Unique Meetings

COLUMBIA METROPOLITAN CONVENTION &  VISITORS BUREAU

Columbia, S.C., is Famously Hot! There is plenty of sizzle in this Southern state capital, with its convention center, selection of new and renovated meeting facilities, wide variety of hotels and heat wave of new businesses relocating to the area. Columbia has emerged as The New Southern Hot Spot—a destination that planners are quickly recognizing for its exceptional value, blend of traditional and modern meeting spaces, arts, community and culture. One of the cornerstones of this vibrant Southern city is the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center. Serving as South Carolina’s only downtown convention center, the venue boasts 142,500 gross sq. ft., including a 24,000 sq. ft. exhibit hall, all situated in the middle of one of Columbia’s hottest entertainment districts, the Vista. Meeting planners can save big bucks by having their attendees walk to more than 40 different restaurants and cafes in the Vista. The convention center hotel, the Hilton Columbia Center, is right next door, with 222 sleeping rooms.

The Columbia metropolitan area has more than 10,000 sleeping rooms, with more than 1,200 in the downtown area. Hotels range from full-service mega chains such as Marriott, Sheraton, Radisson and Embassy Suites to boutique inns and bed-and-breakfast escapes. Columbia also features numerous unique meeting facilities, including historic homes, churches, the Riverbanks Zoo and various conference centers. The Medallion Center is a new meeting facility that will open in fall 2008. This facility will feature 47,000 sq. ft. of space and an in-house catering service. For planners looking for vintage venues, the Township Auditorium is one of Columbia’s treasures. Though it’s getting a makeover in 2009, you can still say you visited a venue where Elvis and Willie Nelson once played. Meeting attendees can play here, too! Our moderate year-round climate and green spaces make spending the day outdoors enjoyable. Our three rivers are popular spots for canoeing, kayaking and fishing while our parks are the perfect natural settings for an escape. History comes alive within our museums and historic homes. When the sun sets, evenings liven up with salsa dancing, live music, ballet, theater, bars and restaurants.

Shopping in Columbia is a unique experience. Surprisingly affordable boutiques line the streets of Columbia’s entertainment districts, including the Vista, Devine Street, Main Street and Five Points. Pick up a pair of designer shoes, a funky piece of art from one of Columbia’s emerging artists or handcrafted jewelry to remember the trip. An antique corridor runs along Gervais Street through the West Vista area for those who appreciate vintage merchandise. On the business front, Columbia represents one of the most exciting destinations for hydrogen and fuel cell innovation, with vibrant interaction among higher education and research institutions, entrepreneurs and investors of growth capital. The city and the University of South Carolina have teamed up to create Innovista, a project that integrates public- and private-sector research in high-tech, high-density facilities. This opportunity will allow the city to go scorching to the top of the radar and will center Columbia as a leader in hydrogen and fuel cell research.

With all of the activity focused on fuel cells, Columbia is a natural location choice for the National Hydrogen Association’s 20th Annual National Hydrogen Conference and Expo in spring 2009, with anticipated attendance of more than 1,100 people. Along with the research campus, a mix of new restaurants, residences, retail shops and green spaces are springing up all over town. The city is becoming a true live/work/play community with lots of in-town living spaces, freshly opened businesses and entertainment venues. This South Carolina capital is quickly becoming a destination for business travelers and tourists who enjoy the vibrant and sultry atmosphere of a progressive city. To top it off, the Columbia Metropolitan Airport’s service and easy accessibility from many major highways makes getting to Columbia a snap. Now that’s something a planner can warm up to!

Crystal Morris, Director of Sales
Columbia Metropolitan Convention & Visitors Bureau
803/545-0015
803/545-0102
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columbiacvb.com

INDIAN RIVER COUNTY: COSMOPOLITAN, COMFORTABLE COASTAL COMMUNITY

Less than 1-1/2 hours from Orlando and Palm Beach airports, nestled between the action of the Space Coast and the high-rise convention area of the Palm Beaches, lies Indian River County, an ideal location for small- to medium-sized executive and corporate meetings, retreats, weddings and reunions. Lori Burns, tourism/marketing director of the Indian River County Chamber of Commerce, says, “With the opening of new oceanfront properties, the county provides a diverse mix of choices for the discerning meeting planner.”

