HelmsBriscoe has introduced McKellar as vice president of its Europe, Middle East and Africa team. She’s been with the company in 2009, previously in the role of managing director for the Northern European market. McKellar has been honored as a Woman of Influence and M&IT Personality of the Year. She actively creates work opportunities for people with autism.
HelmsBriscoe
Lisa Ray
The Resort at Pelican Hill in Newport Beach, California, welcomed Ray as director of financial and insurance sales. In this position, she’ll focus on group sales. Most recently, she served as global account director for Trump Hotels in the West Coast and Canadian markets. Previously, Ray was national sales manager for The Grand Del Mar and The Lodge at Torrey Pines, both in the San Diego area. She’s also worked at L’Auberge Del Mar Resort & Spa in California, The Washington Court Hotel in Washington, D.C., and various Marriott properties.
Ed Walls
Chateau Elan Winery & Resort in Braselton, Georgia, appointed Walls general manager. He was most recently general manager of Diplomat Beach Resort in Hollywood, Florida. Walls previously worked for Arden Hotels, Boykin Management, Hilton Hotels Worldwide and Starwood Hotels & Resorts.
Jamie Mantegazza
Kimpton Marlowe in Cambridge, Massachusetts, boosted Mantegazza to hotel manager from director of housekeeping. She previously worked at other Kimpton properties—Gray Hotel in Chicago, Seafire Hotel & Spa in Grand Cayman and Tryon Park Hotel in Charlotte, North Carolina. Prior to joining the brand, Mantegazza was with Starwood’s Sheraton Boston Hotel.
Ryan Grande
Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo promoted Ryan Grande from director of room and residences to resort manager. He’s previously worked at the brand’s properties in Atlanta, Vancouver and Anguilla as well as Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and Austin, Texas.
Johanna Phillipps
Menlo Park, California’s Rosewood Sand Hill named Phillipps director of sales and marketing. She’s already been on the hotel’s sales team for five years as director of sales and group sales manager. Phillipps previously held catering sales manager and group sales coordinator positions at The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco.
Mark Herbert
Atlanta-based incentive management company Incentive Solutions announced Mark Herbert as the new CEO. He joined the company in 2002 as president and chief operating officer. He’ll retain the title of president. Herbert previously worked for WorldTravel Incentives and Meetings as vice president of incentives and technology.
If the way to your group member’s hearts is through their stomachs, they’ll fall in love with these nine cities. These delicious places offer tours to taste the town.
Las Vegas
Cut into a thick, juicy steak on The Strip. Lip Smacking Foodie Tours’ newest offering, Ultimate Steakhouse Tour, has already been a hit with incentive groups. Guests will enjoy sinfully sumptuous meals at three of the top restaurants in Sin City—Bazaar Meat in SLS Las Vegas, Jean Georges Steakhouse in Aria Resort & Casino and Scotch 80 Prime in Palms Casino Resort. Leave the hard-to-get reservations in the hands of the tour company. Each steak is paired with a carefully selected wine or can be customized to include bourbons, scotches or specialty cocktails.
Lip Smacking Foodie
Columbus, Ohio
Rise and shine with Nick “Dr. Breakfast” Dekker. The blogger, influencer and author leads guided tours of five local breakfast spots in Columbus’ Short North district. Diners will sample pastries, eggs, juice and coffee. Columbus Food Adventures offers a wide variety of additional themed tours, including taco trucks, meat-lovers and dessert.
Phoenix/Scottsdale
Lick your fingers and lips along Taste It Tours in Downtown Phoenix or Old Town Scottsdale. The progressive meal takes guests to between three and five stops for food and drinks. Specialty tours are themed to focus on wine, chocolate or dessert. There’s even a trolley option for participants who prefer to avoid walking. Arizona Food Tours is another popular company available in the Scottsdale and Tempe areas for private lunch, dinner and happy hour culinary experiences.
Shreveport-Bossier, Louisiana
In 2015, chef Hardette Harris established the Official Meal of North Louisiana to distinguish the local cuisine from this region from other parts of the state. The meal is comprised of four courses of soul food that includes servings of fried chicken, fried catfish, barbecue smoked sausage, collard greens, purple hull peas, baked sweet potatoes, plum jelly, pecan pie, hot water cornbread and sweet tea. Groups of up to 40 people can enjoy all of the above on the Us Up North dining experience, provided by Shreveport-Bossier Convention and Tourist Bureau.
