Latest and Greatest
The newest addition to Denver’s burgeoning Cultural Arts District is the Clyfford Still Museum, located adjacent to the Denver Art Museum. The bold, iconoclastic building was designed specifically to display the works of Still, considered one of the most influential artists of the 20th century. Opened in November of last year, the two-story, 28,500-sq.-ft. museum is filled with approximately 2,400 pieces by the abstract expressionist pioneer, the bulk of whose work has been hidden from public view for more than three decades. Created with events in mind, the museum can host receptions for 250 or sit-down dinners for 60 people.

Hang Out, LoHi Style
Denver is a city of neighborhoods with original boutiques, galleries, brewpubs, bookstores, locally owned coffee houses, chef-owned restaurants and music clubs. But none has experienced more growth recently than the LoHi (Lower Highlands) District, located northwest of downtown. Pedal along the Cherry Creek bike path on a shiny red cycle rented through the city’s B-Cycle program and check out the area’s highlights along the way, including Confluence Park and the massive REI flagship store. As the sun sets, hang around and enjoy a bite at one of the district’s eclectic eateries.

Pachyderm Paradise
The din of trumpeting trunks will be a common sound when the Toyota Elephant Passage opens at the Denver Zoo this June. The landmark, $50 million, 10-acre exhibit will become the nation’s largest bull elephant habitat (capable of housing up to 12 males) and will also house a variety of Asian elephants, Indian rhinos and Malayan tapirs. The Denver Zoo has a complete on-site meeting facility able to handle conferences up to 300, banquets for 700 and receptions up to 8,000 people.

Meet Greener Than Green
At the heart of downtown Denver is the two-level, environmentally friendly Colorado Convention Center, featuring 584,000 square feet of exhibit space, two ballrooms (one measuring 50,000 square feet; the other at 35,000), 63 meeting rooms and a 5,000-seat theater. Thanks to the center’s ambitious sustainability program, the state-of-the-art facility received LEED Existing Building: Operation and Maintenance certification in May 2010, making it the largest building in Colorado and one of the largest convention centers in the U.S. to do so.

Boise, Idaho
It seems only appropriate that the Gem State’s capital city and major meeting spot began as a trading post for the Hudson Bay Company in the early 19th century. These days, Boise remains a favorite for exchanging products and ideas, drawing groups in search of a clean, safe destination that’s also home to a prominent university (Boise State), a plush botanical garden, cool museums (on art, black history and Basque culture, among others), a lively downtown core known for its brew pubs, and a slew of major multi-national companies. Better yet, this mid-tier meeting package comes wrapped in a spectacular backdrop of lush forests, snowcapped mountains and the winding Boise River, all ideal sources for groups outings and adventures—points not lost on both planners and attendees alike.

“We can take people down to our Green Belt, have them do some volunteer work along the river and feel good about being green and getting back to nature,” says Bobbie Patterson, executive director of the Boise CVB. Then there’s the other “green” aspect of meeting in Boise. “If your goal is to make a connection with the governor’s office, city leadership, health care professionals and other executives, it’s really easy,” says Patterson.  “People here tend to know each other and know how to open those doors.”

Tom Maves, who plans meetings for the Association of State Drinking Water Administrators, brought his group of 100 to Boise last May. “I find people in smaller towns are friendlier and the hotel staffs are better,” says Maves, who lauds Boise’s accessibility and compact, walkable center. “It’s very easy getting in and out of the city, and everything is conveniently located—there’s plenty to do in a small area.”

Cincinnati, Ohio
Tracy Becker, a national account manager with Conference Direct, organized the inaugural Great Homeschool Convention in Cincinnati in 2009 for a group of about 1,000 people. Much of the city impressed her, specifically its easy access (by auto and air) and attendee-friendly convention district. She says Cincinnati has a great mix of things to do and see. Indeed, this Ohio River town’s reputation derives from its spirited blend of arts, culture, architecture, history and colorful personalities, covering U.S. presidents (Grant, Harrison and Taft), sports legends (baseball’s Pete Rose) and even former Cincinnati mayor-turned tabloid TV host Jerry Springer.

The Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption is in Covington, Ky., just outside Cincinnati.

