Smart Meetings | Page 395 of 603 | Corporate Event Planning: Business Events, Meetings, Conferences

A successful event is about more than just great facilities, it’s about experiences that inspire purpose and promote connection. With a backdrop of natural beauty and man-made fun, Wisconsin Dells, “The Waterpark Capital of the World!®” offers the perfect combination of inspiration and innovation.

MEETING SPACE

In addition to being a top tourism destination, Wisconsin Dells has quickly risen to become a top Midwest meeting destination, hosting more than 5,600 meetings and conventions each year. The 500,000 square feet of well-designed meeting space in the destination suit events large and small.

ACCOMMODATIONS

With more than 8,000 rooms, from hotel suites, to a rustic retreat, to lakeside condominiums, Wisconsin Dells offers a wide variety of lodging options for groups of all sizes. However, it’s the waterpark resorts that are the biggest draw. They’re great fun for grown-ups and a plus for attendees who want to bring along the kids and spouse.

ATTRACTIONS

The area’s resorts and convention centers offer meeting space, guest rooms, restaurants, and attractions all under one roof. For those looking for an authentic experience, Wisconsin Dells offers amenities appealing to nearly every interest including waterpark fun, championship golf courses, multiple spas, a 24-hour casino, a wide variety of shopping, and over 90 restaurants. In Wisconsin Dells, your event won’t just be successful, it’ll be inspirational.

Make a splash and start creating your event in Wisconsin Dells. Call (888) 339-3822, ext. 342, or visit MeetInTheDells.com to start planning today!

The heart and soul of Springfield, Missouri is rooted in its genuine dedication to hard work and homegrown innovation. With a unique mix of the vitality and conveniences of a metropolitan city coupled with the warm hospitality reminiscent of a small town, Springfield is an ideal place for business, conventions and events. The city offers an array of new and updated facilities to accommodate a variety of events, and our services can be tailored to your needs to ensure that your event is a success.

Event attendees will enjoy the unique culture of Springfield’s downtown district and an abundance of dining options as well as exciting, family-friendly attractions. Downtown Springfield balances modern amenities with historical charm and offers a glimpse into Springfield’s bustling commerce and its one-of-a-kind art scene as well as a myriad of local restaurants, bars, vintage shopping and boutiques. The city also has more than 800 local eateries with a wide range of cuisine options from classic Midwestern fare to fresh farm-to-table dining and even a variety of exotic international flavors.

Immerse your group in the world’s largest fish and wildlife attraction, Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium. This facility showcasing 35,000 live fish, mammals, reptiles, amphibians and birds along with immersive wildlife galleries was voted America’s best aquarium and best new attraction. Event attendees can also quench their thirst for adventure by visiting the original and largest Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World with almost 500,000 square feet dedicated to celebrating the beauty of the great outdoors or ride on a Jeep-drawn tram through America’s ride-through cave at Fantastic Caverns. Baseball fans can also get up-close and personal with tomorrow’s major leaguers while attending a game of the Springfield Cardinals, double-A affiliate of the World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals, at Hammons Field.

With so much to offer, Springfield is a destination guaranteed to make your event memorable, and wherever your business takes you in Springfield, we’ll make sure you always feel at home.

The ideal meeting location offers convenient travel, the right amount of meeting space, and great service. But the JW Marriott resorts of the Desert Southwest were designed to exceed these basic needs and transform your event into an exceptional and memorable experience for you and your guests.

