sq.-ft. contiguous; twosq. 92,000 sq. footspace, general room 2.1 million ft of exhibit assembly Chapin areas; three full-service 2,643-seat Theater and 160-restaurants; 8 food courts; and threerestaubusiness seat Lecture Hall; 3 full-service centers. rants/8 food courts; 4 business centers. VenueFeatures: Features:WIFI; WIFI; interior plasma Venue interior plasma directional DMS directional directionalmonitors; monitors; DMS directional signs andand onon signsononUniversal UniversalBoulevard Boulevard International DMS signs with InternationalDrive; Drive; DMS signs with video in-house audio videofeed feedcapabilities; capabilities; in-house audio &&intercom direct on-line show intercomsystem; system; direct on-line show management services management&&exhibitor exhibitor services ordering; set-ups; telecom ordering;internet internetcafé café set-ups; telecom &&webcasting services; 3 covered webcasting services; three covered loading bays; On-site loadingdocks; docks;173 173truck truck bays; and onparking for 6,227. site parking for 6,227. Convention/Guest Hotel Rooms: Convention/Guest Hotel Rooms: Surrounded hotel rooms. Surroundedbyby113,000 113,000 hotel rooms. Transportation: 1212 miles to to Orlando Transportation: miles Orlando International (MCO). InternationalAirport Airport (MCO). Attractions: Universal, SeaWorld, Walt Attractions: Universal, SeaWorld, Disney World; upscale shopping; Walt Disney World; upscale shopping; 10,000 fine dining seats. 10,000 fine dining seats.

The Midwest

GREATER COLUMBUS CONVENTION CENTER

JOHN S. KNIGHT CENTER

77 E. Mill Street Akron, OH 44308 (330) 374-8900; (800) 245-4254; Fax: (330) 374-8971 www.johnsknightcenter.org Vice President/COO: Gregg Mervis

“The Center of an All-America City” Snapshot: Located in the heart of

downtownGuide Akron, the John Download a Free Meeting Professionals atS. Knight

Center is one of Ohio’s premier meeting and exposition facilities. Event planners value our accessibility, flexibility and attention for detail. Meeting Space: More than 55,000 sq. ft. of total meeting/exhibit space, including 16 meeting rooms, 12,000sq.-ft. ballroom, 30,000-sq.-ft. Main

www.RapidCityMeetings.com

full-service, on-site c department. Clients service from the Cen Food Service and Ex Convention/Guest Adjacent Downtown County: 5,000+. Transportation: 11 Canton Airport; 30 Cleveland Hopkins Airport. Attractions: Nationa Fame, Canal Park S Civic Theatre, The Akron, E.J. Thomas Hall, Cuyahoga Val Railroad, Stan Hyw Gardens, Lock 3 Li Museum, Summit A Cuyahoga Valley Na See Ad on Page 67

Caffin’s o r n e r

Mid-Market Destinations: Quality, Value & Service

elcome to the debut issue of the Facilities & Destinations Mid-Market Review. In what will now be annual tradition, F&D will provide in-depth analysis of this important and growing market segment. First tier amenities at 2nd and 3rd tier prices, how often have we heard that? With Mid-Market Review, we unpack that statement then apply it to the real-world in order to better analyze the current state and complexities of our industry. Each year, we will select destinations that have gone above and beyond to be featured in our Mid-Market Destinations Gallery (pages 15-24). With input from Meeting Planners and other industry members, these featured destinations have been chosen because of the quality and value they offer in terms of meeting facilities, CVB and venue staff, and other attractions. We look at exactly what makes them unique and effective settings for Meetings & Events. All Destinations participating in the F&D Mid-Market Review will receive a special F&D Mid-Market certificate, and will be featured in a special Mid-Market Destination section on Facilitiesonline.com. The accompanying article to the 2010 F&D Mid-Market Gallery is the F&D Mid-Market Planner Points (pages 15-24), where association planners, from a wide range of organizations, specify how these destinations partnered with them in order to achieve Event Success. These planners breakdown all aspects of the destinations, including meeting facilities, breakout rooms, hotels, restaurants & nightlife, transportation and accessibility and most importantly—CVB and Venue personnel. In addition, we offer our renowned directory (F&D City Guide 28-34) featuring comprehensive listings of destinations and facilities and our Buyer’s Guide (35-36), a directory of Products & Services for Meeting Planners. We have already begun the process of assembling candidates for the 2011 Mid-Market Review. Find me on Facebook or email me your thoughts. I would like to hear from you, our readers, all about your experiences with destinations and meeting venues, and who should be considered for our next Mid-Market Review. Meanwhile, I hope you enjoy our latest publication. It’s packed with news and information and is another example of what The Facilities Media Group is known for—Essential Tools for Meeting and Event Planners.

2010

Volume 19 No. 2

Editorial Director Timothy Herrick Associate Publisher Michael Caffin Creative Direction & Design Scott-Goodman Associates Circulation Manager Joshua Krajnak Account Executive Andrew Reeves Research Manager Amber Tavarez Business Operations Nadia Derelieva © Copyright 2010 by Bedrock Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. Opinions expressed in by-lined articles and advertising copy are not necessarily those of the publisher. Advertisers are responsible for all costs, damages and claims regarding advertising insertions. Facilities & Destinations is published three times a year by Bedrock Communications, Inc., 152 Madison Avenue, Suite 802, New York, NY 10016. Telephone: (212) 532-4150. Fax: (212) 213-6382. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to Bedrock Communications, Inc., 152 Madison Avenue, Suite 802, New York, NY 10016. Printed in U.S.A. Cover ad space is available by contacting a Facilities & Destinations advertising account executive at 212-532-4150 x103.

MEMBERS OF:

Michael Caffin, Associate Publisher Mcaffin@facilitiesonline.com

ON THE COVER The 2010 Mid-Market Review Destination Gallery, Top Row (left to right): Branson (page 15), Huntsville (page 16), Pittsburgh (page 17); Middle Row: Portland (page 18), Providence (page 20), Rapid City (page 21); Bottom Row: Rochester (page 22), Sacramento (page 23), and Tucson (page 24).

Facilities & Destinations 2010

F O R B R E A K - O U T S E S S I O N S. When you book your next meeting at the Austin Convention Center, we also throw in 300+ days of sunshine. Lady Bird Lake and the Hike & Bike Trail are just steps from our door, with the Highland Lakes and elite golf courses only a short drive away. Here in Austin, after the wrap-up, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time to wind down.

246,000 sq.ft. of column-free space

(512) 404-4000 austinconventioncenter.com

Downtown location, convenient to airport

Gigabit rated, supports up to 7000 wireless computers

CVB Perspectives

Mid-Market Destinations & The Jefferson Effect By Jim Mahon

this field as a bedrock for attracting meetings related to this category. From attendees to seminar speakers and presenters to tours and other events, Akron can enhance and augment an array of meetings in this catergory. It certainly helps that adjacent to Akron’s Biomedical Corridor is the John S. Knight Convention Center, which if I do say so myself, is the region’s premier “I’m a great believer in luck and I find the meeting, convention and exposition facility. harder I work, the more I have of it.” The synergy created by our local government, businesses –Thomas Jefferson and educational institutions has created an opportunity for our CVB to market our all it what you will... determination, moxie destination to the extremely specific and “A CVB should or fearless competitiveness, 2nd and 3rd tier lucrative biomedical industry, as well as the Convention & Visitors Bureaus, like Thomas look beyond related industry segements of healthcare, and Jefferson implies, must make their own luck by working its hospitality pharmaceutical markets. Not only do we have smarter and harder. Mid-Market Destinations eager the expertise, but with more than 70,000 inventory to to enjoy a bigger slice of the proverbial meetings and sq. ft. of state-of-the-art space, the John S. conventions pie must aggressively differentiate their identify resources Knight Convention is poised to work with offerings from first tier and neighboring competition. that can cultivate planners who desire to host events in the But what truly differentiates destinations? How can these heart of biomedical discovery. new meeting differences be leveraged effectively to attract meetings and The economy isn’t making anyone’s conventions? business.” business life easier these days. A CVB can’t From infrastructure to local commerce, a CVB should just wait for the calls. For instance, Akron look beyond its hospitality inventory to identify resources staff attended the 2nd annual Symposium on Pharmaceutical that can cultivate new meeting business heretofore untapped market Meeting Planning, returning with leads and the satisfaction of segment. introducing Greater Akron to planners who were impressed by the Boasting an influential and prominent role in the birth of our services and facilities our destination could offer their industry. nation’s industrial economy, Greater Akron remains an incubator What truly differentiates your destination? How can your for scientific discovery and product innovation. Once the Rubber differences be leveraged effectively to attract meetings and Capital of the World, Akron’s “renaissance” now rests upon the conventions? For Akron, the answers to these questions meant foundation of a diligent work ethic and creative spirit. identify what our city has, then identifying the specific meeting The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, GOJO Industries (the planners will find this uniqueness appealing. We charting new manufacturers of Purell®), FirstEnergy, Sterling Jewelers (Kay & waters with the biomedical and related industries. Like Jefferson, Jared) and OMNOVA Solutions are several companies with world the harder we’ve worked, the more luck we’ve found. headquarters in Greater Akron. Additionally, The University of

Director of Marketing & Communications Akron/Summit Convention & Visitors Bureau

Akron’s College of Polymer Science & Polymer Engineering is the largest and broadest in the U.S. Among the world’s leading centers for polymer research and manufacturing, Greater Akron’s abandoned factories have been reclaimed and repurposed. Speared-headed by the Austen BioInnovation Institute and anchored by three major medical facilities (Akron General Medical Center, Summa Health System and Akron Children’s Hospital), Akron’s Biomedical Corridor is also attracting new businesses and supporting ground-breaking biomedical research and development. One way our CVB works smarter is that we are capitalizing on this cluster of companies, facilities and other organizations in 4

Jim Mahon, Director of Marketing & Communications for the Akron/ Summit Convention & Visitors Bureau, began his hospitality career as Sales Manager, then Operations Manager at the Avalon Inn & Resort in Warren, Ohio. Prior to his current position, he was Director of Sales & Communications for the Trumbull County Convention & Visitors Bureau. Mahon has served on the boards and committees of several professional organizations, including: the Ohio Society of Association Executives, the Society of Government Meeting Professionals and the Ohio Travel Association. Jim completed his undergraduate studies at Hiram College, receiving a Bachelor of Arts in English and received his Master of Arts in Communication from Michigan State University. Facilities & Destinations 2010

Technology Perspectives

Mobile Meeting Apps: Connecting Attendees to an Event By Alexandra Young

session handouts, and even an entire trade show directory with company descriptions and exhibitor booth listings— to be accessed by the mobile device of every attendee. A “Favorites” feature allows attendees to bookmark educational sessions, events and booths that spark their interest. An App enables attendees to familiarize them s the number of smart phone users increases with all aspects of an event then devise and modify their every day, so are the number of Apps for smart individual schedules before and throughout the meeting. phones. Some studies indicate that within the In order to keep attendees informed in next five years, more people will be accessing the web real time, Apps feature “Push Notification” through their smart phone than from their computer. As which planners use to transmit current more and more meeting attendees use their mobile devices “Apps are not schedule changes, announcements, and even as their go-to information resource, meeting/conventions emergency information directly to the users only useful for Apps have not only become increasingly popular, they mobile device. Info can be “pushed” out prior attendees, they will likely soon become a necessity for an effective, to and during the meeting. For example, contemporary event. offer new ways planners can let attendees know that there are Essentially, “Apps” are software applications designed to generate only three days left until registration closes or for mobile devices, such as the iPhone, Android and that there are 10 minutes remaining until the revenue.” Blackberry. App developers further customize the software keynote speaker begins. Other uses are last so the Meeting App can meet the specific demands of an minute booth additions to a trade show floor event as well as the unique culture of the association or and/or specific promotions of sponsors and organization presenting the event. exhibitors. The information displays on the main screen of the phone Meeting Apps are designed to keep all users—attendees and similar to a text message. Push Notification is a way to text every exhibitors—connected to the meeting. They are also a cost-effective attendee at your event at once. method of providing a new and dynamic platform for sponsorship, Apps are not only useful for attendees, they offer a variety of promotions and marketing. Apps not just enable instance access to an sponsorship opportunities allowing planners new ways to generate association’s website, but enable the meeting planner to remain inrevenue. Meeting planners can display sponsors in multiple ways sync—and provide real time updates—with all meeting attendees. within an App – a sponsorship page, pop-up with teaser text, branded All the necessary components of a meeting packet that is printed pages within the App, and links to sponsors’ websites. These sponsor and distributed can now be contained on a mobile device via an promotions can be either an added marketing incentive for exhibitors App. Apps feature all the necessary logistical information including or a way for your association to off-set convention costs. directions to the meeting site, meeting hotels, airports, shuttle You are already doing everything an App can do for your event, services, rental cars, other services and weather conditions. The with one big difference. Apps do it faster and do more of it at the information can be customized to meet the needs of any particular same time. With smart phones and mobile devices now the rule and meeting. When a planner changes the schedule on their website it not the exception, mobile marketing is a key component for meetings automatically changes in the Application. and conventions. Apps also connect users to social networking sites, such as Facebook and Twitter, that are now used by the association, meeting venues, hotels Alexandra Young is the Mobile Sales and Marketing Manager for jacAPPS, as well as by exhibiting companies and even publications that cover your a provider of applications for mobile devices. She works closely with jacAPPS profession. Everybody is on Facebook and Twitter. Attendees promote customers and its development team to help create interactive and strategic your event on their own Facebook or Twitter page right from within the Applications. Prior to joining jacAPPS, Alex spent two years in sales App, thus expanding your own online marketing efforts. and marketing for the merchant services department at PNC Bank. Alex graduated from Michigan State University with a B.A. in Advertising and a Apps enable all your vital meeting information—which includes specialization in Public Relations. but is not limited to: scheduling, speaker biographies, seminar topics,

Mobile Sales and Marketing Manager jacAPPS

Facilities & Destinations 2010

F&D Mid-Market Review

VIEW P O I N T

State-of-the-Industry Adding Value to Meetings in a Tough Economy. ...................9

Redefining Value: Introducing the F&D Mid-Market Review

s the final year of the first decade of our new century draws to a close, we at Facilities & Destinations decided it’s time to start a new tradition—the F&D Mid-Market Review, a section devoted solely to 2nd and 3rd tier destinations. Assembled with components and input from a cross-section of industry members, this annual section will be a comprehensive and timely look at why Planners select these destinations, how these destinations fulfill the diverse array of meeting requirements, and which destinations and their venues are worthy of special notice. Why does this category deserve such focus? The economy may still be under-performing, but the consensus appears to be that the meetings industry is beginning to rebound. Leading this resurgence are the 2nd and 3rd tier destinations, who are uniquely positioned to offer the best value to meeting planners and the organizations they represent. Here’s one theory why: During the relatively robust years that preceded the current crisis, many cities reinvested in their meetings infrastructure—a multitude of convention center, meeting venue and hotel projects went from ground breaking to ribbon cutting. The majority of improvements were implemented in 2nd & 3rd tier markets. These cities got serious about growing a vibrant hospitality industry by enhancing their appeal as a meetings destination and their foresight is paying off. In addition to the newer venue offerings, as well as the lower costs inherent to these destinations, the cities themselves have earned a positive reputation among the latest generation of meeting planners. Unique, often idiosyncratic attractions, warm hospitality and distinctive dining are additional attributes planners take into account when selecting a destination, as well as the CVB staff, which consistently receive accolades such as proactive, quick-to-respond and hands-on. With meeting budgets slashed and more incentives required to entice attendees, the Mid-Market destinations have redefined value for meeting planners. The F&D MidMarket Review is an in-depth examination of that new value.

Timothy Herrick, Editorial Director therrick@facilitiesonline.com Find Me on Facebook. Facilities & Destinations 2010 Mid-Market

2010 Mid-Market Gallery Branson.............................15 Huntsville............................16 Pittsburgh...........................17 Portland.............................18 Providence...........................20 Rapid City............................21 Rochester...........................22 Sacramento..........................23 Tucson .............................24 Planner Points Eric A. Commodore

Senior Specialist, Meeting & Event Planning National Rural Electrical Cooperative Association..............15 Marilyn Grundy

Symposium Coordinator National Children’s Advocacy Center..16 John Paserba

Vice President-Meetings Activities IEEE Power & Energy Society .........17 Beverly Christner

Director of Operations Council of State & Territorial Epidemiologists. .....................18 Johanne Stogran

Conference Director Botanical Society of America.........20 Laurel Masterson

Membership Services Coordinator R-CALF USA. ..........................21 Kay Chelena

Conference Management National Association of Extension 4-H Agents. ................22 Michelle Malloy, CMP, CAE

Director of Meetings National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners. ....23 Jeff Zadroga

President Up With People International Alumni Association. ..................24 Mid-Market Hot List Transcending the Tier: Close Seconds. .......................27 7

the reliGiouS conference ManaGeMent aSSociationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S world conference

for More inforMation, viSit www.rcMaweB.orG or call (317) 632-1888

2 3 4 5

Better-than-ever education More affordaBle than ever Great Place to connect notaBle SPeakerS outStandinG roi

Adding Value to Meetings in a Tough Economy By Timothy Herrick Editorial Director

In Raleigh, a new convention center in the heart of a downtown area has made this Mid-Market Destination more competitive in today’s convention marketplace.

uarter after quarter, for a period of about two years, the overall meetings business has been lackluster. By mid-2010, however, a different story seems to have emerged from the Mid-Market segment of the meetings industry. An informal survey of Mid-Market destination marketing executives reveals surprisingly upbeat anecdotes concerning 2010, which contrast with the many downbeat reports coming from 1st tier destinations. It may be too soon to determine if these findings indicate a widespread trend or are just examples of destinations that have gotten better at identifying what types of meetings work best in their cities, then offering those specific planners hard to refuse proposals. But, considering the sluggishness of the current business climate, anything that counters our economic doldrums is noteworthy. “As far as meetings, we are having a good year in 2010,” said Brent Foerster, Vice President/Sales of Visit Milwaukee. “Meetings that utilize the convention center have increased over 48 percent from in 2009.” Business Cycles, Business Rebounds Foerster points out that while the severity of the 2009 (and 2008) market softness can be attributed to the Recession, some of the downturn maybe be due to the business cycle inherent in the meetings industry. Given that many 1st tier destinations continue Facilities & Destinations 2010 Mid-Market

“The Mid-Market city can put together a package that makes it costeffective for an attendee. When hotel rooms get close to and up over $200 a night, that restricts the ability of the conference to attract the kinds of numbers you need.”

–Al Summers Director of Conventions and Conferences, National Middle School Association

to report sluggish bookings, it seems reasonable to conclude that the 2nd tier and 3rd tier destinations are well-positioned to weather current economic conditions. “Part of the slowdown was the recession, and part of it was cyclical—you have off years,” said Foerster. “Now we are having a bounce back year. Milwaukee is a value, and it continues to be a value, and when you compare the costs of a hotel room plus three meals a day to other destinations, the fact that we have direct flights and some of the most affordable air fares in the nation, that puts us in a position to better compete in today’s marketplace.” Brisk may be too strong a word, nonetheless, signs of a welcomed business up-tick are being echoed by other Mid-Market destinations. Continued on page 12

promotio n

RECOGNIZE QUALITY AND HAVE YOUR VOICE HEARD “T

his is continued validation that SMG Convention Centers provide their users with the greatest value and highest level of service in the industry,” said Bob McClintock, Senior Vice President for Convention Centers, SMG. “We are proud of the men and women of SMG for their hard work and dedication to the communities they serve.”

wards are a way to show recognition, and voting on who should win the honor is a way to have your voice heard. In the meetings industry, no voice matters more than those of the planners of meetings, conventions and trade shows. Event Success is the very basis of our industry and intrinsic to that success is the interface between the planner and destination personnel. Our Awards of Excellence have been a critical component of the Facilities Media Group, publishers of Facilities & Destinations, since the company’s inception in 1988. The awards acknowledge value, quality and excellence among venues and destinations, as well as give a voice to Meeting Planners. The Prime Site Award is given out in three categories: Convention Centers, Conference Centers, and Hotels & Resorts. The Top Destination Award is the award given to

“W

e are particularly proud of this award because it is based on the opinions of meeting and event planners from throughout the United States and Canada,” said Craig M. Liston, SMG Regional General Manager for the Greater Columbus Convention Center, a 2010 Prime Site Award winner.

Convention & Visitor Bureaus or similar entities that sell a city and/or region as a setting for a meeting. The reason the awards remain in high esteem industry-wide is the input of meeting planners. “Whenever you are recognized by your peers in the industry it is extremely gratifying and always a compliment to our efforts and the work of our local staffs,” said Steve Peters, President of VenuWorks; eight multi-purpose venues in the VenuWorks portfolio received 2010 Prime Site Awards. Award of Excellence recipients are selected after all ballots are received and tallied. Voting can be done at our website, facilitiesonline.com, although most still

“W

e’re honored to again be acknowledged in this way” said Bob Coffey, General Manager, Savannah International Trade & Convention Center. “These folks are at the top of their profession, and demand the very best in facilities and service.”

prefer voting the old fashion way: mailing or faxing in a ballot. Award winners routinely point out how that the award is important because of the participation of the professionals who matter most. “We are particularly proud of this award because it is based on the opinions of meeting and event planners,” said Craig M. Liston, SMG Regional General Manager, Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, Ohio. “Planners agree that we provide an unparalleled value and experience for our guests.” At the Facilities Media Group, we take pride in the fact the our Awards of Excellence epitomize prestige. “The Oncenter is thrilled to again receive the Prime Site Award,” said Terri Toennies, CMP, CPCE, President and CEO of The Oncenter in Syracuse, N.Y. “We are delighted Facilities & Destinations Mid-Market 2010

“T

he Oncenter is thrilled to again receive the Prime Site Award,” said Terri Toennies, CMP, CPCE, President and CEO of The Oncenter. “We are delighted to have an energetic and dedicated staff always aiming to exceed the expectations of our clients and guests.”

to have an energetic and dedicated staff always aiming to exceed the expectations of our clients and guests.” Destinations and venues promote being named to our annual list of award winners. “We’re honored to again be acknowledged in this way,” said Bob Coffey, General

“W

henever you are recognized by your peers in the industry it is extremely gratifying and always a compliment to our efforts and the work of our local staffs,” said Steve Peters, President of VenuWorks; eight multi-purpose venues in the VenuWorks portfolio received our awards. He recently served as President of International Association of Assembly Managers.

Manager, Savannah International Trade & Convention Center, when informed this Southeast Convention complex was named a 2010 Prime Site Winner. “These folks are at the top of their profession, and demand the very best in facilities and service.”

The Meeting Industry may require state-of-the-art facilities and all the world-class services, from cuisine to technology, these venues provide, but the fact remains we’re in a people business. Or more precisely—a people-to-people business. Event Success is mainly about the personnel that enable planners to accomplish the goals of their meeting, convention or trade show. In 2010, Meeting Planners awarded 27 SMG-managed convention centers venues with Prime Site Awards. “This is continued validation that SMG Convention Centers provide their users with the greatest value and highest level of service in the industry,” said Bob McClintock, SMG Senior Vice President for Convention Centers. “We are proud of the men and women of SMG for their hard work and dedication to the communities they serve.” Meeting Planners, it’s up to you. Make your voice heard, have your opinion recognized. Participate in one of the longest ongoing programs in your profession. Vote today!

THE TIME TO VOTE FOR THE AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE IS NOW

Facilities & Destinations Awards of Excellence Ballot

Please consider the following criteria when voting: Attractiveness & Functionality of Meeting Venue Size & Quality of Meeting Space Technological Capabilities Quality of Staff Food & Beverage Options Lighting, Acoustics, & Internet Access Other Meeting/Event Support Services Amenities Recreational Activities Dining & Entertainment Options Lodging Quality Accessibility to Airport Ease of Travel within Destination Facilities & Destinations Mid-Market 2010

Name of Nominee____________________________________________________ Check Award You want to nominate the above for: Prime Site

Top Destination

Your Name & Title_ ___________________________________________________ Organization_________________________________________________________ Phone_______________________________________________________________ Email________________________________________________________________ Additional Comments_________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ May We Contact You? Yes___ No___ Fill Out Form & Mail or Fax Your Vote:

Facilities & Destinations

152 Madison Avenue, Suite 802, New York, NY 10016 Fax: (212) 213-6382

Mid-Market cities can range from 25 to 40 percent less in costs than 1st tier cities. Value and convenience are key for planners now considering Mid-Market destinations. Milwaukee offers a high number of direct flights and a world-class convention center, and costs that can be up to 40 percent lower than 1st Tier cities.

