“The upside of the down economy is that it has forced meeting planners to be more creative and relearn the importance of partnerships between planners and suppliers,” said Susan Katz, director of events for the Chicago-based True Value Company.

True Value Company is one of the world's largest member-owned hardware cooperatives. Katz organizes several annual meetings for their more than 5,000 independent retailers, based upon various needs ranging from retail to rental. Her challenge is unique in the corporate world in that attendance is optional and at the attendee’s expense.

Orlando

Katz was planning her second True Value meeting in less than a year in Orlando. She needed to give them a reason to dig into their own pocket and attend the company meeting. Cognizant of the economic challenges, she knew she’d have to be creative and relevant, so she contacted her partner, the Orlando Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) for assistance.

“The Orlando CVB responded by sending requests to their members,” said Katz. “We wanted to entice the membership to attend, and help offset their expenses to make the trip. We were thinking meal certificates or park admissions, and the response was overwhelming. Donations poured in enabling us to offer weekly drawings to promote and encourage early registration.”

Katz reports that the entire Orlando community supported their meeting, offering complimentary admissions and meals as drawings leading up to the event. “I’ve always found Orlando more than accommodating to my requests. To discover that they are willing to step up and offer solutions is just another reason to return to Orlando.”

The result of the True Value’s partnership with the Orlando CVB was more than 1,200 attendees and

The March of The Peabody Orlando Ducks takes place each day at 11 a.m. through The Peabody Orlando’s atrium lobby to the fountain where the magnificent mallards enjoy their traditional morning swim. Photo courtesy of The Peabody Orlando

exhibitors arriving in Orlando in January for yet another successful event.

Because Katz’s program requires exhibit space for heavy equipment, the core of their program was at the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC), which features 7 million square feet of meeting and exhibit space. The OCCC was so accommodating that they even allowed True Value to dump dirt in their parking lot to accommodate a machinery demo.

Katz also noted that she’s never seen such great partnerships from hotels all around. “Orlando has always been known as a great destination for meetings. However, the hotels have realized that if they are going to attract meetings today, they are going to have to be sharper in their pricing. From hoteliers to convention centers to local restaurants, Orlando has built a community of partners for the meeting planner.”

Her two hotel partners for this event were The Peabody Orlando and Rosen Centre Hotel, both convenient to the OCCC.

A $450 million expansion of the Peabody Orlando is fully underway, scheduled for completion in the fall of 2010. Once the expansion is complete, the hotel will boast 1,641 rooms and 210,000 square feet of meeting space. Adjacent to the OCCC, the Rosen Centre Hotel boasts more than 100,000 square feet of sophisticated meeting space.

Rosen Hotels & Resorts in Orlando is comprised of seven hotels near all the major Orlando area attractions. The three Rosen premier convention hotels — Rosen Plaza Hotel, Rosen Centre Hotel and Rosen Shingle Creek — offer a new “Attrition Relief” program. This unique program alleviates and often eliminates customary attrition fees for groups that don’t meet their numbers. Based on group historical pickup data, reduced or waived attrition is valid for any 400 new meeting room nights or greater that are

More than a million business professionals have “earned their ears” through Disney Institute professional development programs at the Walt Disney World Resort. The programs are conducted by Disney leaders who share the secrets of their successful business practices. Photo courtesy of Walt Disney World Resort

booked and actualized by December 31, 2009.

Together the three convention hotels offer more than 3,600 rooms and more than 611,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, as well as one of the nation’s largest column-free ballrooms. These properties were also the first hotels in Central Florida to achieve Two Palm status in Florida’s Green Lodging Program. Eco-friendly Rosen meetings are outlined at rosengreenmeetings.com.

Poised to celebrate its 35th anniversary next year, Rosen Hotels & Resorts has grown from 256 to more than 6,300 rooms, approximately six percent of the total guest rooms in Central Florida. Last fall, president and CEO Harris Rosen unveiled a seven-year, $100-200 million plan to expand and refurbish six of the seven Orlando meetings and leisure hotels. Rosen will add 100,000 square feet of meeting space each to the Rosen Plaza and Rosen Centre hotels by 2012, bringing Rosen Plaza’s meeting facilities to 160,000 square feet and Rosen Centre’s to 200,000 square feet. Upon completion of those projects, Rosen will add 400-700 rooms to Rosen Plaza by 2016.