Extraordinary environments. The Desert Southwest offers more than 300 days of sunshine complimented by blue skies, mountain horizons, and unique landscapes. With limitless vistas, this big-sky environment encourages perspective, reflection, and motivation.
Exquisitely outside. Our luxury resorts offer an oasis of pool options, tranquil gardens, and outdoor event spaces that create a retreat setting day or night.
World-class greens. Championship golf courses offer days for personal challenge, team building, guest entertainment and sporting fun.
Ultimate sanctuaries. Our full-service spas reward hard work, restore the spirits, and offer the ultimate relaxation to nurture both mind and body. Let our experts craft thoughtful and highly personalized approaches to your overall well-being.
Inspirational spaces. Our event spaces offer thousands of square feet of flexible indoor and outdoor function space. If you have an event vision, we can match the right space for your needs. Or let our spectacular spaces inspire you and we can build a unique event or conference theme for you.
The ultimate in connectivity. Our new technology and wireless services throughout our resorts keep your guests in top performance. Our audiovisual and technical experts are on-hand to monitor connectivity and perfectly execute your event.
Impeccable service. Everything is done with care and precision at JW Marriott. That includes little touches that add up to exceptional experiences. Let us help you realize your next meetings success.

Two destinations, one exclusive offer. Choose between two luxurious JW Marriott resorts for your meetings and events and receive a complimentary one-hour reception up to peak room nights contracted, including refreshing wine and well cocktails and flavorful hot and cold hors d’oeuvres.

For meetings and conferences ranging from 10 to 500 rooms on peak nights, JW Marriott Las Vegas Resort & Spa in vibrant Las Vegas, Nevada offers complete resort services, large guest rooms, golf at TPC Las Vegas and exciting gaming at Rampart Casino.

For meetings and conferences to accommodate 50 to 2000, JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa in beautiful Palm Desert, California features newly renovated rooms, reception, and meeting spaces as well as championship golf, tennis, and its signature lagoon and gondola rides.

For further details and booking information: http://deals.marriott.com/jw-marriott-hotels-resorts/smartmeetingssummer

New and recently renovated hotels. Innovative meeting venues. And a new single-terminal coming to Kansas City International Airport. As the heart of the New Midwest, Kansas City is leading the way with a renewed energy fueled by creativity. The center of the country is quickly becoming the center of attention.

New and Recently Renovated Hotels

With more than 33,000 hotel rooms in the Kansas City metro area—and more on the way—there’s a spot for everyone in your group. You’ll find major brands alongside upscale boutiques and historic renovations. New Downtown properties, like 21c Museum Hotel, Crossroads Hotel and Hotel Indigo, are already wowing guests. And the 800-room Loews Kansas City Hotel will not only enhance the Downtown skyline in 2020, but it will add another 60,000 square feet of prime meeting space.

Easily accessible by KC Streetcar and known for its all-in-one attractions, shopping and lodging, Crown Center also shines as a premier business hub. With 150,000 square feet of meeting space and 1,500 guest rooms at its marquee properties, the newly renovated Westin Kansas City at Crown Center and the Sheraton Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center are sure to impress your attendees.

Kansas City’s Stellar Convention Package

Count on the complete package when you host your meeting in Downtown KC, one of America’s 10 Best Downtowns according to Forbes. More than 6,000 hotel rooms—2,000 of which connect directly to the Kansas City Convention Center, a state-of-the-art complex with 800,000 square feet of get-down-to-business meeting space. Plus, easy access to shopping, dining and entertainment options galore. And the totally free-to-ride KC Streetcar, complete with complimentary Wi-Fi, connecting it all.

Innovative and Flexible Meeting Space

The Kansas City Convention Center can serve every meeting need under one roof. The eight-square-block convention and special event facility features an accommodating 388,800 square feet of column-free exhibit space on one floor; 48 state-of-the-art meeting rooms; a 2,400-seat fine arts theater; an arena that sits more than 10,700 people and a unique outdoor festival plaza. Plus, not only is the facility in a single location, the Convention Center is connected to major Downtown hotels and parking by skywalks and underground walkways.

It Pays to Meet in the New Midwest

Thinking of holding a meeting in Kansas City in 2020 or 2021? Visit KC will make it more than worth your while with cash incentives of up to $5,000 for qualified group contracts signed by June 30, 2019. There’s never been a better time to get together and get down to business in Kansas City. Learn more and start planning at VisitKC.com/Meet.

If your group is heading to Mexico’s Pacific Coast, it’s likely to try many traditional dishes, regardless of the destination.

