Colorado’s wide open spaces, 300 days of sunshine and easy airlift make it an ideal destination to hold a meeting of any size. Courtesy of Visit Aurora

Colorado has long been considered to be the ideal playground for nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts. Certainly, the state has awe-inspiring vistas, majestic landscapes and thrilling outdoor adventures, but it also has become a beacon for association meeting and event planners who are looking for a combination of urban amenities and a stunning backdrop, be it for a weekend or an entire week of association events.

Discovering Denver

Not far from the mountains, Colorado’s capital city, Denver, is teeming with activity. The downtown area is home to more than 13,000 rooms close to the Colorado Convention Center, which is undergoing expansion scheduled to be completed later this year. New features there will include 80,000 sf of pre-function space and a 20,000 sf outdoor terrace. There are also more than 50,000 first-class hotel rooms in the area. Restaurants, breweries, museums and theaters abound, so there is plenty to do for attendees.

The Society of Actuaries, a global professional organization for actuaries headquartered in Schaumburg, IL, held a two-day program at the Hilton Denver City Center this summer. The program consisted of 150 attendees and that number increased to 265 during the graduation banquet at the conclusion of the event.

According to Lauren Kening, CMP, meeting planner and manager of professional education at the Society of Actuaries, when looking for locations, the organizations always take into consideration accessibility, affordability, accommodations and desirability.

“It is important to our attendees to travel to new locations while also staying in an affordable and safe environment,” Kening said. “The Hilton Denver City Center was a great fit for our group when it came to the availability of hotel rooms and meeting space at affordable rates.”

Many of the Society of Actuaries’ attendees are responsible for the cost of their own hotel rooms so the organization does take affordability very seriously on their behalf.

“Denver itself proved to be a very desirable location as it could meet the needs of not only our program but it accommodated attendees who chose to stay extra days for leisure,” Kening said. “They could easily leave the city to enjoy the outdoor activities Colorado has to offer. Or they could stay in Denver and attend a baseball game, visit a museum or enjoy a rooftop meal with drinks.”

For Kening, some of the key aspects of Colorado that are most appealing for association meetings and events attendees, as well as planners, are quite simple. The city a mile above sea level has a little bit of everything for everyone.

“There are several venue options to choose from,” Kening said. “You can find anything from convention centers and boutique hotels in the city to remote resorts in the mountains. Transportation is convenient in the Denver area where we were. You also can’t beat the weather. Colorado receives approximately 300 days of sunshine each year.”

Weather-wise, the Society of Actuaries did enjoy hosting their Denver-based program in June.

“During the late spring/summer months, we did not have to worry about snowy weather impacting travel,” Kening said. “This is something I would recommend planners consider.”

The 50th anniversary of XPONENTIAL, jointly hosted for the first time by Messe Düsseldorf North America (MDNA) in Chicago, IL, and the world’s largest association representing this industry, the Association for Uncrewed Vehicles International (AUVSI), was held this past spring in Denver at the Colorado Convention Center. XPONENTIAL is the leading U.S. trade show for uncrewed vehicles and robotic technologies.

According to co-organizer Tom Mitchell, president of MDNA, the XPONENTIAL 2023 exhibit hall showcased the vast range of uncrewed and autonomous technologies with significant industry participation including 600 companies who presented their products and services and 7,000 professionals who were engaged across three days of programming.

In addition, there were 41 companies who participated in Tech Pavilions, where they hosted demonstrations to get attendees face-to-face and hands-on with ground-breaking innovations from maritime, public safety, autonomous ground vehicles, cybersecurity and composites sectors.

U.S. Drone Soccer presented the Federation of International Drone Soccer Association’s (FIDA) International Drone Soccer Competition and 26 organizations and individuals were announced as winners of AUVSI’s sixth annual XCELLENCE awards and honored for their commitment to advancing autonomy.

“XPONENTIAL travels each year to a different city in the U.S. and it had previously been held in Denver, where the turnout and level of success was very good,” Mitchell said. “The Association for Uncrewed Vehicles International also has local chapters, including the Rocky Mountain Chapter which is particularly active. Further, there are numerous companies in and around the Denver area that are working on solutions in this field, making it a natural fit for the event’s rotation. Obviously, the ease of travel into Denver from around the world also plays an important role.”