“We have all the nuances of a big city without the trappings and expenses,” says Barrie Perks, vice president of sales for the Cincinnati USA CVB. Of note among the former category are the city’s opera, symphony and ballet, and its world-famous Over-the-Rhine (OTR) neighborhood, home to the largest collection of Italianate architecture in the country. Cincy’s urban core continues to renew itself, led by several new hotels, the Banks riverfront entertainment district and the city’s new $320 million Queen City Square complex. The Cincinnati Museum Center, opened 20 years ago in the city’s renovated and restored Art Deco Union Terminal train station, houses a half-dozen major arts and culture venues and serves as a rail stop for Amtrak. And Perks reminds attendees to pack an appetite along with their cell phones and laptops. “We have over 4,000 restaurants in Cincinnati, with six that are rated four diamonds—people are always surprised to hear that,” he says.

Irvine, California
Education and affluence are just two of the reasons why Bloomberg Businessweek named this Orange County anchor one of the five best American places to live in 2012. With a median income of more than $92,000 and almost two-thirds of its residents college-educated, it’s no surprise to find Irvine a magnet for major corporations (notably technology) and higher education (six major colleges and universities locally, led by the University of California Irvine). Those factors, along with Irvine’s location and high quality of life, also offer great starting points for holding productive meetings there.

“We’re a newer city, built as a centrally located master-plan community for families, business and educational institutions,” says Michelle Carlen, director of sales for Destination Irvine. Getting there’s certainly easy, thanks to several nearby airports and a pair of major interstates that make it easy to boost attendance from the local SoCal drive market. Disneyland, great shopping and the OC’s gorgeous parkland and beaches also provide a big attendee draw. Another feather in Irvine’s cap: being named “America’s safest big city” by the FBI for the past seven years, always a plus for any planner’s playbook.

“For me, a lot of Irvine’s appeal was its affordability,” says Leslie McGill, CAE, executive director of the California Police Chiefs Association, who’s expecting about 600 attendees at the Hyatt Regency Irvine this fall for the annual convention. “This group does not like to share rooms and they offered us the right dates, a really competitive room rate and meeting space,” she says. McGill also appreciates the enthusiasm of Irvine and its host police force in helping with her meeting’s on-site needs. “They were very eager to help out, which makes things much easier,” she says.

Norfolk, Virginia
While one needn’t be enamored of all things nautical prior to meeting in this versatile port, it’s hard to resist Norfolk’s aquatic charms once in town. Surrounded by the Elizabeth River, Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic Ocean, Norfolk revels in its seafaring lifestyle and encourages visitors to do the same. Sailing, kayaking, crabbing, deep-sea fishing, dinner cruises, floating naval museums—Norfolk’s got all that and much more to help create a unique attendee experience. It also comes with a terrific city center, easily accessible and chock full of fun things to see and do.

“People feel safe and comfortable to venture about and explore the city here,” says Martha Fraser, a Norfolk native who returned to her home four years ago and now works as director of sales and marketing at the Sheraton Norfolk Waterside. “We’re an unintimidating city—accessible, fun and with a great arts and dining scene,” says Fraser, noting in particular the city’s numerous chef owned-and-operated restaurants. Norfolk’s also known for its festivals, where the city’s culinary, seafaring and musical influences converge in celebrations of jazz, wine, art, literature and Cajun cooking. The city’s military heritage is on full display as well, with its numerous historic sites, from Naval Station Norfolk to downtown’s Douglas MacArthur Memorial, available for group tours, receptions and special events.

“My members are also meeting planners, and if you impress them you’re likely to get more business,” says the SGMP’s Charles Sadler. “From the day we booked Norfolk to the day we left there, we were welcomed and treated as good business for them. That’s the kind of relationship-building that they take time to do in smaller cities.”

Bricktown sunset from a water taxi on the Bricktown Canal.

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
While the Sooner capital isn’t shy about promoting what it deems good for group business—e.g., affordability, exceptional drive-in access, the city’s resurgent Brickyard entertainment section—those selling points are ultimately complements to the city’s biggest asset. “The real highlight of meeting in our city is the community itself,” says Robin O’Connor, director of sales and servicing at the Oklahoma City CVB. “Groups feel completely at home here—there’s a warmth and a genuine hospitality that you sometimes don’t get in larger cities.”

