Destination Guide | Utah
UTAH VALLEY
By Carolyn Koenig
Twenty miles from Salt Lake, it’s not on the Wasatch Front, it’s in it
Heading south on I-15 from downtown Salt Lake City, its namesake valley connects with Utah Valley at a precise point—Point of the Mountain, to be exact.
More than an ancient sand peninsula of interest to hang gliders, it’s a signal of great things to come for the picturesque valley and its surrounding area, an expanding destination that will give meeting professionals even more opportunities to consider in the coming years.
The Lehi landmark is also the locus of a newly announced community whose centerpiece will be a Five-Diamond Frank Gehry-designed hotel and convention center. The project, undertaken by entrepreneur Brandt Andersen (who is majority owner of the Utah Flash, an NBA development league team), will also feature a 10,000-seat sports arena, commercial and retail space, a greenbelt, a lake for wakeboarding, and residences. (If the name sounds familiar, Gehry’s the architect who created the avant garde Walt Disney Concert Hall in L.A.)
Another major addition to the valley is the Embassy Suites Hotel in Pleasant Grove, a John Q. Hammons project that includes a 13-story, 300-suite hotel with an adjoining 120,000-square-foot convention center (the Grand Ballroom will have 40,000 sq. ft. of function space). Groundbreaking ceremonies on the property took place last month; the anticipated completion date is spring 2009.
A third project—currently in the discussion phase—is a county-built, 30,000 to 40,000-square-foot conference center in downtown Provo.
Whew!
In the meantime, the valley framed by the Wasatch Mountains to the east and Oquirrh Mountains to the west, provides planners with out-of-the-ordinary meeting and retreat options, plus limitless outdoor recreation.
According to Joel Racker, president and CEO of the Utah Valley Convention & Visitors Bureau (utahvalley.org), the area’s history, natural beauty, close proximity to Salt Lake Airport, and attractions make the area a terrific destination for meetings (ideal size is small to mid-size groups).
Plus, he says, “We’re not just close to the Wasatch Front, we’re in it.”
Sundance Resort
Set in a narrow canyon at the base of Mount Timpanogos, Robert Redford’s Sundance Resort (sundanceresort.com) is an intimate, low-key retreat where the arts, recreation and nature blend seamlessly into a whole. “It’s an experience, a feel,” Racker says. The village itself has 95 cottages and 10 mountain homes tucked into towering spruce groves, an artisan center with hands-on classes, cultural activities, restaurants, shopping and conference facilities for up to 250. Originally built for the Sundance Institute (which outgrew it), the streamside function space features Native American art and crafts, stone fireplaces and handcrafted furniture. Meet here, take any of a variety of art classes—from jewelry and pottery making to photography—then ski, hike, bike or go fly fishing in season, in one of the West’s most spectacular settings.
Greater Utah Valley
The closest thing to a “metropolis” you’ll find here is the Provo/Orem area, where about 225,000 residents are clustered. Downtown Provo is an idyllic university town with a pedestrian-friendly, tree-lined main street flanked by scores of shops, art galleries and restaurants. The huge “Y” carved into the mountain announces that this is most definitely the home of Brigham Young University, whose large campus sprawls throughout town. (On another collegiate note, Orem is home to Utah Valley State College, which is becoming a university in 2008.) The area’s main meeting space is the Provo Marriott Hotel and Conference Center (330 rooms; 28,000 sq. ft.; marriott.com), located in the center of town. Also downtown is the newly opened 600-seat performing arts center, available for buyout.
About 20 miles north of Provo is Thanksgiving Point (thanksgivingpoint.com), a truly unique destination. Under one “umbrella” are numerous intriguing venues, starting with the crown jewel, a gorgeous 55-acre garden with both outdoor and indoor event spaces. There’s also the Museum of Ancient Life, housing more than 60 skeletal displays (the world’s largest dinosaur museum); a Johnny Miller-designed golf course, recognized as one of the finest in the West by Golf Digest; and the Show Barn, which can accommodate up to 1,000 for concerts, dinners and corporate events. The Hampton Inn Lehi-Thanksgiving Point (76 rms) recently opened nearby; a Spring Hill Suites is currently under construction. Back to Top
More than an ancient sand peninsula of interest to hang gliders, it’s a signal of great things to come for the picturesque valley and its surrounding area, an expanding destination that will give meeting professionals even more opportunities to consider in the coming years.
