The historic Gideon Putnam Resort & Spa, which reopens in the spring, offers more than 12,000 sf of meeting and event space in Saratoga Spa State Park in New York.

Hosting corporate events and meetings at historic venues offers a unique atmosphere that can leave a lasting impression on attendees. Filled with distinctive architectural elements, historical venues provide a sense of character, while requiring corporate meeting and event planners to embrace the unique logistical and accessibility challenges of these historical gems.

“Historic venues play a distinct role in elevating the guest experience at corporate events. They carry a legacy and a sense of occasion that you simply can’t build into a ballroom,” says Chris Weinberg, founder & CEO of Chris Weinberg Events. “The architecture, craftsmanship and cultural significance create an atmosphere that encourages people to connect more deeply with the purpose of the gathering. Attendees feel the impact the moment they walk in.”

For Weinberg and the corporations with which she works as a meeting planner, the appeal of historic venues is twofold: history and storytelling. As she explains, these venues immediately ground the event in something meaningful. The space does the heavy lifting – original materials, dramatic ceilings, iconic detailing – all offering visual and emotional value that is impossible to replicate in a newly constructed space.

Most recently, Weinberg and her team planned The Event Summit, a corporate leadership and education experience for 100 attendees, hosted inside the Historic Alfred I. DuPont Building in Downtown Miami. Built in the 1930s, it features over 8,000 sf of art deco architecture, including original brass accents, marble flooring, architecturally significant vault doors and limestone walls.

“Another prime example is The Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables — a National Historic Landmark known for its Mediterranean Revival architecture, stately ballrooms and legendary hotel history,” Weinberg says. “We’ve designed corporate celebrations and executive gatherings there as well.”

Michelle Hogan, executive producer at OVC Productions, has been an event designer and producer for over 25 years and has extensive experience planning events in all different types of venues. Her favorite venues are historic locations, as they have personality, unique architecture and interesting stories.

In Hogan’s experience, some of the key benefits of hosting a corporate event in a historic venue are the rich history and stories that come with an amazing space. “Having a historian or someone very familiar with a property can make for interesting diversions from the typical meeting content and really celebrate the history, culture and interesting occurrences that have happened at that venue,” Hogan says.

Hogan and her team orchestrated a corporate event at the Hotel Del Coronado in Coronado, CA. Built in 1888, this wonderfully iconic hotel was the playground for many of Hollywood’s elite and also the background for many movies filmed at this location.

“There were also romantic tragedies that happened at the venue so having a historian on property to share the wonderful attributes and stories about the hotel was such a benefit to the corporate meeting,” Hogan says.

Hogan also planned a corporate event at the Wabasha Street Caves in St. Paul, MN. These are caves built into the side of the hill that housed all of the gangsters that were running from Chicago.

“There are still bullet holes in the walls and hidden caverns behind the actual caves where they would hide during a raid,” Hogan says. “Doing an event in a space like this is 100% memorable.”

For Amy Green, co-founder and partner at BDI Events, historic venues are both timeless and unique. Their locations, architecture and design details have stood the test of time, and there is often nothing like them in a city.

“They also offer a ton of value in design and décor since so many beloved historic venues have such a rich palette to build upon for the event,” Green says. “In addition, they continue to be exciting draws for attendees — to either come back to a beloved place for a memorable special event or to experience it for the first time.”

When one of Green’s corporate clients wanted to make a memorable impact at an educational roadshow event in San Antonio, where else but the Alamo could offer that historic touch and broad appeal?

“As visitors to the Alamo know, the attraction can be quite busy, so in this case, hosting a private event offered exclusive access to the historic site where attendees wouldn’t have access on their own,” Green says. “This allowed guests to experience the Alamo in an entirely new, personalized and memorable way.”

With more than 15 years of experience in event planning, project management and operations, Leslie Taborga, director of strategic partnerships at GoGather, has led countless large-scale conferences, but her recent event at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C was one for the books.

Recently, Taborga and her planning team hosted over 1,200 attendees from a major tech user conference for an evening that merged the museum’s historic grandeur with modern event design.

The event featured creative lighting that brought the museum’s architecture to life, along with a lively dance floor and DJ, two custom lounge areas and colorful dining spaces inspired by the conference palette. A favorite element for attendees, many of whom work in construction, engineering and architecture, was the exclusive after-hours access to the “Brick City” exhibition, which showcased iconic buildings from around the world recreated entirely from LEGO bricks.

“Hosting a corporate event in a historic venue gives you a chance to tap into the story of the city you’re in. It gets attendees excited about where they are traveling to for your event,” Taborga says. “These spaces allow you to highlight local culture through food, music and design in ways that a standard ballroom just can’t.”

Taborga points out that historic event venues can also turn into an educational experience. “At our recent event at the National Building Museum in D.C., we were able to keep the Brick City exhibit open after hours, which gave attendees a fun and meaningful connection to architecture and design, which was perfect for our audience of construction and engineering professionals,” Taborga says. “And of course, the architecture itself is often stunning. The details, the scale, the history — it all creates a backdrop that instantly elevates the experience and makes the event feel one-of-a-kind.”

