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Image - Smart Meetings Business Meeting Professionals Magazine Cover July 2008

July 2008

Giving Back

Team building for a good causeTake the concept of company team-building and mix it with philanthropic activities that make a community and the world a better place, and what have you got? A new wave of company outings that might be taking corporate group bonding to a whole new level.

Business Response Card

Destinations

Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Taos

Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Taos offer a sense of Place

“Red or green?”
When dining out in New Mexico, you’re apt to be asked the state’s quintessential—and official—question. It refers, of course, to chile, a staple in New Mexico’s fabled cuisine, from enchiladas to a bowl of.

Anchorage

ALASKA’S BIGGEST CITY IS HEATING UP

The word “unique” might be one of the most overused in the English language, but it certainly applies to Anchorage.

Denver/Colorado Springs

DENVER—WHERE THE GREAT PLAINS MEET THE ROCKIES, AND FRONTIER CHARM BLENDS WITH BIG-CITY SOPHISTICATION

As far as Denver moments go, you can’t get much more authentic than talking politics with the city’s own “Papa” Jack Weil, the 107-year-old inventor of the snap-button Western shirt.

Southern California

Southern California exudes classic appeal, but you’ve got to come see the latest version

It can be argued that no country in the world has made a stronger impression—either false or accurate—on the global population than the United States.

Western Canada

WESTERN CANADA APPEALS WITH OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES,

With its majestic snow-capped mountains, crystalline lakes, beautiful beaches and endless opportunities for active endeavors, Canada is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts and athletes.

Features

Giving Back

Team building for a good causeTake the concept of company team-building and mix it with philanthropic activities that make a community and the world a better place, and what have you got? A new wave of company outings that might be taking corporate group bonding to a whole new level.

NEW AND RENOVATED: Forging Ahead

New and Renovated Properties Still BoomingEven in the face of a challenging economy, newly constructed and renovated western meeting properties are booming— with an emphasis on luxurious amenities, sustainability and  state-of-the-art technology.

To Boutique or not to Boutique: A Planner's Dilemma

They’re often sleek and shiny with lots of high- tech toys, glam bars with a buzz and sometimes celebrity chefs and rooftop restaurants.

Columns

HEALTHY MEETINGS: Summer Spa-ing

It’s summer! That means it’s time for sun, surf, sand, swimming and other alfresco endeavors.

LEGAL BRIEFS: Negotiate with Confidence

If you’ve been planning meetings for even a short amount of time, negotiation is certainly not a foreign concept.

VIEW FROM VEGAS: New is the New New

Quick: which Las Vegas hotel owner recently made the following statement to a group of investors: “Las Vegas is going to get treated to a spanking, shiny, new, completely original hotel...”?

Departments

Headlines: July 2008

A New Century?The landmark Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles has been purchased from Sunstone for $366.5 million by a group led by investor Michael Rosenfeld.

Smart Sites: July 2008

Chef's Table

Riding the Rails

At four- and five-star restaurants, discerning diners are focused on their meal—the presentation, the quality of the ingredients, the creativity and the overall expertise of the front and back of the house.

Did You Know

Omniscient Accounting

As if you needed another credit card, right?

Give Me 5

Interview with Laura C. Bohannon, CMP

Interview with Laura C. Bohannon, CMP, Bohannon & Associates, Inc. Gardnerville, NV

Quick Quips

Fleetwood Macadamia?

Meeting planners—who can certainly relate to the phrase “don’t stop thinking about tomorrow”—may find Mick Fleetwood and his Island Rumours Band a perfect pick for a party that attendees will never forget.

Smart Insider

Gotta Have It: CD-Burning Digital Recorder

Smart Planner

Using Our Senses

What makes one meeting truly stand out from others? It’s not necessarily how much money was spent but how many positively memorable experiences the attendees recall.

Smart Spaces

THE US GRANT, SAN DIEGO

Soft music literally sets the stage for your elegant event in the Celestial Ballroom at The US Grant hotel in San Diego.

Techno Files

Just The Fax

Sometimes the newest technology isn’t necessarily the best technology.

Win A Trip to Mexico

Show us how smart you are and request FREE property information from our Smart Cart and you could win a trip to Mexico

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A publication tailored for you, the meeting planner professional. We focus exclusively on locations in the western United States (including Alaska and Hawaii), Mexico and Canada.