California Confabs

Microsoft’s annual xDM meeting staged its food-truck welcome reception at Anaheim Convention Center’s Grand Plaza. Credit: Filmateria Digital LLC

When it comes to extraordinary and diverse destinations in which to meet, few states rival California. It has nearly 900 miles of coastline, iconic-status beaches, multiple oceanfront cities where it’s possible to conduct business in the morning and surf or sunbathe in the afternoon, the dramatic Sierra Nevada range along its backbone and a charismatic ethos powered in part by a bubbling melting pot of cultures that have become integral to the state’s identity.

It’s not just California movie stars and celebrity athletes whose names are known across the globe; many of the state’s entrepreneurial business leaders have become household names, too. And in addition to being celebrated for its inventive cuisine and thriving restaurant scene as well as its beaches, resorts and hotels, California sits at the epicenter of the technology revolution that drives the world today.

Los Angeles and Orange Counties

The Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim metropolitan area is the second largest metropolitan area in the United States, yet each city offers planners something different.

Anaheim

The city of Anaheim in Orange County is home to Disneyland. While that’s a powerful draw for many groups, it’s not the city’s sole attribute. When Angel Hanson, CMP, event marketing manager with Microsoft, was considering sites for the company’s annual xDM meeting in 2014, she turned for the third time to the Anaheim Marriott. The group of 1,100 had 100 percent of the hotel’s meeting rooms and 75 percent of its guest rooms.

The hotel is located near the Anaheim Convention Center and a couple of blocks from Disneyland, making it a good choice for location alone. But Hanson says the hotel delivers on many levels. “This property has the latest and greatest in technology combined with top-notch service levels, making it a perfect fit for Microsoft. And the staff is hands down the best I’ve encountered in my 17 years in the industry. From sales to F&B to production to the events team and everyone in between, the service is amazing.

“The food,” she adds, “is outstanding. It has received the highest scores of any Microsoft event that’s been held around the world. The lazy-Susan style of buffet is a huge hit with our audience. Food is fresh, it’s hot, and it allows a quick turn-around time for attendees to get in and out while also allowing more networking time at the tables.”

In addition to hotel space, the group booked outside venues. The welcome reception was held on the Grand Plaza outside of the convention center, and an offsite party was set at the City National Grove of Anaheim. “We used the Grove of Anaheim for our attendee party,” Hanson says. “It has a great staff and great location. It’s a blank slate, and you can create the space to fit your event theme.”

Anaheim is “very affordable from room rates to venue costs. It’s a low-cost but a high-quality delivery.” — Angel Hanson

Anaheim offers choices. “Microsoft is a worldwide company, and Anaheim is a great location with many airport possibilities — there are three airports less than one hour away,” Hanson points out. “There are also many options for offsite venues, many properties to choose from. It’s very affordable from room rates to venue costs. It’s a low-cost but a high-quality delivery.”

Attendees also have choices when it comes to activities during downtime, thanks to the Marriott’s location. “There are many restaurants, shops and entertainment options within walking distance for our attendees,” Hanson notes.

It’s the hotel itself, however, that Hanson appreciates most. “The Marriott team made my job easy,” she says. “There were no surprises. The Marriott team is completely transparent and extremely organized, as is my team. I have three to four planning visits throughout the process, which allows us to do deep dives on the program details. xDM will be returning to the Anaheim Marriott for the fourth time this November, and we are looking forward to another successful event!”

Long Beach

The L.A. County city of Long Beach has 5.5 miles of Pacific Ocean beach, dozens of restaurants, plenty of attractions and the 400,000-sf Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center. It’s also the launch point for adventure tours and cruises to Catalina Island, an hour away, where attendees can leave the urban vibe behind for a day of hiking, wildlife watching, kayaking and snorkeling.

“Long Beach, located in the center of Southern California, is one of very few cities that can boast an urban downtown waterfront with a convention center offering panoramic Pacific Ocean vistas,” says Steve Goodling, president and CEO of the Long Beach CVB.

“Long Beach boasts all the amenities and excitement of a big city with the relaxed atmosphere of a seaside resort. The city combines ‘big-city vogue’ with the friendly attitude of a small beach town.

“Within an eight-block area around the convention center, visitors will discover major attractions, shopping, entertainment, nightlife and more than 125 restaurants serving cuisine from around the world. Plus,” Goodling adds, “Long Beach is freeway-close to all the major attractions of L.A. and Orange counties. Long Beach is also easy to get to, with service from three nearby airports — Long Beach Airport, LAX and Orange County Airport—all just minutes away.”

Los Angeles

The city of Los Angeles itself defies conventional description. Its status as the entertainment capital of the world and the sheer number of celebrities who call it home set it apart. It includes iconic beach towns and canyons (Venice Beach and Laurel Canyon among them), famous neighborhoods and streets (Hollywood Hills, Bel Air, Sunset Strip), one of the largest urban parks in the nation (Griffith Park) and arguably more celebrated entertainment venues and attractions than some countries can offer.

The Los Angeles Convention Center features 720,000 sf of exhibit space, 147,000 sf of meeting space and in June rolled out improvements to enhance customer experience. The city is well equipped to handle every type of meeting, from intimate and high profile with VIPs to mega conventions.

San Francisco

This forward-thinking city needs no introduction. It was No. 12 on Cvent’s list of 2014 Top 50 Meeting Destinations in the United States and planners know the city delivers an incredible attendee experience. Moreover, San Francisco is never static. There’s a lot of building and expansion going on, giving the city perennial appeal.

“San Francisco continues to be a favorite destination for planners and attendees alike,” says Joe D’Alessandro, president and CEO, San Francisco Travel, the city’s CVB. “Even those who have been here recently will find new things to discover — transformed hotels, new restaurants, fresh venues and more. And of course, our world-famous scenery and icons never fail to impress. It’s really never too soon to return to San Francisco.”

In May, the city celebrated the groundbreaking for the $500 million expansion of Moscone Center. When it opens in 2018, the new space will provide more than 500,000 sf of contiguous space with 80-plus meeting rooms and three ballrooms, including a 50,000-sf column-free ballroom. With extensive sustainable features, the facility also is expected to receive the highest LEED certification possible.

San Jose

San Jose is experiencing explosive growth, and Team San Jose says attendees will be surprised with the destination’s cuisine, vibrant nightlife, major sporting events and unique attractions. San Jose offers attendees the quintessential Silicon Valley experience: serious business done in a relaxed atmosphere. Attendees will experience a range of post-convention activities in downtown San Jose with more than 250 dining and nightlife options, contemporary museums, edgy galleries and vibrant performing arts and entertainment — all within walking distance from the recently renovated San Jose McEnery Convention Center. Not only that, the convention center’s $130-million makeover introduced an additional 169,957 sf of flexible ballroom and meeting space with a modern design and state-of-the-art technology — bringing the new grand total to nearly 400,000 sf of flexible space.

Team San Jose says there are three great reasons for meeting planners to consider San Jose as a meeting destination:

Wicked Smart and Wickedly Fast. Upon arrival to San Jose, attendees are imbued by the contagious energy of innovators, thinkers and dreamers acting as the driving force behind America’s smartest city. The capital of Silicon Valley is home to 6,600 technology companies and has helped San Jose forge an unrivaled culture as the epicenter of innovation. Planners and attendees can maximize their connectivity capabilities with Wickedly Fast Free Wi-Fi at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center, Mineta San Jose International Airport and within downtown San Jose.

Bright Ideas Beyond the Breakouts. San Jose’s revitalized downtown offers a wealth of stimulating attractions and social settings to charge the conversation beyond the breakout session. With a vast selection of alfresco restaurants and cultural spaces, downtown’s atmosphere cultivates innovative thinking.

Sustainably Savvy San Jose. San Jose’s visitor industry is putting its best carbon footprint forward with sustainable contributions from the convention center, airport and downtown hotel properties. San Jose is an environmentally progressive city, and Team San Jose-managed facilities recycle, reuse and repurpose 89 percent of all material waste.

Monterey County

Occupying an exquisite stretch of coast between San Francisco and Los Angeles, Monterey County is home to Carmel by the Sea, Pebble Beach, Big Sur and the city of Monterey. Collectively and individually, these towns make the county one of the most desirable in the nation. Cradled between the Pacific Ocean and miles of dramatic cliffs and undulating hillsides are sweet stretches of sand, many within state parks. To the east, valleys and vineyards provide a bucolic setting for memorable events, perhaps especially Carmel Valley. It’s here that the Forbes Four Star Bernardus Lodge & Spa sits, newly renovated this spring and under new ownership. The 57-room property on 28 acres of vineyards and gardens has long been an ideal setting for intimate groups. Now, with all guest rooms and public spaces redesigned, event spaces reconfigured and a new restaurant including a 25,000-bottle wine cellar, its star shines even brighter.

Sue Van Zeyl, office manager and executive assistant with Jackson Square Partners LLC, a California-based investment management group, brought a team of 35 to the lodge in May. “We’ve stayed at Bernardus three times now for our annual offsite, and each time it’s been great. Other resorts in the area don’t have the same cozy, warm, secluded feel. The location is perfect, and the new remodel is stunning. The property takes you away to tranquility. My team has had an extremely busy past year, so this is just what the doctor ordered.”

The lodge features 4,300 sf of indoor meeting space and 5,000 sf of outdoor venues. “Pretty much everything stood out,” Van Zeyl says. “The meeting spaces are the perfect size for our group. The staff was more than accommodating in helping me make our event run smoothly and anything I/we needed, we got.”

That included hanging a piñata and assisting with the group’s afternoon cocktails-appetizer-bocce-ball event, which Van Zeyl calls “always a must-do on our list.”

The group had breakfast and lunch during meetings and dinner onsite both nights. “Everything was mouthwatering,” Van Zeyl says. “We were going to have dinner in the Rose Garden but unfortunately it was too cold. The staff was able to set up the Harvest Room (my personal favorite) on very short notice. We will plan on the Rose Garden for next time.”

In the past, Van Zeyl says, they have gone offsite at least one night for dinner to Hyatt Carmel Highlands, an outing she calls worth it even with having to shuttle 35 people there. Participants also have played golf at Carmel Valley Lodge, Spyglass Hill Golf Course and others among the renowned courses in Monterey County.

The lodge’s newly expanded spa also was popular with the group. “The spa was used by everyone and more than once for some,” Van Zeyl says. “To see the relaxed faces on my team members when they came out of a treatment made me feel like I had done my job. The highlight was seeing my team happy and relaxed, and Bernardus was the escape we needed. I wish we could do this every six months.”

San Diego

When the team from North Dakota-based FBS, which makes an app pertinent to real-estate agents across the country, wanted a site for the company’s 2014 FBS Summit with 100 attendees, San Diego and Paradise Point, a Destination Hotel, delivered.

“We wanted a location that really felt like San Diego and not like it could be anywhere in the country,” says Kendra O’Brien, in the company’s customer projects and relations group. “The hotel grounds and meeting space gave our event the feel that we were going for. San Diego was a good winter destination for our customers and had reasonable flight prices from a variety of locations. We wanted a beachy destination feel for the event, and we got it.”

Tucked on its own Mission Bay Island but connected by road to the mainland and to SeaWorld, Paradise Point is both secluded and accessible. This fall, the resort will unveil its state-of-the-art 15,500-sf Sunset Pavilion featuring sweeping views of Mission Bay.

“Service at the hotel was excellent, and we were well taken care of,” O’Brien says. “Our event was held almost entirely onsite, with the exception of one social function. The hotel grouped our attendee rooms near our meeting space so attendees had an easy walk to our events. Our event manager, Everlynne Lleva, was attentive and easy to work with.”

There was one snag. “It would have been helpful for us to know ahead of time that the main restaurant would be closed during our event,” O’Brien notes. “We were planning on having that option available for our attendees.“

The group used the hotel’s catering extensively, which worked well, though one option was better for the bottom line. “We worked with the catering team to create a custom lunch menu around a carnival theme, and all of our attendees loved it. It included a tater tot bar, popcorn, ice cream treats and more, and it was done beautifully,” she says. “We also ordered a boxed lunch one day, and while it was fine, it reinforced that the lunch buffets are a much better use of budget dollars, as the beverages made it nearly as expensive as the custom lunch.”

The one offsite function was at another San Diego hotel. “We used the Andaz rooftop for a social. People loved the space and views and sitting around the fire pit. We would use that space again,” O’Brien says.

One highlight of the meeting for FBS employees came after the event, when the group gathered around a fire on the beach near their hotel rooms. O’Brien calls it “a nice way to relax after a long event.”

San Diego is a good destination for the FBS group, and O’Brien says they would return. She does suggest that planners considering the city take advantage of site visits because there’s a wide range of offerings. “Take advantage of the onsite visits to learn more about the service you can expect to receive during your meeting. When we were looking at hotels, there was a big difference in the service and support that we were given during our stay, and we chose based on that service. We were happy with our choice and heard lots of good feedback from attendees as well.”

O’Brien and her team also have high praise for the city’s convention group. “We worked with Jenna Bisesi at the convention and visitors bureau and would highly recommend that. Jenna helped us narrow our list of hotels, set up our stays and even picked us up at the airport,” she says. “The service was phenomenal and would make us more quickly consider San Diego for meetings in the future.”

From north to south, California lives up to its nickname. The Golden State offers a wealth of incredible cities, beaches, sun-splashed landscapes, one-of-a-kind venues and so many choices the only real difficulty for planners is narrowing down the possibilities.

New & Noteworthy

Just five years since the grand opening of the JW Marriott L.A. Live, Los Angeles, plans were announced by AEG to develop a 755-room expansion of the hotel. The new project together with the existing JW Marriott L.A. Live and The Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles will contain 1,756 rooms and more than 200,000 sf of function space, making it the second largest hotel in California. Construction is expected to begin in late 2015 or early 2016, with the new hotel rooms and facilities scheduled to open in 2018.

In May, Hilton San Francisco Union Square, with 134,500 sf of meeting and event space, completed a multimillion-dollar upgrade of guest rooms. In February, Hilton Worldwide announced acquisition of Parc 55 Wyndham San Francisco, now Parc 55 San Francisco a Hilton Hotel. In April, Loews Hotels & Resorts acquired the 155-room Mandarin Oriental San Francisco Hotel, now renamed the Loews Regency San Francisco. Two hotels near Fisherman’s Wharf announced renovations: Hyatt at Fisherman’s Wharf completed a refresh of its 18,000 sf of meeting space and Pier 2620 Hotel Fisherman’s Wharf announced a multimillion-dollar renovation. Also finalizing renovations this year are The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco and Hyatt Regency San Francisco.

In San Jose, from sold-out soccer matches to international sporting events and corporate affairs, the 18,000-seat Avaya Stadium accommodates groups of all sizes. SoFA Market anchors the SoFA District, the visual arts and entertainment district of downtown San Jose. The Westin San Jose brand has unveiled an adaptive reuse of the historic Sainte Claire Hotel. The 171-room hotel is equipped with 10,000 sf of meeting space. The Fairmont San Jose completed a $524,000 upgrade to its main building breakout rooms and Hilton San Jose completed a $50,000 renovation to the hotel’s patio area.