The Value Capital

Orlando stands apart from many meeting destinations nowadays because of the value they offer to groups. “Orlando is already the value capital in terms of its rates, dates and space offerings, and we continue to be aggressive in this area with programs like our 25th anniversary discount promotion,” said Gary Sain, president and CEO of the Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB).

The Orlando CVB has launched a major promotion to reward planners who have loyally brought business to Orlando for a quarter-century. And in the current economy, its Anniversary Savings Celebration has turned out to be the right thing at the right time, Sain said.

Any meeting booked by May 1 and held by December 31, 2009, will enjoy a 2.5 percent discount off the

Planners can buy out and customize the new American Idol Experience at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Orlando for their attendees who work with a vocal coach, hairstylist and make-up artist and then perform for the rest of the group. Photo courtesy of Walt Disney World Resort

master account at any of 30 major Orlando meeting properties, ranging from small, exclusive venues such as Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge to the Florida Hotel and Conference Center, The Buena Vista Palace Hotel & Spa, Orlando World Center Marriott Resort, the new Westin Imagine Orlando and The Peabody Orlando, one of just two Mobil Four-Star, AAA Four Diamond-rated properties in the city.

The list also includes leading independents such as the Rosen properties, and an easy-in, easy-out option such as the Renaissance Orlando Airport.

Transportation partners including Air Tran, JetBlue and Dollar Rent-A-Car are also supporting the program with special discounts.

Qualifying groups must book a minimum of 25 rooms on peak night and planners must specifically reference the “Orlando CVB 25th Anniversary Savings Celebration” to qualify. The program is now available to meetings already booked. Interested planners should complete the RFP available at orlandoconventions.com/25.

However, Sain said, the anniversary promotion is only one way his organization is helping planners through a difficult period. “We’re going beyond just a single promotion to become a full marketing and business partner to help meeting planners think more creatively, to problem-solve together, to be fully engaged in the success of the meeting on every level,” he said. “Meetings are about generating ideas — new ideas that can solve problems, drive revenue, reposition products and services, and provide direct contact with customers. There has never been a better time for this kind of activity.”

The Orlando CVB has ramped up its outreach to meeting planners. According to a recent report on National Public Radio, the CVB has hired college students to make 18,000 sales calls to meeting planners by the end of this year. Further, the report quoted Megan Tanel, vice president of exhibitions for the Association of Equipment Manufacturers, as finding negotiating room with some Orlando hotels willing to drop rates for rooms and meeting space, and to relax some policies with regard to length of stay. Tanel needed the concessions to help make up for lost revenue due to lower attendance.

Loews Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Orlando offers 750 guest rooms and 42,000 square feet of meeting space. Photo courtesy of Loews Hotels at Universal Orlando

Meanwhile, Disney, which operates six major meeting properties in Orlando, is joining in with a promotion for value-added services booked during selective dates this year.

Planners who book a meeting at Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club resorts or Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort during the qualifying dates are being offered a choice of value-added services that include an education program from the world-renowned Disney Institute, dining and networking opportunities in Walt

The rock climbing wall is just one of the physical tests of the Executive Challenge Course at Tampa’s Saddlebrook Resort. The challenge is designed to foster relationship building. Photo courtesy of Saddlebrook Resort

Disney World theme parks, a brainstorming session, branding package and meeting opener, or complimentary airport shuttle service.

“Unlike traditional hotel companies, Disney has a unique ability to bring unequaled value to meetings,” said George Aguel, senior vice president of Walt Disney Parks & Resorts. “And there has never been a better time for planners to tap these resources.

“It’s no secret that there’s more demand than ever before for planners to show the value meetings bring to their organizations and — just as important — how they’re getting the most value in producing those meetings,” Aguel said. “These new benefits answer that demand and are consistent with Disney’s effort to add value in new and creative ways. They follow other groundbreaking free services like Disney’s Magical Express and our new online check-in service. Best of all, these new value-adds let planners select one that brings the most benefit to their meetings, whether it’s content, convenience or creativity.”

The new, complimentary online check-in service allows attendees to pre-register for rooms, note arrival times and request room preferences within 10 days of their arrival dates. Planners can also arrange private group check-in at a Disney resort convention center or other locations.

The Disney Event Group offers creative and technical services for professionally produced entertainment and customized functions and events, including exclusive access to the Disney theme parks and entertainment venues.

The Disney Institute provides professional development programs presented by Disney leaders who share their core business practices and success strategies. Programs can include keynote speeches; customized, integrated training sessions; and in-depth multiday programs that include topics such as leadership excellence, quality service, organizational creativity, people management and loyalty.