They include ceviche, lime-marinated fresh seafood mixed with chopped white onions, cucumbers, tomatoes, green chile peppers and cilantro; aguachile, a seafood cocktail similar to ceviche but very spicy, typically made with shrimp; pozole, a savory stew made from hominy and pork or chicken; pate de camaron, a chopped shrimp spread made with cream cheese, herbs and hot sauce; and birria, a meat stew, made with beef, goat or lamb. These may vary somewhat from city to city and chef to chef, but the basic foundation of the dishes remains the same.

Enjoy them with a local beverage. Try Mexican beer in Los Cabos (perhaps the ubiquitous Corona or Tecate, but there’s now a nascent craft beer movement there). Before or after your meal in Riviera Nayarit or Puerto Vallarta, have a shot of tequila (which originated in Jalisco, home state of Puerto Vallarta) or raicilla, the lesser-known, locally produced agave spirit.

In Mazatlan, only brown-bottle Pacifico will do (its parent company has a brewery there that you can tour). Increasingly, your wine list may include a bottle of, say, Casa de Piedra Tones, a blend of tempranillo and cabernet sauvignon, or Chateau Camou’s Bordeaux-style blend of cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc and merlot, from Valle de Guadalupe in Baja, Mexico’s explosively expanding wine capital.

Oh, and did we mention margaritas? They go with everything—drink them everywhere.

Read more about F&B on Mexico’s Pacific Coast in Carolyn Koenig’s story, “Mexico’s Tantalizing Pacific Coast: Here’s a Taste of What’s New and on the Horizon,” in the June issue of Smart Meetings.

Diagnosis: burnout. If you’re feeling chronically fatigued, cynical or unproductive at work, you could now be officially, medically diagnosed with burnout, according to World Health Organization’s International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11). The result of a high-stress work environment, meeting planners are especially susceptible, holding one of the top five most stressful jobs of 2018, according to CareerCast.

For those who would like to skip the trip to the doctor’s office, we’ve compiled our best in stress management content from over the years—plus a legitimate reason to get a massage.

Tips for Less Stress Before, During and After an Event

4 Extremely Luxurious Spa Tourism Options

How to De-Stress in 20 Minutes or Less

The Smart Question: How Do You Deal with Stress?

10 Apps to Become More Mindful and Stress-Free

Everywhere you turn, people have their phone in hand—some while crossing busy intersections, driving, at theaters or at public gatherings. Some even in the middle of dinner. The late Dr. Neil Postman, author of Technopoly, warned us that technology has a way of taking over quickly without us realizing.

Fortunately, we can take charge of our own behaviors. We don’t have to be grasping that little gadget all day. Here are four tips to help you to retain control of the powerful, hand-held device that you own, covet, and count on so often throughout the day.

1) Set aside times throughout the day to put down your phone.

It is to your benefit to have stretches throughout the day when you are not giving instant attention to the latest email, text, or news. Use this time to focus, disconnect and breathe.

2) Have a purpose in mind when you do use your cell phone.

If you have calls to make, it’s often productive to make them all in the same sitting. If you’re checking the news, listening to music or reviewing photographs, decide in advance how much time you will devote to that endeavor before turning back to what you were working on.

3) Consider the type of apps available that will help you to complete tasks faster or make your career or life easier.

Many people load up phone with apps, but they don’t use most them. However, a handful of high-utility apps can provide great benefit to you. Ask around. What are your peers, friends and relatives using? What have they found to be most effective?

4) Ban the phone from the bedroom.

The light and stimulation you get when using your phone can delay the onset of sleep and impact your ability to rest soundly. Turn off devices an hour before turning in and you could wake up refreshed and ready for another day.

Jeff Davidson is “The Work-Life Balance Expert.” His next book is Everyday Project Management (Berrett-Koehler, Sept 3, 2019, 267 pages). He speaks to organizations that seek to enhance overall productivity by improving the work-life balance of their people. Visit breathingspace.com for more information.

Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts’ board of directors named John Davison president and CEO, effective immediately. Davison has been working with Four Seasons for nearly 18 years and had served as interim CEO since the end of 2018.

He joined the executive team in 2002 and was named chief financial officer in 2005. He also oversaw Four Seasons global residential business, which includes 42 residential projects around the world.

Before Four Seasons, Davison worked at IMAX corporation for 14 years as president, chief financial officer and chief operating officer. For four years, he was a member of the audit and business investigations practices at KPMG in Toronto.

“It is a privilege to continue working alongside our board, our leadership team and our more than 45,000 talented and dedicated employees as we take Four Seasons into the next phase of its continued growth and innovation,” Davison said.

He currently sits on the board of directors of Canada Goose Holdings Inc., Benevity Inc. and IMAX China Holding Co.

As demand for event space goes up, convention centers around the globe are feeling the pressure to expand. This has led to a wave of proposals, ground breakings and ribbon cuttings. Smart Meetings rounded up some of the projects in the pipeline that you may want to check out for you next conference.

California

San Diego

In March 2020, a citizens’ initiative to expand the San Diego Convention Center, backed by San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, will go before voters. Voters will be asked to approve a hotel transient tax that will help fund the enhancement and expansion of the convention center; millions of dollars will also be allocated to funding homeless programs and fixing roads.

If the proposal is approved, hotel guests will see a transient occupancy tax increase from 12.5 to 15.75, depending on the hotel’s proximity to the convention center.

“Every year, San Diego misses out on major convention, trade show and event opportunities. This results in the loss of millions of dollars in tax revenue that could be used to address the urgent issues of homelessness, road repair and protecting our economy,” said Clifford “Rip” Rippletoe, president and chief executive officer of San Diego Convention Center.

Canada

Calgary, Alberta

The Canadian federal government will help fund expansion of BMO Convention and Trade Centre in Calgary. The provincial government and the city will help fund the remaining two-thirds. Ottawa says it will direct $167 million to develop the project.

Construction on the convention center should commence soon, as the Calgary Municipal Land Corporation has just selected the three firms that will help with design and construction. When the renovation is complete, BMO will be the second-largest convention center in the country, boasting nearly one-million sq. ft. of space.

The specifics of the convention expansion have not been detailed, but it could more than double in size. Renovation is scheduled for completion in 2024.

Colorado

Denver

Denver Public Works has restarted bidding to renovate their Colorado Convention Center expansion project, after cancelling the process late last year. Estimated at $233 million, the project will include adding a 50,000 square foot outdoor terrace and adding 80,000 sq. ft. of ballroom or meeting space.

Indianapolis

Indiana

A $120 million expansion is planned for Indiana Convention Center, as part of a larger city development project. Convention goers will see an added 50,000 sq. ft. of event space, as well as two Hilton-branded hotels, both of which will be connected to the convention center, adding 1,400 guestrooms.

A date for construction has yet to be released, but the project is expected to be approved before the end of the year.

Maryland

Baltimore

After much discussion about renovating Baltimore Convention Center, two bills have recently won support from Maryland General Assembly. In fiscal year 2020, legislation will meet to discuss the planning and design of the convention center’s renovation. Funds will be divided between the stadium authority—which will pay two-thirds of the cost—and Baltimore, which will pay the remaining one-third.

A report released last summer proposed a near doubling of square footage of the current convention space, which sits at 300,000 sq. ft. of exhibition space, 36,700 sq. ft. of ballroom space and 70,500 sq. ft. of meeting space.

Ocean City

Photo credit: Roland E. Powell Convention Center

A multiyear plan to renovate the Roland E. Powell Convention Center resulted in a $24.5 million budget to begin construction. The center will see an increase of 30,000 sq. ft. of exhibition space, from 60,000 sq. ft. of space to 90,000 sq. ft.

Missouri

St. Louis

Photo credit: America’s Convention Center

At the end of last year, Explore St. Louis announced that America’s Center Convention Complex will undergo a $175 million renovation. Ninety-two million sq. ft. of exhibit space will be added to the complex, in addition to a 65,000-square-foot ballroom. Twenty-six loading docks will also be added to streamline product unloading.