Switzerland
Embark on a food safari at Grand Resort Bad Ragaz without even leaving the grounds of the Swiss well-being and medical health resort. Groups are given a passport booklet to redeem four courses at four of the hotel’s seven restaurants, including Michelin Star eatery Igniv. Everyone receives an appetizer, starter, entree and dessert. Menus change seasonally and a variety of cuisines are available, including Mediterranean, German and Japanese.
Grand Resort Bad Ragaz
Hong Kong
In celebration of its 90th anniversary, The Peninsula Hong Kong recently introduced an all-new rendition of its “Culinary Journey.” Guests are taken on a progressive dinner to all the on-site restaurants. The night begins in the historic Heritage and Archive Room, followed by samplings at Felix, with wraparound views of Victoria Harbour, Michelin Star-rated Spring Moon and Gaddi’s, a French restaurant.
Carlsbad, California
Customize a private group experience with Carlsbad Food Tours as a team-building event or corporate party. Participants walk to eight eateries in historic Carlsbad Village, noshing and sipping wine along the way. They also get to chat with the chefs. Up to 20 people at a time can go on the tour and the company can take two tours daily. There’s also a yummy interactive culinary scavenger hunt option.
Chicago
Enjoy a slice or two or three or four on a pizza tour of Chicago. Professional foodie Steve Dolinsky, author of Pizza City, USA: 101 Reasons Why Chicago Is America’s Greatest Pizza Town, designed several walking routes through the Windy City, taking pizza lovers to four pizzerias. Along the way, diners taste four of five different pizza styles—deep dish, tavern, Neopolitan, Roman and Sicilian. During colder months, bus transportation is provided instead. Private, custom tours can be arranged with Pizza City, USA.
Vancouver
Head North to Canada for Granville Island Market Tour, one of several culinary tours offered by Vancouver Foodie Tours. Up to 80 guests will visit Public Market, where they’ll sink their teeth into local produce, breads, pastries, meats and cheeses. Custom packages are available for private tours.
Hotel Crescent Court in Dallas’s Uptown neighborhood added Mope as director of sales and marketing. Most recently, she held the same title at The Westin Dallas Downtown. Previously, she was director of sales and revenue at The Joule in Dallas, as well as previous roles at The Fairmont Chicago Hotel, The Fairmont Turnberry Isle Resort & Club in Aventura, Florida and The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes.
Maytas Jiwalai
Jiwalai joined ConferenceDirect as director of global accounts. He’s based in Thailand and will help planners with site selection and contract negotiation throughout the Asian market. Jiwalai was most recently director of sales at Outrigger Laguna Phuket Beach Resort in Thailand. He previously held sales positions at Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok, Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel and Renaissance Bangkok Ratchaprasong Hotel.
Shane Hannam
Reed Travel Exhibitions’ IBTM appointed Hannam portfolio director. Since first joining Reed Exhibitions more than 16 years ago, Hannam has been sales director of key accounts and international sales executive and sales manager for Europe and the Middle East. He took a brief hiatus from Reed, spending one year at Gartner Worldwide Events as account manager.
Michael Hurt
Nearing the completion of its $620 million renovation, Miami Beach Convention Center brought Hurt on board as assistant general manager. His background is in venue operations, large-scale event management, emergency response, guest services and budget management. Hurt was most recently senior director of ballpark operations for Marlins Park and MLB’s Miami Marlins. Previously, he worked for American Airlines Arena and Heat Group as senior event manager and event staffing manager.
Brandy Hudgins
Hudgins has been named sales manager of small meetings for Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau (ACVB). She has been with ACVB since 2015, previously serving as trade show sales coordinator and administrative assistant. Hudgins has also worked for Atlanta Convention Center at AmericasMart, World of Coca-Cola and for MLB’s Atlanta Braves.
Marline Avelar
Rosewood CordeValle in San Martin, California, promoted Avelar, who was director of group sales, to director of sales and marketing. She’s previously been sales manager at Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa in Monterey, Seascape Beach Resort in Aptos and Quail Lodge in Carmel, all in California. Her first job out of college was at Carmel Valley Ranch in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, as catering and conference service manager.
