Atlanta, Georgia

Known as the capital of the South, Atlanta, already home to 5 million residents, continues to grow. Likewise, when it comes to attractions, there’s always something new in town. Of course, there’s the famous Georgia Aquarium and the World of Coca-Cola, but there’s more on the way. The aquarium opened its $110 million dolphin exhibit in April; Legoland Discovery Center opens in 2012 and the College Football Hall of Fame relocates to Atlanta in 2013.

“If you haven’t been to Atlanta and its surrounding areas in the past five years, you haven’t seen Atlanta,” says Rachel Rosenberg, public relations manager for the Atlanta CVB. Another big draw for the city: It’s easy to get to. “The city is the hub of the Southeast with three major interstates running through downtown,” Rosenberg says. “It is a four-hour drive for most visitors in the Southeast. And 80 percent of the U.S. population is within a two-hour flight of Atlanta.” Those passengers fly into Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the busiest airport in the world, which has two convenient train lines running to the downtown, Midtown and Buckhead business and meeting districts.

It was in Buckhead, a neighborhood about five miles north of downtown, where Tia Ervin, Atlanta chair for the Association of Certified Professional Wedding Consultants, held a recent meeting for the group. She chose Shula’s 347 Grill at the Atlanta Marriott Buckhead hotel. “It was recommended to me because of the incredible food and the inviting atmosphere,” Ervin says. “To honor our mission to be more visible in this market we want to be where the action is.” Other conference hotels in Buckhead include Grand Hyatt Atlanta, JW Marriott Atlanta Buckhead and W Atlanta Buckhead.

Downtown has its own collection of meeting hotels near the Georgia World Congress Center and AmericasMart, two of the city’s large conference facilities. (Atlanta has four facilities with more than 140,000 square feet of exhibit space, the Congress Center topping all of them with 1.4 million.) All the major hotel chains are represented downtown: Hyatt, Marriott, Hilton, Westin and Ritz-Carlton.

Just outside of Atlanta’s city limits are Sandy Springs and Alpharetta. Sandy Springs, Georgia’s sixth largest city, has more than 20 miles of shoreline along the Chattahoochee River, 11 parks to explore, a dynamic economy and a strong sense of community. Alpharetta, about 20 miles from Atlanta, is gaining in popularity, too. The charming city has 150 dining options, upscale boutique hotels and quickly is becoming known as a sports destination.

Charlotte, North Carolina

Charlotteans say you only need to visit the Queen City once. Why? Because, as the story goes, you’ll end up moving there afterward. It’s that charming. Thriving intersections are blocks away from green spaces. Skyscrapers tower above tranquil neighborhoods. Guests and locals eat at the same restaurants and walk the same streets in this city that blends a fast-paced business atmosphere with Southern charm.

Charlotte’s full of history, too, which appeals to the National Association of Women Business Owners. In May, the organization hosts its awards gala at the city’s legendary Palmer Building. “The venue is historic and the entire area enjoys tree-lined streets, but it’s also home to some of Charlotte’s best modern spas and salons, and dining establishments,” says Eshe Glover, Peppercorn PR event planner. “Additionally, it’s centrally located: It’s less than five minutes from uptown Charlotte and nine miles from the airport.”

Then there’s the city’s most precious commodity: its people. “From the moment you arrive, you feel like you’re among friends, and that’s reason enough for us to continue selecting Charlotte as the locale for clients’
meetings and events,” Glover says.

The Charlotte Convention Center has 46 meeting rooms and a spacious 35,000-sq.-ft. ballroom that seats 1,800. The 280,000 square feet of exhibit space can accommodate up to 1,250 exhibit booths. Better yet, the NASCAR Hall of Fame, which opened a year ago, connects to the convention center via an above-the-street walkway and boasts a  40,000-sq.-ft. ballroom. As for accommodations, the 700-room Westin Charlotte and the recently revamped Hilton Charlotte Center City flank each side of the convention center. A few blocks away, the hip Aloft hotel is tailor-made for the jet-set traveler while the new Ritz-Carlton caters to a higher-end clientele with a penthouse spa and luxury amenities.

Fort Lauderdale, Florida

This year, Fort Lauderdale turns 100, and the coastal community is starting to show its age—in a good way. The city, which became known as a spring break hotspot thanks to the 1960 movie “Where the Boys Are,” is growing up and maturing, turning into a respected beach destination with high-end resorts and award-winning restaurants. The city hasn’t completely turned its back on bikini-clad spring breakers, but it’s given meeting planners more than one reason to look twice.