Indianapolis is expanding its convention center and hotel offerings, attracting organizations seeking a Midwest location with state-ofthe-art convention infrastructure at competitive price points. Continued from page 9

“There is a pent-up demand,” said Mark Tester, Director of the Austin Convention Center. “Organizations had been holding back, there was the AIG effect, but 12-18 months later, the need to meet has grown. There is a demand to hold events of all sizes.” Tester points out that in 2010, Austin saw an increase in collections for hotel occupancy and rental car taxes. “That shows that we are rebounding. Maybe people are making the decision to attend a meeting at the last minute, or maybe exhibitors at a show are sending two or three people where last year they just sent one.” Christine Tascione, CMP, VP, Convention & Group Sales, Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau, has found that the “business opportunity funnel,” which she describes as lingo for potential sales, is up by 25 percent for this Florida destination. “September 2008 began a period of business that was stagnant for a good year, when almost everyone pulled back,” said Tascione. “What

“What has changed is that organizations have found they can’t do business without meetings. They need that face time.” – Christine Tascione CMP, VP, Convention & Group Sales, Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau

has changed is that organizations have found they can’t do business without meetings. They need that face time.” Mid-Market Meeting Value Consumer confidence remains unsettlingly down in the dumps; cutbacks in both private and public sectors have depleted convention budgets; and attendee skepticism about the cost-effectiveness of meeting attendance has never been higher. On the other hand, the benefits of conventions—continuing education, career advancement networking, industry announcements and trade show floor exhibits that keep attendees abreast of the latest technology—are even more necessary in an economy where unemployment is high and job security a constant concern. “We have to give them value to attend the meeting, and that is up to the organization,” said Al Summers, Director of Conventions and Conferences, National Middle School Association. Teachers make up the majority of attendees for the organization’s annual convention, whose 2010 edition in Indianapolis attracted an estimated 8,500 attendees. “The Mid-Market city can put together a package that makes it cost-effective for an attendee. When hotel rooms get close to and up over $200 a night, that restricts the ability of the conference to attract the kinds of numbers you need. Smaller destinations can usually be more flexible with their room rates, and it is a part of the negotiation that regularly gets reopened.” In addition to higher lodging costs, the price of getting around within 1st tier destinations can be prohibitive. “Ground transportation costs are key,” said Chris Bombarger, Events Manager for National Instruments. “A lot of meetings are no longer Facilities & Destinations 2010 Mid-Market

A sizeable population representing a specific industry, such as Raleigh has with technology, which gives a built-in attendance to some conventions, can enhance the appeal of some smaller cities. The 500,000-square-foot Raleigh Convention Center, which opened in 2008 and features the “Cree Shimmer Wall,” a high-tech gift from a local manufacturer of semiconductors, underscores that city’s success in attracting meetings related to this industry.

“The key for us has been to be authentic. Our restaurants and night clubs are primarily independent. We definitely believe that makes a strong competitor.”

–Mark Tester Director, Austin Convention Center

compensated for attendees. With the top-tier cities, the cost of taxis can be a big issue. Mid-Market cities are offering more kinds of mass-transit or shuttle buses that ease the cost of transportation or taxis. The destinations which have built a lot of hotels, restaurants and attractions near the convention center, have made their citywide conventions more cost effective and efficient.” Dennis Edwards, President & CEO of Visit Raleigh, has noticed in today’s convention culture, work is the unquestionable priority. “Planners want places where meeting attendees can get their business done at a convention. They want the amenities of a 1st tier city, but they want everything near the convention center and the headquarter hotel. Mid-Market cities can offer that efficiency, which is in keeping with the demand for leaner meetings.” Starting in the mid-to-late 90s and continuing through the 00s, several 2nd tier and 3rd tier cities invested heavily in their hospitality and meetings infrastructure. The improvements captured Facilities & Destinations 2010 Mid-Market

the curiosity of Meeting Planners, who noticed that not only were they exciting, but the construction included the latest technology platforms, further enhancing the value of the destination. “Some Mid-Market cities have a lot of new hotel inventory and their venues have upgraded,” said Jennifer Johnson, a Meeting Consultant and Founder/President of The Johnson Meetings Group, a full-service, third-party planning company. “They are current with technology, and can offer better pricing on the technology a meeting requires, which streamlines pricing for the budget conscious meeting planner in today’s market.” “We’re a tech company so our technology requirements are pretty intensive, and not every 1st tier city can handle it,” said Bombarger. “With the Mid-Market cities, they have new facilities that have the technological infrastructure we need and they make it part of their pricing, so there isn’t some add-on cost that was unforeseen.”

“Value begins with the quality of the staff. Not only do the smaller destinations have the flexibility to react to your needs, but they are proactive.” –Dianne Graham Director, Member & Conference Services, American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators

The combination of value and unique experiences has helped some Mid-Market cities withstand a slow economy. Austin, Texas reported an increase in hotel occupancy in 2010, indicating an uptick in meeting attendance compared to the previous year.

“Mid-Market cities offer a charming character. In addition to the lower cost, they offer something different, and associations are appreciating that aspect more and more.”

–jennifer Johnson Founder/President, The Johnson Meetings Group

People & Partnerships Pricing may be paramount in today’s economy, but planners are adamant that the CVB personnel are the ones who most often bestow added-value to an event. “Value begins with the quality of the staff,” said Dianne Graham, Director, Member & Conference Services of the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, who is responsible for upwards of 20 different meetings per year, including an annual convention. Faced with sluggish registration for a recent event, the destination marketing staff took a pro-active approach, going beyond just listening to complaints but suggesting some solutions. The planner and CVB devised an incentive raffle featuring free Professional Basketball Tickets. “These were good seats too,” said Graham. “They suggested the incentive promotion. They got us the free tickets. Not only do the smaller destinations have the flexibility to react to yours needs, but 14

they are proactive.” Planners acknowledge that the worth of value goes beyond what can be qualified by a line item on a profit and loss statement. “You need that service,” said Summers. “When we have a problem, you want somebody to come back at you with not just one or two ideas, but a bunch of stuff. In general, we have found that the MidMarket staffs bend over backwards to accommodate you. It is easier for them to be in constant touch with everything going on in their destination than it is for a 1st tier city. They bring a lot to the table.” “I am seeing a lot of proposals from 1st tier cities that are offering competitive prices,” said Bombarger. “But what we want is a partnership with a city, we want to be able to meet there more than once, and not have a radical price increase just because the economy improves a little.” Unique Appeal Today’s meeting attendees are not just more cost conscious, but

“As far as meetings, we are having a good year in 2010. Meetings that utilize the convention center have increased over 48 percent from in 2009.”

–Brent Foerster Vice President/Sales, Visit Milwaukee

Continued on page 26

Facilities & Destinations 2010 Mid-Market

Branson, Missouri

www.bransonconvention.com

The Music Capital of the Midwest—boasting more theater seats than Broadway plus 11 championship golf courses—entered the Meeting Business in 2007 with the state-ofthe-art Branson Convention Center, a multi-level venue that offers planners 220,000 square feet of exhibit/meeting space and the adjacent 294-room Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel.

Eric A. Commodore, CMP Senior Specialist Meeting & Event Planning National Rural Electrical Cooperative Association The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association represents the national interests of cooperative electric utilities, which includes more than 900 member cooperatives that serve 42 million people in 47 states. Its 2010 Director’s Summer School Program, a sixday training course with attendance of 140, was held in July at the Branson Convention Center in Branson, Missouri. The meeting requirements of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association training program included breakout rooms and a small exhibition floor. The destination, known for its live entertainment venues and family-friendly atmosphere, has been a popular vacation spot. With the opening of its state-of-the-art convention center in 2007, the destination is an exciting new addition to the competitive Mid-Market. Facilities & Destinations 2010 Mid-Market

Breakout Rooms

“The breakout rooms were great for our purposes. Each room had their own sound proofing. There was no feedback, or any outside sounds. Also, each of the breakout rooms had its own individually controlled thermostats. In other venues, it is very hard to set the temperatures of the breakout meeting rooms. Branson had individually controlled thermostats in the rooms throughout the entire space, which I guess they can do because it is so new. They made it part of the design. This detail makes a big difference. The temperature of the meeting space is one thing attendees and presenters complain about the most. If it is too cold, attendees will not pay attention, if it is too hot they start falling asleep. From a planner’s point of view, the individual thermostat controls in each meeting room make a very big difference.” Branson Buzz

“We’ve met in 1st tier cities, such as Las Vegas. There has been a buzz about Branson and it is in the middle of the country, where most of our members are located. We meet in a variety of cities, including 1st tier, but our constituents have expressed an interest in Branson for years.” Not What You Expect

“There is a wide variety of restaurants in Branson, which surprised us. I had no complaints about the food, either at the venue or off-site. It’s not just country music available; there was a wide variety of music, including Rock & Roll and dance clubs as well as outdoor recreational activities, which many attendees enjoy. I think the city does itself a disservice when it compares itself to other destinations, because it is a unique destination. It has a lot more to offer than what you might expect.” New Place/New Concerns

“Any time you are going to a destination for a new time, it’s a concern, but also when you go to a brand new facility like the Branson Convention Center, you have to worry how they are gelling. Are they seasoned enough to handle your meeting? But Branson, especially Hilton, brought in seasoned folks. You have to take the time to check out the new location and have a lot of communication at every stage to convey your needs. We have a pretty good relationship with Hilton, so communication wasn’t a factor. Branson exceeded our expectations.” 15

Huntsville, Alabama

www.huntsville.org

Combining the rich heritage of Southern hospitality with innovative high-tech venues, such as NASA’s Space Flight Center, “Rocket City” also features the multi-purpose, state-of-the-art Von Braun Center with 100,000+ square feet of continuous space, a 20,000+ square-foot-lobby/ pre function area, a10,000seat Arena, 2,153-seat Concert Hall and 502-seat Playhouse Theatre.

Marilyn Grundy Symposium Coordinator Na t i o n a l C h i l d r e n’s Advocacy Center More than a quarter of a century ago, the National Children’s Advocacy Center was formed in Huntsville, Alabama. The destination not only remains its home-base, but hosted its 27th National Symposium on Child Abuse in March that attracted more than 1,000 attendees, including professionals from healthcare, law enforcement, and government and social agencies. There are two other associations who hold competing annual conventions, usually in a 1st tier city. The meeting itself, which includes general sessions, plenary sessions, luncheons, a final banquet with live entertainment and 150 workshops, is held at the city’s Von Braun Center. Retaining a loyal following for this annual event requires meeting content unavailable elsewhere, a conference structure that enhances education and networking, and a destination attuned to all needs of the organization. 16

Helpful Staff

“The CVB and Convention Center staff are very helpful. We were given walkie-talkies so we could be in touch with the destination staff throughout the convention and there is always somebody available, even late at night.” Off-Site Venues

“There are a lot of off-site venues available to us. Our Association used the U.S. Space & Rocket Center for receptions. Several of the groups that attend the conference also hold their own dinners and receptions, which they can do at a host of places, such as the Huntsville Museum of Art. Huntsville also has a historic district, which has other venues as well as restaurants.” Solving Transportation

“Initially, a drawback for attendees was the transportation within the city once you arrive. But the good news is there are now two hotels—a Holiday Inn Downtown nearby and an Embassy Suites connected to the Von Braun Center. We’ve cut down the number of the outlying hotels we need to one. We provide a shuttle service between the hotel and the convention center. The CVB has helped us off-set those costs. Next year, a SpringHill Suites by Marriott is due to open near the center.” City Surprises

“I hear all the time from attendees that Huntsville is so much nicer than expected. Attendees feel safe, and it is an old southern city, with a lot of Antebellum architecture and Southern Hospitality. With our meetings, attendees are the big fish in a small pond, which I think encourages more networking opportunities. It makes a difference when you see welcoming banners in a city.” Detail Oriented

“We’ve been here a long time so we have built relationships. But, just because as a planner, I keep going back to the same destination, it’s important not to take things for granted and to keep a stream of communication. For instance, don’t assume that the press will cover you, make sure the press releases are sent out. It’s still important to double check all the details with your CVB liaisons. The staff makes it a piece of cake for our team; they’re just as detail oriented as we are.” Facilities & Destinations 2010 Mid-Market

Meeting attendee convenience highlights Pittsburgh. More than 3,000 rooms are within a 7-block radius of the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, right in the heart of downtown, Pittsburgh’s cultural, business and entertainment district. Green-minded planners note that the center was the first to receive a “Gold” L.E.E.D. by the U.S. Green Building Council.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

www.visitpittsburgh.com

John Paserba Vice PresidentMeetings Activities IeEe Power & Energy Society

Fulfilling Expectations

“During our site selection in 2006, very few cities had the space, characteristics, and room-rates in a compact area that our event required. Pittsburgh rolled out the proverbial red-carpet to our organization and from the outset made it clear they wanted us in their city in 2008. We were told right from the initial site visit that the city and the venues and respective staffs would deliver a high-quality level of support during our event and that our attendees would feel welcome and would fall in love with the city once they were here. Our high expectations, set by the city and venue representatives over two years in advance of our event, were fully met. If there was one very pleasant realization it was how much our attendees enjoyed the city once they were here.” Welcome Reception

The IEEE Power & Energy Society is a worldwide, non-profit association of more than 24,000 individuals engaged in the electric power energy industry. Two years ago, the organization’s annual convention, The IEEE Power & Energy Society’s 2008 General Meeting, which attracted more than 2,200 attendees from 59 countries, was held in Pittsburgh at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. This annual convention has been held in larger cities than Pittsburgh, often ones that fall into the fist tier category. According to Paserba, Pittsburgh offered a pro-active CVB staff, cost-effectiveness and a facility that could accommodate the five-day event, which requires a very large meeting space, large areas for receptions and other events and a several smaller meeting rooms. The convention includes general sessions, an award banquet, seminars, committee meetings, presentations, a student program and an extensive trade show exhibition. Facilities & Destinations 2010 Mid-Market

“We kicked off our event with a Sunday evening Welcome Reception on the Gateway Clipper, complete with a 1-hour cruise and tour of the city from the river. We had nearly 1,000 attendees join the reception and tour, and really kicked off our great week by showing off the city, making our attendees familiar and comfortable with the entire city. The “3 river tour” made our attendees curious and comfortable to explore the city during the week.” Local Vendors

“We used local catering, AV, transportation, tours, and decorators. What we appreciated the most was how our selected vendors worked so well with the venues and provided cost savings and logistic improvements to what our original plans were. This interaction benefited the flow of our event and our finances. Some were recommend by the CVB, most by the C.C..” Keeping Close

“Our attendees like to stay within short walking distances, so, we do not spread ourselves around town. Many of our attendees come to our event as a “path to market” for their products and services. Having a good selection of entertainment and restaurant options nearby the event are important.” CVB Assistance

“The CVB assisted in providing an information booth at our registration area to answer questions on tours and dining options for our visitors. This was a huge help. In addition, they provided various coupon incentive books which our attendees enjoyed.”

Portland, Oregon

www.oregoncc.org

Green, Beautiful and Hip, Portland also offers planners price, convenience, and accessibility. At the center of the vibrant dining and entertainment district is the largest convention center in the Northwest, the Oregon Convention Center, with 225,000+ square feet of exhibition space, 50 meeting rooms and a WiFi infrastructure that supports 5,000+ simultaneous users.

Pedestrian Friendly

Beverly Christner Director of Operations Council of State & Territorial Epidemiologists

CSTE represents public health Epidemiologists throughout the United States. Typically, the organization books a destination for its annual convention about two years in advance, which is usually in the home state of whoever holds the one-year office of president of this non-profit association. Because of this bylaw, Christner has planned meetings in 1st, as well as 2nd and 3rd tier destinations. The 2010 Annual Conference, a 3.5-day event that includes General Sessions, Round Table Luncheons, 12 concurrent workshops and an Exhibition Floor was held in Portland, Oregon in June and attracted 1,200 attendees. The challenge is to have a facility that can meet these event demands and a destination that can entice then satisfy attendees within the constraint of a relatively tight lead time.

“Most of the attendees do not rent cars and taxis can be very expensive. Most of them used the TriMet’s MAX (Light Rail), which was very inexpensive. It was only three dollars from the airport to the Convention Center hotels, and it seemed everything else was only two or three stops. The hotels were all within walking distance of the convention center. Our members like to walk, but if it is more than two or three blocks, they will complain and I didn’t get any complaints. It’s a very pedestrian friendly city.” Green & Diverse

“Portland is a very green city, it’s very beautiful. We went in June and the weather was not hot. We had our opening reception outside, which was really nice. There was a lot of variety in what to do, with restaurants and nightlife and also some outdoors activities. The variety had things with a wider appeal to all age groups than you get in some bigger cities and that suits our attendees.” Gold Standard Facility

“The Convention Center really set a gold standard for our meeting. The layout was perfect, very easy to navigate. The Exhibition Hall was on the main floor, it was very easy and efficient to navigate, to go from the workshops to the exhibit floor. The general sessions were held on the floor above. Nobody felt lost or ostracized in the center.” Foodie Town

“People will be surprised at the food. The restaurants are wonderful. The food is excellent. Portland is a real foodie town.” Dedicated Desk

“The CVB had a dedicated CVB desk at the convention center, so I didn’t have to worry to get information out to my members about the city, what to do, where to eat. They had it covered. Some CVBs can be very accommodating when you sign the contract, but then when you are in the city they say here are some brochures or you never see them again. Or they say have a dedicated desk at the convention center, but it’s not manned on Sunday. What makes a good CVB is not what they do on the front end, but the follow through at the meeting and what they do onsite.” Facilities & Destinations 2010 Mid-Market

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Providence’s compact downtown district features more than 2,200 hotel rooms, world-class dining and stellar shopping. At its heart is the Rhode Island Convention & Entertainment Complex, which includes the RI Convention Center with 137,000 sq. ft. of total exhibit/meeting space, the 13,000-seat Dunkin’ Donuts Center, and the 1,900-seat VMA Arts & Cultural Center.

Providence, Rhode Island

www.goprovidence.com

Johanne Stogran Conference Director Botanical Society of America

Big Fish

“Providence was great. There were banners in the street welcoming us, which we never had before. The CVB let every restaurant know we were in town. I was getting emails from different restaurant groups, offering my attendees discounts, which for the attendees is a perceived value. It is a good feeling to know your business is appreciated and to feel you are getting a lot of attention. We felt we are the biggest fish in town, and that feeling can get diluted in other destinations.” Walking City

Botany 2010 was held in Providence, Rhode Island, July 30 - August 5. It is the annual convention of the Botanical Society of America, an international association dedicated to botany and the study of plants. Attracting hundreds of botanists, research scientists and students in the field, Botany 2010 was one of the largest meetings of its kind in the world. An estimated 860—average attendance for the conference—utilized the Rhode Island Convention Center. According to Stogran, the organization never meets in a 1st tier city, mainly due to cost and 2010 was the first time the annual convention was held in Providence. For this organization, a destination must not only offer a competitive price, but have a meeting venue available that can accommodate an education-intensive event. 20

“We were really impressed with the number of good restaurants, all within walking distance of the convention center. Our attendees are inside the convention center all day, sitting in sessions, learning science. They want to get out and walk around, go places. Most do not drive to the meeting and taking taxis adds to the expense.” Center Design

“Our surveys show that they liked the Rhode Island Convention Center. They loved that the meeting rooms were close together. Sometimes convention centers can have the meeting spaces too spread apart. In our conference, we can have up to 13 concurrent sessions at any given time and attendees like to go from one to another, and it is easier to do when the spaces are close. Also, there is a lot of direct sunlight in the Convention Center. You spend the whole day in there, you don’t get to go outside, so it is nice to have natural light. Our attendees enjoyed the convention center, perhaps more so than other places we have been recently.” Customer Service

“The Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau staff was great; they just had amazing personalities, gave us a plethora of information and kept up the communication. Site Selection is an important part of the job, but once the contract has been signed, the communication needs to be there throughout the process. Beginning 12 months in advance, but especially by at least February before the meeting, (which is in July), I am planning all the other aspects of the meeting, the site has to be constantly communicating with me. Providence was great about communication so I could have as much information available for attendees as possible. Their level of customer service is outstanding.” Facilities & Destinations 2010 Mid-Market

Rapid City, South Dakota

www.visitrapidcity.com

Scenic Rapid City offers 5,000+ sleeping rooms, and a variety of venues, including: the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center—175,000 square feet of exhibition/meeting space, the Best Western Ramkota Hotel—35,000 square feet of meeting space and the Rushmore Plaza Holiday Inn—14,000 square feet of meeting space.

Laurel Masterson Membership Services Coordinator R - CA L F U S A

Mid-Market Advantage

“We meet in 2nd and 3rd tier cities because ideally the costs are lower. The bulk of our members are located in the Midwest and West and many of them drive to the conference. We usually use a hotel for the meetings. It’s been my experience that smaller venues appreciate our convention more. At smaller venues our convention and all those in attendance are welcomed as important guests, rather than just another event.” CVB Staff: Best Practices

R-CALF USA (the Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund, United Stock Growers of America), represents thousands of U.S. cattle producers, with members in 47 states. The R-CALF USA Annual Convention attracts approximately 400 attendees, and returned to Rapid City in 2010 for its 10th Anniversary, which was held at The Best Western Ramkota Hotel, which features 35,000 square feet of meeting space and located in downtown Rapid City. It is the largest meeting space in the city and its location allows easy attendee access to dining, entertainment and shopping in the district. R-CALF’s Annual Convention is a three-day affair, including social events, seminars, general sessions, breakout committee meetings, an industry banquet and an Exhibition Floor, which features products such as chutes and pens and other items of interest to livestock producers. Facilities & Destinations 2010 Mid-Market

“Rapid City CVB people were friendly and extremely helpful. They went above and beyond. We had a couple of issues, there was some last minute changes and additions, and it seemed that the CVB and the hotel staff just worked together and addressed all our issues without hesitation so everything ran smoothly. They provided visitor packets and aided in our distribution of them without being asked, and they were very nice packets, very helpful and informative.” Effective Communication

“In some other mid-market destinations, there can be problems with the hotel, the onsite coordinator is not as helpful and you can feel like the staff is not prepared enough for our meeting. You need more than just communication up to and during the meeting, but effective communication, so little things like where is the best place to put our signs within a hotel do not become a problem.” Attention to Detail

“We work on a short booking window, only about a year in advance. As a planner, that means you do not procrastinate and you pay attention to details. When I do a site visit, I make sure to talk to everybody I can, from the CVB staff to the maids and hotel personnel. You have to talk with the people and the Rapid City CVB encouraged that.” Rapid City, Off-Site

“The downtown had great restaurants and shopping. I especially love this homemade chocolate shop. There was also Mount Rushmore, which our members liked. Our members like a variety of activities and there was no lack of off-site attractions.” 21

Rochester, New York

www.visitrochester.com

Set on the scenic Genesee River and connected to more than 1,100 hotel rooms, the 100,000-square-foot Rochester Riverside Convention Center is surrounded by entertainment districts with restaurants, cafés, coffee houses, pubs, dance clubs and theatres. Outdoor attractions include Rochester’s world famous canal system and the 100+ vineyards of N.Y. Wine Country.

Kay Chelena Conference Management National Association of Extension 4-H Agents

Big Fish/Small Pond

“We’re a very close-knit organization, and enjoyed being a big fish in the small pond. We took over the two hotels, but the CVB was great in making us feel welcome. The restaurants and retailers were all aware of us being town and really welcomed us.” Unique Restaurants

“The food was great. Rochester has unique restaurants, not chain or run of the mill. The CVB was great in helping us get discounts and group bookings in restaurants. Attendees really appreciated that, and they felt they were getting a new experience.” Area Tours

The membership of the National Association of Extension 4-H Agents is comprised of youth development professionals who come from a cross-section of fields and are devoted to the 6.5 million young people involved in 4-H Clubs across the United States. Their annual convention, which attracts more than 1,000 attendees, is typically contained in a large meeting hotel, but in 2009 the event was hosted by the Rochester Riverside Convention Center in Rochester, New York. The five-day program featured an abundance of networking opportunities, 100 workshops, Poster Sessions, Awards Banquet and an exhibition floor. More than 1,100 hotel rooms connect to the center, and the CVB was able to combine the hotel rooms and meeting space into an appealing, costeffective package. 22

“The CVB set up a lot of tours for us, really showcased the area tourist-wise. They were also offering us ideas of what to see and how it might relate to our programming. The tours enhanced the whole experience, which included wineries and the canals around the city. We also have a pretty good party crowd and there was a lot of entertainment. For most of the attendees, it was the first time they were in New York without being in New York City. They were impressed with what was available.” Riverside Atrium

“The atrium area in the Riverside Convention Center was really pleasant. There are lot of open foyers that open to the section. On opening night, we had a New State theme, with different food stations and other activities. The flow in to and around the event was great, and people were able to see all the different things available. It was a great space for a reception, just the atmosphere that we needed.” CVB Coordination

“The CVB brought all their partners together. We worked with one liaison. She was a clearing house for all the information. We were able to give her all our needs and what our agenda looked like, and she was able to bring in all the necessary players and see that all our needs are met. You want that kind of attention from the start, from your first site-visit, that the CVB can coordinate everything for you so you can put on your meeting.” Facilities & Destinations 2010 Mid-Market

Sacramento, California

www.sacramentoconventioncenter.com

The Sacramento Convention Center Complex is located at the heart of the exciting downtown of California’s state capitol. The complex features the convention center with a 134,000-square-foot Exhibit Hall, 31 meeting rooms, including a 24,000-square-foot ballroom; a 2,452-seat Community Center, the 3,867-seat Memorial Auditorium, and the 272-seat Jean Runyon Little Theater.

