Networking was the focus of HPSI’s National Meeting & Tradeshow in Salt Lake City. In one activity, attendees selected three different hiking paths based on their level of proficiency, ending up at three different summits, respectively. Steve Borgquist, EVP national accounts (standing right, blue shirt no hat), says the hiking activity allowed the conversations to keep going and “corresponded with our theme, Race to the Summit.” EVP of sales Kirk Hess is pictured sitting in front, white hat. Credit: Kirk Hess

Training, strategizing, motivating, marketing. All of these are among the typical objectives of meetings and events. Networking among participants, on the other hand, often happens as a byproduct of the activities during the meeting. Attendees have opportunities to get to know each other at receptions, dinners, sessions, exhibit hours, city tours and so forth. But companies that truly appreciate the value of networking treat it as more than an afterthought, proactively fostering introductions and relationship building among attendees.

The value of networking is clear across different types of meetings: National sales meetings, for example, will often convene representatives who have not had much or any face-to-face interaction. Client-facing meetings clearly benefit from host company representatives and potential clients developing a rapport. And even peer-to-peer networking among external attendees can benefit the host company, insofar as attendees will realize the company has created the environment for those connections to be made.

“Making it all about networking turned out to be a really powerful strategy, because people were in great moods and almost forgot that they were really working.” — Kathryn Jurgensen

“We definitely understand the value of peer-to-peer networking, and if we can be the host to those opportunities, it typically has a ‘halo effect’ for us,” notes Karen Zunkowski, director, global events at Landesk, a South Jordan, Utah-based software company. With this principle in mind, Landesk is proactive about facilitating networking at its user groups and other events. Indeed, one should not assume that  networking will happen automatically in the context of a meeting. “It doesn’t always come naturally” to them, she observes. “You do kind of have to encourage the typical IT manager, the core delegate that we come in contact with, to interact a little bit.”

Networking-Focused Meetings

A fine example of prioritizing networking in the design of a meeting comes from the HPSI’s four-day National Meeting & Tradeshow, most recently held in August at The Grand America Hotel in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Irvine, California-based healthcare group purchasing organization welcomed about 500 attendees to the event, including exhibitors, customers and HPSI representatives.

Kathryn Jurgensen, CEO of Raleigh, North Carolina-based Premier Meetings & Recognition, planned the event, and in her experience, the overt emphasis on networking was uncommon. “Usually companies try to create networking but they act like they’re not; it’s kind of under the rug. But this year HPSI unabashedly made it all about networking.” The approach worked. “The thing that most of us noticed right away, during days one and two, is that making it all about networking turned out to be a really powerful strategy, because people were in great moods and almost forgot that they were really working.

“It produced this almost perfect synthesis of camaraderie and business opportunities, so nobody felt odd about approaching somebody. I’ve gotten feedback from sponsors, VIPs and employees on the event, and I’ve never had this many compliments on a meeting.”

Part of the strategy was to limit both the number of vendors attending and the amount of training sessions for HPSI salespeople. As to the first, “we used to have about 120 vendors during the three-hour period (of the trade show), but the opportunities to spend good, quality time with our vendors significantly diminished,” explained Kirk Hess, executive vice president, sales with HPSI. “So we determined our top vendors and limited it to 60 for the morning trade show, 60 for the afternoon. That way our vendors got quality time with our sales folks, and they were able to really talk about the product offering as well as building that relationship. There were other networking opportunities for vendors who didn’t make the cutoff, such as webinars and conference calls.”

As to the training sessions, “in the past, our four days would have been filled with training,” says Hess, “not just at the trade show but then at breakout sessions where they’re meeting with vendors and getting training. This year, we really trusted our folks: ‘We’re giving you a three-hour block of time now, please fill it and use the vendors that are onsite and the VIP customers to build those relationships.’ Fortunately, they really came through and did just that.”

But HPSI and Premier Meetings & Recognition did much more than simply allot more time for networking. “One thing we really tried to do this year was to get the interaction with both the VIPs and our vendors happening in different types of environments,” notes Steve Borgquist, executive vice president, national accounts with HPSI.

Creating varied opportunities for networking is indeed one of the psychological keys to fostering it successfully. Whether or not a person becomes more outgoing among his or her fellow attendees can depend on the setting and situation. So, it makes sense to offer as many different networking environments as possible during the meeting.

Receptions and Cocktail Parties

Receptions and cocktail parties are typically the first that come to mind as networking vehicles. However, it often happens that only those who are naturally inclined to making new connections will do so, and the goal is to get everyone conversing with those outside their familiar circle of acquaintances. Host-company representatives can help to facilitate that by making introductions. Sales reps, for example, can introduce clients to each other, or even organize gatherings that are likely to lead to new connections. “Oftentimes sales reps will host their customers after our evening event and sometimes combine their customers because they know they have similar interests or challenges that they’re working on,” says Zunkowski.

One limitation to receptions and cocktail parties, she points out, is C-level executives who might not perceive much value in attending them. And these are just the individuals that many attendees will want to connect with. “Depending on who they are, they may go for a while for the food and drinks and then leave unless there’s something compelling to hold them there,” she explains.

“Typically there would need to be a specific activity they want to participate in to draw them to the event, or the opportunity to speak with people they wouldn’t normally have access to, whether it be industry experts or even their peers at perhaps some higher-profile companies. So an ordinary cocktail reception might not be enough of a pull (for top executives),” she says.

Dinner Seating

Banquets, dine-arounds and the like are another classic venue for networking, but here the interaction often will be limited by the seating arrangement. First, people tend to sit with those they know: “That’s been a problem with our sponsors in the past,” says Jurgensen. “All nine people from one sponsor company will sit together. We had to break them up.” Second, diners are usually limited in potential connections to those near them at the table. To some extent, this problem can be ameliorated by eschewing long banquet tables in favor of smaller round tables. “Sometimes customers are here, and your vendors and sponsors are at the far end of the table, and the opportunity to interact really doesn’t happen,” Hess notes. “So instead of having them at the long rectangular table, which is often the case in big restaurants, we’re there at the Grand America and in round tables with 12 (attendees per table), where everyone can talk and participate.”

Jurgensen further improved the interaction by creating a free-flowing dining experience where participants did not feel compelled to stay in their seats: “Usually we’ll have a dinner in the ballroom with a screen and slideshow, and we use the foyers for cocktails. This year I put tall cocktail tables in the ballroom with bars in the back. There was no structure, no awards given out and no slideshow. So instead of sitting at a table and only talking to people at their right and left, they kept moving around and sat down when they wanted to. It brokered introductions.”

Unusual F&B Settings

As a seasoned planner, Jur­gensen points out that “We all know we can sit at a table of 10, and there is not a lot of opening up.” An unusual dining experience, however, can serve as a conversation starter among attendees. To achieve that effect, a planner may need to think beyond the typical restaurant or ballroom environment.

For example, Teri Abram, president of Dallas, Texas-based EventLink International, once took a group of top brokers and leadership from a commercial real estate company to a ranch accessible to the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa. “We had a good ol’ Southern barbecue where the executives rode up on horses to greet everyone,” Abram recalls. “We sat everyone in picnic-style tables and had a country-western band.” The express goal of the event was to get everyone relaxed, “talking to each other and laughing,” she says. And that includes attendees who would not be very extroverted in the typical dining situation.

Special Activities

Receptions and dinners are passive networking environments in that attendees need do no more than enjoy the F&B if they choose. Some guests, however, may be more apt to strike up conversation where there is a mutual activity they can discuss. Activities of various sorts are thus popular as networking mediums, but care should be taken in selecting one that allows for conversation. Those that are very strenuous or otherwise immersive, while sometimes good for teambuilding, are not ideal for building rapport among a group.

“For some of my Hawaii programs, for example, they want everybody to snorkel,” says Jurgensen. “Well, you’re not talking to anybody when you’re snorkeling. When you’re parasailing, you’re not talking to anybody — and there’s a maximum exposure for embarrassment.”

In contrast, hiking usually does not challenge attendees enough where they become more focused on the activity than each other. At HPSI’s National Meeting & Tradeshow, attendees could select from three different hiking paths surrounding the Grand America Hotel, based on their level of proficiency, and they would end up at three different summits, respectively.

“Even if they didn’t make it to the summit, they got up to the Twin Lakes. And there were folks that were planning on just doing the walk around the lake that had no hills, but as they went through the aspen groves it got prettier and prettier and the conversations kept going,” Hess relates.

“The activity also corresponded with our theme, Race to the Summit,” Borgquist adds. “Every year, our purchasing consultants that build the most profitability and revenue in their territory receive a Summit Award.”

Competition

Activities with an element of (good-natured) competition tend to get participants more emotionally involved. As such, they can be even better icebreakers than activities missing that element. Playing golf in foursomes is a classic example, and the HPSI meeting added that to its various networking opportunities. “Not all of our vendors went on the hike, because it may not have suited them,” says Hess, “but it seems everyone in our industry likes to golf. We had about 145 participants.” Borgquist notes, “We strategically made sure we put together our VIPs, vendor partners and ourselves with the right people, so the foursomes were all paired based on business needs.”

There are, of course, many other competitive options besides golf, and group demographics should be the guiding factor in choosing among them. Abram’s commercial real estate client’s upcoming event at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis is instructive in this regard. The event will stress networking between the leaders of the client company and another real estate firm it is merging with. “The purpose is to integrate the two teams and figure out how they are going to work together moving forward, and just to get them to have some camaraderie, since they were formerly competing,” Abram explains. “Basically, 650 people are going to be hand-selected to attend this event with the goal of them getting to know one another.”

It was desirable to include some competitive activities at the venue for guests, since “commercial real estate reps are typically very competitive.” But at the same time, “they didn’t want to force any participation for attendees that are so high-level,” says Abram. “So we’re setting up somewhat of a competition, but not a forced competition. On the field, we’ll have golf putting and then up on the concourse we’ll have the speedway simulators, bocce ball and video games. Whether they do well or not, they’ll get a point for participation and more points if they do better, and the points are going to keep scoring on the jumbotron. What we hope is that as they start seeing the scores building, they’re going to want to start participating and meet their other team members.”

A networking event that Abram arranged for a food distributor also included a competitive game presented in a casual way. “They wanted to have their initial networking event in a ballroom, so we created trading cards where each attendee’s photo was on the card” along with information based on some fun questions asked of them during registration. “For example, what’s your favorite food or what’s something embarrassing that happened to you? And during the event they were encouraged to go through and exchange cards, and then there was a competition as to how many cards you collected from other attendees,” she relates. “For this group it worked perfectly; they were mingling and exchanging cards.”

CSR and Networking

Arguably, nothing instills a feeling of closeness more than a common cause, and closeness begets conversation. “A philanthropic activity or effort that you’re doing in conjunction with the conference has a tendency to draw people into conversations,” Zunkowski observes. It could be, for example, providing the opportunity to put together food packs for a local food drive during registration. “We’ve also invited attendees pre or post to help volunteer to do simple IT tech installations at a local school, or to collect school supplies for local districts,” she says.

Assessing the Success of Networking Events

Networking activity at a meeting is not easy to quantify. Deals closed with new clients in attendance do imply new connections, but the converse does not hold: Many new, valuable connections can be made that do not translate (in an obvious way) to sales for the host company, especially in the case of client-to-client connections or those among internal attendees.

“We also want to measure what we call the viable relationships,” says Jurgensen. “We all go to meetings and meet people we never see again; we want to see who’s staying in touch, who’s referring. Are people getting new referrals back from the meeting?” To this end, post-event surveys can include questions about new connections made. But the overall value of networking to attendees is not in question: Abram notes a very telling response across the many surveys she has sent out: “On 99 percent of our post-event surveys, attendees ask for more networking.” C&IT

Briggs Inc., a DMC Network Company, staged this gala reception/dinner for 800 guests at the iconic Rockefeller Center in New York City. Credit: Briggs Inc.