The city hopes that this renovation will bring new business into the city, as last year America’s Center’s hotel night bookings saw a 30 percent decrease, from 327,578 in 2017, to 230,554. Many large conventions—O’Reilly Auto Parts, for instance—need additional space.

New Zealand

Auckland

Construction of New Zealand International Convention Centre has become a much-debated topic among the city’s residents and business owners. The project, which was initially scheduled for completion in February 2019, has now been delayed to “beyond December 2019.”

No new timeline has been provided by SkyCity Entertainment Group, the company that owns the convention center.

Oregon

Portland

Oregon signed a $27 million contract with Colas Corporation to construct the Oregon Convention Center, the largest public contract to be awarded to a minority-owned business as the primary contractor. Currently under way, the $39 million renovation will upgrade ballrooms, public spaces and reconstruct an external plaza on its northeast corner.

The center is projected for completion at the end of the year, along with a 600-room Hyatt Regency, one block away.

Tennessee

Memphis

Construction on Memphis Cook Convention Center began in January and will be under renovation for the next two years. More than 160 million will be spent to update the 44-year-old building; an additional $26 million will be spent on renovating the interior of the facility to make it more flexible.

The convention center will not see a significant increase in square footage, but it will add more breakout rooms, feature a column-free 118,000-square-foot ballroom and add additional loading docks to bring in larger conventions.

Texas

Austin

Whether the Austin Convention Center will see a renovation is still unknown. City council meetings have been held to determine the long-term value of a such a project.

There are a lot of factors to consider when taking on such a large-scale project. Austin City Council authorized University of Texas School of Architecture to submit a report. Among the factors that considered, in addition to size and age, is “the surrounding context of downtown Austin.

Washington State

Seattle

Washington State Convention Center, located in downtown Seattle, is building a 1.4 million-square-foot expansion. Summit—the name of the new building—is scheduled for completion in 2021 and will be open for events in 2022. Demand for meetings in Seattle was so high that construction began early. This addition will include 250,000 sq. ft. of exhibition space, 125,000 sq. ft. of meeting rooms and 60,000 sq. ft. of ballroom space.

Washington, D.C.

The Walter E. Washington Convention Center will begin interior renovation this spring. Work will include 237 new furnishing arrangements throughout the convention center.

In April, the National Capital Planning Commission approved a plan to renovate the exterior of the convention center and the addition of a new food and beverage vendor: D.C. Eats, and a rooftop terrace.

Cities from 10 different states were ranked in the top 10 in a newly released online guide from event management software company Aventri.

The rankings were in The Top 100 Meeting and Event Venues in the United States guide, which ranks cities based on their venues’ capacity, amenities, uniqueness, proximity to attractions and more.

Las Vegas

las-vegas-cva

Amid the casinos and virtually endless amount of entertainment opportunities, Sin City offers event venues that will please any planner.

Venues

Las Vegas Convention Center: At 1.9 million sq. ft. of event space, this is one of the largest convention centers in the world; it features 13 exhibit halls, 145 meetings rooms and plenty of spacious lobby areas. A new 600,000-square-foot exhibition space will be added to the convention center in 2020.

More: Transit System to be Installed Under LVCC

Meet Las Vegas: Meet Las Vegas offers classrooms, a boardroom, an outdoor pavilion and 40,000 sq. ft. of exhibition space in three floors. Add to that in-house catering and top-notch technology, and this space a no-brainer.

The Smith Center: While it technically isn’t a meeting space, this center has various places to host events. Reynolds Hall, its largest space, can seat up to 2,000 people.

Things to do: The Mob Museum offers a new type of museum experience—you can check out artifacts, ranging from real mobsters to law enforcement officials, and watch mob portrayals in the theater. Hike the trails of the Red Rock Canyon, just steps away from The Strip.