The city’s hotel developments in recent years cater to the meeting and convention crowd as opposed to the college students stopping in for a budget beachside room. The Greater Fort Lauderdale CVB recently established the Lauderdale Luxe Collection, a group of about a dozen well-appointed properties, suitable for large meetings and retreats. Properties include the re-opened 433-room Westin Beach Resort, Fort Lauderdale, which has 32,000 square feet of meeting space; Hyatt Regency Bonaventure, a 23-acre resort with 60,000 square feet of meeting space and a spa in nearby Weston; and The Ritz-Carlton, Fort Lauderdale, with 192 rooms, a 29,000-sq.-ft. pool deck and an ocean-view ballroom that can accommodate 520 people.

A handful of restaurants are also part of the Luxe Collection and have space for small group dinners. Trina, a Mediterranean restaurant, sits on the beach and has outdoor dining overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. Cero at The Ritz-Carlton is classic Florida seafood prepared in a contemporary French style.

A good destination to direct groups to is Las Olas Boulevard, a single-street shopping and dining district that runs perpendicular to the beach. Local antique, floral, design and jewelry shops sit intermittently between coffee shops, restaurants, spas and art galleries. The area hosts events such as the Las Olas Wine and Food Festival and Las Olas Art Festival.

Larger events can utilize the Broward County Convention Center, a 600,000-sq.-ft. facility located between the hotels located on Fort Lauderdale Beach and the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. The three-story center has a large wall of glass that runs along the eastern side of the building, overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway on which it sits. The building has four exhibit halls, two ballrooms and 31 meeting rooms. The CVB also has established the Convention Collection, a set of six hotels located within a mile and a half of the convention center. The hotels are Hyatt Regency Pier Sixty-Six, Renaissance Fort Lauderdale Port Everglades, Sheraton Fort Lauderdale, Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina, Harbor Beach Marriott Resort and Spa, and Embassy Suites Fort Lauderdale. They have a total of 2,700 rooms.

Hilton Head, South Carolina

More than 2.5 million visitors head to Hilton Head, which anchors South Carolina’s southern coast, each year. With its subtropical climate, leisurely activities and some of the Southeast’s finest saltwater fishing, that comes as no surprise. This laid-back, yet sophisticated island is a place where flip-flops are worn with khakis and Lilly Pulitzer frocks are a wardrobe staple.

“Hilton Head Island is a great destination because the atmosphere is so inviting,” says Jessica Gardo, manager of marketing and public relations for the Hilton Head Island Visitor and Convention Bureau. “We were green before sustainability even became a buzzword.” Hilton Head was the first eco-planned resort destination in the country, she says, and prides itself on having a carefully preserved, natural environment with protected saltwater marshes, loggerhead sea turtles and tree canopies.

There aren’t any streetlights along the roadways or flashy neon signs in town either. “All of this combines for a relaxing, rejuvenating island vibe that really sets the stage for any meeting, putting attendees in the right mindset to get the most out of their stay,” Gardo says.

Meeting planners especially love the Hilton Head Island Difference program. The program gives groups the opportunity to take part in social responsibility projects organized by the VCB. Two-hour, half-day and full-day programs are available. The activities, such as kayak marsh clean-ups or maintenance of facilities like the Coastal Discovery Museum, encourage teamwork and add an environmental and historical education component to events.

Gardo offers a tip for planners: “Meetings on Hilton Head Island are a great value during our shoulder and off-seasons (October through March) when rates are better and the summer family crowds are back in school,” she says. “The weather is temperate year-round and enjoying the beach or being on the golf course is pleasant any time of year. Functions such as a Low Country boil or oyster roast are great outdoor dining experiences that only happen during these months.”

There are five oceanfront hotels that accommodate groups, ranging from executive retreats to groups up to 2,000. The island has two boutique inns for smaller conferences. The largest ballroom, located at the Hilton Head Marriott Resort and spa, accommodates 2,000 people. There are several select service properties as well, such as the Hilton Garden Inn, which can accommodate overflow from the larger hotel properties.

Kissimmee, Florida

If you think the Kissimmee area, just outside of Orlando, is all rollercoasters and pixie dust, prepare to be pleasantly overwhelmed. In addition to the wide range of entertainment and attractions, Kissimmee has more than 47,000 guest rooms, including brand-name hotels, luxury resorts, vacation homes and villas with everything from large meeting space in luxury resorts to boardrooms ideally suited for team planning or strategy sessions.

In this land of over-the-top venues, Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center fits right in. Cindy Molnar, executive assistant and director of meetings for the Florida Association of Insurance Agents, has organized meetings at the popular hotel, which touts 400,000 square feet of meeting space. Couple that with a long list of amenities, and it’s bound to please any meeting planner. “The hotel is unique with the atrium and the amenities within the hotel itself for attendees and their families to enjoy,” Molnar says. “There is a variety of restaurants and price points so attendees find it’s affordable to stay in the hotel and dine, too.”