Options, options, options. In terms of sheer volume alone, it may be impossible to top the many meeting options available in the New York City-New Jersey area. New York City welcomed 6.1 million meeting and convention delegates in 2014, up from 5.9 million the year before, according to Britt Hijkoop, manager, tourism PR for NYC & Company. With all the glamour that is New York, the city has nearly unlimited appeal.

On a different yet still exciting scale, Atlantic City offers its own unique character. Despite its small year-round population, it stands as a big-time meeting destination. Long known as the gaming capital of the Northeast and one of the country’s premier resort and entertainment destinations, Atlantic City offers a wealth of options for meeting planners. In fact, meeting pros themselves find it an attractive location for their events, as evidenced by the recent decision by Meeting Professionals International (MPI) to hold its 2016 World Education Congress in Atlantic City. The June event will take place at the brand new Harrah’s Atlantic City Waterfront Conference Center.

Certainly New York and New Jersey give meeting planners much with which to work.

“We are very fortunate that New York City still continues to be a huge draw for both international and domestic incentive clients.” — Karen Shackman

“New York City is the media and entertainment capital of the world,” says Anthony Napoli, CMP, DMCP, president and CEO of NYC-based Briggs Inc., a DMC Networking Company, one of the most respected and established destination management companies in NYC. “There’s always something to do.”

Not only is this huge metropolitan area constantly evolving, but its sheer size and complexity means every visit is different.

“The variety is fabulous for entertaining every guest,” says Linda F. Kasper, client services manager for Pennsylvania-based furniture and design firm Knoll Inc. and the company’s primary corporate meeting planner. “There is a wealth of information and professionals in the area to assist with any special need for events.”

Last year, Kasper coordinated a meeting for more than 600 company executives at the Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel. With nearly 60,000 sf of meeting space and 1,800 guest rooms, the newly renovated hotel easily accommodated her group’s needs. The conference included large plenary sessions as well as breakout sessions over a three-day period.

She says that along with other advantages, the hotel was flexible in letting the group adapt space to match the company’s product specialties.

“They allowed us to completely brand the meeting floor,” she says. “We re-carpeted, re-wallpapered and pulled all their furniture and only used our own. It was quite a theatrical event and everyone came away inspired.”

The prime location was a definite plus.

“The day of arrival included many cultural and historical tours around the city, most within a few blocks of the hotel,” Kasper says. “This also was a huge hit.  Many people tried to book as many tours as they could fit in an afternoon. We had walking tours, as well as tours of every kind of cultural institution.”

Having a New York location is a great advantage, says Carol A. Marotta, executive assistant at global performance management company Nielsen, who also serves as the chief meeting planner for their NYC office. She recently coordinated a meeting in the downtown area for 45 of the company’s top global regional leaders.

“The downtown area is fast becoming the new place to stay because of its many new attractions, restaurants and hotels,” she says. “It worked out perfectly for us.”  The proximity of major attractions helped make the event a major success. Marotta was able to arrange Wall Street tours between morning and afternoon sessions, as well as an afternoon session in Battery Park, affording views of the Statue of Liberty and the Freedom Tower.  “My team is still talking about it,” she says.

In many ways, New York is unique when it comes to American destinations.

“We are very fortunate that New York City still continues to be a huge draw for both international and domestic incentive clients,” says Karen Shackman, president of Shackman Associates New York.  “It has the allure that motivates guests to achieve their targets, knowing that the city has something for everybody.”

The fact that the city boasts more than 90,000 hotel rooms obviously sets it apart.

“From the meeting planner’s perspective, the city offers a great variety of hotel product, with an ever-expanding inventory,” Shackman says. She notes that while the city is perceived by many to be on the expensive side, if there is flexibility on the part of the planner and the end-user, there are definite off-peak seasons where it is possible to obtain good value for money.  In addition, the abundance of corporate entities located in or around New York may be an added value to some planners.

“The city continues to expand from an accommodation and amenities perspective, offering new hotels, boutique or otherwise, in areas which were previous unavailable,” Shackman says. “In fact, for incentives and meetings that include New York in their rotation, there is always something new to offer.”  In addition, she says the now accessible Meatpacking District, Lower East Side and Financial District are very welcoming. And there are very viable options for meeting and entertaining guests in Brooklyn and, to some degree, in Queens.

For a recent meeting of employees in the food services industry, Shackman says her clients selected the Trump Soho as the base for the 140 guests.  The property features 10 meeting rooms and 11,485 sf of event space, and has 391 guest rooms. Attendees were an international group whose agenda included product knowledge enhancement. The location was selected as a new area for guests with the right amenities as well as proximity to several food purchasing outlets located in New Jersey and Brooklyn.

“The hotel also offered perfect size meeting rooms,” Shackman says. “And the dramatic penthouse view was the perfect backdrop for a welcome reception. It was a perfect fit for these guests from both a comfort and a service level.”

Beth Lockwood, managing director of Details NYC in Brooklyn, also points to the city’s diversity.

“New York is a perfect city for a meeting,” she says.  “It’s home to countless hotels from large chains to independent properties and an endless array of venues, restaurants and activities. The sky is the limit in New York City for all attendees and visitors.”

Lockwood points to the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, situated at the center of Manhattan’s West Side, as a “one-of-a-kind, iconic facility.” It offers 840,000 sf of flexible exhibition space on four levels stretching across six city blocks, with a seven-acre green roof that serves as a wildlife habitat and absorbs up to 6.8 million gallons of storm water each year. High-speed wireless Internet access serving up to 70,000 users at one time throughout the building is a big plus. Event facilities include 102 meeting rooms, with more than 75 having been recently renovated, which feature adjustable walls for convenient reconfiguration.

A feature the city may lack compared to some cities is an abundance of huge ballrooms appropriate for very large groups.  But smaller groups have exciting choices.

“A lot of boutique hotels have been opening in New York City,” Napoli says. “They can be great for smaller groups.”

Cost is another possible limitation. But planners may have more options than initially believed.

“One thing meeting planners always assume is that New York is expensive,” Napoli says.  “But you can find less expensive options.”  He points to the fact that the city has more than 5,000 restaurants as an example.  “There are a lot of good quality restaurants with reasonable prices,” he says. “You can always work within a budget and still get good service.”

With hotels, a smart move can be to ask when their off-season is, according to Napoli.

“Rates can be radically different in their off-season from peak times,” he says. “If you want to move to an off-season time, you can save a lot of money.”

NYC Meeting Venues

The Jacob K. Javits Convention Center is one of the country’s largest event venues, with more than 800,000 sf of exhibit space. Along with floor-to-ceiling acoustical dividing walls and more than 100 function rooms for seminars and hospitality areas, the facility offers 65,000 sf of dedicated registration space. Onsite kitchens can provide 10,000 meals simultaneously. The riverfront location is just minutes from Midtown.

Located in the city’s business media center, the Hilton New York Midtown offers more than 150,000 sf of meeting and exhibit space. Its four ballrooms include New York’s largest grand ballroom, featuring a stage with hydraulic lifts and a column-free design. Meeting facilities accommodate small and medium-sized groups including a video conference room and an executive boardroom.

A trend worth noting is the hotel’s growing use of locally sourced, house-made dishes. All of the executive chef’s top vendors are hands-on farmers practicing sustainable techniques daily.

With 55,000 sf of meeting space and the cachet of a Park Avenue address, the Grand Hyatt New York offers 55,000 sf of meeting space. Ballrooms include the Empire State Ballroom for larger events and the Manhattan Ballroom for up to 500 guests. A newly renovated conference level has 15 modern meeting rooms and state-of-the-art boardrooms. Upgraded as part of a recent $65 million renovation, the hotel’s 14th floor now features 22 executive boardrooms for smaller meetings.

With a prime location in Times Square and the Theater District, the New York Marriott Marquis offers more than 100,000 sf of meeting space and more than 50 event spaces, along with more than 1,900 guest rooms. A recent $150 million renovation included new high-speed elevators, a state-of-the-art fitness center, and six restaurants and lounges. Event space is offered on six different levels.

It may not be possible to top the name recognition of this classic hotel — The Waldorf Astoria New York — but it also offers more than reputation. Along with 300-plus suites and more than 1,100 guest rooms, the Waldorf-Astoria has 60,000 sf of meeting space. The historic two-tiered Grand Ballroom accommodates up to 1,500 guests.

New and Noteworthy in NYC

Perhaps most attractive to meeting planners is the host of changes bringing new features that would appeal to meeting participants.

With the magnitude of such changes, some are calling this incredibly vibrant metropolis the “new” New York City. A new Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course, Trump Golf Links at Ferry Point, opened in the Bronx earlier this year, and the new Whitney Museum of American Art adds to an already incredibly rich cultural scene.

This summer, NYC & Company expanded its Delegate Discount Pass program. Available to meeting and convention attendees as well as meeting planners, event staff and exhibitors, the pass offers discounts at more than 60 restaurants. It also can be used at some 50 tours, attractions, retailers and cultural organizations throughout New York’s five boroughs, an increase of more than 40 over the previous version. To date more than 425,000 delegates from approximately 50 conventions and trade shows have received the pass, which is good until the end of the year.

One of the most anticipated venue openings of the year is One World Observatory. Now open to the public, the observatory sits at the top of the tallest building in the Western hemisphere. From its perch on the 100th, 101st and 102nd floors of One World Trade Center, visitors enjoy great views of the city, the New York skyline and surrounding waters. “The observatory turns uniquely imagined events and meetings into a beautiful reality,” Lockwood says.

Receiving great fanfare is the sprawling Hudson Yards project being completed over a multiyear period. It is said to be not only the largest development in New York City since Rockefeller Center, but also the biggest private real estate development in U.S. history. Project planners anticipate that once completed, more than 24 million people will visit the site every year. Lockwood reports that ultimately, Hudson Yards will cover more than 17 million sf of commercial and residential space. Along with shops, restaurants, a public school and more than 5,000 residences, it will include 14 acres of public open space and an Equinox-branded luxury hotel with approximately 200 rooms.

Also of interest are greatly welcomed airport upgrades. In early August, John F. Kennedy International Airport launched a system to track the location of travelers’ phones in order to measure wait times at security checkpoints, customs areas and other areas. Other improvements at JFK include runway upgrades along with expansions by Delta Airlines bringing more gates and additional terminal space.

And at La Guardia Airport, long the object of widespread criticism, a huge improvement project announced this year will virtually remake the airport by 2021.

Atlantic City

Approximately one-third of the United States population lives within driving distance of Atlantic City, and the Northeast captures $16 billion of the nation’s meetings and conventions, yet Atlantic City currently only captures one percent of that business.

Caesars Entertainment Senior Vice President of National Meetings and Events Michael Massari wants companies to stay in the area and come to Atlantic City for their events. “There are so many Fortune 500 companies in the area that do large product launches and have national sales meetings and are forced to go to Dallas or Orlando or Las Vegas. These are all fine destinations but we want to see them be able to stay here at home in the fine state of New Jersey,” he said in a statement.

A major new meeting facility, which just opened in August, will prove crucial in ensuring a successful future for Atlantic City, say city officials, and promises to make the city more attractive to meeting planners: The new Harrah’s Atlantic City Waterfront Conference Center is the largest convention center-hotel complex from Baltimore to Boston. The new facility, which will host MPI’s 2016 World Education Conference, offers two 50,000-sf ballrooms that can be divided into 29 individual sections and offers state-of-the-art, technologically advanced meeting space that can be utilized by up to 5,000 attendees. In addition, Harrah’s Atlantic City, the tallest hotel in the region, offers more than 2,500 hotel rooms that will be directly accessible from the meeting space, making it the perfect year-round destination where attendees can eat, sleep and meet all in one location.

AC Meeting Hotels

Including Harrah’s, Atlantic City offers some of the most attractive hotels anywhere. It has a combined room inventory of 15,630 rooms including eight major casino hotels and multiple non-gaming hotels, reports Jessica Merrill, communications manager for Meet AC.