New York City

Skyscrapers and pizza aren’t all that’s great about New York City. Plenty of eclectic venue options await the insatiable event planner, from the historic to the modern.

Venues

The Javits Center: Known to be one of the busiest convention centers in the United States, it boasts 840,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, including 102 meeting rooms, on four floors. The center will complete a 1.2 million-square-foot expansion in 2021.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Hold your meeting among centuries-old masterpieces. The Met’s six scenic spaces are ideal for company gatherings.

Center for Architecture: This high-ceiling space has great natural light and state-of-the-art tech throughout its three floors. Planners have the option to rent out a gallery, the ground floor or the entire building.

Things to do: New York has an incredible culinary scene—eat some grub at a couple local staples, such as Lombardi’s, the city’s first pizzeria, and long-standing Katz Deli, open since 1888. Also, the honeycomb-like Vessel at Hudson Yards is a must-see attraction.

San Diego

Does San Diego being listed among the top cities come as a surprise? Well, it shouldn’t. With the great weather, hundreds of hotels and attractions, it’s a top spot for your next event.

Venues

San Diego Convention Center: It’s the largest event space in the city and is conveniently located. In proximity to shops, parks and other prime attractions, “convenient” is an understatement.

USS Midway Museum: Host your next meeting on the Navy’s longest serving aircraft carrier of the 20th Century. The space holds up to 4,000 people.

Bay City Brewing Company: If you have a group of beer connoisseurs, this is your lucky day. Located between San Diego and Mission Bay, this craft brewery offers a tasting room, a private event space and an outdoor patio.

Things to do: Kayak through La Jolla Ecological Reserve. Along this kayaking trip, you’ll run into various sea caves, including Sunny Jim’s Caves, Clams’ Cave and Arch Cave. Balboa Park, rated in the top 10 U.S. parks by TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice, is filled with attractions, such as museums, walking trails and San Diego Zoo.

Orlando

Nicknamed The Theme Park Capital of the World, Orlando is home to Walt Disney World Resort and Universal Studios; and the city hosts incredibly large-scale events. Another nickname arguably could be Meeting Capital of the World.

Venues

Orange County Convention Center: The second-largest convention center in the United States, at 7 million sq. ft. It may be aiming for the top spot, as plans have been made to expand the center, adding 280,000 sq. ft. of new meeting and exhibit space.

House of Blues: If your group eats, breathes and lives for music, this 43,000-square-foot location, which hosts live music daily, is the perfect place.

Kennedy Space Center: Its visitor complex can accommodate groups large and small. Visitors can pay witness to live rocket launches.

Things to do: Groups can participate in plenty of Disney-related activities. Ride the world’s most popular roller-coasters at Disney’s Magic Kingdom or travel around the world at Disney’s Epcot.

Chicago

Home to the world’s first skyscraper, Chicago is a pioneer of innovation. Explore the vast number of meeting spaces in The Windy City.

Venues

McCormick Place: The 2.6 million-square-foot convention space is the largest in the country. Four ballrooms, four theaters and 173 meeting rooms are featured. It’s also linked to Wintrust Arena and five hotels via enclosed skybridges.

https://www.facebook.com/360chicago/videos/10153856052670011/

360 Chicago: Located on the 94th floor of the John Hancock Center, guests in this venue have impressive views of the city. It’s home to Tilt platform, a one-of-its-kind thrill ride that hovers guests 1,000 feet above Magnificent Mile.

Venue Six10: An outdoor terrace, seven event spaces and a wide variety of meeting rooms make this venue as a suitable choice. The venue has recently attained Silver LEED-certified status, as it is powered by 100 percent renewable energy.

Things to do: Millennium Park is home to a load of attractions, including Art Institute of Chicago, The Field Museum of Natural History, Shedd Aquarium and Adler Planetarium. Check out Green Mill Cocktail lounge, which has been around since the Prohibition Era and still houses the booth in which Al Capone sat.

Atlanta

Atlanta has a rich history, including hosting the 1996 Summer Olympics and being the birthplace of Coca-Cola.

