Mid-South

Friday, Jan 29

Service, convenience and special venues.

Whether they are creating the buffer between the Deep South and the Mason-Dixon Line or pushing toward the Midwest, the states of Kentucky, Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana are packed with excellent destinations to host a meeting.

Kentucky sets the bar high with its hospitality, while down in New Orleans and Baton Rouge cuisine and culture are the main draws. From the “greatest two minutes in sports” at the Kentucky Derby to an authentic Medieval Castle in the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas, the region boasts creative ways to theme or add excitement to any meeting.

The special touches that are most often expected from a smaller city can be found across the entire region, whether you choose the big cities of Little Rock and Louisville or the smaller cities of the Mississippi Delta and Kentucky. “We go the extra mile for your group,” says Linda Elliff, Tupelo, Miss., CVB director of sales. “We find out what the group needs and try to find good off-site venues just for them.”

Destination Q&A: Louisville

Born across the river but a proud resident since 1989, Angi Van Berg, director of convention development for the Louisville CVB, gives her insights on everything that’s possible in the “Possibility City.”

What makes Louisville a good destination for meetings?
Louisville is known as “Possibility City” because of our community’s passion for making the impossible happen. This mantra is prevalent in our hospitality community. We make it possible for six of the top 25 trade shows to call Louisville home. Our hotels and facilities have a dedication to our clients to provide outstanding service with genuine Southern hospitality. This is a winning combination that keeps clients coming back year after year and those that have not yet met here curious enough to check us out.

What attractions are popular for groups looking to see the city?
Louisville is fortunate to have attractions that have international appeal. We are known for the Kentucky Derby, “The greatest two minutes in sports,” so it is a natural for attendees to be drawn to Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby Museum. Those two spectacular sites are just the beginning. The Louisville Slugger Bat Factory and Museum, the Muhammad Ali Center and the Urban Bourbon Trail are highlights with any convention attendee.

What’s the latest in the new arena slated for downtown?
Louisville’s Downtown Arena will be complete in November 2010. It will be the first arena in the nation to be Energy Star certified. This state-of-the-art 22,000-seat arena will house the University of Louisville men’s and women’s basketball teams as well as multiple conventions, concerts and more. From the beginning, this project has taken on a commitment to sustainability and has incorporated several structural and design elements to be more sustainable and environmentally friendly.

What kind of environmentally friendly options are there for meetings?
Located in the heart of downtown Louisville the Galt House Hotel and Suites, Kentucky’s largest hotel, has made green a way of life, boasting one of the world’s largest GeoExchange systems. By using geothermal power the cost to the hotel is between four and seven cents a kilowatt hour. A taste of New York City can be found at 21c Museum Hotel located in the historic West Main Street district. This hotel, recently ranked No. 1 in the country by CondeNaste, along with its award-winning restaurant Proof, have both put the green concept into play when remodeling and in food and menu choices. Locally grown food choices and the reuse of wood and building supplies during its remodel are just a few of the green initiatives taking place in this venue.

What locally made items do you recommend for gift baskets?
You can’t go wrong with Muth’s Candies’ homemade Modjeskas, which are caramel-covered marshmallows. For those needing a chocolate fix try some of the traditional bourbon balls or the official Kentucky Derby-Pie made by Kern’s Kitchen. A visit to Louisville would not be complete without a sampling of the original “Hot Brown” open-faced sandwich served at its origin, The Brown Hotel. You can share your new passion for Louisville’s favorite sandwich with a unique Hot Brown pottery platter made at legendary Louisville Stoneware. Mini wooden bats at Louisville Slugger or full-size personalized “sticks” make one-of-a-kind hits as well.

What are some good, local restaurants for groups?
In Louisville you could eat out every night of the week and never repeat a location. We have many “Louisville originals” to include: Jack Fry’s, Lilly’s, Vincenzo’s and Bourbon’s Bistro. For those who prefer a chain, you can dine in the heart of downtown in our entertainment zone, 4th Street Live, and take your pick from Hard Rock Café, T.G.I. Friday’s and Red Star Tavern — to name a few. Lynn’s Paradise Café is a whimsical old-fashioned diner where comfort food meets glitz and frivolity — from bourbon ball milkshakes to mom’s meatloaf.

What are some ideas for spousal or family programs?
Glassworks, where you can become the artisan any time of year by hand-blowing your own unique item in the “hot box” from ornaments at the Christmas holidays to shamrocks during St. Patrick’s Day. For a terrific day out with the kids the Louisville Zoo, Louisville Science Center and Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom offer something for all ages. Spouses enjoy eclectic boutique shopping in the vibrant and leafy neighborhoods along Bardstown Road, Frankfort Avenue and NuLu — the East Market District.

What historic or military sites are in the area?
The General George Patton Museum located in Fort Knox, Ky., is a world-class military museum that offers a wide array of weapons and armor as well as a piece of the Berlin Wall and a display on the U.S. Bullion Depository (Gold Vault). The Patton Gallery provides a glimpse of the general’s life and offers a large collection of his personal effects including his ivory-handled pistols. The museum is open seven days a week and is free. Armor Memorial Park is located on grounds adjacent to the museum and pays tribute to the soldiers and units who have served our country. On Nov. 12, 2001, the Kentucky Medal of Honor Memorial was dedicated in Louisville. The Memorial honors 56 recipients of the Medal of Honor from Kentucky. The Medal of Honor is our nation’s highest decoration for battlefield valor. The monument features a 6-foot statue of John Squires, a recipient of the Medal of Honor from Louisville. The statue was sculpted by Doyle Glass. Zachary Taylor National Cemetery was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. The cemetery is one of 112 national cemeteries in the United States, one of seven located in Kentucky and contains the grave of the nation’s 12th president, Zachary Taylor. Veterans representing six wars are also buried there. Each year on Nov. 24 — Taylor’s birth date — military personnel from Fort Knox conduct a wreath-laying ceremony at the cemetery.