Michelle Malloy, CMP, CAE Director of Meetings National Associaton of Regulatory Utility Commissioners

National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) represents State public service commissioners who regulate utility services, such as electricity, gas, telecommunications, water, and transportation, throughout the country. Malloy, who plans the organization’s three major conventions held every year, has wide experience in dealing with all destination tiers. NARUC’s winter meeting is always held in Washington D.C.—a 1st tier destination—but the fall and winter editions vary between the major cities and the Mid-Market. The 2010 Summer Committee Meeting was held in Sacramento, California and was hosted by the Sacramento Convention Center. An estimated 1,115 attended the five-day event, which included numerous committee meetings, luncheons, general sessions, large breakouts receptions, and a table-top trade show exhibition floor.

Facilities & Destinations 2010 Mid-Market

Competitive Package

“Sacramento put together a competitive package. With the two hotels across the street from the convention center, it was a very cost-effective meeting. The hotel rooms were about $50 cheaper than comparable destinations. They waived a lot of fees. The CVB also made available a lot of discounts to restaurants and attractions to our attendees. Our attendance was actually up this summer compared to last year.” Work as Team

“Sacramento really worked as a team, it was very seamless. You are dealing with two different hotels and the convention center, which seemed intimidating at first. But they made every very clear from the beginning about who did what or who was responsible, it was very specific. But once we were there, we worked with one person who was in constant contact with all the players. The ease of working with all these different parts surprised me.” Comfort Levels

“We thought because it was summer, there would be problems with the Convention Center, but the space was always comfortable. At night the city was very nice, but in July during the day it was hot. Inside the center was always cool and comfortable. The catering was very nice, comparable to any nice hotel. You hear bad things about food in a convention center, and we have a lot of events with food during the meeting. But the food was very good and I had no complaints, which is rare.” Many Options

“There were a lot of dining options, a nice variety of inexpensive restaurants. Our members are government employees on strict budgets so that is important. Also, our groups rent off-site venues for parties and receptions and there was a large variety in Old Sacramento, which is the historic district, like the California State Railroad Museum and the Crocker Art Museum. Everything was within walking distance.”

TUSCON, ARIZONA

www.visittuscon.org

This southwest destination is known for its mild climate, spectacular scenery, high-desert golf and world-class culinary scene. Although the main meeting venue for the city is the 205,000-square-foot Tucson Convention Center, Tucson is equally known for its array of meeting hotels and resorts, like the JW Marriott Starr Pass Tucson Resort & Spa, which features more than 65,846 square feet of meeting space including ballrooms with 21-foot high ceilings, and views of the spectacular Sonoran Desert.

Jeff Zadroga President Up With People International Alumni Association

The Up With People International Alumni Association is an organization representing alumni of Up With People, an international cultural organization founded in 1965 best known for their motivational and upbeat musical performances. There are an estimated over 20,000 UWP alumni in 79 countries. In July, the three-day UPWIAA annual reunion was held at the JW Marriott Starr Pass Tucson Resort & Spa in Tucson, Arizona and was attended by an estimated 1,200. The event includes seminars and general sessions and a concluding Banquet with performances, as well as a limited exhibition floor. The main focus is socializing between attendees and families. The organization plans to return in Summer 2011.

Community Service

“One of our trademarks is that we perform community service during the reunion, and the CVB was very helpful in arranging those services between our organization and the local community.” Travel Trade-Off

“The real problem with small destinations is that our organization is truly global. Attendees coming in from Asia and Europe would prefer a destination with more direct flights. With Tucson, most of the attendees first fly in into Phoenix. It is a trade off, because the costs are so much lower in terms of the rooms and amenities. The travel to Tucson is not insurmountable and it is just so much more affordable than other destinations.” Accommodating Space

“We’ve been to other destinations, but they are not as accommodating for our group. We need the space so the attendees can reconnect. There’s a lot of pool time, which can get pretty raucous. We need the meeting space for our ceremonial dinner and other sessions, but we go to Resorts because we need the space to spend time socializing with each other. We like a destination that gets us a space where we can stretch out, so to speak.” Lush & Diverse

“Mount Lemmon was great. People loved Tucson for the natural beauty, it’s very lush. Most people bring their families, and a lot of the meals are at the Resort. What is appealing about Tucson was that there was a variety of things to do; it is very family-oriented, which is a large part of what our reunion is about.” Promotional Efforts

“The CVB does all the prerequisite things, like providing discounts and promotions and information about the city and airport. But they also have sent out a hard mail piece, and also helped us craft an electronic one that helped get the word to potential attendees. Locally they helped us get a lot of press, which also helped us get the word out.” Facilities & Destinations 2010 Mid-Market

Adding Value to Meetings in a Tough Economy Continued from page 14

they seem more interested in expanding their meeting experiences, especially with most Mid-Market cities offering tried and true amenities and attractions. Alex Bryant, Contract & Operations Specialist for the National Association of Home Builders, organizes 8-10 meetings per year, including an annual convention, always held in Las Vegas. But the other, smaller events are almost always hosted by a Mid-Market destination. “The best rates and great packages are available from the MidMarket cities,” said Bryant, whose 2010 Green Builders Conference, held in Baltimore, had more than 1,000 attendees. “You need a city where there is some entertainment, good dining, maybe shopping. You can’t have a destination feel like a burden to attendees.” Planners have found that Mid-Market destinations can provide needed diversity to an organization’s roster of meetings, which in turn can revitalize enthusiasm about an event. “Mid-Market cities offer a charming character,” said Johnson. “In addition to the lower cost, they offer something different, and associations are appreciating that aspect more and more. A lot of attendees have already been to the major destinations, like Boston or Orlando.

“Planners want the amenities of a 1st tier city, but they want everything near the convention center and the headquarter hotel. Mid-Market cities can offer that efficiency, which is in keeping with the demand for leaner meetings.” –Dennis Edwards President & CEO, Visit Raleigh

They are looking at Charleston, which has smaller hotels but it’s a different type of atmosphere, or they are going to Santa Fe, for the different perspective. Whether it’s golf or history or pottery, the Mid-Market destinations are appealing because the experiences are so different.” “We’re not a huge group, but we can be very space-intensive,” Graham said about the annual meeting, usually a four-day affair that includes general sessions, break-out sessions seminars, board meetings and a trade show component requiring an exhibition floor, and attracts about 600. The event has been held in a “big city,” but Graham recognizes that the distinctive atmosphere that occurs when you are the only show in town gives attendees an experience obviously available only in the Mid-Market. “You get the feeling that you take over a destination,” Graham explained. “The attendees feel special and the service just seems better.” For Summers, with education remaining in the national and local spotlight, one of the largest national conventions being at the center of a city’s attention has some intangible value. “When we meet in a 1st tier city, you don’t get much press,” said Summers. “In a 2nd tier 26

Meeting Planners are finding that smaller cities, like Austin, Texas have CVB staff that are more responsive to their needs, especially in this time of budget crunching and heightened scrutiny on the Return on Investment of an event. city, we get a lot of attention and it seems wide-spread because it is a smaller city. It is free advertising because it can drive attendance. But it also, usually, is good positive media and we can always use that.” Price may be putting destinations in a better position during the economic downturns, but it is what they offer that other destinations can’t that continues to bolster the Mid-Market appeal. “The saying in the music business is that musicians go to Los Angeles to work on their career, but come to Austin to work on their craft,” said Tester. “Planners know that attendees will have a unique experience, and see up and coming acts or some famous old timer. The key for us has been to be authentic. We offer a unique personality. Our restaurants and night clubs are primarily independent. We definitely believe that makes a strong competitor.” Edwards also points towards the educational network of the city, such as Duke University and North Carolina State, as well as Research Triangle Park, a complex with an international reputation for leading bio-tech and other cutting-edge companies. “We have top quality speakers in our own backyard, as well as a built in audience for a lot of meetings,” Edwards said. “This can streamline costs of having speakers, as well as having a portion of the attendees who require little to no travel.” Being able to augment a meeting can go a long way in ensuring a more robust convention year. “Technology, science and medical are core areas for our meetings,” said Edwards. “They haven’t been hit as hard by the recession.” Facilities & Destinations 2010 Mid-Market

Memphis, Tennessee

F&D

Hot

Charlotte, North Carolina

Lists

Status: Hot Category: Mid-Market Convention Centers FYI: Some 2nd Tier cities are Close Seconds. Their state-of-the-art meeting facilities have nearby world-class entertainment, dining, and lodging.

St. Charles, Missouri

5 1

Cincinnati, Ohio

Charles 2] Saint Convention Center

stcharlesconventioncenter.com The Saint Charles Convention Center just turned five. The 154,000-sq.-ft. facility includes a 16,200-sq.-ft. Grand Ballroom and is attached to the 296-suite Embassy Suites; 500+ hotel rooms within walking distance. Check out Spa Botanica, Frontier Park, Historic Main Street, Ameristar Casino, and Downtown St. Louis.

Duke Energy 1] Convention Center

duke-energycenter.com Cincinnati’s Duke Energy Convention Center, after its 2006 expansions, offers 750,000+ sq. ft. of exhibit/meeting space. Attendees will be just as interested in the new $2 billion Fountain Square entertainment district, with world-class dining, shopping, and exciting nightlife; 3,000+ hotel rooms within three blocks. Facilities & Destinations 2010 Mid-Market

Memphis Cook Convention Center

memphisconvention.com The Memphis Cook Convention Center—300,000+ sq. ft. of meeting/exhibit space and the 2,100-seat Cannon Center for the Performing Arts—connected to the 600-room Memphis Marriott Downtown. Then there’s Memphis. Unforgettable music, nightlife and cuisine, either nearby or just hop the Main Street Trolley Line for world famous Beale Street.

Mobile, Alabama

4] Charlotte Convention Center

charlotteconventionctr.com The Charlotte Convention Center features 280,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space, including 90,000 sq.ft of flexible meeting space and 40,000 sq.- ft. Crown Ballroom; near 4,000+hotel rooms, an exciting entertainment & dining district and the newly opened NASCAR Hall of Fame.

R. Outlaw ] Arthur 5Convention Mobile Center

mobileconventions.com Located on the Mobile Waterfront, the Arthur R. Outlaw Mobile Convention Center—The Gulf Coast’s Premier Meeting and Convention Facility—features 317,000 sq. ft. of meeting/exhibition space, plus river walks, terraces & covered crosswalks to connecting hotel; near 900 Hotel Rooms. Enjoy riverside nightlife or take a short hop into downtown Mobile. 27

sit-down banquet; 17 meeting rooms— Six of the rooms, designed for groups of 50 or fewer, measure 19’6” x 27’ and can be reconfigured into a single room large

Facilities

GEORGIA

Exhibit Space: 55,000-sq.ft. Main Exhibit Hall, 100,000 sq. ft. total Exhibit Space Theater: 367 fixed seats

SAVANNAH INTERNATIONAL TRADE & CONVENTION CENTER

Technology: Internet service includes shared T-1 and full T-1 with up to 100 Mps; Voice, data, fiber optic, Distributed Television throughout facility, Simultaneous interpretive technology and full-service, in-house audio/visual support and videoteleconferencing.

OHIO

meeting room room and a 3 the-art audit Other Meet Entertainment/Sports/Performances/Exhibitions/ Minneapolis Concerts/Competitions/Shows/Special Events the Minneap features 74,0 including a 2 room, a 7,40 and the Hilto Walker Art C outdoor spac MEET MINNEAPOLIS (Meet within THE OFFICIAL Landmark CONVENTION + Guthrie The VISITORS ASSOCIATION plex; Minnea OKLAHOMA 250 Marquette Avenue South, Suite 1300 sq. ft. of total exhibit space; 105,000 sq.ference room Minneapolis, MN 55401 full-service, on-site culinary ft. Meeting Room complex with 21 rium); Minn (612) 767-8000; (800) 445-7412 department. Clients receive professional meeting rooms and a 25,000 sq. ft. (Special even FAX: (612) 767-8001 service from the Center’s Director of Ballroom; 15,000-seat Arena. General Graves Rece www.minneapolismeetings.com Food Service and Executive Chef. - Gary VP ofManager Convention Sales:Dejardins. Kevin Lewis Services: Me Convention/Guest Hotel Rooms: Venue wireless full range of m “There’ s noFeatures: place quite like internet Adjacent Downtown, 364; Summit service and access speeds up to one turnkey hous Minneapolis” County: 5,000+. Gigabit available; four (4) FREE pre- and managin Snapshot: It’s a city of amazing conwi-fi zones;Where meeting rooms kind on line R Transportation: 11 miles from Akron trastsfunction and combinations. down ballroom withWhere state-of- staff in regist Canton Airport; 30 miles from homeand people meet equipped uptown style. the-art audio-visual equipment; Cleveland Hopkins International below zero temperatures meets above SMG booths; full-s Video Conferencing Airport. average intelligence. WhereServices modernavailable.Attractions: OKLAHOMA CITY In-depth Regional listings of Arenas, Civic Centers, Rooms: 1,680 roomsgreen in Theatre Dis glass Hotel architecture meets outdoor Attractions: National Inventors Hall of CONVENTION & Downtown Oklahoma Cityevery and Nicollet Ma adventure. Where every season, Coliseums, Stadiums, Convention Fame, Canal ParkAuditoriums, Stadium, Akron VISITORS BUREAU 15,000 Belle, Cham art and everycitywide. type meet in every possiCivic Theatre, The University of Amphitheaters, 189 West Sheridan Centers, Theaters, PACs, University ble way. We want everyone to Meet Oklahoma City, OK 73102 Akron, E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Transportation: 10 miles/15 minutes Wolfgang P Minneapolis, see firsthand what an (405) 297-8912; (800) 225-5652 Venues, Special Event Venues Hall, CuyahogaFairgrounds, Valley Scenic from Willand Rogers World Airport. Fax: (405) 297-8888 amazing place this is. Railroad, Stan Hywet Hall & Nearby Attractions: Bricktown www.visitokc.com Gardens, Lock 3 Live, Akron Art MainDining Convention Space: The District—a & Entertainment Director of Convention Sales & Services: Museum, Summit Artspace & Minneapolis Convention Center feavibrant urban neighborhood with a Elizabeth Buckley Cuyahoga Valley National Park. tures variety 480,000ofsq. ft. canal-side of exhibit space, 87 (405) 297-8952 • ebuckley@okccvb.org new restaurants,

City Directory

Athens, Georgia...............................28

Norfolk, Virginia................................32

Austin, Texas . ...................................28

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania ............32

Biloxi, Mississippi................................30

Providence, Rhode Island . .......32,33

JOHN S. KNIGHT CENTER

77 E. Mill Street Akron, OH 44308 (330) 374-8900; (800) 245-4254; Fax: (330) 374-8971 www.johnsknightcenter.org Vice President/COO: Gregg Mervis

“The Center of an All-America City”

Chattanooga, Tennessee...............30

THE FACILITIES MEDIA GROUP

Essential Planning Tools Rapid City, South Dakota.The ...............33 74 Midwest

Snapshot: Located in the heart of downtown Akron, the John S. Knight Center is one of Ohio’s premier meeting and exposition facilities. Event planners value our accessibility, flexibility and attention for detail. Meeting Space: More than 55,000 sq. ft. of total meeting/exhibit space, including 16 meeting rooms, 12,000sq.-ft. ballroom, 30,000-sq.-ft. Main Exhibit Hall.

Venue Features: State-of-the-art audio and video services, wireless Internet connectivity, video conferencing & video streaming technologies; a

Snapshot: Oklahoma City has it all— from the historic Old West in Stockyards City to the vibrant energy of Bricktown, the city’s lively entertainment district. Our museums hold artistic treasures and our sports venues have something for everyone. Choices abound for an experience you’ll cherish. Main Meeting Venue: Cox Business Convention Center (405-602-8500; www.coxconventioncenter.com) — 100,000 sq. ft. Exhibit Hall can be divided into 8 smaller halls or combined with the Arena floor for 132,000

PENNSYLVANIAMISSOURI

PENNSYLVANIAOHIO

Indianapolis, Indiana.......................30

ininSouthern in Southern Southern California, California, California, in Southern hosting hosting hosting California, more more more hosting more than than than 350 350 350 events events events per per than per year. year. 350 year.events per year. Meeting Meeting Meeting Space: Space: Space: 11,000 11,000 Meeting 11,000 sq. sq.sq. Space: ft. ft.of ft. ofmeetof meet11,000 meet- sq. ft. of meeting inging space, space, space, including including including ing11 11 space, 11 meeting meeting meeting including rooms; rooms; rooms; 11 meeting rooms; 325,000 325,000 325,000 sq. sq.sq. ft. ft.of ft. ofexhibition of 325,000 exhibition exhibition sq.space, space, ft.space, ofwith with exhibition with space, with exhibit exhibit exhibit halls halls halls ranging ranging ranging exhibit from from from halls 10,000 10,000 10,000 ranging sq. sq.sq. ft. ft.from ft. 10,000 sq. ft. toto105,000 to 105,000 105,000 sq. sq.sq. ft.; ft.;ft.; to 6,400-sq.-ft. 6,400-sq.-ft. 105,000 6,400-sq.-ft. sq. ft.; 6,400-sq.-ft. ballroom; ballroom; ballroom; 787-seat 787-seat 787-seat ballroom; theater. theater. theater. 787-seat theater. Venue Venue Venue Features: Features: Features: Large, Venue Large, Large, column-free, Features: column-free, column-free, Large, column-free, air-conditioned air-conditioned air-conditioned exhibit exhibit air-conditioned exhibit halls halls halls ranging ranging ranging exhibit halls ranging from from from 33,600 33,600 33,600 sq. sq.sq. ft. ft.from to ft. to105,000 to 105,000 33,600 105,000 sq. sq. sq.sq. ft.; ft. ft.;ft.; to 105,000 sq. ft.;

Miami Beach, Florida.......................32

Savannah, Georgia.........................34

FLORIDA

Valley Forge, Pennsylvania.............34

FLORIDA FLORIDA Meeting Meeting Meeting Space: Space: Space: 349,514 349,514 Meeting 349,514 sq. sq. Space: sq. ft. ft.of ft. of of 349,514 sq. ft. of FLORIDA

meeting/exhibit meeting/exhibit meeting/exhibit space; space; meeting/exhibit space; 32 3232 meeting meeting meeting space; 32 meeting large expanse of exhibit space, or subdirooms; rooms; rooms; Three Three Three Ballrooms, Ballrooms, rooms;halls, Three including including including Ballrooms, including vided into fourBallrooms, separate including 30,000-sq.-ft. 30,000-sq.-ft. 30,000-sq.-ft. Grand Grand Grand 30,000-sq.-ft. Floridian HALL A - 119,970 sq.Floridian ft.Floridian HALLGrand B - Floridian Ballroom, Ballroom, Ballroom, 20,000-sq.-ft. Ballroom, Floridian 20,000-sq.-ft. Floridian 117,648 sq.20,000-sq.-ft. ft.,20,000-sq.-ft. HALL C Floridian -Floridian 132,240 sq. Ballroom, Ballroom, Ballroom, and and 10,000-sq.-ft. 10,000-sq.-ft. Ballroom, Palm Palm Palm 10,000-sq.-ft. Palm ft., HALL and D - 10,000-sq.-ft. 132,990 sq. ft.and ytona Ballroom; Ballroom; Ballroom; 250,486 250,486 250,486 Ballroom; sq. sq.sq. ft. ft.of ft. ofExhibit of 250,486 Exhibit Exhibitsq. ft. of Exhibit Venue Features: unlimited floor load Space, Space, Space, including including including 64,887-sq.-ft.-Main Space, 64,887-sq.-ft.-Main 64,887-sq.-ft.-Main including 64,887-sq.-ft.-Main capacity, and 35-foot ceilings; State-ofarea Exhibit Exhibit Exhibit Hall; Hall; Hall; 15,000-seat 15,000-seat 15,000-seat Exhibit Theater. Hall; Theater. Theater. 15,000-seat Theater. the-art telecommunications to suit Venue Venue Venue Features: Features: Features: wifi; Venue wifi; wifi; webcasting; webcasting; Features: webcasting; CAT CAT wifi; CAT webcasting; CAT every need. s 5;5;on-site 5; on-site on-site kitchen; kitchen; kitchen; 5;Breezin’ Breezin’ on-site Breezin’ kitchen; Java/Cyber Java/Cyber Java/Cyber Breezin’ Java/Cyber Convention/Guest Hotel Rooms: MIAMI MIAMIBEACH BEACH Café Café Café which which which features features features Café eight eight which eight permanent permanent permanent features eight permanent THE THE THE GREATER GREATER GREATER THEFORT FORT GREATER FORT FORT 6,000. tes MIAMI BEACH DAYTONA BEACH AREA CONVENTION CENTER CENTER terminals terminals terminals and and and atatleast at least terminals least eight eight eight more and more more at least eight more CONVENTION LAUDERDALE/ LAUDERDALE/ LAUDERDALE/ LAUDERDALE/ Transportation: nis 1901Convention Convention Center CenterDrive Drive only minutes from plug-in plug-in plug-in table table table locations locations locations plug-in for forfor table laptops, laptops, laptops, locations for laptops,1901 CONVENTION CENTER CVB / OCEAN CENTER A t h e COUNTY n s Miami BROWARD BROWARD BROWARD COUNTY BROWARD COUNTY COUNTY Walk Miami MiamiBeach, Beach,FlFl 33139 33139 International 1901 Convention Center Drive Starbuck’s Starbuck’s Starbuck’s coffees, coffees, coffees, Starbuck’s asasAirport. well as well well asascoffees, specialty as specialty specialty as well as specialty CONVENTION COMPLEX (305) (305) 673-7311; 673-7311; Fax: Fax: (305) (305) 673-7435 673-7435 stauCONVENTION CONVENTION CONVENTION CONVENTION CENTER CENTER CENTER CENTER Miami Beach, FL 33139 foods foods foods &&beverages & beverages beverages foods and and and TV TV &TV beverages monitors monitors monitors and TV monitors 101 N. Atlantic Avenue Attractions: Ocean Drive, Lincoln www.MiamiBeachConvention.com www.MiamiBeachConvention.com 1950 1950 1950 Eisenhower Eisenhower Eisenhower Blvd Blvd 1950 Blvd Eisenhower ray (305) 673-7311; Fax: (305) 673-7435 Blvd Daytona Beach, FL 32118 tuned tuned tuned totoCNN/MSNBC to CNN/MSNBC CNN/MSNBC tuned tonews. news. CNN/MSNBC news. news. Director DirectorofofSales Salesand andMarketing: Marketing:Kay Kay Fort FortFort Lauderdale, Lauderdale, Lauderdale, FLFL33316 FL 33316 Fort 33316 Lauderdale, FL 33316 Road, South Beach Art Deco District, www.miamibeachconvention.com (800) 858-6444; (386) 254-4500 white sandy beaches, and renownedFort Lauderdale-Hollander Hollander (954) (954) 765-5900; 765-5900; 765-5900; Fax: Fax: Fax: (954) 954 954954 763-9551 763-9551 765-5900; 763-9551Fax: 954 763-9551 Transportation: Transportation: Transportation: Fort Fort Transportation: Fort LauderdaleLauderdaleLauderdaleDirector of Sales: Kay Hollander ;(954) the Fax: (386) 254-4512 and entertainment. www.ftlauderdalecc.com www.ftlauderdalecc.com www.ftlauderdalecc.com dining Hollywood Hollywood Hollywood International International International Hollywood Airport. Airport. Airport. International Airport. Life LifeisisGood, Good,On Onthe theBeach Beach www.oceancenter.com cwww.ftlauderdalecc.com Assistant Assistant Assistant General General General Assistant Manager: Manager: Manager: General Terry Terry Terry Kuca Kuca Kuca Manager: Terry Kuca Director of Convention Sales front Convention/Guest Convention/Guest Convention/Guest Convention/Guest Hotel Hotel Hotel Rooms: Rooms: Rooms: more more more Hotel Rooms: more Snapshot: Located in the heart of Snapshot: Snapshot:Located Locatedininthe theheart heartofof Daytona Beach Area Convention Premier Premier Premier Oceanside Oceanside Oceanside Premier Convention Convention Convention Oceanside Convention than than than 33,000 33,000 33,000 hotel hotel hotel rooms than rooms rooms 33,000 atataat avariety variety ahotel variety ofrooms of of at a varietySouth of South Florida, in world-renowned South Beach, Beach, the theMiami MiamiBeach Beach and Visitors Bureau: Center Center Located Located Located In Center InMiami In The The The Venice Venice Located Venice In The Venice y Center hotels, hotels, hotels, resorts resorts resorts and andand Superior hotels, Superior Superior resorts Small Small Small and Superior Small Convention Miami Beach, The Beach Convention Center Center(MBCC) (MBCC)boasts boasts Sally Gardiner of ofAmerica ofAmerica America Lodgings. Lodgings. Lodgings. Lodgings. Convention CenterofisAmerica conveniently situover over1,000,000 1,000,000sq. sq.ft. ft.ofofflexible flexiblespace, space, Daytona ated only minutes from the Miami Snapshot: Snapshot: Snapshot: The The The 600,000-sq.ft. 600,000-sq.ft. Snapshot: 600,000-sq.ft. The Greater Greater Greater 600,000-sq.ft. Greater 23 including;Beach: over over500,000 500,000sq. sq.ft. ft.ofofexhibit exhibit Attractions: Attractions: Attractions: 23miles 23 miles miles Attractions: ofofBlue of Blue Blue Wave Wave 23 Wave miles of Blue Wave including; Way More than A Beach International Airport, Fort Fort Fort Lauderdale/Broward Lauderdale/Broward Lauderdale/Broward Fort downtown Lauderdale/Broward County County County County space, space,over over100,000 100,000sq. sq.ft. ft.ofofversatile versatile beaches, beaches, beaches, 300 300300 miles miles miles ofbeaches, ofnavigable of navigable navigable 300 miles of navigable Snapshot: Located in the of the Miami and the Port of Miami. Convention Convention Convention Center, Center, Center, Convention one oneone ofofthe of thethe Center, premier premier premier one of inland the premier pre-function area areaspace space and andheart 70 70meeting meeting inland inland waterways, waterways, waterways, downtown downtown inland downtown waterways, Arts Arts Arts & && downtown Arts &pre-function Daytona Beach Resort Area and just Spanning fourvenues city blocks a southeast, sunny large large large meeting meeting meeting venues venues large ininmeeting the in theof the southeast, southeast, venuesisisinistheEntertainment southeast, is district, rooms roomscomprised comprised ofof127,000 127,000 sq. sq.ft. ft. Entertainment Entertainment district, district, Entertainment 4,000 4,000 4,000 restaurants, restaurants, restaurants, district, 4,000 restaurants, 400 feet from theMiami Atlantic Ocean, the south Florida Beach, thejust center isminutes easily easily easily accessible, accessible, accessible, located located easily located accessible, just just five fivefive minutes located minutesjust50 five minutes Amenities Amenities atatthe the Miami Beach Beach 50 golf 50 golf golf courses, courses, courses, International International 50 International golf courses, Swimming Swimming Swimming International Swimming Ocean Center is theinclude area’s premier within easy walking distance of the art from from from the the the Fort Fort Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Lauderdale-Hollywood Lauderdale-Hollywood from the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Convention Center Center include aabusiness business Hall Hall Hall ofofFame, of Fame, Fame, Sawgrass Sawgrass Sawgrass HallMills of Mills Fame, Mills Mall. Mall. Mall. Sawgrass Mills Mall. Convention meeting facility. The Ocean Center deco district and some ofAnd america’s center, center,board board room, room, cyber cyber café, café, box box is International International International Airport. Airport. Airport. International And And the thethe Airport. And the See See See ad adad on onon Cover Cover Cover 33See 3 ad on Cover 3 currently undergoing a $76-million most spectacular beaches. offices, offices,concierge concierge desks, desks, concession concession renowned renowned renowned five-star five-star five-star renowned food food food and and and beverage five-star beverage beverage food and beverage expansion that will nearly triple its size. stands, stands,show show offices offices and andaauniquely uniquely department, department, department, famous famous famous for forfor its itsgourmet its gourmet gourmet famous Meeting Space: 72department, meeting rooms; a for its gourmet designed designedskywalk skywalk205,536 that thatfeatures features aacenter center seated seated seated meals meals meals and and and selection selection seated selection meals ofofsnack of snack and snack of snack Meeting Space: sq. ft., 21,252-sq.-ft. Ballroom; 125,910 sq.selection ft. pod podwith withaa37 buffet buffet &&cocktail cocktail loungeand and carts, carts, ensure ensure ensure meetings meetings meetings carts,atatensure the at thethe Center Center meetings Center are areareat the Center are including: meeting rooms;lounge ofcarts, meeting and function space on two an anunrestricted unrestrictedBallroom. view viewofofall allfour fourexhibit exhibit alevels; asuccess. success. a success. a success. 11,715-sq.-ft 502,848-sq.-ft Total Exhibit halls. halls.MBCC MBCCisishome hometotomajor majorannual annual Space that can be configured as one