There’s also an urban sophistication that can surprise first-time visitors whose preconception of OKC consists solely of cowboys and cattle. No doubt, Old West fun still abounds at the shops, steakhouses and country music venues in nearby Stockyards City, but attendees can also sip ultra-lounge martinis, dance to house music and cruise along the Bricktown Canal. The city’s also home to a horticultural wonderland (downtown’s Myriad Botanical Gardens) plus a number of impressive museums, where the subject matter runs from telephones and homesteading to gymnastics, Native American history and pigeons.

When event coordinator Gerri Swarm started with the National Association of Postmasters of the United States in 1981, her first conference was in OKC.

“One of the biggest concerns is walking distance,” says Swarm, who’s bringing her group back in September for its 2012 national conference. “Oklahoma City has four hotels within two blocks of the convention center and we’ve booked all four. Our people also like to entertain, and not having to hire transportation saves us tremendously on costs and time.”

Tempe, Arizona
While this easy-going Southwest community brings immediate recognition for its balmy desert climate and a gregarious, college-town (Arizona State University) spirit, Tempe’s also making a name for itself as a convenient, affordable meetings hub.

“Accessibility is our No. 1 selling point,” says Tourism Tempe director of sales Linda Ruby. “We’re right off the freeway, just five miles from the airport, with complimentary hotel shuttles.” Another plus: METRO, the Valley of the Sun’s 20-mile light rail system, with a major route that runs between Tempe and downtown Phoenix, allowing attendees to visit Arizona’s state capital without ever hitting the road.

Why leave town, though, when Tempe offers so much to see and do? “Our Mill Avenue district is vibrant up until midnight,” says Ruby, who ticks off a list of  “great nooks and crannies”—cafes, restaurants, sports bars, pubs and wine bars—that work nicely for dine-arounds and post-meeting play.  There’s no shortage of unique conference and special event space either, be it the elegant Tempe Center for the Arts (set on Tempe Towne Lake) or any number of versatile venues on ASU’s main campus.

“It’s also a good city for attendees who want to bring along their family members,” says Rick Connor, CEO of Meeting Your Needs. Baseball’s spring training, which draws more than a dozen major league teams to the area in February, provides a great escape from winter elsewhere.  “And spending a few days at the Grand Canyon, on most people’s bucket list, is pretty easy to incorporate either before or after a meeting,” adds Connor.

Wichita, Kansas
Imagine finding 35 museums, 52 ball fields, 117 parks, more than 1,000 restaurants and friendly, courteous cab drivers (really) in one, easy-to-reach destination? Welcome to Kansas’ largest city. “We really work hard as a CVB and a city to provide personal service and a great quality of life that you can tap into,” says Maureen Hofrenning, vice president of the Go Wichita CVB. Add affordability to that list as well. “The overall expenses paid as a meeting planner here are going to be lower than in other bigger cities, even in the Midwest, whether it’s a hotel room, a cab ride or the price you pay for a meal at the convention center,” she says.

This mid-American meeting spot also works hard to achieve big city amenities, with a convention center that doubles as a performing arts venue for Wichita’s Grand Opera, Symphony Orchestra and Music Theatre. Old Town, the city’s revitalized red-brick warehouse district, is awash in shops, galleries, pubs and music clubs. Attendees can also take advantage of Wichita’s great (and relatively flat) outdoors via cycling, swimming, canoeing, a round of golf or eco-hikes at the nearby Tallgrass Prairie Nature Preserve.

Getting out and around Wichita proved a big factor in the success of the American Agri-Women’s recent convention. “We planned daily spousal tours and one full day of activities for the entire group,” says planner Abby Amick. “The transportation setup was easy and seamless, and we were never stuck in traffic.” And that aforementioned great personal service?  “Go Wichita gave us maps of Old Town and a list of shops and restaurants, while the hotel provided us with a shuttle as part of their package,” says Amick.

Situated in the heart of Coastal Virginia, Chesapeake’s convenient mid-Atlantic location is within 750 miles of two-thirds of the U.S. population. And thanks to the nearby Norfolk International Airport (ORF), getting your group here couldn’t be easier. With hotels ranging from traditional to trendy, you can tailor your group’s surroundings to its tastes and your budget. The city’s winning combination of accommodations, meeting venues, attractions and activities provides plenty of options for your group’s agenda.

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Make Room for Marriott
Construction begins this year on a new Marriott hotel in Austin. It will be the largest hotel in the city, located just blocks from the convention center (pictured). The hotel will have more than 103,000 square feet of meeting space and 1,003 guest rooms. “The new Marriott is going to parlay us into a whole new level of convention planners that will be looking at us for the first time,” says Genovesi. The hotel is expected to be complete by late 2015.
 