Resorts Casino Hotel, the first hotel casino to open in Atlantic City, recently opened its new multifaceted conference center. “Resorts Casino Hotel is dedicated to ensuring that our leisure and business travelers are always offered the best that Atlantic City has to offer,” stated Morris Bailey, owner of Resorts, in a news release. “We are committed to continuing to reinvest in the property and to offer the finest in meeting space, lodging, gaming, dining and entertainment.”

Now group meeting attendees at Resorts can wirelessly connect laptops and personal media devices simultaneously, while sharing screens with each other and even with colleagues in remote locations. Convenient touch-panel controls and built-in wireless microphones offer ease for presenters as well.

Other highlights of the new technology include full 1080P resolution on all screens, and up to four devices can share the screen in QUAD view. Resorts installed higher resolution capabilities in anticipation of future needs, high-capacity Wi-Fi, electrical and Telecom connectivity hidden in the floors, and architectural LED lighting on dimmers with programmable pre-sets. Twelve breakout rooms keep productivity high with built-in 80-inch or 90-inch LED monitors, drop-down screens and cinema-quality projection. Two theaters offer seating for 300 or 1,350 with state-of-the-art sound and light technology.

In addition to the 12 new meeting rooms, the showpiece of Resorts’ conference center is the Atlantic Ballroom with a multiuse pre-function area, with natural lighting. Four sets of operable walls divide the main conference hall into five potential spaces and allow groups to have an adaptable floor plan for a variety of uses. The new conference center brings the total offerings at Resorts to 24 meeting and function rooms with more than 64,000 sf of usable space, most featuring natural light and ocean views.

Bally’s Atlantic City, with more than 1,200 guest rooms, has 33 meeting rooms and 80,000 sf of meeting space. Facilities include nine park and garden rooms with space from 700 to 1,000 sf and three ballrooms, including a 12,000-sf ballroom overlooking the boardwalk. An executive boardroom and 450-seat theater also are available.

Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa offers 24 meeting rooms with capacities ranging from 10 to 3,500 people. Options include a 12,000-sf meeting facility, three 4,500-sf meeting rooms, four 1,250-sf rooms and two 550-sf boardrooms.

Along with 1,100-plus guest rooms, Caesar’s Atlantic City has 28,000 sf of meeting space and 12 meeting rooms. Event facilities include the 17,135-sf Palladium Ballroom and 10 individual meeting rooms. And the renovated Circus Maximus Theater seats more than 1,500 people for special events.

New & Noteworthy in AC

The Playground, formerly known as The Pier Shops at Caesars, is a 464,000-sf self-contained entertainment venue resting over the Atlantic Ocean. It includes eight live entertainment clubs and restaurants, high-end retail establishments, bowling alley, swimming pool and a sports bar.

Gardner’s Basin, located in the marina district, is undergoing an expansion and redevelopment project designed to provide additional restaurants, shops and entertainment venues. Plans also include reconstruction of The Boardwalk from Revel to Gardner’s Basin.

A 200-foot-high observation wheel is coming soon to the iconic Steel Pier. The $14 million project will offer riders views of both the ocean and the Atlantic City skyline from inside climate-controlled gondolas.

Borgata Festival Park, the city’s newest outdoor entertainment venue features a 4,000-person capacity concert space adjacent to the hotel casino. It includes a main stage, bar, Ping-Pong tables and amenities including beer trucks, fire pits and tables. C&IT

Jeff Hurt is executive vice president, education and engagement, Velvet Chainsaw Consulting, and is based in Dallas, Texas. Velvet Chainsaw Consulting exclusively services companies and associations with their annual meetings, conferences, education and events. They also help technology, service and membership organizations establish and execute plans and processes that result in improved business results. Hurt has worked in the events/nonprofit arena for more than 20 years including Keep America Beautiful as a consultant/trainer/writer; Keep Texas Beautiful as education coordinator; professional development manager for Meeting Professionals International; professional development manager for Promotional Products Association International; and director of education and events for the National Association of Dental Plans. Originally published by Jeff Hurt in “Velvet Chainsaw Midcourse Corrections.” Contact Hurt at 214-886-3174 or jhurt@velvetchainsaw.com.

As your conference grows, it faces increased complexity. According to a recent IBM study of 1,600+ CEOs, the biggest challenge their companies face is the complexity gap. Eight out of 10 of those CEOs expect their business environment to grow in complexity but less than half are prepared to face that change.

The growth of your meetings, events and conferences face similar complexity gaps. Forward-thinking meeting and conference professionals see gathering business intelligence about their target market as imperative. These professionals know that the big data they are collecting is far from complete and is often misleading.

Big Insights — Not Big Data

Many conference professionals are turning to big data to understand their conference and its customers better. They are getting better at collecting and comparing inputs and outputs. Yet no amount of quantitative data can tell you why a customer attended your event. Or why they skipped the general session. Or why they attended specific education sessions. Or why they are meeting with others in the hallways.

“Too many conference planning teams have reduced attendees to a number and have lost the human element.”

Without that insight, no conference professional can fully understand or close the complexity gap.

Too many conference planning teams have reduced attendees to a number and have lost the human element. Attendees are human. And they sometimes make irrational decisions that are even opaque to themselves.

Most marketers [including conference professionals] cling to assumptions about their customers’ behavior that have been shaped by their organizational culture, the biases of the firm’s managers, and, increasingly, the vast but imperfect data stream flowing in, say authors Christian Madsbjerg and Mikkel B. Rasmussen in “An Anthropologist Walks into a Bar,” an article published in the March 2014 issue of Harvard Business Review. Christian Madsbjerg and Mikkel B. Rasmussen are the coauthors of The Moment of Clarity: Using the Human Sciences to Solve Your Toughest Business Problems (Harvard Business Review Press, 2014), from which their article was developed.

Phenomenology: A Better Way To Collect Insights

Some meeting professionals are starting to look at the roots of their attendees’ behaviors along with their purchasing decisions. These professionals are using the tools of the human sciences — anthropology, sociology, political science and philosophy — along with traditional linear data collection.

Looking at the conscious and subconscious motivations of your target market can give you insights on how to design and deliver better meeting experiences. These human science tools can be extremely powerful when addressing different contexts, new target markets or new generations of attendees.

At the core of these human science tools lies the practice of phenomenology: the study of how people experience life, say Madsbjerg and Rasmussen.

For example, traditional measurement of inputs and outputs can tell Starbucks how many cups of coffee its customers will drink in a day. Phenomenology reveals how those customers perceive the coffee experience.

Here are two examples from Madsberg and Rasumussen:

Starbucks has famously leveraged its understanding of the phenomenology of coffee, profiting from customers’ willingness to pay a premium for the often subtle and complex Starbucks experience — the hip baristas, the community of telecommuters, the crafted playlists — as distinct from the coffee itself.

Consider how the Lego Group used phenomenology to understand its customers’ deepest motivations. Eight years ago Lego had lost touch with its core customers and was bleeding cash; today it’s one of the largest and most respected toy makers in the world, the result of a remarkable turnaround driven in part by its commitment to sensemaking.

Reframing Conference Challenges as Phenomena

Reframing your conference challenges as phenomena requires shifting the thinking from inside out (how the conference organizer perceives the problem) to outside in (how the attendee perceives the problem.)

Consider these examples:

Conference Problem: How do we stop our exhibitor churn?

Phenomenon: How do our attendees experience our exhibitors? Why are our attendees not walking the show floor? Why don’t they want to meet with our exhibitors?

Conference Problem: How can we create a premium conference with value-adds?

Phenomenon: What is a premium conference experience? And what are value-adds to that conference experience?

Reframing the conference challenge as a phenomenon is the first step in looking at your conference problems through the human sciences. Stay tuned (in a future column or at www.velvetchainsaw.com) for the next steps to continue using the human science tools when analyzing your conference challenges.

What are some other ways to reframe common conference challenges as phenomena? How would you describe a premium conference experience? Send your comments to Jeff Hurt at jhurt@velvetchainsaw.com. This article first appeared on Velvet Chainsaw’s Midcourse Corrections. C&IT

The Orlando Eye observation wheel is the centerpiece to the new I-Drive 360 dining and entertainment complex.

Although a handful of U.S. meeting destinations claim top-dog status on any given day, Cvent made it official once again in August that Orlando is, in fact, the No. 1 meeting destination in the country for 2015. And that lofty ranking is not the result of a planner survey or subjective opinion. It is the result of hard statistics, based on Cvent’s analysis of factors that include, among others, the number of RFPs received and total room nights booked.

“We are honored to be named the No. 1 meeting destination in the country by Cvent,” says Visit Orlando President and CEO George Aguel. “The recognition is a testament to the investment we make in marketing and selling Orlando as the ideal location for meetings and conventions at all levels.”

For the full story, download our special Orlando Meeting & Incentive Travel Guide.

Over the past decade, relentless technological innovation has transformed meeting planning from a time-consuming and mostly manual process to a streamlined and more efficient automated undertaking.

Looking to the future, technology providers now aim to do the same thing for both planners and attendees with wearable tech.

And although many planners and attendees consider their smartphones as a permanent fixture at the end of their wrist and thereby wearable, the new horizon points to things that are truly wearable, such as Google Glass and the new Apple Watch. But the hype and hope stretch far beyond just those two devices.

“For much of 2014, wearable technology has been the subject of great hype and even greater skepticism, fueled by speculation around whether these emerging devices will have a positive or negative impact on our lives — if they will have any impact at all,” observes PricewaterhouseCoopers in an extensive 2014 report titled “The Wearable Future.”

“Our data shows that roughly one in five American adults already owns some type of wearable device — on par with tablets in 2012, when the adoption rate sat at 20 percent after just two years in the market,” the report stated. “Today, more than 40 percent of Americans own a tablet. And just as tablets faced skepticism in their early days, with consumers and critics questioning the need for new devices, so too does wearable technology. Issues around cost, style and necessity are holding consumers back.

“Plus, we already have the perfect device — the smartphone. Throughout our research, consumers repeatedly wanted to lump the smartphone into the wearable category — to them, we are already “wearing” our phones everywhere. For wearable products to take off, they will need to carve out a distinct value proposition that a phone alone cannot deliver. And because the phone is such an everyday fixture, for the short term, at least, wearable technology will need to seamlessly integrate with our existing technology. This will lead to two spheres of wearables — primary wearables, those that stand alone or act as centralizing hubs for information, and secondary wearables, which will serve up specific information that then gets relayed to a primary wearable,” the report noted.

A Shaky Start?

Meanwhile, at least one of the initial precursors to the wearable revolution has performed so poorly that it has gone into rehab.

Google Glass, an eyeglass-based device that was loudly heralded as the coolest thing since the Internet, has almost faded from sight. But the technology is not dead yet. “The rise and fall of Google Glass from cool-edge tech to bar room punch line may be about to take another turn,” Mashable noted earlier this year. “A new set of Federal Communications Commission documents filed by Google offers a peek at an upcoming device that is equipped with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi functionality, just like the first version of Google Glass.”

“ When you start thinking about how all this (wearable technology) is going to come down to meetings and events, it’s fun to speculate about it, but it’s pretty early in the game.” — Corbin Ball

The documents detailing the device, called “GG1,” don’t go into great detail about what the device does, Mashable reports, “but tidbits of information, surfaced by Droid Life, point toward the possibility that it might just be the second version of Google Glass.”

The Wall Street Journal reports that a new Google Glass model for business applications — a mini-computer attached to a button-and-hinge system that fits on glasses and can be removed — is in the works, and that a new consumer model is “at least a year away.”

Corbin Ball, a leading meeting industry technology expert and consultant based in Bellingham, Washington, acknowledges that, “Google Glass has come and gone, essentially. But the concept is great. It’s just that the first versions of Google Glass were just far too geeky for people to accept.”

However, Ball believes that despite its initial setbacks, the basic concept behind Google Glass holds great promise in general, and even more promise for meeting-related applications.

Ball says that the interesting area for future development — and impact on meetings — is sensors and digital assistants that will help attendees execute and navigate meetings, especially large, multifaceted ones that represent a logistical or navigational challenge, such as a giant convention center or sprawling metropolis at the destination.