Ruben Sabater
Benchmark, a global hospitality company, promoted Sabater to general manager of Marenas Beach Resort, a Gemstone Collection property. It’s located just north of Miami in Sunny Isles Beach, Florida. He climbed the ladder from director of operations at the hotel. Sabater was previously general manager of The Sherry Frontenac Resort in Miami Beach and held leadership positions at One Bal Harbour Resort & Spa ion Miami Beach and Mandarin Oriental Miami.
Our publisher Eric Haase (left) and content chief JT Long (right) holding down the Smart Monday fort.
The meetings industry converged on Las Vegas Monday for the start of #IMEX18 at Sands Expo. On the agenda was registration, set-up and lots of discovery during Smart Monday powered by MPI. The Smart Meetings team was on the scene, gathering inspiring ideas to share with those who couldn’t be there—and those who were there, but couldn’t be in all places at once.
Event planners may not realize it, but they are changing lives by bringing people together. The Monday morning keynote by Julius Solaris, editor of EventMB, made a case for holding events to a higher standard—leaving a legacy. This theme was echoed throughout the day as interactive sessions stressed the importance of being very inclusive, right down to asking attendees their preferred pronoun. Others, including one by Michelle Johnson, owner of The Anchor Group, covered best practices for conflict management and leadership, with an emphasis on shared purpose.
2. The Art of Meeting
From performance artist Heidi Schwartz of Paint Your Event to DIY coloring walls for the muralist in all of us, IMEX was awash in creativity. For those more comfortable in front of the camera, professional headshot stations will be getting everyone’s good side for the next three days.
3. Connections Struck
The annual SITE Nite networking extravaganza at Brooklyn Bowl brought the incentive industry together to make new friends, kick off IMEX-America and raise money for a good cause—SITE Foundation. Funds raised went to research and education for the benefit of the entire industry.
Swimming in the ocean, sunbathing, and enjoying cocktails and meals have traditionally been part of many meeting groups’ downtime activities in Barbados, and thanks to a new program they now can also be a part of their departure experience.
Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Holidays, Richard Branson’s tour company, recently unveiled the Departure Beach option, which enables passengers to forego waiting for departing flights in the airport, and instead continue their destination experience on a beach under the Bajan sun and in a comfortable lounge.
The Departure Beach option is particularly suitable to groups and individuals that have late afternoon or early evening flights, but need to check out of their hotel at around noon.
After breakfast, participants hand their luggage to Virgin Holidays staff, who take it straight to the airport. The participants then are transported to Brownes Beach in Carlisle Bay, where they check in and receive a boarding pass. Virgin Holidays representatives are on site to take care of everyone’s needs.
Participants then are provided with a locker and have the option of receiving a beach towel and small plastic bag to store their wet beachwear.
Full-service bar (soft drinks, tea and coffee are complimentary)
Complimentary buffet lunch
Games console-equipped children’s area
Plasma screens
Complimentary Wi-Fi access
Other enhancements will be added at some point.
Participants can freshen up in the full shower and changing facilities before they are transported to the airport.
Access to the Departure Beach experience is subject to availability and costs approximately $33 per adult and $23 per child. Passengers on Virgin Holidays cruise ships whose itinerary terminates in Barbados also are eligible. Guests staying at Savannah Beach in Barbados are granted complimentary access to Departure Beach.
About 7,700 employees of Marriott International, the world’s largest hotel chain, are now walking picket lines in Boston, Detroit, Oakland, San Diego, San Francisco and San Jose, as well as two cities in Hawaii.
Nearly 2,500 Marriott hotel workers at seven downtown San Francisco properties walked off their jobs Thursday morning, threatening to disrupt the city’s busy fall convention season.
Moscone Center is currently the site of IDWeek, a health care conference. Upcoming this month are Anesthesiology 2018 (Oct. 13–17) and Oracle’s OpenWorld (Oct. 22–25), one of the year’s largest meetings in the city.
Marriott said it was “disappointed” by the decision of Unite Here Local 2 to strike now. “During the strike our hotels are open,” the company said in a statement, “and we stand ready to provide excellent service to our guests. While we respect our associates’ rights to participate in this work stoppage, we also will welcome any associate who chooses to continue to work.”
