Smart Meetings

This is you right now: eyes closed, stretched out on the webbing of a chaise, coated in Bain de Soleil, warming in the sunshine from head to toe. An unread paperback lies on the glass-top table next to you. And the movement of the ice cubes in your drink, the hum of the pool filter and the rustling of the palm leaves are the only disturbances in your entire universe. Welcome to Palm Springs.

"The number one thing people come out here for is to relax," says Mark Graves, director of communications for the Palm Springs Desert Resorts Convention and Visitors Auth-ority. "Even when we've done surveys, it's not golf and tennis, but rather to relax, to sit poolside and soak up the sun and get back in touch with oneself." 

You can bet you've got a group of hyperventilating people in your charge who would kiss your toes for helping them to ease into a rested, warmed, centered and calm state at their next meeting-and that's before you've programmed in a spa treatment. And the nice thing is, the rest of the set-up-from the easy, open-air airport with lots of airlift, luxurious hotels and legendary houses for events, to the gamut of outdoor activities and the vibrant nightlife in the various theaters, casinos and bistros-will only reinforce those soothing benefits, not wear them back down to the nub.

You can do it on a budget in the shoulder season, May-June and October-November. Even July-September works if you schedule outdoor activities in the early or sunset hours; after all, you're likely meeting in air-conditioned comfort midday anyway. However, most of the events and entertainment are presented during the high season, which runs from New Year's through the end of April.

THE COMMUNITIES

The communities dot a desert valley some 25 miles long, situated between two dramatic mountain ranges that soar up as high as 10,000 feet. And, as an industry professional, you undoubtedly already know about the 100-plus golf courses, countless (actually more than 600) tennis courts and tens of thousands of pools that come together, under the umbrella term Palm Springs. 

What's a little confusing, however, is the array of a total of eight cities under that umbrella-flowing mostly southward out of the city of Palm Springs (Palm Springs Tourism Bureau; palm-springs.org)-with a total of 25 convention hotels, myriad boutique properties and some 40 spas. These include neighboring Desert Hot Springs to the north and adjacent Cathedral City to the southeast, as well as Rancho Mirage and Palm Desert clustered in the center, and finally Indian Wells, La Quinta and Indio in the south. 

Growing ever more compelling each year is the Cabazon area, in a somewhat-isolated area northwest of Palm Springs, about 20 minutes toward Los Angeles on I-10. The big attractions are the AAA Four Diamond-rated Morongo Casino, Resort & Spa, and the nearby and frankly not-to-be-missed shopping at the 130-store Desert Hills Premium Outlets (premiumoutlets.com) and Cabazon Outlets (cabazonoutlets.com). It makes quite a half- day for spousal entertainment when the stores are run by Ferragamo, Gucci, St. John, Coach and their gold-plated ilk. In fact, groups fly in from all over the world, especially Asia, for post-Christmas bargains on the sought-after brand names. 

Each Desert Resort community is distinct-ranging from earthy to opulent-in its style, hotels, resorts, spas, casinos, shopping and even street-side landscaping. It's not complicated, though, to figure out which spot is right for your group to establish as home base. "Some of our cities lend themselves better  to large groups," explains Graves, giving us  an overview.

"It depends on the hotel; some of the larger ones are destinations in themselves. Indian Wells is a little higher end, with four hotels right together, backed by a really great golf course. Palm Springs has that "play" mystique. La Quinta, you can imagine how that would be for group meetings. They all do have their unique selling points. In Rancho Mirage, the Westin and Rancho Las Palmas are the only two big convention hotels. Right next door in Palm Desert you have the Marriott." Lots of choices and the Palm Springs Desert Resorts Convention and Visitors Authority (meetinginpalmsprings.com) can help you make the best decision.

MEETINGS CENTRAL

What's fun is to go back and forth for various activities between the cities, along undulating Highway 111 that ties seven of the eight together. However, it's entirely possible that you'll be able to schedule a midsize convention in the city of Palm Springs starting in mid-2009, accommodate everyone very comfortably within steps of the spectacular Palm Springs Convention Center (palmspringscc.-com) and still be only a short stroll to the many attractions and restaurants at the  town's center. 