As Mitchell further explained, the uncrewed systems industry is, of course, a very future-orientated industry and one that is in a constant state of flux and change, so many of the attendees come to the event not only to source product, but to learn about the changing regulatory landscape and to understand what they will need to do to prepare their business for the changes that autonomous technology will bring.

“With the state of Colorado playing an active role in this technology shift with a pavilion on the show floor, Denver is a natural place to hold this event,” Mitchell said. “With Denver’s large international airport, it’s very easy for anyone in the world to come to Denver with minimal hassle. Also, the Colorado Convention Center is a first-class exhibition facility, centrally located  downtown with many different hotels all within walking distance. So this makes it easy for exhibitors and attendees to get to the event, and save money on local transportation costs.”

Meeting in Aurora

Only 11 minutes from the Denver International Airport is the Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center in Aurora. This luxury hotel offers more than 500,000 sf of flexible meeting space. This includes the Aurora Ballroom and Exhibit Hall, which offers 179,520 sf of flexible meeting space, as well as several large ballrooms and flexible breakout space. Known for being the largest combined resort and convention center in the state, they can accommodate meetings from five people to 10,000.

They are set to increase the amount of function space with a new event pavilion, which will welcome attendees next year. It will include 12,118 sf of indoor event and pre-function space, more than 14,000 sf of outdoor terraces and patios and 15,000 sf of turfed lawn areas. They will be installing floor to ceiling windows, banquet space, a sky light and a refined indoor fireplace.

Also scheduled to be complete next year is a remodel of their Grand Lodge and re-conceptualization of three of its existing restaurants, as well as the addition of a new dining experience.

This is all part of Phase Two enhancements they are working on. Phase one is complete and included the addition of a new bar and restaurant concepts, a redesign of outdoor lawn spaces and the addition of dining terraces for two of their restaurants.

Retreating to Colorado Springs

Located about 70 miles south of Denver, Colorado Springs offers an environment that makes even the most intense association meetings and events feel like they are in a “retreat” setting. While it has all of the amenities of a first-tier city, it also offers a very different feel compared to “the big cities.” Its natural setting and temperate climate make it a relaxed atmosphere. And it has its own airport conveniently located about 10 miles from downtown. It also boasts more than 14,500 rooms and more than 450,000 sf of meeting space city-wide.

Recently, the Midwest Insulation Contractors Association (MICA), based in Dayton, OH, held its annual conference for Midwest Insulation Contractors Association members and their families in Colorado Springs. The 66th annual conference, which included opportunities for networking, social events and education, was held at the Cheyenne Mountain Resort with 150 including staff and speakers in attendance.

MICA is a professional association of commercial and industrial insulation contractors, abatement contractors, associate manufacturer/distributor and material supply firms, and affiliate firms that interact with the insulation industry.

“The beautiful resort, the ease of getting there, and all of the nearby activities offers plenty of family fun,” Rachel Pinkus, a meeting planner and executive director for MICA, said. “This group likes a destination where kids are welcome and it can be turned into a family vacation. Between the hotel and the CVB, planning was made easy. Association planners should make themselves aware of all of the extra activities the area has to offer so that it can be communicated to attendees well ahead of time so they can plan accordingly.”

There are also several new venues and developments that may pique the interest of association planners:

Three years ago, the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum opened in the heart of Downtown. Not only is it an award-winning must see, but it also offers opportunities to host private events.

The new Hotel Polaris, located at the U.S. Air Force Academy, will be opening the end of 2024 with 375 guest rooms and 26,000 sf of meetings space, including a 12,000 sf ballroom and 11,000 sf of pre-function space.

The Lodge at Flying Horse has added additional rooms and meeting space. Their new East Lodge, called The Barolo, features 3700 sf of function space. They also added a new high end restaurant, Fortezza, nearby. Overall, they boast more than 11,000 sf and more than 10,000 sf outdoors.

It’s important that association meeting planners plan ahead as Colorado Springs is a popular destination and you want to be sure you are able to find the perfect property at your preferred time of year. The Colorado Springs CVB provides pre-promotional materials along with videos to assist association meeting planners in building attendance, and of course, making sure their website is visible and easy to navigate.