  
The Ideal Downtown
Downtown Austin has everything—hotels, shopping, restaurants, live music venues, outdoor space, condo living and a river running through it. It’s truly a walkable city, and one where attendees feel safe and not overwhelmed. Downtown’s Warehouse District is filled with local eateries and bars, and the burgeoning Second Street District has upscale shopping and al fresco, but comfortably approachable, cafes. Austin’s most famous downtown area, though, is Sixth Street, a historic district where pubs, restaurants, music venues, theaters and comedy clubs are open to visitors morning through night.

Not Your Ordinary Hotels
Austin has a Hyatt, Hilton, Four Seasons and other well-known hotels, and local hotelier Liz Lambert added two not-so-ordinary hotels to the fray. The small, boutique hotels are less large-meeting-group and more VIP-event kinds of places. Hotel San Jose (pictured) came first; located in the hip SoCo (South Congress) area near downtown, the once-seedy motor court was transformed into an uber-cool, bungalow-style hotel hidden behind ivy-covered stucco walls. The hotel’s courtyard could be an intimate setting for an evening event. Lambert’s other property, Hotel St. Cecilia, is just a few blocks away on a secluded estate. With rooms inspired by artists, poets, and musicians, the property is an urban fantasia of style and originality.

The Hills Are Alive
With the sound of music and the taste of wine. Austin is located on the east side of the Texas Hill Country, a region known for its small towns, old dance halls and, perhaps most notably, its vineyards. More than 30 wine trails dot the arid yet fertile landscape. Plan a day for a group touring one of five self-guided, themed wine trails at texaswinetrail.com.

Navarre Beach in Santa Rosa County, Florida (MDi Media Group)

Santa Rosa County, tucked away in a corner of Northwest Florida, is far away from crowded theme parks and packed beaches. One of its biggest treasures is Navarre Beach, located on Santa Rosa Island, with sugar-fine white sand beaches and emerald green waters. It’s a natural retreat, surrounded by protected natural coastline, and the area’s gulf beaches are named among the best in the nation year after year.

Navarre Beach has a variety of accommodations, from gulf-front to sound-side vacation rentals, hotels and condominiums. Most beachfront condominium buildings feature meeting rooms with fantastic water views and space for outdoor receptions. Several hotels throughout Santa Rosa County are close to Interstate 10 and offer conference halls and smaller breakout rooms for meetings and retreats. Larger events can be hosted at the conference center at the Days Inn in Navarre.

For team-building retreats, Santa Rosa County has a good mix of activities for different group preferences. Coldwater Creek and the Blackwater River State Park offer canoeing, kayaking and tubing. Planners can organize fishing excursions in the Gulf of Mexico or schedule an outing to the new 1,500-foot Navarre fishing pier — the longest in the state of Florida — that opened in June.

The nearby towns of Milton and Bagdad are home to quaint historic homes, antique shops, parks and restaurants, as well as hiking and biking trails including the Eglin Trail, which spans 56 miles on Eglin Air Force Base. The trail crosses 25 creeks and gives hikers a chance to see endangered creatures such as the fox squirrel and red-cockaded woodpecker.

Santa Rosa County also has golfing, museums, cultural sites and moderate year-round temperatures. The diverse region provides planners with a slice of Old Florida for their meetings and events.

By Regina McGee

Less than nine months after Hurricane Ike swept through Galveston causing some $3 billion in damages, this Texas resort celebrated its remarkable recovery with Re-Birth Day festivities in the downtown area in May. Weekend activities included tours of the newly re-opened Tremont House. The return of the historic hotel, a Galveston icon, was the latest in a series of recovery milestones.

Over Memorial Day weekend, thousands of visitors enjoyed the island’s famous beaches, restored after a $10 million effort. Hundreds of shops and restaurants in the downtown area are now open for business, though recovery is still underway in parts of the Strand, famous for its beautiful Victorian architecture.

Thanks to the city’s seawall, much of the island’s tourism infrastructure was left in tact following Hurricane Ike. This includes the Galveston Island Convention Center, located at the San Luis Resort, overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. The center’s resort-like ambience is complemented with state-of-the-art facilities, including a 43,100-sq.-ft. exhibition hall. Parking at the center and anywhere on the island is complimentary — as is the shuttle to and from contracted hotels. With 700 hotel rooms adjacent to the center and another 1,400 within two miles, the island accommodates citywide events averaging 1,200 people.