Anand Singh, president of Unite Here Local 2, said in a statement, “We’re going to stay on the picket line until Marriott workers no longer need to work two or even three full-time jobs just to make ends meet.”
In Chicago, workers at nine downtown hotels representing several major hotel brands remain on strike. Workers at other brands in that city, including Marriott, have agreed to a new contract that reportedly includes health-care coverage in the winter—when many workers are temporarily laid off—for the first time.
Major issues in all affected cities include wages, health care, the threat of technology eliminating jobs and protection from harassment from guests.
Last month, Marriott said it was giving housekeepers and other workers an alert device to summon help if they feel threatened or need help.
San Diego State University photo by Paul Lang
Starting in August 2019, a new graduate-level program offering a degree in meetings and event management will be added to the courses at San Diego State University. A low-residency program meant for working professionals, it will be the first meetings management master’s degree program offered in North America.
Born from a partnership between Meeting Professionals International (MPI) and San Diego State University’s L. Robert Payne School of Hospitality & Tourism Management, the program consists of an 18-month curriculum. From certified meeting managers to people working in convention services or audiovisual and production, the master’s program looks to elevate industry professionals to fully equipped event strategists.
It also intends to provide students with the flexibility and continued career growth that entering graduate school often rules out. Students will attend two on-campus weeks in San Diego, one at the beginning of the program and one at the end. These weeks will provide an opportunity to network and connect with faculty members and other members of the master’s cohort. The remainder of the program, in between, is available entirely through online classes.
“Work on your own schedule, connect with industry leaders and shape the future of meeting and event planning—all while earning your master’s degree,” the program’s description reads.
The curriculum will cover a wide range of topics affecting the meetings and events space, including the following.
Strategic leadership
Stakeholder management
Finance fundamentals
Business analytics
Applied design thinking
Demonstrating ROE (return on experience)
Leading change and innovation
Modern marketing strategies
Other than a tentative August 2019 start window, SDSU has yet to announce a firm start date for the program, but the university is already inviting perspective students to reach out for more information. The application window for fall 2019 courses in SDSU’s other master’s programs begins Nov. 1.
This new program coincides with a continued push from MPI to support further education and development in the meetings industry with private efforts, such as MPI Academy, which offers certification in fields ranging from health-care compliance to emergency preparedness. “With the meetings and events industry evolving at a rapid pace, there has never been a more exciting time to advance not just your career, but your profession as a whole,” MPI says in the program description on its website.
Great Salt Lake City has emerged as a lively, diverse destination that offers plenty of attractive options to meeting groups.
One of the best ways to experience its ethnic traditions is by attending one of the colorful, exciting annual festivals. Here are some of the best festivals for groups seeking an immersive adventure.
Living Traditions Festival
This event features three days of multiethnic fun, food and festivities every May. Salt Lake City residents come together to jointly celebrate the many ethnic and national groups in their city.
Living Traditions Festival
Scandinavian Festival
Vikings, fair maidens, a smorgasbord, herring, dancing and Northlands merriment are featured at this celebration in the nearby city of Ephraim, usually on Memorial Day weekend.
Scandinavian Festival
Mega Peruvian Festival
Generally held in late July, this festival highlights Peruvian customs, dancers, cooks, musicians, delicious foods and Peruvian Americans’ contributions to Utah.
Mega Peruvian Festival
Nacip Powwow and Festival
This event celebrates Salt Lake’s original residents, and brings alive the Native Americans’ history with food, dancing and colorful ceremonies. It’s typically offered in July.
Nacip Powwow and Festival
Utah Pacific Islander Heritage Month
This festival starts with a huge kickoff event in mid-summer, and continues with a month of dancing, singing, music and the exotic culinary treats of the South Pacific.
Utah Pacific Islander Heritage Month
Salt Lake City Greek Festival
This is considered the largest ethnic festival in Utah. The food, dancing and music are contagious; your attendees won’t be able to stand still. It’s held on the weekend after Labor Day.
Utah Scottish Festival & Highland Games
Taking place every June, this event celebrates all things Scottish—which means your group will see the wearin’ o’ the kilts and hear the wailin’ o’ the ’pipes!