The specific capabilities that a Google Glass-like device could deliver include step-by-step navigation throughout a meeting venue or an exhibit hall with visual and/or audio directions; real-time video conferencing; note-taking, including video with sound and still picture recording as a result of a voice or touch command; displaying speaker presentation notes and slides; the facilitation of networking; gaming applications; use as mini-teleprompters for speakers; the simple, easy video recording of meeting spaces or other onsite amenities during site inspection trips; and social media interaction using video, geo-location and networking apps.

Back to the Future

Perhaps no organization knows more about meetings and their future than Cvent. And like Ball, the company touts the potential of wearable technology as a genuine force for innovation in the industry. “It’s one trend that event organizers should be paying attention to,” Cvent reported in an article on the topic. “The idea that technology meets fashion meets efficiency is at the core of wearables. Manufacturers of these gadgets know that if they go mainstream, then they need to look as cool as they seem. And it goes beyond fashion. More and more people will expect that technology makes their lives easier without being intrusive. Wearable technology solves this by seamlessly blending into peoples’ lives.”

Next-generation technology that is literally wearable also addresses common challenges that users of current smartphone technology face on a regular basis at meetings, Cvent notes. For example, it’s often rather awkward to shake hands or give someone a hug with a smartphone or tablet in your hands. That’s not so if your computer is worn on your person. In addition, an almost incalculable number of phones and tablets are misplaced or lost altogether at meetings. Not so with wearables.

Cvent also speculates on the potential meeting-related benefits of wearable technology, which include devices that can serve as microphones that make it easier to communicate verbally, especially in large, noisy spaces. Exhibit managers could use wearable devices to track attendee traffic patterns less expensively than current technologies such as RFID. And in the future, increasingly popular mobile apps will be built into smartwatches so attendees can easily use those apps onsite without the hassle of a phone.

“Wearable technology is still in its infancy,” Cvent says, “but has potential to be a great tool for event planners.”

Is Apple Watch the Game Changer?

The Apple Watch, introduced earlier this year to mixed reviews, could be the device that single-handedly (no pun intended) catapults wearable technology into the realm of practical reality.

“I think that one indicator of how things go when it comes to the future of wearable technology will be the Apple Watch, if it really takes off, “ Ball says. “If it does, I think it’s going to be a game changer when it comes to wearables.”

As a result, he says, tech enthusiasts are monitoring the consumer acceptance and performance of the device very carefully. “It has the potential to be the biggest wearable product out there and really open people’s eyes to the capabilities of these devices,” Ball says. “There were already other smartwatches out there, like Pebble, but the Apple Watch is supposed to take things to a whole new level.”

It also has a formidable competitor, the Android watch.

But both types of devices present clear challenges and have uncertain futures, The Wall Street Journal noted in a May 27 story. “The [Android] and Apple Watch both suffer from sluggish performance, require some socially awkward behavior like talking to your wrist, and will likely be obsolete in a year.”

If rapid obsolescence does indeed kill the first two major iterations of the smartwatch, that certainly does not bode well for the future of the technology. But only time can tell what the outcome will be. Prognostications about new technologies have famously been proved wrong in the past.

And there are major hoteliers who are already investigating the onsite use of Apple Watches as tools for improved guest services. “We envision endless ways [the] Apple Watch could help us enhance our guests’ experiences at our hotels,” a senior executive at Starwood Hotels & Resorts told Hotel News Now in February. A watch also could someday enable guests to avoid the front desk altogether at check in, then use the watch for keyless entry into their room, he added.

Hotel News Now also reported a genuine innovation that is already in use. “Palladium Hotel Group, a Spanish hotel chain, recently unveiled its own high-tech wristbands at Ushuaïa Ibiza Beach Hotel and Hard Rock Hotel Ibiza, both on the Spanish island of Ibiza,” HNN reported. “These bracelets allow guests to access their rooms and other facilities, pay for meals and shop using an assigned PIN code and participate in special drink and nightclub promotions.”

MagicBands, wearable wristbands, allow guests at Walt Disney World Resort to check in at FastPass+ entrances, enter parks, unlock hotel room doors and more. Now MyMagic+ is reshaping how meeting planners and attendees experience Walt Disney World Resort by allowing them to personalize their Disney Meetings experience. Using the website MyDisneyExperience.com and free mobile app, Disney FastPass+ service and MagicBands, attendees can book dining reservations and reserve access to select attractions before even leaving home. Planners also may select one of the popular MagicBand colors for all of their attendees, so as to complement their event theme.

Final Thoughts

So, even to doubters of the broader notion of wearable technology as a global consumer phenomenon, there can be no doubt that hotels and other meeting vendors can find creative and innovative ways to provide better experiences for meeting planners and attendees.

The more pressing issue in the meeting industry at the moment is that there is little awareness among meeting planners and hosts about what wearable technology represents and how it could impact their roles and the participation of their attendees.

“We’re at the very early stages of deployment right now,” Ball says. “When you start thinking about how all this is going to come down to meetings and events, it’s fun to speculate about it, but it’s pretty early in the game.”

There is no question, Ball says, that as yet unseen generations of wearable devices could dramatically impact meetings and events. “But one challenge is the question of how they are going to reach ubiquity, how we’re going to get these technologies down to the level of use at meetings and events. Like anything else, for it to really start taking off, you have to reach some kind of critical mass for it to have real impact.”

And at its most fundamental and valuable level, Ball says, any new technology must contribute in an innovative way to the ability of meeting planners and attendees to communicate and interact with one another.  C&IT

The recently renovated San Francisco Airport Marriott Waterfront also is home to Marriott Hotels’ first M Club Lounge.

Airport hotels were once considered the last resort for passengers who miss flights, have long layovers or want to recover from a long trip before continuing. Not anymore. The properties are now the first choice for many planners who want convenient meeting facilities at good value.

Airport properties, especially major brands, want to grow up and become bona fide meeting destinations like popular convention properties in major cities. Moreover, airport hotels want to improve their meeting facilities, services and amenities to compete with many airports that now feature on-property conference spaces.

“Hotel companies are doing a better job of making airport hotels more attractive. You see some new airport hotels coming up and meeting space that looks good.” — Bill Jones

Thus, more and more airport hotels are upgrading and adding flexible meeting space. These upgrades and new spaces for meetings are attracting more meetings, says Bill Jones, vice president, managing director, events, the Channel Company, a sales and marketing solutions provider for technology companies in Framingham, Massachusetts. “Hotel companies are doing a better job of making airport hotels more attractive,” he says. “You see some new airport hotels coming up and meeting space that looks good. Some of the brands are doing a pretty good job, like the Hyatt in Orlando and Dallas, which have some significant meeting space. If you are going to do an event that’s short, like a day and a half, then it’s tempting to do something at an airport hotel.”

Most of the meetings that Jones holds at airport hotels are small. “They are usually less than 50 people,” he says. “We do local meetings at about 20 cities —usually at airport hotels located outside the city. It helps with traffic and people getting there. It’s easier to do a meeting at an airport like O’Hare than ask people in the suburbs to go into Chicago.”

Airport Hotels Offer Value

Value also is a significant factor when it comes to airport hotels. “You always get a little bit more value outside of a major metropolitan city. If you compare an airport hotel in Orlando versus one near Disney, you get a little more value of the airport hotel. And if you hold a meeting in a property at John F. Kennedy International Airport, LaGuardia Airport or Newark Liberty International Airport, that will be cheaper than doing it in New York City,” adds Jones.

Planners can negotiate good deals at airport hotels. The properties typically have lower room rates than downtown properties and cut transportation costs for buses and taxis. Also, attendees who take flights can arrive and depart more conveniently, saving travel time to and from airports.

It’s possible to stretch tight budgets by holding those meetings that are shorter and smaller at airport hotels, which are increasingly popular for serious training, education and board of director meetings, all of which require attendees to focus and avoid the potential distractions of downtown properties and resorts.

That’s why a major pharmaceutical company held a three-day training and education meeting for 175 Northeast region sales representatives at the Newark Liberty International Airport Marriott. The 591-room hotel features 30,000 sf of meeting space and 51 meeting rooms.

The Newark Marriott also was convenient because it offered a central location for attendees and is located about a 30-minute drive from the company’s headquarters. “We needed the convenience of getting people in and out quickly. It’s a centralized location for people flying in from all over the region,” says Jeffrey Cesari, CMP, president of Philadelphia-based Shimmer Events, a corporate meeting, incentive and event company.

Value also was a consideration. “If you look at the Newark airport hotels compared to New York City you are going to get a lot better rate,” says Cesari. “We are trying to keep costs down. That’s the key. There is a better cost per person, and you can negotiate a little better at airport hotels. I see more groups wanting to meet at airport hotels there, and the biggest reason is the cost savings, mostly from the transportation,” because attendees don’t have to use taxis, buses and rented cars to travel downtown.

But as airport hotels grow up, they offer much more than value and convenience, especially in the very competitive food and beverage arena. “The Newark Marriott implemented the farm-to-table concept at this airport hotel,” says Cesari. “The executive chef put in a garden outside the hotel where they grow herbs. We had a reception and cocktail party on a lawn near where the herbs grow. The chef was showing people around, talking to them about the garden and the herbs used in the food we were eating. It was a fun and casual event to get away from the studying they were doing. Otherwise it was a pretty no-frills meeting.”

New and Improved Airport Hotels

In Phoenix, the former Crowne Plaza Phoenix Airport Hotel, now called the Wren, has undergone an $8 million renovation. The project included all 290 guest rooms, meeting spaces and the restaurant. In addition, the 257-room Hilton Phoenix Airport Hotel is newly transformed. Conveniently located 1.5 miles from Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, they offer complimentary 24-hour airport transportation. The recently renovated lobby has stylish finishes, and the guest rooms were redesigned with new furniture.

In California, Sacramento International Airport will get its first new hotel in 30 years. Sonnenblick Development LLC plans to build a new five-story hotel that will be situated within short walking distance of both passenger terminals. The 135-room Hyatt Place will include an indoor pool and spa, fitness room, dining area and 3,500 sf of meeting space.

Overlooking the San Francisco Bay, the San Francisco Airport Marriott Waterfront recently completed an $18 million renovation of its 688 guest rooms and suites to meet the evolving preferences of its guests. Key to the project was the participation of guests — ranging from baby boomers to millennials — in the renovation.

Travelers sampled and critiqued three guest room concepts. Their vital feedback influenced the overall guest room design, amenities and technological features.

A few key features include: multiple plug-in units for mobile devices, Samsung 48-inch flat-screen televisions and fast Internet access; open closet shelving design; plush mattresses and choice of down or down-alternative pillows.

The San Francisco Airport Marriott Waterfront features 24-hour shuttle service to and from San Francisco International Airport, fresh fruit and sweet treats in the lobby, bike rental, electric car charging stations and a dedicated shoe shine stand.

In 2014, Marriott Hotels launched its first M Club Lounge at the San Francisco Airport Marriott Waterfront. A next-generation concierge lounge built for work and play, the 2,097-sf M Club Lounge features regional food and beverage offerings and convenient tech amenities 24/7.

The Concourse Hotel at Los Angeles International Airport – A Hyatt Affiliated Hotel is the closest hotel to LAX and offers a complimentary airport shuttle offering transportation to and from LAX airport every 10 minutes. After a $57 million total renovation of the 580 guest rooms and public space, the hotel in spring 2016 will be reflagged and rebranded as the new Hyatt Regency at Los Angeles Airport. The hotel boasts spacious guest rooms, complimentary Wi-Fi and ergonomic workstations. The eco-friendly hotel is a local leader in sustainable business practices, with a platinum-level Green Seal certification and four-key California Green Lodging certification. New features debuting in 2016 include the new Hyatt Conference Center with convenient street-level access to approximately 10,000 sf of meeting rooms, brainstorming areas and all-day catering; a new event lawn with three distinct lawns of outdoor space to accommodate groups up to 750 attendees; 40,000 sf of totally redesigned interior ballroom and meeting rooms; 55-inch LED TVs in the guest rooms, new F&B offerings including a Asian-Mexican fusion menu in the signature restaurant, and the debut of the Hyatt Regency Concierge Club.

