Alabama Gulf Coast CVB

Planning a meeting? Gulf Shores/ Orange Beach has become a favorite destination of meeting planners and delegates. With 32 miles of powder-white beaches and the beautiful waters of the Gulf of Mexico, the stage is set for successful and enjoyable meetings. Attendance is higher and creativity and productivity increase as participants enjoy the peaceful environment of the area. Many also find that adding a few extra days onto the beginning or end of their meetings offers a great opportunity to combine business with pleasure for a family vacation.

The island is conveniently located within driving distance of most major southeastern cities. Airlines serve nearby Mobile and Pensacola airports, both approximately an hour’s drive from Gulf Shores and Orange Beach. All of the major rental car companies have offices at both airports. In addition, the Jack Edwards Airport in Gulf Shores can accommodate private and corporate aircraft.

Accommodations on the island offer the meeting planner unique alternatives with more than 15,000 hotel, motel and condominium units available. These facilities have experience in providing quality service to groups of all sizes, from small board retreats and conferences to state, regional, national and even international meetings of up to 800. Recently opened are two new properties, offering 25,000 sq. ft. of divisible meeting space in one and 10,000 in another.

During free time, golfers and anglers are in for a treat. Ten championship golf courses await players of all skill levels. With a charter fleet of more than 100 boats, a half or full day of fishing is only a phone call away.

The Alabama Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau is well acquainted with the facilities, attractions and services available in Gulf Shores/Orange Beach, and is ready to help you plan your next meeting. The CVB can help you arrange group rates, assist with off-site functions and co•ordinate site inspections. Visit the CVB’s website to search for meeting spaces, to request a meeting planner’s guide or to complete an online RFP.

Beth Gendler
Sales Department
Alabama Gulf Coast CVB
Gulf Shores, Ala.
888/421-8715
www.alabamagulfcoastmeetings.com
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Stat Check - McCormack Place

Total Exhibit Space: 2.7 million sq. ft.
Largest Ballroom: 103,000 sq. ft.
Meeting Rooms: 173
Largest Banquet: 2,380 people
Parking Spaces: 6,000

The first and most flexible convention venue in the country, McCormick Place continues to evolve. Its three state-of-the art buildings,McCormick Place North, McCormick Place South and Lakeside Center, added a fourth in the fall of 2007 when the West Building opened eight months ahead of schedule.

CONVENTION CENTER

McCormick Place continues to offer more services and flexibility to the millions of customers it welcomes annually. Some changes are more visible than others, but all are being done with the purpose of meeting customers’ demands. The newWest Building includes 470,000 sq. ft. of exhibition space and 250,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, all of which can be easily configured to any size event. Its flexible space makes it perfect for everything from large corporate exhibits to small-scale sales meetings and medical conferences. And its 103,000 sq. ft. ballroom, the largest and most adaptable in the Midwest, could comfortably fit the footprint of a professional football field. Advanced technology throughoutMcCormick Place adds to its state-of-the-art appeal to customers.McCormick Place has expanded its wi-fi coverage and can now manage more than 3,000 concurrent users at any given time—the most of any convention center in the country. Customers are demanding and using more and more bandwidth with every passing month as technology needs increase with every show.McCormick Place is the only convention center in the country with a connection to Internet2, allowing customers to access a variety of activities, including high-definition quality video broadcasting opportunities to multiple sites across the world.

ACCOMMODATIONS

Chicago’s current downtown hotel inventory offers more than 30,000 rooms. Earlier this year, the 188-room Elysian Tower opened its doors followed by the 261-room Hotel Palomar in April. The 600-room JW Marriott is scheduled to open later summer. The city offers 800 rooms within one mile of McCormick Place, more than 3,500 rooms within two miles and more than 20,000 rooms within three miles.

DINING

Travel & Leisure, Saveur and The Robb Report have all named Chicago the top dining city in America, and the James Beard Foundation recently awarded Alinea’s Grant Achatz the Outstanding Chef Award. Here you’ll experience more 5-Diamond restaurants than any other city and sample everything from hot dogs to steaks to haute cuisine and everything in between.