The grand opening of the newly renovated Monterey Conference Center, which offers 41,000 sf of meeting space, will take place in early 2017. The first floor of the rejuvenated center is planned to open by late summer 2016. This modernization will infuse up to $45 million in physical and technological improvements. Located on Cannery Row in Monterey, the Wine Experience offers tastings, interactive classes, wine-blending and winemaking during which a group can create custom-labeled wine. C&IT

Las Vegas Ingenuity

Credit: Las Vegas News Bureau

Las Vegas is perpetually evolving, but for all its continued shiny newness, there’s an old French saying that perfectly captures a truth about the city: “Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose” — the more things change, the more they stay the same. Building goes on, hotels come and go, The Strip changes and new areas emerge, but it’s the things that don’t change — the constants that planners and groups can depend on — that make Las Vegas the place to meet.

Here’s what remains the same no matter how much the city’s physical landscape evolves: Las Vegas offers convenience. Las Vegas is fun. Las Vegas understands business. Las Vegas has entertainment options that excel on every level, and meeting space and accommodations galore. Las Vegas delivers and planners know it.

Planner Testimonials

“Whenever you look at destinations that can support highly complex large-scale meetings, Las Vegas always surfaces to the top of the list,” says Jim Krausen, V.P. of sales at Motivation Excellence Inc., a full-service agency that plans and executes incentive and meeting programs. Krausen brought a group of 1,650 retailers to the city in September.

“Las Vegas has outstanding value, great air service, fantastic venues, great customer service and all the meeting space one needs,” he says. “For this particular client, we needed large amounts of meeting space for general session, large interactive breakouts, and an exposition hall that was flexible enough for us to repurpose the space and create a full retail store to launch the holiday season. When we presented the options to our client, Las Vegas was the hands-down winner, and that’s why for the last 30 years Motivation Excellence business in Las Vegas has grown each and every year.”

Stephanie Hannah, director of strategic marketing for Trace3, an IT solutions provider, sees the same thing. “We have been meeting in Las Vegas for more than eight years, and each year our event gets larger and better!”

Hannah brought a group of nearly 700 to Las Vegas in January for the Trace3 Evolve conference, and they’ll return again in 2016. Hannah points to the convenience factor, which works on several levels. “In terms of hotel rooms, meeting space and entertainment, Las Vegas is a one-stop shop. It’s also a central location for our customers and the accommodations are great for events.” And, she adds, “You can accommodate a large group of people in one space and provide entertainment and great options for food.”

“In terms of hotel rooms, meeting space and entertainment, Las Vegas is a one-stop shop. It’s also a central location for our customers and the accommodations are great for events.” — Stephanie Hannah

Christa K. Salibo, senior national account manager with Experient, part of Maritz Travel, brought 1,000 attendees to the city in April for a client’s multi-unit franchising conference. “This client really feels like Vegas is a great fit because of the convenient opportunity that the group has for walking to and from restaurants and evening entertainment,” she says. “And they feel that Vegas has something for everyone.”

Stellar Staffs

While the city’s expansive facilities and infrastructure meet groups’ physical needs, the staffs at hotels and venues are tasked with meeting needs in a different way. When asked what considerations go into choosing a hotel for a group, Salibo puts good service first. “Service is always at the top of the list, along with the quality and standard levels of the hotel,” she says.

But it was the dedicated customer service of the national sales manager Salibo worked with at Caesars that really made the difference for her meeting. “She not only made it her mission to understand my client’s program and needs, she also made it her mission to understand my needs, my work style and expectations as their representative,” Salibo says. “She made the process seamless and a joy to work through.”

And, Salibo adds, because she did understand the diverse needs in play, she was able to craft a tailored offer that “made it almost impossible for the client to pass up.”

Part of what Caesars offered was access to restaurants and venues at any Caesars hotel, especially important as the group was broken up into multiple small groups that ate at different restaurants. “The client loved the idea of being able to book dinners and special events at other Caesars properties and still receive F&B credit toward their F&B minimum,” Salibo says. “I think that was a huge decision-making factor because it gave them so much more flexibility and options for their evening events.”

And when all was said and done, the attendees provided positive feedback about all the restaurants as well, a win-win situation.

At the core, of course, meetings are about business, and that’s something Las Vegas understands. The city provides a setting in which groups easily balance their solid business goals and objectives with all the entertainment and dining options available in the evenings. “For this particular group,” Salibo notes, “the highlight of the meeting is the overall opportunity to network and conduct business with folks from all over the world in a formal business setting, as well as a fun and exciting evening environment. Las Vegas really embraces the goals of this organization as it relates to meeting their objectives, and I think that is the reason they keep coming back.”

Hannah also chose Caesars, based on availability, pricing and meeting space. “Caesars had great space, service and worked with me to meet my budget,” she says.

In addition to venues at Caesars where, Hannah notes, “Every meal was out in time and the service was great,” the group also used 15 restaurants around town, as well as Drai’s, a nightclub, for the entertainment portion of the meeting. Again, service was notable. “The nightclub was very accommodating and we were able to brand the entire place with our company branding,” Hannah says.

Hotel Selection

In a city with so many hotels, narrowing the choices can be a complex process. “Choosing the right hotel is sometimes an art and sometimes a science,” says Krausen, whose Fortune 50 retail-services client was based at MGM’s Mirage. “When we source hotels and venues, it becomes the total package that wins the business,” he says. “It has to start with the right fit for our clients, both from a culture and demographic, and then it has to fit the meeting needs and budget.”

Among other things, Krausen says, “The Mirage provided us the flexibility of great meeting space where we could really own and brand the space.” The Mirage team also extended an excellent offer with a great rate and concessions package. But it went well beyond that.

“From the time we originally sourced this business, The Mirage came forward as the hotel that really wanted the business,” Krausen says. “We have an outstanding sales manager, Dara Pierce, who led the team at Mirage to secure this business and win over our client.”

The best part, Krausen notes, is that it did not stop at contract signing. “This is a very complex program with a million moving parts, and throughout the planning process the entire staff at Mirage was right there to support our crazy ideas and make them come to reality. When we got onsite to execute the meeting, the entire staff made us feel that they really wanted us there. From top management through the servers at breakfast and lunch, everyone was engaged with our audience. They interacted with our guests and thanked them for coming to The Mirage. They weren’t just going through the motions. They wanted to please us and please our attendees, and it showed throughout the entire event. It was not so much that we transformed a ballroom into a showcase, but that the service made the entire program.”

The attendees noticed it, too. On the group’s post-program survey, there were consistent comments about how outstanding the service was throughout the entire hotel.

Service Beyond the Hotel

Service outside of The Mirage followed suit. “Motivation Excellence conducts a lot of business in Las Vegas, and we utilize all sorts of venues and entertainment options for our groups, so we are very knowledgeable on what each venue has to offer for our clients,” Krausen says. “With this particular client we needed a venue that was cutting-edge, cool, hip and, bottom line, fun. We selected Hakkasan at MGM Grand to host one of the dinner events. We utilized the branding opportunities that exist within the space to build out the event and have it sponsored, helping to reduce the overall budget for our customer and make it a total win-win for the sponsoring company.

“Hakkasan is a venue that really knows customer service. The food was outstanding. We also utilized the house deejay, who was fantastic and really knew how to play to a corporate audience. The overall experience was just amazing. The venue prides itself as being a ‘club,’ but the team really knows how to host a corporate event.”

Know Your Group

In spite of the city’s many attributes and strengths, the fact is that Las Vegas is not for every group, and it’s up to planners to assess the options accurately. Gaming, for example, can be a positive and a negative.

“We deal with both conservative and progressive companies so they trust us to source and select locations and venues that fit within their culture and demographics,” Krausen says. “For this particular meeting, gaming had no impact. The purpose is to excite and engage the attendees so they can bring the message back to their associates to create increased sales and profits. The value we receive in Las Vegas lends itself more to the return-on-investment calculation than a draw of the destination. However, when it comes to Las Vegas, it’s extremely important to know who your customers are and how they would perceive the nightlife and gaming before selecting the city.”

Room Pirates

For groups that do select Las Vegas, Salibo points to a potential challenge she refers to as “room pirates,” a growing concern. “Las Vegas seems to be a target for third parties that solicit group attendees to book into their blocks, claiming they are the client’s designated third-party housing company,” she says. “On multiple occasions, my client had to reiterate to its general attendees and exhibitors that they should not book with these erroneous third parties but rather directly with the hotel using the link provided on the client’s website. With the proper communication to attendees, this issue can be minimized, but it’s definitely something to take note of.”

For thousands of groups, there’s no question that Las Vegas is well-endowed in the assets category. “Over the years I have booked dozens of meetings in Vegas,” Salibo says. “I think when planners book Vegas they always see an increase in attendance because it gives attendees an opportunity to attend a meeting and also have great fun enjoying all that Vegas has to offer. Vegas is a great value because attendees and organizers are getting more bang for their buck right off the bat.”

In the end, hotels change, new venues are built, room counts increase and DMCs find surprising new ways to impress clients. But the dynamic of providing solid business infrastructure, concessions and programs along with stellar service and one of the most engaging entertainment districts in the country is the constant that keeps Las Vegas front and center for planners. Things change, but that stays the same.

New & Noteworthy

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) is in the process of planning its ambitious Las Vegas Global Business District, which includes expansion of the current Las Vegas Convention Center and some of the hotels and neighborhoods around it, with an eye toward increasing the city’s already impressive convention business. With the recent purchase of the Riviera Hotel and Casino, the LVCVA is moving forward with its plans, which will add 750,000 sf of new exhibition space and 187,500 sf of additional meeting space to the Las Vegas Convention Center. The renovation of the existing facility includes adding a 100,000-sf general session space and another 100,000 sf of meeting space.

More than 22,000 conventions were held in Las Vegas last year, 70 of them new business. Housing continues to increase to meet the growing need. At the end of 2014, the city’s room count was 150,544. Based on current and planned construction on the books as of May 2015, the count will increase to 153,383 in 2017 and to 156,769 by 2018.

The New Tropicana Las Vegas – a DoubleTree by Hilton expanded its Trinidad Pavilion and increased the resort’s total meeting and convention facilities to 100,000 sf. Among the features of the meeting space, as well as across the resort, is significantly upgraded bandwidth providing one of the fastest Internet services available at any Las Vegas hotel. The new infrastructure allows for streaming of high-definition video without jitter or latency, downloading large business presentations, using cloud applications and sending/receiving large files or photos and other digital data without delay.

Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino recently announced the final phase of its resort-wide transformation with the upcoming redesign of more than 3,000 guest rooms and suites. The approximately $100 million remodeling project is expected to be completed by spring 2016. The Mandalay Bay Convention Center is in the midst of a major renovation and expansion that will add 350,000 sf of exhibition space for a total of 2 million sf when completed in 2016.

Ideal for small meetings and incentive groups, the luxury Delano Las Vegas opened last fall adjacent to Mandalay Bay. The non-smoking, all-suite hotel features 1,100 accommodations and 20,000 sf of indoor meeting space with 31 meeting rooms including four boardrooms plus engaging social locations. An additional 16,000 sf of space for breakfast and lunch meetings is located on the top floor with panoramic views of the Las Vegas Strip. Delano debuted a new outdoor events venue this summer — Delano Beach Club — which offers a full buyout for evening receptions on the pool deck.

The Linq Hotel & Casino has just completed a full resort renovation of 2,253 guest rooms. The $223 million makeover marks the completion of Caesars Entertainment’s Linq Complex, which comprises the hotel, the Linq Promenade and the High Roller observation wheel.

South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa opened a new 60-lane, state-of-the-art tournament bowling and event center in late 2014. The $35 million, 90,000-sf facility features a 360-degree viewing area. The United States Bowling Congress in cooperation with Las Vegas Events and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority will hold 122 days of tournaments at the facility through 2017. The partnership will bring tournaments, conventions and other events to Las Vegas, including the USBC Masters, USBC Queens, USBC Senior Masters and USBC Team USA Trials.

The Omnia Nightclub — the former Pure Nightclub — opened in March at Caesars Palace after a top-to-bottom makeover. The completely redeveloped 75,000-sf venue houses three distinct nightlife spaces: the Main Club including the Balcony level, Heart of Omnia; the sleek ultra-lounge; and the Terrace offering sweeping views of the Las Vegas Strip. Omnia is available for corporate event buyouts for groups of 200–4,000 people.

In December, a new show debuted on the Encore Theater Stage at Wynn Las Vegas, providing planners with a memorable way to entertain and wow colleagues and clients. ShowStoppers brings to one stage some of the most celebrated and beloved musical numbers from Broadway shows, composers and lyricists. The production includes selections hand-picked by Steve Wynn, who conceived and wrote the production. Attendees searching for the best selfie spot on Wynn property should head to the Wynn Esplanade and the 6-foot-5-inch, $28 million Jeff Koons statue of Popeye, installed in 2014 (bring your own spinach).

Encore is currently updating each room to include larger nightstands, 55-inch 4K televisions and pop-up tech consoles for easy access to plugs and USB ports for charging devices. Furnishings and floor coverings also will be updated. The upgrades will be complete in the fall of 2015.

Aria Resort & Casino was No. 1 on the list of Cvent’s 2014 Top 100 Most Popular Meeting Resorts in North America and the Caribbean. Sky Suites at Aria recently unveiled the upscale Sky Pool — a luxury “secluded hideaway” with its own private entrance for Sky Suites guests only. Other MGM Resorts International properties also on the Cvent’s list include Bellagio, MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay and The Mirage. In April of this year, Bellagio completed the remodeling of all 3,933 rooms and suites — a $165 million project that started in 2011.

Last fall, the Forbes Five Star Mandarin Oriental, Las Vegas introduced The Gallery, a meeting and event space. Located in the center of the property’s porte-cochère, the loft-style venue offers 1,900 sf of space accommodating up to 80 guests for a seated dinner or 200 guests for a cocktail reception. C&IT

DMC Success Stories

Hosts New Orleans, a Hosts Global Alliance Member, arranged this special event for thousands on the floor of the Louisiana Super Dome. Credit: Hosts New Orleans

Imagine planning a very large and complex meeting without hiring a Destination Management Company (DMC). That means one planner, perhaps aided by a staffer or two, would search for, vet and negotiate with multiple venues, vendors, entertainers, tour operators and restaurants.

The do-it-yourself approach might reduce expenses. However, bearing the burden of endless details in-house could increase the chances for mistakes. It also would take mountains of time and possibly detract from time spent on other meetings, thereby offsetting any cost savings.

So why not hire a DMC? They are destination experts who work regularly with local vendors and can negotiate good deals. They can quickly suggest and secure the right venues for a gala dinner, extravagant theme party or any other meeting or event. They can cut through mounds of red tape to help planners obtain exclusive use of downtown streets and special venues.