In Texas, the Sheraton Dallas Fort Worth Airport Hotel received a $7 million makeover. The project included renovating the property’s 303 guest rooms and lobby.

The 506-room Westin Dallas Fort Worth Airport last year revealed $1.6 million in meeting and banquet space renovations, including a 38,000-sf complete redesign featuring modern finishes, upgraded amenities and more.

Newly renovated spaces include the property’s 10,000-sf ballroom; junior ballroom; multiple break-out meeting rooms; amphitheater and prefunction space.

In Colorado, The Westin Denver International Airport, Denver’s newest world-class hotel and conference center, will officially open at 3 p.m. on November 19, 2015. The 433,000-sf, 14-story hotel, with 519 guest rooms, will serve both business and leisure travelers at the fifth busiest airport in the United States. The hotel, designed entirely with walls of towering, shimmering glass, overlooks both the mountains and DIA flight paths, and is part of Denver’s new Hotel and Transit Center program. Building upon imagery of flight and aviation, the architecture resembles a bird with its wings extended as it hovers above the public plaza, framing and accenting the acclaimed tents of the Jeppesen Terminal. The floor-to-ceiling windows, which make up the entire wall of every one of the 519 guest rooms and 35 suites, offer expansive views of Denver’s signature Rocky Mountains and Colorado’s High Plains.

The 37,000-sf conference center is one of the few above-ground conference centers located at an airport, and will feature a grand ballroom, junior ballroom and 15 additional meeting/board rooms, for a total of 19 meeting rooms. The meeting space also boasts a 10,000-sf prefunction area that showcases a panoramic three-story, floor-to-ceiling glass wall that is approximately 100 feet wide, providing a light and airy, unique meeting space. The views are equally impressive from the top-story pool and WestinWorkout Fitness Studio, located in the “saddle” of the building. In addition to the hotel and conference center, there will be an 82,000-sf, open-air public plaza that will become Denver’s newest venue for entertainment and relaxation and will create a community connection between the airport and downtown Denver through special event programming.

The Four Points by Sheraton Chicago O’Hare is getting a facelift that includes new carpeting, color schemes and refreshed bathrooms for guest rooms. The exterior will get a fresh coat of paint, landscaping and canopy. The project also includes new seating areas, colors and light fixtures for the lobby. In addition, the property is strengthening its Wi-Fi system.

Airport Improvements

Attendees traveling to meetings can arrive in a sour mood after enduring bad experiences with airports and airlines. However, airports are adding a range of improvements that will make travel more convenient and less stressful.

After once comparing New York’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA) to “some third world country,” Vice President Joe Biden recently joined New York Governor Cuomo to announce the ambitious plan to demolish and replace the airport’s aging terminals with a modern, unified hub. The LGA is undergoing an extensive capital redevelopment program in an effort to provide world-class airport facilities. The program is expected to include the construction of a new 35-gate terminal building; a new aeronautical ramp; frontage roads that will serve the new terminal; a new central heating and refrigeration plant; and other utilities and site improvements.

Right now a new airport is being built in Mexico City, which is slated for completion by 2020 and will make traveling better for passengers and the environment.

The airport is expected to service 50 million people a year, and the new design is all about energy efficiency. Gates will be within walking distance, and the roof is being built to incorporate solar technology. There also will be an onsite energy plant that will collect, treat and recycle rainwater.

Los Angeles International Airport is in the midst of a multibillion-dollar capital improvements program projected to last through 2019. The jewel of the program, the $1.9 billion Tom Bradley International Terminal project, will provide greater capacity with a total of 18 new gates, nine of which will comfortably accommodate passenger loads for new-generation aircraft, and a Great Hall for premier dining and shopping. The first phase of this project, which encompassed the gates on the west side of the terminal, the Great Hall, and expanded federal customs and immigration screening area, was completed in 2013. Phase 2, encompassing the east gates, expanded areas for federal passenger security screening, airline lounges and other elements, is scheduled to be fully completed by 2015.

San Francisco International Airport opened United Airlines’ new boarding area E. The $138 million project includes lounge-like seating in waiting areas, new art on the walls and guest amenities such as free Wi-Fi, interactive digital displays and a yoga room. There also are more outlets and USB ports.

Orlando International Airport is undergoing a five-year $1.2 billion expansion. The project includes expansion of the airport’s people mover system, four new international gates and a 3,500-space parking garage.

Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta has proposed a master expansion plan through 2031. The plan includes new parking garages, additional concourses and a sixth runway. The project will extend the “Plane Train” people mover.

Hawaii is spending $22.6 million for improvements at seven airports. The projects include terminal improvements at Honolulu International Airport, runway refurbishment at Lihue Airport on Kauai, and new roofing for terminal buildings at Kahului Airport on Maui.

More Meeting Space and Amenities

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport has 8,220 sf of meeting space that includes a conference center, auditorium and flexible meeting rooms from 450 to 1,100 sf, which allows for fly-in and fly-out meetings.

Portland International Airport and Cleveland’s Hopkins International Airport have conference facilities. So does Lambert-St. Louis International Airport, Indianapolis International Airport and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, to name a few.

Technology improvements at airports include stronger Wi-Fi, work areas and charging stations for mobile devices.

Airports also are adding lifestyle amenities. For example, Philadelphia International Airport offers stationary exercise bikes located throughout its terminals.

And for those interested in spending extra time for fitness pursuits, airports are responding. As passengers began posting numbers of steps or actual mileage, walking paths began to emerge. Corridors at airports sport health-related messages.

When the walk is in a cool-down phase, passengers can take a gander at the various art galleries and exhibits in many airport concourses. Some airports provide outdoor walking paths complete with observation areas, parks, playgrounds and even doggy parks.

Airport Hotels Popular with Planners

There are several airport hotels nationwide that have everything planners need including ample meeting space. Here are some of the top airport properties in the nation, according to Yahoo.com’s 2014 list of the best airport hotels in the U.S.

The 848-room Hilton Chicago O’Hare Airport features 43 meeting rooms, the largest of which is the 3,500-sf International Ballroom and newly renovated executive boardrooms.

The 298-room Grand Hyatt DFW in Texas offers 34,000 sf of meeting space including 47 meeting rooms, two ballrooms, two boardrooms and 20 conference suites in a convenient setting adjoining International Terminal D at DFW Airport, which will boast by the end of 2016 an expansive new duty-free shopping experience that includes luxury and premium retail brands. The new stores, comprised of six shopping locations, will include a two-level, 13,000-sf primary store along with an executive lounge and smaller specialty stores and kiosks.

The Westin Detroit Metropolitan Hotel Airport boasts 404 rooms and 26,000 sf of meeting space spread over 28 meeting and boardrooms. The property also features a spa, indoor pool and gym. Hotel guests have access to a private security entrance at one of the airport terminals.

Other top airport hotels include the 445-room Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport, a AAA Four Diamond Property. The hotel provides 42,000 sf of flexible meeting and function space, including a 150-seat amphitheater.

The 815-room Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport features 52,000 sf of freshly renovated meeting space, including a 18,148-sf ballroom and a 4,750-sf poolside pavilion in addition to two dining options and a 24-hour gym.

Airport hotels may not be right for every type of meeting, such as incentives, large meetings and groups that want easy access to downtown entertainment and restaurants. On the other hand, budget-conscious planners who annually book several work-intensive training and education meetings can benefit from the value and convenience of airport hotels. C&IT

Alejandro Contreras is Director, Technology and Platforms, American Express Meetings and Events. American Express Global Business Travel is a joint venture that is not wholly owned by American Express Company or any of its subsidiaries. Danielle Puceta is Global Channel Lead, DoubleDutch. DoubleDutch is an award-winning provider of mobile event applications, with a unique focus on capturing and surfacing data from live events. 

Not long ago, meeting attendees were bombarded with printed welcome packets, brochures and conference agendas the moment they arrived at an event. Meeting planners had to collect, interpret and store all of the information that attendees provided manually. While they were able to track their attendees’ participation, keeping all of their feedback and contributions together posed a serious, time-consuming challenge.

Now in 2015, we are seeing a dramatic shift in the way we run events. Mobile apps are not only making a splash in the consumer world, but the business world also is taking notice, particularly in the meetings and events space. All the paperwork of the past can be found within a single device in the palm of your hand. And this mobile trend is really taking flight. In 2014, a study by Meeting Professionals International and event technology company DoubleDutch showed that 63 percent of meeting planners are using mobile apps at their events, and this number is expected to jump even higher over the next year.

“A good event app not only will avoid paper piles but also can add to the overall event experience in a positive way.”

Although the benefits of event apps are hard to deny, simply having an event app is not enough. A lot of careful planning goes into creating an app that is right for a specific meeting or event. More specifically, there are four critical components that meeting planners should consider when designing an event app.

 1.  Manage the Basics

Event applications can serve many functions, but it’s most important to make sure they are easy to use. Many attendees may multitask during the event; therefore it is important that the app is intuitive.

On a most basic level, you want to include event-critical information such as the agenda, maps and background on sessions and speakers. Beyond that, meeting apps also present an opportunity to put the most valuable and timely information at attendees’ fingertips, so be sure your app allows you to make changes on the fly. Apps also present planners with the chance to create a closed social network. By leveraging in-app engagement tools (discussed in more depth below), planners have the ability to create a socially connected experience for attendees.

To drive adoption of your event app, display attendees’ status updates and feedback in real time on large screens throughout the event venue. These visuals not only add an extra layer of interest to the experience, but also give attendees something to strive for: their name in lights. By giving clear instructions on how to download the application and illustrating attendee engagement and activity, users are more inclined to opt in and join the action.

 2.  Discard Distraction

Attendee distraction is a key concern for planners in today’s hyperconnected world. Improving the meeting experience through in-app features such as surveys, live polling, real-time Q&A and other techniques can help keep attendees engaged with your content and out of their inbox. For example, some planners use “the scavenger hunt” concept to tap into attendees’ competitive nature. This allows meeting planners to provide a checklist of goals in the app for attendees to find and check off their list. Other engaging activities can include trivia challenges, where organizers ask attendees questions and encourage them to participate by posting status updates to earn points.

Additionally, meeting planners can share important real-time event information using promoted posts, which are updates pinned to the top of the activity feed for a set amount of time, or by designating an “App Champion” to evangelize technology and act as the voice of your event.

Attendees are able to use the app to elevate the conversation by using hashtags, tagging/mentioning other attendees, and posting status updates to the activity feed, similar to popular social networks. For example, attendees can use status updates to post what they’re learning about and can write comments to network or arrange meals with others attending the event.

 3.  Emphasize Surveys and Polling

Another benefit of using an event app is the ability to collect attendee feedback at the event, rather than waiting until after its completion. The app uses contextual triggers, such as time and location, to prompt attendees to give their feedback on a particular session or speaker. With the information still fresh in the attendee’s mind, meeting planners benefit from more relevant responses and higher completion rates. While paper surveys have a 20–25 percent completion rate, surveys given within a mobile app during the session can have a 60–100 percent completion rate.

Making polls fun is also critical. For example, at an internal company event, meeting planners can implement a company culture trivia quiz into the mix, creating an entertaining new way for attendees to interact during the meeting and also learn about the company and executive leaders participating in the conference. Live polling is a great way to generate interaction, buzz and get people to use the meeting’s mobile app to give feedback in real time. For an external conference, attendees could be surveyed as to what they are most excited to learn about. Events that utilize live polling see an increase in engagement of up to 25 percent.

 4.  Use the Data

Meeting planners can use the app to communicate with attendees during the event, gather real-time feedback for course-correction and identify opportunities for improvement that can be used to plan future events. This can include feedback on goals, presenters, facilitators, venue, content, format and design. By measuring feedback from attendees, planners can evaluate their ROI and make improvements in the moment and for the future. For instance, if certain sessions are more popular compared to others, meeting planners can use this information to adjust the room size and session activities for future events.