What outdoor activities are available?
For a fun look at the city, you can bike your way around by renting a one-person or family bike from Wheel Fun Rentals. Louisville has redeveloped the waterfront along the Ohio River. Waterfront Plaza offers miles of running and biking trails all along the river’s edge.

Are there other special tours in the area worth taking?
We recommend visitors start their tour of Bourbon Country in Louisville. One can experience seven working distilleries within a day’s drive of the city. If time does not permit leaving the city limits, the CVB has worked in collaboration with nine local restaurants to create “The Urban Bourbon Trail.” Visitors get stamps on a UBT Passport as well as special Bourbon Country gifts at each stop along the way.

What festivals might interest groups or enhance events?
Louisville is a community that likes to celebrate culture and heritage. We currently host the largest Beatlefest in North America, Abbey Road on the River, each Memorial Day Weekend and are the proud host of the inaugural event, Hullabaloo, featuring more than 60 bands in one weekend on the grounds of historic Churchill Downs.

What are some options for groups or meetings on a budget?
Our knowledgeable staff at the Louisville Visitors Center has compiled a list of more than 50 free things (including admission to several museums and exhibits) to do while visiting. Call 888-Louisville for your guide to free fun.

On the Horizon

In Louisiana’s Lake Charles, three historic buildings have been renovated recently, each providing interesting off-site event space: Cash and Carry Grocery, the Calcasieu Marine Bank Building and the Charleston Hotel. The Cash and Carry Building, a restored warehouse, can accommodate up to 1,000 people, while a banquet in the three-story, limestone-faced Calcasieu Marine Bank Building fits 500. The Charleston Hotel boasts 10,000 square feet of space.

In October 2009, construction began on a delayed and smaller than previously planned Sugarcane Bay Casino Resort in Lake Charles. The $300 million property, featuring 400 hotel rooms, a 3,000-seat entertainment venue, a 24,000-sq.-ft. spa, 30,000-sq.-ft. casino and additional retail and restaurant offerings, is projected to open in early 2011. Opening this January, the 119-room Courtyard Shreveport-Bossier City is located on the Louisiana Boardwalk steps from retail, dining and entertainment on the riverfront.

The Gulf Coast continues to rebuild four years after Katrina. The Courtyard Biloxi North/ D’Iberville` is set to open in April with 125 guestrooms and a 690-sq.-ft. meeting room. In New Orleans, the Roosevelt Hotel was restored to its former glory with a $145 million restoration. The 504-room hotel, featuring nearly 60,000 square feet of function space including three ballrooms and 23 meeting rooms, reopened July 2009.

The new 186-room Hilton Garden Inn in downtown Jackson, Miss., celebrated its grand opening in December 2009. The $84 million renovation of the former historic King Edward Hotel, one of the South’s most luxurious hotels in its heyday, also includes new meeting rooms, a restaurant, a bar and ground floor retail space. The Hilton is within walking distance of the new 330-sq.-ft. Jackson Convention Complex, which is celebrating its one-year anniversary this month. Other changes downtown include: The Clarion Hotel Roberts Walthall, formerly the Edison Walthall, has undergone a $12 million renovation and a new Sleep Inn is under construction with an opening scheduled in early April. Renovations were completed on The Marriott Downtown Jackson and the Jackson Hilton last year. Plans are underway to complete the Mississippi Children’s Museum and to start construction on a National Civil Rights Museum.

The Hilton Garden Inn in downtown Tupelo, Miss., expanded to 158 rooms. The hotel features 1,200 square feet of its own meeting space and is located adjacent to the BancorpSouth Conference Center with 10,000 square feet of function space. In 2009, an 80-room Comfort Suites and a 70-room La Quinta Inn and Suites opened in the city, and construction is scheduled to begin on a 72-room Best Western Inn and Suites early 2010.

A Hampton Inn opened in June 2009 in Pine Bluff, Ark., with 80 total rooms including 24 suites, and a Ramada Plaza & Suites, connected to the Pine Bluff Convention Center, recently completed a multimillion dollar renovation to its 200 guest rooms and meeting and event space. The Ramada boasts 10,000 square feet of meeting space and a new business center. In Fort Smith, Ark., a new 88-suite Homewood Suites opened June 2009 next to the Fort Smith Regional Airport, while a 83-room Best Western is scheduled to open just off I-540 in the first quarter of 2010. In North Little Rock a new Hilton Garden Inn opens January 2010 with more than 4,000 square feet of flexible meeting space and 119 hotel rooms including 22 suites. Oaklawn Gaming and Racing Casino opened in May 2009, and in early 2010 the Hot Springs thoroughbred racing facility opens phase two of its construction and debuts live racing.

In Bentonville, Ark., the Museum of Native American History reopened in a new location and is available for after hours rentals. Construction begins this spring on the $20 million, 16,000-seat Osage Creek Performing Arts Center in rural Benton County with completion scheduled by fall. The renovated Jackson House can host intimate indoor and outdoor events and meetings for up to 45 people. It is popular for corporate retreats as well as special events in its pretty garden.

The Carroll Knicely Conference Center in Bowling Green, Ky., is adding 27,000 square feet to the 40,000-sq.-ft. all-occasion center near Western Kentucky University. The addition, which will include a 700-seat ballroom, several breakout rooms and an updated kitchen facility, is expected to be completed in the fall of 2010.