One of Chicago’s premier hotels recently completed a $7 million renovation of its meeting space. The Westin Michigan Avenue, located on the city’s Magnificent Mile, has updated its 38,000 square feet of banquet, ballroom, conference and meeting areas. Chicago-based VOA Associates led the redesign, bringing in elements of lake, park and city themes. Enhancements include state-of-the-art audio systems, faster Internet connectivity and wall insulation upgrades. Eco-friendly improvements at the Green Seal Silver Certified property consist of energy-efficient lighting and wool carpeting.

ESi Ironman 70.3 Augusta, the largest Half Ironman in the world, is held there each September when 3,200 athletes plus spectators descend on the city. For the first time, the Georgia High School Association will hold its 10 Golf State Championships (boys and girls in five divisions) in one destination—Augusta—this May. The perfectly manicured greens of Augusta National are alluring enough to bring such an event to the city, but it’s the area’s 11 courses and 6,000 hotel rooms that make the 1,000-attendee event possible.

Infrastructure for the city’s active residents benefits other sporting events: Running, walking and biking trails range from those suitable for collegiate cross country races to the scenic Augusta

Canal trail. Augusta’s sports fall outside the box as well. Governing bodies for the National Barrel Horse Association, the Professional Disc Golf Association and the Atlantic Coast Cutting Horse Association have chosen the region as their home bases. The U.S. Tennis Association will use multiple venues for its adult league Georgia state championships in May and September, and the USA Cycling and US Para-Cycling National Championships chose the city for its road race, time trial and criterium again this June. Last year’s championships in Augusta set an all-time attendance record with more than 1,000 cyclists.

All of this is before the city’s meeting and convention crown jewel opens at the end of the year. The 38,000 square feet of exhibit space at the new TEE Center will be well-suited for volleyball tournaments and cheerleading competitions. Combined with the attached Augusta Marriott at the Convention Center and its 49,000 square feet of meeting space and 372 guest rooms, the downtown center is more than prepped to host events of the less active variety, five of which have already pre-booked the center.

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Why: Evans has organized technology and health care events during his career, and he wanted to create a better way to connect planners with speakers. “Many events, especially those with small staff or volunteer program committees, are understaffed—and they are often overwhelmed by the information and choices for public speakers in today’s marketplace,” says Evans.

How It Works: Planners can perform standard speaker searches or publish open calls for speakers based on event openings. Speakerfile’s technology platform aims to match the speakers and their specialties with events that might work best for them.

Find Out More: speakerfile.com, @speakerfile

Nearly 3 million Americans have celiac disease, a disorder that hinders the digestion of gluten. Last year, restaurants and retailers sold more than $8 million in gluten-free products. Hotel chains like Fairmont Hotels and Resorts and Omni Hotels and Resorts, and properties such as the Hotel Palomar San Francisco and Hotel Monaco in Portland, Ore., have recognized the importance of offering gluten-free foods for travelers and meeting attendees. “The meetings industry revolves around food,” says Tracy Stuckrath, CSEP, founder of Thrive! Meetings and Events. “It’s the essence of what we do—we’re hosts, bringing people together to foster relationships, collaborate, nourish new ideas and instill knowledge. And, with that comes feeding them well and safely, no matter how many types of meals you’re providing.”

A PricewaterhouseCoopers report found that more than $25 billion was spent on food and beverage at corporate meetings in the U.S. in 2009. With 45 percent of attendees reporting they have special dietary needs, it’s important to know your audience and ensure those needs are met, says Stuckrath. Fairmont’s Mariano Stellner, corporate director of food and beverage, agrees. “Someone with diabetes, for example, or someone who has to eat gluten-free, should not have to indicate his special dietetic needs,” he points out. “As an industry, we should be ready for them.”

Fairmont’s Lifestyle Cuisine Plus Menu caters to guests with gluten allergies and other medical and dietary preferences. There are vegan dishes, raw food options, macrobiotic recipes, and heart-healthy and diabetes-friendly choices at each property. Instead of using a corporate menu, each chef was trained by San Francisco-based nutritionist Katya Baxter in developing meals for different dietary needs.

At The Fairmont San Francisco, Chef Foster has a hit with raw food devotees: a spinach leaf wrap filled with shredded Savoy cabbage, mango, carrot, cilantro and basil leaves, and topped with an almond butter dressing. At The Fairmont Olympic Hotel in Seattle, diabetics can enjoy poached local wild king salmon in a Northwest chowder. Foraged huckleberries are mixed in a special berry crème brûlée for gluten-free diners.

While some planners might find it difficult to create special menus for attendees with dietary needs, it is well worth the extra effort. According to a survey done by Stuckrath, 50 percent of people invited to a conference do not attend because of dietary restrictions. The same number don’t return to an event because their needs weren’t met. “They are embarrassed, feel asking for a special meal is impolite, do not want to be a burden, or have low expectations of our abilities to meet their needs,” says Stuckrath. “People with dietary needs deserve to eat the same quality of food that everyone else is served.”

Are planners required to accommodate attendees’ food needs?
The Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act, which was signed into law in 2008, provides protection for those with special dietary needs. Not only were eating and learning added to the list of major life activities that must be accommodated, but the immune and digestive systems were added to the list of bodily functions, too. “This means that your food allergic and attendees with medically diagnosed diseases—diabetes, obesity, cancer, heart disease, celiac disease—who need to eat a specific way for health reasons, are now covered by the ADAAA,” says Stuckrath. “Therefore, we must provide safe, quality meals that meet their needs.”

How can a planner effectively meet attendee requests?
Attendees must not be afraid to communicate their dietary needs. But they must respect the host organization by informing them in advance and accurately. Meeting planners need to ask about dietary needs during the registration process, relay the information to their culinary partners as far in advance as possible, and work with them on the process in which these attendees will be served. Other suggestions include:
• Provide cards to the attendees that they can give to servers at their meal functions.
• Provide identical cards for the culinary teams to tag the meals as they are made.
• Ensure the needs are included on all BEOs, including those for off-site events.
• Ask the culinary team to provide a list of what they will be serving the guests with dietary needs.
• Ask about the process the culinary and serving teams will be using to serve the meals.
• If the group is small, introduce each of them to the banquet captain and/or the chef. A personal connection is key.