Recently, Galveston was voted the top Texas tourist destination for out-of-state leisure travelers in a survey conducted by the state’s Office of the Governor, Economic Development and Tourism. Indeed, this 32-mile-long island continues to offer a an amazing diversity of attractions.

Moody Gardens boasts everything from a world-class aquarium and a Discovery Museum to a spectacular hotel, spa and convention center. With its huge array of aquatic attractions, the Schlitterbahn Waterpark is a mecca for families. The island’s many treasured historic attractions include the Grand 1984 Opera House, a jewel of Victorian-era theater, and Bishop’s Palace, a castle-like home now one of the island’s most visited museums.

“The pace of recovery is a testament to the resiliency of the people of Galveston,” remarks Meg Winchester, CMP, director of sales, Galveston Island CVB. Galveston continues to be an excellent choice for conferences, she says. “Our whole philosophy is that groups have the best experience possible.”

“I think this helps to reinforce that we’re a major destination – not just for travel tourism – but a major destination for business and living,” Sain says. “Sports is going to continue to play a major role in the future of this destination, and it will drive overnight visitation.”

Orlando hopes to become a top sports tourism spot long after the 2009 NBA Finals. A renovated Citrus Bowl and new events center could draw tourists to Orlando for big sporting events like Wrestlemaina and the Pro Bowl.

Although Tulsa is celebrating its fourth annual Tulsa Tough Ride & Race, May 29-31, the designation marks the first time the city has appeared on the list. The three-day cycling festival promotes fitness and healthy lifestyles while showcasing the city with events in the Blue Dome District, Brady Arts District and River Parks. The action-packed weekend includes professional-level races, recreational and tour rides, kids’ and youth activities, live music and vendors.

The economy, in addition to a recent wave of “Sin City” criticism, has had negative effects on the city’s meetings industry. In an effort to promote Las Vegas as a city where serious business is done, the convention bureau is launching a $1 million ad campaign emphasizing why it is a good decision to hold meetings and conventions in the city. So, look for deals, discounts and reasons to bet on Vegas as your group’s destination.

If you build it, they will come
Look around Las Vegas and you’ll quickly notice as many construction cranes as casinos. Even in these uncertain economic times, dozens of new buildings are being erected and old ones are being overhauled.

To give you a quick glimpse at the many changes on the horizon, we’ll start with the granddaddy of them all: CityCenter. Still set for completion in late 2009, this $8.6 billion city-within-a-city has been described as the most expensive private development in U.S. history. It, too, is on shaky ground though. While MGM Mirage paid off $200 million on the project March 24 — the amount was initially supposed to be split with its intended partner, Dubai World — an ongoing legal battle between the two has hit Las Vegas with possibly another stroke of bad luck. Jeremy Aguero, a principal analyst with Applied Analysis, a Nevada-based advisory services firm whose clients have included MGM, is still looking on the bright side. “Right now, there is no indication that CityCenter is not going to be completed,” he said in a press release.

If the project continues, it will boast a 61-story gaming resort, ARIA; luxury non-gaming hotels Mandarin Oriental and Vdara Hotel, which is scheduled to be the first property to open in early October 2009; Veer Towers, the center’s only strictly residential buildings; and Crystals, a 500,000-sq. ft. retail and entertainment district. A collaboration between eight top international architects, the 18 million-sq. ft. complex, with a hard-to-come-by-anymore 1,200 feet of frontage on Las Vegas Boulevard, will boast everything from showrooms to spas, business centers to dog parks.

The newly minted M Resort, Spa and Casino, a luxe, off-Strip lodging with 390 guestrooms and suites, nine restaurants, a 14-screen movie theater and other four-star amenities opened March 1 with plenty of fanfare. With more than 60,000 square feet of meeting and conference space, the resort can accommodate small- to medium-size groups and large groups that want to take over the complex.

Another recent off-Strip addition is the Red Rock Casino Resort & Spa, where the 2009 Connect Marketplace will be held in August. Guests rave about everything from its “sumptuous rooms” to its “fantastic pool area.” Better yet, it has an offshoot of one of the great barbecue joints of all time, The Salt Lick.