After all, Destination Management Companies are often a planner’s best friend and trusted partner.

Masters of Complexity

AlliedPRA Orange County office used its connections to plan a complicated retreat at the Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel, California, for about 450 employees of Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, a large New York-based law firm. The firm selected AlliedPRA to handle a similar retreat at the same property several years ago but discontinued the meeting after the recession hit.

The law firm again turned to AlliedPRA after deciding to hold the four-day retreat. “We reached out to them again because they have all of our historic information,” says Eleni Thomas, senior manager, events, Weil, Gotshal & Manges. “I wanted to make sure that when we reintroduced the retreat, there was some consistency. They still had a record of all the activities we did, and our usage and attendance counts. It was very helpful for planning purposes.”

Thomas and AlliedPRA discussed goals for the meeting. “It was like planning several meetings in one,” she says. “We sat down with the AlliedPRA team and talked to them about the culture of our programs and where we were able to spend extra and not do so to avoid problems that might eventually come up.”

Teamwork was flawless. “We communicated daily,” says Thomas. “They felt like an extension of my team. I’m in New York and don’t have any feet on the ground in California, and my department runs over 300 other programs a year. It was imperative to have someone who could do the legwork I couldn’t do. Plus personalities matched, which doesn’t happen every time you work with a DMC. I wouldn’t have been able to pull it off without that relationship.”

Dining Creativity

AlliedPRA’s imagination was on full display with group dining events, including an evening dinner. “There weren’t enough of the types of restaurants in the area, and we wanted to divide up the guests into equal groups,” says Liz Smith, CMP, CTA, national sales manager, AlliedPRA Orange County. “So we took over seven art galleries in the area and divided them into seven groups with seven different dining experiences.”

Two of the galleries had hosted dining events before. “With the other five galleries, we had to vet and create the kitchen and everything onsite for the execution of the program,” says Smith. “The decor of each dining room matched the theme of the gallery. For instance, the modern art gallery had a clear table with avant-garde types of centerpieces.”

On another evening, attendees wanted to meet as teams, have dinner at their meeting sites, and then have the entire group of 450 come together afterwards. “Based on that, we put together an event utilizing Disney’s event spaces,” says Smith. “Guests traveled via bus to Disneyland, had free time in the park, and then dined in four separate event spaces. Dinners inside the event spaces mirrored their theme and design. After dinner, everyone came together for a private viewing of World of Color, a show at Disney California Adventure Park featuring projected images and special effects on a large water screen.”

“The head of the company was so impressed with the program that he took the stage and led a standing ovation for the planner. That really is the goal of a DMC — to make the planner look like the hero.” — Liz Smith, CMP, CTA

The final-night gala dinner was held at Mission San Juan Capistrano, a historic Catholic mission. “We dined in the courtyard with long, linen-covered tables and jewel-toned centerpieces that reflected the colors of the garden and up-lighting on the palm trees,” says Smith. “At the end of the night, the head of the company was so impressed with the program that he took the stage and led a standing ovation for the planner. That really is the goal of a DMC — to make the planner look like the hero.”

Overcoming Obstacles

Planners look like the biggest heroes of all when they use DMCs that hurdle last-minute barriers to create complex events that wow attendees.

That’s what Access Destination Services did for 2,300 attendees at the annual four-day sales meeting earlier this year for a major corporation. The highlight of the meeting was an event on the last night at AT&T Stadium, the home of the Dallas Cowboys in Arlington, Texas. “The objective was for every person walking into the event to feel it was just for them,” says Jeff Davis, partner – Texas, Access Destination Services. Because of the number of guests, the large space and everybody arriving at the same time, we had a challenge in making every guest feel important.”

Attendees took over the stadium for about five hours. “We wanted it packed with a kind of controlled chaos, almost like a game day,” says Davis.

Attendees entered the parking lot of AT&T stadium simultaneously in buses and were greeted by drummers and Rowdy, the Dallas Cowboys mascot. Guests entered the inside of the stadium by walking through tunnels filled with cheering “fans” dressed in Dallas Cowboys gear. Inside the stadium, in the stands, attendees were greeted by two high school marching bands and live video of themselves on the giant, center-hung, four-sided HD scoreboard with screens totaling 13,000 sf.

Attendees then walked down to the field, where several games included a bungee run, shuffleboard and pool. Guests also participated in zorbing, which involves rolling along the ground inside large transparent balls.

Between activities, guests enjoyed meals. “They had large buffets and bars on the field,” says Davis. “Lines were limited in length because of how we positioned events on the field. About half the people wanted to eat immediately while the other half played games.”

The event turned out exactly as planned. “It was the highlight of the meeting,” says Davis. “This was one of those evenings where everything turned out beautifully.”

Success was achieved despite last-minute challenges. Within 34 to 48 hours of the event start time, the participant count increased by about 400 people. The challenges were: “Can the caterer provide that much more food in such a short time frame, and can we get more buses and staff?” says Susan Gregory, Access Destination Services director of marketing – Texas. “Do we have room for them to do everything we want them to do on the field to make this a special event for them?”

Connections Count

A solid relationship with AT&T Stadium helped Access Destination Services obtain what it needed from the stadium and vendors. “We do 12 to 20 events at AT&T Stadium a year and have a very good relationship with them,” says Gregory. “There are five different departments you have to work with, and they don’t have one point of contact. We are very familiar with all those departments. Because we have repeat business, we can negotiate better with them and provide clients with better services.”

Kristi Cline, creative director for DMC Destination Nashville, also provided examples of how important local connections are for a successful partnership. Cline had to dramatically alter plans for a technology-intensive meeting at the last minute for a top technology company, which hosted 800 potential business partners (heads of start-up companies) at a three-day meeting in Nashville.

The centerpiece of the meeting was a contest called “Pitch Hop,” a takeoff on the rap music term “Hip Hop.” Pitch Hop was a contest in which attendees created rap videos to pitch business ideas to the technology company hosting the event.

Two months before the scheduled event date, Destination Nashville started planning it via conference calls with company officials scattered around the world. They decided to hold the event at Marathon Music Works in Nashville. Company officials finally visited Nashville about a week before the event.

“We met with them at the venue, and it was decided that it was too small to have people creating rap videos in one space while people spoke on stage in another space because the two activities would compete with each other,” says Cline.

So Cline suggested on the spot that attendees create their rap videos in a bus. “By the time we left Marathon Music Works and arrived at my office, we had already procured a tour bus,” says Cline. “We took out the bus seats, kitchen and everything else, and built a high-tech recording studio in the front of the vehicle and video studio in the back that were separated by a sliding door.”

The bus was parked next to the venue. Attendees signed up for time slots to record raps, choose their wardrobe from the options provided and shoot videos with the help of technicians. The bus had its own Wi-Fi system, servers and generators to provide power. Banners wrapped around the outside of the bus were branded with “Pitch Hop” and the technology company’s name and logo. Judges chose the Pitch Hop winner, who received $35,000 in business transactions with the technology company.

Cline acknowledged that switching Pitch Hop over to a bus a week before the event was like walking a high wire. “But that’s what I do every day,” she says. The event won this year’s inaugural Association of Destination Management Executives International (ADMEI) Excellence Award for Excellence in Technology Integration.

Tips on Selecting a DMC

Choosing the right DMC is a crucial decision because it has a big impact on the attendee experience. Planners and DMCs offer the following advice on selecting a DMC.

Weigh options. “You should talk to a few DMCs. Don’t feel you have to go to one and be done,” says Thomas.
Seek recommendations. Ask suppliers, hoteliers, vendors and the local CVB for recommendations. Check the website of the Association of Destination Management Executives International (ADMEI) www.admei.org, which lists members by destination and indicates those who have DMCP and CMP certifications.
Ask for references. “Ask the DMC to refer clients they have handled with similar types of events that are around the same size and complexity,” says Thomas. “What extras did they bring to the table?”
Is a DMC a preferred vendor? Some properties have lists of preferred DMCs. That means there is some kind of contract or agreement for the hotel to refer the DMC to potential clients. “That doesn’t always mean they are among the best DMCs in the destination,” says Smith. “On the other hand, a preferred DMC is familiar with the hotel and its inner workings and knows the staff.”

Know Payment Options

Charging policies vary and include percentage markup on program costs, per-attendee charges, management fees, à la carte pricing and the cost-plus method (the retail cost multiplied by a percentage to develop the total cost). “Make sure that what you understand that charging policy (to be) in the beginning is the same throughout and there are no surprises,” says Thomas. “I’ve heard about instances where planners agree to a certain cost structure and then fees start popping up that weren’t discussed at the start.”

Buying power is important. Consider DMCs that do high-volume business with local vendors and have a reputation for negotiating good deals. Such DMCs can help planners stay within budget.
Get a problem-solver. Ask DMCs about times when they overcame serious last-minute obstacles and setbacks to make a meeting successful.
Timeliness is important. Seek DMCs with a reputation for completing complex projects on time, because more meetings now have shorter turnaround times.
Ask about certifications and awards. “Our company rated our Orange County office No. 1 for operations out of all AlliedPRA international and domestic offices last year,” says Smith. “That’s something I would want to know if I were a planner, because you know it’s not only the sales team that gets you in the door, it’s also the day-to-day execution you get.”

Partnering with a DMC allows planners to focus on what they do best while delegating the details of local activities, entertainment, special events and the like to an expert in those areas. The time and effort saved by using a DMC translates into better meeting planning efficiency and overall cost savings. And, who knows, you could be the hero at your next event. C&IT

Orlando

I-Drive 360, Orlando’s new entertainment destination, is located on Orlando’s popular International Drive. The Orlando Eye’s 400-foot observation wheel is the centerpiece of the complex, which features attractions, restaurants, clubs and shops.

Organizing a corporate retreat or offsite meeting this winter? From world-renowned theme parks to meetings-centered hotels and resorts, Orlando offers the perfect balance for your group to work some and play some.

Groups never have to settle for business as usual at Universal Orlando Resort. With two theme parks — Universal Studios Florida and Universal’s Islands of Adventure — four (soon to be five) magnificently themed onsite Loews hotels and a dining and entertainment complex, Universal Orlando offers a wide variety of venues to accommodate events of all shapes and sizes — everything from corporate and association meetings to elaborately themed, customized experiences. According to a Universal Orlando spokesperson, “Meeting planners have a team of experienced meeting specialists, entertainment and production consultants, culinary experts, Loews Four Diamond and more services to help shape a one-of-a-kind event.”

In November 2014, Universal was the site of 1105 Media’s annual event, Live 360, which is an educational training conference for nearly 1,000 developers and network and systems administrators.

“This was our third year hosting the meeting at Universal Orlando’s Loews Royal Pacific Resort,” says Sara Ross, CMP, senior director of event operations for the Dallas, Texas, office of 1105 Media. “The theming of Loews Royal Pacific Resort makes it feel like you’re escaping to a tropical destination. Especially since our meeting was in November — when the weather is getting cold almost everywhere else — it provided an opportunity for our attendees to enjoy a tropical-themed event in the warm Orlando weather.”

1105 Media always hosts a Wednesday night event for attendees to network and enjoy the destination. At Loews Royal Pacific Resort, the island theming melded well with their planned luau with fire and hula dancers.

“I’ve done tons of events at different hotels in Orlando, and Loews Royal Pacific Resort at Universal Orlando offers the most for attendees to do right on-property; there is so much to do at the destination that we don’t have to pay for transportation to take attendees offsite for functions,” Ross says. “With the Loews Royal Pacific Resort meeting space expansion and opening of the Loews Sapphire Falls Resort next year, we’re excited about the additional space to grow our meeting. We will be able to move our lunch inside — we previously used an outside tent for meals — and accommodate more attendees at the same location.”

Universal Orlando Resort is in the midst of a series of new, boldly creative experiences. It began with The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade in 2010 and quickly moved to Despicable Me Minion Mayhem; Springfield, hometown to America’s favorite animated family, The Simpsons; The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley; eight new venues at Universal CityWalk; and the retro Cabana Bay Beach Resort.

“The addition of Loews Sapphire Falls Resort in summer 2016, and the significant expansion of meeting space at Loews Royal Pacific Resort this fall, brings Universal Orlando Meetings and Events to an entirely new level, as our universe of options for meetings and events will be bigger and more convenient than ever before,” says the spokesperson.

Adding 115,000 sf of meeting space, Loews Sapphire Falls Resort will continue to establish Universal Orlando as a premier meeting and convention destination. The resort will be Universal Orlando’s fifth onsite hotel, bringing the total number of onsite hotel rooms to 5,200.

Upon opening, Loews Sapphire Falls Resort will connect to the recently expanded meeting facilities at Loews Royal Pacific Resort, which will offer more than 131,000 sf of function space starting in fall 2015. Together, the two uniquely themed resorts will offer meeting and convention planners nearly 247,000 sf of contiguous meeting space and 2,000 guest rooms.

Adventures Abound

The unique location of DoubleTree Suites by Hilton – Orlando Lake Buena Vista in the Downtown Disney Resort Area and the property’s strong reputation for highly personalized service makes the hotel attractive to meeting planners, and is a main factor in bringing groups back.

“Ranked No. 1 in the Event Planner Satisfaction & Event Planner Loyalty survey for three consecutive years, gives planners a level of confidence that their guests will be well cared for,” explains DoubleTree Suites by Hilton – Orlando Lake Buena Vista’s Area Director of Sales and Marketing Kevin Renzi. “Also, being a smaller hotel, we provide an intimate, distraction-free environment that has great appeal to planners who don’t want to be adjacent to a large convention-like event.”

The hotel hosts many sales meetings and incentive programs that often include an offsite activity or Disney component in their agenda. The hotel features modern, spacious one- and two-bedroom suites with sliding barn doors for privacy.

Being an official Walt Disney World hotel, they can offer access to private events in the Disney parks, teambuilding, character greetings and entertainment onsite and much more. Through Hilton’s Meetings Simplified program, the hotel also offers a convenient all-day meeting package.

Groups at DoubleTree Suites by Hilton – Orlando Lake Buena Vista enjoy proximity to top Orlando attractions. They can walk to the Downtown Disney Area or board the complimentary shuttle to all Walt Disney World Theme Parks and Water Parks.

The DoubleTree Suites by Hilton completed extensive renovations in 2013 on all suites, meeting and public spaces. Additionally, they enhanced their infrastructure and now provide super high-speed Internet, up to 100mb/second, according to Renzi.

Vivian Alfonso, administrative assistant, global financial technology management for Miami-based Carnival Corporation, recently staged the company’s annual global financial technology conference with more than 100 professionals from across Carnival Corporation’s nine worldwide brands at the DoubleTree Suites by Hilton – Orlando Lake Buena Vista.

“The two-week conference included beta-testing of our new financial systems as well as various presentations, seminars and breakout sessions,” Alfonso says. “This was the third time hosting this conference at the property, and soon we will host our fourth conference there.