Re-opened in late 2005 after a $34-million expansion, the convention center now offers 112,000 sq. ft. of contiguous exhibit space with a total of 140,000 sq. ft. and a design strikingly inspired by the valley's natural surroundings. Then there's the 410-room Wyndham Hotel immediately adjacent. The 261-room Hilton Palm Springs is a little more than a block away, and just beyond is the Spa Resort Casino, whose 228-room hotel will be demolished after July 2008 for its 420-room replacement. Also immediately nearby is the hip, one-year-old Hotel Zoso with 161 rooms. And four blocks away, door-to-door, is the Hyatt Regency Suites with 193 suites. 

"It's a small town," says Rick Leson, CMP, the convention center's director of sales, "and right now, a 1,200- to 1,500-person convention takes over; it's a citywide where all the hotels and restaurants put out signs of welcome. It's a special experience and it's hard for larger areas to compete with that." 

However, the convention center area's master plan is allowing for additional development, and therefore even more options to fit your future needs, according to Leson. Plans for a new Hard Rock condominium-hotel, with approximately 450 luxury residences, were  just approved for a site across the street to the west-to open in late 2009. Next proposal for the city's expected sign-off is a project for an additional condo-tel (whose renowned brand we regret we can't share with you quite yet). This will have an estimated 275 to 350 rooms located across the street from the convention center to the north, also projecting a 2009 opening. In all, it's a potential grand total  in excess of 2,000 rooms in  the immediate area within  two years.

LEGENDARY  GLAMOUR

Initially, it was the "Two-Hour Rule" that brought the movie stars to the desert, according to Graves. "Certain celebrities couldn't be more than two hours away from their studios, and when it's 65 degrees or so on the coast, it's 85 here; they could come out here to play tennis and golf  at the few courses that were out there at the time. They could work on their tans in the '40s and '50s. It was remote and they could come and go as they pleased and no one  would bother them." 

It was an alluring package that drew the likes of Bob Hope and his "Road" buddy Bing Crosby, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, Dinah Shore, Kirk Douglas, Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner, Natalie Wood and Robert Wagner, William Holden, Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio. And why not? As Graves notes, "It was an environment they could enjoy. But as they began to move here more and more, it upped the cachet of the whole desert; everything followed suit."

Some of their homes-a few done in the midcentury architecture now honored as Palm Springs Modern-are available for events. "Really, no matter the group," says Graves, "once they find out we have the Sinatra home (Twin Palms, with its famed piano-shape pool), Marilyn Monroe's home or John Phillips' (as in The Mamas & the Papas) home, it's something really unusual for groups."

SHOWSTOPPERS

Today, the legacy of Hollywood glamour is carried on by the annual Palm Springs International Film Festival (psfilmfest.org), founded by Palm Springs’ celebrity mayor, and later United States Congressman, Sonny Bono. Last month’s 18th annual PSIFF awards gala (see Smart Scene on pg. 4) drew Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, Cate Blanchett and Kate Winslet, Alan Arkin and Sydney Pollack, along with a delighted contingent of meeting professionals to the Palm Springs Convention Center. Charlize Theron, Jake Gyllenhaal, Viggo Mortensen, William H. Macy and Shirley MacLaine came last year. If you’re looking for a WOW event, a table at the 2008 gala could be part of a memorable incentive package. Individual tickets were $350 this year.

There’s also marquee entertainment. The spectacular Indian Wells Tennis Garden (iwtg.net) not only holds the world-renowned Pacific Life Open Tennis Tournament (pacificlifeopen.com), which takes place this year March 5–18, but also puts on open-air concerts. In the recent past, they have featured the likes of Pavarotti and Bocelli. The 2006 lineup included The Eagles, RBD, The Who, and Tom Petty with Jackson Brown.

The 2006 Coachella Fest featured Madonna and, according to the convention center’s Rick Leson, more and more headliners are being brought to the area because of the casinos. For example, the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino (fantasyspringsresort.com) in Indio has Dolly Parton this month and comedian George Carlin next month. The Spa Resort Casino (sparesortcasino.com) in downtown Palm Springs presents The Moody Blues this month. The ballet-like acrobatic performances of Cirque Dreams at the Palm Springs Pavilion Theatre (pspavilion.com) adds another vibrant entertainment option.

However, truly unique in the world is The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies (psfollies.com), which performs in the historic Plaza Theater in downtown Palm Springs. The review features the music and dance routines of the 1930s and ’40s, with, as they say, “A cast old enough to have lived it!” SERIOUSLY, nobody can even audition for the famed chorus line until they’ve hit their 50th birthday. The performers are longtime professionals, costumed in true Lido de Paris-style (with strategically placed nude netting). They range in age from 53 to 83 years “young,” yet their showgirl figures and high-kicking energy send audience members—some young enough to be their grandchildren—back to the fitness center stripped of excuses.
 