Venues

Georgia World Congress Center: The third-largest convention center in the United States, it has more than 1 million sq. ft. of meeting space, 12 exhibit halls, two ballrooms and 100 meeting rooms.

Loft at Castleberry Hill: This space fits well in Atlanta’s Arts District. For planners who’re looking for a chic vibe, this is the place to book.

Hotel Indigo Downtown: The hotel is something of an art installation in and of itself, and it’s adjacent to the 500,000-square-foot AmericasMart Convention Center.

Things to do: Atlanta is filled with historic sites, including Martin Luther King Jr. Historic Site, Carter Presidential Library and the World of Coca-Cola. Step into the driver’s seat at the Porsche Experience Center or swim with sharks and manta rays at Georgia Aquarium.

Nashville

Music can be heard on city streets every hour. An event in Nashville can include jams by legendary bands. It’ll be a fun-filled trip.

More: Site Inspection: Nashville Hits High Notes

Venues

Music City Center: The 2.1 million sq. ft., 16-acre venue provides 66 venues for planners to choose from.

The Bridge Building: This river-facing meeting space has been named one of the greenest buildings in the world. A rooftop patio and indoor space, accommodating up to 1,000 guests, awaits.

Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center: It features gardens, pools and a river, all within the convention center.

Things to do: The Ryman Auditorium, which hosts concerts by names such as Blake Shelton and Luke Combs, was named No. 1 thing to do by U.S. Travel News. For music lovers, Country Music Hall of Fame is the place to stop. You will see lots of artifacts, including Elvis Presley’s solid gold limo.

Phoenix

It’s nicknamed The Valley for a reason, but don’t let the hot, dry weather turn you away. Phoenix is a great venue for groups, with its unparalleled meetings spaces. Pack light.

Venues

Corona Ranch: It’s the only Mexican and Western rodeo ground that offers space to host meetings and events. It’s situated only 6 miles from downtown Phoenix.

Phoenix Convention Center: Located right where the action is, this convention center is a great spot for meetings. It has more than 540,000 sq. ft. of meeting space.

The Phoenician: Surrounded by 250 acres of land, this 450-room property features 90,000 sq. ft. of in-door-outdoor event space.

Things to do: Camelback Mountain, known for its camelback-like resemblance, is one the country’s top hiking destinations and ranked the second-best thing to do in Phoenix by U.S. Travel.

Washington, D.C.

The nation’s capital is home to not only home to historical U.S. monuments, but also a wide-ranging number of gorgeous event spaces.

Venues

Washington National Cathedral: This operating Episcopal Church doubles as an event space. It is also one of the tallest buildings in D.C. Featured are four meeting spaces with stained-glass windows and beautiful sculptures.

District Winery: Specializing in meetings and events, this winery, the first commercial winery in D.C., features six private event rooms that hold 40–450 people.

National Air and Space Museum: Home to the first Wright Flyer and a touchable lunar rock, it doubles as an event space that holds up to 4,000 people.

Things to do: In D.C., favorites include tours of the Washington Monument and White House. And at National Archives Museum, you’ll be able to view the original documents that paved the way to the United States as we now know it, including the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights.

Dallas

This self-proclaimed Home of the Frozen Margarita is rife with life. After the meeting is done, take a stroll down Margarita Mile and explore the multitude of attractions in the city.

Venues

Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas: Located in the heart of downtown, it offers more than 1 million sq. ft. of event space. It’s one of the only United States LEED-EB and ISO green-certified conventions centers.

The Castle at Rockwall: Resting on 10 acres of land, it can accommodate 600 people in its many locations on the property. The Castle also offers eight event experience packages.

Perot Museum of Nature and Science: Featuring 19 different venues, Perot Museum has space for groups of 20–1,500.

Things to do: The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza focuses on President John F. Kennedy’s life, presidency and tragic assassination. Kimbell Art Museum is one of the top small art museums in the world. Offered is a permanent collection of art from legends such as Picasso, Rembrandt and Monet.