“It was really the ideal venue for our conference,” Alfonso says. “Not only is the venue’s management team extremely flexible and accommodating — providing additional conference space as needed, as well as extra bandwidth and seamless wireless connectivity — the entire staff was extremely helpful and professional, providing an exceptional level of service. That’s the reason we keep coming back year after year.”

The Wyndham Grand Orlando Resort Bonnet Creek is a well-appointed lakefront hotel, which is equipped to handle business functions from board meetings and large conferences to corporate fundraisers and trade shows. The contemporary 25,000 sf of meeting and event spaces feature high-tech audio-visual support, Internet access and business-center services, all enhanced by top-notch catering.

According to Mark Phillips, president of San Diego, California-based Map Your Events Inc., Wyndham Grand Orlando’s location near Disney World offered attendees of his recent annual corporate conference ample opportunities for mixing business and pleasure.

“There were many activity options available, and the hotel is not so large that your group is lost like many of the mega hotels,” Phillips says. “It felt like a private buyout of the property. Also, the staff is wonderful to work with in the preplanning stage and outstanding during the onsite operation of the program. The attendees felt very special and well taken care of during their stay. We have already rebooked for 2017.”

For Scott Washburn, president and CEO of Las Vegas-based Event Consultants LLC, working with excellent staff at any chosen venue is paramount. He has held a myriad of events at Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek.

Designed for networking, Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek, and its sister property, Waldorf Astoria Orlando, boast inviting environments that naturally bring people together. Waldorf Astoria Orlando offers a distinguished business setting replete with nearly 42,000 sf of multifunctional space including a 7,945-sf Grand Ballroom (divisible into two sections) featuring an additional 4,049-sf prefunction area with sweeping views of pool and golf course; and a new 8,712-sf Central Park with adjacent 5,544-sf Central Park Gardens scenic outdoor function space; 13 meeting rooms and two stately boardrooms.

“Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek always exceeds my expectations — great sleeping rooms, great meeting space, great recreational options, great food and fantastic staff,” Washburn says. ‘With the two different hotels, you have great options for all guests. Plus, the location of the meeting space right between the two hotels makes it easy for everyone. If your meeting includes spouses and families, too, there is plenty to keep them busy while the attendees are in the meetings. Plus, the location is close enough, yet far enough away from the parks.”

Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek features 132,000 sf of total meeting and function space including a ballroom, pavilion with sweeping views of waterways and golf course, 26 high-tech breakout rooms and exquisite outdoor function venues.

“I can say that in my 35 years of event planning, both large the small, this staff is by far, the best I have ever worked with,” Washburn says. “From the very beginning sales process, to the very end, every staff person, in every department ‘gets it’ and knows that the hotel guests are what pays their bills. Hearing a ‘welcome back’ from everyone puts a smile on my face as well as the attendees. This staff has an uncanny way of anticipating almost every need. This is why many of my groups are booked here through 2020.”

Meetings-Centered Venue

The combination of 315,000 sf of meeting space, 1,639 guest rooms with 200 suites, a distinctive collection of resort-style amenities and the convenient location across from and directly connected to the Orange County Convention Center make Hyatt Regency Orlando an unrivaled destination for meetings and events of all sizes.

As a spokesperson for Hyatt Regency Orlando explains, the hotel was built upon decades of meetings experience, and offers meeting planners flexibility to create success in any space.

“Whether you’re hosting an executive meeting or elaborate convention, our team is able to harness all of these strengths to ensure your attendees have access to all the action yet feel like they are in a world all their own,” he says.

Each year Hyatt Regency Orlando hosts more than 2,500 events with 1 million total attendees annually.

The Hyatt Regency recently hosted Symantec’s Worldwide Sales & Marketing event, which brought together 2,400 employees from around the globe.

“The Hyatt Orlando by far exceeded our expectations,” says Ashely King, senior global event manager for Mountain View, California-based Symantec. “The venue also has functional meeting space that is large enough to host a large group like Symantec yet provides an intimate feeling.”

“Additionally, the Hyatt staff was extremely customer-oriented and went above and beyond to help us achieve our program goals.” — Ashely King

In addition to fully customizable space, including 26 contiguous pillar-free ballrooms named from Regency A to Z, the hotel offers state-of-the-art technology and audio-visual services, and exceptional catering.

The spokesperson explains, “We’ve transformed our meeting space to host concerts featuring national acts, lively marketplaces and an extravagant circus-themed gala; and, we utilize networking niches throughout the hotel to enhance events both large and intimate to create engagement opportunities for attendees that extend beyond the ballroom.”

Symantec traditionally has hosted their annual sales conference in Las Vegas due to its group size. But as King explains, the Hyatt Orlando provided an opportunity for change and was very well received by the attendees and executive management team.

“While we did not have all sleeping rooms at the Hyatt, the Hyatt sales staff was instrumental in coordinating with our overflow hotels to ensure a seamless planning and onsite experience,” King says. “Additionally, the Hyatt staff was extremely customer-oriented and went above and beyond to help us achieve our program goals. Our favorite part was two-fold: Working with the staff who had a true desire to deliver a customized event experience for Symantec, and working in a destination outside of Vegas, which opened up fresh options for off-property events.”

Exploring the World of Walt Disney

Walt Disney World Resort offers planners everything they need to create unforgettable events. Just ask Erica Alatorre, senior meeting planner at SocialMedia.org in Austin, Texas. Alatorre planned the company’s Brands-Only Summit held in October 2014 at Walt Disney World Resort.

“We like to look at this event as the conference, festival and family reunion for social media leaders at really big companies,” Alatorre says. “There are three things that distinguish this event from any other social media conference: it’s invite-only, brands-only and off-limits to vendors.”

As Alatorre explains, when SocialMedia.org decided they wanted to have a big annual meeting, Disney World was the first place that came to mind.

“We already knew we wanted our Brands-Only Summit to be over-the-top amazing, so it was only fitting to have this event at a venue that was just that,” Alatorre says. “It’s not your standard hotel. There’s plenty of space for breakouts and keynote sessions without feeling like you’re stuck in a generic convention center. And most importantly, we pride ourselves on giving attendees a great experience by following some simple core values: We run on time, we offer the right food and beverage for everyone, attendees never wait in line, and attendees never see setup/teardown. These values cannot be met without the help and support of the venue. The great folks at Grand Floridian Resort and Spa understood our willingness to amaze and were on board with all of our values.”

A complete city in its own right, Walt Disney World covers more than 40 square miles. Here planners will find six convention resorts and another 10 resorts for overflow and more than 700,000 sf of flexible space.

“After meetings are over, there are four world-famous theme parks and two nighttime entertainment districts,” says a spokesperson for Walt Disney World Resort. Walt Disney World also is a sporting paradise with three championship golf courses, lakes for boating and fishing, and the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, which is home to professional and amateur sporting events.

“More than facilities, a meeting or event at Disney opens the door to an array of exclusive Disney Difference benefits, including private events in the Disney theme parks, powerful programs content by the Disney Institute and premier creative resources from the Disney Event Group,” says the spokesperson.

Personalization is key for many companies looking to host offsite events, and SocialMedia.org is no exception. “We are more than just a community, it’s a family,” Alatorre says. “By having everyone together at Disney spending their days and evenings together really embraces that family atmosphere we strive for. With this being our big annual meeting, we wanted it also to be somewhere that was family-friendly. And it also gives us the opportunity to make our members feel special. Where else can they say they rode Toy Story Mania with fellow SocialMedia.org members after the park closed? We go the extra mile when it comes to our members. We genuinely care for them. Disney has that same feeling toward their guests.”

New & Noteworthy

Universal Orlando Resort has announced a new groundbreaking attraction opening in summer 2016 at Universal’s Islands of Adventure. “Skull Island: Reign of Kong” will honor one of the most monumental figures in movie history, King Kong.

The 1,000-room Loews Sapphire Falls Resort at Universal Orlando is scheduled to open in the summer of 2016 with more than 131,000 sf of meeting space. The property will be located near the Cabana Bay Beach Resort and Loews Royal Pacific Resort, which is set to complete expansion of its meeting space from 85,000 sf to about 140,000 sf this fall.

Universal Orlando Resort announced plans for a new water theme park called Volcano Bay, which will join Universal Studios Florida and Universal’s Islands of Adventure and in 2017 become the resort’s third immersive park. According to Universal Orlando, Volcano Bay will offer radically innovative, thrilling attractions, peaceful moments of relaxation and an inspired guest experience that will forever change the perception of water-theme parks. It will be set in a highly themed, completely immersive environment inspired by postcard-perfect tropical islands.

The Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotel is undergoing a $125 million multiphased renovation, the largest makeover in its history. The project includes every guest room in the 758-room Swan Hotel and the 1,509-room Dolphin Hotel. The makeover will be completed by the end of 2017 and will not disrupt service or the availability of the majority of guest rooms and meeting rooms.

MyMagic+, which is taking the Walt Disney World Resort experience to an all-new level, makes it easier than ever for attendees to customize and personalize their time at the resort. An important part of MyMagic+ is the My Disney Experience website and app that lets attendees start planning before they even leave home. They can reserve access to select attractions and shows in advance with the enhanced Disney FastPass+ service, book dining reservations and more.

The innovative MagicBand links the entire MyMagic+ experience. This colorful wristband is actually an all-in-one device that effortlessly connects the attendee to all the choices made through My Disney Experience. The MagicBand lets guests travel lighter throughout their stay: It unlocks the hotel room, allows entrance to the theme parks, and buys food and merchandise. Plus, the MagicBand gives FastPass+ access to all the experiences already selected online, so guests can simply concentrate on enjoying the fun after meetings are over. C&IT

Event Marketing: The Engagement Trifecta

When it comes to creating a successful meeting or event, it’s no longer enough to simply pick a great destination, invite people to attend and present compelling content. Today, more than ever before, aggressive and effective marketing is required. And nothing can be taken for granted.

Ryan Rutan, developer evangelist at Austin, Texas-based Jive Software, is well aware of the requirements for effective marketing in today’s world.

“When you’re running an event, you know you have to have a good story, you have to have a lot of preparation, you have to have entertainment,” says Rutan, who plans Jive Software’s “Jive World” annual user conference that draws 1,500 attendees. “So there’s a lot of work that goes into that, just to prepare to be able to do the event.”

However, he points out, planning the event is only half the battle. The other half is marketing.

“It’s about ever-present talking and communicating all the time,” Rutan says. “So if your event isn’t clearly part of your larger annual marketing strategy, if it isn’t an integrated story that goes along with your overall marketing message as a company, then you’re going to have a lot of money invested — and you might get some interest in it and accolades out of it — but you won’t get the full return on investment you want. You have to understand that the experience the attendee has might not be the same experience you want from a business perspective, in terms of ROI. Sometimes those are two distinct and different things.”

And since the recession, Rutan says, the specter of ROI has cast an increasingly larger shadow over events and their budgets.

“I think event marketing is suffering a little bit, from what I call an ‘ROI perspective,’ ” he says.

“In other words, today it’s about being able to actually quantify the impact and business value of a multiday event that keeps customers engaged the entire time and invested in the conference.”

Because of the ROI challenge, one of the key issues Rutan and his management focus on is “turning a three-day event into a six-month activity and being able to justify the ROI you get from that. The other thing is that now most companies say they do more with less. They want everything to be more efficient, including their meetings.”

And increasingly, ROI — however it might be measured — is a critical factor in the efficiency equation.

And that is not simply as result of the recession, Rutan says. “I think it’s more about the fact that people have been talking about ROI from meetings for so long that we’ve actually gotten mature in the way we measure it.”

At the same time, however, Rutan believes that sometimes ROI leads to what he calls “nickel and diming” the event — to its detriment. In turn, that makes a powerful marketing effort even more important.

And that requires investment. “And if you’re going to make an investment, do it right,” he says.

“ Go big. Don’t cut corners.”

Technology Is Key

In the Internet age, where communication is instantaneous and constant — and competition for the attention of attendees is more acute than ever before — the process of launching and promoting a meeting or event starts long before attendees show up onsite.

And how well technology is used is often the deciding factor between whether your meeting is a resounding success — or a flop.

In addition, modern technology — and especially social media — has shifted the emphasis from an informational message to an experiential message. That means using all available means to leverage an attendee’s goals, imagination and enthusiasm.

“As an example of what progressive meeting hosts do today, we had a client that was taking an incentive trip to Fiji,” says Gregorio Palomino, CDMP, CEP, CWP, CM, CSEP, principal of San Antonio, Texas-based CRE8AD8. “And we were able to hype that trip not just with text, but also with pictures.”

Palomino and his client created a closed-access private website where only people going on the trip could see it and interact. “And we posted new content every day to really get people excited about the trip and the experience they were going to have,” Palomino says. “For example, a skydiving outing was on the itinerary, so we posted photos of people skydiving and asked our attendees, ‘How excited are you to soon be jumping out of a plane over Fiji?’ ”

As a result of its ability to generate collective interest and enthusiasm, social media also is a major factor in event marketing today. In fact, no weapon is more powerful than social media when it comes to building awareness of and excitement about an upcoming meeting or event.

Over the last few years, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn reigned as the big guns. But more recently, newer tools such as YouTube and Vine have gained in popularity. Vine is a video-sharing platform that allows users to post mini-videos that are no longer than six seconds.

No matter what tool is being used, the essential consideration is that all messaging be focused on the self-interests of attendees, rather than the interests of the meeting sponsor.

“Your message can’t just be, ‘Register for the event,’ ” says Traci Browne, owner of Philadelphia-based Red Cedar Marketing and author of The Social Trade Show (Que Publishing, June 2012). “It has to be about creating something that will show that you as the event organizer are the source for the most up-to-date information in your industry.”

In other words, Browne says, the meeting or event must be perceived and understood by attendees in a larger context of “What’s in it for me? Why is this important?”

It can’t just be about asking people — or directing them if they’re internal employees — to come to the meeting. The most effective information is always attendee-focused and not event-focused, Browne stresses.

“Their real concerns are what am I going to learn at the meeting? What kinds of people am I going to meet? Why is the event worth my time and attention? So that’s the kind of information you should be using in your day-to-day promotion of the event.” — Traci Browne

“And that’s where so many meetings and events fall down,” she says. “All they do when they start out is say, ‘Register now for an early bird discount.’ It’s all about ‘register, register, register.’ But if people don’t care about your event, if you don’t explain to them why they should care and what’s in it for them, why would they register? Their real concerns are what am I going to learn at the meeting? What kinds of people am I going to meet? Why is the event worth my time and attention? So that’s the kind of information you should be using in your day-to-day promotion of the event. Otherwise, no matter how much time people spend on your website, they’re not going to have any idea why they should come to the meeting.”

Selecting Your Tool

Another factor to bear in mind is that each social media tool has a singular and inherent advantage. Therefore, each brings a different capability into the promotional process.

“The biggest advantage of Twitter is that it’s concise and to the point.” Palomino says. “And people can retweet things they get excited about, which is another way to build buzz for a meeting or event.”