Jeff Abbaticchio, director of media relations for the Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center, adds, “We are a destination meetings property; there is no need to leave unless guests want to explore the excitement of the many theme parks the Orlando/
Kissimmee area has to offer.”

Beyond the three big theme parks, there are new attractions nearby like Fantasy Surf, a 14,000-sq.-ft. indoor aquatic recreation attraction that gives visitors the chance to hop on a body board and ride the waves indoors; Alligator Alley Country Bar, which is built inside of a stone castle; and the Screamin’ Gator zip line at Gatorland, opening this summer, which takes riders along 1,200 feet of high-flying adventure over alligators and jumping crocs.

Mississippi Gulf Coast

When it comes to rich culture and heritage, the Magnolia State has plenty, from antebellum homes to Civil War sites. At the turn of the 19th century, the Mississippi Delta was the birthplace of the blues. In 1935, Elvis Presley was born in Tupelo. The list goes on and on.

Equally appealing are the state’s other amenities like world-class golf courses, noteworthy art museums and casino resorts. Its popular events attract crowds, too. Take your pick from the Gulfport Music Festival or Kite Fest in May, St. Paul’s Seafood Festival or Schooner Races in June, Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo in July and the Long Beach Fest in August.

It’s a well-rounded destination, and convenient, too. “The state offers great meeting space like the Mississippi Coast Convention Center, which has more than 410,000 square feet of meeting space, and resort facilities that offer meeting space such as Beau Rivage Resort and Casino and IP Casino Resort Spa,” says Taryn Pratt Sammons, social media/media relations specialist at the Mississippi Gulf Coast CVB.

The region has a current room inventory of more than 12,500 rooms. The area has golf, fishing, and history and culture sites including the Beauvoir, the last home of Confederate President Jefferson Davis, and the Maritime and Seafood Industry Museum. The Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art, Walter Anderson Museum of Art and water-based attractions such as the Biloxi Shrimping Trip or Ship Island Excursions are other popular sites for activities or events.

Palm Beaches, Florida

Palm Beach and West Palm Beach, located about 65 miles north of Miami, hug Florida’s Atlantic coast and have long attracted a well-to-do crowd with their upscale resorts and sparkling waterways. Other crowd pleasers include the Norton Museum of Art, Henry Morrison Flagler Museum and 170 golf courses.

But sprinkled in with high-end resorts are also a collection of full-service meeting properties in the Palm Beaches’ 38 cities and towns and 200 hotels. The area’s convention and entertainment district brings together the 350,000-sq.-ft. convention center, a world-class performing arts center and CityPlace, an upscale shopping, dining and entertainment district.

St. Augustine Grand Atrium

Conference hotels include the Boca Raton Resort and Club, which is a Waldorf-Astoria resort, with more than 1,000 guest rooms; the 352-room West Palm Beach Marriott, within walking distance of CityPlace and the convention center; and PGA National Resort and Spa, located about 15 minutes from the airport, with 339 guest rooms and 33,900 square feet of meeting space.

Last year marked the completion of a $30 million renovation of West Palm Beaches’ downtown waterfront. Completed in February, the 4.5-acre restoration features a $250,000 lighting system for nightly light shows; green space with swings and seating along its perimeter; a 400-sq.-ft. visitor center; a 4,000-sq.-ft. pavilion for public events and private parties; and a half an acre of beach. The development is the perfect venue for new year-round events and programming for the area, and hosts long-established major events like SunFest and the annual Palm Beach International Boat Show.

The additions don’t end there. “We just received a new water taxi service in the north part of the county and are anticipating a new artificial reef and scuba diving park along the Jupiter inlet in the near future,” says Carli Smith, director of public relations and communications for the Palm Beach County CVB. It was recently announced that the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center will undergo $80 million in expansions and improvements.

More Travel Tips

• Two South Florida resorts teamed up to provide planners with creative meeting and teambuilding packages. Sanibel Harbour Marriott Resort and Spa in Ft. Myers and Hutchison Island Marriott Beach Resort and Marina in Stuart created the Elements of Success program with four distinct package options relating to the four classic elements: earth, wind, water and fire. The earth package, for example, takes groups to the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife or the Florida Oceanographic Coastal Center, and the wind package includes a group tennis lesson or golf clinic.

• It’s Fort Lauderdale’s 100th birthday, and the city is hosting a number of events throughout the year to celebrate the centennial. To find out if an event is coinciding with your visit, go to sunny.org/centennial.

• Visitors to Charleston, S.C., don’t have to carry any spare change to get around town. The city has picked up the tab for riders on the green trolley bus, which loops around downtown every 10 minutes.

