Smart Meetings

To label it a miniature Las Vegas—as many often do—would reduce it only to its casino culture and Virginia Street “strip.” Before the 1950s, Reno actually was the gaming capital of the country, and today its thriving entertainment, large casinos and hopping nightlife in-deed represent a mirror image of its southern sister—a boon for planners seeking to blend this appeal with additional diversity.

But it is this diversity that takes Reno off in a separate direction from Las Vegas, as well as any other destination. Located just east of the Sierra mountain range that divides Nevada from California, the city bathes year-round in sunshine, yet, at 4,400 feet of elevation, shrugs off the scorching summers that prey upon the rest of the state. A mere 20 minutes away is Lake Tahoe, where wintertime skiing and snow sports are unmatched, and summer brings beachfront sunbathing, mountain biking, sailing, fishing, white-water rafting, jet skiing and simply relaxing lakeside, taking in the famous deep blue.

Back in Reno the culture wrests itself away from vague stereotypes held by those who’ve never been here. For one, the cowboy culture is lively and authentic, and you can witness the real thing at the Reno Rodeo—host to several world-class competitions—as well as sam-pling it yourself through guided horseback rides or western-style outdoor BBQs. Those drawn to the arts will love the walkability of the Arts District, an inviting area full of galleries, as well as shops, cafes and restaurants.

The city’s gaming draw means there is a nearly limitless supply of big-name music concerts, shows and dining—you can’t find a day to bring a group when there isn’t something going on. The abundance of entertainment also means there is a wide range of large- to mid-size venues, so finding that perfect off-site theater or nightclub for a product launch or cocktail reception is a cinch.

Try to put all of these diverse options together—you might imagine something like a hybrid of Las Vegas, Tucson and Vail, Colo. You might also think that entertainment, recreation and culture equate to a big expense, but the significant affordability of Reno—from room rates to dining to show tickets—is perhaps the most surprising and satisfying thing planners discover.

Finally—even if you already know all the hidden gems of Reno—an absence of just a few years will have hidden a resort product that has exploded since your last visit. Several luxurious casino resorts, with impressive meeting space, have sprouted up both on and off the downtown strip, and those already existing have spread their wings significantly. The 500,000-square-foot convention center is now sup-ported by more than 20,000 hotel rooms, the majority of which are located in resorts with enough meeting space and amenities that all but the largest meetings can be self-contained.

So, think about it. You’ve got world-class gaming, recreation ranging from skiing to off-roading, and a city culture that spans from bull riding to fine dining. Is this the same Reno you thought you knew? If not, it might be time to take a closer look.

PICK YOUR PLEASURE
Just as San Francisco overwhelms visitors with enticing dining options and Los Angeles boggles the mind with star-sightings and trendy venues, Reno takes attendees off guard when they arrive and begin to realize how much they want to do.

Planners, then, can take advantage of the opportunity by creating unique itineraries and limitless options tailored to any group’s person-ality and size.

“Planners are very surprised that we are not a typical strip gaming city,” explains Philip D’Amico, vice president of convention sales for Reno-Tahoe, America’s Adventure Place. “They’re surprised by all the facilities, the entertainment, the restaurants. They’re amazed that we are very green, not a desert. We have more of a resort feel.”

In addition to the unexpected ambience and amenities of the city, the summer is packed with an impressive lineup of events, which in-clude Hot August Nights, a car show featuring more than 8,000 vintage cars; Street Vibrations, a motorcycle festival; the Reno Air Races, one of the largest in the country; a number of major rodeos; and a hot-air balloon race, which draws several thousand attendees.

D’Amico points out that one of the biggest advantages for meeting planners is the fact that the CVB controls nearly all of the meeting options. “The National Bowling Stadium, the Reno Events Center, two golf courses, the convention center—we are one of the few authori-ties in the industry that owns and runs all the meeting facilities,” he says. “It’s a one-stop shop.”

Just as Reno has made significant investments in its hotel product over the last few years, so too is it boosting its recreational options. Near the top of the list is an $81-million baseball district located right downtown. The centerpiece will be a brand-new Triple-A league baseball stadium, surrounded by new dining and retail. The project, slated for completion in 2010, also calls for a unique dock on the bank of the Truckee River that allows kayakers to tie up their boats right at the stadium, for a truly Reno-style commute.

In contrast to Reno’s newer options, some of the city’s favorite draws have been around for many years. The National Automobile Museum has enthralled car fans since 1989, with a 105,000-square-foot venue packed with classic cars from every decade. If you’re looking for an inspiring option for a banquet or cocktail reception, the facility can host groups from 50 to 1,200. In addi-tion, a 157-seat theater works well for presentations.

The museum was a major hit for former shipmates of the USS Blackfin submarine, who came to Reno in May for a four-day reunion. The 98 members of the group stayed exclusively at Circus Circus Reno, located downtown, where they also maintained a daily hospitality suite and used a number of the meeting facilities. Most of the time, however, they wanted to be out and about, constantly exploring the city. “Reno is very friendly, and there is a multitude of things to do,” says Don Brown, who organizes a variety of military reunions and has lived in Reno for the past 35 years. “There’s a lot of stuff for groups to do around here, and it’s one of the few places where you can get out of bed at 1 a.m. and have a prime rib dinner.”