A good event app not only will avoid paper piles (and save money on printing costs), but also can add to the overall event experience in a positive way. Although there are many tools to sift through and various levels of functionality to consider, keep your special event goals in mind and only select those that help achieve them. Most important, data is only beneficial if you put it to good use, so make sure to thoroughly review past event data when considering event app functionality. C&IT

Dealing with vendors is a basic part of planning and executing meetings. So it only makes sense to cultivate good relationships with the folks who provide the necessary facilities and services.

“We need each other to be truly successful,” says Jody Brandes, senior meeting partner at Genentech, a San Francisco biotechnology company. “It may be possible for planners to plan meetings without creating relationships with vendors, but it’s much more rewarding to care about the people you work with.”

She says that good planner-vendor relationships pay off when problems arise.

“It’s great when everything runs smoothly, but we know that is not 100 percent of the time,” she says. “People are more willing to cooperate when a relationship is there.”

Brandes likes the ability to count on a vendor for an extra measure of help.

“If my preferred vendor is booked and can’t accommodate my meeting, I trust them to provide a good referral for a competitor,” she says. “If their referral is great, it makes me want to work even more with that original vendor. Referring a competitor doesn’t make someone lose business, it almost guarantees business to come back to them.”

Brandes relies extensively on hotel global sales offices.

“Many times I have meetings at smaller hotels, and they are not familiar with Genentech’s preferences and agreements,” she says. “When I run into trouble with a hotel, I can give my GSO a quick call and email, and they save me time by stepping in and educating their property as needed.”

She says the relationship with the GSO becomes even stronger when they’ve connected on LinkedIn or met face-to-face.

“When you find something in common outside the business it creates a bond,” she says. “I do believe that the relationships I have encourage my vendors to work harder for me.”

Brandes advises a forthright approach in dealing with vendors.

“Communication is king. There are a million things that change and happen with each event. Everyone needs to be on the same page to avoid any potentially costly mistakes.” — Jayna Cooke

“Be genuine, be honest and be kind,” she says. “If you don’t have any business with a particular vendor, tell them you don’t have business for them right now. Don’t ignore their emails and voicemails.”

She adds that you never know when things will change and you could need each other in the future. Or given that job situations change, you could work together someday. In any case, vendors will appreciate your honesty.

“The planner-vendor relationship is a key to the success of both organizations and ultimately a positive impact on meetings and events,” says Kerri Begley, vice president, conferences and special events for the Indiana Chamber of Commerce. She notes that a positive relationship helps develop trust, commitment and partnership for successful meetings.

Of course building planner-vendor relationships may not be as important for one-time situations, notes Jayna Cooke, CEO at Chicago-based EVENTup, an online marketplace supporting selection of event venues.

“We see many clients who are interested in trying new venues, new service providers, or are planning events in markets other than their own,” she says. “So in those cases there isn’t a big advantage to taking the time to build a relationship.” But when a relationship is likely to be continued, she agrees that it’s important to cultivate it in positive ways.

In fact, it’s hard to over-emphasize the importance of vendor-planner relationships, according to Sarah Bigorowski, director of events at the Georgia Pharmacy Association.

“Our industry is all about hospitality and when there is a good connection driven by customer service, relationships and trust, we all win,” she says. “It shows that we are all in this together, and that there is a commitment by both parties to execute a successful event.”

Showing Respect

Respect and understanding are vital to a good relationship between planner and vendor,” says Emily Houg, principal of Echo Events in Tacoma, Washington.

“The relationship between a meeting planner and a vendor is part of the foundation of putting together a great event,” she says. “Without mutual respect between the two parties, you might as well kiss having a calm and well-executed event goodbye.”

Giving credit for the talents that vendors bring to the table is a great first step in fostering productive relationships.

“Respect vendors’ time and talents as the experts in their fields,” Begley says. “Provide timely communication and expect to pay fair market value. Also refer them to others, the biggest compliment a vendor can receive.”

Houg recalls an event where an attendee lost an anniversary ring that had been a surprise gift from her husband. The woman was beside herself. In response, the entire facility staff joined Houg in sifting through garbage until they found it, an action Houg attributes to the excellent relationship she enjoyed with facility staff.

“I can’t say that any other facility or staff would have gone the extra mile to help find the ring,” she says. “At many places, they would have just taken a description of the ring and promised to contact her if it showed up.”

At the same time, don’t assume it’s okay to be pushy with a vendor or make unreasonable demands.

“Make sure your relationship is a win-win situation,” Begley says. “Don’t use your relationship to request special deals above and beyond what is appropriate. At the end of the day, business is business, and we all need to meet our organization’s goals.”

Communicating Clearly

Obviously good communication is key when it comes to dealing with vendors. When breakdowns occur, more often than not the problem can be traced to either a mistake in communication or a lack of sufficient exchanges between the parties involved.

“Communication is king,” Cooke says. “There are a million things that change and happen with each event. Everyone needs to be on the same page to avoid any potentially costly mistakes.”

She tells of a recent communication breakdown where there was confusion about the number of days required for a venue rental.

“We thought it had been adjusted for three days, and initially quoted the client at the two-day price for three days. Everything ended up working out alright in the end, but that could have easily been a big mistake.”

How can such errors be avoided? One strategy is to use at least two different forms of communication. If you’ve been communicating with a vendor rep by email, for example, take the time to connect by phone also. Not only does that help establish or maintain personal relationships, but you can use a phone conversation to confirm details conveyed via email. The reverse also can work well.

“Although it’s great to get on the phone, after conversations our event planners make sure to send a recap via email to the service provider to make sure that everyone is on the same page,” Cooke says.

Communication after the fact is also important, according to Bigorowski. This applies not only to taking care of event details, but also to the problem-solving process.

“Balls can be dropped and miscommunication happens and then there are the wild cards — the things no one could have predicted but we have to respond to,” she says. “It’s how we handle these instances by working together and providing honest feedback between client and vendor that can strengthen the relationship.”

Adding the Personal Touch

A strategy anyone can follow is taking the time to connect with key staff and let them know you appreciate their work. That’s not only the right thing to do but also a great way to foster cooperation, according to Houg.

“Make an effort to say hello and thank you to everyone that is involved,” she says. She affirms that management and sales might be the front of the house and those with whom you work closely and see the most often. But the back of the house staff (catering, custodial, housekeeping and so forth) really make any event happen. They include the people setting up the room, clearing and cleaning facilities, serving your attendees or otherwise assisting them with a variety of requests.

“They are the faces of your event as much as you the planner are,” Houg says. “Their job might not be in the limelight and they might prefer to be in the background, but don’t forget they are just as important in the process of implementing a great event as the next.”

She says that talking with staff and treating them with respect will reap benefits in the long run.

“They will remember you,” she says. “And the next time your event is at that facility, they will go that extra mile for you when it is needed the most.”

Cooke agrees. “Be thankful,” she says. “Always make sure to thank the service providers after a great event. This is often overlooked, and a thank you goes a long way.”

Solid personal relationships often form the basis for cooperative problem-solving, Houg points out. Because of the relationship she had with a local facility and caterer, when the numbers for an event increased unexpectedly, the vendors were able to make things happen two days before the event started.

“Space was made available to accommodate the increase,” she says. “And F&B made sure there was plenty of food to handle the group, even with an increase in the numbers for special meal requests.”

Begley describes a longtime relationship with a provider of audio-visual services.

“We consider them joint partners in the success of our meetings and events,” she says. “When we work together onsite I know they will do the best job possible to make our meeting a success. I trust they will do this, and I shout their names from the rooftop any chance I get.”

In one instance, a hotel attempted to deny some concessions that had been promised.

“As the hotel’s in-house AV company, my contact went to bat for us and made sure the promises were met,” Begley says.

The likelihood for such cooperation may be greater when you treat contacts as individuals and take the time to identify common points of interest, Bigorowski advises.

“Make a point to know one or two things about your vendors on a personal level,” Bigorowski says. “What are their hobbies? Where do they like to vacation? It’s fun to get to know one another and build connections.”

Taking things further, if a vendor of yours is hosting a client event, attend if you can, she suggests.

“They will appreciate the support and a familiar face in the crowd. Even better, bring a fellow planner or colleague so the vendor can grow their network, too.”

Certainly, positive relationships are vital in all aspects of business. When it comes to dealing with vendors, successful relationships can assure that everyone comes out a winner.

“Through the vendor relationships I’ve developed over the years, I have made dear friends and a network of resources,” Begley says. “That not only allows me to be successful at my job, but also to have a lot of fun doing it.”  C&IT

Hilton Sedona Resort at Bell Rock.

The Southwestern United States may seem far from the nation’s traditional centers of corporate enterprise, but business thrives here. The area is at the center of business for many organizations, including highly respected Fortune 500 and 100 companies — some founded and built here. Not surprising, executives and planners from corporations across the country choose the Southwest for meetings.

OKLAHOMA CITY

Oklahoma City’s Fortune 500 companies are major players in the gas and oil industry, making it the go-to destination for meetings related to that field.

“The State of Oklahoma has deep roots in and is a very active hub for the oil and gas industry,” says Barry Haest, vice president of events at Houston-based Hart Energy. “Oklahoma City is home to such leading oil and gas companies as Devon, Chesapeake, Continental Resources and American Energy Partners, to name a few. Upon researching and speaking with our clients, an overwhelming majority recommended we host an oil and gas conference in Oklahoma City.”

Hart’s DUG Midcontinent Conference and Exhibition drew more than 1,800 attendees in March. It was based at the Cox Convention Center, with room blocks at the Renaissance Oklahoma City Convention Center Hotel and the Skirvin Hilton Hotel.

“We chose the Renaissance as our headquarters hotel because of its close proximity to the Cox Convention Center and convenient skybridge,” Haest says. “We also selected the Skirvin Hilton Hotel because of its historic significance and close walking distance to the convention center. This hotel first opened in 1911 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The staffs at both hotels were very professional and accommodating for us and our conference attendees.”

Haest says the downtown and Bricktown areas were a draw as well. “A tremendous amount of investment has been made into the downtown and Bricktown areas. We knew our attendees, exhibitors and sponsors would take advantage of and enjoy the excellent local restaurants and bars.”

One favorite was Mickey Mantle’s Steakhouse, which the group used for its speaker dinner. “It was a big hit with the 25-plus oil and gas executives we had invited to speak at our conference,” Haest says. “Named after Oklahoma’s baseball legend, this upscale and contemporary restaurant was able to easily accommodate our party. The food and service were outstanding, and many of our speakers and guests commented on the unique artwork displayed throughout the restaurant, which depicted Mr. Mantle’s extraordinary career with the New York Yankees.

“The majority of our other attendees took advantage of the unique restaurants and other nightlife activities in the city’s historic Bricktown area. And some of our exhibitors and sponsors hosted private dinners and receptions for clients and other VIPs in Bricktown.”

The majority of the conference took place at the convention center, including most meals. “We utilized the entire Cox Convention Center for our conference. Breakfast, lunch and catered networking breaks were hosted in the convention center. And logistically speaking,” Haest adds, “the highlight was hosting an 800-person plated lunch on the floor of the exhibit hall.”

One challenge at the convention center related to rigging, which Haest says is an important factor for this group. “There are no rigging points in the convention center and the venue is built above the parking garage, so weight limitations were a challenge. These limitations did affect some of our exhibitors who like to bring in and display large industrial equipment in their booths.”

On the plus side, transportation was a breeze. “The transportation was easy in Oklahoma City,” Haest says. “There were plenty of flights in and out of the Will Rogers Airport. And as Oklahoma City is located in the center of the state, it was easy for our road-warrior clients who like to drive from Dallas, Houston, Denver and other cities in Oklahoma.”

Meeting in Oklahoma City proved to be very successful for this group. “Attendance for the conference,” Haest notes, “was at an all-time high.”

ARIZONA

Sedona

Sedona offers a very different vibe, one based on its natural beauty and reputation as a place of healing and positive energy. It’s not surprising that meetings focused on well-being are drawn to this northern Arizona town of just 10,000 residents.