Beachside weddings and memorable meetings are a specialty of the Vero Beach Hotel & Club. The hotel has an executive boardroom, the Oceanfront Shoreline Room for 80 guests and the Indigo Room & Lounge for up to 140 guests. The West Indies design of this 83-suite hotel adds spacious balconies and an ocean-side pool to its list of amenities. The recently opened Costa d’Este, owned by Gloria and Emilio Estefan, is an exceptional 94-room hotel with a 1,170 sq. ft. meeting room for up to 70 guests and a state-of-the-art executive board room. An outdoor pool and patio for outside events rounds out this exceptional oceanfront location. A popular meeting destination is the riverfront Captain Hiram’s Resort. Its Tiffany Room can accommodate up to 100. “Hosting corporate meetings from larger cities is our forte,” says resort manager Tim Michaud. “Our island atmosphere has always been a big draw.” Disney’s Vero Beach Resort, a 211-room oceanfront property, provides the perfect setting for weddings, reunions and corporate retreats. Its Seagrape Room will accommodate up to 70, with professional Disney service a top priority. The smaller boutique hotel, Caribbean Court, welcomes meetings and retreats with its Bamboo Room that seats 80, and additional smaller areas. Proprietor Boris Gonzalez notes, “Typically a meeting planner will book the entire hotel, with additional guestrooms, if needed, provided by nearby properties.”

Lori Burns, Tourism/Marketing Director
Indian River County, Florida
772/567-3491, ext. 118
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indianriverchamber.com

THE BEACH CLUB

For meetings that break past the expected, plan on The Beach Club. Endless views of pristine water and dunes. A village of meeting places, from high-tech rooms to grassroots green spaces. There is no limit to what can happen when your agenda includes the amenities of The Beach Club. A European spa. An abundance of water, from the indoor and outdoor pools to a seemingly endless stretch of pristine coast. A private racquet club. Full access to The Club, along with its fitness facilities, social spaces and cuisine. Guest service to assist with individual, group and family excursions—golf, wildlife, deep-sea fishing. Your meeting’s possibilities are as open as the horizon. For each event, whether the scale is intimate or corporate, we can orchestrate the most elaborate arrangements. And with the luxurious pleasures of daily life here, the simple act of waking up at The Beach Club qualifies as a special event. Like the rest of The Beach Club, our Village Meeting Place pulls together unexpected amenities. Secluded location with inclusive service. Old-world architecture with prime meeting technology. At The Beach Club, audio-visual includes the sights and sounds of the Gulf-front village.

Think beyond the boundaries of typical meeting menus: you’ll be freed from generic buffets at The Beach Club. We’re known for outstanding Gulf Coast cuisine, a 300-year-old melting pot of spices and cultures. Our chefs plan menus based on the freshest catches and crops, and will create a meal that is an event in itself. Best of all, the high quality of our dining experience is planned to enhance the effect of your event.Meetings of every size find a comfortable home at The Beach Club. Our village of cottages includes unsurpassed amenities and spaces for small gatherings. Our four luxurious towers offer a range of floor plans spacious enough for even large families, and include lofts, family dining rooms and up to five bedrooms. Amenities, space, technology and service at every turn: at The Beach Club, every meeting is a breakout session.

Tina Bearfield
Group Sales
The Beach Club
866/601-9243
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beachclubal.com

DAYTONA BEACH AREA CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU

Best known for its 23 miles of sparkling beaches, the Daytona Beach area also boasts a growing inventory of quality accommodations and meeting facilities.

