The perfectly stunning spectacle of this daring pianist on a precipice makes you forget for a moment all the trepidation that the economic downslide has brought to the meetings industry in Arizona. And heaven knows, planners and attendees are as much in need of uplifting moments as the state’s hospitality industry.

And so we’d like to revel in the positive for a moment longer and describe this splendidly unique venue: Phoenix is known for its iconic Camelback Mountain, and the destination management company USA Hosts/Circa Arizona recently found a way to use the landmark to deliver that all-important “wow” factor for a group. First, they worked with Bella Palazzo, a company that specializes in renting luxurious private homes, to reserve a 9,200-square-foot villa set high on Camelback Mountain. As if that weren’t dazzling enough, they hired pianist Lisa Pressman of the entertainment firm Opus Fromus to perform for guests on a baby grand piano set atop a mirrored platform that floated on the home’s negative-edge pool. A classic Southwest sunset and the lights of the city far below enhanced the stunning setting to create a very memorable event.

Lauren Abbl, CMP, CTA, general manager of USA Hosts/Circa Arizona said, “The home can be used a variety of different ways for corporate events. The most spectacular way, of course, is to use it as a private venue for an upscale group dinner. When guests walk into the home, their jaws just drop. As they move through the home and out to the patio, they become even more awestruck from the views.”

Reality Check

The power to inspire attendees comes easily to Arizona, with its natural wonders and first-class venues. But like so many

Surrounded by the sweeping vistas of Camelback Mountain, Mummy Mountain, Pinnacle Peak and the McDowells, Kierland Golf Club at the Westin Kierland Resort & Spa in Scottsdale is immersed in the expansive beauty of the Sonoran Desert. Photo courtesy of Greater Phoenix CVB

other perennially popular meeting destinations across the country, Arizona has been hit hard by the sagging economy and the resulting backlash of corporate meeting cancellations. Luckily for meeting planners, there’s a bright and shiny silver lining in this dark cloud: The state’s hotels and resorts are now offering incredible rates and deals to entice corporate groups to return.

“Arizona has obviously been touched by this economic downturn,” explained Debbie Johnson, president and CEO of the Arizona Hotel & Lodging Association. “In my opinion, there has never been a better time to bring meetings here because the properties are being so competitive in what they’re offering. So for those people who are out there who have said we can’t do Arizona, or Arizona is too far, or Arizona is too expensive, or any of those concerns they might have had, there has never been a better time.

“About 70 percent of our properties’ business comes from corporate and incentive-type travel,” she continued. “So obviously, with the hit they have taken, they have to step back and look at ways to be more competitive and offer some flexibility. I think that what we’re seeing right now is that the deals and the flexibility that these properties are offering are really unprecedented.”

Johnson shared a few examples. “(The properties) are working on attrition and really being flexible on food and beverage, and making sure that they’re covering site inspections, which most places have done, but now they’re being even more generous. I think you’re seeing a lot of benefits that we haven’t seen in years past because there hasn’t been a need, and I think that’s very positive for event planners. I think that’s going to continue at least through this year. We are seeing rates right now that we haven’t seen in seven to 10 years.”

A Forward-Looking Approach To Meetings

Dillian Waldron is vice president, events for the Human Capital Institute headquartered in Washington, DC. Her company decided to forge ahead with its March meeting at The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa in Scottsdale at a time when other companies were cancelling theirs.

She explained her company’s reasoning. “The program was planned two years in advance and even though the economy had taken a dip and these are challenging times, at the same time there’s opportunity for organizations. We work specifically with human resource and talent management and talent within organizations. So it was good for folks to get together to talk about some of the challenges they’re experiencing and things they can be doing right now and into the future as we move out of this downturn. We’re not always going to be down in this kind of economy and so the idea is to look at the opportunities ahead of us.”

Waldron knew this was the right decision by the sheer number of attendees who registered for the three-day summit. The event attracted approximately 400 senior management professionals from throughout the U.S., director level and higher, who are responsible for the employees in their companies. “They enjoyed the program immensely,” she said. “They look forward to the opportunity to talk and share some of their struggles and some of their challenges and look for solutions together.”

Waldron also credited the staff at The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa for their help in making the meeting happen during a difficult economic time. “They were very helpful in working with me. Again, looking at this downturn, we saw that people were taking much longer to register for programs. The Westin was very creative in working with us to look at ways that we can reduce the cost and entice people to come to the area,” she said, noting the special rates and promotions The Westin offered. “That was very helpful to us.”

The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa recently increased its function space by 8,000 square feet with the addition of two new outdoor areas: Vista Morada delivers scenic mountain views while Drinkwater’s Park serves as a more casual venue at the resort’s adventure pool. The resort offers a total of more than 183,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor function space, and 819 accommodations including guest rooms, suites and casitas.

The Scottsdale Scene

No need for a convention center in Scottsdale, which specializes in wowing small to mid-sized groups with its meetings-friendly resorts (70), scenic golf courses (200), galleries and museums (125), restaurants (600), spas (25) and a multitude of recreational options from eco-tours to hot-air ballooning.