P L A N N E R G U I D E S

Facilities & Destinations 42

space, 550 total; 2 Executive

The Southeast KANSAS

See Ads on Pages 29, 31

meetings/conventions large and small. trade tradeand andpublic publicshows showssuch suchas: as:Cruise Cruise ing rooms; a 28,000-sq.-ft. ballroom; meeting rooms; 8,865-sq.-ft. Ballroom; The Convention the Center has more than Theatre; the St. Venue Features: DS3 high-speed Shipping ShippingMiami, Miami,South SouthFlorida Florida 1,411-seat Ferrara 54,000-sq-ft., 3,800-seat theater. Exhibit Space: 173,767 ft., includ440,000 sq. ft. of Louis exhibitExecutive space, including Internet network, wireless hotspots, International International Auto Auto Show, Show,sq. Miami Miami Conference Center Exhibit Space: 108,000 sq. ft. ofof exhibitor services, ing 94,695-sq.-ft. a 315,000-sq.-ft. accommodates Main Exhibit Hall; online ordering International International Boat BoatMain Show ShowExhibit (Largest (LargestHall. inin meetings up to 100; Exhibit Space, including 54,000-sq.-ft. 33,000-sq.-ft. ballroom and 52 meeting Edward Jones fiber-optic connections to all spaces; United UnitedStates) States)and andft; North North America’s Arena: 42,000 sq. 9,500America’s seats. multilevel, multipurpose Main Exhibit Hall. rooms offering anDome additional site Food Court & Shops, caterer an most mostimportant importantcontemporary contemporaryart artfair, fair, seats120,000 70,000. Hotel Rooms: 13,000 square feet; 6,300-sq.-ft., 600-seat thebusiness center, 33 loading docks and Art ArtBasel BaselMiami MiamiBeach. Beach. Technology: Wifi in all guestrooms Technological Transportation: 5 miles from Daytona ater. Once complete, the expandedFeatures: Onsite comand public space;drive-in On-siteramps, Audioconnected Visual to four ho Meeting MeetingSpace: Space:127,000 127,000sq. sq.ft., ft.,includincludmunication services include single Beach International Airport Convention Center will provide planners by enclosed walkway, Company. Multi-Level Ballroom, Themore than 3,00 ing ing72 72meeting meetingrooms, rooms,22,000-sq.-ft. 22,000-sq.-ft. phone linesfeet andofinstruments, multi-line a total of one million square facility parking spaces with 10,000 a Waterford, features state-of-the-art Attractions: Ballroom. Ballroom. The Daytona Beach area instruments, saleable space (700,000 square direct feet of dial lines, special tional spacesplasnearby. Audio Visual with builtparking in screens, is home to 23 miles of sparkling circuits and feet Nextel Exhibition ExhibitionSpace: Space:130,000-sq.-ft. 130,000-sq.-ft. exhibit space, 541,000 square of phone rental. ma televisions, sound system and differbeaches; top notch golf and tennis Convention/Guest Hotel Rooms: PENNSYLVANIA SCANTICON HOTEL COLUMBUS Internet access amount with full T-1 bandwidth Exhibit ExhibitHall( Hall(502,000 502,000 sq. sq.ft. ft.ofofexhibit exhibit which is contiguous); the largest ST. LOUIS CONVENTION GREATER ent lighting scenes. facilities including LPGA 2,600 committable hotel rooms wit in all halls and meeting rooms. center centerinincenter. center. CONVENTION CENTER AND CONFERENCE of ballroom space of any convention & VISITORS CONVENTION CENTER International and1101 theArch United States 22,000 Food & Beverage: The citywide. Scanticon feaStreet center on the EastConvention/Hotel Coast at 93,000 sq.Guest ft.; Rooms: CENTER 400 N. High St. Technology: Technology: Wifi, Wifi,Video Video COMMISSION Tennis Association’s FloridaPA Tennis tures three restaurants and a nightclub A u s t i n Philadelphia, 19107 Transportation: Port Columbus 1210 First Avenue Columbus, OH 43215 and a total of 87 meeting rooms. 35,000 city-wide hotel rooms. Conferencing, Conferencing, Video Video Broadcasting, Broadcasting, 701 Convention Plaza, Suite 300 Center; Daytona Lagoon; Ocean Walk (215) 636-3300; (800) CALL-PHL Soleil, Chumley’s King of Prussia, PA (614) 19406827-2500; (800) 626-0241 on property—Café International Airport is located 10 St. Louis, MO 63101 Webcasting. Webcasting. Shoppes; several Fax: new(215) spas636-3327 and restauVenue Features: Transportation: Free wireless Internet The Lambert-St. (610) 265-1500; Fax:Fax: Sports Bar and Steakhouse, Blue (610) 768-0183 (614) 827-2659 utes from the Greater Columbus (314) 421-1023; (800) 325-7962 www.PhiladelphiaUSA.travel rants, shopping, an board array with Internet access up to one Gigabit;Airport is locatedwww.ScanticonValleyForge.com Louis International Venue Venueunique Features: Features: Business Businessand center; center; board Grotto, and Ice Nightclub. www.columbusconventions.com Convention Center. Fax: (314) 621-7729 Vice President/Convention Services: of family and cultural attractions; an internal fiber optic backbone, and data Center. Vice President ofRegional Sales andGeneral Marketing: 13 miles from America’s room; room; cyber cyber café; café; concierge concierge desks; desks;concesconcesManager: Guest Craig Liston Rooms: 160 Guestrooms in the Patricia Speedway; Kraft Hilpl www.slcvc.com Attractions: More than 100 restaur Candice Ellesin Senior Director of Sales: Sherry Fish, CMP Daytona International the cabling throughout the entire facility. sion sionstands; stands; show showoffices; offices;skywalk skywalkwith with an an Convention Sales Manager: National Attractions: St. Louis features variety Scanticon Hotel;casual The adjoining eateries, fun nightspots and News-Journal thehalls. historic “Philadelphia –Michelle Be at Liberty unrestricted unrestrictedview viewCenter; ofof all allfour four halls. Taylor to Convention/Guest Hotel Rooms: of recreational areas, including the Valley Forge, A premier destination Radisson Hotel offers an additional 328 distance o attractions within walking Snapshot: The 1.7-million-square-foot oceanfront Bandshell and Oceanfront Meet” 10,000 rooms in 419-acre city; 3,682 within Route 66 State Park, and for your exceptional event Guest GuestRooms: Rooms:2,000 2,000hotel hotelrooms roomsSnapshot: withwithguestrooms. Founded in 1909, The St. the convention center;The Cap at Greater Columbus Convention Center Park; the Mary McLeod Bethune two-minutes of Pennsylvania Snapshot: WhenLouis you meet in regional wineries, including the Snapshot: The Scanticon ininwalking walkingdistance. distance. was specifi-facilityAmenities: Convention & Visitors Union Station, architectural work 3,000-sq.-ft. Healthan and is an award-winning located in Performing Arts Philadelphia, Center; Peabody youCommission get more than a sales andConvention popular Mt. Pleasant Winery; 1,000cally created to be a premier conference is the marketing Center. art that connects convention dis Transportation: Transportation:Miami MiamiInternational International Fitness Center; Outdoor Garden the Pool; the heart of a vibrant entertainment Auditorium. venue, you get a organization good mix of work and forTransportation: one-of-a-kind for comfort and func20 minutes to restaurants includingsite. All designeddistrict responsible selling St. to Center. shopping and dining; Nationwide AirportAirport-15 15Minutes. Minutes. and within 550 miles24-Hour of two Business See Ad on Page 58play. The Pennsylvania Convention America’s Airport. Incredible Pizza Co.; Citytion and is officially approved by the population. Philadelphia Louis City and St. Louis County as a International Arena, home of the NHL Columbu thirds of the nation’s Attractions: Attractions:Atlantic Atlantic Ocean; Ocean; Lincoln Lincoln Transportation: 25 miles to Center, known for its beauty,and flexibility Museum, the Cherokee-Lemp International Association ofbyConference convention meeting site.Attractions: The Blue Jackets and the Arena Football Managed SMG, the Greater More than 20 major Road RoadMall; Mall;Miami Miami Beach Beach Golf Golf Club; Philadelphia International Airport. and location inClub; the heart of Center Downtown District, both the Centers. The Scanticon Hotel and organization also manages and operates arts Historic League’s Columbus Destroyers; Ger Columbus Convention Center is an performing facilities, including Jungle JungleIsland; Island;American American Airlines City, as Airlines well as five-star dining,Center tax-freeconvention Casino Queen and Ameristar Casino, Attractions: Located in the heartDistrict; of Conference Center is located in thevenue welcoming the America’s Village/Brewery Center of exhibitor-friendly venuescomfor ballet,several jazz, drama and Arena. Arena. shopping, and ease in Edward travelingJones in, out historic houses (including the Valley ForgeScience business district, Valley Forge Convention Plaza, also gueststhe plex, Dome atmusical America’s and Industry (COSI) and more than 2.5 million annually theater; more than 200 home of Daniel Boone). See Seead adon onpage page43 43and around the city. to Valley Forge National home to the Valley Forge Convention Center, the Ferrara Theatre,restaurants a 28,000- in Center Franklin Park Conservatory. to the country’s 15th largestadjacent city. City. Park; King of Prussia Mall. Center and the Radisson Hotel Valley Meeting Spaces:square-foot Currently, the ballroom and the St. Louis See Ad on Page 69 Meeting Space: 99,410 sq. ft. of meetForge. Pennsylvania Convention ExecutiveCenter Conference Center. See Ad on Page 31 ing space; 61 meeting rooms; 25,000stretches over sixMeeting city blocks, providing Meeting Space: sq.-ft. Over 150,000 sq.15,000-sq.-ft. ft. of Space: America’s Center feaBallroom; a total of 610,000tures sq. ft. of flexible meeting space between the 502,000 sq. ft. of contiguous Ballroom; Five exhibit halls, including meeting/functionexhibit space that Scanticon, Radisson and Valley Forge spaceeasily within six halls; 83 meet336,000-sq.-ft. Main Exhibit Hall and accommodates the needs of Convention Center, including: a total Exhibit 61 space of 426,000 sq. ft.

Exhibit Space: 16,000 sq. ft. Theater/Auditorium: 375-600 seats. Technology: Wireless Internet throughout facility/hotel rooms; Smart Podiums with the latest AV Technology; 24/7 onsite technical support. Services: Onsite Event Managers, Designers & Planners; Registration Services; Customized Meeting Packages; Marketing, Promotion, Graphic Design and Website Development; Business The Georgia Center, Center with Computer/Internet Access. Austin The University Food & Beverage: Banquet Menu Convention Center 54 500 East Cesar Chavez Street Planning; Evening and Event Cocktail of Georgia’s 13 13 FLORIDA FLORIDA Full-Service Catering. Austin, TX 78759 FLORIDA Service; Facilities & Destinations Facilities Facilities Facilities & &Facilities & Destinations Destinations Destinations & Destinations Planner Planner Planner Guide Guide Guide Planner Guide Conference Center hall. including 2.1 million74sq. ft. of exhibit ion space, meeting rooms and (512) 404-4000; Fax: (512) 404-4416 Boardrooms and VIP Suite; 19,000-sq.space, 1.1 million ft. of whichballis 235 breakout rooms;sq. 62,182-sq.-ft. & Hotel Restaurants: Savannah Room Restaurant ft. pre-function area, 11,000-sq.-ft.CONFERENCE www.austinconventioncenter.com contiguous; twosq. 92,000 sq. footspace, general room 2.1 million ft of exhibit terrace; 31,500-sq.-ft.. fenced grass 1197 S. Lumpkin Street (Gourmet Southern Cuisine); Courtyard assembly areas; three full-service 2,643-seat Chapin Theater and 160-restauPavilion; 10,000-sq.-ft. Grand Lobby Director Directory of Austin of Convention Comprehensive Conference Centers, rants; 8 food courts; and threerestaubusiness seat Lecture Hall; 3 full-service with 75’ vaulted ceiling. Athens, GA 30602 Café (hot entrées, soups and salad bar); Center Department: Mark Tester College & University Conference Facilities, centers. food courts; 4 business centers. Venue Features: Internet and wifi; (706) 542-2654;rants/8 (800) 488-7827 Director of Sales: LisaSmall-to-Mid-Size Kidder Georgia Java (Starbucks Coffee, specialty & Boutique Hotels, VenueFeatures: Features:WIFI; WIFI; interior plasma Venue interior plasma state-of-the-art audio and visual sys- Meeting Fax: (706) 542-6630 directional DMS directional directionalmonitors; monitors; DMS directional tems available throughout the center; Meeting & Event Venues sandwiches & delightful desserts; Dawg signs andand onon signsononUniversal UniversalBoulevard Boulevard fully equipped, 5,000-sq.-ft. kitchen www.georgiacenter.uga.edu International DMS signs with capable of gourmet service for over InternationalDrive; Drive; DMS signs with Snapshot: Rated one of the country’s House Lounge (sports-bar atmosphere Geraldine Bordelon video feed capabilities; in-house audio 3,000 guests; the center has on-site video feedRogers capabilities; in-house audio Sales Director: Kim ORANGE PRIME III BATON ROGUE most technologically advanced conven&&intercom direct on-line show parking for 860 ParkingAREA spaces cars, & tavernF. OSBORN menu) Magnolia Ballroom and intercomsystem; system; direct on-line show ORANGECOUNTY COUNTY CONVENTION CENTER CONVENTION CENTER CONVENTION management services with 4,000 additionalAND spaces within management&&exhibitor exhibitor services CONVENTION CENTER The Go-To Conference tion centers, the Austin Convention West Concourse - 9800 International Drive; 1000 Water Street Private Banquet Areas. VISITORS ordering; set-ups; telecom easy walkingBUREAU distance. ordering;internet internetcafé café set-ups; telecom West Concourse 9800 International Drive; South Concourse - 9899 International Drive; Jacksonville, FL 32204 &&webcasting 3 covered Center & Hotel webcastingservices; services; three covered SouthConcourse Concourse- -9400 9899Universal International Center has a convenient downtown Convention/Guest Hotel Rooms: ➤ New 70,000-square-foot North Blvd.Drive; (904) 630-4000; Fax: (904) 630-4029 loading bays; On-site North Concourse Attractions: Georgia Museum Art; loadingdocks; docks;173 173truck truck bays; and onWithin of fivehall miles of over 1,500 hotel Orlando, FL 32819- 9400 Universal Blvd. Facility Director: Jim Pritchard exhibition parking for 6,227. Orlando, FL 32819 location near the city’s famous entersite parking for Center 6,227. (407) 685-9800; (800) 345-9800 www.jaxevents.com rooms; 22,425 in the Northeast Florida Snapshot: The Georgia provides ➤ 9,000 hotel rooms State Botanical Gardens; Butts-Mehre (407) 685-9800; (800) 345-9800 Fax: (407) 685-9876 Convention/Guest Hotel Rooms: Region. Convention/Guest Hotel Rooms: tainment districts. The facility spans ➤ Arnold Palmer-designed The Bluffs Fax: (407) 685-9876 Senior Director/Sales, Marketing, comprehensive event services for profesSurrounded byby113,000 hotel rooms. Athletic Museum; UGA Golf Course; Surrounded 113,000 hotel rooms. Snapshot: When it was built in 1919, Transportation: 20 minutes away from www.occc.net Event Management & Exhibitor Services: on Thompson Creek golf course six city blocks with five column-free Transportation: 1212 miles toorganizaOrlando Jacksonville Terminal was the railroad Senior Director/Sales,sional Marketing, Jacksonville International Airport. Yulita Osuba associations, educational Transportation: miles to Orlando Page: 50 Double-Barrel Event Management and Exhibitor International (MCO). gateway to Florida. Now Cannon; it is complete- Lyndon www.occc.net Nearby Attractions: Jacksonville InternationalAirport Airport (MCO). exhibit halls, seven ballrooms and Services: Yulita Osubations, businesses, government entities and ly restored and renovated. Where Athena the Attractions: Universal, SeaWorld, Walt Landing; Zoo; St. Augustine; Beaches. House Arts Center; Statue; “The Center of Hospitality” Attractions: Universal, SeaWorld, trains once ran on time, boat shows, “The Center of Hospitality” Disney World; upscale shopping; 54 meeting rooms. Snapshot: Orange County the Convention community. Walt Disney World; upscale shopping; conventions, trade shows, banquets, and Club; Unique Morton Theatre; 40 Watt 10,000 fine dining seats. Snapshot: Orange County Center (OCCC) ranks as theConvention nation’s 10,000 fine dining seats. meetings now run like clockwork. With Centerlargest (OCCC) ranks asfacility, the nation’s John Robertson Meeting Space: 374,255 sq. ft, includsecond convention Restaurants/Shops/Pubs/Clubs. 265,000 square feet of space, the Prime ad on Page 47 11 suites. Lodging: 200See rooms with second largest convention feafeaturing 7 million sq. ft. offacility, combined CHARLESTON Osborn Convention Center is large ing 54 meeting rooms and a 43,300turing 7 and million sq.space ft. ofincombined meeting public two enough and versatile enough to accomSee ad on page 31 CIVIC CENTER Meeting Sizes: up to 600. meeting and public and space in two a total remarkable facilities provides modate gatherings of virtually any size, sq.-ft. Ballroom. ➤ 50,000-sq.-ft.Grand remarkable is of 2.1 millionfacilities.The square feet ofCenter exhibition small or large. Convention Hall Overall located in one of the most beautiful space with adjacent covered dock Meeting Space: 30,000 sq. ft.; Meeting Space: 156,184 sq. ft. of total Exhibit Space: 5 contiguous Exhibit ➤ 4,000+hotel rooms access. It is locatedplaces in oneinofthe the most and entertaining meeting space; 78,500 sq. ftRacetrack of contiguTHE FACILITIES MEDIA GROUP including ➤ Tri-State beautiful and entertaining places in the20 Meeting Rooms; 5 Executive world—Orlando. Halls with 246,097 sq. ft. of total ous exhibit space; 100,000 sq. ft. total: world, Orlando. & Gaming Center Meeting/Exhibition space: 74 meeting Ballroom and Banquet areas. Boardrooms; Essential Planning Tools can fit 450 10x10’ booths in contiguous Page: 57 Meeting/Exhibition million rooms/235 breakout space: rooms;762,182-sq.sq. ft of combined room; meeting and public ft. multi-purpose 2,643-seat Chapin Theater and a 160-seat lecture

Facilit

Rochester, New York........................34 St. Louis, Missouri...............................34

ludHall.

ILLINOIS

clubs, music venues and attractions., OKC National Memorial & Museum, Oklahoma City Museum of Art; Myriad Botanical Gardens; AT&T Bricktown Ballpark; Ford Center; Civic Center Music Hall; Oklahoma City Zoo; National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum.