A current best practice, Browne says, is the pre-event creation of “Twitter chats,” which create a community of communication and shared interests around the event.

“Before the event, you can start twitter chats between speakers and attendees,” Browne says.

“And that way, attendees get a taste of what will be presented at the event. They also get to meet, via Twitter, other people who have the same interests they do. And all of that builds buzz for the meeting.”

By the same token, YouTube allows private broadcasts to a targeted audience. And that means an opportunity to give attendees a taste of what they’ll see at the meeting, such as speakers or new products.

“And,” Palomino says, “if your videos are really cool, they will go viral within your universe.”

Even more important, Browne says, is the fact that “video is the most underutilized tool out there for event promotion. And I don’t understand that, because events are all about visuals. And so much of the Internet is moving to video instead of just providing text content. But almost every piece of information meeting and event planners produce is text instead of video.”

Other Tactics

Although it has been done for years, another time-tested tool is an event-specific website. Large companies typically create it within their intranet system, while smaller companies create a simple, standalone website.

“I’d like to be able to say that every company does that now,” Palomino says. “But not everybody has the budget to be able to do that. But I definitely think it’s important now to have a custom website for every meeting.”

A key reality is that a smaller company can typically get that done more quickly and less expensively than a large company, Palomino says. “A small company doesn’t have all the red tape that a large company does, so it’s just simpler for them to get it done. And instead of relying on an IT department, they can just farm the project out to a local freelance Web designer that can get a website up and running in a few days.”

However, says Browne, the critical consideration today is the surge in mobile technology and the increasing ubiquitous use of mobile devices by attendees.

Therefore, she says, all event websites today must be optimized for mobile devices such as smartphones and iPads.

“And with the younger generation, you don’t even have to ask them to share information,” Browne says. “They just do it. They literally share what they’re doing, every minute of the day.”

Avoiding Pitfalls

Just as there are new things that work, such as YouTube or Vine — or even Twitter — there are old things that have lost their ability to deliver.

One of them is the once-popular e-mail blast.

It is increasingly difficult to reach people via a traditional e-mail campaign, Palomino says. For example, most bulk e-mails now go to spam folders. “That’s why mass BCC mailings don’t work anymore,” Palomino says. “They get blocked.”

The key to success today is a subscription-based e-mail program that people opt into in order to receive ongoing information and updates about the meeting or event. “But even doing it that way, the average open-and-read ratio today is under 30 percent,” Palomino says. “So you can’t really rely on e-mail as a primary tool.”

And if e-mail is going to be used most effectively, it must be used in its most modern incarnation in the era of mobile technology. Instead of sending e-mails to a Yahoo or gmail address, the state-of-the-art is to use the various text platforms created by cell phone providers, such as @sprinttext from Sprint. “The thing to do now is use text e-mail addresses, so when you send it out, it goes as a text message to their smartphones or iPads,” Palomino says.

Gamification

One of the new kids on the technology block, especially for deployment to mobile devices, is gamification.

Like a growing number of planners, Rutan is an enthusiastic proponent of the cutting-edge technology that allows the motivation and direction of specific behaviors before, during and after a meeting by using games that deliver rewards. Rutan uses the industry-leading gamification platform from QuickMobile.

“The reason gamification works for us is that we have a very passionate user base,” he says.

“That means a user base we can tap into. So I started working on gamification right away as soon as I got this job. The first time we did it, it was just sort of OK. It was like a lot of work for just a little bit of return. But we didn’t have it on a mobile app. That meant we didn’t have an opportunity to gamify the actual conference.”

As a result, his deployment of the innovative technology quickly evolved. “We started focusing on creating games that would engage people and give them the experience we wanted them to have,” he says, “versus having people go out and have their own experience and then possibly dial into something that we weren’t necessarily that interested in from our perspective.”

Jive Software now perceives the proper use of gamification as “a way to influence the right outcomes,” Rutan says.

For example, last year they directed people to particularly important sessions by using gamification and giving away rewards such as iPad Minis. “The goal was to really reinforce the things we wanted people to be focused on at the conference,” Rutan says. “And from their point of view, it was about what they could do to have the best possible experience at the conference. And for us, that means making sure they know what it means to be a successful attendee.”

Jive Software now uses gamification and its own technological capabilities to heavily leverage its customer community. “And we try to make sure that everything is actionable,” Rutan says. “And that gives us a deeper level of engagement with our customers.”

Unfortunately, from what he observes and hears anecdotally, Rutan believes that not that many companies pursue attendee engagement to the extent Jive does. “There are a lot of companies that gather a lot of information about their attendees and events,” he says. “But I don’t think there are many that know how to use that information or get the right kind of information to leverage engagement the way they should be doing.”

Meanwhile, he notes, meetings and events are constantly becoming more democratic and attendee-controlled — a direct result of the initial impact of social media empowerment.

“And that’s something we practice,” Rutan says. “At JiveWorld now, 90 percent of the content being presented is being presented by customers.”

But most companies still lag behind in that kind of effort, Rutan says.

“I think the biggest element that is missing from the modern conference is the part that the community, or attendees collectively, should play,” he says. “And for us, being able to achieve that has been a matter of a trifecta between gamification, mobile apps and a focus on community. And then beyond that, there is the issue of treating all this as a year-long exercise in engagement, not as just a conference that lasts for three days. It’s really about re-living the experience over and over again and keeps them engaged.”

Palomino says that another important consideration is that rather than relying on a particular technology or a set of tools, the most important secret to success is to focus on the old adage that “knowledge is power.”

“Do your homework on your attendees,” he says. “And know your attendee demographics. Know what you excel in, in terms of technology and social media, and focus on your strengths. Be open to new ideas and new technology tools. And be creative. But it’s all about your attendees and their experience — the value they get from your meeting. If you always think that way, your meetings and events will be successful.” C&IT

Choosing New or Newly Renovated Properties

Parc 55 San Francisco, a Hilton Hotel.

What corporate meeting planner wouldn’t like to organize a corporate meeting in a brand new hotel property? Or bring their group into a venue that has just finished major renovations?

Actually, going into contract with new builds or recently renovated properties can provide great opportunities, but stressful challenges as well.

“Last year we were working with a client who had chosen a Chicago property for their three-day corporate meeting for 400 participants. They knew that part of the property was being renovated, however, the specific meeting space within the property that suited their needs was not scheduled for renovations,” says Colette Givens, program manager at Total Event Resources, in Schaumburg, Illinois. “However, as we got closer to the meeting dates, the property asked us if we could move the group to another location within the hotel, as winter weather had slowed the renovation process, and it would now impact our clients’ meeting space, with the possibility of knocking and drilling noise above the meeting room.”

Givens was able to move the group into one of the newly renovated meeting spaces on the property, but the meeting room’s temperature control system was still being adjusted, and trim work along the floor and baseboards was not quite finished, all of which are somewhat minor details that might not concern the average hotel guest, but as a meeting manager, these are the kinds of details that are noticeable.

“In the end the client was happy, but with some frustrations about having to move the meeting space at the last minute. The property was very understanding and provided us with some nice concessions, so everything worked out OK,” Givens says. “Typically, when we do an RFP, we ask specifically, ‘Is construction planned before or during our planned event?’ Whatever the answer is, yes or no, we always put this into the contract, making sure we include details as to the extent of the renovation, the dates, and which areas of the property will be affected. We also will insert language regarding monetary concessions if the meeting space and/or guest rooms are affected by unplanned renovation work.”

Givens had worked with a client who had wanted to meet at the Red Rock Casino, Resort & Spa in Las Vegas, which was still under construction at the time. Her firm wasn’t sure if a meeting for 200 persons in a new Las Vegas property could go off without any hitches, but because the property was brand new, the venue provided the group with extra support staff to make sure the group had a great experience, without any disruptions or logistical problems during the three-day event.

“My advice to new planners is that even when you book a property several years out, always make it a practice to ask, ‘Are there any renovations planned?’ You never want to be in a situation where you pull up to the hotel a few days before the meeting and you see a crane in front of the property with major renovations taking place. That’s a real disaster for your guests,” Givens says.

Doing Your Homework

“When you are using a new or newly renovated place and you do your research about the property, it can pay off in dividends, but if you don’t, it can come back to bite you,” says Mark Benson, CMP, president and managing partner of Applied Meetings & Hospitality Solutions in Orlando. “Knowing what’s fresh in the pipeline is one of the first things people want to do on a regular basis, just not when the need arises. Be current and know what’s happening in all the big cities regarding major renovations and new builds, so when you need to book a property you will already know if you should have any concerns.”

“When you are using a new or newly renovated place and you do your research about the property, it can pay off in dividends, but if you don’t, it can come back to bite you.” — Mark Benson, CMP

“During a 40-room, four-night meeting last fall at the Sheraton Nashville we knew there was going to be major renovations, and our group was booked at the end of the renovations,” says Benson. “To minimize risk we went forward with the meeting, but with a contingency plan, something you should always try and plan for. Fortunately, the renovations were actually completed on time, a great experience was had by the group, and we had a great financial deal.”

Benson likes to ask himself the question: What is it going to look like if things are not going to be ready before going into contract with a venue that is just opening or in renovations? He checks with the project manager to find out what the construction time line looks like so he isn’t surprised if bad news comes out. Benson says it makes a big difference if a group is meeting for a training session, where participants are coming from various parts of the country and would be hard-pressed to reschedule if it had to be cancelled, or a corporate group that could more easily be postponed or relocated.

Of course, when Benson is dealing with a chain property, with its large support staff and space inventory within the chain, the process of scheduling a meeting in a new or under-renovations property becomes a lot less risky.

“We have a group that is in discussions right now with the new Loews Sapphire Falls Resort at Universal Orlando, expected to open in summer 2016. It will be one of five resorts in the Universal Orlando theme park area, all managed by Loews,” Benson says, explaining that the same construction group was involved with all the neighboring hotels; the ownership is the same for each property; and all the properties have historically opened on time, so, “if you do run into a problem at the venue you booked, the nearby properties have the inventory and are more than willing to help out.”

Staff Training Shows

One of the difficulties that sometimes crops up with new properties is the lack of training for hotel group sales managers and support staff. LoriAnn K. Harnish, CMP, CMM, CTA, manager of meetings and events for US Foods, does about 150 meetings a year and every once in a while contacts a new property where new staffers do not seem to recognize an opportunity when it comes knocking. Just this past April, Harnish attempted in vain to do business with a new hotel in the Phoenix suburb of Mesa. “It is very close to our office and my first impression has not been the best,” she says. “It is a franchised property and their customer service and interest in my call was zero.”

In most cases, however, new sales staff at just opened properties, or those at venues undergoing major renovations, will do whatever it takes to give the meeting planner a sense of confidence that the property is ready and able to provide the space and staff to make the meeting a success.

“Earlier this year I worked to organize a marketing training event for one of our pharma clients at Parc 55 San Francisco, a Hilton Hotel, which became part of the Hilton family shortly before our meeting dates,” says Teresa Nelson-Buescher, account manager for Creative Group Inc., a large meeting planning and incentive management firm. The Parc 55 venue is a large property with 1,024 rooms and 30,000 sf of meeting space. “We had signed the contract prior to Hilton’s planned renovations, and I was initially concerned about that along with the recent change of ownership, but our confidence grew when we started receiving the on-property updates from the staff, and by the end of the event I was happy with the result.

“All the attendees were pleased with the overall experience. They raved about the new guest room accommodations and the level of hospitality provided by the staff. Attendees also enjoyed the creativity of the chef’s menu, and they even noted that the food quality exceeded their expectations,” says Nelson-Buescher, who credits the Hilton staff for making the difference for this two-night, 327-participant training event. “When searching for the perfect property to host a meeting, ensure you find a staff that has a can-do attitude, and really cares about the success of your meeting. The hotel staff was very detail-oriented, which enabled them to deliver a level of service that truly impacted the overall success of the event.”

On the Site Selection List

“We use new and newly renovated properties all the time,” says Christine Plitt, CMP, director of event logistics at Pragmatic Marketing, a Scottsdale firm that specializes in corporate training events. “Whenever we hear that a property has just opened or finished renovations, we always put it on our list to see it. It seems like whenever there’s a property refresh, there’s also a reset among the staff, where the staff thinks hard about their priorities and levels of service. Also, we often get really great financial deals, like for our event at the Hilton Scottsdale Resort & Villas, which wanted to get their name out again after a long renovation.”

Although meeting planners often dread the word “renovations,” the fact that a hotel undertakes an expensive upgrade to spur business tells some meeting planners that a property with formerly outdated public spaces and/or fraying room furnishings, is worth another site inspection. Mindy Gunn, CMP, CMM, vice president and meeting and event planning manager for Enterprise Meeting and Event Services, which handles meetings and events for Wells Fargo NA, says that for a recent employee recognition event at a large conference/convention hotel she did a repeat site inspection after learning that the property had undergone a major renovation.

“I had been to the property years before, and likely would not have considered it as a potential venue,” says Gunn. “They actually did a great job, installing new carpeting, new walls and updated meeting spaces. Of course, one lesson I learned, and the property learned as well, was that the new carpeting, in an area where we were to have a red-carpet arrival, was spotlessly clean because it was Teflon-coated. Apparently, however, no one thought about the fact that Teflon doesn’t stick to anything, including the tape holding down our own red carpet walkway, and within minutes our red carpet walkway began to buckle after the first few people came across. In the end, the hotel staff managed to keep it down and safe, and our participants were very impressed with the hotel’s new space and improvements, as well as by the staff’s ingenuity and humor dealing with the carpeting snafu.”

Communication Is Key

From both the meeting planner’s perspective, as well as hotel sales personnel, the most important element when meeting groups are booked into brand new or newly renovated properties is communication.

“We do about 60 percent corporate business and use our 10,000 sf of meeting space mostly for corporate meetings, but our property is under renovations presently,” says Michael Sanford, director of sales at the Embassy Suites Seattle North/Lynwood, a Hilton property located near Puget Sound, 12 miles north of downtown Seattle. “We are finishing up with our guest rooms now, and then will finish with the atrium space and meeting rooms by the end of the year. We really believe in honesty when dealing with our meeting planners who have booked groups at the property during this period. We talk to them well in advance about the renovation schedule, and keep them updated as their meeting dates get closer. We post our guest room renovation dates on the property website, and have nicely designed signs placed in our public areas, showing guests what the finished product is going to look like.”

Another perspective from the hotel side comes from David Jacob, CMP, assistant director of sales at the Laguna Cliffs Marriott Resort & Spa in California, a 378-room property overlooking the Pacific with a 14,000-sf spa and 50,000 sf of indoor and outdoor event space. Jacob understands that knowing when to renovate is as helpful to the property as it is to potential group business. “While we were going through a $55 million full-property renovation a few years ago we continued to accept small meetings. We had less room inventory, of course, and our ballroom was unavailable, but since the renovations were done during the economic downturn around 2011, when meetings tended to be smaller and more subdued, the hotel was not affected to any great extent,” says Jacob.

