Smart Meetings | Page 545 of 604 | Corporate Event Planning: Business Events, Meetings, Conferences

ARIA-green meeting venues Aria Resort & Casino

Green meetings are not just good for the Earth. They’re good for all of us.

Planners and event participants just feel better when the air is cleaner, the light is natural and the food is locally sourced. From reducing and recycling waste to high-tech innovations that save energy, today’s grand meeting resorts and convention centers are embracing sustainability with fervor.

Here are 8 of our favorite large green meeting venues:

In a city known for extravagance, Las Vegas meeting and event properties have established very lofty green standards, with many achieving the highest sustainability rankings possible. Las Vegas’ CityCenter is aspiring to be the “world’s largest environmentally sustainable urban community.”

This grouping of green properties features the amazing Aria Resort & Casino, which is a LEED Gold certified resort with 4,004 guest rooms. It just wrapped up a refresh of its 300,000-square-foot convention space, including such features as new media walls, charging stations, registration areas and more. Aria actually ranks as the largest building in the world to achieve LEED Gold certification. Here are a few of its green initiatives at work:

• The world’s first fleet of stretch limos powered by compressed natural gas (CNG). In addition to abundant domestic reserves, CNG is one of the cleanest-burning alternative fuels available

• Design incorporates sustainable features including the extensive use of natural light

• Has reduced lighting power requirements in guestrooms and water-saving fixtures throughout

• Achieves more than 30 percent improvement in energy efficiency

• Saves an estimated 31 million gallons of water each year. This equates to an overall savings of 40 percent within the building and 60 percent in outdoor landscaping over existing building codes

vdara-lobby Vdara lobby

Vdara Hotel & Spa is another LEED Gold certified hotel in Las Vegas’ CityCenter, adding 1,495 guest rooms and 16,500 sq. ft. of meeting space to this highly respected green oasis. With similar initiatives in place as Aria, Vdara’s sustainability goals are reflected in the use of wood products from responsibly managed forests; high efficiency water use, both inside the building and outdoors; alternative fuel options for limousines; and an improvement of more than 30 percent in energy efficiency over standard building codes.

Wynn Las Vegas and sister property Encore helped gain Wynn Resorts, Ltd. recognition from Newsweek as one of the top green companies in the United States in 2015. Both properties are LEED Gold certified. The connecting properties combine for 4,750 guest rooms and suites and 260,000 sq. ft. of meeting and event space. Green components that are routine include saving thousands of pounds of paper through paperless checkout, and water reduction thanks to turf grass and high-efficiency toilets. The linen reuse program is also saving resources in addition to energy consumption controls in all guest rooms.

JW Marriott Marquis Miami has adopted a water conservation system in the laundry area that helps to conserve more than 1.5 million gallons of drinking water per year, prevents 1.5 million gallons of chemical laden waste water from returning to the environment, prevents more than 2,100 pounds of total organic carbon from being released to the waste water treatment plant per year, and keeps more than 200 tons of green house gases from entering the atmosphere in the form of C02. Energy saving thermostats in each guest room cut down on energy use exponentially at both hotels. The system senses human movement or non-movement and turns off automatically when the guest is not in the room. Green meeting features include 100 percent post-consumer recycled note pads, pens made from recycled materials, water service with no plastic water bottles, in-meeting room recycling, online event menus, several menu options featuring local and organic foods, organic flowers (upon request), and paperless e-billing. The JW Marriott offers 313 guest rooms and 80,000 sq. ft. of meeting space.

moscone Moscone Center

Moscone Center in San Francisco was one of the first convention centers in the country to institute a recycling program back in 1998. Since then San Francisco’s premier meeting venue has two buildings that have earned LEED Gold certification. When Moscone’s current renovation and expansion projects are complete, the expectation is that those buildings will earn LEED Platinum certification. With a commitment to sustainability and education, Moscone helps planners hosting events at its venue to be as green as possible. For example, when Salesforce took over Moscone last year for its annual Dreamforce event, 10,000 pounds of compostable and recycling materials were salvaged during the three-day convention. Food sourcing is another key way to keep it green. Moscone tracks food miles, trying hard to buy locally. For example, Hall found a company in nearby Napa to get ginger puree rather than importing the product. He also relies on a company in Sacramento that makes soy sauce. And vendors who deliver their goods in boxes are required to return to pick up their containers. Moscone has an amazing setup for composting and recycling with a sorting station. All bins placed throughout the campus are delivered to the sorting station and employees go through the bins by hand (with gloves) to make sure that discarded materials are correctly classified.

Quebec City is a recognized leader in sustainability and a perennial must-visit destination as a foodie hot spot and UNESCO World Heritage Site. Quebec City Convention Center (QCCC) was the first in Canada to be LEED certified. All events held there are eco-friendly, and the center is committed to reclaiming 80 percent of the waste created at them. The center works closely with event organizers to not only execute environmentally conscious events, but also make sure participants and stakeholders are aware of the green effort. A big part of greening up the hospitality industry involves getting the message across. Recycling is an obsession at QCCC—everything from containers to name tags gets reused. Surplus food is donated to local charities, and kitchen waste and scraps are composted. Meals are served on washable porcelain, water pitchers replace plastic bottles and bulk dispensers negate individual packaging for optimum waste reduction. QCCC even offsets transportation emissions by working with recognized partners.