Minneapolis, Minnesota..................30

THE SOUTHEAST

MINNESOTA

F&D

Food & Beverage: SAVOR is the exclusive food service contractor of the center. CALIFORNIA CALIFORNIA CALIFORNIA CALIFORNIA Hotel Rooms: 3,800 city-wide. One International Drive Wifi Wifi Wifi capabilities; capabilities; capabilities; On-site Wifi On-site On-site capabilities; newly newly newly renorenorenoOn-site newly renoSavannah, GA 31402 ban20 minutes to vated vated vated Sheraton Sheraton Sheraton Suites Suites vated Suites Fairplex Fairplex Sheraton Fairplex hotel, hotel, Suites hotel, aa aFairplex hotel,Transportation: a Trade Center (912) 447-4000; (888)644-6822 ena; 12-acre 12-acre 12-acre KOA/RV KOA/RV KOA/RV 12-acre Park Park Park with with KOA/RV with 185 185 185 fullfullfullPark with 185 full-Savannah International Airport. Savannah CVB (912) 644-6400; (877) 728-2662 e service service service sites sites sites and and and parking parking service parking for sites forfor more more and more than parking than than for more than Attractions: Jepson Center for the FAX: (912) 447-4722 it 30,000 30,000 30,000 vehicles. vehicles. vehicles. 30,000 vehicles. Arts; Jepson Center for the Arts; City www.savtcc.com www.savannahvisit.com Convention/Guest Convention/Guest Convention/Guest Convention/Guest Hotel Hotel Hotel Rooms: Rooms: Rooms: Hotel Rooms: Market; Savannah Theatre; Mary 29V.P/Sales Savannah Area CVB: Ingalls Glass Studio; Meinhardt 247 247 247 suites. suites. suites. 247 suites. dividBill McKay (912) 644-6424 Vineyards & Winery; Diamond ple or Transportation: Transportation: Transportation: Fairplex Fairplex Transportation: Fairplex isisjust is justjust 99miles miles Fairplex 9 miles is just 9 miles Casino, Pirates’ House restaurant; The Snapshot: Located onAirport the Savannah River from from from Ontario Ontario Ontario International International International from Ontario Airport Airport International Airport Club at Savannah Harbor Troon Golf with panoramic views ofand theand city’ s famed and and and 45 4545 freeway freeway freeway miles miles and miles from 45 from from freeway LAX, LAX, LAX, miles and from LAX, and& The Greenbrier Spa; Outdoor fun udes Historic Riverfront and eye catching ves- majorincludes championship golf courses, also also also isiseasily is easily easily accessible accessible accessible also isvia via easily via three three three accessible major major major via three n; sels passing daily, the SMG-managed freeways. freeways. freeways. freeways. FAIRPLEX FAIRPLEX FAIRPLEX FAIRPLEX deep sea fishing charters, Historic office Savannah International Trade and 1101 1101 1101 W. W.W. McKinley McKinley McKinley Ave. Ave. 1101 Ave.W. McKinley Ave. ines Attractions: Attractions: Attractions: Retail Retail Retail Attractions: establishments, establishments, establishments, Retail establishments, District offers entertainment venues, Pomona, Pomona, Pomona, CA CACA 91768 91768 91768 Pomona, CA 91768 Convention Center’s 330,000-sq.-ft. night life, and restaurants. techrestaurants, restaurants, restaurants, the the the 18-hole 18-hole restaurants, 18-hole Mountain Mountain Mountain the 18-hole Mountain (909) (909) (909) 623-3111; 623-3111; 623-3111; Fax: Fax: Fax: (909) (909) (909) 623-3111; 623-9599 623-9599 623-9599 Fax: (909) 623-9599 waterfront complex offers a vibrant and from Meadows Meadows Meadows Golf Golf Golf Course, Course, Meadows Course, cultural cultural cultural GolffaciliCourse, facilifacili- cultural faciliSee ad on page 49 Director Director Director ofofSales: of Sales: Sales: Melissa Director Melissa Melissa Tapia Tapia ofTapia Sales: Melissa Tapia enjoyable atmosphere in a city so graciousties, ties, ties, an anan art artart district, district, district, ties, historic historic an historic artsites, sites, district, sites, historic sites, www.fairplex.com www.fairplex.com www.fairplex.com www.fairplex.com ly known for its hospitality. nightlife nightlife nightlife and and other other other nightlife amusements. amusements. amusements. and other Just Just Just amusements. aa a Just a “Southern “Southern “Southern California’ California’ California’ “Southern ssEvent Event s Event California’ and and and s Event andand Meeting 50,000 sq. including short short drive drive drive away away away are short areSpace: are theaters, theaters, drive theaters, away musemusemuseareft.theaters, museesno Entertainment Entertainment Entertainment Center” Center” Entertainment Center” Center” short 13arenas, meeting rooms; 4arenas, board local rooms;mountain ums, ums, ums, sports sports sports arenas, arenas, ums, local local local sports mountain mountain mountain 25,000-sq-ft. ballroom. Snapshot: Snapshot: Snapshot: Fairplex Fairplex Fairplex Snapshot: isisSouthern is Southern Southern Fairplex is Southern retreats, retreats, retreats, Disneyland, Disneyland, Disneyland, retreats, Knott’s Knott’s Knott’s Disneyland, Berry Berry Berry Knott’s Berry California’s California’s California’s most most most diverse California’s diverse diverse event event event most location location location diverse event location Farm, Farm, Farm, Universal Universal Universal Studios Farm, Studios Studios Universal to tothe to thethe west, west, Studios west, to the west, attracting attracting attracting more more more than than attracting than 33million million 3 million more annual annual annual than 3 million annual and and and Victoria Victoria Victoria Gardens’ Gardens’ Gardens’ and Victoria alalfresco al fresco fresco Gardens’ shopshopshop-al fresco shopvisitors. visitors. visitors. Home Home Home ofofvisitors. the of thethe L.A. L.A. L.A. Home County County County of Fair the Fair Fair L.A.ping County Fair ping ping to tothe to the the east. east. east. ping to the east. since since since 1922, 1922, 1922, the thethe facility facility since facility is1922, isalso is also also the thethe facility is also the 22 premier premier premier location location location for for premier for consumer consumer consumer location shows shows shows for consumer shows

FLORIDA FLORIDA FLORIDA FLORIDA

overall space, including 700,000 sq. ft. of Exhibit Space (600,000 sq. ft. of contiguous space on one level); 5 sepa-

61 Facilities & Destinations 2009 SuperBook

Exhibit Space: Theater Seating: 20,333 in Exhibit Halls; 2,291 in South Ballroom; 3,940 in North Ballroom. Technology: Gigabit-rated building (voice, video and data move at over 1 billion bits per second); complimentary WiFi, running on a CISCO powered gigabit Ethernet infrastructure; redundant high-speed, 100 mg/sec. Internet II access; plug and play capabilities; on-site technical staff. Venue Features: Flexible and practical floor Facilities plan; 18 &loading docks;Planner 2 Destinations Guide OHIOgarages; pre-function spaces parking full-service, on-site culinary offer views of downtown Austin. department. Clients receive profess service from the Center’s Director o Hotel Rooms: 5,500 downtown Food Service and Executive Chef. hotel rooms. Convention/Guest Hotel Rooms: Adjacent Downtown, 364; Summit Transportation: 8 miles to theCounty: 5,000+. Transportation: 11 miles from Akr Austin-Bergstrom International Canton Airport; 30 miles from Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. Airport. JOHN S. KNIGHT Attractions: National Inventors Ha CENTER State Capitol; Sixth Attractions: 77 E. Mill Street Fame, Canal Park Stadium, Akron Akron, OH 44308 Street Entertainment District; Civic Theatre, The University of (330) 374-8900; (800) 245-4254; Akron, E.J. Thomas Performing A Fax: (330) 374-8971 Warehouse Entertainment District; Hall, Cuyahoga Valley Scenic www.johnsknightcenter.org Railroad, Stan Hywet Hall & Vice President/COO: Gregg Mervis University of Texas; LBJ Presidential Gardens, Lock 3 Live, Akron Art “The Center of an Museum, Summit Artspace & Library; Texas All-America City”State History Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Museum; ofheart museums and Snapshot:dozens Located in the of See Ad on Page 67 downtown Akron, the John S. Knight art galleries; Bird Lake with Center is one ofLady Ohio’s premier meeting and ten miles ofexposition trails.facilities. Event planners value our accessibility, flexibility and attention for detail. See ad on page 3

Meeting Space: More than 55,000 sq. ft. of total meeting/exhibit space, including 16 meeting rooms, 12,000sq.-ft. ballroom, 30,000-sq.-ft. Main Exhibit Hall. Venue Features: State-of-the-art audio and video services, wireless Internet connectivity, video conferencing & video streaming technologies; a

Facilities & The Midwest

DestinationsFacilities 2010 & Destina

Austin, texas

Austin Convention Center 500 East Cesar Chavez Street, Austin, TX 78701 (512) 404-4000 • Fax: (512) 404-4416 • www.austinconventioncenter.com

winner of the Prime Site Award every year since 1995, the Austin Convention Center has emerged as a leader in the convention and meeting market. A premier facility located in the heart of the capital city’s downtown business district, the Center spans six city blocks with 374,255 square feet of exhibit and meeting space. The five column-free exhibit halls, totaling 246,097 square feet, accommodate 1,289 10’ X 10’ exhibit booths. Seven ballrooms ranging from 3,896 to 43,300 square feet in size, and 54 meeting rooms and show offices totaling 61,440 square feet, complete the four-story convention center. Ample parking is provided in two parking garages with a total capacity of 1,700 spaces. Technological Features Rated one of the most technologically advanced convention centers in the country, this gigabit-rated facility moves voice, video, and data at over one billion bits per second. The Austin Convention Center offers a variety of in-house services including complimentary Wireless Internet access, redundant high-speed Internet II access, plug and play capabilities, and an on-site technical staff to help with networking needs. Hotels Austin offers more than 25,000 hotel rooms, with 5,500 located downtown, including the 800-room Hilton Austin adjacent to the convention center. Additional nearby hotels include: Four Seasons Hotel Austin; Courtyard by Marriott; Residence Inn by Marriott; Hilton Garden Inn Austin Downtown; Radisson Hotel & Suites; Hampton Inn & Suites Downtown; Driskill Hotel; Omni Austin Hotel Downtown; and Intercontinental Stephen F. Austin Hotel. Austin by Night After conventions and meetings wrap-up each night, attendees may choose to enjoy Austin’s entertainment districts, the Warehouse District and famous Sixth Street. The Austin Convention Center is just down the street from the city’s vibrant nightlife, where visitors can also enjoy everything from fine dining in four-star restaurants,

Facilities & Destinations 2010

located in the heart of the capital city’s downtown business district, the Center spans six city blocks.

to down-home barbecue and authentic Tex-Mex. As the Live Music Capital of the World, Austin echoes with the sound of country, rock ‘n’ roll, blues, jazz and Tejano. On any given evening, one can find live music playing in nearly 200 different venues. Austin by Day During the day, visitors can enjoy the capital city’s many historical attractions, including the State Capitol, the LBJ Presidential Library, the Texas State History Museum, the Blanton Museum of Art, and many more museums and art galleries. Or, one can experience the beauty of central Texas, captured by downtown’s Lady Bird Lake, bordered by 10 miles of trails enjoyed by runners, walkers and cyclists. Surrounded by three lakes and a network of parks, Austin offers the perfect environment for enjoying the best of nature. Austin ➤ Hotels: 5,500 downtown hotel rooms; adjacent 800-room Hilton Austin ➤ Airport: Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, eight miles from facility ➤ Nearby Attractions: State Capitol, Sixth Street Entertainment District, Warehouse Entertainment District, University of Texas, LBJ Presidential Library, more than 20 museums including The Texas State History Museum, dozens of art galleries and historical attractions, Lady Bird Lake.

fast facts

Location: Downtown Austin Total Area: spans six city blocks Exhibit Space: 246,097 contiguous sq. ft., column free Ballrooms: 43,300 sq. ft. level 4; 23,418 sq. ft. level 1 Meeting Space: 54 meeting rooms totaling 61,440 square feet Technology: Gigabit-rated facility, wireless Internet access, plug and play capabilities

KANSAS Biloxi

enough for 150 people. Two other rooms measure 20’ x 44’ and accommoTheater: 9,000-seat arena. date up to 10094people each;Access versatile Technology: Wireless Arena easily into anLines; excellent Points;converts Digital and Analog auditorium, theater, sports facility, or 3G Technology; Peer-to-Peer KANSAS exhibition hallWeb with over 21,000 enough for 150 people. Twosquare other Networking; Browsing/Internet; feet of floor (104’ 203’), roomsspace measure 20’xxSwitches. 44’ anda 48accommoWebcasting; 11 Manned foot ceiling to steel), date (maximum up to 100 people each;and versatile Lodging: 5,000 committable rooms; seating Arena for upconverts to 7,500easily guests intoand an excellent 18,000 auditorium, total theater, sports facility, or includes two rooms. large concession areas, exhibition hall team-style withResorts; over 21,000 four large restrooms, and Destination: 11 Casino 26 square of floor space (104’ x 203’), a 48plush rooms, and a 14’ x 17’8” miles dressing offeet White Sand Beach; Water SALINA BICENTENNIAL footBeach ceiling (maximum to steel), and overhead-door entrance designed to sports and Rentals Sports Coast seating for up to 7,500 guests and CMississippi ENTER accommodate virtually any exhibition Complex; Equestrian Facilities. Coliseum and includes two large concession areas, 800 The Midway equipment or vehicle. Transportation: Gulfport/Biloxi four large restrooms, team-style and Convention Center P.O. Box 1727 plush dressing rooms, andWireless a 14’ x 17’8” Venue Features: High International Airport isSpeed 12 miles from 2350 Beach Boulevard Salina, KS 67402-1727 S ALINA BICENTENNIAL entrancefree; designed to Biloxi, Mississippi Internet; All rooms column facility. overhead-door (785) 826-7200; (888)39531 826-SHOW C ENTER accommodate virtually any exhibition (888) 467-4853, (228) 896-6699 Fax: (785) 826-7207 Separate sound and air conditioning Attractions: Emeril’s Gulf Coast 800 The Midway equipment or vehicle. conventions@gulfcoast.org Manager: Keith Rawlings system for each meeting room; P.O. Box 1727 Fish House; Mary Mahoney’s www.gulfcoast.org www.bicentennial.org Venue Features: Highnovels); Speed Wireless Excellent lighting and acoustics. Extra Salina, KS 67402-1727 (featured in John Grisham Director of(785) Sales, MS Gulf Coast CVB: Internet; All rooms columnstaging free; 826-7200; (888)Place” 826-SHOW circuits are Golf available for special “Mid America’ s Meeting Signature Courses designed by Crystal Johnson Fax: (785) 826-7207 Separate sound and air conditioning effects. Arnoldsystem Palmer, Tom Snapshot: The Bicentennial Center in Manager: Keith Rawlings forJack eachNicklaus, meeting room; “Relax. It’ s the Mississippi www.bicentennial.org Convention/Guest Rooms: Fazio, and Jerry lighting Pate; Entertainment Salina, Excellent and acoustics. Extra GulfKansas Coast.”qualifies as one of the hotel rooms in the city of Salina. at Casinos and Coliseum Arena; most versatile public assembly facilities circuits are available for special staging “Mid America’ s Meeting Place” 2,000 Snapshot: One of the few beachfront Frank Gehry-designed Ohrin the Midwest. effects. Transportation: five miles from Salina Bicentennial Center in conventionSnapshot: centers inThe North America, O’KeefeConvention/Guest Museum; WalterRooms: Anderson Salina,More Kansas qualifies as one Meeting Space: 45,000 sq. of theAirport. the Mississippi Coast than Coliseum and Museum; Charter Fishing Fleet; 2,000 hotel rooms in the city of Salina. most versatile public assembly facilities ft.Convention of meeting space; 18,360-sq.-ft. Attractions: Smokey Hill Museum; Center offers 400,000 sq. SailingTransportation: on Biloxi Schooners; Water in the Midwest. Exhibition Hall, a 120’ x 153’ configufive miles from Salina Salina Art Center, Rolling Hills ft. of newly expanded and renovated Parks; Shrimping Tour. Meetingneatly Space:into More than 45,000 sq. ration that divides 4 aisles of WildlifeAirport. Adventure; downtown exhibit and meeting space. After the ft. of meeting 18,360-sq.-ft. trade showyour booths, with space; floor-to-ceiling Attractions: shopping district. Smokey Hill Museum; meeting, delegates enjoy gamExhibition Hall,can a 120’ x 153’ configumoveable walls and column-free space; Salina Art Center, Rolling Hills ing, golf, dining and shopping. See Ad on Page 72 ration that people divides neatly into 4 aisles of accommodates 2,000 with temWildlife Adventure; downtown trade show booths, Meeting Space: 38 meeting/breakout shopping district. porary seating and staging or with 1,000floor-to-ceiling for moveable walls and column-free space; rooms; 66,000-sq.-ft. Ballroom. sit-down banquet; 17 meeting rooms— See Ad on Page 72 accommodates 2,000 people with temSix of the Space: rooms, designed forstaging Exhibit 129,000 sq. ft.groups porary seating and or of 1,000 for 50 or fewer,sit-down measurebanquet; 19’6” x 17 27’meeting and canrooms— be reconfigured singledesigned room large Six ofinto the arooms, for groups of 50 or fewer, measure 19’6” x 27’ and can be reconfigured into a single room large

�� Indianapolis JW Marriott Indianapolis: 104,000 sq. ft. of meeting/event space, includ�� ing; 50 meeting rooms; 40,500-sq.-ft.

Facilities Facilities

MICHIGAN Chattanooga

rate halls100,800 rangingsq. from 100,000 including ft. of exhibitsq. ft. to 200,000 sq. ft., 178,446 sq. ft. of space accommodating up to 500 meeting space;up80tomeeting rooms easily 10’x10’ booths, 6,288 banquet accessible halls; Rooms seating, andfrom up toexhibit 8,000 theatre MICHIGAN sizes range from 600meeting sq. ft. to 33,000 seating; 21 additional sq. halls ft.;40,000 aranging 27,400-sq.-ft. Riverview rooms; sq.from ft. of100,000 pre-function rate sq. ft. Ambassador space wireless high-speed Internet toBallroom; 200,000 sq.21,600-sq.-ft. ft., 178,446 sq. ft. of Diningspace; Room; Cobo meeting 80 12,191-seat meeting facility; rooms easily connectivity throughout accessible from and exhibit halls;Louis Rooms Arena; 20,525-seat Joe Arena. in-house food beverage service. sizes range from 600 sq. ft. to 33,000 Venue Features: Meeting rooms Hotel 2,000 Riverview guest rooms sq. ft.; aRooms: 27,400-sq.-ft. include telephone connections; sound downtown; 6,000 additional rooms Ballroom; 21,600-sq.-ft. Ambassador COBO CONFERENCE/ systems, fluorescent/incandescent city-wide. Dining Room; 12,191-seat Cobo EXHIBITION CENTER Chattanooga lighting and localJoelighting controls. Arena; 20,525-seat Louis facilities: Arena. Additional meeting/event One Washington Area CVBBlvd. Convention/Guest Rooms: 2,000 Venue Features: Meeting rooms 1,700-seat Tivoli Theatre; 3,800-seat 48226 2Detroit, Broad MI Street, Chattanooga, TN 37402 first-class roomsconnections; located in sound the downinclude telephone Memorial Auditorium; 12,000-seat Ph: (313) 877-8777 Fax: (313) 877-8800 (800) 964-8600; Fax: (423) 265-1630 COBO CONFERENCE/ systems, fluorescent/incandescent townMcKenzie area the 1,300-room Marriott www.cobocenter.com UTC Arena; 5,500-seat chattanoogameetings.com EXHIBITION CENTER lighting and local lighting controls. Renaissance Center. Executive Director: Glenn Blanton Camp Jordan Arena; 20,000-seat VP One of Sales & Marketing: Steve Genovesi Washington Blvd. Convention/Guest Rooms: 2,000 Finley Stadium; 50,000-sq-ft First Transportation: The Detroit Detroit, MIThe 48226 Snapshot: 2.4-million-square-foot Chattanooga, A Great City first-class rooms located inand theDetroit down- City Tennessee Pavilion. Ph: (313) 877-8777 Fax: (313) 877-8800 Metropolitan Airport complex, located on the bank of the By Nature town area the 1,300-room Marriott www.cobocenter.com Airport are located within 30 minutes smaller-meeting Detroit River, is the centerpiece Renaissance Center. Executive Director: Glenn Blantonof down- Full-Service, Snapshot: Welcome to Chattanooga, of the Chattanooga Center. hotels: Marriott; town Detroit’s Civic Center. Cobo Transportation: The Detroit theSnapshot: perfect meetings destination! 2.4-million-square-foot Choo Choo Historic Attractions: Dozens of Center offersThe convenience, comfort, serv- Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport and Detroit City Chattanooga has emerged as a top complex, located on the bank of the Hotels of America; Chattanoogan nightclubs, restaurants, casinos ice reliability and fine food. Cobo is Airport are located within 30 minutesand meetings conventions destination Detroitand River, is the centerpiece of down- Hotel; Sheraton Read House. dynamic designed so and that national the four exhibit halls ofa the Center.downtown district. for regional associations. town Detroit’s Civic Center. Cobo (Wayne, Oakland, Macomb and Detroit) Attractions: HunterofMuseum of Attractions: Dozens Centertypically offers convenience, comfort, servGroups draw record attendance andiceto corresponding meeting rooms American Model Railroad nightclubs,Art; restaurants, casinos and reliability andlocation. fine food.Chattanooga Cobo iscan due our central asa individual zones or in combia dynamic designed so that the fourofexhibit halls Display &downtown Museum;district. Chickamauga isoperate within 3-hour drive 10 million (Wayne, andisone Detroit) nation. Cobo CenterMacomb also boasts of & Chattanooga National Military people. OurOakland, Tennessee location cencorresponding meeting can theand largest contiguous exhibitrooms floor spaces Park; Tennessee Aquarium; also golf, trally located in the Southeast. Bordering operateAmerica as individual or in combiin North andzones two adjacent are- kayaking, canoeing, hiking, biking & Georgia Alabama, Chattanooga nation.and Cobo Center also boasts one ofis nas. river tours. within two hours of Atlanta, the largest contiguous exhibitNashville, floor spaces Meeting 2.4and million sq. ft. areof Knoxville and Birmingham. in NorthSpace: America two adjacent overall 700,000 sq. ft. nas. space, including Chattanooga Convention Center: of Exhibit (600,000 Meeting Space: 2.4 millionsq.sq.ft. ft.ofof 185,000 sq.Space ft of multipurpose space, contiguous space on one 700,000 level); 5sq. sepaoverall space, including ft. of Exhibit Space (600,000 sq. ft. of contiguous space on one level); 5 sepa-

Minneapolis MINNESOTA MINNESOTA

Grand Ballroom with theatre-style

Entertainment/Sports/Performances/Exhibitions/ seating for 4,500; 20,670-sq.-ft. Junior Ballroom; 20,000-sq.-ft. Exhibition Entertainment/Sports/Performances/Exhibitions/ Concerts/Competitions/Shows/Special Events Hall; 23,000 sq. ft. of breakout space. Concerts/Competitions/Shows/Special Events

Lodging: 2,248 room within Marriott Place Indianapolis. Technology: wireless Internet; video conferencing and webcasting capabilities. JW Marriott Indiana Convention Center: 120,000 Indianapolis 10 S. West Street sq. ft. of meeting space; 83 meeting Indianapolis, IN 46204 rooms, a 60,573-sq.-ft. ballroom; (317) 822-8554; Fax: (317) 822-8464 747,000+ sq. ft. of contiguous space www.jwindy.com when combined with adjacent Lucas Director of Group Sales: Anne Dunlavy Oil Stadium. Marriott Place Indianapolis: Transportation: 15 miles to 145,000 square feet of space. 2,200 Indianapolis International Airport rooms. 5 connected hotels. One place. Attractions: White River State Snapshot: The JW Marriott Park, Conseco Fieldhouse, “The Indianapolis, the crown jewel of Marriott Lawn” Outdoor Concert Venue, Place Indianapolis, features 104,000 sq. Circle Centre Mall (200+ stores and ft. of meeting space, and 1,005 elegantly restaurants), Indiana State Museum, appointed guest rooms; access to 40,000 Indianapolis Zoo, NCAA Hall of sq. ft. of meeting space and 622 rooms Champions, River Promenade, In-depth Regional listings of Civic Centers, �� Arenas, at the Indianapolis Marriott Downtown, Indianapolis 500,Civic EiteljorgCenters, Museum In-depth Arenas, Coliseums, Auditoriums, Stadiums, 297 rooms at Regional the Courtyard bylistings Marriott, of of American Indians &Convention Western Art, 156 roomsCenters, at the SpringHill Suites by PACs, Coliseums, Auditoriums, Stadiums, Convention Theaters, Amphitheaters, University Indianapolis Marriott and 168 rooms at the Fairfield �� Museum Centers, Theaters, PACs, Amphitheaters, University Venues, Fairgrounds, Special Event Venues Inn & Suites by Marriott. Complex �� of Art Venues, Fairgrounds, Special Event Venues connected via skybridge to 1+ million �� See ad on �� square feet of space at the Indiana �� 3 �� Convention Center. EssentialCover Planning Tools

MEET MINNEAPOLIS MINNEAPOLIS MEET THE OFFICIAL MEET MINNEAPOLIS THE THEOFFICIAL OFFICIAL+ CONVENTION CONVENTION ++ CONVENTION VISITORS ASSOCIATION VISITORS ASSOCIATION ASSOCIATION 250VISITORS Marquette Avenue South, Suite 1300 250 Marquette Avenue 1300 250 Marquette Avenue South, Suite Suite 1300 Minneapolis, MN 55401South, Minneapolis, MN 55401 Minneapolis, MN 55401 (612) 767-8000; (800) 445-7412 (612) 767-8000; (800) 767-8000; (800)445-7412 445-7412 FAX:(612) (612) 767-8001 FAX: (612) 767-8001 FAX: (612) 767-8001 www.minneapolismeetings.com www.minneapolismeetings.com www.minneapolismeetings.com VP of Convention Sales: Kevin Lewis of ConventionSales: Sales:Kevin Kevin Lewis Lewis VP VP of Convention

“There’ s no place quite like “There’ s noplace placequite quitelike like “There’ s no Minneapolis” Minneapolis” Minneapolis”

Snapshot: It’s aIt’scity of amazing contrasts Snapshot: a city of amazing conSnapshot: a city of amazing conand It’s combinations. Where down andtrasts combinations.Where down home trasts and combinations. Where down homemeet people meet style.Where uptown style.below Where people uptown home people meet uptownmeets style.above Where zero temperatures zerobelow temperatures meets above average below zerointelligence. temperatures meets above average Where modern intelligence.Where modern glass architecglass architecture outdoor green average intelligence.meets Where modern ture meets outdoor green adventure.Where adventure. Where everyoutdoor season, every glass architecture meets green every season, every art and every type meet art and every typeevery meet season, in every every possiadventure. Where in every possible way. We want everyone to ble way. We want everyone to Meet art and every type meet in every possiMeet Minneapolis, and see firsthand what Minneapolis, and see firsthand what an ble way. We want everyone to Meet an amazing amazing place place this this is. is. Minneapolis, and see firsthand what an Main Convention Main Convention TheThe amazing place thisSpace: is.Space: Minneapolis Convention Center feaMinneapolis Convention Center features Main Convention Space: Thespace, 87 tures 480,000 sq. ft. of exhibit Minneapolis Convention Center fea& Destinations 2010 tures 480,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space, 87 Facilities The Midwest Facilities & Destinations

THE FACILITIES MEDIA GROUP

��

Essential Planning Tools

480,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space, 87 meetmeeting rooms a 28,000-sq.-ft. balling rooms a 28,000-sq.-ft. ballroom room and a 3,400 fixed-seat, state-ofand a 3,400 fixed-seat, state-of-the-art meeting a 28,000-sq.-ft. ballthe-artrooms auditorium. room and a 3,400 fixed-seat, state-ofauditorium. Otherauditorium. Meeting Space: Hilton the-art Other Meeting Space: Hilton Minneapolis (connected via Skyway to Other Meeting Space: Hilton Minneapolis (connected via Skyway to the Minneapolis Convention Center) Minneapolis (connected via Skyway to the Minneapolis Convention Center) features 74,000Convention sq. ft. of function the Minneapolis Center) space features 74,000 sq. ft. of function space including a 25,000-sq.-ft. footspace ballfeatures 74,000 sq. ft. of function including a 25,000-sq.-ft. 25,000-sq.-ft. foot foot ballroom, including room, a a7,400-sq.-ft. juniorballballroom, aroom, 7,400-sq.-ft. junior junior ballroom, and the a 7,400-sq.-ft. ballroom, and the Hilton Meetings Conrad space; Hilton ConradConrad space; Walker and theMeetings Hilton Meetings space; and Walker Art Center (flexible indoor Art Center (flexible indoor and outdoor Walker Artspace); Center Mill (flexible and outdoor Cityindoor Museum space); City Museum (Meet within outdoorMill City Museum (Meet space); within Mill a National Historic within a National Historic a(Meet National Historic Landmark—the Landmark - the Washburn A Mill) Landmark -Athe Washburn Mill) (the Washburn Mill). GuthrieATheater Guthrie Theater (the 3-theater comGuthrie Theater (theMinneapolis 3-theater com3-theater complex); Public plex;Minneapolis Minneapolis Public Library (conplex; Public Library (conLibrary (conference rooms, boardrooms ferencerooms, rooms, boardrooms auditoference boardrooms and and auditoand auditorium); Minneapolis Institute rium);Minneapolis Minneapolis Institute of Arts rium); Institute of Arts of Arts (Specialspaces eventinclude spaces the include the (Special (Specialevent event spaces include new the new new Graves Reception Hall.) Graves Hall.) GravesReception Reception Hall.) Services: MeetMinneapolis Minneapolisprovides provides Services: Meet aa a Services: Meet Minneapolis provides full range of meeting meetingservices, services,including including full range of full range of meeting services, including turnkey housing housingprograms programsforforreserving reserving turnkey housing programs for reserving one-of-aand managing managingroom roomblocks; blocks;, onsite staff and managing room blocks; one-of-akind on line Registration Services; onsite in registration and information booths; kindin on line Registration Services; onsite staff registration and information full-service Meeting Planning. staff infull-service registration and information booths; Meeting Planning. Attractions: Hennepin Avenue booths; full-service Meeting Planning. Attractions: Hennepin Avenue Theatre District; Mall of America, Theatre District; Mall of America, Attractions: Hennepin Avenue Nicollet Mall;Restaurants Restaurants include Nicollet Mall; include La Theatre District; Mall of America, La Belle, Chambers Kitchen and Belle, Chambers and include Nicollet Mall; Kitchen Restaurants La Wolfgang Puck’s20.21. 20.21. Wolfgang Puck’s Belle, Chambers Kitchen and Wolfgang Puck’s 20.21.