Kelle Esherick, associate manager, meetings and conferences at Healthcare Distribution Alliance (HDA), a national association representing healthcare distributors in Washington, D.C., planned an event for HDA’s members, manufacturers and distributors that was almost like speed dating with one-on-one appointments, with discussions concerning future partnerships and business opportunities. Held at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, which has more than 315,000 sf of meeting and event space, the event had 600 attendees, many of who were drawn because of the beauty of the resort and the surrounding area.

“The attendees are high level executives, and we wanted a place where they could feel relaxed and have great appointments with colleagues,” Esherick said. “Colorado Springs allows attendees to experience something new. We had many attendees take advantage of the amenities and adventures on-site at The Broadmoor. It gives our attendees something to talk about during our networking events and allows planners to bask in the beauty as well.”

For planners considering Colorado Springs, Esherick advised that they make sure attendees are flying into Colorado Springs and not Denver.

“Also encourage people to extend their stay, and offer suggestions on the meeting website,” she said. “And let people know about changing weather – even in June!”

Choosing Fort Collins

Often called “The Choice City,” Fort Collins is emerging as the place to host association meetings and events. Thanks in part to its rich historical past, thriving arts and music scene, great food and drink options, attendees to association meetings and events have a wealth of opportunities before or after an event. There are also plenty of natural spaces to explore through hiking, biking, kayaking, rock climbing, rafting and snowshoeing within close proximity to downtown Fort Collins.

Recently, the Beet Sugar Development Foundation in Denver, held two, two-week beet sugar process schools at the Hilton Garden Inn in Fort Collins, Colorado. According to Heidi Giles, meeting planner and executive assistant at the Beet Sugar Development Foundation, the association event instructs beet sugar company employees and other technologists from across the U.S. in the fundamentals and beyond, on factory processes, their application to factory operations and the details of the practical operations of beet sugar processing.

“Our whole purpose is to kind of advance the research and processing of beet sugar,” Giles said. “Every year, we put on these two processing schools basically for people that work in the factories that process the sugar beets. We bring in instructors from all over the country with specialties, whether it’s environmental or throughout the different processes of processing the sugar beets to create sugar.”

In previous years, sessions were held in Denver, but the Beet Sugar Development Foundation decided to bring it back to Fort Collins, which is where the foundation is rooted.

“We also work closely with the USDA, which is based in Fort Collins, and the USDA does a lot of research on growing sugar beets,” Giles said.

The smaller environs that Fort Collins offers created an idyllic atmosphere for the attendees at the Beet Sugar Development Foundation’s training events.

Bohemian Boulder

Nestled below the foothills, Boulder is a bohemian college town, filled with a mix of culture and ideas. It is a great space for nature lovers with easy access to the mountains above. Pearl Street, a pedestrian mall, offers restaurants and shops for a relaxed atmosphere when not in meetings.

Recently, Colorado Governor Jared Polis hosted Western Governors’ Association’s (WGA) 2023 Annual Meeting at the legendary Boulder Theater, which offers space for up to 1000 attendees. The WGA featured six western governors in public policy discussions with senior administration officials, national thought leaders and industry experts, including EPA Administrator Michael Regan, Jenny Johnson, the president and CEO of Franklin Templeton and Kirsten Lynch, CEO of Vail Resorts, just to name a few.

When the association meeting planning team at WGA were scoping cities in Colorado to host the annual meeting, WGA’s Chair, Governor Polis, wanted to highlight Boulder as a destination for large meetings, especially as the area recovered from the devastating Marshall Fire in 2021. As his hometown, Governor Polis was also eager to showcase Boulder’s natural beauty and its robust downtown and Pearl Street Mall.

“The beauty of Boulder is undeniable and offered many activities for our attendees,” Amanda Nelson, association meeting planner at Western Governors’ Association, said. “Visit Boulder worked with several vendors to offer services through the activities page on our app, including hiking, e-bike tours, fly fishing, ghost tours and brewery tours. With an excellent food scene, Boulder also presented our attendees with a plethora of fun and relaxing dining options, which allowed attendees to unwind after a long day of in-depth policy discussions.

“Outside of the meeting room, WGA hosted several dinners and receptions at various locations around Boulder where the 425 meeting attendees were able to meet the governors and the meeting’s presenters for casual conversation and fun,” Nelson said.

“We decided to get creative and host the meeting in the Boulder Theater,” she added. “Our attendees loved being in a space with history and an ‘outside of the norm’ feel for meetings.” | AC&F |