• WonderWorks, the upside-down mind-bender amusement park, opened a new location this spring in Myrtle Beach, S.C. Exhibits include the WonderWall, made of 40,000 plastic pins where people can create 3D images of their bodies, and Shuttle Landers, which simulates the landing of the Discovery Space Shuttle. The 50,000-sq.-ft. park can be rented out for events.

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Special Places

Learn more about these Southeast venues by clicking on the pictures below.

Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport

River Arts District

Beaches of South Walton

Central Florida

Twenty people sit around a table, discussing college football schedules, parents’ weekends, new campus stadiums and alumni associations. This isn’t a meeting for university administrators or college representatives, though. This is a roundtable at the Destination Marketing Association International (DMAI) conference, and the people sitting around the table represent CVBs and visitors associations in college towns. The discussion centers around one topic: how to bring more meetings and visitors to their cities.

For these destination representatives, this university-town roundtable discussion is the best part of the DMAI conference each year. It gives them an opportunity to talk with other CVB representatives about how to best leverage themselves as college towns when marketing their cities. These towns have certain qualities ideal for meetings and conventions: large facilities, hotels and a passionate crop of recruiters.

“Alumni groups are pretty powerful. They are some of the best ambassadors we have,” says Deb Archer, CDME, president and CEO of the Greater Madison CVB. She led the roundtable forum at DMAI, and included her own testimonials about working with the University of Wisconsin-Madison to attract groups to the Midwestern city, which receives more than $1 billion in income from travelers annually. In 2009, 27 percent of that came from meetings and conventions.

Greater Madison CVB is trying to bring meetings to town with its "Bring Your Meeting Home" campaign. (John Maniaci)

The effort to grow that business began when the CVB launched the “Bring Your Meeting Home” campaign in 1997, which is a partnership with the university’s alumni association. Alumni groups print information about the city’s convention services their newsletters, and the CVB calls on prominent alumni in other parts of the country to advocate for bringing meetings and events “back home” to Madison. “It’s a natural partnership,” says Archer. One recent event that resulted from the campaign: the 2010 U.S. Transplant Games. The CVB worked with the president of the National Kidney Foundation, who also works at the university, to bring the annual sports event to Madison. The meeting brought more than 6,000 people to town in late July and early August.

Clemson University in Clemson, S.C., is another city that has embraced the idea of cross-marketing and promotion. University towns are often described as town-and-gown communities, with “town” being the non-academic part of the city, and “gown” representing the college component. In 2006, the Clemson Join City-University Advisory Board (JCUAB) held the first national town-gown symposium, where 250 destination representatives discussed joint marketing initiatives, student involvement and other factors that could boost the economics of university towns. In 2008, the JCUAB created the International Town and Gown Association (ITGA), which now hosts an annual conference to discuss the advantages of a town-gown relationship. Schools and cities in states from California to Delaware to Florida are members of ITGA.

During the DMAI roundtable, destination representatives shared additional resources available to them for recruiting. In some cities, the CVB gives presentations to parents during new student orientation. Universities have experts working for them in fields such as engineering, science or medicine who can be used to recruit meetings and events as well as serve as expert speakers. Campuses also are great locations for hosting events.

Archer recommends that CVB staff members join alumni boards to discuss the importance of building a strong relationship. However, destination marketers were also quick to point out some common difficulties in working with schools: turnover of university staff and athletic directors, timing of school-related events with other conventions, competition between university facilities and city conference facilities, and lack of tax incentives on the part of universities that don’t receive bed-tax dollars.

Still, says Archer, the town-gown relationship has been crucial to Madison’s position as a meetings destination. “When we started [the Bring Your Meeting Home] promotion, the whole concept was to make Madison a household name in conventions. It was started by people who knew Madison, who believed in Madison and who can sell the destination.

“The more we work together, the better off we are,” she says. “University programs get showcased when events come to Madison. We’re not trying to do what they’re doing. We’re trying to help them be successful.” More information on ITGA destinations is on the Clemson University website. To find out more about hosting events on college campuses, read “On Campus” from the June 2010 issue of Rejuvenate magazine.

Home page photo by Skot Weidemann

Jason Outman is now director of sales for the Columbia Metropolitan Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center in South Carolina. Prior to joining the Midlands Authority for Conventions, Sports and Tourism, he held several executive positions, including most recently director of tradeshow sales with Cobb County CVB in Georgia.

Randy Parker is the new director of sales for the Cincinnati USA Convention and Visitors Bureau. Previously, he served as vice president of sales at Nationwide Meetings.

Leslie Mathews has joined the Pensacola Bay Area (Florida) CVB staff as convention sales manager after a three-year career in convention sales with Visit Lubbock (Texas) CVB.

Tom Bennett has been named vice president of sales for Visit Newport Beach Inc., the official destination marketing organization for the City of Newport Beach, Calif. Previously, Bennett was senior vice president, sales and services, for the Sacramento Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Bill McMillan, formerly the director of marketing and business development for the Charlotte Regional Sports Commission, has joined Visit Charlotte (North Carolina) as senior director of sales.