The Scottsdale Convention & Vis­itors Bureau recently launched its Signature Scottsdale Experiences campaign, which gives planners value-added options to justify spend in a premier meetings destination (see box at left).

Diane Gallagher, who helps plan an annual partners meeting for the Philadelphia-based international law firm Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, has gained plenty of firsthand experience about what makes Scottsdale an appealing meeting destination. Her group of more than 500 attendees has met at The Fairmont Scottsdale several times in the past and has booked the property for 2010 and 2012 as well.

“We really like Scottsdale. It’s fabulous,” she explained. “Our meetings are usually in October. The weather is so conducive for doing so much outside and that’s the big draw. We try to gear all of our meals for outdoors, and do everything we can, once their meetings are over, to get them outside.” Those outdoor activities include a partners golf tournament. The Fairmont is conveniently located adjacent to two TPC golf courses. The group was also given a choice of activities such as rafting, indoor rock climbing, horseback riding, biking and hiking in the desert. The offsite adventures were handled by The Fairmont’s onsite destination management company, View Arizona.

Gallagher’s attendees find a lot to like about The Fairmont. “They love the atmosphere,” she said. “We’re a very big organization, so when we’re there, we’re pretty much the only folks there. They like the feeling that you’re the center of attention. The service you get is impeccable. They can never do enough for you. I haven’t run into anybody there that hasn’t been a pleasure to work with.”

The Fairmont Scottsdale offers 649 guest rooms and suites, 53,000 square feet of indoor meeting space and more than 200,000 square feet of outdoor function space.

New and noteworthy in Scottsdale.

Scottsdale’s new Talking Stick Resort is on schedule to make its debut in early 2010. Talking Stick will feature 497 deluxe hotel rooms (including 15 luxury suites), a spa, 36 holes of Troon-managed golf, more than 50,000 square feet of indoor meeting areas and an equal amount of outdoor function space. The resort also will include the 240,000-square-foot Casino Arizona at Talking Stick Resort as well as a showroom that can accommodate more than 750 guests.

The 647-room Phoenician, with 64,000 square feet of meeting space, will complete the new 15,000-square-foot Camelback Ballroom later this year.

The Scottsdale Resort & Conference Center recently unveiled a new Web site specifically for meeting planners that includes Benchmark Conference Plan meeting packages and value pricing options as well as an expedited RFP process. The resort offers 326 accommodations and 50,000 square feet of indoor meeting space plus nearly 80,000 square feet of outdoor function space. Planners are offered a value meetings package for meetings that take place by December 31, 2009: $199/person/night includes guest accommodation, basic audio-visual, meeting space, two refreshment breaks and three meals daily in the Vista Verde Dining Room.

Celebrating 35 years of independent ownership, the 404-room Scottsdale Plaza Resort accommodates groups of 10 to 1,000 attendees in its 40,000 square feet of meeting space, which includes the El Teatro Amphitheatre, a 90-seat tiered classroom. Group Value Dates for 2009 are available throughout July and August, and September 1–14; 18–23 and 26–30. Plaza Planners, the onsite conference services managers, create customized teambuilding and themed events as well as provide one-on-one assistance for high-level incentive gatherings, national sales meetings, new product launches, and motivational and training seminars.

The Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts will reopen its newly renovated Virginia G. Piper Theater in October. The venue, which seats 828 attendees, is currently taking reservations for group events.

Downtown Phoenix Keeps Rising

The centerpiece of Phoenix’s newly revitalized downtown district is the 2.7-million-square-foot Phoenix Convention Center, which completed a $650 million expansion project in January that tripled the facility’s meeting and exhibit space to 900,000 square feet. The LEED-certified facility boasts green features such

A mariachi band entertains during the Smithsonian CultureFest, which takes place in Phoenix and Scottsdale every November. Photo courtesy of Scottsdale CVB

as a water-harvesting garden that captures condensation from the building’s heating and cooling system to use for landscape irrigation.

A trio of properties that cater to group business are located adjacent to the convention center. They are the new 1,000-room Sheraton Phoenix Downtown Hotel with 80,000 square feet of meeting space; the 530-room Wyndham Phoenix Hotel (60,000 square feet); and the 712-room Hyatt Regency Phoenix (55,000 square feet).

Phoenix’s new $1.4 billion light rail system, which began service late last year, has also had a huge impact on downtown Phoenix. The light rail makes it easy for attendees to travel to and from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport as well as to nearby restaurants, museums and other attractions.

New and noteworthy in Phoenix. The AAA Four Diamond, all-suite Arizona Grand Resort recently put the finishing touches on its $52 million makeover that included renovations to all 640 suites, the addition of 96 brand new luxury villas, a new resort lobby, additional dining venues, an expanded spa, a refreshed golf course, and improvements and updates to the resort’s conference center. The resort offers more than 117,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting and event space.