RECREATION

In addition to world-renowned museums and theater, Chicago is home to spectacular attractions, including Millennium Park, Chicago’s latest international icon. The 24.5 acres of green space feature an outdoor performing arts pavilion, an indoor, year-round theater, a restaurant, an ice-skating rink, a contemporary garden, public art, fountains and a promenade area for special events. And Chicago’s 77 unique neighborhoods showcase the city’s tremendous cultural diversity. Each offers its own mix of eclectic shops, ethnic restaurants and free festivals for you to explore.

GETTING THERE

Chicago’s central location and dual-hub airport with nonstop flights to 148 U.S. and 68 international destinations allow business travelers to visit Chicago, conduct business and return home on the same business day.

Mark Tunney
Managing Director
Convention Sales
CCTB
312/567-8481
312/567-8472 fax
www.choosechicago.com
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Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center

The Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center is Columbia’s hot spot for meetings. The facility is a state-of-the-science center featuring more than 140,000 sq. ft. of space, and it’s located in one of the hottest destinations to host a meeting or convention—Columbia, South Carolina: The New Southern Hot Spot. It also features an exhibit hall with more than 24,000 sq. ft. of space and has a wide array of options for breakouts and pre-function space. The Columbia Ballroom is perfect for large-scale receptions, and because it is divisible by three, it makes a great location for business lunch meetings and breakouts. The landscaped terrace provides the perfect site for cocktails, luncheons and conference breaks with a nice view of the cityscape.

Meeting planners find a variety of options when it comes to planning meals for their events. The chefs with Ovations, the convention center’s on-site caterer, are able to create innovative menus for any budget. From continental breakfast to heavy hors d’oeuvres and three-course meals, the catering staff can handle it all at a very competitive price. Being within walking distance to Columbia’s premier dining and entertainment district, the Congaree Vista, is a big bonus among meeting attendees. Planners save big bucks by having their attendees walk to a variety of local-flavor eateries in the Vista instead of serving a plated lunch. Folks will find everything from sandwich shops to Southern Low Country favorites in the Vista, along with quite a few art galleries and retail boutiques perfect for window-shopping.

Columbia has emerged as a destination to discover. The city is sizzling with affordability, booming hotel developments and a happening nightlife, gracious charm that’s second to none and great outdoor activities that can be enjoyed 12 months out of the year. Columbia is also quickly becoming known as a debut location for various exhibits. Columbia will premiere not one, but two smash-hit exhibits, neither of which has been seen before in the United States. If you happen to be hosting a meeting in or traveling to Columbia during the months of March, April, May or June, you must take in both of these blockbusters. The Columbia Museum of Art will feature Turner to Cézanne: Masterpieces From the Davies Collection, National Museum Wales from March 6, 2009, to June 7, 2009. This exhibit will open its nationwide tour in Columbia and will feature masterpieces by, among others, Cézanne, van Gogh, Monet, Renoir, Turner and Whistler. Turner to Cézanne features 53 stunning works of art, seen together in the United States for the first time, and the Columbia Museum of Art is the opening venue.

The South Carolina State Museum will also shine this spring as the Red Cross premiers its exhibit Our National Treasure: The American Red Cross, which will open March 14 and run through June 30, 2009. The exhibit will include an impressive array of artifacts, photographs and personal stories collected over many years. It will not only display the past and present of this magnificent lifesaving organization, but it will inspire museum guests to become part of the future of this dynamic organization. While you’re here, enjoy Columbia’s moderate year-round climate and plentiful greenspaces. Our spring begins in February with flowers blooming and our Riverfront and Congaree National Park making way for visitors. You’ll enjoy walking along the Congaree River on a sunny afternoon in Columbia, soaking up the best of both worlds—the serenity of the water and the sophisticated downtown scene. Check out the local outdoor/adventure rental spots and ride the calming waters or exciting rapids by way of kayak or inflatable tube. Many of the city’s greenspaces are within close proximity to meeting facilities—something meeting attendees can appreciate in between breakout sessions.

Columbia is a hot and happening city with many options for museum-goers and outdoor enthusiasts alike. The shopping is cool and unique, entertainment is hip and happening, and not only is it affordable, but it’s accessible, too! Columbia’s centrally located in the Southeast and is intersected by three major U.S. Interstates: 20, 77 and 26. And Interstates 85 and 95 are only an hour away. Stop on in, and you, too, will discover what makes Columbia, South Carolina Famously Hot … and Surprisingly Cool!