The Lehi landmark is also the locus of a newly announced community whose centerpiece will be a Five-Diamond Frank Gehry-designed hotel and convention center. The project, undertaken by entrepreneur Brandt Andersen (who is majority owner of the Utah Flash, an NBA development league team), will also feature a 10,000-seat sports arena, commercial and retail space, a greenbelt, a lake for wakeboarding, and residences. (If the name sounds familiar, Gehry’s the architect who created the avant garde Walt Disney Concert Hall in L.A.)
Another major addition to the valley is the Embassy Suites Hotel in Pleasant Grove, a John Q. Hammons project that includes a 13-story, 300-suite hotel with an adjoining 120,000-square-foot convention center (the Grand Ballroom will have 40,000 sq. ft. of function space). Groundbreaking ceremonies on the property took place last month; the anticipated completion date is spring 2009.
A third project—currently in the discussion phase—is a county-built, 30,000 to 40,000-square-foot conference center in downtown Provo.
Whew!
In the meantime, the valley framed by the Wasatch Mountains to the east and Oquirrh Mountains to the west, provides planners with out-of-the-ordinary meeting and retreat options, plus limitless outdoor recreation.
According to Joel Racker, president and CEO of the Utah Valley Convention & Visitors Bureau (utahvalley.org), the area’s history, natural beauty, close proximity to Salt Lake Airport, and attractions make the area a terrific destination for meetings (ideal size is small to mid-size groups).
Plus, he says, “We’re not just close to the Wasatch Front, we’re in it.”
Sundance Resort
Set in a narrow canyon at the base of Mount Timpanogos, Robert Redford’s Sundance Resort (sundanceresort.com) is an intimate, low-key retreat where the arts, recreation and nature blend seamlessly into a whole. “It’s an experience, a feel,” Racker says. The village itself has 95 cottages and 10 mountain homes tucked into towering spruce groves, an artisan center with hands-on classes, cultural activities, restaurants, shopping and conference facilities for up to 250. Originally built for the Sundance Institute (which outgrew it), the streamside function space features Native American art and crafts, stone fireplaces and handcrafted furniture. Meet here, take any of a variety of art classes—from jewelry and pottery making to photography—then ski, hike, bike or go fly fishing in season, in one of the West’s most spectacular settings.
Greater Utah Valley
The closest thing to a “metropolis” you’ll find here is the Provo/Orem area, where about 225,000 residents are clustered. Downtown Provo is an idyllic university town with a pedestrian-friendly, tree-lined main street flanked by scores of shops, art galleries and restaurants. The huge “Y” carved into the mountain announces that this is most definitely the home of Brigham Young University, whose large campus sprawls throughout town. (On another collegiate note, Orem is home to Utah Valley State College, which is becoming a university in 2008.) The area’s main meeting space is the Provo Marriott Hotel and Conference Center (330 rooms; 28,000 sq. ft.; marriott.com), located in the center of town. Also downtown is the newly opened 600-seat performing arts center, available for buyout.
About 20 miles north of Provo is Thanksgiving Point (thanksgivingpoint.com), a truly unique destination. Under one “umbrella” are numerous intriguing venues, starting with the crown jewel, a gorgeous 55-acre garden with both outdoor and indoor event spaces. There’s also the Museum of Ancient Life, housing more than 60 skeletal displays (the world’s largest dinosaur museum); a Johnny Miller-designed golf course, recognized as one of the finest in the West by Golf Digest; and the Show Barn, which can accommodate up to 1,000 for concerts, dinners and corporate events. The Hampton Inn Lehi-Thanksgiving Point (76 rms) recently opened nearby; a Spring Hill Suites is currently under construction. Back to Top
Getting There
Back to TopWhat's New?
Pleasant Grove Progress | Developer John Q. Hammons announced that two new hotel properties are expected to be added to the...
Back to TopFast Facts
| Population | 2,233,169 |
|---|---|
| Altitude | 4,226 ft |
| Temperature | 29°f - 85°f |
| Nearest Airport | Salt Lake City International Airport |
Map
Free Property Info
View 1000s of great properties and find the one that's right for your next meeting.
Tempting Turkeys
Gobble up the iced sugar cookies yourself or bring them to a holiday party, they are the perfect treat to satisfy any sweet tooth.