“During that period of time the overall meeting volume and space demand around the country was lower than it is today, especially for corporate meetings at high-end coastal resorts. During major renovations it is really important for both parties to be transparent and forthcoming, and start the communications and contract process early, figuring out ways to minimize any potential impact. In our case, we’re a pretty big resort, so when one wing is closed, it does not affect the rest of the property if you do it right.

“When you sell a property that is being renovated, you have to pedal a little faster and harder,” Jacob continues. “During our renovations we had to move our restaurant services to another part of the resort, but the quality of the food stayed the same. As long as you take care of the details, it will work out pretty well, and any hard dollars the client can save, in terms of food and beverage, or rebates to the master bill, or perhaps (in the case of Marriott) with points which they can use for their own organization or for charity, will make the contractual process that much easier.”

It’s All About Relationships

When planning corporate events, the relationship between meeting planners and the host venues is as important as the signed contract itself. “You know, relationships between venues and meeting planners are often long-term, and it is important to be honest about ongoing or upcoming renovations,” says Jacob. “Clients should know what they’re buying, and if a hotel sales manager sells someone a bad deal once, it will certainly not be forgotten. This is really a small industry, people are always moving around, and you end up bumping into the same people wherever you go. So, it’s not only the property’s reputation you want to preserve, but your professional reputation as well.” C&IT

Creating the Wow Factor

This behind-the-scenes photograph shows the metroConnections team bringing a client’s custom production to life. Credit: metroConnections

Rachel Portela began her career at metroConnections within the Event Services division in 2009. In 2011, she transitioned to the fast-growing division of Production Services with the title of show producer. In 2014, she was promoted to director of production services, co-directing and overseeing the division with Sr. Technical Director Bill Sather. Rachel utilizes her industry experience and leadership position to guide and encourage her team, develop and apply processes, and instill the core values of service and quality in all aspects of the division. Contact the metroConnections production team at production@metroconnections.com.

Sometimes an event calls for something truly “outside the box.” A great brainstorming session leads to a big idea, yet you’re stumped as to how you’re going to pull it off. Whether it’s transforming an exhibit hall entrance into a ship or creating a 10-foot 3-D prop in the shape of an event logo, it is key to approach a custom production using best practices in order to have the best possible outcome.

Understanding the Need

Custom builds and productions are when a design team can interpret a client’s brand, theme and event goals to create an end product to amaze, inspire and establish a connection between event attendees and organizers. For example, one metroConnections client’s theme, “Shifting into High Gear,” was brought to life with the creation of a working gear structure, tabletops with gear designs and a walkway of gears inspired by the yellow brick road from “Over the Rainbow.” Another conference had the metroConnections creative team building floating dragonflies, designing garden-inspired table décor and creating a stunning light display. Depending on time line and scale, picking an existing cookie-cutter stage, set or prop design sometimes seems like the only cost-effective use of your team’s budget. But is it truly cost-effective if the event, props and branding are subpar? The goal is to “wow” and win at your events, so research ALL your options. There certainly are companies with in-house artists, craftsmen and production assistants who can interpret your budget, your theme, your site and your needs and can provide a unique attendee experience. Including metroConnections, specialized production companies are able to adapt to one-of-a-kind builds and designs, big or small, so never fret that your event isn’t big enough to warrant a custom production. Beyond designs, production companies are trained experts in AV or they have excellent connections in the AV world; a production company can help you navigate the world of the unknown. It’s their job to get you the best gear and best deal while also creating an amazing visual experience for attendees. If meeting planners go straight to an AV supplier, they run the risk of possibly not getting what they want, simply because they don’t know the whole story or what it is they’re looking for.

Getting Started

Once you’ve decided to do a custom build for your next event — where should you start? The first step is to look at a list of production companies and study their past work and previous clients. This will help you easily weed out the new or less experienced companies from the established and experienced ones. Once you’ve got a list of contenders, arrange meetings with each of them so you can learn about their company and better understand their workflow process. A good company will show their potential clients examples of the planning tools they will provide, such as renderings, diagrams, onsite schedules, content list, show calls and more. At this initial meeting, event planners should come with a budget and a list of questions to ask each company that focus on areas of importance for your program. In return, a good company will come prepared with solid answers and examples to support what they are proposing. In addition, a good company will respect your budget, suggesting ideas that are both impactful and manageable within the parameters given. If they keep trying to sell more than you are comfortable spending, move on to the next company. Once you’ve settled on a production company and have shared your ideas, the process ought to begin with them providing renderings, pictures and storyboards to make sure their interpretation of your vision is accurate. Be sure that the budget is clear to them, and provide them with all the information they might need, such as what you’ve done for previous programs, what has worked in the past and what can be improved, the event agenda, any overall theme or identity they want to convey, and the main executives and their presentation style.

Avoiding Common Mistakes

To keep the production process as smooth as possible, there are particular pitfalls to avoid. Once initial creative documents such as stage-set renderings are provided, it’s crucial to share them with all levels that need to give their approval before signing off with the production company. You don’t want to get the stamp of approval from a meeting manager, then months into the design and build send an emergency email to the production company asking them to stop because one of the C-levels wants to adjust something with the set. This costs money and can easily set the production planning process behind schedule. Another mistake often made is not rehearsing after putting a lot of money into a beautiful production. Your production company provides you with all the tools you need to make your show a success, but they can go to waste if rehearsing is ignored. Production teams often discover new information from speakers during rehearsals, allowing them to adjust things accordingly. For example, they might find out that a speaker wants her notes displayed in one of the confidence monitors, and the extra time they have allows them to provide the proper equipment for her presentation rather than having to scramble the day of the event. In a particular instance, we had 19 speakers as part of a singular event, and by working with the production team on content, rehearsals and props, all 19 presentations went off without a hitch. Lastly, you want to avoid cutting the budget on your own without input from the production company. If you need to hit a budget number (such as cutting $5,000 from the total), discuss with the production team the most advantageous way to do so. They may be able to suggest the best areas to cut with the least impact on the show.

Share Information

For the best success, be sure to share with the production team all you can about your company’s identity. What is the corporate culture and demographic? Are employees tech-savvy, or more old-fashioned? Information like this is priceless for a production team and will guide them in their design process. Discuss content use — a big center screen or multiple screens are a great and dynamic look, but they also come with an additional level of content work. The production company can work with you to develop content for screens if desired, but if your company plans on using only PowerPoint presentations with little focus on content, a modular set may be the better option.

For the best success, be sure to share with the production team all you can about your company’s identity.

If you have any items that already have been created for the program, such as signage, conference identities or websites, be sure to share them with the production team, as they can weave their design into the final product. The best sets and productions are the ones that flow with the program as a whole. By following these best practices in hiring and working with a production company, you can offer an amazing and engaging event for your customers or employees, making it an experience they’ll never forget! C&IT

Mobile Meeting Apps

CIT-2015-06Jun-Mobile_Meetings-860x418

The “view from the top” of corporate America looks very promising for the continued integration of mobile apps and meetings. One of the major providers in this space, QuickMobile, has seen a surge in adoption over the last few years by top-tier corporations, notes Craig Brennan, CEO.

“If I take about six customers that we have, companies such as KMPG, Oracle and Deloitte, in 2013 we did 105 meetings and events with them, last year about 280, and this year we think it’s going to be over 600,” Brennan says, adding that the growth in the use of mobile meeting apps is taking place in two dimensions: size and type of meeting. QuickMobile’s initial corporate accounts were large, customer-facing events, but now the event size ranges from about 50 to 50,000 attendees, and even smaller gatherings. Types of events extend well beyond client-facing meetings to sales kickoffs, trade shows, employee training, leadership summits, employee onboarding events and more, Brennan observes.

But it isn’t just host companies and planners driving the use of mobile meeting apps, it’s the attendees themselves, particularly in the case of trade shows. As Jordan Schwartz, CEO of Pathable, notes, “The ubiquity of mobile phones, iPhones or Androids, has made it so there’s an assumption on the attendees’ part that they will have access to the agenda, maps and exhibitor listings so they’ll be able to preschedule meetings. Whereas before I think a meeting planner could ‘wow’ their attendees by offering them those features on the mobile phone, now it’s a given, and when it’s not offered they’re going to complain.”

Vanishing Ink

On the meeting host’s side, mobile has certainly alleviated one source of complaint: the time and money expenditures of printing and distributing meeting materials. According to “Event Planning & Mobile Technology,” a May 2014 survey of 298 event planners (26 percent corporate) by the IMEX Group and QuickMobile, “reducing/eliminating the use of paper” was the second most important reason for having a mobile app, behind “organizer-to-attendee communication and sharing.”

“The biggest breakthrough was when you were able to stop producing hard-copy handouts of presentation slides because you assumed most people could follow along on a mobile device,” recalls Rhonda King, CMP, registration manager with San Jose, California-based Align Technology Inc. King, who says she printed conference guides “the size of phone books” in the days before mobile, has shifted her focus away from “being an expert on print” and needing to know printer scheduling, costs and so on. She now focuses on how to best provide the information through an app, specifically EventMobi.

Not only are printing costs saved, but the information also can be updated as needed. “We find that the accuracy of the data is the biggest benefit for using mobile event apps,” she says. “You can make real-time changes to the presentation slides. And if session rooms change, you can get that information out quickly and accurately.” In addition, King has been able to eliminate the pocket guides that fit behind name badges and reduce the amount of personal information on the badges themselves, making them more legible. “Currently we’re still doing more signage and printed materials than I would like, but I hope that in the future (the app) will be so second nature to all attendees that we’ll be out of the business of printing conference support materials.”

Fort Collins, Colorado-based Schneider Electric, a client of QuickMobile, has “basically eliminated all of our printed materials and pushed everything into the mobile experience, from speaker bios to agendas to build-your-own-schedules, tying into the Schneider focus on sustainability,” notes Todd Moran, director of social enterprise. Granted, printed materials also can to some extent be avoided by loading content onto an event website. But there are definite advantages to going mobile instead. First, attendees will have access to the content where it is most convenient for them. “I don’t have to browse on my device to a separate website. I have the app up 24/7, and so I’m a lot more likely to use it,” Moran explains. Moreover, the content on an app is “truly tailored to be either tablet- or handheld-friendly and displays the information in a much cleaner way, optimized for the small screen,” King adds.

Enhancing Engagement

Another big reason why meeting hosts and planners are behind the use of mobile meeting apps is its capacity to support engagement with the event. That takes several forms, including networking with other attendees, participating in presentations via audience response, answering poll questions and posting comments about the event, and even playing event-related games through the app (gamification). The first kind of engagement is not just a priority at trade shows and large association meetings; corporate meetings also can benefit from app-based networking.

At a sales meeting, for example, companies often are looking for the sales team “to connect with each other beforehand, start conversations about the industry, ask questions and share knowledge,” Schwartz says. But the virtual conversations should mainly be limited to pre and post event, he maintains. “During the event the app isn’t necessarily the means of communication but rather the tool for encouraging face-to-face communication,” for example, by allowing attendees to quickly search for and review one another’s profiles. “If you have people at the event who are trying to network through the app itself, I think that’s crazy and counterproductive to networking,” Schwartz adds. The app is “a networking and planning tool before the event, a reference tool during, and a (virtual) community tool after.” He observes that the latter is a function that attendees are less accustomed to, compared to agenda and map features. But companies are increasingly interested in integrating apps with online communities to effectively extend the lifecycle of the event.

“The app isn’t necessarily the means of communication but rather the tool for encouraging face-to-face communication.” — Jordan Schwartz

Attendees also become more engaged when they can provide ongoing feedback on the event and its content. Schneider Electric found QuickMobile’s Q&A feature “pretty intriguing,” Moran says. “We used that to capture some real time, not survey specific, unstructured feedback throughout the user conference, and some of that actually ended up feeding the closing session.” At that point, Schneider representatives addressed comments and questions gathered through the app over the last three days. “It was a little scary for some of the execs who had to stand on-stage and (field the questions), but I think it was very powerful in terms of the attendee experience,” Moran says.

The experience also becomes more fun with app-enabled gamification. Through QuickMobile, each attendee is given a QR code, and the codes are exchanged through the app when they make a connection; that data is tied-in to a leaderboard based on the number of connections they made at the event. “We also awarded 40 points for every check-in attendees did in the marketplace (using their QR code), which encouraged them to go look at the demo stations and immerse themselves in the technology,” Moran explains. Certain behavior at the event is both encouraged and tracked in these ways, which can lead to onsite adjustments by the organizers. “Based on check-in activity we saw on Day One for the learning lounge we ended up doubling up on staffing for the second day,” he notes. “That is something we would have typically done for the following year, had it not been for real-time feedback based on QR code check-in.”

Tracking and Analytics

Along with saving print costs and attendee engagement, the third advantage of mobile is the ability to gather analytics of the sort Moran describes. It’s certainly a key feature: The IMEX Group/QuickMobile study identified “usage analytics” as the second most important “event app must-have,” behind “a user friendly way for me to manage app content.” Event hosts and planners can track numerous behaviors quantitatively, including the downloading of materials, viewing of specific content, connections made with others, participation in polls and so forth. “So all of a sudden where there used to be a black hole with no data,” says Brennan, “now we can start to measure the behaviors at these meetings and events and continue to improve on it.”

Brennan sees at least two major frontiers for mobile meeting apps that will render them as an even better tool for event planners. One is the integration of the apps with other enterprise systems, such as those in the areas of sales and marketing, customer service and learning management. “The more you can contextualize the attendee, and the more that you can capture data about the attendee and what’s happening at that meeting, it creates more value for the enterprise and for the attendees themselves,” he says. A second frontier is security. “Today’s event planner definitely has to be aware of IT security on mobility units. All of our tier-one clients require a high degree of security, and it’s a critical component of our platform,” he stresses.

Indeed, event planners must be aware of the numerous features that mobile companies are touting on the market today in order to make an informed purchasing choice. Pairing apps with events is becoming part of the skillset of the modern meeting planner, although it wasn’t 10 years ago when King received her CMP. “There used to be loads of information (in the curriculum) about printing meeting materials when I got the designation,” she observes. Times have changed. C&IT

Beach Meetings

Little Palm Island Resort & Spa, a five-acre island oasis, is located three miles offshore in the lower Florida Keys.

For many meeting planners, the allure of an incentive trip by or, in some cases, on the sea is not only the obvious appeal of a tropical paradise for attendees, but also how surprisingly convenient some getaways are to reach.

“You almost felt like a celebrity,” says Jamie Morton, event planner for Tech Data Corporation, of her time at Little Palm Island Resort & Spa in Florida’s Little Torch Key. “One morning I had breakfast in the restaurant. I like my coffee a certain way, and the next day I had it exactly that way — from a different server,” she marvels.

Morton brought a group of 33 for a sales incentive meeting in September 2014. She chose the location because it was a “beautiful tropical paradise close by” — an easy flight from her company’s headquarters in Clearwater, Florida and a 30-minute drive from Key West International Airport to Little Torch Key.