Lina Cantillo has joined NYC & Company as regional director of national accounts for the New York City Convention Development team. Cantillo has more than 14 years of New York City hotel sales experience, most recently with the Millenniums of Manhattan.

Tammy Johnson is the new national convention sales manager for the Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority in Nevada. Johnson will be based in Chicago, Ill., and her territory will include Chicago and portions of the Midwest and Northeast. Johnson worked for the San Jose CVB and Lake County (Indiana) CVB.

Earl Nightingale is the new general manager of the Millennium Knickerbocker Chicago.

Jason Parsons has been named general manager of The Naples Beach Hotel and Golf Club in Southwest Florida.

Jim Tolbert and Wahid Razaqi have joined the San Diego North Convention and Visitors Bureau. Bringing more than 30 years of combined hospitality experience to the bureau, National Sales Managers Razaqi and Tolbert will be responsible for new group business. Tolbert formerly worked at luxury properties in southern California and Phoenix. Razaqi was sales manager for government accounts at the Doubletree Club Hotel in Mission Valley and the Hilton San Diego Airport/Harbor Island.

That same month, Alaska Airlines adds nonstop service between San Jose, Calif., and Los Cabos, Mexico. The airline will operate three round-trip flights a week on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday.

Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach, Fla., will add flights to and from four new destinations in November. The flights, serviced by carrier Direct Air, include once-weekly roundtrip flights to Worcester, Mass.; Niagara Falls/Buffalo, N.Y.; Kalamazoo/Battle Creek, Mich.; and Rockford/Chicago, Ill. Based in Myrtle Beach, S.C., Direct Air currently services 15 cities.

By Monica Compton

Selecting the proper venue for your meeting can be a daunting task. While some meetings can be flexible to any type of property, others have specific requirements that only certain venues can provide. Location and accessibility can be the first barometers for narrowing down your choices. If your agenda is tight and there is little time to transfer attendees, an airport property or traditional hotel in a metropolitan area would work best. If your program allows for little leisure time, a conference center can provide the best focus for your educational agenda. Meetings that include off-site excursions might work best for a resort property. Tailoring your request for proposal to your program’s needs will further define the type of property that will give you the greatest success.

Traditional hotels

Often located in city centers or close to airports, traditional hotels are usually the most accessible to mass transit and provide the shortest commute for your attendees. Because they are often located in the heart of a metropolitan area, they allow your delegates to experience the destination and provide a myriad of off-site activity and group dining options.

“Traditional hotels often provide a true-life glimpse into the unique character of a destination,” says Steven Spivak, director of sales and marketing for the new Loews Atlanta Hotel. “Many traditional hotels are woven into the fiber of the great cities in which they operate, providing luxurious accommodations and amenities within walking distance of renowned museums and theatres, world-class shopping, and a wealth of dining options.”

While traditional hotels offer this direct access to activities and off-site functions, they are still focused on the meeting’s needs, providing flexible function space, complete audiovisual packaging and all the technology support you need to make your program run smoothly. And, while resort properties offer expanded off-site activities and leisure appeal, and conference centers provide a focused environment for the meeting, the traditional hotel can meet both needs.

“With a traditional hotel, you get the best of both worlds and more — a flexible workspace for any type of function, access to recreational activities at the hotel or the surrounding area, and the opportunity to be within the heart of a downtown area,” says Jeff Webster with Charleston Place Hotel in Charleston, S.C. While many planners feel a resort is better suited for incentive meetings, traditional hotels can offer the same team-building and group activities that a resort can offer.

“We’ve been able to flip the mindset that you need to be based at a resort to enjoy the recreational activities of a destination,” Webster says. “The fact is that a golf outing, fishing excursion or other function makes up a very small portion of a meeting/conference agenda.”

When creating a request for proposal for a traditional hotel, Webster says it is important to communicate your specific needs beyond availability, rates and space requirements.

“It’s important for clients to outline any special needs upfront,” Webster says. “If a group is interested in a structured meeting with learning as the focus, we can provide that. Conversely, if there is a client that wants a healthier balance of meeting and free time, we can create a unique itinerary that will meet those needs.”

Since location is key to booking a traditional hotel, make sure your request for proposal asks how far the property is from the airport and the commute time from nearby cities. Include the off-site attractions you are considering, and ask for the driving and walking distance from the hotel. “Traditional hotels are all about versatility and taking care of the customer’s specific and individual needs, thus allowing them to readily accommodate any type of meeting,” Spivak says. “Be it an intensive seminar, an intimate board meeting or an elaborate incentive trip, a traditional hotel in the perfect location truly has something for everyone.”