In addition to the auto museum, the submarine veterans took a day trip to Virginia City, a historic mining town just 23 miles from Reno. Walking tours are popular, and the numerous venues (both indoor and outdoor) are often rented out by groups.

MEETING VENUES
Planners impressed with the caliber of accommodations and diversity of activities might be equally surprised with the Reno-Sparks Con-vention Center. It offers a substantial amount of meeting space—a total of 500,000 sq. ft.—and 53 meeting rooms. Trade shows can spread out in 381,000 sq. ft. of contiguous space. The convention center also reaped the rewards of a recent technology trade show, where event organizers installed thousands of feet of T1 and T3 data lines. Left as a parting gift, this means that planners can take advantage of warp-speed Internet connectivity for their events. With this tier of size, technology and flexibility, the convention center is able to lure some sizable events, such as the 40,000-strong Volleyball Festival, an annual event contracted at least through 2013.

When it comes to big-name entertainment, like this year’s Santana performance or the Steve Miller Band, the 7,000-seat Reno Events Center is the top venue in town. With numerous hospitality suites and VIP skyboxes, it’s an excellent place to com-bine a headliner show (or boxing match or rodeo) with a closing-night cocktail party. If you’d rather focus on your own event, take advan-tage of the 55,000 sq. ft. of meeting space.

Thanks to the gaming industry, planners can easily find large blocks of quality rooms at affordable prices. The Virginia Street strip alone is lined on both sides with large casino hotels, and a number of big resorts are located just off-strip. But the real surprise is that—unless you’ve been here recently—most of these properties are unrecognizable.

“Be prepared for a shock,” Brown says. “When I started to do a convention for 2003, I was expecting 3,000 people, and only two proper-ties could handle that. Now I have four properties that can do that, no problem. It makes my job a lot easier.”

The all-new Grand Sierra Resort, formerly the Reno Hilton, is an impressive property, with 1,995 luxurious guest rooms and a whopping 200,000 sq. ft. of meeting space. A favorite is the in-house Grand Theatre, home to the “world’s largest stage.”

More than $300 million has gone into a major expansion of the Peppermill Hotel Casino, with a new all-suite tower, to bring the room count up to 1,635. There are more than 10 restaurants and 17 nightlife and entertainment venues inside.

Not to be outdone, the Atlantis Casino Resort & Spa indulged in a brand-new 14,261-square-foot grand ballroom, eight new meeting rooms and a sky bridge that connects the ballroom to the Reno-Sparks Convention Center. Nearly all of the hotel’s public space, as well as the guest rooms, are slated for renovation.

UNIQUE VENUES
With 300 days of sunshine and a backdrop of the towering Sierra mountain range, you can’t go wrong to hold your events outside. The evenings are often perfect, with wide-open skies and mild temperatures, and many of the restaurants and resorts capitalize on this with outdoor meeting venues.

Even in spectacular weather, however, there is nothing quite like an event at the iconic National Bowling Stadium. The building is impossible to miss—a huge golden orb in the center of town—and its 78 championship lanes, glass elevators and sophisticated technology make it more of a bowling church than something you would recognize in your home town. Other than a fun team-building event down on the lanes, consider booking one of the stadium’s numerous meeting venues, which can accommodate groups from 50 to 2,000.

LAKE TAHOE 
With a lake too big and too beautiful to fit the state of California, the Lake Tahoe region is shared, however reluctantly, with Nevada. Real estate politics are of no concern to meeting planners, however, and the entirety of the lake plays host to just about every form of recreation conceivable. Wintertime, of course, brings some of the best skiing in the country, with a handful of resorts on both the north and the south sides of the lake. The rest of the year, attendees can look forward to fishing, hiking, rock climbing, kayaking, sailing, jet skiing, white-water rafting and (as long as they keep moving) even swimming in the chilly lake.

During the summer months, sunbathers stretch out along the sandy shores of the lake in front of the Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort, Spa and Casino, a beautiful hotel set into the trees of the North Shore. With a private beach, atten-dees can take part in any number of readily available rentals, such as jet skis or kayaks, or you can rent the Hyatt’s catamaran for sunset sailing. More than 80,000 sq. ft. of indoor and outdoor meeting space is supported by 422 guest rooms.

Similarly, the South Shore’s 539-room Horizon Casino Resort takes advantage of the nearby beach, and offers two ballrooms and the Golden Cabaret theater. It even hosts a multiplex theater, for the rare days when the weather fails to cooperate. 

Getting There

Not To Be Missed

• Authentic bull-riding at the Reno Rodeo
• Walking Reno’s “strip”
• Nearby Lake Tahoe, for sailing, skiing and fishing
• A visit to the 78-lane National Bowling Stadium
• A day trip out to Virginia City, an old mining town