Disney’s six convention resorts include: Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort (1,921 guest rooms/220,000 square feet of meeting space); Grand Floridian Resort & Spa (877/40,000); Contemporary Resort (655/115,000); Yacht Club Resort (621 guest rooms) and Beach Club Resort (576 guest rooms), which both

Endangered white rhinoceros make the 26-acre northern portion of the Serengeti Plain at Busch Gardens Tampa their home. The adventure park features a variety of venues to suit any size group, from 100–10,000 attendees, for all types of functions. Photo courtesy of Busch Gardens Tampa

share a 73,000-square-foot convention center; and BoardWalk Inn (372/20,000).

The Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin Resort, one of the area’s most popular and spacious meeting properties (with 2,265 guest rooms and 329,000 square feet of meeting space), is offering a 5 percent rebate to the master account for meetings booked by April 30 and held by December 31. For meetings booked by May 31, the discount is 4 percent and 3 percent for those booked by June 30. For meetings booking up to 200 rooms by June 30, value-added offerings include a one-hour cruise on the resort’s Fan-ta-sea, a food-and-beverage reception for up to 50 attendees, complimentary tickets to Disney’s Epcot theme park and one upgraded accommodation for every 10 rooms actualized.

The Orlando CVB’s effort seems to be paying off. While hotels and resorts across the country are experiencing a wave of cancellations and postponements of meetings, Harris Rosen, president and COO of Rosen Hotels & Resorts, said he has seen more planner site visits to his three properties since the new year than at any time he can remember. “We have a reputation for delivering value,” Rosen said. “The reason we can do that is that my company is debt-free. That is especially important in this climate.”

Universal Appeal

Meetings and incentives are frequently booked to coincide with major sporting events. Blaise Aldridge, senior vice president, corporate events for New York City-based NBC Universal, one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies, recently planned a client event for their major local and national

“Tropicool” Greater Miami and the Beaches attracted more than 857,000 meeting and convention attendees last year. Photo courtesy of Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau

advertising clients, which was held in conjunction with this year’s Super Bowl in Tampa.

“I have all the tools in place to host a successful event, because really who can match an opportunity to attend the Super Bowl as NBC’s guest?” said Aldridge. “However, my challenge is to find the right balance of events and venues to complement the exciting sporting event without taking away from the experience.”

No easy task, adds Aldridge, when she must appeal to the wide range of backgrounds, ages and ethnicities of their more than 800 clients. The proximity of Orlando to Tampa (only a 1½-hour motorcoach ride away) allowed Aldridge to consider all of the Loews Hotels at Universal Orlando: Portofino Bay Hotel (750 guest rooms/42,000 square feet of meeting space); Hard Rock Hotel (650/6,000); and Royal Pacific Resort (1,000/85,000).

After careful consideration, she selected the Loews Portofino Bay Hotel, which seemed like the perfect fit for her exclusive and wide demographic of clients.

She added in a Hard Rock Hotel late-night event to appeal the younger demographic. She also included optional activities ranging from tickets to the Universal parks, treatments at the onsite Mandara Spa, golf at the nearby Orange County National Golf Center & Lodge, and a cooking class and demonstration at the Hard Rock.

However, just like so many planners, Aldridge’s perfectly coordinated event threatened to unravel when the weather didn’t cooperate for their poolside, opening-night event.

“The hotel came to the rescue, rolled up their sleeves and brainstormed,” said Aldridge. “At the last minute, we moved the event inside. Unfortunately, we also had to create last-minute décor, and the hotel

The consummate South Florida shopping, dining and entertainment experience awaits at CocoWalk in Coconut Grove, a bayside village in the City of Miami. Photo courtesy of Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau

quickly suggested ideas that worked in the ballroom. The hotel staff just added the seamless frosting to the entire event and made me look good.”

Aldridge admitted that as a planner for NBC Universal she has the decided advantage of tapping into their company’s myriad collection of television stars to add even more excitement to the event.

“To highlight the great line-up of celebrities we have on our network and the value of our client’s advertising dollar,” said Aldridge, “we hosted a big party at Universal with a number of entertainers including Kyle Chandler, Jeff Goldblum, Zachary Levi and Jay Leno. Some celebrities mixed into the crowd, and others performed. On the stage, we brought in Fergie, an American singer, songwriter, fashion designer, model, and actress. It was a gamble, bringing in a pop singer, but she read the crowd and surprisingly mixed in music from hip-hop to oldies that appealed to all of our demographics.”