Conference Centers

Specializing in small- to medium-sized meetings, conference centers are often located in suburban areas and evolved from the need for distraction-free meeting and learning environments. The conference center meeting room is dedicated to meetings and only meetings. Rather than standard banquet chairs and tables, conference center furniture is ergonomically designed to be comfortable all day long. Tables have clean, hard surfaces to make writing easier as opposed to plywood banquet tables covered with linen that perform multiple duties at a traditional hotel or resort. Conference rooms are also soundproof to decrease distractions and maintain privacy of the meeting’s content.

“A conference center has a pure meeting focus, which means it is not trying to be all things to all people,” says Karen Pendleton, director of sales and marketing for Wyndham Peachtree Conference Center in Peachtree City, Ga.

The International Association of Conference Centers (IACC) certifies conference centers according to their ability to meet a set of standards including: a minimum of 60 percent of meeting space is dedicated, single-purpose conference space; 60 percent of the meeting rooms must have ergonomically-designed chairs; lighting and climate levels must be controlled from within the meeting room; conference rooms must have acoustical privacy; and standard audiovisual services and support must be available on site. The IACC segments conference centers into five types: Executive conference centers are designed to cater to executive-level meetings; resort conference centers must have at least one major amenity such as a golf course or ski area adjacent to the property; educational conference centers are located in a college or university and lease their facilities to private corporations; nonresidential centers are completely equipped for meetings, but do not offer sleeping rooms or leisure activities; and ancillary conference centers are part of a large hospitality complex such as a floor or a wing of a traditional hotel.

The Woodlands Resort and Conference Center in Houston, Texas, is an example of a property that provides a dedicated meeting environment as well as resort activities. Tory Enriquez, director of sales and marketing for The Woodlands Resort and Conference Center suggests that planners search for IACC-approved facilities.

“These facilities must follow the current practices and criteria of the conference center industry,” Enriquez says. “Dedicated meeting space separates living and leisure areas from conference rooms for a more private meeting environment.” Conference centers typically offer the Complete Meeting Package, which provides a per person price for hotel accommodations, meals, meeting space and audiovisual services. The package pricing allows planners to know their complete costs upfront and reduces the amount of banquet event orders planners need to review and confirm. Because food and beverage breaks are continuous, agenda timing can be flexible.

“The simplicity of planning at a conference center is key to the overworked planner and also to the novice planner,” Wyndam’s Pendleton says. “[There is] no nickel and diming.” Pendleton corrects the misconception that conference centers are not as strong in their food and beverage offerings as traditional hotels and resorts. She says breaks are actually more plentiful and complete than a la carte menus, and producing top-notch cuisine is a goal for all conference centers. The Wyndham Peachtree Conference Center’s chef was awarded the IACC Copper Skillet Competition National Championship title and placed third in the International Competition.

“His cuisine features farm to table menus as he purchases as much as possible from the local growers,” Pendleton says. “Our chef emphasizes healthy living with signage noting the best food for energy, brain foods, and foods to improve muscle and growth.” When creating a request for proposal that includes both conference centers and traditional hotels, it is important to compare all pricing elements and equate the difference between the conference center’s CMP plan and the hotel’s total a la carte items. “Too many planners stop their comparison at room rate and end up spending much more when all the food and beverage and audiovisual comes into play,” Pendleton says. “Make an apples to apples comparison by comparing all elements of the meeting you will need.”

Resorts

Unique to their destination, resort properties are usually located outside of city centers, providing a full gamut of leisure activities and amenities. Ideal for incentives and corporate retreats, resorts can offer a choice of sleeping room accommodations, from traditional hotel rooms to two- and three-bedroom villas or condominiums. Many resorts add a fee on top of the sleeping room rate that provides access to leisure activities, from the pool to the exercise room. Others include complimentary activities as part of the rate.

“Our complimentary amenities and free activities include bicycle rentals, tennis court time, the fitness center, and canoe and kayak rentals,” says Lela Coker, marketing and public relations for Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort in Destin, Fla. “This helps occupy free time without costing the group or attendee.”

Perhaps the greatest benefit of a resort is the outdoor space that can be booked for private functions, group dinners and team-building events. By the nature of their location, resorts often offer limited access and exclusive entrances for their guests. This creates an intimate, “VIP feel” for each and every attendee.

“A resort can be located on a beach, mountain or golf course [giving] a unique sense of place,” says Eric Kuester, director, national accounts for North Carolina’s Pinehurst. “Incorporating the indigenous surroundings to your outdoor function space can tap into the senses of an attendee and create a memorable event.”

Although resorts are best known for attracting incentive events or meetings that require a leisure component, these properties have fully-equipped meeting space that can accommodate any type of program. On-site audiovisual and conference services support is available and flexible function space can accommodate everything from a 15-person board meeting to a sit-down dinner for 1,000 people.