Utah Scottish Festival & Highland Games
Oktoberfest
This colorful event takes place at nearby Snowbird on weekends from mid-August to mid-October. It includes German music, dancing, traditional dress and plenty of schnitzel, strudel and great beer.
Oktoberfest photo by Chris Segal
Festa Italiana
At this mid-September street party, your attendees will love the live entertainment and music, won’t be able to resist participating in the dancing and will enjoy a huge variety of Italian treats.
During a wide-ranging discourse at a private dinner at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas for meetings journalists in Las Vegas—in conjunction with IMEX America 2018—Steve Heitzner, Americas chief sales and marketing officer for Marriott International, made several key points.
Marriott remains deeply committed to the meetings industry, which accounts for 43 percent of company revenues. “As a company,” Heitzner said, “we continue to think meetings are really, really important.” The company has formed a global team that is working on a long-term meetings strategy.
This year, systems integration was challenging between Marriott and the acquired Starwood brand, but Heitzner believes much progress has been made. Asked what he thought Marriott had learned from Starwood, he cited what he calls “activation”—by which he means the concept of using the hotel lobby as a sort of living room, for example.
Steve Heitzner
Regarding the current strikes at Marriott properties in several U.S. cities, Heitzner said, “Our hotels are open as if there aren’t any strikes, really. We pride ourselves on taking care of our associates and have met most of the demands of the unions.”
Heitzner commented on Marriott’s move in April to cut third-party planner commissions to 7 percent: “It was a time in the industry that we thought was the right time. It was a very difficult decision, but we have been working very closely with the owners and franchisees [of hotels and resorts under Marriott brands] to do right by them.”
When asked if Marriott intends to increase its brand portfolio beyond the current 30 flags, he said, “If there are opportunities to have another brand, we will absolutely look into that.” He also pointed to Tribute Portfolion Homes, a pilot project in London (soon expanding to Lisbon, Portugal) that offers curated, luxury homes with a local host who acts like “a personal concierge.” He said the concept has generated a lot of interest from the meetings industry, especially for incentives and VIP stays.
The company looks forward to the opening in 2021 of The Drew Las Vegas, a double-branded property that will house a 3,600-room JW Marriott and 60-room Edition hotel, and be linked by skybridge to the newly expanded Las Vegas Convention Center. The property, formerly the unfinished Fontainbleau Las Vegas, will boast the largest casino and spa in the city.
Gaylord Rockies Resort and Convention Center, which opens in December near Denver International Airport (DEN), is drawing huge preopening group bookings—80 percent of which haven’t met in Colorado previously. Marriott will open a sixth Gaylord property in Chula Vista, California, in late 2022 or early 2023.
Marriott has purchased Charlotte Marriott City Center in North Carolina as a laboratory for the “Marriott hotel of the future,” where new concepts will be tested.
The Sheraton brand is being repositioned as the “world’s favorite gathering place,” with features intended to attract locals and guests for meetings. Over the next two years, the company plans to reinvent half of all Sheraton properties.
Columbus Skyline photo by Andy Spessard
It’s not even Halloween yet, but it’s never too early to plan ahead for next year’s ASAE Annual Meeting & Exposition in Columbus, Ohio. The organization announced this first-time host city all the way back in July 2016, for cryin’ out loud! They estimate that 20 percent of the nearly 6,000 attendees will book their own group’s convention there within five years.
If you haven’t already, it’s time to get to the drawing board to book off-site activities and venues for next August 10 to 13. Smart Meetings recently went on a FAM trip hosted by Experience Columbus to scope out the area and make your site selection job that much easier.
Get Touristy
Columbus prides itself in being a very walkable city, and it recently revamped its riverfront, which is now lush, green and beautiful. Go for a stroll and pop in to the brand-new National Veterans Memorial and Museum, opening October 27. The first-of-its-kind museum pays tribute to soldiers who have served in all branches of the U.S. military through artifacts and multimedia exhibits, allowing veterans to tell their stories in their own words.
Center of Science and Industry (COSI) is also along the downtown path. It has 12 meeting spaces for receptions and presentations for up to 6,000 attendees. “Anytime the Franklinton Board of Trade holds an event at COSI it is an ‘out of this world’ experience. COSI is not just a world-class science center, but also a world-class event venue,” says Trent E. Smith of Franklinton Board of Trade in an online testimonial. “The staff, the food, the hospitality and the overall COSI experience will raise the bar for any event you are holding.”
