Bricktown, the entertainment district just east of downtown Oklahoma City, includes the Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark, the navigable Bricktown Canal and much more. Credit: Oklahoma City CVB

When it comes to meeting destinations, some choices are always popular. Las Vegas and Orlando consistently head the pack, and Sunbelt cities such as Houston and Phoenix also draw large numbers. The same goes for San Francisco, Seattle, Miami and many other cosmopolitan destinations.

But plenty of other possibilities await planners who seek lower costs or other features that enhance overall value.

Take Detroit. It might not top most people’s list of attractive destinations, but a closer look reveals many positives and surprising benefits.

Melissa Cantwell, CMP, who plans meetings in her position as strategic partnership advisor for Houston-based Shell Oil, says cities such as Detroit may bring unexpected advantages. “They offer different options that can surprise attendees,” she says.

Cantwell notes that she was skeptical of coming to Detroit initially, but has grown to care about the city. “It has some amazing architecture and a very rich history,” she says.  “It is not just about the auto industry.”

Great Values Abound in Detroit

Cost also is an important factor.

“There is great value in Detroit,” Cantwell says. “There are many wonderful venues at great prices. Although it can be a high labor market, you end up even or under, as the price of space is so reasonable.”

The focus of her annual meeting is a competition where students design, build and test energy-efficient vehicles. The four-day event includes a business forum that brings together business leaders, government officials and NGOs to discuss energy-related issues.

She also appreciates the variety in after-hours activities.

“I like how I can have an event in an interesting setting that pushes learning and is also fun,” she says. “You aren’t taking them to another spa, perhaps you take them on a tour of the Ford plant and talk about sustainability, or you go into the cold room at GM.  Then you do a walking tour of downtown to look at the architecture.”

She also says the city is much more than an auto production center, citing its music history and dining opportunities, among other attractions.

“The dining is amazing,” she says. “I really like that I don’t have to go to a chain to eat dinner. You can dine in so many new restaurants that are owned by people who live in the city.”

A $279 million renovation of Cobo Center, which features an impressive 2.4 million sf of space, has recently been completed. A new addition, Cobo Square, is a 50,000-sf exterior plaza and vehicle drop-off area for music, art, exercise programs, corporate game events and more.

The city’s suburban convention center, Suburban Collection Showplace, will start construction later this year on a 200,000-sf addition planned for a 2017 opening. And work is underway on the M-1 rail streetcar, to be called the QLine, which will be completed early next year.

Recently added attractions include the state’s only Legoland Discovery Center, Sea Life Michigan Aquarium and the new DNR Outdoor Adventure Center, which includes meeting space and is located along the Detroit Riverfront.

Cantwell says Detroit is a city on the rise.

“There are so many hidden gems in Detroit,” Cantwell says. “Forget everything you think you know about the city and take a look at it with fresh eyes.  You will be surprised by the energy and creativity.  You will also be surprised at the reasonable rates you can get.”

Baltimore Offers Diverse Cultural Offerings

Baltimore is another destination offering great value, says Adam Andersen, managing director, events for New Hope Network, a Boulder, Colorado-based firm specializing in healthy lifestyle products.

“It’s convenient and centrally located to major metro areas,” he says. “Accommodations are widespread and well-priced.”

“Baltimore has such a rich history and diverse cultural offerings. It has amazing restaurants that fulfill a wide variety of interests.”
— Adam Andersen

He has been coordinating meetings in the city since 2011. The yearly meetings are attended by 25,000 people and are the largest of their type on the East Coast.

“Baltimore has such a rich history and diverse cultural offerings,” Andersen says. “It has amazing restaurants that fulfill a wide variety of interests.”

The meetings are held in September, a popular time for attendees. Andersen says many enjoy evening networking events and outdoor activities ranging from major league baseball to running around the harbor.

He also says the cooperation from the CVB is consistently excellent. “They understand every market and adjust to the needs of every event.”

All told, Baltimore offers much to consider, Andersen says. “It would be hard to have a meeting there and not be successful.”

Another attraction is Mount Vernon Marketplace, one of Baltimore’s newest food destinations. Opened in October 2015, this indoor market in historic Mount Vernon features a wide variety of offerings from local providers.

Looking to the future, Harbor Point is a downtown waterfront site now in the planning stages. Totaling 3 million sf of office, retail, residential and hotel space covering 27 acres, it will include 9.5 acres of waterfront parks.

Oklahoma City Has Something for Everybody

Oklahoma City is yet another attractive destination offering good value.

“It’s centrally located in the United States, which makes accessibility easy,” says Lauren Warkentine, who plans meetings as COO of Computer Rx, an IT firm in Moore, Oklahoma. “But more importantly, once people get to Oklahoma City, they love it and want to return.”

She says visitors typically remark that they feel safe and enjoy the city’s cleanliness.

“The people are friendly, and everything is in walking distance from the convention center,” she adds.

Her company’s event, Idea Exchange, typically has about 600 attendees representing 400 pharmacies and 50 vendors. The event is held in the Cox Convention Center ballrooms along with hotel meeting rooms.

Warkentine touts the city’s affordability, but adds that cost is only part of its attractiveness.