“Traditionally, incentive-based events have been a great profile for resort properties because of the reward component,” Kuester says. “But we see a range in meeting DNA: small executive leadership retreats and mid-size regional sales meetings to large-scale national forums.” When creating a request for proposal for a resort property, request dates that are outside of peak season to get the best rates. If your event leans more heavily towards the leisure component, try to negotiate the resort fee by adding or subtracting amenities depending on your group’s use of resort facilities.

Read more on typecasting:

Case Study: Terri Dotson, Senior Project Manager of Meeting Consultants Inc.

Vero Beach Hotel & Spa’s “Beyond the Boardroom” program provides creative meeting benefits, activities and entertainment that encourage teambuilding. Groups choose from a selection of Vero Beach activity packages, which include a moonlight turtle walk, beachside cooking class and building a pirate ship. Planners also can receive 10 percent off the “master account” (which applies to room rental, food and beverage, and audiovisual needs) or an oceanfront suite VIP upgrade for every 10 room nights booked. Accommodations start at $99 per night. The program is available to meetings of up to 60 guests.

Thousands of hotels around the world are up to 40 percent off during the Orbitz Summer Hotel Sale. Most participating hotels offer discounts through August, but dates vary. Groups that book by June 20 will receive two coupons (a combined value of $300) for additional 2010 trips. Coupons must be redeemed by Sept. 1 for travel between June 25 and Dec. 31.

The Dallas/Fort Worth & Beyond Attractions Pass offers savings of up to 30 percent off of tickets to local attractions. Visitors can purchase a single two- or three-day pass that covers admission to seven attractions, or individual discounted tickets are available for additional attractions.

The historical differences between North Carolina and South Carolina are strong and span the gamut from political persuasions to barbecue and topography. During the Civil War, South Carolina was the first Southern state to secede from the Union while North Carolina was the last. When it comes to barbecued pork, North Carolina uses a ketchup-based sauce with South Carolina favoring a mustard-base. In the same way, there are many variables and differences for groups to consider when choosing between the neighboring states.

NORTH CAROLINA

Fayetteville

Named after Revolutionary War hero Marquis de Lafayette, Fayetteville, N.C., is a town with a history steeped in American freedom, democracy and patriotism. In 1789, the U.S. Constitution was ratified in Fayetteville and during the Civil War, the city found itself in the path of General Sherman’s Union troops. Located halfway between New York and Florida, Fayetteville is a destination easily accessible by plane, train (an Amtrak station is located in the heart of downtown) and automobile. Whether visitors are looking to tour unique buildings and homes listed on the National Register of Historic Places, visit the country’s largest military installation, Fort Bragg, or challenge themselves at one of 20 area golf courses, Fayetteville offers plenty of ways to pass the time between meetings. The Expo Center can be adapted for meetings from 10,000 to 60,000 square feet and is connected to the Crown Coliseum, which provides a luxurious pre-function area and ballroom.

Charlotte

Charlotte has been known for many things since it was founded by King George III in 1769 — cotton-processing center, major railway hub, site of America’s first gold rush — these days, the city is the nation’s second leading financial center and home to Bank of American and Wachovia headquarters. Located along the state’s southern border, Charlotte is so accessible that it garnered the nickname “International Gateway to the South.” The Charlotte Convention Center, home to 90,000 square feet of meeting space, is a mecca of convenience. Within walking distance of the center, visitors will discover two major dining, entertainment and shopping venues. The EpiCentre has 267,000 square feet of possibilities including EpiCentre Theaters, Strike City, BlackFinn Restaurant & Saloon and Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar. At the NC Music Factory visitors can enjoy a “stroll district” that “rivals the likes of SoHo, Buckhead or Beale Street.” Charlotte’s 35-acre Upton Village is in its first phase of construction and offers first-rate entertainment options like the Fillmore and the Uptown Amphitheater that put the “music” in Music Factory.

Greensboro

Named after patriot commander Nathanael Green, it is no wonder that Greensboro is home to a convention complex that is directly adjacent to a war memorial. The Greensboro Coliseum Complex offers 150,000 square feet of meeting space neighboring the 2,376-seat War Memorial Auditorium. Less than a mile away, planners will find even more reasons to meet in Greensboro: the largest privately owned convention center complex between Washington, D.C., and Atlanta. The Sheraton Greensboro Hotel at Four Seasons and Joseph S. Koury Convention Center combine to provide 1,017 guestrooms and more than 250,000 square feet of meeting space. Greensboro is looking to celebrate both the past and the future with the arrival of a new exhibit at a local museum and a brand new Civil Rights Center. The Natural Science Center welcomed “Extreme Deep: Mission to the Abyss!” July 18, a six-month exhibition exploring mysterious life, landforms and shipwrecks found within Earth’s final frontier. A $22-million International Civil Rights Center and Museum is scheduled to open February 1, 2010, on the 50th anniversary of famous sit-ins at the downtown Woolworth store.