“We used to come to Sedona often with our different class offerings,” says Colleen Russell, meeting planner with the International Alliance of Healthcare Educators in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. “That slowed and this is our first time back in four or five years. Our staff and attendees really enjoy the red rocks and the general spiritual atmosphere.”

“Where else can you hear coyotes, see a bobcat cross the golf course outside of your room, see quail and lizards in their natural habitat, watch sunset colors surround the mountains and hear a waterfall tumble down natural desert boulders?” — Drusilla Pollick

The alliance, which includes several institutes, brought 70 attendees to Sedona in January for one of its education conferences. The Hilton Sedona Resort at Bell Rock served as host hotel.

“Since we plan approximately 400 meetings per year, we try to keep them as similar as possible,” Russell says. “We always try to find a hotel within 20 miles of the airport and within walking distance of area restaurants and shopping. We prefer that parking be complimentary to our attendees. A big influence for us is the cost of meeting-room rental, food and beverage and the cost of sleeping rooms.”

Because the meetings consist almost exclusively of classes, there are not many group components. “When we hold meetings, our attendees are all on their own. We don’t hold group functions or excursions,” Russell notes. “The only food and beverage we order is a light continental breakfast on the first day, and the next three days we offer coffee and hot tea service in the mornings only. The rest of the meals are on their own.”

Sedona’s intimacy and beauty come with a price: It’s harder to get to than some destinations. “You have to fly into Flagstaff which is expensive,” Russell says. “You can fly into Phoenix but then the drive is 115 miles to Sedona, which means renting a car, etc.”

Still, the town has great appeal for Institute attendees. “Our attendees are massage therapists, physical therapists, chiropractors, nurses and other healthcare workers,” Russell says. “Having the red rocks and the serene atmosphere of Sedona makes for a great backdrop. Being one with nature is very appealing to our attendees.”

Scottsdale

To be sure, it’s not only wellness-oriented companies that find Sedona appealing. When Drusilla Pollick, CMP, manager, global accounts at HelmsBriscoe, was looking on short notice for a meeting site for a chemical manufacturer and distributor, Sedona was the first choice. But with no appropriate availability, she turned south to Scottsdale.

“As I had visited Scottsdale through the CVB and had great meetings and experience with the Waldorf Astoria brand, I sent RFPs to the Boulders Resort & Spa after researching the property. The client’s director of national sales and distribution had been to the Boulders previously and therefore felt comfortable placing his group of 42 in the hotel.

It is, Pollick notes, an amazing setting. “This hotel is going through a brand change with Hilton, and we are excited to hear that it will be undergoing a renovation soon,” she says. “It’s a spectacular location in the desert. The casitas are comfortable and, like the junior suites, roomy and in beautiful surroundings. You are immersed in the sights and sounds of the desert.

“Where else can you hear coyotes, see a bobcat cross the golf course outside of your room, see quail and lizards in their natural habitat, watch sunset colors surround the mountains and hear a waterfall tumble down natural desert boulders? You can also light the fireplace in your casita, go to the spa for a massage and take a dip in the pool.”

While Pollick notes that the group was a little cramped and needed additional meeting space, she says the staff was very accommodating and worked out a viable solution for the breakout rooms.

Food and catering also were excellent. “Food was rated highly. We had a great event in the Cocopelli (outdoor desert location) with a Western/Mexican theme and invited a local mariachi band to add to the festivities,” she says.

While getting in and out of the Phoenix airport is easy, Pollick notes that getting to The Boulders is less so. “A drive to this location takes a little more time from the Phoenix airport, but I would highly recommend it just for the natural desert location. I have only great things to say about Scottsdale as a destination and the CVB, which has been a great partner to HelmsBriscoe and our clients, and many hotels in Scottsdale would be on my recommendation list.”

Pollick and her team arranged for a bus to take attendees to one of north Scottsdale’s malls featuring restaurants, retail and entertainment. She also recommends Old Scottsdale, in close proximity to many of the city’s unique hotels, as a location for offsite functions.

“The Saguaro Scottsdale food is excellent (great chef) and it’s close to the spring training baseball park. There’s also Sanctuary Camelback Mountain Resort — what panoramic views. One unique offsite private venue is the Boulder House, which is catered by The Boulders Resort. Kimpton’s FireSky Resort & Spa is an excellent place for food and parties by the pool, and the Omni Scottsdale Resort has a gorgeous ballroom. The Royal Palms has the most amazing outdoor dining location in the Orange Grove and intimate indoor and outdoor pool patios. There are,” she adds, “too many great hotels to mention them all.”

In the end, it’s about the attendee experience, and Pollick says that the after-meeting survey shows that this experience was rated as one of the client’s best meetings as a group.

“Scottsdale is a beautiful location, natural and relaxing. There are great hotels, a great CVB and great DMC organizations offering tons of group networking activities.”

If other planners are considering Scottsdale for an upcoming meeting, Pollick has just two words: “Do it!”

A Scottsdale option that includes gaming is the AAA Four Diamond, Native American-owned Talking Stick Resort on the Salt River-Pima Maricopa Indian Reservation. The 496-room resort offers nearly every must-have amenity for corporate groups: golf at the adjacent Talking Stick Golf Club; The Spa at Talking Stick, a 13,000-sf open-air venue on the 14th floor that highlights products made with ingredients that are culturally significant to the Pima-Maricopa Indians; gaming at the onsite casino; a 650-seat Showroom; and 100,000 sf of indoor/outdoor meeting space. Distinctive among the 11 restaurants and lounges is the signature restaurant Orange Sky, located on the 15th floor with floor-to-ceiling windows and available for private events. The casino-level lounge, Palo Verde, was expanded last year.

NEW MEXICO

Santa Fe

Larger than Sedona but smaller than Scottsdale, Santa Fe, with a population nearing 70,000, is the Southwest’s mecca for art, architecture, history and shopping. All of those attributes and more played into the decision to hold Dallas-based Southwest Airline’s Claims Review meeting in Santa Fe in April. The group of 15 was based at the boutique Inn and Spa at Loretto.

“We meet semiannually at different cities throughout the U.S.,” says Mary Mortensen, customer claims administration senior supervisor. “We look for venues that will allow us to focus on business matters, have teambuilding time and fun. Location for this meeting was a key factor. We had attendees coming from New York, Dallas and Houston. We especially wanted to have the ‘Santa Fe shopping experience.’ ”

After considering several properties, Mortensen says the choice came down to three. “Since cost was a major factor, we found three properties that appealed to us because of their location, room rates and meeting space. Although the Inn’s rates were somewhat higher than the others, they met the other properties’ room rates, waived the charge for usage of the meeting room and seemed genuinely interested in hosting our meeting.”

Inn and Spa at Loretto, a Destination Hotel, was the main site for conference meetings and functions, which worked very well. “We were impressed with the staff’s attentiveness to our group,” Mortensen says. “They were helpful in finding meeting materials that were shipped ahead of time. One staff member actually participated in one of our teambuilding activities. Our meeting room was spacious, seating was comfortable and the audio-visual provider was exemplary.”

Mortensen has positive things to say about the inn’s catering, as well, which the group used for breakfast and lunch in the meeting room. “The breakfast menu was varied: juices, fruit, pastries, granola, yogurt, tortillas, eggs, potatoes, bacon, sausage, etc. Food that was supposed to be hot was hot, and food that was supposed to be cold was cold. Lunch was excellent. We had fresh, green salad, pasta salad, roast beef, turkey, grilled chicken and tuna, fruits and cookies. The portions were generous, and the wait staff replenished items frequently.”

The only downside at the hotel, says Mortensen, was lengthy delays checking in and checking out.

Santa Fe itself provided an excellent setting for the meeting with its striking architecture and consistently good weather. And though Southwest employees flew Southwest into Albuquerque, an hour away, insurers and brokers made their own flight arrangements and flew directly into Santa Fe.

The group used three of the city’s restaurants during the meeting, with mixed results according to Mortensen. The Shed topped the list with “excellent margaritas, the availability of a private dining room and excellent food and service.” On the other hand, Il Piatto, says Mortensen, offers a limited/acceptable menu but no private dining and only “okay/passing service,” while Santa Fe Bite has “great food and patio seating but slow service.”

For planners considering Santa Fe as a meeting destination, Mortensen recommends making restaurant reservations well in advance, which will give groups more options in this city known for its exceptional Southwestern cuisine.

Mortensen also cautions that groups should be prepared for “poor to no cell phone coverage for certain carriers.”

While that’s a horror story for some attendees, others may see it as a blessing. And for those whose phones do work there’s good news: Tourism Santa Fe visitor centers are now equipped with cutting-edge solar-powered charging stations for phones and other digital devices at no charge.

From its large urban centers to rural retreats, the Southwest delivers what planners and attendees value. It’s business friendly yet with an abundance of extraordinary natural beauty. That’s a combination that makes the Southwest hard to resist.

New & Noteworthy

Oklahoma. Holiday Inn Express Bricktown debuted in January and construction is set to start on two additional hotels this fall: a Hyatt Place and an AC Hotel. Already under construction and slated to open in 2016 is a 21C Museum Hotel at the edge of the Film Row district. In the Boathouse District, the new CHK/Central Boathouse opened with ample rentable space indoors and out. And groups meeting in OKC in 2016 will have another teambuilding option when the Boathouse District’s new whitewater rafting facility opens.

Arizona. In November, Phoenix’s historic Arizona Biltmore, a Waldorf Astoria Resort, completed a major renovation upgrading and modernizing accommodations and public spaces. The city’s stellar Musical Instrument Museum added 3,400 sf of event space, including three private meeting rooms with full AV capability, bringing total function space to 40,000 sf.

In March, Sheraton Mesa Hotel debuted with 180 guest rooms and 37,000 sf of event space, including a ballroom accommodating 1,500 attendees. In May, Boulders Resort & Spa in Carefree was sold. Hilton integrated the resort into its Curio brand and a multimillion-dollar renovation will finish in December. Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain Resort & Spa is embarking on a $10 million renovation. It includes the new Spa House accommodating eight for private retreats and will wrap up in early 2016.

In June, The Fairmont Scottsdale Princess completed a renovation of its 120 casitas, ideal for executive meetings, and broke ground on a project that will bring 102 guest rooms online for a total of 750. The new Sunset Beach feature pool will accommodate leisure guests and serve as a fun venue for group functions. The resort’s 1880s-era Western town is being relocated and expanded to include two saloons, a stage, a dance floor and a jail where guests can be “locked up.” Poorly behaved attendees beware…

Scottsdale Resort & Conference Center began a renovation in July with completion expected in September. In addition to an updated look, a new restaurant and new function space, the resort will sport a name: The Scottsdale Resort at McCormick Ranch, a Destination Hotel.

In Tucson, The Westin La Paloma Resort and Spa completed a $30 million rejuvenation that included its public spaces, private rooms and the 60,000-sf conference space.

This summer L’Auberge de Sedona will undergo a renewal that will include an enhanced arrival experience, upgraded accommodations, private dining spaces, a new state-of-the-art kitchen and a new indoor-outdoor bar area. The unveiling will take place this fall.

New Mexico. The Albuquerque Convention Center completed a $23 million renovation in October, including a newly designed ballroom, kitchen and service corridor. The West complex has a new entrance, an entertainment deck off the ballroom, and the lower atrium was remodeled.

Visitors to Albuquerque in 2015 can be among the first to visit Valles Caldera when it transitions from a national preserve into one of the nation’s newest national parks.

In Santa Fe, the Eldorado Hotel & Spa completed a renovation in June that included a refresh of the 219 guest rooms and a new 7,000-sf ballroom that accommodates 700 guests for a reception. C&IT

Dynamic Events by David Caruso, an award-winning Milwaukee-based event planning firm, arranged a themed President’s Club business meeting for 40 attendees at The St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort, Puerto Rico. Credit: José Jiménez-Tirado Photography

There is a reason why so many meetings and events seem to be cookie-cutter productions. There are people to please and placate, funds to be allocated, guest lists to be trimmed and complex rules of etiquette to be followed. It is no wonder that so many people end up with the same event year after year. Whether you’re organizing a weekend corporate event or an offsite annual sales meeting, creating a distinctive themed atmosphere can play a key role in its success and help these meetings stand out from the crowd.