Taylor McCabe
Sales and Events Assistant
Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center
803/545-0034
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columbiaconventioncenter.com

Fort Worth Convention Center

The recently renovated Fort Worth Convention Center spans 14 blocks of the city’s bustling Central Business District and is within walking distance of hotels, restaurants, shops and entertainment venues. The center houses two levels of flexible spaces, including 252,718 sq. ft. of exhibit space, 41 meeting rooms totaling 58,848 sq. ft., a 13,500-seat arena, six loading docks and an 800-plus space parking garage. The center’s magnificent ballroom is 28,160 sq. ft.—128 feet by 220 feet—three times the size of Fort Worth’s next largest ballroom, and can accommodate more than 2,800 people. Adjacent to the center’s grand lobby is the Water Gardens Events Plaza, providing 55,000 sq. ft. for unique outdoor functions.

The convention center hotel—the new Omni Fort Worth—is now open and features 614 guestrooms, 68,000 sq. ft. of meeting space and an 18,788 sq. ft. ballroom. Visitors to the convention center have full wireless access throughout the facility. Message-link®, a network of large LCD monitors, can broadcast the details of events.

Also, the City of Fort Worth recently completed construction of a new parking garage across the street from the convention center, offering more than 1,000 parking spaces. The Fort Worth Convention Center staff would like the opportunity to exceed your expectations for your next event.

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.”

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. 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.” 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 smaller boutique hotel, Caribbean Court, welcomes meetings and retreats with its Bamboo Room that seats 80, and is an ideal location for weddings. Proprietor Boris Gonzalez notes, “Typically a meeting planner will book the entire hotel, with additional guestrooms, if needed, provided by nearby properties.” 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.

Lori Burns, Tourism/Marketing Director
Indian River County Chamber of Commerce
P.O. Box 2947
Vero Beach, FL 32961
772/567-3491, ext. 118
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indianriverchamber.com

Jefferson Convention & Visitors Bureau

Just minutes from New Orleans, Jefferson is filled with activities and attractions on both the east and west banks of the Mississippi River. The Jefferson Convention & Visitors Bureau is designed to provide assistance and guidance to meeting and convention planners organizing trips to New Orleans’ neighbor, Jefferson Parish. The JCVB can also be a resource to ensure your meeting or event is a memorable success and will make your group feel right at home.

Accommodations

With more than 7,200 hotel rooms, Jefferson Parish can host any small- or medium-sized convention or meeting.

Airport Information

The Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport is located in Jefferson, just minutes from downtown New Orleans and the French Quarter.

Cultural Activities

Culture is an essential part of our diverse and interesting neighborhoods. There are original artwork and crafts on display the second Saturday of every month in historic Gretna. And you can stroll through the Gretna Farmer’s Market each Saturday morning to pick out fresh vegetables, seafood and any number of homemade treats. The Jefferson Performing Arts Society has put the spotlight on artistic expression for more than 30 seasons. Swamp tours take visitors down bayous rich with wildlife and history. Jefferson is also a haven for fishermen with inshore or offshore angling. And boaters find a vast array of waterways and lakes. Jefferson’s restaurants share the same flavor (and even some of the same chefs) as neighboring New Orleans. Terrific shopping can be found at Lakeside Shopping Center and the Esplanade Mall. Jefferson is also home to a host of weekend festivals throughout the year that feature the best in Louisiana cooking along with music and a heaping helping of fun! Come enjoy one of our 156 festivals, fairs and parades. Something for Everyone So when you’re planning your next trip, plan to Experience Jefferson. So close and yet a world away.

Whether you are a promoter, meeting planner, event coordinator or business owner, our skilled event team will work with you to assure your event is a success. From trade shows and meetings to black-tie galas and weddings, we customize menus to suit your every need and ensure that each and every detail is handled with the greatest of care.

At Harborside Event Center, entertainment, trade, education and commerce all come together in a vibrant riverfront environment. Couple this with our professional event team dedicated to achieving the highest levels of customer and guest satisfaction, and you’ll clearly understand why Harbor-side Event Center is the perfect venue for your next event.