Cabarrus County

In 1799, a 17-pound gold nugget was found in Cabarrus County and led to the first documented gold discovery in the U.S. Reed Gold Mine is now just one of many attractions Cabarrus County has to offer meeting planners. NASCAR races, Great Wolf Resorts and Waterpark, Concord Mills, Lowe’s Motor Speedway and the Billy Graham Library are the goldmine destinations that make Cabarrus County a year-round spot. The Concord Convention Center features a 28,000-sq.-ft. hall adjacent to the 308-room Embassy Suites Concord Golf Resort & Spa. One of the newest must-visit attractions in the area is Restaurant Forty Six. Named for the 46 chromosomes in the human genome, the restaurant is known for its healthy food culture and scientific-themed art.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Anderson

Nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Anderson boasts numerous historic attractions including churches steeped in African-American history. There is even an entire district where visitors can step back in time with guided tours of antebellum plantations at Woodburn and Ashtabula homes. For groups looking to enjoy Anderson’s natural ambiance, Anderson Civic Center’s outdoor amphitheater provides a green setting. The Anderson Civic Center is a 28,800-sq.-ft. arena with a 7,700-sq.-ft. ballroom in addition to the Anderson Sports and Entertainment Complex with numerous fields and picnic areas. Another option is the 18,000-seat William A. Floyd Amphitheater, a natural-terrain facility featuring a natural stream, pond and fountain. Anderson County has more than 1,500 hotel rooms.

Columbia

Columbia invites convention attendees to leave the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center and discover its riverwalk, where three rivers flow into downtown. Another of Columbia’s attractions is an elite circus collective; the Columbia Alternacirque is a performance group featuring belly dancers, fire performers and hula-hoop performers that will liven up any meeting. Columbia is known to welcome conferences on a consecutive basis to its convention center, which features 24,700 square feet of exhibit space. The Columbia Metropolitan CVB in partnership with the South Carolina Tourism & Hospitality Educational Foundation is so committed to the area’s reputation for Southern hospitality that it offers a Certified Hospitality Hotspotter Program. “We actually train people on how to have Southern charm at our front desks,” says Twila Jones, sales manager for the Midlands Authority for Conventions, Sports & Tourism.

Myrtle Beach

In addition to its sandy white beaches, Myrtle Beach is a destination that offers major coastal resorts, shopping venues and conference centers. The Freestyle Music Park is the area’s newest theme park and features the Time Machine and Iron Horse. Broadway at the Beach, a sprawling shopping center, is South Carolina’s largest festival entertainment complex and Myrtle Beach’s premier shopping locations. For a diverse meeting adventure, go horseback riding along the Atlantic or set sail for a dinner cruise, then head to the 100,800-sq.-ft. Myrtle Beach Convention Center. There’s a plethora of themed dining options for large groups surrounding the center including Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede, Cheeseburger in Paradise and Tommy Bahama’s Tropical Café.

Newport News Marriott at City Center
Virginia Green Hotel
STATS: 25,000 square feet of meeting space, 12,000-sq.-ft. ballroom is the largest in the city, 23 meeting rooms, 12 breakout rooms

Virginia Beach Convention Center
Virginia Green certified facility, member of U.S. Green Building Council and an ENERGY STAR Partner
STATS: 150,000-sq.-ft. exhibit hall, 28,929 square feet of meeting space, 31,029-sq.-ft. ballroom

Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte
Opened October 1, in Charlotte, N.C., the hotel is the first LEED-built Ritz Carlton with innovative features including a vegetated roof, bike valet and in-house water purification system.
STATS: 146 guestrooms, 13,000-sq.-ft. penthouse Wellness Center with Aqua Lounge and saline-treated swimming pool, street-side BLT Steak restaurant, and 12,000 square feet of meeting and conference space

Great Wolf Lodge
Located in Cabarrus County, N.C., the Great Wolf Lodge introduced a new green program called “Project Green Wolf,” that covers everything including its waterparks and restaurants.
STATS: 402 rooms, 28,000-sq.-ft. convention center hall, 3,500-sq.-ft. junior ballroom

Myrtle Beach Convention Center
With 250,000 square feet of space, the Myrtle Beach Convention Center is the largest on the East Coast and uses Occupancy Motion Sensors (turns off lights in meeting rooms and ballroom when empty) to save 70 percent on energy.
STATS: 100,800-sq.-ft. exhibit space, 402 guestrooms, 22 meeting rooms