Las Vegas’ Clark County is currently the largest county in the country without its own world-class performing arts center. That will change sometime in 2011, when work on the Smith Center for the Performing Arts is scheduled to be completed. The future home of the Nevada Ballet Theatre and Las Vegas Philharmonic is one of the largest art projects in the state’s history and will include three separate performance spaces.

An elegant 3,800-room casino resort set to debut this fall, the Fontainebleau Las Vegas comes from the company that owns and operates the famed Fontainebleau in Miami. Boasting its own 3,200-seat theater, the hotel has in-room attractions that include marble bathrooms, custom artwork, flat-panel TVs and 20-inch Apple iMac computers. The Gardens of Fontainebleau, a hospitality garden accessible from six meeting rooms, is one of the highlights of 400,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor conference space available at the resort.

Extreme makeovers
In the city that never sleeps, neither does the competition, so area hotels and attractions are constantly revamping and upgrading. For example:
The Flamingo recently unveiled its new Go Rooms. With a decor described as “South Beach meets Austin Powers,” the rooms are designed to attract a hipper, younger clientele, drawn in by the mod white-and-pink color scheme, stereo stations with slots for your iPod, remote-controlled drapes and shears, high-tech bathroom mirrors with built-in TVs, and $160 a night room rates. Also new are its one- and two-bedroom suites, which feature niceties like bamboo floors and floor-to-ceiling windows. Even at $1,200 a night, Travel + Leisure called the two-bedroom suites, with ample room for meetings or small groups to share, one of the best values on the Strip.

The Excalibur, once the largest hotel in the world and one of the less expensive spots on the Strip today, has renovated its guestrooms as well, subbing its medieval-themed interiors with softer palettes and patterns, and stocking the rooms with plasma TVs. Its meeting space was recently spruced up too, and can be arranged to accommodate small groups easily. Multiple variations of the grand ballroom can serve groups as small as 30 or as large as 800, and the hotel’s restaurants, pool or midway can be closed for private use.

The rooms at the Riviera are changing as well.  The hotel’s meeting and convention center, which ranges from classroom space to theater space, was included in the multi-million dollar rejuvenation project. The Golden Nugget, a downtown fixture since 1946, is still glowing after unveiling its $100 million transformation last year, including renovations to its meeting rooms, which can accommodate 15 to 1,300 guests, and its new Grand Ballroom. Notable are the expanded spa, salon and fitness areas, renovated lobby and showroom, and new VIP lounge. Perhaps most notable, though, is the pumped-up swimming pool, dubbed The Tank, which boasts new cabanas, eateries, a three-story tube slide and a 200,000-gallon shark tank.

Even the famed volcano at the Mirage, which has been entertaining visitors with its fiery eruptions since 1989, has gotten a facelift. Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart, Indian tabla sensation Zakir Hussain and the Fountains of Bellagio design firm WET were part of the team behind the new attraction.

It’s showtime

Once you are settled, the rest of Vegas awaits. Stick to the amenities available in whichever hotel your meeting or convention is held in, or  venture out into the bright and shining lights where you’ll find plenty of options. Beginning in late May, Carlos Santana joins a long list of top-name entertainers to become a mainstay on the Strip. The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino launches Santana as the first rock and roll resident artist in Las Vegas with the new show “Supernatural Santana: A Trip Through the Hits.” Santana’s 36 performances a year through 2010 will feature the 11-time Grammy winner’s hits and famous guitar skills. The Broadway sensation “The Lion King” is also finding a permanent home here in May. Mandalay Bay’s stage production brings the music and vibrancy of Africa to audiences with its larger than life puppets, costumes and breathtaking performances adapted from the Disney animated movie.

For more information about planning a meeting in Las Vegas, visit here.

Photo courtesy Las Vegas News Bureau.

Adding to the renovation challenge is the 2009 Valero Texas Open. The Westin La Cantera is scheduled to host the tournament for the second year in a row in May. The Palmer Course and The Resort Course are the two premier courses at the resort. Both were designed by noted golf course architects and provide a combined 107 holes of championship golf.

The La Westin Cantera Resort also features six pools, health club and spa services, tennis courts, fine dining, three hot tubs and flexible meeting space. The resort received Conde Nast Traveler’s 2007 “Gold List,” Conde Nast’s “Top 100 Resorts for 2008,” and Golf Magazine’s 2006-2007 “Silver Medal Resort Award.”

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