The 500-room Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort & Spa in Phoenix recently unveiled a new 15,000-square-foot ballroom, two more meeting rooms and nearly 9,000 square feet of additional prefunction space. The new additions bring the resort’s total meeting space to 70,000 square feet. The resort’s Native American-inspired fine dining restaurant, Kai, was recently awarded the prestigious 2009 AAA Five Diamond Award, the Mobil Four Star Award, and was named “Best Restaurant in the Valley” by the 2009 Zagat guide.

The historic Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa celebrated its 80th anniversary in April with the grand opening of its hotel-within-a-hotel concept, Ocatilla at Arizona Biltmore. The three-story addition includes an executive lounge, private pool and 120 luxurious guest rooms with Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired interiors. The Arizona Biltmore offers 738 units and 100,000 square feet of meeting and exhibit space.

Tucson Territory

In southern Arizona, Tucson’s Lodge on the Desert recently completed a $15 million expansion which added 69 rooms to the property’s inventory. Originally built as a private residence, the lodge opened its doors to guests in 1936. It now contains 103 rooms equipped with memory foam beds, luxury linens, HDTVs and complimentary wired and wireless Internet. Many of the newly added rooms feature beehive gas fireplaces.

The new Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain, also set in southern Arizona, will be completed by early next year. The luxury

A filming session at Old Tucson Studios, where up to 5,000 attendees can be accommodated for custom-designed events set in the authentically recreated 1800s Western town. Photo courtesy of Metropolitan Tucson CVB

property will feature 250 guest rooms and a spa. Meeting space will include three ballrooms of 9,000, 5,000 and 2,100 square feet, three lawn areas, four meeting rooms and a boardroom. The adjacent 27-hole Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course has already opened. Golf fans may recall that The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Dove Mountain was the site where Tiger Woods made his much-anticipated return to competition in the Accenture World Match Play Championship earlier this year.

The Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa in Tucson received high accolades in a recent survey: Planners ranked the property No. 1 for meeting planner satisfaction out of 151 Westin properties worldwide.

Planners searching for an eco-friendly property may want to consider booking the JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort & Spa for their event. Since it opened in 2005, the resort has donated 330 acres of pristine desert land to Tucson Mountain Park for preservation purposes. The resort also uses xeriscaping (low water use landscaping), irrigates its golf course with reclaimed water and maintains an organic garden onsite.

In cooperation with the city’s top resorts, The Metropolitan Tucson Convention & Visitors Bureau is offering to treat qualified planners to three nights of lodging and round-trip airfare to conduct an individualized site tour for an upcoming program. More information is available at tucsononus.com. The same site offers details on significant savings groups can earn for programs booked and actualized in 2009. The savings run from $1,000 for a program with 25–50 peak rooms for two nights to $20,000 for 201 or more peak rooms for a minimum of two nights.

Scenic Sedona

L’Auberge de Sedona, located just two hours north of Phoenix in Arizona’s magnificent red rock country, is marking its 25th anniversary with a $25 million expansion project. The project, which is scheduled to be completed this summer, includes the addition of 20 hillside cottages, a new spa, fitness center and yoga studio. The property’s existing 56 cottages are undergoing a redesign, and the resort’s signature dining venue, L’Auberge Restaurant on Oak Creek, is being redesigned to ensure that every table has a creekfront view. The intimate atmosphere lends itself to focused meetings in five indoor meeting rooms and memorable events in four outdoor spaces.

The 220-room Enchantment Resort, with its panoramic views of Sedona’s inspiring landscape, is in the midst of a $20 million expansion project to update meeting space, accommodations and amenities over the next three years. The first phase of the project, to be completed this fall, will add 7,000 square feet of event space to the existing 9,000 square feet of indoor space. An additional outdoor banquet space of more than 20,000 square feet takes advantage of the magnificent red-rock scenery. (See meetings offer on page 7.)

The Hilton Sedona Resort & Spa is offering planners “three heavenly reasons” to bring their groups to their property. Incentives for attendees include 15 percent off the best available rate for spacious one-bedroom suite accommodations and complimentary access to the Hilton Spa and fitness center. Groups receive a choice of incentives that include 50 percent off meeting space and VIP upgrades. Planners get special treatment, too. They get their choice of a complimentary spa treatment, round of golf for two, or double HHonor Points and miles.

Now Is The Time

Johnson stressed how important it is for organizations to continue to have responsible meetings and encourage responsible business travel, even in tough economic times. “If you tell me you don’t want your doctor going to a meeting to see the latest, greatest technology or learning the latest, greatest thing, how crazy is that? We all need to be up to date, and people get updated information and updated technology by attending meetings. This is how business gets done. It’s not just critical for our day-to-day lives, it’s critical for our economy and for the future of where our cities and states and towns are going.”

She also wanted to remind meeting planners about one important fact. “These deals aren’t going to be around here for very long. We know the economy is going to come back. We know that Arizona tourism is going to come back. So let’s take advantage of these deals while we can.”    C&IT