If your feet get tired after all the walking, Smart Columbus debuted self-driving shuttles last month. Currently in a testing phase, they’ll be ready to accept passengers starting in December.
Get Wild
Columbus Zoo
Have you ever imagined party-crashing giraffes and zebras at your meeting? At Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, made famous by “Jungle” Jack Hanna’s countless Good Morning America and Late Show with David Letterman appearances, these are just two of the animal species that might be photobombing your group’s selfies at Africa Event Center. The 400-person capacity banquet room and terrace overlook a savanna full of African wildlife.
If you want to be a bit more removed from the animals, the zoo’s Water’s Edge Events Park might be just your speed. The area overlooks Scioto River and can fit up to 1,300 guests for a complete buyout. Individual pavilions and boardwalks within the area are also rentable for smaller groups.
In total, Columbus Zoo has 10,000 animals on display in six regions, representing where the animals live geographically in their natural habitats. Five of these regions—Australia and the Islands, Shores, Asia Quest, Heart of Africa, and North America and Polar Frontier—are available to be rented for events held within the exhibits.
Get Crafty
The Candle Lab
Wax on, wax off at The Candle Lab. A brand-new, two-level location opened directly across the street from the convention center. On the main floor, guests can sniff hundreds of scents and then pour their three favorite aromas into a custom-blended candle. The lab’s in the process of constructing a private event room downstairs for meetings and receptions. Planners can also “scent an event” by creating a custom candle to put in swag bags or as a welcome amenity.
Columbus is also home to the world’s largest makerspace, Idea Foundry. Get your group’s creative juices flowing by hosting a private event there, where attendees can get hands-on in classes specializing in a wide range of activities, including woodworking, blacksmithing, 3D printing, augmented reality and drone racing. The largest event space seats 125 guests, and the grandstand seats 75 people stadium-style for a keynote speaker or presentation.
Get Sporty
“Check” out all the event space at Nationwide Arena, home of the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets. One of its most exquisite spaces is Founders Club, which fits 185 people for a reception. It includes an area with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Columbus’ Arena District, a lounge, bar and boardroom. The arena has private event spaces for groups of less than 100, all the way up to 20,000 and everything in between.
Although ASAE will take place during hockey’s off-season, renting out the practice arena, located under the same roof, for a skating party is a great way to cool off from summer heat and humidity. And, if there is a game, concert or performance taking place there while your conference is in town, group tickets are available.
Thirty-One Gifts and more than 11,000 of its independent consultants descended upon Nationwide Arena for an annual July convention. Big-budget conventions, such as Avon’s annual RepFest in July, also painted the town and arena pink. That event used the bowl to host an exclusive concert by Rascal Flatts, which hails from Columbus.
Baseball will be in full swing in August. Huntington Park, home of Cleveland Indians’ Triple-A affiliate team Columbus Clippers, seats 10,100 fans and is a great place to entertain guests for an evening game. If you’re lucky, you’ll catch a glimpse of BBoy McCoy, the break-dancing bat boy, who performs at select games.
Wherever you go in Columbus, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a place without artwork. A painting even hangs above every bed in the 532-room Hilton Columbus Downtown. One piece of note is located outside the ballrooms, where planners will find more than 32,000 sq. ft. of meeting space. From a distance, the artwork will simply appear to be leaves. Upon closer inspection, you’ll discover braille is printed on select leaves. Another piece to pay special attention to is in the lobby. From afar, it looks like a female profile admiring the skyline. Walk up close. The piece is comprised entirely of crayons!
Walk across the skybridge that connects the hotel to the 1.8 million-square-foot convention center, where there’s not only a hydroponic garden in the lobby, but artwork throughout. One of the exhibits, “As We Are,” will likely leave you speechless. Tough to describe in words, the ginormous LED-light head is a fully immersive experience. Watch below:
The art tour of Columbus continues on over to Pizzuti Collection. The museum can host private events inside an exhibit, sculpture garden, in its library and on the event deck, which can be tented. As of January 1, Pizzuti will be joining forces with Columbus Museum of Art. Le Meridien Columbus, The Joseph, affiliated with the museum, has additional pieces from the Pizzuti’s private collection on display. The hotel has 135 guest rooms, 5,464 sq. ft. of meeting space and two tranquil spa suites for guests wanting extra pampering.