Meeting Space

Leading Daytona Beach’s transformation into a preferred meeting destination is the $79-million expansion of the Ocean Center Convention Complex. The expansion will add 100,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space and 30,000 sq. ft. of new meeting space, nearly tripling its size. Construction is on schedule to be complete in late 2008, with conventions continuing uninterrupted throughout the remodeling period. The area offers an array of other unique meeting facilities, including the world-famous Daytona International Speedway, the News-Journal Center in downtown Daytona Beach, the historic oceanfront Bandshell and Oceanfront Park, the Mary McLeod Bethune Performing Arts Center, Peabody Auditorium and the area’s most famous asset—the beach.

Accommodations

Home to approximately 13,000 hotel rooms, groups meeting in the Daytona Beach area will find accommodations to fit any budget. Several hotels have recently undergone multimillion-dollar refurbishment projects, including the 322-room Daytona Beach Resort & Conference Center. In February, this luxury condo resort completed a $30-million renovation that includes a new grand ballroom and eight salons that offer a total of 17,000 sq. ft. of flexible meeting space. The resort also offers full-service catering, on-site state-of-the-art audio-visual equipment and wi-fi Internet access throughout the property.

The Beach & More

The Daytona Beach area is a great place for work and play. The area’s legendary 23 miles of sparkling beaches are perfect for castle building, cycling, jogging, fishing or just relaxing in the sun. Way more than a beach destination, the Daytona Beach area is brimming with fun activities and attractions. Museum goers will enjoy the Museum of Arts and Sciences, which houses a Center for Florida History that is home to a 13-foot-tall, 130,000-year-old Giant Ground Sloth, found near the museum in 1974. The Smithsonian-affiliated museum is also renowned for its multicultural exhibitions, and features a Cuban museum, an African wing and traveling exhibits. One of the area’s most exhilarating attractions is the Daytona 500 Experience, located just outside Daytona International Speedway’s fourth turn. This motorsports attraction offers a combination of high-tech, hands-on excitement and a fascinating historical perspective that’s perfect for all ages. For maritime lovers, the Daytona Beach area has one of Florida’s finest nautical museums at the Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse. The lighthouse, standing 175 feet tall, is the second tallest in the United States, and houses maritime artifacts, educational exhibits and a rare Fresnel lens exhibit. A climb to the top of the lighthouse’s 203 steps is rewarded with a panoramic view of the Ponce de Leon Inlet’s north and south arteries and surrounding area. Just next to the lighthouse is the Marine Science Center. With interactive exhibits on the area’s marine environment, a seabird sanctuary and sea turtle rehabilitation facilities, the center provides a unique and entertaining learning experience for young and old. The adventurous will want to take to the water, with a cruise along the region’s scenic stretch of the Intracoastal Waterway aboard A tiny Cruise Line or The Manatee. Deep-sea fishing charters depart from several marinas daily, featuring all of the bait and gear necessary to catch the plentiful red snapper, grouper and other native fish.

After a full day of beach going or sightseeing, visitors will discover a wide variety of shopping, restaurants and nightlife. Beach Street, in the downtown Daytona Beach Historic District, offers a nostalgic experience as you stroll amid unique shops and restaurants along a lush, palm-tree lined avenue. The area’s newest shopping, dining and entertainment complex, Ocean Walk Shoppes at Ocean Walk Village, is the perfect place for fun. Enjoy the 10-cinema theater complex, restaurants and plenty of apparel and gift stores, all just steps away from the Atlantic Ocean. A burgeoning golf destination, the area is home to several championship greens that make it an ideal spot for year-round golfing fun, including the award-winning LPGA International.

Airport & Transportation

Conveniently located in Central East Florida, the Daytona Beach area is easy to reach via Interstate 95 and Interstate 4. Business travelers will love the hassle-free convenience of flying into Daytona Beach International Airport, which is serviced by Delta and US Airways.

CVB Services

The Daytona Beach Area Convention and Visitors Bureau offers a variety of convention support services to meeting planners, including
assistance with site inspections, volunteers, vendor contacts and online RFP’s.