Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center, in Aurora, offers more than 500,000 sf of meeting and event space.

Colorado continues to draw meeting planners seeking destinations that can deliver both operational efficiency and memorable attendee experiences. With major convention infrastructure, integrated resort properties and unique venues across the state, planners are finding ways to build programs that scale without sacrificing engagement.

Sharon L. Schenk, CMP, director of conventions and event management at CCA Global Partners, Inc., in Manchester, NH, notes that balance was essential when planning the organization’s winter convention at the Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center in Aurora.

“CCA Global Partners holds its winter convention annually,” Schenk says. “We bring together our members, our exhibitors and our staff for three days, with up to 2,300 people.”

The program is built around a mix of education, networking and business development, requiring a venue that can support multiple formats simultaneously.

“It starts with a full day of educational topics — up to 40 from which to choose,” Schenk says. “After a day of learning, we have our welcome event where there is an opportunity to network in a casual atmosphere. The next day, we have general sessions and networking lunches. That afternoon, we open our 110,000-sf exhibit hall floor.”

The exhibit hall, which serves as both a business hub and a networking environment, is a key component of the program. The energy of that space is central to the event’s success.

“The evening on our floor is always lively and high energy as our exhibitors and members connect, negotiate and do good business,” she says. “The next day is general session for all members, an afternoon of exhibit hall, and then a stellar closing event.”

Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center offers 526,457 sf of meeting and event space with the largest space accommodating up to 10,000 people. With more than 70 event rooms there is sure to be something perfect for any size meeting. For those who want to venture outside for better mountain views, their Grand Lodge Lawn is available, as well as their Mountain View Event Pavilion. The center also offers more than 1,500 guestrooms.

When not in meetings, attendees can sit back and relax at the Relâche Spa, work out at the state-of-the-art fitness center or enjoy the waterpark before heading to one of the five restaurants for a nice meal before getting ready for the next day of events. The property is only 12 to 15 minutes from Denver International Airport.

Everything in One Place

For large conventions, the ability to centralize operations is a major advantage, and that was a deciding factor for Schenk.

“We have had summer programs at the Gaylord Rockies ever since they opened,” she says. “This was our first winter convention there and it was a huge success.”

The property’s all-in-one model allowed her team to streamline logistics.

“The Gaylord Rockies has everything we need under one roof — enough spacious guestrooms to accommodate our entire group, a great ballroom, lots of contiguous exhibit space, huge lobby bar, an assortment of restaurant outlets and recreational facilities, wonderful banquet food and, best of all, exemplary staff,” Schenk says.

The Broadmoor, in Colorado Springs, offers many amenities, including a lakeside pool with a scenic view.

Access Drives Attendance

Accessibility remains one of Colorado’s strongest advantages, particularly for large national meetings. Denver International Airport continues to serve as a central hub, making travel manageable for attendees across the country.

“Being so close to Denver International Airport is an added bonus,” Schenk says. “That makes airlift from around the country pretty seamless.”

Amanda Solon, senior global events manager at Epicor Software in Lenexa, KS, saw similar benefits when bringing an 815-attendee meeting to the same property.

“The airlift and proximity to Denver International Airport made travel especially convenient for our global audience,” Solon says.

Designed for Flow

Venue design also plays a critical role in supporting large programs, particularly those with multiple tracks and large exhibit components.

“The property offers convenient access between guestrooms and the convention center, a well-designed mix of ballroom and breakout spaces, and numerous amenities ideal for a large sales kickoff,” Solon says.

Ease of navigation helped attendees stay focused on the program rather than logistics.

“The meeting space is extremely intuitive, with three stacked levels featuring consistent layouts that simplify navigation,” she says. “The large pillarless exhibit hall provided excellent flexibility for exhibits and meals.”

A City That Works

Denver’s broader meetings ecosystem continues to support large programs with walkability, hotel proximity and built-in entertainment. Attendees can easily move between venues, restaurants and attractions without relying heavily on transportation.

Ari Goldsmith, vice president of marketing & digital media at KeHE in Naperville, IL, notes that accessibility contributed to a successful 5,000-attendee event that she planned.