Get Fashionable
Milan, Paris, New York, Los Angeles and Miami are viewed as some of the world’s leading fashion meccas. It may surprise many to learn that Columbus is also very much in the mix as a fashion capital. The headquarters of such leading brands as DSW, Express, Abercrombie & Fitch and L Brands—Henri Bendel, Victoria’s Secret and Bath & Body Works—are located there.
What does that have to do with meetings? A lot. Corporate executives are available as keynote speakers. Attendees can visit the local Nordstrom at Easton Town Center for an expert styling session and team-building competition in which each savvy shopper is tasked with finding the best deal in the store without going over a certain budgetary limit. Ready, set, shop! Think of it as the department store version of the old television game show Supermarket Sweep.
“Baa, baa, black sheep, have you any wool?” Yes, planners, a group’s-worth full! Take a farm-to-fashion workshop with designer Celeste Malvar-Stewart. You’ll meet the sheered sheep and alpacas the wool comes from and then learn how to turn it in to a wearable scarf.
Get Tasty
North Market photo by Randall L. Schieber
The heart and soul of any city can often be discovered through its culinary scene, and Columbus is no exception. Local influencer and food blogger Nick Dekker, @breakfastwithnick, takes groups on a progressive meal through the Short North’s eateries to sample pastries, meals, coffee and juice to jump start the day. Collect four stamps on The Columbus Coffee Experience passport and redeem them for a free T-shirt in an Experience Columbus Visitor Center location. Groups can even learn to cup coffee at One Line Coffee. The city also offers passport booklets for an ale trail and Made in Cbus to promote shopping and dining in locally owned businesses.
A great lunch option for convention groups is North Market, a two-story food hall with more than 30 independent vendors. There is surely something for everyone. Make sure to save room for dessert. Local favorite Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream has an outpost there with a wide selection of unique flavors, as does Instagram-worthy Destination Donuts. Gift certificates are available if you’d like to provide attendees with a pre-paid lunch.
North Market’s mezzanine, pavilion and patio can be rented for private events for between 500 to 2,500 people. The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions World Library and Information Congress was the first organization to rent the space in 2016.
The go-to restaurant group in Columbus is Cameron Mitchell, with more than a dozen restaurants sprinkled throughout the city. Gift certificates are available if you’d like to cover the cost of your attendees’ meals but still offer them the freedom to select a cuisine and setting of choice. Should your venue not offer in-house catering, Cameron Mitchell also caters events.
Columbus also has a thriving distillery scene. Wolf’s Ridge Brewing recently opened The Hickory Room for private events of up to 120 guests. Middle West Spirits (MWS) ferments vodka and whiskey on-site. Group tours, tastings, mixology classes and private event spaces are available. MWS’s year-old, 59-seat restaurant can be bought-out.
Located where the Olentangy and Scioto rivers meet, private waterfront dining is available at The Boat House at Confluence Park. It has four banquet rooms and an event deck. The Buckeye grand ballroom accommodates up to 425 guests.
Get Your Party On
Juniper Event Space
In golf, players celebrate a hole in one, and at Dock580 Venues planners take advantage of three venues in one. Likely to be one of the most coveted off-site party locations during ASAE, the retractable-rooftop Juniper event space sits atop The Smith Bros. Hardware Building and offers gorgeous views of the Columbus skyline.
The Loft, with space for up to 200, is a two-level event space. Downstairs there’s a bar and upstairs is an open floorplan to arrange for a meal, presentation or ceremony. Lastly, The Venue can fit 165 guests inside, and the party can flow outside to an adjacent grassy courtyard.
Pop in to the rustic Strongwater Food and Spirits for a meal or rent its gallery, annex and courtyard for a private event in an urban warehouse setting.
Pump up the volume at Express Live!, an indoor/outdoor concert venue than can accommodate up to 5,000 groupies in the heart of Columbus’s Arena District. Essentially a blank slate, planners can go for a rock-and-roll atmosphere or transform the space into an elegant affair. What makes this venue unique is that performers on stage can face inside, or you can flip the show around and open up a garage door to face an outdoor crowd at the venue’s amphitheater.