SUNUP TO SUNDOWN

Beyond a round of golf or two sets of tennis, the area offers some one-of-a-kind outdoor experiences for your group, as well. You don’t have to risk a journey to the Middle East to see Indian Canyons (800-790-3398), North America’s largest natural palm oasis. Owned by the Cahuilla Indians, descendents of the area’s original inhabitants, the canyons land is additionally intriguing for its babbling brooks and waterfalls, and can be enjoyed in a group ride on horseback or on foot. Surprisingly, it’s only a short distance from Palm Springs’ downtown.

Farther afield is the 800,000-acre Joshua Tree National Park (nps.gov/jotr), where Elite Land Tours (elitelandtours.com) will not only take your group in the armor-plated (well, not actually) comfort of a Hummer, but can also have a white-linen, open-air luncheon awaiting upon arrival at a fabulous scenic spot within the park.

Another distinct pleasure is the Living Desert, A Zoo & Gardens (livingdesert.org), a 1,200-acre botanical garden showcasing rare and endangered desert animals as well as African wildlife. They also have event space.

Amazingly, an alpine climate, with cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in winter, is only a smooth 10-minute lift away from the north end of Palm Springs, up to 8,516 feet above sea level, in the Mount San Jacinto State Park and Wilderness area. The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway (pstramway.com) operates six-year-old, Swiss-made trams that are not only the first in North America to rotate a full 360 degrees for viewing, but which are also are the largest of their type in the world. This means your group can ascend very efficiently. Two restaurants with spectacular views of the valley below, meeting and catered event space, as well as rental equipment in snow season, await at the top. In the warmer months, the area offers spectacular hiking on more than 54 miles of trails in cool temperatures.

There’s also off-roading, jeep tours to the infamous San Andreas Fault (red-jeep.com), hot-air ballooning, and even golf-cart polo matches for your group, the latter at the Empire Polo Club in Indio (empirepoloevents.com). Not to worry, experienced polo players take the driver’s seat as your attendees ride shotgun, wielding a mallet and letting loose with their competitive instincts.
 
OTHER TREATS

Adjacent to Palm Springs International Airport’s runways, the 65,000-square-foot Palm Springs Air Museum (PalmSpringsAirMuseum.org) holds an extraordinary collection of 20th-century combat and historic aircraft. These are meticulously maintained in flying condition, attested to by the oil pans underneath the engines in the immaculate facility.

Your group’s CEO or other Big Cheese can make an unforgettable entrance aboard the museum’s flying B-17, which will taxi right up to the museum’s rear—galleries opened wide—mid-reception or prior to your sit-down dinner. Four to five changing exhibitions are mounted annually. The current “Leonardo da Vinci, Father of Flight” exhibition showcases 60 either full-size or scale-model working replicas all in wood from Florence, showing the genius’ innovations in transportation, combat or construction. These include a very modern-looking two-wheel bicycle, a parachute, a paddle boat and an astonishing, fully functional, armor-clad robot designed to entertain royalty, no less.

“I think that some of our key selling points are the beauty and the sun and the outdoor activities,” notes Mark Graves. “We have a lot of outdoor venues: the polo fields, the canyons, the top of the trams, the celebrity homes that can be used for group receptions. A lot of our hotels are full-service with 60 swimming pools…so would you rather come here or go to St. Louis? The valley, as a whole, is a beautiful, serene, fun place to be.”

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Getting There

Palm Springs International Airport (PSP; palmspringsairport.com), just minutes from downtown Palm Springs, is served by 14 airlines (some seasonally), and has nonstop service from Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Denver, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Phoenix, Portland, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, Seattle in the U.S. and from Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver in Western Canada. Most downtown hotels provide shuttle service.

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Not To Be Missed

From Mark Graves, director of communications, Palm Springs Desert Resorts Convention and Visitors Authority

• Enjoy a spa treatment at one of the resorts.
• Take a trip to the top on The Palm Springs Tramway.
• Walk Palm Canyon Drive and enjoy VillageFest on a Thursday evening.
• Try to get out in the canyon area especially early in the morning and where it’s remote, so you can experience the calm and the quiet of the desert. When I have guests in town, it’s where I take them. It’s really beautiful.
• Savor the starry nights; we have so few street nights.

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What's New?

Palm Springs’ Tempting Offer | Groups booking with select Palm Springs-area convention hotels by the end of this year can now re...

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