“The Colorado Convention Center served as a strong host venue, set against the vibrant backdrop of the Rocky Mountains,” Goldsmith says.

The convention center offers more than 2.2 million sf of meeting and event space overall, including several large ballrooms and a 5,000 seat theater. It is within walking distance to nearly 13,000 hotel rooms. Attendees will find plenty to do in the area, as there are hundreds of restaurants, theaters and shopping outlets nearby.

Planners also point to Colorado’s ability to keep attendees engaged outside of scheduled sessions.

“Ranked as one of the most walkable urban centers in the nation, downtown Denver offered attendees seamless flexibility to explore the Mile High City before, during and after the show,” Goldsmith says.

That flexibility translated into meaningful off-site participation. During the show, several attendees took in a Colorado Avalanche hockey game at Ball Arena, she says. “Others chose to extend their stay to venture beyond the city limits, traveling to the mountains for skiing, snowboarding or visiting Red Rocks.”

The overall response reflected that engagement, with 97% of attendees reporting being satisfied.

The Big Blue Bear welcomes visitors to the Colorado Convention Center in Denver.

Resort Appeal

Outside of the Denver area, resort destinations provide a different type of meetings experience, particularly for incentives and smaller programs. These properties allow planners to combine structured meetings with built-in recreation and relaxation.

Amanda Ruebl, senior meeting event manager at Maritz in St. Louis, MO, selected The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs for a 300-attendee incentive program.

“The client has operated several programs here before and decided to return due to the high level of service, beautiful scenery and ideal location in the foothills,” Ruebl says. “The Broadmoor is always a popular trip.”

One advantage of resort environments is the ability to create multiple experiences within a single property.

“The layout of Broadmoor West was ideal for the morning meetings, group breakfasts and lunches,” Ruebl says. “We were able to create two completely different experiences with one night on the lawn and one evening at the property’s Cheyenne Lodge.”

Those shifts in setting helped maintain attendee interest. “The attendees love the resort feel of The Broadmoor,” Ruebl says.

Programming in Colorado often extends beyond traditional meetings, incorporating activities that reflect the destination’s outdoor and lifestyle appeal.

“While the main attendees were in morning meetings, their guests had the option to join a cooking class or bouquet-making class,” Ruebl says. “This client sponsored spa, golf, hiking, biking, jeep tours and Cog rail tours each afternoon.”

The Broadmoor sits on the southern edge of the Rocky Mountains on 5,000 acres of land. The property offers 315,000 sf of indoor and outdoor meeting and event space.

The AAA Five Diamond Resort offers everything that an attendee would want from fine dining to a spa and fitness center and golf courses. But its most prominent attraction is that it is a perfect escape for nature lovers offering plenty of places to hike, fish, zipline, white water raft, rock climb or see majestic waterfalls.

Unique Venues

Colorado also offers venues that provide a more customized approach to meetings, particularly for groups seeking flexibility.

Hotel Polaris in Colorado Springs is often chosen for its location and amenities. Nestled in the Rocky Mountains next to the U.S. Air Force Academy, the venue is perfect for inspiring meetings. They have some great amenities that teams will enjoy. The most unique feature is that it offers the only in-hotel flight simulators. Groups can set up teambuilding competitions. They also have a falconry program where groups can get up close and personal with birds such as falcons, hawks and eagles. At night, the hotel has a Celestial Navigation program to learn more about constellations and navigation techniques.

When it comes to creating events, the hotel offers plenty of space. They have 26,000 sf of expansive indoor meeting space on one dedicated floor with floor-to-ceiling windows, a 12,000 sf ballroom, which can accommodate more than 1,000 people, as well as a 6,000 sf junior ballroom, seven meeting rooms and two dedicated boardrooms. In addition, there is more than 11,000 sf of pre-function space.

There is also a rooftop bar on the ninth floor, in addition to other restaurants and bars, an outdoor pool and sundeck and a spa and fitness center.

Besides all the amenities, Hotel Polaris also has great airlift, being only 30 minutes from the Colorado Springs Airport and only an hour from the Denver-metropolitan area.

A Destination That Delivers

Across meeting types and group sizes, planners continue to return to Colorado for its ability to combine accessibility, infrastructure and experience. |C&IT|