The resort, which is only accessible by boats that run every half-hour each way from morning to sunset, provides a front desk check-in station in Little Torch Key. “They give you a tropical drink before boarding to start your journey away from reality,” Morton remembers.

Once on the island, there are no TVs, phones or clocks, she says, although there is a small shop for last-minute sundries. Guests aren’t allowed to use their cell phones on the property — Wi-Fi is restricted to individual rooms. “It’s such a relaxing experience to be able to completely unplug,” Morton says. “You’re actually connecting with other people, engaging. It’s a freeing experience.”

“It’s such a relaxing experience to be able to completely unplug. You’re actually connecting with other people, engaging. It’s a freeing experience.” — Jamie Morton

The attendees had free time for fishing, snorkeling and receiving spa treatments, with group dinners each night and a brunch spread on the final day. The resort offers dining in the restaurant, by the pool or in the room, as well as the group dinner location on the beach. “It was private, just for us,” Morton says. “And they were still able with décor and linens to make it feel different each night.”

One special guest who strolled in during dinner was “Grandma,” a Key deer native to the area. “Almost the size of a Labrador and very friendly. Everyone thought that was the coolest thing,” Morton says.

“The attendees continue to rave about it and have fond memories of going there,” she says. Although she tried to book it again, the dates she needed weren’t available. With 30 available suites, the space can quickly fill up.

She recommends that planners who are considering the resort make it clear to attendees just how unplugged they will be. She also counsels taking advantage of the resort’s optional meal plan; à la carte can work out to be more expensive. Morton also notes that attendees who arrive with someone other than a romantic partner might find the accommodations a bit awkward — in some instances, she had to find rollout beds.

Morton notes that the planning process, from contract through execution, was seamless and the service “phenomenal. I was blown away by the staff, and the food was fantastic.”

Local Color

Melissa O’Connor, event manager for PC Connection’s sales support and marketing division, brought her incentive group of 45 to the 61-room Inn by the Sea in Crescent Beach, Cape Elizabeth, Maine, this past September. Like Morton, she was in part drawn to its proximity. “It’s semi-local,” she notes, only about three hours from the company’s main headquarters in Merrimack, New Hampshire. She also was drawn to “the uniqueness of the inn, the setting right on the bay. It’s a nice relaxing getaway for the weekend that’s more beachy than any of the Portland venues.”

O’Connor looks for the local touch for her events and this one was replete with it: kettle corn, a Maine specialty, made at the inn; a lobster ornament used as the do-not-disturb sign; and a trip on a “very old sailboat” from the Portland Schooner Company to Great Diamond Island for dinner at Diamond’s Edge Restaurant & Marina, followed by a Portland Discovery Land & Sea Tours rented trolley for going out in Portland.

Attendees particularly liked the opening of the sails on the schooner, she says. The boat trip included drinks and appetizers, but in retrospect, O’Connor says she would have dispensed with the passed hors d’oeuvres. (“It’s a little awkward since you have to sit, and the schooner is a little rocky,” she notes.) Diamond’s Edge has a private space for up to 55 people as well as its own dock. The attendees enjoyed a lobster bake, chicken and filet mignon in a room with a wood stove fire — a welcome retreat after the admittedly bracing time on the water.

“Be cautious of time frames,” O’Connor advises. “September is a little chilly, so July/August/early September is a good time to go. If it’s cold, the schooner might not be super enjoyable. Consider taking the schooner out and the ferry back.”

Still, the rooms with views of the sea and the warmth of the reception more than made up for the weather. O’Connor singles out the innkeepers and front desk staff for their thoughtfulness, such as keeping the bar open late for the group.

“It was nice to come back to the fire at the bar to warm up with a few drinks before bed,” she remembers. “It just makes you feel at home when you’re at a place like that.”

A Mini Vacation at the Beach

Toyota Motor Sales has been having beach meetings at Portofino Hotel & Marina in Redondo Beach, California, for more than 30 years. “When you stay on a property right on the beach, it makes it easy for the planner because there are so many options for guests right in proximity; it’s a mini vacation in the middle of a business trip,” notes Jessica Hurley-Jones, associate services manager. “The location is ideal for us given the ocean views and proximity to our headquarters office in Torrance,” she says.

Typically, Toyota puts people up at the resort, and any actual meetings take place at the company, since many meetings entail hands-on training in a company vehicle.

“It’s not a boxy hotel; it’s smaller, intimate — a real treat for people who don’t live near the beach,” she says. “Our guests from all over the country and Japan are always pleased with the location; the intimate, quaint and upscale ‘beachy’ feel of the property; and the welcoming staff.”

Attendees enjoy the onsite restaurant, BaleenKitchen, which boasts executive chef Richard Crispin, late of Jean-Georges and Gordon Ramsay at the London Hotel. The site also offers a downstairs lounge with fire pits right on the marina, she notes.

“There are other properties at the beach, but with my 20 years, it’s always been a safe location to place people,” Hurley-Jones says. She recommends being mindful of the room type and size at contract since many of the rooms have single beds, and it’s not easy to switch to doubles after the ink has dried.

Her suggestion for successful beach meetings is: “Make sure to provide enough time for attendees to explore or relax on their own. With a relaxing location on the waterfront, events that are too overproduced don’t feel authentic.”

Floating Venues

“Celebrating out on the water is sometimes frowned upon because planners feel that their guests are ‘trapped,’ ” says Kim Lefebvre, DMCP, account executive at 360 Destination Group in San Diego, California. “But I think a cruise is a great networking and celebration opportunity. As long as you do not make the cruise extra long, it gives everyone just enough time to eat, mingle and enjoy the surroundings.”

In November 2013, she took a group of 270 executives and top producers from a U.S. defense company on a corporate incentive trip to San Diego for five days. The group stayed at the San Diego Marriott Marquis & Marina, which features a spectacular waterfront setting in the heart of San Diego. Adjacent to the San Diego Convention Center, the San Diego Marriott offers 75,000 sf of flexible meeting space, a 466-slip marina and unlimited recreation. It’s just a short walk to the San Diego Harbor, where Lefebvre’s group embarked on a two-hour private harbor cruise with narration and lunch on a Flagship Cruises and Events vessel. The tour encompassed the north and south harbor and Coronado Bridge, with lunch prepared on board and served en route.

Because the boat never leaves the protected harbor, “there are not the large waves or swells that cause seasickness,” Lefebvre notes. As a destination management company planner, she prioritizes providing a lasting experience of a destination above simply offering a pleasant day on the water. As such, this cruise fit the bill perfectly. “The experience on the water is not only beautiful as you cruise down the harbor and view the skyline, but it is educational as you learn about the military aspect of San Diego” — particularly appropriate for this defense company.

“This program had the best feedback of any past event,” as well as significantly more participation from top execs, she says. “The guests loved the exclusiveness of the boat experience. There were other public tours, but to have their private tour was special.”

City Boat Tours

Flagship Cruises and Events has a fleet of ships available in San Diego for various group sizes, from a small boat for a dinner party for 30 to the largest that will fit about 600. Many other meeting-friendly destinations also offer tours suitable for attendees. In Oklahoma City, for example, Bricktown Water Taxi offers an unusual teambuilding exercise in the form of a scavenger hunt with clues on the Bricktown Canal. The two-hour competition requires at least two boats, each of which holds a minimum of 15 and maximum of 40 attendees.

Elite Private Yachts, part of Entertainment Cruises, offers the two-deck Manhattan Elite for groups of 50 to 149 attendees and the three-deck Atlantica for groups of 125 to 400. Both yacht charters are exclusively for one group and provide a cruise around New York Harbor as well as the possibility of a buffet, plated meal or hors d’oeuvres; a full bar; and the opportunity to customize the experience at the planner’s discretion. The company offers similar private corporate tours in Baltimore, Boston, South Florida, Philadelphia, Chicago, Norfolk, Virginia, and Washington, DC.

In South Florida, Spirit Yacht Charters can accommodate up to 125 attendees for its private catamaran charter estate mansion tour of homes on the Palm Beach waterfront. The two-hour tour includes wine, champagne, beer and soda; cheese, crackers and fruit; and the ministrations of a captain and crew. The same-size catamaran can be hired for four hours from Fort Lauderdale to whisk groups away to a beach between the ocean and the Intracoastal Waterway, where they’ll enjoy water sports and a barbecue or clambake.

Biscayne Lady Yacht Charters offers planners a way to customize a 380-passenger yacht charter from Miami with the theme and food of their specifications. For example, planners can organize custom décor for a product launch or teambuilding experience.

Chattanooga’s 450-passenger Southern Belle Riverboat can be chartered for attendees to cruise along the Tennessee River; the enclosed decks can accommodate about 350 people for a buffet. For planners who prefer to skip the open water, the Pier 2 at the Landing can seat several hundred attendees for a dockside lunch or dinner.

The Paddlewheeler Creole Queen also can be chartered privately in New Orleans to cruise the Mississippi River as attendees enjoy a Creole buffet or one of various other options.

With its beachfront location and 209,000 sf of flexible function space, The Diplomat Resort & Spa Hollywood, Curio Collection by Hilton offers an ideal gathering place for a meeting. Guests can re-energize their team and inspire creativity by hosting a meeting on one of South Florida’s finest yachts. Four hours cruising along the Intracoastal Waterway is an ideal way to foster new ideas.

Situated on over a mile stretch of white sandy beaches, Diplomat Resort & Spa Hollywood offers indoor and outdoor function space including the 50,000-sf unobstructed Great Hall, four ballrooms and 39 breakout rooms. The resort offers a variety of onsite amenities and activities for groups from 10 to 8,000 and is located just a short drive away from Hollywood’s historic oceanfront Broadwalk, Aventura Mall and the Village at Gulfstream Park.

Noteworthy Beach Meeting Spots

Eden Roc Miami Beach’s 70,000 sf of meeting space includes 25,000 sf of outside space with ocean views. A number of the rooms also have ocean or Intracoastal Waterway views.

The 309-room Eau Palm Beach offers 3,000 sf of oceanfront terrace with a fire pit as part of 30,000 sf of meeting space, including a nearly 10,000-sf ballroom; poolside meeting cabanas; an Ocean Ballroom and the Eau Spa.

Key Largo’s Ocean Reef Club sits on 2,500 acres and boasts its own private airport and private marina; two golf courses; tennis; croquet; and 30,000 sf of meeting space, including a ballroom that can hold 700 and a rooftop terrace for 175 with views of the marina.

The Ritz-Carlton, Naples features 42,000 sf of meeting space along with three miles of beach, from which attendees can enjoy parasailing, pedal boats and kayaks, and a 36-hole Greg Norman-designed golf course, a spa, four tennis courts and onsite tennis pros. Themed events are available such as Evening under the Gulf and Pirates of the Gulf, and the staff can set up beach Olympics and other outdoor teambuilding activities.

On the West Coast, California’s Montage Laguna Beach boasts four outdoor event spaces, each about 5,000 sf, plus a beach terrace; the 2,000-sf Catalina, the hotel’s newly renovated presidential suite, can be rented out for small meetings. Its 700-sf balcony looks out onto the Pacific Ocean, as do many of the venue’s rooms.

Paradise Point in San Diego has more than 50,000 sf of indoor space overlooking Mission Bay. An additional 30,000 sf of outdoor space offers distinctive backdrops in the form of white beaches, gardens and bayfront lawns.

Sets of comfortable bungalow-style guest rooms are clustered throughout tranquil gardens, lagoons and beaches, allowing groups to foster team unity within their own section of accommodations.

Terranea Resort, located in Rancho Palos Verdes, California, is a land unto itself. Surrounded on three sides by the Pacific Ocean with Catalina Island just across the channel, Terranea’s coastal setting embraces its Mediterranean heritage and incorporates it into every inch of architecture. From the resort lobby and outdoor gardens to the private terraces and inviting courtyards, Terranea is infused with classic California elegance.

Wild Dunes Resort has been ranked as the “Top-Ranked Southern Resort” within the “Top Destination in the USA” by Condé Nast Traveler. This beachside setting along the South Carolina low country, minutes from Charleston, is sure to inspire incentive groups.

Charleston offers quintessential low country dining experiences including seafood straight from area waterways and foods from neighboring plantations, served up in unique locales such as sailboats along the Charleston Harbor, oceanfront resort venues, neighboring barrier islands, local favorites or piazza-side with Charleston celebrity foodies.

As a top-rated meeting and event destination, Grand Lucayan Beach & Golf Resort on Grand Bahama Island is renowned for its paradise setting, exceptional amenities and excellent venues. With 20 distinct meeting and event areas totaling 90,000 sf of both indoor and outdoor space, they can accommodate any function.

Grand Bahama Island boasts incredible snorkeling adventures and some of the world’s finest collection of beaches such as the private Lucaya Beach or Fortune Beach, where treasure hunters recently found a $2 million shipwreck. Attendees also can find complete, isolated privacy in Paradise Cove at Deadman’s Reef or swing by Xanadu beach for an icy local Kalik beer and some spicy local barbecue. Or, they can explore Gold Rock Beach at Lucayan National Park, which is known to many as the most spectacular beach of all.

After all as the saying goes — what could be better than that? C&IT

Mountain Meetings

Resort at Squaw Creek, a Destination Hotel, is located in the heart of Olympic Valley, California, with direct lift service to Squaw Valley USA.

Fall and winter can be prime time for companies to meet, but that doesn’t always mean booking a warm-weather destination. In fact, many towns in and near America’s mountains make planners’ short lists with good reason. These destinations not only provide excellent meeting facilities, they give attendees a chance to ski and ride at premier winter resorts.

Aspen, Colorado

Aspen is not lacking in alluring attributes. It has history, infrastructure, chef-driven dining, no small measure of glitz and glamour and some of the best skiing in North America. It’s also a community used to high-profile executives and VIPs, making it ideal for C-suite retreats and high-end incentive programs. The town’s uber upscale vibe is well-deserved thanks to accommodations such as The St. Regis Aspen Resort and Forbes Five Star, AAA Five Diamond Little Nell. But there are other options that make Aspen ideal for all kinds of mountain meetings.

Robin Hammons, event coordinator for the Gulfport, Mississippi-based Domino’s Franchisee Forum, says her group always books The Gant, a Destination Hotel. “Our group has been coming to Aspen for 15-plus years and has always stayed at The Gant,” she says. “It is the most reasonably priced for the accommodations. Our group likes to bring family, and The Gant is one of the only places in Aspen with condo-type accommodations as well as meeting facilities.”

It’s a bonus, Hammons adds, that “it’s also within walking distance to town and provides shuttle service around town, and to and from the airport.”

The Domino’s group, which in March 2015 was comprised of about 95 attendees, always uses The Gant’s conference facilities for meetings, and has held small evening receptions there as well. Hammons calls the staff “accommodating, friendly and professional,” and says the room is always set up on time. “The food,” she adds, “is excellent.”