The Midwest

Facilities & Destinations

Athens, GEORGIA

The Georgia Center, The University of Georgia’s Conference Center & Hotel

he Georgia Center, The University of Georgia’s Conference Center and Hotel, is one of the world’s largest and most comprehensive university-based conference centers. Conveniently located on the beautiful, historic campus of UGA just minutes from Downtown Athens, The Georgia Center encompasses space for meetings, conferences, exhibitions, banquets, special events, dining and lodging. With more than 50 years of experience hosting local, national and international groups, The Georgia Center offers a stimulating environment that connects lifelong learners from around the world. At The Georgia Center, you will find unparalleled conference planning and event design. Your conference or event is assigned an on-site event management team with the experience and knowledge to coordinate your conference from development to conclusion. And, whether your conference or event is for 30 or 300, the complete experience requires a truly memorable setting. Our Event Designers can create a customized look and feel for your event, from serene elegance to casual fun. The Georgia Center, the go-to Conference Center & Hotel.

Conference Center Offerings: 20 Meeting Rooms 5 Executive Boardrooms 16,000 sq. ft. of Exhibit Space 2 Auditoriums Conference Registration (on-site or at a site of your choice) Event Designers and Planners Marketing and Graphic Design In-house 24-hour Technical and Audiovisual Support Business Center with Computer/ Internet Access Free Wireless Internet Hotel Offerings: 200 Hotel Rooms, including 11 Suites Multiple Dining Options:

The Savannah Room Restaurant The Courtyard Café Georgia Java – we proudly brew Starbucks® coffee Dawg House Lounge Magnolia Ballroom and Banquet Areas Evening Room Service Free Wireless Internet 32” Flat-screen TVs In-room Microwave, Refrigerator and Coffee Maker Fitness Center and Access to Nearby UGA Athletic Facilities Complimentary Shuttle Service to and from Downtown Athens, AthensBen Epps Airport and Around the University’s Campus Open to Everyone!

1197 S. Lumpkin Street, Athens, GA 30602 • (706) 542-2654; (800) 488-7827, Fax: (706) 542-6630 • www.georgiacenter.uga.edu

find your center Find your center at The GeorGia CenTer, The University of Georgia’s Conference Center and Hotel. You can relax, recharge and be inspired while The Georgia Center’s knowledgeable and professional staff takes care of your conference and hotel needs. The Georgia Center encompasses space for meetings, conferences, exhibitions, special events, dining and lodging - all under one roof!

Facilities & Destinations 2010

Sales@georgiacenter.uga.edu 706-542-2654 or 800-488-7827 www.georgiacenter.uga.edu/center 31

goms, including d Floridian q.-ft. Floridian . 00-sq.-ft. Palm tq. ft. of Exhibit FLORIDA FLORIDA M i am i B e ac h nain ,887-sq.-ft.-Main FLORIDA 0-seat Theater. 514 sq. ft. of

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Director of Convention Sales Beach more Hotel re et Rooms: Miami more MIAMI MIAMI BEACH BEACH Snapshot: Snapshot: Located Located ininthe theheart heartofof eight permanent Daytona Beach Area Convention oms ofeight at amore varietyConvention of South South Beach, Beach, the theMiami MiamiCenter Beach BeachAREA DAYTONA BEACH CONVENTION CONVENTION CENTER CENTER and Visitors Bureau: perior Small 1901 Convention Center Drive Convention Convention Center Center (MBCC) (MBCC) boasts 1901 Convention Convention Center Center Drive Drive boasts Sally Gardiner s for laptops,1901 CVB / OCEAN CENTER Miami Beach, 33139 over over1,000,000 1,000,000 sq. ft. ft.ofofflexible flexiblespace, space, Miami Miami Beach, Beach,FL FlFlsq. 33139 33139 ywell as specialty CONVENTION COMPLEX Daytona Beach: (305) 673-7311; Fax: (305) 673-7435 (305) 673-7311; 673-7311; Fax: (305) (305)sq. 673-7435 673-7435 including; including; over overFax: 500,000 500,000 sq. ft. ft.ofofexhibit exhibit of Wave (305) d Blue TV monitors 101 N.More Atlantic Avenue Way than A Beach www.miamibeachconvention.com www.MiamiBeachConvention.com www.MiamiBeachConvention.com space, space,over over 100,000 100,000 sq. sq.ft. ft.ofofversatile versatile navigable Daytona Beach, FL Kay 32118 BC news. Director of Sales: Hollander Director ofofLocated Sales Sales and and Marketing: Kay Snapshot: in Marketing: the ofKay the pre-function pre-function area area space space and andheart 70 70meeting meeting wntown Arts &Director (800) 858-6444; (386) 254-4500 Hollander Hollander Daytona Beach Resort Area and just rooms rooms comprised comprised ofof127,000 127,000 sq. sq.ft. ft. s,,nts, t,Lauderdale4,000 restaurants, Fax: (386) 254-4512 Snapshot: Located in the heart ofthe 400 feet from the Atlantic Ocean, Amenities Amenities atat the the Miami Miami Beach Beach onal ming ng rnational g Airport. Swimming Life Life isisFlorida, Good, Good, On On the theBeach Beach www.oceancenter.com South world-renowned Ocean Center isinthe area’s premier Convention Convention Center Center include include aabusiness business Director of Convention Sales ss Mills Mall. ore otel Rooms: more Snapshot: Snapshot: Located Located inin the the heart heart ofofis Miami Beach, The Miami Beach meeting facility. The Ocean Center center, center,board board room, room, cyber cyber café, café, box box Daytona Beach Area Convention ms at a varietyConvention of South South Beach, Beach, the the Miami Miami Beach Beach Center is conveniently currently undergoing a $76-million offices, offices, concierge concierge desks, desks, concession concession and Visitors Bureau: erior Small situated only minutes from theboasts Convention Convention Center Center (MBCC) (MBCC) boasts expansion that will nearly triple its size. stands, stands, show show offices offices and and aauniquely uniquely Sally Gardiner Miami International over over 1,000,000 1,000,000 sq. sq. ft. ft.Airport, of offlexible flexible space, space, designed designed skywalk skywalk that that features features adownacenter center Meeting Space: 205,536 sq. ft., Daytona Beach: Miami and the Port oflounge Miami. including; including; over over 500,000 500,000 sq. sq. ft. ft. ofofexhibit exhibit pod podwith with aa37 buffet buffet & &cocktail cocktail lounge and and f Blue Wave town including: meeting rooms; Way More than Ablocks Beach Spanning four city of sunny an anunrestricted unrestricted view view of of all all four four exhibit exhibit space, space, over over 100,000 100,000 sq. sq. ft. ft. ofofaversatile versatile avigable 11,715-sq.-ft Ballroom. Snapshot: Located inthe heart of the halls. halls.MBCC MBCC isBeach, ishome home totothe major major annual Florida center ismeeting pre-function pre-function area area space space and and 70 70annual meeting ntown Arts &south Daytona Beach Resort Area of and just within easy walking the rooms roomscomprised comprised ofofdistance 127,000 127,000 sq. sq. ft. ft. ,ts,4,000 restaurants, 400 feetdistrict from the Atlantic the art deco and someBeach ofOcean, america’s Amenities Amenities atatthe the Miami Miami Beach gnational ng Swimming spectacular Ocean Center is beaches. theinclude area’s premier Convention Convention Center Center include aabusiness business s Mills Mall. most 13 13center, meeting facility. The Ocean Center center,board board room, room, cyber cyber café, café, box box a is FLORIDA Meeting Space: 72 meeting rooms; Guide uide Planner ide Guide currently undergoing a $76-million offices, offices,concierge concierge desks, desks, concession concession 21,252-sq.-ft. Ballroom; 125,910 sq. d expansion that willfunction nearly triple stands, stands, show show offices offices and andaauniquely uniquely ft. of meeting and space its onsize. ldesigned designed skywalk skywalk that that features features a a center center two levels; 502,848-sq.-ft Total Exhibit Meeting Space: 205,536 sq. ft., eral , pod podwith withaa37 buffet buffet &&cocktail cocktail loungeand and including: meeting rooms;lounge tauan anunrestricted unrestricted view viewofofall allfour fourexhibit exhibit 11,715-sq.-ft Ballroom. ess

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News-Journal thehalls. historic unrestricted unrestrictedview viewCenter; ofofall allfour four halls. Guest GuestRooms: Rooms:2,000 2,000hotel hotelrooms roomswithwithPark; the Mary McLeod Bethune ininwalking walkingdistance. distance. Performing Arts Center; Peabody Transportation: Transportation:Miami MiamiInternational International Auditorium. AirportAirport-15 15Minutes. Minutes. See Ad on Page 58 Attractions: Attractions:Atlantic AtlanticOcean; Ocean;Lincoln Lincoln Road RoadMall; Mall;Miami MiamiBeach BeachGolf GolfClub; Club; Jungle JungleIsland; Island;American AmericanAirlines Airlines Arena. Arena.

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Boardrooms and VIP Suite; 19,000-sq.ft. pre-function area, 11,000-sq.-ft.terrace; 31,500-sq.-ft.. fenced grass Pavilion; 10,000-sq.-ft. Grand Lobby with 75’ vaulted ceiling.

P L A N N E R G U I D E S

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ing 94,695-sq.-ft. Hall. International International Boat BoatMain Show ShowExhibit (Largest (Largest inin United UnitedStates) States)and andft; North North America’s Arena: 42,000 sq. 9,500America’s seats. most mostimportant importantcontemporary contemporaryart artfair, fair, Hotel Rooms: 13,000 Art ArtBasel BaselMiami MiamiBeach. Beach. Transportation: 5 miles from Daytona Meeting MeetingSpace: Space:127,000 127,000sq. sq.ft., ft.,includincludBeach International Airport trade and andpublic public shows shows such suchas: as:Cruise Cruise ing ingtrade 72 72meeting meeting rooms, rooms, 22,000-sq.-ft. 22,000-sq.-ft. Space that can be configured as one Attractions: The Daytona area Shipping ShippingMiami, Miami, South SouthBeach Florida Florida Ballroom. Ballroom. large expanse of exhibit space, or Exhibit Space: 173,767 ft., includis home to 23 miles of sparkling International International Auto Auto Show, Show,sq. Miami Miami Exhibition Exhibition Space: Space: 130,000-sq.-ft. 130,000-sq.-ft. subdivided four separate halls, Hall. beaches; topinto notch golf and tennis ing 94,695-sq.-ft. Main Exhibit International International Boat Boat Show Show (Largest (Largest Exhibit Exhibit Hall( Hall(502,000 502,000 sq. sq. ft. ft.of of exhibit exhibit inin including HALL A - North 119,970 sq. ft. facilities including LPGA United United States) States)and and America’s center center inincenter. center. Arena: 42,000 sq. ft;North 9,500America’s seats. International and the United States HALL Bimportant - 117,648 sq. ft., HALL Cfair, most most important contemporary contemporary art art fair, Technology: Wifi, Video Video Hotel Rooms: 13,000 Tennis Association’s Florida -Technology: 132,240 sq.Wifi, ft., HALL D -Tennis 132,990 Art Art Basel Basel Miami Miami Beach. Beach. Conferencing, Conferencing, Video Video Broadcasting, Broadcasting, Center; Daytona Lagoon; Ocean Walk sq.Transportation: ft. 5 miles from Daytona Webcasting. Webcasting. Meeting Meeting Space: Space: 127,000 127,000 sq. sq.restauft., ft.,includincludShoppes; several new spas and Beach International Airport Venue Features: unlimited floor load ing ingunique 72 72 meeting meeting rooms, rooms, 22,000-sq.-ft. 22,000-sq.-ft. rants, shopping, and an board array Venue Venue Features: Features: Business Business center; center; board capacity, and 35-foot ceilings; StateAttractions: The Daytona Beach area of family and cultural attractions; Ballroom. Ballroom. room; room; cyber cyber café; café; concierge concierge desks; desks;concesconcesof-the-art telecommunications to the suit isstands; home to 23offices; milesskywalk of sparkling Daytona International Speedway; sion sion stands; show show offices; skywalk with with an an Exhibition Exhibition Space: Space:130,000-sq.-ft. 130,000-sq.-ft. every need.view beaches; topCenter; notch golf and tennis News-Journal the historic unrestricted unrestricted view of of all all four four halls. halls. Exhibit ExhibitHall( Hall(502,000 502,000sq. sq.ft. ft.ofofexhibit exhibit oceanfront Bandshell and Oceanfront facilities including LPGA Convention/Guest Hotel Rooms: Guest Guest Rooms: Rooms: 2,000 2,000hotel hotel rooms rooms withwithcenter center incenter. center. Park; the in Mary McLeod International and theBethune United States 6,000. in inwalking walkingdistance. distance. Technology: Technology: Wifi, Wifi, Video Video Performing Arts Center; Peabody Tennis Association’s Floridafrom Tennis Transportation: Only International minutes Transportation: Transportation: Miami Miami International Auditorium. Conferencing, Conferencing, Video Video Broadcasting, Broadcasting, Center; Daytona Lagoon; Miami International Airport. Ocean Walk AirportAirport15 15 Minutes. Minutes. Webcasting. Webcasting. See Ad on Page 58 new spas and restauShoppes; several Attractions: Ocean Drive, Attractions: Attractions: Atlantic Atlantic Ocean; Ocean;Lincoln Lincoln Lincoln rants, shopping, and an board array Venue Venueunique Features: Features: Business Business center; center; board Road, South Beach Art Deco Road Road Mall; Mall; Miami Miami Beach Beach Golf Golf Club; Club; of family and cultural attractions; room; room; cyber cyber café; café; concierge concierge desks; desks;concesconcesJungle Jungle Island; Island; American American Airlines Airlines District, white sandy beaches, and Daytona International Speedway; sion sionstands; stands; show showoffices; offices;skywalk skywalkwith withthe an an Arena. Arena. renowned dining and entertainment.

Venue Features: Internet and wifi; state-of-the-art audio and visual systems available throughout the center; fully equipped, 5,000-sq.-ft. kitchen and 79 meeting rooms (with a total of capable of gourmet service for over Geraldine Bordelon 151,956 sq. ft.) 3,000 guests; the center has on-site BATON ROGUE AREA Boardrooms and services VIP Suite; 19,000-sq.Technology: throughout; parking for 860WiFi Parking spaces cars, ft.digital pre-function area, 11,000-sq.-ft.CONVENTION AND with 4,000 additional spaces within HD signage throughout; Session easy walking distance. terrace; capture for 31,500-sq.-ft.. On Demand or fenced Virtual grass VISITORS BUREAU

P L A N N E R G U I D E S

CONVENTION CENTER 1000 Water Street Jacksonville, FL 32204 (904) 630-4000; Fax: (904) 630-4029 Facility Director: Jim Pritchard www.jaxevents.com

Snapshot: When it was built in 1919,

Pavilion; 10,000-sq.-ft. Grand Lobby Attendance; Real-time audience response Convention/Guest Hotel Rooms: ➤ New 70,000-square-foot withIn-house 75’hall vaulted results; services, including Within five milesAV of ceiling. over 1,500 hotel exhibition state-of-the-art sound, lighting and

rooms; 22,425 in the Internet Northeastand Florida Venue Features: wifi; ➤ 9,000 hotel rooms video options. Region. state-of-the-art audio and sys➤ Arnold Palmer-designed Thevisual Bluffs

20throughout minutes away Guest 3,600 within 2-minute temsRooms: available thefrom center; onTransportation: Thompson Creek golf course

Jacksonville Terminal was the railroad International walk/6,400 within 5/ 8,500Airport. withinkitchen 15. fully equipped, 5,000-sq.-ft. Pennsylvania Page:Jacksonville 50 gateway to Florida. Now it is completecapable of gourmet service for over Nearby Attractions: Jacksonville Destination: A day’ s drive or train ride Convention Center Geraldine Bordelon ly restored and renovated. Where the guests; the center hasBeaches. on-site Landing; Zoo;ofSt. Augustine; 1101 Arch Street for3,000 40 percent the US population. The trains once ran on time, boat shows, PRIME F. OSBORN III BATON ROGUE AREA forhistoric, 860 Parking Philadelphia, PA 19103 cityparking is hip and trendyspaces and tra-cars, conventions, trade shows, banquets, and CONVENTION CENTER (215) 418-4700; Fax: (215) 418-4861 CONVENTION AND with 4,000 spaces within ditional, old andadditional new—vibrant, cultural, meetings run like clockwork. With 1000 Waternow Street www.paconvention.com easy walkingBUREAU distance. John Robertson and diverse—and shopping is tax free! VISITORS 265,000 square feet of space, the Prime Jacksonville, FL Sales, 32204 Marketing & Vice President CHARLESTON Convention/Guest Hotel Rooms: Osborn Convention Center is large ➤ New 70,000-square-foot (904) 630-4000; Fax: (904) 630-4029 Attractions: Reading Terminal Convention Services: Stephanie Boyd enough and versatile to accomWithin fivehall miles ofNational over 1,500 hotel Facility Director: Jimenough Pritchard CIVIC CENTER Market, Independence exhibition Philadelphia: The Complete Package

modate gatherings of virtually any size, www.jaxevents.com rooms; 22,425 in theAmerican Northeast Florida Historical Park,rooms African ➤ 50,000-sq.-ft.Grand ➤ 9,000 hotel Snapshot: Philadelphia offers everything small or large. Region.in Philadelphia, Avenue of the Museum Convention Hall ➤ Arnold Palmer-designed The Bluffs aMeeting meeting Space: planner156,184 needs insq. oneft.complete of total Arts, Pennsylvania Academy of the Finefrom Snapshot: When it was built in 1919, on ➤ 4,000+hotel rooms Transportation: 20 minutes away Thompson Creek golf course package. Expansion of our state-of-the-art meeting space; 78,500 sq. of contiguArts, Chinatown; Historic CityAirport. Hall Jacksonville wasftRacetrack the railroad Jacksonville International ➤Terminal Tri-State Page: 50 Pennsylvania Convention Center, conveous exhibit 100,000 total: gateway to space; Florida. Now sq. it Center isft.completeSee ad on page 5 &the Gaming Nearby Attractions: Jacksonville niently in heart in of contiguous downtown, canrestored fit located 450 10x10’ booths ly and renovated. Where the Page: 57 Landing; Zoo; St. Augustine; Beaches. will open March 2011. space, 550intotal; 2 Executive trains once ran on time, boat shows, Meeting Space: Theshows, Pennsylvania ng; conventions, trade banquets, and Convention Center expanded to meetings now runwill likebeclockwork. With John 61 he Southeast 1265,000 million sq. ft. byfeet March 2011, to Facilities square ofRobertson space, theinclude: Prime& Destinations 2009 SuperBook 679,000 ft.CHARLESTON of Exhibit Hall Space, Osbornsq. Convention Center is largewith KANSAS 528,000 sq. of contiguous space enough andft.CIVIC versatile enough to on accomCENTER enough for 150 people. Two other the Maingatherings Level, 7 Halls; 87,400 sq. ft. size, of modate of virtually any ➤ 50,000-sq.-ft.Grand rooms measure 20’ x 44’ and accommoballroom sq. ft. Grand Hall; small or space; large. 35,000 Convention Hall date up to 100 people each; versatile Meeting Space: 156,184 sq. ft. of total Arena converts easily into an excellent ➤ 4,000+hotel rooms ces meeting space; 78,500 sq. ftRacetrack of contiguauditorium, theater, sports facility, or ➤ Tri-State n 100,000 sq. ft. total: 32ous exhibit space; exhibition hall with over 21,000 square me & Gaming Center can fit 450 10x10’ booths in contiguous feet of floor space (104’ x 203’), a 48n Page: 57 space, 550 total; 2 Executive foot ceiling (maximum to steel), and

Norfolk

Norfolk Convention and Visitors Bureau

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 International Airport area offers a quality selection of hotels including the Hilton Norfolk Airport, Holiday Inn Select Norfolk Airport, American’s Best Value Inn, Military Circle, Days Inn, Ramada Norfolk Airport, Residence Inn by Marriott and the Hampton Inn and Suites.

Technology: Wired and wireless highspeed Internet access in all public areas, 232 East Main Street, Norfolk, VA 23510 guest rooms and meeting rooms. (757) 664-6620; (800) 368-3097 Hotel Rooms: Approximately 5,000 Fax: (757) 622-3663 city-wide. www.visitnorfolktoday.com Vice President of Sales and Marketing: Transportation: Norfolk International Donna Allen Airport. Snapshot: Located in the heart of the Attractions: MacArthur Center Mall, Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk is a compact meetChrysler Museum of Art, Hermitage ings destination with hotels and convention Foundation Museum, Hunter House facilities a short walk from a sparkling Victorian Museum, MacArthur waterfront dotted with trendy restaurants, Memorial, Norfolk Tides AAA arts districts, museums, patriotic attractions Baseball at Harbor Park, Schooner and shopping. Once you arrive in Norfolk, Virginia, The Norfolk History get around town the smart way with the Museum at the Willoughby- Baylor FREE Norfolk Electric Transit (NET) House, Victory Rover Naval Base shuttle. Cruise, Virginia Zoological Park, Meeting Space: The Waterside Convention Norfolk Admirals AHL Hockey. Connection which also includes - Norfolk Waterside Marriott, Sheraton Norfolk Waterside, the Crowne Plaza Norfolk and the Waterside Festival Marketplace – features 1,200+ first-class rooms and suites, 55

Providence Marketing Services: The PWCVB works closely with meeting planners to help boost attendance through targeted e-mail blasts, postcard mailings, reciprocal Web links, prepromotion at prior year’s meeting, customized interactive maps, access to a stock photo library, attendee Web site/microsite, collateral materials, welcome banners throughout the city, and welcome signage in member PROVIDENCE WARWICK establishments. Hotel Rooms: 2,200 rooms within CONVENTION & one mile of RICC, 5,500 in Greater VISITORS BUREAU Providence area. 144 Westminster Street Providence, RI 02903 Destination: Providence, Rhode Phone: (401) 456-0200; Fax: (401) 273-7046 Island is brimming with rich hiswww.GoProvidence.com tory, natural beauty, and stunning Senior Vice President: Neil R. Schriever architecture. The city’s compact Providence: The Creative Capital downtown area—where the Rhode Island Convention Center is locatSnapshot: The Providence Warwick ed—makes it an extremely conveConvention & Visitors Bureau nient and walkable city, with hotels, (PWCVB) books meetings, convengreat restaurants, and stellar shoptions, trade shows and events of any ping all within blocks of each other. size in Providence, Warwick, and surProvidence is easily accessible by air, rounding areas. rail or highway, and about 25 percent Largest Meeting Venue: Rhode Island Convention & Entertainment Complex, of the United States’ population lives within 500 miles of the city. which includes the RI Convention See ad on Cover 2 Center with 137,000 sq. ft. of total exhibit space, the 13,000-seat Dunkin’ Donuts Center, and the 1,900-seat Veterans Memorial Auditorium.