The finale, of course, was the trip to the Super Bowl in a fleet of coaches, which included a police escort to the stadium, a tailgate party and amazing seats.

“Our goal was to entertain our clients and make them feel good about their investment in NBC and preview what’s in the works for next season,” Aldridge said. “No event is perfect, but I think this one is a great example of how we can satisfy everyone.”

Tampa

“It’s like trying on six pairs of shoes and buying the first pair.” That’s how Audrey H. Davies described the process of site selection for an event she held last year in Tampa. Her third-party planner put the RFPs out there, but the first response from the InterContinental Tampa caught and held their attention.

Davies said, “I had shopped around, gathering RFPs, and this property was the first one I received. I continued to review others, happy to return to their proposal because it was just that good. If I had

This lavender-lit, 6,600-square-foot ballroom reflects the ultra-chic atmosphere at the new Gansevoort South Hotel, Spa and Residences. Located in the trendy Miami Beach neighborhood of South Beach, the 334-room oceanfront resort boasts spectacular outdoor spaces including a 26,000-square-foot rooftop venue. Photo courtesy of Gansevoort South Hotel, Spa and Residences

discovered this property sooner, I would’ve held more meetings here.”

As the senior manager, events management for the Atlanta, GA-based Home Depot USA Inc., Davies’ recent event in August was a required meeting for approximately 200 of the company’s Southern division of human resource teams. These “meetings of magnitude” require eight breakout rooms, a ballroom electronically well-equipped for their own production team, and an extremely knowledgeable in-house audio-visual team.

“Our meetings often begin early in the morning and continue into the after-dinner hour,” said Davies. “I don’t have time to walk through the halls to find audio-visual support. When equipment doesn’t work, it breaks the whole momentum of the meeting. The hotel’s audio-visual team showed up first thing in the morning to test the equipment and was at the ready if anything went awry.”

The InterContinental Tampa is centrally located in the heart of the city, within walking distance to several shopping and dining destinations, and convenient to the Tampa International Airport. The property boasts 17,000 square feet of meeting space, most of which was dedicated to her group.

Not many attendees get excited about mandated meetings, but Tampa as a destination provides just the right combination of warm winds and sandy beaches to attract attendees. Davies reports that not only did her attendees show up for the required meeting, but they were pleasantly surprised at the sophistication of the destination and comfort of the facilities.

Tampa is also a place to experience rich culture and heritage, evident in the Cuban-influenced district of Ybor City. The Cuban influence provides a perfect backdrop for themed receptions. At one reception, a steel drum band entertained attendees who practiced their limbo and networked in a casual setting.

Davies said that the InterContinental Tampa’s chef was over-the-top with his attention to detail. “The chef created the ‘taste of Tampa’ with Cuban-influenced action stations such as cubano sandwiches and a mashed potato ‘martini bar.’ My attendees commented on how good the food was, and I passed that on to the chef. Yet the chef remained in the background and never left the ballroom to personally make sure everything continued smoothly.”

As the Atlanta chapter president for the Green Meeting Industry Council, Davies was pleased to note that the Intercontinental Tampa was also recently recognized as an official member of the Florida Green Lodging Program at the One Palm level.

Tampa is a waterfront city, but its airport is not a hub, which translates into competitive round-trip rates. Strategically located with quick access to the Gulf of Mexico, Tampa is situated on Tampa Bay, Florida’s largest inlet. The area offers more than 20,000 area hotel rooms.

Among the renovated hotels are the rebranded Bay Harbor Hotel (formerly the Radisson Bay Harbor Hotel) and Crowne Plaza Tampa Westshore (9,000 square feet of meeting space); and the renovated Hyatt Regency Tampa (30,000 square feet of meeting space) and Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel & Marina (50,000 square feet of meeting space).

Newly opened is the Westin Tampa Bay Airport, which features 6,800 square feet of meeting space, including a 3,200-square-foot waterfront garden terrace. The first new resort to be built on Clearwater Beach in 25 years is the Sandpearl Resort & Spa with 25,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting space.

The Saddlebrook Resort is a perennial meeting favorite with 800 guest rooms, including 425 suites, and 95,000 square feet of meeting space with 34 breakout rooms. Free time is easily filled with tennis; hiking and biking; fishing; swimming in the heated outdoor pools; playing golf on the two Arnold Palmer signature 18-hole golf courses or taking a golf lesson from PGA pros at the world headquarters of the Arnold Palmer Golf Academy.