Remember the Alamo? The historic site has been undergoing a $550 million renovation and redevelopment while still open, which will be completed in 2027. Photo courtesy of Visit San Antonio

Battlefield Leadership, a leadership consulting and training company, recently orchestrated their corporate event at the Saratoga Arms Hotel, an historic boutique hotel and event venue in Saratoga Springs, NY. Battlefield Leadership plans executive leadership programs where they bring corporate groups together in historical locations. Group sizes vary from 12 to 30 people, and they work with clients across different industries, including financial services, insurance companies, agriculture and more.

According to Tess Ritchie, meeting logistics coordinator at Battlefield Leadership, historic venues offer more unique and memorable settings for corporate groups. “At a historic venue like Saratoga Arms Hotel, attendees also get a more personalized experience, as the hotel is on the smaller side and offers such a tailored experience. They are also able to stay right onsite and they always comment on how much they enjoy the fact that each guestroom is uniquely designed, unlike most chain or big box hotels,” Ritchie says.

Madison Doise, director of logistics at Battlefield Leadership, adds that historic locations and venues like Saratoga Arms Hotel are filled with interesting stories, past lives, architectural and design elements and so much more.

“Our planning and logistics team works hand in hand with Saratoga Arms Hotel’s onsite coordinators to seamlessly plan the unique and meaningful events and experiences,” Doise says.

Another popular historical site in Saratoga Springs is the Gideon Putnam Resort & Spa, which offers more than 12,000 sf of indoor/ outdoor meeting and event space. Located within the 2,200-acre Saratoga Spa State Park, the venue also has 124 guestrooms.

Embracing Challenges

Planning a corporate event at a historic venue comes with its own set of challenges. According to Weinberg, their uniqueness lies not only in their beauty, but also in the operational considerations that come with preservation and age.

“A few realities planners must navigate include load-in and load-out logistics, limited elevator access, fixed pathways and extended timelines,” Weinberg says. “There are also catering constraints as historic buildings lack built-in kitchens or require full mobile setups.”

In addition, marble floors and heritage materials gracing these venues often require specialty padding and coverings. Electrical access, rigging points and acoustics must be carefully assessed, and unmovable architectural features, décor, staging and attendee flow must adapt to the environment.

“Every space — from a former bank with vault doors to a landmark hotel with irreplaceable stonework — tells you what it will allow,” Weinberg says. “Yet, the payoff is worth it. When the attendee walks into a venue layered with decades of history and remarkable design, the event becomes more than a program — it becomes a moment in time they will always remember. I believe that’s the true value of hosting corporate events in historic venues: You’re not just creating an experience — you’re honoring a legacy.”

Hogan’s advice for fellow corporate event planners — when entertaining the thought of doing an event in a historic venue, while they do have character, charm and fabulous stories, you must take into account buildings built before 1920 always have power challenges.

“If you’re going to have quite a large production and your power is needed for a large LED walls, lighting and audio, make sure to check that out as you’re going through the site visit so that there aren’t any challenges during your event,” Hogan says. “Another consideration is older venues typically have columns throughout the ballroom space due to their original construction of holding up the building so site lines can be an issue. This is just something to keep in mind while drawing out your floor plans. And the final caveat would be the lack of infrastructure for rigging as far as putting truss in the ceiling, rigging lights from the ceiling and also projection. Once you overcome these challenges, look forward to an amazing event in an equally amazing venue.”

In Green’s opinion, historic venues are amazing, but she agrees that sometimes small details like electricity, power and Wi-Fi can be tricky. When older venues were built, it was often with much less wattage, circuits and outlets than we are accustomed to in newly built spaces.

“It’s always a good idea to make sure your venue partners are helping to access your activations and power needs and help with a plan to make sure no circuits are blown in the course of the event,” Green says. “Also, check the acoustics, and maximize your AV set up in a space that may not have it built in.”

As an event planner based in Pittsburgh, PA, Kristin Kane, owner of Kristin Kane Events, has a wealth of historic venues from which to consider thanks to Philadelphia’s historical significance.

For Kane, hosting a corporate event in a historic venue adds an instant sense of character and sophistication. As she explains, these spaces bring built-in ambiance such as grand architecture, beautiful details and a story behind every wall. Features like this tend to make an event feel more intentional and memorable.

“Attendees are drawn to the charm and prestige of a setting with history, and the unique backdrop often elevates photos, branding and the overall experience,” Kane says. “Choosing a historic venue also reflects a connection to the community and a respect for craftsmanship that modern spaces can’t quite replicate.”

Kane says that hosting an employee appreciation event at the historic Penn Theater in Butler, PA, a suburb of Pittsburgh, offered something truly special for attendees. The restored art deco details and vintage charm created an atmosphere that felt both elevated and nostalgic, which was perfect for an evening that blended business with celebration.

“The venue’s history as a local landmark added depth to the experience, giving attendees a sense of connection to the community while enjoying a modern, well-curated event,” Kane says.

Another corporate event held in the boardroom above Your Parent’s Basement in Butler, PA, a suburb of Pittsburgh, offered a completely different kind of experience, one inspired by Disney’s Haunted Mansion. According to Kane, the historic architecture of the building provided the perfect foundation for the eerie, elegant theme. “Every detail, from the lighting to the décor, played into the immersive atmosphere, creating a memorable balance of sophistication and whimsy,” Kane says. “It was a creative use of a local historic space that showcased how even a boardroom can be transformed into something truly unforgettable.”

As long as you take into account the challenges intrinsic to choosing a historic venue, you are sure to make a statement with your attendees when selecting a space from a bygone era. If done with care, your event will be one that might just go down in history. C&IT