Why Themed Meetings

Nowadays, corporations are moving toward themed meetings because they offer a consistent message to the attendees about the mission or objective of the meeting. Themed meetings also allow meeting planners to create a roadmap with a clear meeting message that is communicated to attendees through the event’s theme.

Hillary Smith, CMP, CSEP, and partner at Koncept Events in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, says that themed meetings set the tone for the meeting and build experiential components based on the themed elements you select.

“This helps underline and reinforce the overall message,” Smith says. “With themes you can get more creative with the way you display and purpose content. The challenge is making it a consistent message. A lot of meeting planners don’t take the time to build on the theme and thread it throughout the whole event. It’s confusing for attendees if you don’t highlight the theme throughout and creates the reverse negative effect.”

Industry experts agree that larger meetings are the most appropriate setting for themed meetings, and they are usually best for reorganizations, incentive groups or sales meeting settings that have a motivational tone.

“Well-produced themed meetings motivate employees to get more engaged in the company culture, perform at high performance levels and represent the organization in a positive way.” — David Caruso

“Themed meetings are becoming a hot idea, especially when groups select a reoccurring destination,” says Karen Shackman, founder of Shackman Associates New York, a destination management and special events planning firm. “Using themed meetings is a great way to keep regular meeting fresh and exciting. Millennial attendees love face-to-face interaction at meetings, so any theme that encourages networking could be a home run among that group.”

Shackman stresses that themed meetings are ideal for corporate incentive travel program groups. “Because these kinds of programs are designed for top performers, adding themed elements creates more excitement around the entire meeting,” Shackman says.

Shackman Associates recently ran a music-themed meeting that included elements throughout the week that focused on New York’s rich history of musicians who either got their start there or moved to the city during their careers.

“We incorporated a unique team-building idea where attendees went into a studio and recorded their own rock songs,” Shackman says. “Many top instrumentalists are in New York when they are not on tour with major stars, so we were easily able to pair attendees with talent. The attendees then performed their new song live at their corporate gala later in the week. They loved it.”

Kara Leodler, manager of conference and travel for Kansas City Life & Old American Insurance Company in Kansas City, Missouri, prefers to use a theme for meetings for her company.

“Themed meetings have a natural progression from the tag line and logo design, to marketing plans, to room décor, tours, speakers and menus,” Leodler says. “It makes planning the meeting fun, and as a planner, you get to wear your creative hat, connect the dots, create the flow and allow hotels and vendors to wear their creative hats, too. This year I had two meetings in Colonial Williamsburg and the themes included Capture the Colonial Spirit and A Walk through Colonial Williamsburg. Both lend perfectly to the area, the hotels, the recreation and education the area has to offer.”

Koncept Events creates themed meetings by including the theme’s creative in every detail of the event from start to finish. This includes things such as the teaser invite to the online registration, décor colors, event gifts, entertainment, group activities/teambuilders, education sessions, etc.

“Any communication to the attendee or audience of any kind would all be branded with that theme,” says Smith, “The entire environment would exude that message. And importantly, the ending of the event would be a catalyst to the theme. It would touch on some manner of recap, reporting or marching orders with that theme in mind so it all comes full circle. This ensures attendees walk away with one consistent message.”

Benefits Aplenty

Kelly O’Neil, events manager for CMA Association Management, Princeton Junction, New Jersey, says that one of the biggest benefits of a themed meeting is that the attendees’ overall experience is enriched as they engage deeper and participate more through group activities, teambuilding and networking.

Themed meetings also are likely to encourage attendance as prospective attendees look forward to what is to come.

“Themes can also tie into messages and vital information that the company is relaying to the group in a more exciting format than just a PowerPoint presentation,” O’Neil says. “Theming can build the excitement and relay and reinforce a message all year long, not just for one event a year.”
O’Neil has planned 20 large themed events with more than 500 attendees and many other themed events on a smaller scale.

From this experience, O’Neil has learned that attendees are more likely to remember information that is presented in a new, exciting and entertaining way as the theme will trigger the memory when the takeaways need to be implemented back at the office.

“Theming is an important part of the meeting follow-up,” O’Neil says. “Themed giveaways or email messages afterward can trigger employees to remember what the meeting was about and put into action what they learned. And remember, at the end of one year’s event, the reveal of next year’s location and theme is always a highlight of the closing ceremony. This creates buzz for the next year.”

One meeting in particular that O’Neil orchestrated espoused the far-reaching impact themed meetings can have on attendees. This meeting celebrated the 25th anniversary of an annual client conference.

As O’Neil explains, the meeting was kicked off with a welcome reception that encompassed stations of previous cities that the group attended for this conference, representing the client’s global reach. Stations included themed décor, food and beverage as well as activities that echoed past annual client conferences and brought back those memories. To set the stage, the registration table included street signs from several different locations from previous years.

The conference’s final farewell reception was held at a ranch and included activities and food stations that tied the current year’s surroundings with fond memories from previous years to link the past with the present. Some examples included mechanical bull riding, a favorite country and western band returned, face painting, cigar rolling, armadillo races, whiskey tasting, ranch tours, character sketches and photo opportunities with a live bull.

“Themed meetings tend to have higher satisfaction ratings because guests are engaged and entertained in unexpected ways, which leads to more positive results,” O’Neil says. “Attendees walk away refreshed and excited for what comes next in their company.”

Making It Work

Themed meetings are appropriate for corporate groups wishing to send a message to employees. “This can be done in the form of creating a fun setting or a teambuilding experience,” says Linda Ilsley, CMP, president and CEO at Winston-Salem, North Carolina-based LPI Events. “Companies that are restructuring, rebranding or merging with another company provide an opportunity to send a corporate message through a theme.”

From Ilsley’s perspective, themed meetings are becoming more prevalent as corporations use the opportunity to spread the message about sales of new products or logo launches and the like.

Ilsley also suggests the key is to “show ROI to the key planners and the attendees.” Yet one of the challenges is in selecting the proper venue, especially one that lends itself to enchancing the theme experience. She says her area is fortunate to have a venue such as the Millennium Center in Winston-Salem, which has a number of options for a themed meeting including “a courtroom, speakeasy, ballroom with a large stage area and an elegant setting. The space also allows for theme transition, which is not easy to find,” she notes.

Examples of successful themed meetings produced by LPI Events include Prescription for Success, which used a logoed, customized prescription pad for notes, a 6-foot prescription pad meeting agenda posted outside the ballroom, ink pens shaped like hypodermic needles, and a character actor in a lab coat who handed out prescription-messaged candy bars inscribed with the meeting message.

Moreover, Ilsley suggests theme meetings can create an energy that comes from the group working together on a CSR project or drumming teambuilding programs, both of which also have lasting impact. “Drumming for the Future teambuilding programs also create awareness of the corporation moving as a team into the future,” she adds.

Avoid Being ‘Cheesy’

Lisa Schaibly, operations coordinator at Front Burner Brands, a restaurant management company headquartered in Tampa, Florida, recently coordinated the firm’s annual franchise reunion, which typically has a theme that pertains to the event.

“Our annual franchise reunion combines aspects of what is relevant to our business at the time, usually playing off something our host city is well-known for,” Schaibly says. Some examples from the past have been a Path to Greatness in Cancun, playing off the Aztec compass; Mile High Success in Denver, playing off the mountains; and a pirate theme in Tampa, incorporating the theme in breakouts such as Counting Your Coffer for inventory and Salvaging Sunken Treasure for guest recovery.

Front Burner Brands also did a Dining in the Dark dinner for one of the company’s smaller meetings at the Epicurean Hotel in Tampa.

“The diners were blindfolded and then served three courses, each paired with a wine, and they had to guess what they were eating,” Schaibly says. “It was really funny to watch them poke around for their bites and hearing some of their guesses.”

While Schaibly embraces themed meetings, she also stresses the importance of not crossing the line of being too cheesy or childish.

“You don’t want to make someone feel patronized,” Schaibly says. “You want your theme to be relevant to their business at that time and the theme should carry throughout your meeting and presentations. Don’t just slap a luau theme on your meeting and make them dress up in the paper grass skirts you found at the party store. You are catering to business professionals, not a summer barbecue with the kids.”

Know Your Group

The key to making themed meetings an attendee favorite is knowing your group. For example, if you are planning a destination meeting in New York City, it might help to start a conversation with potential attendees about what would make them most excited to go there.

“If you start getting common feedback, then that can set the table to be creative and incorporate a really exciting theme,” Shackman says.

For the Capture the Colonial Spirit themed meeting that Leodler planned, she developed a marketing plan the year prior to the meeting, highlighting important characters, locations and events.

“Simple things like highlighting the importance of taverns as a social and meeting location in the day were fun and educational to those on the receiving end of the plan,” Leodler says. One of the tours incorporated lunch at a tavern in the museum of Colonial Williamsburg with the locals who are in character.  Some of the speakers for the meeting were “Mr. Thomas Jefferson, former President of the United States” speaking of his time in office and his love of Virginia.

“The meeting space at the Williamsburg Lodge is perfect to work with. The look and feel lends itself to theming and décor of any kind,” Leodler says. “Of course we went to patriotic red, white and blue with a hint of garden for the décor, linens and flowers. The sleeping rooms of each property, Williamsburg Lodge and Inn, lent itself to this theming as well. Menu design with servers and staff dressing the parts of old-fashioned garden party, to formal, black-tie events were spot on.”

Ilsley cautions planners to always stay focused on the goal and objective of the meeting. It is a good idea to “survey or have a clear understanding of who the attendees are as well as the best way to convey the information to appeal to the recipients’ learning mode,” she advises.

Ken Malquist, show director, Disney Event Group, says theming, no matter how extravagant, is always in the details.

“For example, let’s say a client chose ‘ignite’ for an event theme,” Malquist says. “Through colorful lighting, electrifying graphics and engaging keynote speakers, the theme can ‘ignite’ attendee imagination and drive action to help the client achieve their meeting goals.”

The Disney Way

Not surprising, most everything the Disney Events meeting team does at Walt Disney World Resort is themed. They look at an entire event and the client’s key messages and goals, and tie those elements into every aspect of the meeting. From pre-event communication to onsite décor, entertainment, signage and presentation platforms, they use every detail in creating not only an event but also an unforgettable experience.

“Themed meetings ensure that every aspect that attendees see, hear, touch, feel, taste and experience reinforce the client’s purpose and business needs,” Malquist says. “It’s a holistic view that drives greater engagement, retention and utilization. Just like a score in a movie should not distract from the emotion of a scene, the theme of an event should not overshadow the message. All event elements should work in harmony with each other to support the intent of the meeting.”

In his meeting planning experience, Malquist has found that meeting attendees engage more with event content and activities, and with each other, when event elements are uniquely themed.

“Walt Disney said, ‘I would rather entertain and hope that people learned something, than educate people and hope they were entertained.’ Our Disney team has found that when people are taken out of their regular rivers of thinking, they become more focused and engaged,” Malquist says.

David Caruso, president of Dynamic Events in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, agrees. Caruso has found that well-produced themed meeting experiences help to achieve strategic goals and to differentiate organizations in the areas of creativity, culture and commitment to excellence.

Recently, Caruso orchestrated a national sales meeting in Miami for a company that sells medical devices. Based on the location of the meeting, the company’s strategic plan and the demographics of the audience, they branded the experience with the title “Ignite.”

“The tagline, ‘Excellence. Passion. Performance.’ supported the energizing title and provided a framework for the meeting topics that were focused on how team members can ignite excellence, passion and performance in all areas of their career,” Caruso says. “Ultimately, well-produced themed meetings motivate employees to get more engaged in the company culture, perform at high performance levels and represent the organization in a positive way.”

When it’s time to prove ROI, a creative, well-executed themed meeting will make you stand out from the crowd. C&IT