Facilities & Destinations 2010

Providence

RHODE ISLAND CONVENTION & ENTERTAINMENT COMPLEX

One Sabin Street, Providence, RI 02903 Phone: (401) 458-6000; Fax: (401) 458-6500 www.riconvention.com Senior Director of Sales and Marketing: John J. McGinn, CEM

Snapshot: The Rhode Island Convention & Entertainment Complex, which includes the Rhode Island Convention Center (RICC), the Dunkin’ Donuts Center (Dunk), and the Veterans Memorial Auditorium (VMA), is conveniently located in the heart of downtown Providence. With ample meeting and event space, including the elegant Rotunda Room offering spectacular city views, the RICC is committed to providing an exceptional event experience. RICC Features: 100,000 contiguous sq. ft. Main Exhibit Hall; 137,000 sq. ft.

Total Exhibit Space; 23 meeting rooms and pre-function space; 20,000 sq. ft Ballroom; accommodations for groups of 10-5,000; two parking garages. DDC Features: Recently renovated and located adjacent to RICC; sky-bridge connected to the RICC; assembly seating for up to 13,000; luxury suites for groups up to 40; five hospitality and meeting rooms. VMA Features: More than 1,900 seats; elegant hospitality and meeting space available; listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Hotel Rooms: 5,500 in the Greater Providence area, with 2,200 within one mile of Complex. Transportation: T.F. Green Airport is 8.5 miles from RICC. Attractions: Bank of America Skating Center; Culinary Arts Museum at JWU; Festival Ballet Providence; Providence Bruins (AHL Affiliate of Boston Bruins); Providence College Friars Basketball; Providence Performing Arts Center; Providence Place mall, RI Philharmonic; RI School of Design Museum. See ad on Cover 2

RAPID CITY CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU

Ra p i d C i t y SOUTH DAKOTA

sports. A new multi-purpose arena

arena opened in 2008 and boasts a opened in 2008 and boasts a 5,200-seat 5,200 seatskyboxes, capacity, and skyboxes, and a percapacity, a permanent ice manent ice sub-floor.

sub-floor.

RAPID RAPIDCITY CITY CONVENTION CONVENTION & & VISITORS VISITORSBUREAU BUREAU

444444 Mt.Mt.Rushmore RushmoreRoad Road North North Rapid City, Rapid City,SDSD57701 57701 (605) 718-8488;(800) (800)487-3223 487-3223 x8487 (605) 718-8487; (605)348-9217 348-9217 Fax:Fax: (605) www.visitrapidcity.com www.visitrapidcity.com Senior of Convention Sales Manager: Director Convention Sales: Lisa Storms Lisa Storms

Real. Real.America. America.Up Upclose. close.

Snapshot: Located close Snapshot: Located closetotoMt. Mt.Rushmore in Rushmore the scenic Black Hills of South Dakota, in scenic South Dakota, Rapid City offers anan array ofofmeeting Rapid City offers array meetingfacilfacilities, affordable accommodations, ities, affordable accommodations, a variety dining and and variety of outdoor of fine dining options unlimited outdoor recreational opportunities. With more recreational opportunities. With more than thansleeping 5,000 sleeping rooms, City Rapidcan City 5,300 rooms, Rapid host can host conventions large and small. conventions large and small. Meeting Space: Located downtown, Meeting Space: Located downtown, the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center has a the10,000-seat Rushmore indoor Plaza Civic has a arena,Center a 1,752-seat 10,000-seat arena, aand 1,746-seat performingindoor arts theatre, a 175,000performing artsspace theatre, andcan a 203,000-sq.sq-ft facility which be set up ft. for facility spaceofwhich can be set up forora a variety meetings, exhibitions indoor A new multi-purpose variety of sports. meetings, exhibitions or indoor

Rushmore Plaza Civic Center: 23 Rushmore Plaza Civic Center: 23 meeting rooms; 15,000-sq-ft. Ballroom; meeting rooms; 15,000-sq-ft. 30,000-sq-ft Main Exhibit HallBallroom; 30,000-sq-ft Main Exhibit Hall (175,000 sq. ft. of total exhibit space) & (203,000 sq. ft. of total exhibit space) & 1,752-seat Theater. 1,746-seat Theater. Hotel Rooms: Over 5,000 sleeping rooms and around Rapid City Hotel in Rooms: Over the 5,300 sleeping area. rooms in and around the Rapid City Transportation: Rapid City Regional area. Airport is located approximately 9 miles Transportation: Located at the center from downtown Rapid City. of the United States, Rapid City is easier Attractions: the most to reach thanOne you of might think.comWith its monly heard phrases to own regional airport, from Rapidvisitors City offers Rapid City is: “If we had known there direct flights from Chicago, Dallas/Fort was so much to do and see in and Worth, Rapid Denver, Laswe’ Vegas, Minneapolis, around City, d have planned Mesa/Phoenix Salt Lake City.in to stay longer!” and Centrally located the United States, Rapid City offers Attractions: Outside of meetings, accessibility toexplore many beautiful and acres attendees can two million interesting attractions in America of Ponderosa Pine forest, including including nearly a million acres of Badlands National Park, Crazy Horse breathtaking Black Hills Scenery, Memorialwildlife and Mount Rushmore abundant and unforgettable National Memorial. Guests can also adventures. See Mt. Rushmore enjoy oneMemorial, of several Crazy golf courses, National Horse wildlife parks or hundreds of miles of Memorial, Black Hills National hiking Custer trails. State Park. Forest, See Seead adon onpage page671

444 Mt. Rushmore Road North Rapid City, SD 57701 (605) 718-8487; (800) 487-3223 x8487 Fax: (605) 348-9217 www.visitrapidcity.com

oth budget-friendly and camera-friendly, Rapid City, South Dakota is a central meeting destination with all the amenities you expect, plus unique adventures you may not. Rapid City is home to more than 5,300 hotel rooms and meeting space for up to 10,000 attendees. Expanded in 2008, the 175,000square-foot Rushmore Plaza Civic Center offers multiple configurations for banquets, meetings, exhibitions and conventions. Nearby, guests can stroll through a seven-acre park, relax next to a quiet lake or take a short walk to historic downtown where they’ll enjoy a variety of restaurants, shops and museums surrounded by The City of Presidents, a Rapid City must-see honoring our nation’s presidents. For groups looking for a unique meeting place, Rapid City also offers The Journey Museum and the Dahl Arts Center, which feature local art and Black Hills history. Located at the center of the United States, Rapid City is easier to reach than you might think. With its own regional airport, Rapid City offers direct flights from Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Denver, Las Facilities & Destinations 2010

Vegas, Minneapolis, Mesa/Phoenix and Salt Lake City. In addition to having every amenity your group needs, Rapid City is central to one-of-a-kind adventures in South Dakota’s beautiful Black Hills. Outside of meetings, attendees can explore two million acres of Ponderosa Pine forest, including the unique landscapes of Badlands National Park, the stunning scenery of the Black Hills, Crazy Horse Memorial and awe-inspiring Mount Rushmore National Memorial. Rapid City lies a short distance from all of these attractions, not to mention wildlife parks and some of the world’s longest underground caves. Sheltered by the Black Hills, Rapid City experiences comfortably mild weather year-round with more sunny days than Miami and Honolulu, so guests can hit one of several golf courses or hundreds of miles of hiking trails almost any time of year. Outstanding meetings start with outstanding destinations. Start planning your next meeting at www.RapidCityMeetings.com. We welcome nearly three million visitors each year and know how to make your guests feel right at home. 33

OHIO OHIO

full-service, on-site culinary department. Clients receive professional Rochester full-service, culinary Venue Features: Dedicated internet service from theon-site Center’s Director of department. Clients professional connection over Fiberreceive Optics; Food Service and Executive Chef. service thethroughout Center’s Director wirelessfrom access facility. of Convention/Guest Rooms: Food Service andHotel Executive Chef. Convention/Hotel Rooms: More Adjacent Downtown, 364; Summit Convention/Guest Hotel Rooms: than 5,000+. 1,100 rooms connect with the County: Adjacent 364; Summit RochesterDowntown, Riverside Convention Transportation: 11 miles from336-room Akron County: 5,000+. Center—Rochester Plaza, Canton Airport; 30 which miles from Hyatt Regency, recently Transportation: 11 miles from comAkron Cleveland International pleted aHopkins $16-million renovation Canton Airport; 30 miles from of its Airport. facility andHopkins RadissonInternational Hotel Rochester JOHN S. KNIGHT Cleveland Riverside, which just completed Attractions: National Inventors Halla of CENTER Airport. JOHN S. KNIGHT $6-million renovation. 77 E. Mill Street Fame, Canal Park Stadium, Akron Attractions: National Inventors Hall of CENTER Rochester RiversideCivic Akron, OH 44308 Theatre, The University of Transportation: E. Mill Street Fame, Canal Park10-minute Stadium, drive Akron (330)77374-8900; (800) 245-4254; Center Akron, Convention E.J. Thomas Performing Arts to Greater Rochester International OH 44308 Civic Theatre, The University of Fax:Akron, (330) 374-8971 123 East Main Street Hall, Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Airport. (330) 374-8900; (800) 245-4254; www.johnsknightcenter.org Rochester, NY 14564 Akron, E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Railroad, Stan Hywet Hall & (330)232-7200; 374-8971Fax: ViceFax: President/COO: Gregg Mervis (585) (585) 232-1510 Attractions: Several entertainment disHall, Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Gardens, Lock 3 Live, Akron Art www.johnsknightcenter.org www.rrcc.com tricts surround Rochester Riverside Railroad, Stan the Hywet Hall & “The Center of an Gregg Mervis Vice President/COO: Museum, Summit Artspace & Executive Director: with restaurants cafés, coffee Gardens, LockNational 3and Live, Akron All-America City” CFE Cuyahoga Valley Park. Art Joseph A. Floreano, “The Center of an houses andSummit pubs, dance clubs and Museum, Artspace & music Snapshot: theRochester heart of All-America “Do itLocated betterCity” atinthe halls, theatres andNational more; Frontier Cuyahoga Valley Park.Field; downtown Akron, the John S. Knight RiversideLocated where in youthe and yourofevent Marina Auto Stadium; restored hisSnapshot: heart Center one of Ohio’s premier areis always the center of our attention!” toric Armory; George Eastman House downtown Akron, the John S. Knight meeting and exposition facilities. International Museum of Photography Center is onevalue of Ohio’s premier Snapshot: Conveniently located in the Event planners our accessibility, and Film; Susan B. Anthony House; meeting exposition facilities. heartand ofand Rochester, N.Y., the Rochester flexibility attention for detail. National Museum of Play; National Event planners value ourCenter accessibility, Riverside Convention enjoys a Meeting Space: than 55,000 sq. with Toy Hall of Fame; Boardwalk at Lake flexibility andMore attention for detail. scenic setting on the Genesee River ft. of total meeting/exhibit space, providing Ontario; more than 100 vineyards and outdoor patios More and balconies Meeting than 55,000 sq. including 16 Space: meeting rooms, 12,000wonderful views. It also offers the conve- numerous “wine trails”; New York ft. of total meeting/exhibit space, sq.-ft.nience ballroom, 30,000-sq.-ft. Main of16enclosed connections Wine and Culinary Center. including meetingwalkway rooms, 12,000Exhibit Hall. See ad on Cover 4 to large hotels and parking garages. sq.-ft. ballroom, 30,000-sq.-ft. Main Venue Features: State-of-the-art Exhibit Hall. Meeting Space: 100,000 sq.audio ft of meetand video services, wireless Internet ing/exhibition space; 22 meetingaudio rooms; Venue Features: State-of-the-art connectivity, video conferencing & 10,028-sq.-ft. Ballroom; 49,275-sq.-ft. and video services, wireless Internet video Main streaming technologies; a Exhibit Hall; 5,000-seat Theater. connectivity, video conferencing & video streaming technologies; a

PENNSYLVANIA GEORGIA

meetings/conventions large and small. PENNSYLVANIA Space: 55,000-sq.ft. GEORGIA Sa v a n n a h TheExhibit Convention Center has moreMain than 25,000-sq-ft. ballroom. meetings/conventions large and Exhibit Hall, 100,000space, sq. ft.including totalsmall. 440,000 sq. ft. of exhibit Exhibit Space: 55,000-sq.ft. Main Exhibit Space:Theater: 55,000-sq.ft. Main The Convention Center hasHall; more than Exhibit Space 367 fixed seats a 315,000-sq.-ft. Main Exhibit Exhibit Hall, 100,000 sq.total ft. including total Exhibit Hall, 100,000 sq. space, ft. 440,000 sq. ft. of exhibit Technology: Internet service includes 33,000-sq.-ft. ballroom and 52 meeting Exhibit Space Theater: Exhibit Space Theater: 367367 fixedfixed seatsseats ashared 315,000-sq.-ft. Main T-1 and full T-1Exhibit with upHall; to rooms offering an additional 120,000 Technology: Internet service includes 33,000-sq.-ft. ballroom and 52 meeting Technology: Internet service includes 100 Mps; Voice, data, fiber optic, square feet; 6,300-sq.-ft., 600-seat theshared T-1 andand fulladditional T-1T-1 withwith up toup to offering an 120,000 shared T-1 full Distributed Television throughout ater.rooms Once complete, the expanded 100 Voice, data, fiberfiber optic, square feet; 6,300-sq.-ft., 600-seat the100Mps; Mps; Voice, data, optic, facility, Simultaneous interpretive Convention Center will provide planners Distributed Televisionthe throughout facilater. Once complete, expanded Distributed throughout technology andTelevision full-service, in-house a total of one million square feet of ity,facility, Simultaneous interpretive technology Convention Center interpretive audio/visual supportwill andprovide videosaleable spaceSimultaneous (700,000 square feet ofplanners and full-service, in-house audio/visual a total of one million square feet of technology and full-service, teleconferencing. exhibit space, 541,000 square feet ofin-house support and videoteleconferencing. saleable space (700,000 square feet of SAVANNAH PENNSYLVANIA audio/visual support and videowhich is contiguous); the largest amount Food &space, Beverage: SAVOR the exhibit 541,000 squareisisfeet INTERNATIONAL TRADE of ballroom Food &space Beverage: theof teleconferencing. CONVENTION CENTER anySAVOR convention exclusive food of service contractor PENNSYLVANIA SAVANNAH SAVANNAH which is contiguous); the largest amount 1101& Arch Street exclusive food service contractor of the CONVENTION center on the Coast atSAVOR 93,000 is sq. ft.; &East Beverage: the ofFood the center. CONVENTION CENTER INTERNATIONAL TRADE Philadelphia, PA 19107 ballroom space of any convention INTERNATIONAL TRADEandof center. CENTER a total of 87 meeting rooms. exclusive food service contractor Arch Street (215)1101 636-3300; (800) CALL-PHL & CONVENTION Hotel Rooms: 3,800 city-wide. center on the East Coast at 93,000 sq. ft.; &International CONVENTION One Drive Hotel city-wide. ofFeatures: theRooms: center. 3,800 PA 19107 Venue wireless Internet Fax:Philadelphia, (215) 636-3327 CENTER and a total of Free 87 meeting rooms. Savannah, GA 31402 CENTER Transportation: 20 minutes to (215) 636-3300; (800) CALL-PHL www.PhiladelphiaUSA.travel Internet access up to one Gigabit; Transportation: 20 minutes to Hotel Rooms: 3,800 city-wide. OneCenter International Drive Trade (912) 447-4000; (888)644-6822 withSavannah One International International Airport. Venue Features: Free wireless Internet (215) 636-3327 Drive Services: ViceFax: President/Convention fiber optic backbone, and data Savannah International Airport. Savannah, GA 31402 Savannah CVBGA (912) 644-6400; (877) 728-2662 an internal Savannah, 31402 Transportation: 20 minutes tothe www.PhiladelphiaUSA.travel with Internet Jepson access up to one Gigabit; Patricia Kraft Hilpl Attractions: Center for Trade Center (912) 447-4000; (888) 644-6822 cabling FAX: (912) 447-4722 throughout the entire facility. Trade Center (912) 447-4000; (888)644-6822 Attractions: Jepson Center for the Vice President/Convention Services: Savannah International Airport. an internal fiber optic backbone, and data SavannahCVB CVB (912) 644-6400; (877) 728-2662 Arts; Jepson Center for the Arts; City www.savtcc.com “Philadelphia – Be at644-6400; Liberty(877) to 728-2662 Savannah (912) Patricia Kraft Hilpl Arts; Jepson Center forentire the Arts; City Convention/Guest Hotel Rooms: cabling throughout the facility. FAX: (912) (912) 447-4722 447-4722 www.savannahvisit.com Attractions: Jepson Center for the Market; Savannah Theatre; Mary FAX: Meet” Market; Savannah Theatre; Mary 10,000 rooms in city; 3,682 www.savtcc.com “Philadelphia – BeArea at Liberty V.P/Sales Savannah CVB: to Ingalls Glass Studio; Meinhardt Arts; Jepson Center forwithin the Arts; City www.savtcc.com Convention/Guest Rooms: Ingalls Glass Studio;Hotel Meinhardt two-minutes of& Pennsylvania Snapshot: When meet in www.VisitSavannah.com Billwww.savannahvisit.com McKay (912) you 644-6424 Meet” Vineyards Winery; Diamond Market; Savannah Theatre; Mary 10,000 rooms in city; 3,682 within Vineyards & Winery; Diamond V.P/Salesyou Savannah Area CVB: Convention Center. Philadelphia, get more than a V.P/Sales Savannah Area CVB: Casino, Pirates’ House restaurant; The Ingalls Glass Studio; Meinhardt two-minutes of Pennsylvania Snapshot: When you meet in Bill McKay (912) 644-6424 Casino, Pirates’ House restaurant;The venue, you getLocated a(912) good mixthe ofSavannah work andRiver Transportation: Snapshot: on Bill McKay 644-6424 minutes toTroon Golf Club at Savannah Harbor Vineyards &20Winery; Diamond Convention Center. you getConvention more thans famed a Club at Savannah Harbor Troon Golf with panoramic views of the city’ play.Philadelphia, The Pennsylvania Snapshot: Located onmix theofSavannah International &Casino, The Greenbrier Spa;Airport. Outdoor funThe Pirates’ House restaurant; venue, you get aitsgood work and Philadelphia minutes to fun & The Greenbrier20Spa;Outdoor Historic Riverfront and catching Center, known for beauty, Snapshot: Located oneye theflexibility Savannah River Transportation: River with panoramic views of the vesincludes golf courses, Club atchampionship Savannah Harbor Troon Golf play. The Pennsylvania Convention Attractions: More than 20 major includes championship golfAirport. courses, Philadelphia International passing the SMG-managed andsels location indaily, the heart of with views ofCenter the city’and s famed city’ spanoramic famed Historic Riverfront eye performing deep sea fishing charters, Historic & The Greenbrier Spa; Outdoor fun Center, for itsdining, beauty, flexibility facilities, including deep sea arts fishing charters, Historic Savannah Trade and City, as wellknown asInternational five-star tax-free Historic Riverfront and eye catching ves- Attractions: catching vessels passing daily, the SMGMore than 20 major District offers entertainment venues, includes championship golf courses, and location in the heart of Center for ballet, jazz, drama and District offers entertainment venues, Convention Center’ s 330,000-sq.-ft. shopping, and ease in the traveling in, outTrade venues sels passing daily, SMG-managed managed Savannah International performing arts facilities, including night life, restaurants. deep seaand fishing charters, Historic City, as well as five-star dining, tax-free musical theater; more than 200 night life, and restaurants. waterfront complex offers a vibrant and and around theInternational city. Savannah Trade and and Convention s 330,000-sq.-ft. venues for ballet, jazz, District offers venues, See ad on 49entertainment shopping, and easeCenter’ inintraveling out restaurants inpage Center City.drama and enjoyable atmosphere a the citya vibrant so in, graciousConvention Center’ soffers 330,000-sq.-ft. waterfront complex and musical theater; than 200 Meeting Spaces: Currently, night life, and more restaurants. and around the city. ly known for its hospitality. waterfront complex offers a vibrant and enjoyableConvention atmosphereCenter in a city so grarestaurants in Center City. Pennsylvania See ad on page 49 Meeting Currently, theincluding enjoyable atmosphere insq. aproviding city so graciousciously known its hospitality. Meeting Space: 50,000 ft. stretches overSpaces: six cityfor blocks, Pennsylvania Convention Center for its 13lyMeeting meeting rooms; 4 of board a total ofknown 610,000 sq.hospitality. ft. Space: 50,000 sq.rooms; ft. includstretches over six city blocks, providing 25,000-sq-ft. ballroom. meeting/function space that easily Meeting Space: 50,000 sq. ft. rooms; including ing 13 meeting rooms; 4 board a total of 610,000 sq. ft. of accommodates needs4ofboard rooms; 13 meetingtherooms; meeting/function space that easily 25,000-sq-ft. ballroom. 34 accommodates the needs of

54 22 54

OKLAHOMA OKLAHOMA MISSOURI S t. L o u i s MISSOURI

OKLAHOMA CITY CONVENTION OKLAHOMA & CITY VISITORS BUREAU ST. CONVENTION CONVENTION & ST. LOUIS CONVENTION ST. LOUIS CONVENTION 189 West Sheridan & VISITORS & VISITORS COMMISSION VISITORS BUREAU & VISITORS Oklahoma City, OK 73102 701 Convention Suite 300 COMMISSION 189 West Sheridan (405) 297-8912; (800)Plaza, 225-5652 COMMISSION 701 Convention Suite 300 St. Louis, MO Oklahoma City,63101 OKPlaza, 73102

Fax:701 (405) 297-8888 Convention Suite 300 St. Louis, MO Plaza, 63101 (314) 421-1023; (800) 325-7962 (405) 297-8912; 225-5652 www.visitokc.com St. Louis, MO 63101 (314) 421-1023; (800) 325-7962 Fax: (314) 621-7729 (405) 297-8888 Director of(314) Convention Sales & Services: (314)Fax: 421-1023; (800) 325-7962 621-7729 www.slcvc.com www.visitokc.com Elizabeth Buckley Fax: (314) 621-7729 www.slcvc.com National Convention Sales Manager: Director of Convention Sales & Services: (405) 297-8952 •Convention ebuckley@okccvb.org National Sales Manager: www.slcvc.com Michelle Taylor Elizabeth Buckley Michelle Taylor National Convention Sales Manager: (405) 297-8952 • ebuckley@okccvb.org Snapshot: Oklahoma City hasThe itThe all— Michelle Taylor Snapshot: Founded in in1909, St.St. Snapshot: Founded 1909, from the historic Old&West in Commission Louis Convention Visitors Louis Convention & Visitors Snapshot: Oklahoma City has it all— Snapshot: Founded in 1909, The St. Stockyards City of is the sales andtomarketing organization Commission isthe the vibrant andenergy marketing from the historic Old West in Louis Convention &sales Visitors Bricktown, the lively entertainorganization responsible for selling St. responsible forcity’s selling St. Louis City and Stockyards City to the vibrant energy of Commission isandthe and marketing Louis St.sales County ment Our museums hold artisSt.district. LouisCity County as a Louis convention andas a Bricktown, the city’s lively entertainorganization responsible for selling St. convention and meeting site. The tic treasures andThe ourorganization sports venues meeting site. alsohave manment City district. Our museums hold artisLouis and St. manages Louis County as a also and operates something everyone. Choices agesorganization andfor operates the America’ s Center tic treasures and our sports venues have convention and meeting site. The the America’s Center convention comabound for ancomplex, experience you’llJones cherish. convention Edward Dome plex, Edward Jones Dome at America’s something for everyone. Choices organization also manages and operates at America’ s Center, the Ferrara Main Meeting Venue: Cox Business Center, Ferrara Theatre, a Theatre, 28,000abound forthean experience you’ll cherish. the America’s Center convention coma 28,000-square-foot ballroom and the St. square-foot ballroom and the St. Louis Convention Center (405-602-8500; plex, Edward Jones Dome at America’s Main Meeting Venue: Cox Business Louis Executive Conference Center. Executive Conference Center.— www.coxconventioncenter.com)

