Smart Meetings

Not too long ago, the city of Henderson lived in the shadow of nearby Las Vegas.

No longer. Not only has Henderson come of age as a destination, it’s the second largest city in Nevada, surpassing Reno for the past couple of years. Today’s population tops 262,000, with anticipated growth to more than 332,000 by 2010. 

Henderson offers great opportunities for visitors and residents alike: 12 golf courses, 40 local parks, myriad recreational opportunities, stellar resorts and easy access to Lake Mead and Hoover Dam. Plus, it’s within close proximity to both McCarran airport and the Las Vegas Strip.

“Accessibility and affordability are the key reasons why planners choose Henderson,” says Karina Milani, with the City of Henderson Department of Cultural Arts & Tourism. “We have associations coming in, the insurance market, incentive markets, even budget-conscious groups. It’s a unique mix.”           

As the crow flies, it’s 12 miles southeast from The Strip to downtown Henderson, which is currently undergoing redevelopment to become the “Water Street District,” an arts and entertainment hub for the area. In the distance are the Black and McCullough mountains, and slightly to the east, Lake Las Vegas Resort, an oasis that is one of Hender- son’s main attractions and a major player on the desert resort scene.

LAKE LAS VEGAS RESORT
When you enter Lake Las Vegas Resort, just off Lake Mead Parkway (and 17 miles from The Strip), you’re immediately drawn into another world. Here, tall palm trees, a waterfall and emerald-green fairways give a visual hint of what’s to come.

And it’s gorgeous. Surrounding a 320-acre lake—the largest privately owned lake in the U.S.—are two opulent hotels and a red-tiled, Tuscan-like village with condominium units, stone streets, unique shops, bistros and a colorful replica of Italy’s Ponte Vecchio Bridge. Gondolas and sleek cruise yachts ply the waters, where a floating stage is the scene of concerts and other live entertainment. In fact, water recreation on the lake runs the gamut, from canoeing and kayaking to paddle boating and fly-fishing.

“If you look at other desert (locations), they have gorgeous views and wonderful weather,” says Kimberly Sundt, director of public relations for Loews Lake Vegas Resort. “But we have a huge lake in our backyard, which you don’t find in other resorts.”

You can also play 18—or 36—holes of golf in a day here, if that’s your pleasure, on an 18-hole Tom Weiskopf and/or a Jack Nicklaus Signature course. A third course, designed by Tom Fazio, is currently under construction, its clubhouse in the design phase.

The hotels are strictly A-list: The Five Diamond Ritz-Carlton, Lake Las Vegas with 349 guest rooms and 33,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, and Loews Lake Las Vegas Resort, with 493 rooms and 45,000 sq. ft. of meeting space.

Velvet Graham, director of corporate meetings and events for Servicemaster Company in Tennessee, booked a group buyout at The Ritz in December 2005, when Hurricane Katrina’s damage forced a change of venues from New Orleans. She chose The Ritz at Lake Las Vegas because The Ritz is “a great partner with us and we wanted to be a good partner with them as well.” The Lake Las Vegas property “kept us completely whole; they honored our rate from New Orleans,” she says. “I consider them family; they extended themselves.”           

As a result of Graham’s experience, she’s returning with another group this summer. “You don’t get the hustle and bustle of Las Vegas...At Lake Las Vegas, you get [attendees’] undivided attention for business meetings, and the environment is so beautiful,” she says.

At the Loews, which took over the former Hyatt Regency last December, all guest rooms were renovated in 2006, plus additional upgrades are on the books. An intriguing change to the property was turning the former casino into the Baraka Ballroom, a fantastic venue with Moroccan/Mediterranean decor and doors that open out to the patio.

A third property, MonteLago Village Resort, has 150 condominium units available for nightly lodging and 6,127 sq. ft. of meeting space, in addition to the restaurants and unique, eclectic shops in its picturesque village.

On the horizon are a new Hilton project ready to break ground in 2008 (see News) and a boutique hotel, unnamed as yet, according to Karen Cox, director of public relations for Lake Las Vegas Resort.

This spacious, master-planned resort is ideal for small to medium-sized groups, at individual properties or in combination. “A buyout can be done,” Cox says. “Everyone is used to working together—it’s a holistic experience here. There’s a tremendous variety of options to plan events, yet keep groups in one general location...It’s easy to satisfy a multitude of needs without worrying so much about logistics. Five minutes away is golf, two minutes away is a meeting room.”

Oh, and if you really have a yen to throw the dice but don’t have the time or the desire to trek north, you can scratch that itch at MonteLago Village’s casino, the only one at the resort.

MEETING VENUES
Located in the heart of downtown, the Henderson Convention Center can host a variety of events, from conventions and trade shows to corporate meetings and receptions. It currently offers 13,765 sq. ft. of meeting space, and, after an upcoming $8.8 million renovation, will add 5,000 sq. ft. more (see News). An out-door events plaza connected to the center opened last September, with a 200-seat outdoor amphitheater.

Another option is the Green Valley Ranch Resort, which offers 490 guest rooms, a spa, a casino and a newly renovated and expanded Grand Events Center (79,000 sq. ft). Don’t miss The District at Green Valley Ranch, a shopping/dining/residential complex with 59 shops and restaurants, live entertainment and a tree-lined “Main Street.”

For planners with smaller budgets, the Sunset Station Hotel & Casino, set on 98 acres, has 457 guest rooms and more than 13,000 sq. ft. of flexible meeting space.

FUN IN THE SUN (AND UNDER THE STARS)
Along with the year-round water activities on the lake, there’s an entertainment line-up that changes seasonally. This summer, the Stars on the Lake series—where the action takes place on the floating stage—will feature performers like Kenny Loggins, Three Dog Night and Lang Lang. Add Jazz on the Lake, a community wine walk or “movies al fresco” (where you play in the water and movies are projected outdoors), and there’s your evening event.

With all these options, it may be difficult to pry your group off-site. But Henderson is only minutes away from two of the West’s most famous attractions: Lake Mead National Recreation Area and Hoover Dam. Lake Mead has the obvious—superb boating, swimming and fishing—but it’s also a prime location for hiking, with numerous scenic trails. You can even take your group on an afternoon sightseeing or dinner cruise (Lake Mead Cruises).

The trip not to be missed, of course, is to Hoover Dam. Here, at this impressive monolithic icon from the 1930s, you can take elevators 500 feet down into the wall of Black Canyon, where you’ll marvel at the inner workings of the power plant and its eight enormous generators. Top off the experience at the scenic overlook, with panoramic views of Lake Mead and the rushing Colorado River.

Getting There

Henderson is about 25 minutes from Las Vegas’ McCarran International Airport, which is served by more than 40 airlines, with over 1,000 flights departing daily. Many of Henderson’s resorts and hotels provide shuttles to and from the airport and the Las Vegas Strip.