Smart Meetings

“We like to think we’re a gateway to all that Arizona has to offer,” says Dan Tavrytzky, vice president of sales and service for Scottsdale Convention and Visitors Bureau (scottsdalecvb.com). “We like to be the connection to that.”

Surrounded by Sonoran Desert and the McDowell and Superstition mountains, Scottsdale is certainly a connection to Arizona’s great outdoor playgrounds. Be sure you find some time to explore the desert, with its enormous Saguaro cactus, unique rock formations and abundance of wildlife that includes mountain lions, Gila monsters and coyotes.

“The desert just has its own beauty,” says Tavrytzky. “You literally see coyotes in the desert. When you see them in their natural habitat, it’s pretty cool.”

But while accessible to Phoenix, the Sonoran Desert and an array of outdoor activities, Scottsdale has a wealth of original venues and attractions that give the city its own unique identity in the meetings market. One of the city’s draws is a thriving arts scene, thanks, in part, to a special tax that allows the commissioning of public art. Take some time to meander through the array of art, both in public and private spaces throughout the city.

Should your group include art enthusiasts, they can peruse the hole-in-the-wall galleries and one-of-a-kind shops in Scottsdale’s Arts District, showcasing a wide range of Western, Representational and American Realism art. Or hold an event surrounded by art—literally—at the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (smoca.org), the only museum in Arizona devoted to modern-day art, architecture and design. Host an event for up to 100 guests, reception-style, in the museum’s spacious lobby, or in one of the museum’s five galleries, which offer many changing exhibits.

Capturing Scottsdale’s passion for the artistically unique is Frank Lloyd Wright’s magnificent desert masterpiece Taliesin West (franklloydwright.org), the renowned architect’s winter home overlooking the entire metropolitan Phoenix Valley from atop 600 acres in the McDowell Mountain foothills. Precede your event with a memorable cocktail reception on the Sunset Terrace and take in the dramatic views of the architecturally stunning buildings and the valley to the west. Outdoor spaces surrounding the house can accommodate groups up to 500 and indoor areas like the Cabaret Theater and Pavilion Stage can be booked for smaller groups.

And if your group wants to develop their cowboy (or girl) skills, give them an education at Arizona Cowboy College (cowboy-college.com) where wannabes can sleep under the stars and partake in rigorous classes to learn about horsemanship, while getting on-the-range lessons in branding, inoculating and driving cattle.

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Getting There

Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (skyharboraiport.com) is served by 19 airlines with nonstop service to more than 100 U.S. cities. Tucson International Airport (tucsonairport.org) is served by 11 airlines with nonstop services to 17 cities and connections to more than 121 destinations. Back to Top

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