Another frequent stop for planners is the Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club near Tampa — host to an annual PGA Tour event and winner of a 2008 Corporate & Incentive Travel Greens of Distinction Award. Featuring 72 holes of championship golf, the property offers unique teambuilding opportunities, more than 65,000 square feet of meeting space and 620 guest rooms.

Tampa also offers many unique offsite venues. Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo recently opened the 17,000-square-foot Safari Lodge, an African courtyard-themed, indoor multi-use facility. Located in north Tampa, the TPepin’s Hospitality Centre joined forces with Busch Gardens Tampa Bay to present an out-of-this-world, 18,863-square-foot event center.

Greater Miami And The Beaches

Vibrant with the energy of Caribbean rhythms, Miami offers planners big-city sophistication, seductive beaches, renovated hotels, an improved transportation system and strengthened attractions. Last year, more than 857,000 delegates met in the “tropicool” environment of Greater Miami and the Beaches. Representing more than 210 hotels and three convention centers, the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau is a frequent winner of Corporate & Incentive Travel magazine’s Award of Excellence.

Constantly changing and reinventing itself, Miami doesn’t rest on its accolades. Here are some colorful additions to Miami’s meeting palette:

The $50 million renovation at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel, with more than 65,000 square feet of meeting space, will begin June 1 and wrap up by early November.

The Epic Hotel, a new waterfront boutique hotel in downtown Miami opened in December. All 411 rooms and suites feature balconies and views of the city or Biscayne Bay, and its 11,000 square feet with eight flexible meeting rooms are located on the 14th floor, with the same great views of the bay. Other amenities include a 13,752-square-foot wrap-around pool deck on the 16th floor, a private marina, a fine dining restaurant Area 31, and a spa and fitness center.

Always noteworthy is the historic Biltmore of Coral Gables. The Biltmore’s principal meeting facilities are located in the adjacent Conference Center of the Americas, a beautiful historic building. The Biltmore boasts 76,000 total square feet of function space, with an entire wing devoted exclusively to small meetings and breakouts.

The $10 million propertywide renovation at Hyatt Regency Coral Gables enhanced the hotel’s 18,000 square feet of meeting space.

Gansevoort South Hotel, Spa and Residences is the new southern outpost of Manhattan’s Hotel Gansevoort. The property’s spectacular outdoor venues include a 26,000-square-foot rooftop venue with ocean views and a 10,000-square-foot oceanfront terrace. Gansevoort South offers 334 guest rooms and 45,000 square feet of meeting space including six indoor meeting rooms and a 6,600-square-foot ballroom.

Miami Beach’s W South Beach is on target to open on June 1, 2009 with 312 guest rooms and more than 10,000 square feet of meeting space. Noteworthy amenities will include the W’s Wish Workshops, where attendees can engage in anything from chef training to yoga lessons.

The $1 billion renovation of the iconic Fontainebleau Miami has been completed and the property reopened to the public last fall. Several meetings have since taken place at the legendary property. Its 107,000 square feet of indoor meeting space makes it a perfect venue for large scale conventions, and its five conference suites and two permanent boardrooms offer the ultimate in small meetings.

Eden Roc, a Renaissance Beach Resort and Spa, completed a propertywide renovation late last year that included adding a new 21-story hotel tower. Eden Roc is located next door to the Fontainebleau and offers 46,000 square feet of indoor meeting space and 25,000 square feet of outdoor event space.

Visit Florida Offers Deals, Too

Uncovering the perfect and budget-friendly property can be as simple as logging on to Visit Florida’s comprehensive Web-driven guide, filled with detailed information about properties, unique venues and activities. Visit Florida is the state’s official tourism industry marketing organization, and their searchable Web site was developed with input from meeting planners.

Significant seasonal deals are available from the summer to early fall months. Reasonably priced group rates, group incentives such as credit to the master account, and complimentary food and beverage are just some of the possibilities available through Visit Florida.

Planners booking during off-season dates can take advantage of Visit Florida’s complimentary Cover Your Event (CYE) Insurance, a supplemental insurance intended to cover any costs directly related to re-booking a meeting should it be displaced due to a named hurricane.

Florida is a large and diverse state that offers a perfect fit for any group. Surrounded by water on three sides, the Florida peninsula is a no-passport-required tropical destination. Sunny skies and mild climate create the perfect setting for a meeting anytime. Budget-friendly seasonal values and passport-free travel for U.S. citizens simply adds to Florida’s appeal for meetings, events and incentive programs.    C&IT