“Oklahoma City offers meeting planners great space at an affordable rate,” she says. “But beyond that it offers a first-class city for attendees to experience.” She notes that the Boathouse district provides active opportunities to canoe, kayak, paddleboard or complete a ropes course. ”There are great places to relax and enjoy live music, good food and drinks in Bricktown,” she says. “There really is something for everyone in Oklahoma City.”

Meeting space is plentiful. The Cox Convention Center offers 21 meeting rooms, 100,000 sf of exhibit space, a 25,000-sf Grand Ballroom, and a 15,000-seat arena. Other space includes the Chevy Bricktown Event Center, accommodating 1,800 people for receptions, the 18,000 seat Chesapeake Energy Arena, and the Devon Boathouse for up to 350 guests at receptions.

Slated for completion later this year is a new expo building at Oklahoma State Fair Park. Replacing the current Travel & Transportation Building, it will have 201,000 sf of expo space. In addition, the facility will include a huge hangar door for oversized equipment access.

Indicative of the city’s progressive outlook is a new civic center for which funding is assured through a sales tax increase. The $252 million project will offer nearly 200,000 sf of exhibit space, a 35,000-sf ballroom and 50,000 sf of additional meeting space. Completion is planned for 2019.

More Noteworthy Value Destinations

Progress also is the name of the game in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Queen City is experiencing significant hotel growth with both updates of historic downtown buildings and first-time hotel developments coming on board. In 2014 and 2015, some 572 new rooms were added to the downtown market, and six new hotels are planned over the next two years.

A new venue opened at Smale Riverfront Park, which itself offers an attractive setting for outdoor activities. The Annie W. & Elizabeth M. Anderson Pavilion operates as a banquet center suitable for corporate functions.

Just across the Ohio River is the two-year-old New Riff Distillery, which is now the northernmost point on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. It offers daily tours, a 150-person event room with full bar and roof deck, and an event room for up to 50 guests.

In September, the first phase of the Cincinnati Streetcar will be completed. Linking riverfront attractions to the northern downtown neighborhoods, the 3.6-mile loop route will include stops at more than 18 popular attractions including museums, entertainment districts and the Duke Energy Convention Center.

Atlantic City, New Jersey, has long been a desirable destination. “The value one receives from Atlantic City is that we have world-class headline entertainment every weekend, free beaches, and tremendous midweek value on hotel rooms and suites in our casino resorts and hotel properties,” says Jim Wood, president and CEO of Meet AC.

Wood and others point to the Atlantic City Boardwalk as the city’s most well-known feature. The historic attraction spans continuously over a five-mile stretch, and work is underway to extend the inlet section even farther.

The city offers more than 15,000 hotel rooms. Major properties include eight casino resorts along with several hotels that offer beachfront and Atlantic Ocean views.

Now under construction at the Steel Pier, Atlantic City’s 1,000-foot-long amusement pier, is a 200-foot-high observation wheel with climate-controlled gondolas. The project is scheduled for completion later this year.

Also attractive is Atlantic City’s expanding arts and cultural scene. A rich selection of festivals and events includes beach concerts with big-name performers, a seafood festival, a beer and music festival, an “insane inflatable 5k” and annual air show.

Located within easy access of much of the country’s population, Charlotte, North Carolina, stands as a leading example of today’s progressive South. Home to a growing number of corporate and association headquarters, the city also has become a favorite for meetings planners seeking outstanding value.

The NASCAR Hall of Fame, which is connected to the convention center, features historic stock cars, interactive exhibits and racing memorabilia. It’s available for dinners and corporate meetings, accommodating groups from 10 to 2,400.

Along with a wide selection of hotels, the city offers a variety of entertainment and meeting venues. In the past year, Bojangles’ Coliseum has made significant improvements in seating, signage, concessions and technology. The historic facility just celebrated its 60th anniversary.

Other attractions include the Duke Mansion with more than 8,000 sf of meeting space, Discovery Place hands-on science museum, the U.S. National Whitewater Center and Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden. The Bechtler Museum of Modern Art accommodates up to 140 guests for sit-down functions and 225 for receptions.

In Minneapolis, Minnesota, planners enjoy a wide range of meeting options. At the Minneapolis Convention Center, a facility-wide renovation is underway.

A new visitor center located downtown offers not only the standard info for newcomers, but also a retail section featuring works by Minnesota artists. It’s also the temporary home of the city’s well-known Mary Tyler Moore statue.

An interesting appeal to meeting planners is a promotion dubbed “Minneapolis in 24 Hours” in which planners take an online quiz to determine in which category of Minneapolis meeting planner they fit. Each category (“Parks to Prada,” “Muskie to Monet,” “Four-star to Stargazing” and “Big Games to Household Names”) has an associated itinerary for spending a day in the city.

You can’t get much more Southern than Mobile, Alabama. Rich in history and attractions, the city offers more than 6,000 hotel rooms and a number of meeting spaces.

From its waterfront location, the Arthur R. Outlaw Convention Center offers easy access to hotels, restaurants and shopping.

With a long history that includes the original Mardi Gras and its attractive Gulf Coast locale, the city offers plenty of opportunities for visitors to enjoy after-hours activities.  C&IT