But Aspen itself is what makes this group return time after time. “The largest draw for our group always returning to Aspen is the town,” Hammons says. “Aspen is one of the best towns for food, entertainment and shopping for a ski destination. Our group typically comes to Aspen every other year or at least every two years.

“We’ve used the Community Ice Rink for a private party and hockey game,” she continues. “We also usually have a couple of nights when attendees are on their own and dine in local restaurants. The food is always good and there are many options to choose from.“

At times the group has received discounts on ski rentals, which helps lower costs for attendees. Hammons has few complaints about meeting in Aspen, though she wishes there were a few more dining and activity options for larger groups. And she points out that for skiers and riders who don’t want to tackle Aspen Mountain, bus transportation is required to Buttermilk and Snowmass, which better accommodate beginners and intermediates. That said, the town delivers.

“Aspen,” Hammons says, “is usually one of our highest-rated meetings.”

Breckenridge, Colorado

Breckenridge is part of the Vail Resorts portfolio of ski areas and another Colorado town with colorful history. Vail Resorts has five lodging properties in town: The Village at Breckenridge, DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Breckenridge, Mountain Thunder Lodge, One Ski Hill Place and Crystal Peak Lodge. Together the lodges encompass 560 rooms, 40,000 sf of meeting space and can accommodate groups of up to 500. The company can act as a single resource for planners, from lodging, event planning and on-mountain dining to lift tickets, equipment rental and transportation.

Annie Bolduc, sales enablement manager for Atlanta, Georgia-based Premier Global Services Inc. (PGi), which designs conferencing tools to better facilitate collaboration, brought 35 top incentive qualifiers to Breckenridge in December 2013 for PGi’s Sell Your Way to the Peak event. The group chose One Ski Hill Place for its host hotel.

“Of all the resorts in Breckenridge, I truly believe you cannot get a better location,” Bolduc says. “First, it’s right at the base of Peak 8, convenient for avid skiers and close to downtown and transportation. Second, the amenities are plentiful and appealing to everyone. In Breckenridge, it’s hard to find a resort that will appeal to people who do not ski, and One Ski Hill achieves that perfectly. Third, there’s the staff. They made my work extremely easy, and the whole process was completely stress-free.”

The attendees agreed with Bolduc’s assessment. “For weeks after the event, I received emails from participants saying that the resort was outstanding. From the concierge staff and food to amazing accommodations, our participants could not stop raving about the experience. People loved the bowling alley, the fact that you could just step out of the hotel and start skiing immediately and how luxurious the accommodations were. In fact, many people came back, booking their personal vacation at One Ski Hill with their families since they had been so impressed and wanted more.”

Bolduc calls two staff members, Lisa Eastlund and Tobye Wojcik, “miracle workers,” adding, “I have planned other events, and the staff at One Ski Hill was, by far, the most helpful I have ever encountered.”

One Ski Hill Place was also the venue for the group’s cocktail party. “The variety of food we had put together for everyone satisfied even the picky eaters, and the staff not only worked within our budget, they somehow managed to save us money.”

As for the town, Bolduc says, “Breckenridge was the perfect fit because it appealed to skiers and non-skiers. Our event was a sales incentive so we needed somewhere that would be rewarding for everyone. Since we do a beach trip for our Chairman’s Club, I wanted to plan an event that wouldn’t feel like a Chairman’s Club trip but still be exciting for all participants, and Breckenridge met all these requirements. The resort accommodations are stunning, luxurious and it is conveniently located near everything the participants could possibly want.”

The group booked a dinner in town at Twist, which was a hit. “Everyone loved the comfort food feel, especially with how cold it was that week,” Bolduc says. “It was food they knew and loved but with a twist that elevated it. We’ve booked our dinner with Twist again for this year’s trip.”

In summing up the 2013 event, Bolduc has one word: “perfection.” She didn’t get a single complaint in the event’s follow-up survey. “We’re thinking this will become our annual incentive trip,” she says.

To her fellow planners considering Breckenridge, Bolduc suggests starting the planning process as early as possible. “This is a popular resort, and you want to make sure you have enough room for your event. Be open and upfront with the staff; let them know what your budget is, and they will do everything they can to stay within those limitations.”

Keystone, Colorado

Nearby Keystone is another option for groups, especially those in need of a conference center. The Keystone Resort and Conference Center provides more than 60,000 sf of exhibit, function and meeting space, while the resort has another 40,000 sf to offer overall. There are three ballrooms and 50 flexible meeting rooms. The resort also has approximately 1,200 accommodations. The conference center offers wireless Internet access in all meeting rooms and public spaces and digitally controlled sound configurations.

A wide variety of meeting space throughout the resort includes a mountaintop venue, outdoor pavilion as well as spacious living rooms in luxury condos and townhomes.

Keystone offers more than 25 dining venues that range from easy grab-and-go meals to five-star dining.

Guests can take a gondola ride and enjoy high-altitude dining at the Bavarian-style Der Fondue Chessel or the AAA Four Diamond Alpenglow Stube. Two unique and memorable options include a horse-drawn sleigh or wagon ride to a rustic homestead for a delicious home-cooked meal and entertainment or a dinner at the Ski Tip Lodge, a stagecoach stop turned upscale Mountain Inn.

Vail and Beaver Creek, Colorado

Expansive Vail and compact Beaver Creek are popular with groups for different reasons. Few mountain towns boast the sheer number of restaurants, accommodations and activities as Vail, one of Colorado’s best-known mountain resorts. But for some planners, intimate Beaver Creek is the ideal fit.

CCMP Capital Advisors LLC, a New York- and Houston-based global private equity firm specializing in buyout and growth equity investments in North America and Europe, brings a group to Park Hyatt Beaver Creek Resort & Spa each February. Tracie Walton, assistant to the chairman, plans the annual event of 30-plus attendees. “The Park Hyatt is a beautiful property with excellent staff,” she says. “The location is great, and the service is top-notch.”

She has high praise for the resort staff, particularly Andy Hoen, senior sales manager, and Christie Gregg, event planning manager. “Andy does an excellent job with our group each year. He works hard on providing the best rate possible and goes over the contract thoroughly with me. He’s always available if I have questions, even after business hours. Andy knows our group needs and is always prepared when we speak.

“Christie goes above and beyond each year that I’ve worked with her,” Walton continues. “I really rely on Christie when we are at the property, and she’s always available. Christie never leaves out any details, and I always feel confident working with her. After the event, she works with me on billing and explanation of services. She is cheerful and willing to help at any time.”

Walton says the attendees engage in a multitude of winter activities, including skiing. They also go out to eat and have enjoyed Mirabelle as well as Beaver Creek’s famed luxury on-mountain restaurant, Beano’s Cabin. For 2015, the group has reserved the private Allie’s Cabin, also on the mountain, for a function.

Colorado Springs, Colorado

Not all of Colorado’s winter destinations are in the mountains. With a relatively mild winter climate, more than 500,000 sf of meeting space and 14,000 guest rooms, Colorado Springs is an excellent choice for a late fall or winter mountain meeting. Hotel choices include the Antlers Hilton Colorado Springs and Cheyenne Mountain Resort & Club, and there are settings for offsite functions at the Air Force Academy, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and Cottonwood Center for the Arts. It’s also worth noting that the majority of the area’s attractions are open in winter, and the city is less than two hours from superb skiing.

Vickey Woodley, senior manager of meeting services for Jacksonville, Florida-based Medtronic Surgical Technologies, brought 140 attendees to another of the city’s famed properties, The Broadmoor. The historic resort was an ideal choice for the November 2013 meeting for two reasons.

“It’s close to the office that manages the equipment used for this meeting, equipment that is very expensive to ship due to its size and weight,” Woodley says. “Besides, The Broadmoor is breathtakingly beautiful, the service outstanding and everyone at the resort made us feel warm and welcome.”

Though the property is very spread out, Woodley says her group contained its meetings to one of the convention spaces, and used various dining venues for functions.

“The first evening we had a welcome reception in the Lake Terrace Dining Room at the hotel. It was a beautiful room and the food was amazing,” Woodley says. “We were able to use six of the Broadmoor’s restaurants for dine-arounds on the second evening. It was nice that the hotel had this many venues to choose from, which saved us time and transportation charges. The attendees were able to enjoy their dinner without being rushed to catch a shuttle back to the hotel.”

Though the city was chosen for its proximity to a Medtronic facility, Woodley calls The Broadmoor “a bonus we didn’t expect! This was our first visit there but probably won’t be our last.”

Her group didn’t have time to go into the city, but she suggests anyone planning a meeting in Colorado Springs build time into the schedule to do that. One other thought: “Plan your meeting in early December to enjoy the most beautiful holiday decorations ever!”

Lake Tahoe, Nevada

Lake Tahoe is actually two distinct areas: Lively South Lake Tahoe, combining the assets of an expansive ski resort, gaming, nightlife, and the busier south shore of the lake, and more serene North Tahoe, imbued with the characteristics of an upscale mountain resort overlooking one of the most beautiful lakes in America.

South Lake Tahoe lodging properties with meeting space include the green-focused, moderately priced Lake Tahoe Resort Hotel with 400 suites, complimentary breakfast and 10,000-plus sf of meeting space. For groups wanting to combine a meeting with onsite gaming, there’s Harrah’s Lake Tahoe, the 18-story, 532-room hotel with 25,000 sf of meeting space and multiple excellent restaurants and a spa. It’s connected to sister property, Harvey’s Resort & Casino, with 740 rooms and more than 22,000 sf of meeting space. All three of these hotels provide easy access to the Heavenly ski area.

With properties such as the AAA Five Diamond Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe, North Tahoe is well suited for incentive trips. The hotel has 170 guest rooms with fireplaces, a 17,000-sf spa and meeting space for up to 400 guests, including two ballrooms with floor-to-ceiling windows. The Ritz-Carlton sits at mid-mountain.

Northstar Village, base area for Northstar California ski resort, offers conference space for up to 200 attendees among its 200 lodging units and 35 shops and restaurants. The year-round venues feature hard-wired AV and complimentary Internet access.

A short distance from Northstar, set at the base of Squaw Valley ski area, is the Resort at Squaw Creek, a Destination Hotel. The AAA Four Diamond resort offers 405 rooms and 33,000 sf of indoor meeting space, plus a long list of team-building and group activities that includes dog-sledding in winter.

Park City, Utah

Located just 35 minutes from Salt Lake City International Airport, Park City makes it easy to stage a meeting at a top ski resort. Thirty area hotels have meeting facilities for a total of 125,000 sf. The variety and scope of activities, from skiing and riding to bobsledding, winter fly-fishing and hot-air balloon rides, make Park City an ideal incentive or meeting destination. Good choices for groups include the Park City Marriott, headquarters for the annual Sundance Film Festival, with 191 guest rooms and 10,000 sf of function space. The property unveiled a multimillion-dollar renovation in 2014. Montage Deer Valley features 154 guest rooms, 66 suites and residences, and more than 55,000 sf of indoor and outdoor meeting and event space. Waldorf Astoria Park City is the brand’s first luxury mountain lodge. It includes 201 accommodations, two boardrooms and a presidential suite accommodating up to 70 guests.

Vail Resorts Inc. received unanimous approval from the Park City Planning Commission to implement an impactful capital plan for the 2015–16 ski season. The plan will establish a connection between Park City Mountain Resort and Canyons Resort, creating the largest single ski area in the country with more than 7,300 acres of skiable terrain. Also, critical upgrades will be made to the infrastructure of both resorts.

Components of the $50-million capital plan include:

The Interconnect Gondola, an eight-passenger, high-speed, two-way gondola from the base of the existing Silverlode Lift at Park City to the Flatiron Lift at Canyons. This will mark the first gondola at Park City Mountain Resort since “The Gondola” was dismantled in 1997.

Upgrade of King Con and Motherlode Lifts at Park City. The King Con Lift will be upgraded from a four-person to a six-person, high-speed detachable chairlift, and the Motherlode Lift will be upgraded from a fixed-grip triple to a four-person, high-speed detachable chairlift. Both upgrades will reduce crowding, lift lines and improve the guest experience.

The plan calls for building a completely new Snow Hut restaurant at the base of the Silverlode Lift and next to the Park City terminal for the Interconnect Gondola, with 500 indoor seats and a top-of-the-line kitchen and culinary experience. At Canyons, the Red Pine Restaurant will be renovated to accommodate an additional 250 indoor seats.

The plan features additional snowmaking on two trails in the Iron Mountain area of Canyons, which will become increasingly central ski terrain given its proximity to the Interconnect Gondola.

Stowe, Vermont

The West doesn’t have a lock on excellent winter-meeting venues. New England’s mountain resorts and Norman Rockwell settings are every bit as enchanting and up to the challenge of facilitating business. Stowe Mountain Lodge is a superb example.

PC Connection Inc., based in Merrimack, New Hampshire, plans an incentive winter weekend every year. In February 2014, its Winter Wonderland Weekend was held at Stowe Mountain Lodge with 150 in attendance. It was the company’s first year at the lodge, and Melissa O’Connor, event manager, sales support and marketing division, booked a return in 2015.

”Stowe Mountain Lodge provides the opportunity for our incentive winners to get away from the fast pace of the city and enter into an upscale rustic oasis. Some of our guests utilized the downhill and Nordic ski areas, some went ice climbing or snowmobiling and others were content staying on the resort, whether in the spa or just reading a book in front of the fireplace.”

Participants also took advantage of local tours, including to nearby Ben & Jerry’s and Cabot Creamery.

Functions were held in resort venues. “We used the junior ballroom for our on-flow welcome reception on Friday night and the larger ballroom (across the hall) for our dinner and awards banquet on Saturday night. The space is perfect for our group size. Dinner service on Saturday was a little slow,” O’Connor says, “but the food itself was great. Unique seasonal dinner options were very much appreciated by our guests. The staff was in tune to our every need, from the servers to the banquet manager, valet to the front desk.”

Tracie Smith, who assisted O’Connor, notes, “It was nice that we were able to have something other than the standard tables and chairs for furnishings the night of our welcome reception. The couches and seating areas made the space feel cozy and comfortable.”

Both O’Connor and Smith commend resort staff in all areas and from start to finish.

“Everything leading up to the event was great, communication and correspondence back and forth was a pleasure,” O’Connor says. “The actual event was truly a relaxing weekend getaway for all of our guests — including the planner.” Before O’Connor’s next trip, they met with the sales manager and “brainstormed how to make every piece of the weekend flawless. We look forward to visiting SML again and again.”

With the first event already in the books, O’Connor did learn a few things. “The vouchers for lift tickets, rentals, gondola and Nordic trails were slightly confusing during our check-in process. Now we know SML will lend us a staff member to take care of this piece, which is much better than having our company planners explain it to guests.”

O’Connor calls the event a “remarkable weekend,” thanks to staff willing to do whatever it took to accommodate her group’s needs and to the lodge itself. “Although the resort is pricey, the quality and lasting impression/experience is 100 percent there.”

It just goes to show that planners booking mountain meetings in the winter shouldn’t always look south. The snowy mountains of the north have much to offer. C&IT

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