Center, the Ferrara a 28,000Convention CenterTheatre, (405-602-8500; 100,000 sq. Space: ft.Space: Exhibit Hall can be Meeting America’ Meeting America’s Center feasquare-foot ballroom ands Center the St.features Louis www.coxconventioncenter.com) tures ft. ofCenter. contiguous divided into502,000 smaller halls or exhibit com-—space 502,000 sq.8Conference ft. ofsq. contiguous Executive 100,000 sq. ft. within Exhibit can be exhibit space sixHall halls; 83 meetbined withsixthe Arena floor forrooms; 132,000 within halls; 83 meeting a divided into 8ballroom; smaller halls1,411-seat or comMeeting Space: America’s Center fea28,000-sq.-ft. the bined502,000 with thesq.Arena for 132,000 tures ft. of floor contiguous exhibit space within six halls; 83 meet-

sq. ft. of total exhibit space; 105,000 sq. ft. Meeting Room complex with 21 sq. ft.rooms of totaland exhibit space; sq. meeting a 25,000 sq.105,000 ft. ft. Meeting Room complex with 21 Ballroom; 15,000-seat General ing rooms; a 28,000-sq.-ft. ballroom; Ferrara Theatre; theand St.Arena. Executive meeting rooms aLouis 25,000 sq. ft. Manager - aGary Dejardins. therooms; 1,411-seat Ferrara Theatre; the St. ing 28,000-sq.-ft. ballroom; Conference Center accommodates meetBallroom; 15,000-seat Arena. General Louis Executive Conference Center the 1,411-seat Ferrara Theatre; the St. ings up to 100; multilevel, multipurpose Venue Features: wireless internet Manager - Gary Dejardins. Louis Executive Conference Center accommodates meetings up 100; Edward Jones Dome seatsup 70,000. service and access speeds to to one accommodates meetings up toEdward 100; Venue Features: wireless internet multilevel, multipurpose Jones Gigabit available; four (4) FREE preTechnological Features: Onsite multilevel, multipurpose Edward Jones servicewi-fi and zones; access speeds uprooms to one Dome seats 70,000.meeting function communication services include single Dome seats available; 70,000. four (4) FREE preGigabit and ballroom equipped with Onsite state-ofTechnological Features: comphone lines wi-fi and instruments, multi-line Technological Features: Onsite comfunction zones; meeting rooms the-art audio-visual equipment; SMG munication services include single instruments, direct dial lines, special munication services include single andConferencing ballroom equipped with state-ofVideo Services available. phone lines and instruments, multi-line circuits and Nextel phone rental. Internet phone lines and instruments, multi-line the-art audio-visual equipment; SMG instruments, direct dial lines, instruments, direct dial lines, special access with full T-1 bandwidth in all Hotel Rooms: 1,680 rooms in special Video Conferencing Services available. circuits and Nextel phone rental. circuits and Nextel phone rental. halls and meeting rooms. Downtown Oklahoma City and Hotel Rooms: 1,680 rooms in Internet access withwith full T-1 bandwidth Internet access full T-1 bandwidth 15,000 citywide. Convention/Hotel Guest Rooms: in all halls and meeting rooms. Downtown Oklahoma and in all halls and meeting City rooms. 35,000 city-wide hotel rooms. minutes Transportation: 10 miles/15 15,000 citywide. Convention/Hotel Guest Rooms: Convention/Hotel Guest Rooms: from Will Rogershotel World Airport. Transportation: The Lambert-St. Louis 35,000 city-wide rooms. Transportation: 10 miles/15 35,000 city-wide hotel rooms.minutes International Airport is located 13 miles Nearby Attractions: Bricktown Transportation: The Lambert-St. from Will Rogers World Airport. Transportation: The Lambert-St. from America’ s Center. Dining & Entertainment Louis International Airport isDistrict—a located Nearby Attractions: Bricktown Louis International Airport is located 13 milesurban from America’s Center. vibrant neighborhood with a Attractions: St. Louis features variety Dining & Entertainment District—a 13 miles from America’s Center. variety of new canal-side restaurants, Attractions: St.areas, Louis including features variety ofvibrant recreational the urban neighborhood with a of recreational areas, including the clubs, music venues andPark, attractions., Attractions: St. Louis features 419-acre Route 66canal-side State and variety variety of new restaurants, 419-acre Route 66 State Park, and OKC National Memorial &the Museum, of recreational areas, including the regional wineries, including clubs,wineries, music venues and attractions., regional including Oklahoma City Museum ofthe Art; 419-acre Route 66 State Park, and popular Mt. Pleasant Winery; 1,000 OKC National Memorial & Museum, popular Mt.wineries, Pleasant Winery; 1,000 Myriad Botanical Gardens; AT&T regional including the one-of-a-kind restaurants including one-of-a-kind restaurants including Oklahoma City Museum of Art; Bricktown Ballpark; Ford Center; popular Mt. Pleasant Winery; 1,000 America’ s Incredible Pizza Co.; City America’s Incredible Pizza Co.; City Myriad Botanical Gardens; AT&T Civic Center Hall; Oklahoma one-of-a-kind restaurants including Museum, theMusic Cherokee-Lemp Historic Museum, the Cherokee-Lemp Bricktown Ballpark; Ford Center; City Zoo;Downtown National Cowboy America’s Incredible Pizza Co.; Downtown District, both theand Casino Historic District, theCity Civic Center Music Hall;both Oklahoma Western Museum, the Cherokee-Lemp Queen and Ameristar Casino, several Casino Queen and Ameristar Casino, City historic Zoo; National Cowboy the and Heritage several houses (including Historic Downtown District, both historic houses (including the home of the Western home ofBoone). Daniel Boone). Museum. Casino Queen and Ameristar Casino, Daniel Heritage Seeseveral Ads onhistoric houses (including the Museum. home Pages 29,of 31Daniel Boone). See Ads on Pages 29, 31

PENNSYLVANIA

Facilities & Destinations meeting rooms; 8,865-sq.-ft. Ballroom; PENNSYLVANIA

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400 Col (61 Fax ww Re Se

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54,000-sq-ft., 3,800-seatBallroom; theater. ing rooms; 8,865-sq.-ft. meeting rooms; 8,865-sq.-ft. Ballroom; CONFERENCE 54,000-sq-ft., 3,800-seat theater. Exhibit Space: 108,000 sq. of 54,000-sq-ft., 3,800-seatft.theater.

Va l l e y F o r g e

Facilities & Destinations

Space, 54,000-sq.-ft. Exhibit Space:including 108,000Centers, sq. ft. of Comprehensive DirectoryExhibit ofExhibit Conference Space: 108,000 sq. ft. of Main Exhibit Exhibit Space,Hall. including 54,000-sq.-ft. College & University Conference Exhibit Space,Facilities, including 54,000-sq.-ft. Main Exhibit Hall. Technology: WifiHall. in all guestrooms Main Exhibit Meeting & Boutique Hotels, Small-to-Mid-Size and public space; On-site Audio Visual Technology: Wifi in all guestrooms Technology: Wifi inBallroom, all Centers, guestrooms Meeting & Event Venues Comprehensive Directory ofpublic Conference Company. Multi-Level The and space; On-site Audio Visual

CONFERENCE

and public space;state-of-the-art On-site Audio Visual Company. features Multi-Level Ballroom, The College & University Waterford, Conference Facilities, Company. Multi-Level Ballroom, The Audio Visualfeatures with built in screens, plasWaterford, state-of-the-art Waterford, features state-of-the-art Meeting & Boutique Hotels, Small-to-Mid-Size ma televisions, sound system and differAudio Visual with built in screens, SCANTICON HOTEL Audio Visual with built in screens, plasent lighting scenes. plasma televisions, sound system and Meeting & Event Venues ma televisions, sound system and differAND CONFERENCE

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JO C

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different lighting scenes. Food Beverage: The Scanticon feaent&lighting scenes. tures restaurants a nightclub Foodthree & Beverage: Theand Scanticon feaFood & Beverage: TheChumley’s three restaurants and aScanticon nightclub feaontures property—Café Soleil, tures three restaurants and a nightclub on property—Café Soleil, Chumley’ Sports Bar and Steakhouse, Blue s “T on property—Café Soleil,Blue Chumley’s Sports Bar and Steakhouse, Grotto, and Ice Nightclub. Al Sports Bar and Steakhouse, Blue Grotto, and Ice160 Nightclub. Guest Rooms: Guestrooms in the Sn Grotto, and Ice Nightclub. Guest Rooms: do Scanticon Hotel;160 TheGuestrooms adjoining in Guest Rooms: 160 Guestrooms in the Ce the Scanticon adjoining 328 Radisson HotelHotel; offersThe an additional Valley Forge, A premier destination Scanticon Hotel; adjoining 328 for your exceptional event me Radisson Hotel offersThe an additional Valley A premier destination guestrooms. for yourForge, exceptional event Radisson Hotel offers an additional 328 Ev guestrooms. Snapshot: Scanticonevent was specififor yourThe exceptional Amenities: 3,000-sq.-ft. Health and fle guestrooms. specificallySnapshot: created toThe be Scanticon a premierwas conference Amenities: 3,000-sq.-ft. Fitness Center; Outdoor Health Gardenand Pool; Snapshot: The specifito for beScanticon acomfort premierwas conference M Amenities: 3,000-sq.-ft. Health and site.cally All created designed and funcFitness Center; Outdoor 24-Hour Business Center.Garden Pool; ft. cally created to befor a comfort premierbyand conference Fitness Business Center; Center. Outdoor Garden Pool; tionsite. andAll is designed officially approved thefunc24-Hour inc site. and All is designed comfort tion officiallyfor approved byand the func- Transportation: 25 miles to 24-Hour Business Center. International Association of Conference sq. Transportation: 25 miles toAirport. tion and officially approved International Association of Conference Philadelphia International Centers. TheisScanticon Hotel andby the Transportation: 25 miles to Ex Philadelphia International Airport. Centers. The Scanticon Hotel and International Association of Conference Attractions: Located in the heart of Conference Center is located in the Philadelphia International Airport. Ve Conference Center is located in the Valley Centers. The Scanticon Hotel and Attractions: Located in the heart of the Valley Forge business district, Valley Forge Convention Plaza, also an Attractions: Located in district, the heart of Forge Convention Plaza, also home to Conference Center is located in the the Valley Forge business adjacent to Valley Forge National home to the Valley Forge Convention con theKing Valley Forge business district, the Valley Forge Convention Center Valley Convention Plaza, alsoand adjacent toTools Forge National Essential Planning Park; ofValley Prussia Mall. Center andForge the Radisson Hotel Valley vid adjacent to Valley Forge National the Radisson Hotel Valley Forge. home to the Valley Forge Convention Park; King of Prussia Mall. Forge. SeePark; Ad onKing Pageof31Prussia Mall. Center and the Radisson Hotel Valley Meeting Space: Over 150,000 sq. ft. Meeting Over 150,000 sq. ft. of Forge. 76Space: The Midwes See Ad on Page 31 of flexible meeting space between the flexible meeting space between the Scanticon, Radisson and150,000 Valley Forge Meeting Space: Over sq. ft. of Scanticon, Radisson and Valley Forge Convention Center, including: 61 meetflexible meeting between Convention Center,space including: 61 the Scanticon, Radisson and Valley Forge Facilities & Destinations 2010 Convention Center, including: 61 1210 First Avenue KingCENTER of Prussia, PA 19406 Avenue First Avenue, King768-0183 of Prussia, PA 19406 (610)1210 265-1500; Fax: (610) (610) 265-1500; (610) 768-0183 King of Prussia, Fax: PA 19406 www.ScanticonValleyForge.com (610) 265-1500; Fax: (610) Vicewww.ScanticonValleyForge.com President of Sales and768-0183 Marketing: Vice President of Sales and Marketing: www.ScanticonValleyForge.com Candice Ellesin Candice Ellesin of Sales and Marketing: Vice President Valley Forge, A premier destination Candice Ellesin

THE FACILITIES MEDIA GROUP

Essential Tools Facilities &Planning Destinations Planner Guide

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The Facilities Media Group

B u y er ’ s G u i d e pc/nametag®

Smart CityUrbanRide

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Conventions: Information: (888) 446-6911 or (702) 943-6000 421 7th Avenue, New York, NY 10001 Email: csr@SmartCity.com (800) 525-5750; Fax: (212) 202-9638 Hospitality: General, (407) 828-6938 www.urbanride.net Video Conferencing: General, (407) 828-6900

124 Horizon Dr., Verona, WI 53593 (877) 626-3824; Fax: (800) 233-9787 www.pcnametag.com President: Nick Topitzes; ntopitzes@pcnametag.com; sales@pcnametag.com

Chief Executive Officer: Jeremy Milikow MakingSVP the world smarter. One city at a time. ® Senior Vice President: Mitch Bornstein, ‘Leading Global Provider of Meeting & Event Transportation’ Smart City is a full-service communications provider across the nation and one ofis thea world’s communications providers to convention centers UrbanRide global largest provider of ground transportation for meetings & events, and and hospitality venues. SmartSUVs, City provides technologies thatmotorcoaches. make their citiesWe provide uses the top-of-the-line sedans, vans, minibuses and smarter places to work, live, and play. our clients with IMS, our software that enables meeting planners to better manage transportation for their meetings, conferences, conventions, tradeshows & other events. We work exclusively with meeting & event planners and our customer service is the best in the business. UrbanRide is a one-stop solution for meeting & event transportation.

Hargrove, Inc.

One Hargrove Drive Lanham, MD 20706 (301) 306-9000 Fax: (301) 306-9318 www.hargroveinc.com

Founder Nick Topitzes first developed PC/Nametag®, the first software package to print nametags for meetings and conferences, with his computer and printer. Over the years, it’s been updated and improved. The business has expanded to include hundreds of products and incentive items that make the job of planning meetings easier while enhancing the attendee experience. Product lines include Nametag Holders, Inserts, Pouches & Organizers, Necklaces & Lanyards, Awards & Gifts, Bags, Totes, Envelopes & Cases, Banners, Signs & Table Covers, Binders & Portfolios, Buttons & Appliques, Drinkware, Pens & Highlighters, Ribbons and Customized Products.

Do you want your product or service to reach 50,000+ Association & Corporate Meeting Planners? If your answer is yes, then the FMG Buyer’s Guide is how.

Keppler Speakers

Michael Caffin Associate Publisher (212) 532 4150 ext 103 mcaffin@facilitiesonline.com

4350 N. Fairfax Dr., 700, Arlington, VA 22203 Hargrove: NotSuite your average trade show contractor (703) 516-4000; Fax: (703) 516-4819 www.kepplerspeakers.com From regional conventions to major industry trade shows to marquis events on the Seniornational VP for Sales and Marketing: Truran and international stage, John Hargrove has been a trusted contractor and partner for more than half a century. With Hargrove, it’s on time and on budget. We retain so many With Keppler Speakers, creating memorable meetings never felt so easy. With over of our trade show clients because we exceed their expectations, we know the venues, we 25 years of experience, we provide you solid, seasoned expertise, making speaker have customer-friendly technology, and we have a tradition of excellence in servingselection the stress-free by managing meetings industry. all of the details. Keppler Speakers saves you precious time by matching you with speakers who are right on target. From proven performers to dynamic rising stars, our speakers bring fascinating, real stories and a gift for inspiring audiences.

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www.jacAPPS.com 248.353.9030 35

Buyer’s Guide

Yo u r P r o d u c t s & S e rv i c e s R e s o u r c e

VIRGINIA

Meeting Services: One-Stop Shop Location; Conference Services staff Plasticard Locktech works with you on all yourInternational conferThe World’sence Largest needs; Every summer conference Hotel Key Card Manufacturer is assigned a Conference Assistant to handle all check-in and check-out procedures, rosters, parking/transportation, 605 Sweeten Creek Industrial Park facility setups, meal guarantees, directionAsheville, NC 28803 al signs, and an optional linen service. (800) 752-1017; Fax: (828) 210-4755 Meeting Technology: All classrooms www.plicards.com and meeting space are equipped with Sales Manager: Linda Russell audio-visual equipment and at least JAMES MADISON UNIVERSITY PLI produces key cards & other products for meetings, conventions, onehotels, computer connected to the events, campusand EVENTS & C ONFERENCES advertising. We also manufacture a full line of gift cardsaccessiand loyalty cards. LAN line.cards, The membership Internet is also MSC 3501 PLI key VA cards put your message directly inble the in hands hotel guests meeting attendees. the of dormitories for&any overnight Harrisonburg, 22807 stay using an Ethernet cord. Additional (540) 568-6330; Fax: (540) 568-6444 www.jmu.edu/events equipment is available upon request. Conference Coordinator: Joyce Bentz

Food & Beverage: onsite catering available; two large dining facilities that Snapshot: James Madison University serve all three meals buffet style with a ranges in services and meeting space rotating menu. from our Grand Ballroom to classrooms Activities: Tennis and sand volleyball and computer labs. Nestled between courts; University Recreation Center, the Blue Ridge Mountains and the a nationally recognized 140,700-sq.-ft. Allegheny Ridge, thisSpeakers 472-acre campus Keppler facility, can also be used by meeting blends 4350 the spirit of a Dr., collegiate atmoN. Fairfax Suite 700, Arlington, VA 22203 attendees. sphere (703) with516-4000; the natural beauty and Fax: (703) 516-4819 resources of the area. www.kepplerspeakers.com Nearby Attractions: Massunutten Senior for Sales and Marketing: John Resort, Truran Skyline Drive hiking and Meeting SizesVPAccommodated: Luray Caverns. 50 to over 1,100. With Keppler Speakers, creating memorable meetings never felt so easy. With over 25 The Shenandoah Overall Meeting Space: 20,000+ sq.you ft. solid,Transportation: years of experience, we provide seasoned expertise, making speaker selection Regional 15 precious miles; time by stress-free by managing all of Keppler SpeakersAirport: saves you Number of of Meeting Rooms: 30the details.Valley International Airport: 120 miles. matching you with speakers who are rightDulles on target. From proven performers to dynamic Ballroom: 9,000 sq. ft. rising stars, our speakers bring fascinating, real stories and a gift for inspiring audiences. Lodging: 2,300 onsite guestrooms (12 hotels within 5 miles radius).

VIRGINIA Have Your Product or Service Overall Meeting Space: 266,500 sq. ft. Reach Key Decision Makers Number of Meeting Rooms: 250

Ballroom: 16,500 sq. ft. Buyer’s Guide – “Your Product & Services Resource” is a special section in key Facilities MediaExhibit GroupSpace: print publications. 26, 750 sq. ft. Reach all of your market with this essential tool for Meeting & Event Planners. Theater Seating: 1,800 (maximum).

Facilities & Destination SuperBook: 51,000 Association Meeting Technology: Wifi capable; and Corporate Meeting & Event Planners

webcasting and video conferencing

Facilities & Destinations available CONFERENCE: Association in addition30,000 to all major audioand Corporate Meeting & Event Planners. visual needs as supplied by our in-house

team of technical professionals. THE NATIONAL Facilities & Destinations Planner Guide: 51,000 Association CONFERENCE CENTER Food & Beverage: Meeting Packages and Corporate Meeting & Event Planners.

18980 Upper Belmont Place include three-meals per day in our 800 Lansdowne, VA Facilities 20176 SuperBook: 10,000 including Booking seatEvent diningBookers, room. Private banquets, (800) 640-2684; (703) 729-8000 Agents, Promoters, Talent Buyers, Business/Personal Managers, theme dinners and off-site event Fax: (703) 729-5382 College Concert Buyers & catering; Owners/Managers Black Olive of BarEntertainment and Grill; www.conferencencenter.com Management Starbucks“Firms. Cafe. Director of Sales and Marketing: Eric Whitson Facilities Booking Guide: 10,000 EventABookers, Activities: complete including selection ofBooking

Promoters, Talent Buyers, Business/Personal Managers, Cardio Equipment, treadmills, stairThe NationalAgents, Conference Center… Buyers & climbers, Owners/Managers of Entertainment elliptical, recumbent bikes, where groupsCollege arrive asConcert many and Management Firms. nautilus strength-training circuit, and leave as one!

free weights; The Sports Center and Discount Pricing • Multiple-Issue Snapshot: The National Conference Ropes Course – The sports center feaCenter gives you the advantage of&a Multi-Media Packages tures volleyball, basketball, racquetball, powerful infrastructure and the inti- Programs • Target Marketing Value-Added squash, 25-meter outdoor lap pool, tenmacy of an individual meeting com- Real Time Results nis, beach (sand) volleyball, bicycles. munity to ensure results for training and management conferences. Located just 12 miles from Dulles International Airport, The National Conference Center is the largest marketed conference center in the U.S. Michael Caffin Meeting Sizes Accommodated: Associate Publisher 10 to 1,800. (212) 532-4150 ext 103 • mcaffin@facilitiesonline.com Lodging: 917 guest rooms.

The Facilities Media Group

VIRGINIA

WHEN IT COMES TO MEETINGS & SPECIAL EVENTS, LEAVE THE PLANNING & DETAILS TO US

Advertiser Index

Meeting/Event Rooms: Patriot Room (764 sq. ft.); Prosperity Ballroom (1,522 sq. ft.); Prosperity I (848 sq. ft.); Prosperity II (674 sq. ft.); Providence Akron/Summit CVB.........................................................................25 Ballroom (2,739 sq.ft.); Providence I (900 sq. ft.); Providence II (991 sq. ft.); Austin Convention Center...............................................................3 Providence III (958 sq. ft.); Garden Patio (3,301 sq. ft.). Awards of Excellence.....................................................................10 Theater Seating: 70 to 280. Classroom Seating: 40 to185. The Georgia Center, The University of Georgia’s Meeting Services: Business Center; HILTON GARDEN INN& Hotel...........................................................31 state-of-the-art audio/visual equipment; Conference Center FAIRFAX video conferencing available; Meeting 3950 Fair Ridge Drive Packages from comprehensive corpoHospitality Fairfax, VA 22033Sales & Marketing rate packages to single meeting room (703) 667-9371; Fax: (703) 667-9376 Association International...............................................................19 rentals. www.fairfax.gardeninn.com Director of Sales & Marketing:

Lodging: 149 guest rooms.

Snapshot: At the Hilton Garden Inn

Amenities: Lounge; Fitness Center;

find everything you need, from the welcoming pavilion to the guestrooms

Nearby Attractions: Washington D.C.;

travelers. The Hilton Garden Inn Fairfax

Expo Shipping Mall; Leesburg Corner

Thida Ilyadis ...........................................................................................35 jacAPPS. Food & Beverage: in-house catering; “Everything. Right where you Great American Grill® restaurant; The needMarriott it.” JW Indianapolis...................................................... Cover 3 Pavilion Pantry® convenience mart.

3950 Fair Ridge Drive Fairfax, VA 22033 www.fairfax.hgi.com

The Hilton Garden Inn Fairfax hotel in Northern Virginia offers: Small to medium size meeting and banquet rooms for up to 300 guests Dedicated and friendly sales staff to focus on the details Current and up-to-date audio/visual equipment and technology On-site catering with high-quality and variety of menus to compliment any budget.

Please contact Steve Steinberg at 703.385.7774 or steve.steinberg@hilton.com

36 12

Fairfax hotel in Northern pool; Multi-Lingual Staff. Hilton Garden Inn Virginia, Fairfax.you’ll ..............................................................36 Fair Oaks Shopping Mall; Capital Philadelphia designed to addressCVB..............................................................................5 the needs of today’s Premium Outlets; Tyson Corner Cover 2 Providence Warwick CVB..................................................... hotel features: small to medium size Shopping Mall. meeting and banquet rooms for up to Transportation: 8 miles from 300 guests. dedicated and friendly sales Rapid City CVB.................................................................................1 Washington Dulles International staff to focus on the details; current and Airport; 18 miles from Washington DC up-to-date audio/visual equipment and Religious Association. ..........................8 and Ronald Reagan National Airport. technology. Conference Management Meeting Sizes Accommodated:

Rochester Up to 300. Riverside Convention Center............................. Cover 4 Overall Meeting Space: 8,000 sq. ft.

Mid-Atlantic

Facilities &Conference Destinations 2010 Facilities & Destinations

Your “No-worries-because-

everyone-will-be-impressed” place.

104,000 square feet of space. 1,005 rooms. 50 meeting rooms. Introducing the JW Marriott® Indianapolis, opening in February 2011, in the heart of downtown Indianapolis. Offering the elegant accommodations and outstanding service you expect, with enough space to host your most extensive events. What’s more, it’s part of Marriott PlaceSM Indianapolis, a collection of interconnected Marriott brand hotels offering 145,000 square feet of meeting space, 2,200 rooms and five connected hotels…all in one place.

For a free site visit, call

or visit

Planners must ask for the VIP Site Visit offer when requesting availability for 2011 or 2012 meetings. Offer valid through March 31, 2011 and not valid for meetings previously under negotiation or definite. Cannot be combined with any other group offer or promotion. Minimum 500 room nights required. © 2010 Marriott International, Inc.

速 I LOVE NEW YORK logo is a registered trademark/service mark of the NYS Dept. of Economic Development, used with permission.