The uniqueness of the center is apparent in the flexibility of the venue. Harborside Event Center offers the opportunity to host everything from large exhibitions, concerts and sporting events to the most intimate of gatherings. Harborside Event Center offers 42,000 sq. ft. of exhibit and event space and is fully wired to accommodate the networking needs of our clients. Our versatile seating configurations and exhibit space comfortably accommodate multiple and simultaneous events.

From the most important business events to the most awe-inspiring performance, we invite you to use your imagination and our skills to enhance your event’s potential. In other words, think large, small and everything in between. We look forward to your next visit!

Rhonda Decherd
Event Services Manager
Harborside Event Center
239/321-8120
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harborsideevents.com

The Daytona Beach Area CVB

The facilities and services of a larger city coupled with the value and friendliness of a small town ... Anderson County is nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in a region of South Carolina known as The Upstate. Located just two hours from Atlanta, Ga., and Charlotte, N.C., on Interstate 85, we offer convention and meeting planners the facilities and services of a larger city coupled with the value and friendliness of a small town.

Anderson Accommodations

With more than 1,500 hotel rooms, Anderson is definitely accommodating. Larger groups can take advantage of established meeting venues, like the Civic Center of Anderson or The Hilton Garden Inn & Destination Pointe Event Center. Smaller groups have a wide range of options, from hotel meeting space to historic venues. Whatever the size of your group, you’ll be meeting in a destination that truly appreciates and values your business.

Balance Your Business With Pleasure

Once your business is over, Anderson has a wide range of activities on tap. Need space for a golf outing? We have 11 courses ready to welcome you. Want to get creative for a reception? We offer unique indoor and outdoor spaces and themes for your group. Want to bring the family and have a vacation after your convention? Our destination has it all: some of the best shopping in South Carolina; great restaurants of every cuisine and style; 56,000 acres of water in the form of Lake Hartwell; waterfalls and great hiking areas; history and heritage sites; agri-tourism sites; and much more. The Anderson Convention & Visitors Bureau is committed to conventions and meetings. We offer a plethora of free services and bend over backward for groups. Just give us a call, and we’ll go to work for you.

The UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center promises a high-quality, competitively priced experience with a friendly environment for learning, collaborating and networking. Regularly hosting national, regional, state and local events and conferences, we offer cost-conscious planning, coordination and 5-Star “Personal Touch Service” as evidenced in testimonials.

Our team will assist you in the development of proposals, bids and RFP responses to bring conferences, workshops, trade shows and other events to Tifton. Visit the website for all the right services, facilities, location and price and to meet our team: www.ugatiftonconference.org.

Service is the UGA Center’s greatest commodity: booking hotel accommodations, tour bus rentals or program development; accounting; online registration services; event management with our professional management team; business center support; audio-visual equipment and on-site tech support; Internet access in every room; event marketing and graphic services; and supervised breaks and catered meals to accommodate budgets and a variety of occasions such as wedding receptions, banquets, galas and parties.

The state-of-the-art facility boasts two auditoriums with 2,000 and 350 seats, numerous breakout rooms, a ballroom that accommodates 1,000, a fully equipped kitchen next to the ballroom, a spacious lobby with a panoramic outdoor view— perfect for full-service catered dining for breakfast, lunch and dinner—and a panoply of services designed for your special event.

As the South’s premier agricultural research and educational center, we host scientific conferences where scientists engage in cutting-edge agricultural innovation, administer world-famous peanut and turf-grass breeding programs and house three different USDA-ARS laboratories.

Tifton’s many nods to its heritage include four museums indigenous to agricultural developments, the Museum of Art, a historical church (a work of art itself), which sponsors regular exhibitions of accomplished local artists as well as contracted artists, and the historical Tift Theatre, an active community theater. If shopping in trendy downtown shops, dining in local bistros and enjoying art displays leave additional time, then golf at one of several courses sodded with native, world-renowned TiftTurf. One of our event coordinators will happily arrange downtown trips, a golf match or another activity of your choice.

Dr. Jean Hurst, Director
The University of Georgia, Tifton Campus Conference Center
229/386-3416
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ugatiftonconference.org

Oxford Convention and Visitor's Bureau

One of America’s Best Small Towns

Hugh Stump
Executive Director
Oxford Convention and Visitors Bureau
662/232-2367
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oxfordcvb.com

Knoxville Tourism & Sports Corporation