Portland’s Oregon Convention Center (OCC), LEED Platinum since 2014, features one of the largest solar paneling arrays in the conventions industry. The new array covers half the rooftop and generate enough power to offset 25 percent of the total energy usage. The remainder will be purchased through Pacific Power’s Blue Sky energy program, ensuring that all power derives from renewable sources. OCC is also incentivizing the reuse of convention materials.

In Nebraska City, Nebraska, Lied Lodge & Conference Center, operated by the Arbor Day Foundation, completed a $9 million green reboot last year. By recycling the carpet, repurposing wood and donating the old furniture to local charities, they upgraded the property and minimized the carbon footprint of the renovation. The Arbor Day Foundation influences much of the lodge’s activities, with environmental programs that focus on conservation, service and trees. Lied Lodge even offers team building with the Employee Forest program—teams plant seedlings in public spaces in coordination with local community groups.

T-Mobile-Arena

The entertainment capital of the world is about to add a new attraction. On June 22 the National Hockey League (NHL) revealed that it is bringing a new franchise to the city, the first expansion the NHL has permitted in over 15 years. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman made the announcement at Wynn Las Vegas following a Board of Governors meeting. The as of yet unnamed team will begin play in the 2017-18 season.

Adding a professional hockey team complements Las Vegas’ long term strategy of expanding its non-gaming attractions. City officials believe hockey will be a major draw for the millions of tourists and conventioneers who convene in the city each year. It is also expected to give the 2.3 million local residents in Greater Las Vegas a lot to cheer about.

T-Mobile Arena

The new team will play its home games in the brand new T-Mobile Arena, which opened on The Strip in April. The technologically-sophisticated arena seats 17,368. After a season-ticket drive was launched 16 months ago, they city received more than 14,000 deposits for season tickets and sold out all of the luxury seats in the arena for the hockey season.

The NHL will receive a $500 million expansion fee from Bill Foley, the billionaire who spearheaded the campaign to bring pro hockey to Vegas. The money will be distributed equally among the 30 existing professional teams.

Foley is excited about the future. “I believe it’s going to be great for Las Vegas,” Foley told Nicholas J. Cotsonika, a columnist for NHL.com last year. “It will give Las Vegas an identity other than being a tourist town with great restaurants, gambling, shows and so on.”

Quebec City on Hold

Quebecor Inc. had also put in a bid to bring hockey back to Quebec City, however the NHL Board of Governors deferred on that decision. Cotsonika hypothesizes that the decision was purely business, because Las Vegas presents the best odds of long-term success.

“It was not a slight of Canada. The Board of Governors believes Quebec City represents a prime opportunity for expansion, but the Board deferred Quebec’s bid largely because the current weakness of the Canadian dollar does not provide a strong foundation,” he wrote in a posting on NHL.com.

Other factors that may have come into play include the League’s geographic imbalance within the conferences (there are currently 14 teams in the Western Conference, and 16 in the Eastern Conference), as well as the difficulty of introducing two new teams concurrently.

Timeline & Procedure

An expansion draft will take place next summer to build the Las Vegas team. The new franchise will select one player from each of the existing 30 teams, including at least 14 forwards, nine defensemen and three goalies. It must select a minimum of 20 players who have existing contracts that carry through the 2017-18 season, and the average annual value of the total contracts it takes on must be at least 60 percent of the 2016-17 season salary-cap limit, which is $73 million.

The existing 30 teams can protect seven forwards, three defensemen and one goalie, or eight skaters regardless of position and one goalie, from the expansion draft. Any player with a “no movement” clause in his contract at the time of the expansion draft must be protected.

Vegas Has a History with Hockey

Espn.com notes that although the Las Vegas lacks a pro hockey team, it has hosted NHL games in the past. In September 1991, for example, the Los Angeles Kings and New York Rangers played an outdoor game at Caesars Palace. In addition, the NHL has held its postseason awards show in Las Vegas since 2009.

business-travel-trends

According to a new survey, most business travelers are upbeat about work trips. 73 percent of those surveyed were satisfied with their overall business trip experience over the past three months, compared to 71 percent in 2015, according to the Global Business Travel Association‘s Business Traveler Sentiment Index™ Global Report, in partnership with American Express. The Index is a data-centered barometer based on business travelers’ attitudes toward seven key components of business-related travel. It examines how business travelers feel about their travel experience and how those feelings affect their actual behaviors related to travel.

The latest research shows that 77 percent of business travelers say they are able to meet their goals on work trips, and those who feel dissatisfied or neutral about meeting their business goals report the following will help: improved Wi-Fi access (46 percent), clearer objectives (42 percent), more time with clients (40 percent) and a larger budget to extend the trip (37 percent).

When it comes to productivity, just over half (51 percent) of business travelers prefer to spend flights doing something other than work. This is especially true in Japan (61 percent) and Australia (60 percent) and for baby boomers (those ages 55+, 57 percent). Employees who want to work inflight say lack of in-seat power outlets is the biggest hindrance to inflight productivity: 72 percent say too few outlets contribute at least some to their inability to get work done, followed by seat-size (68 percent), tray table size (67 percent) and lack of adequate USB outlets (65 percent).

“Business travel is the industry that drives all others, making it essential that companies equip their travelers with clear objectives and tools for success,” said Michael W. McCormick, GBTA Executive Director and COO. “In an era of consolidation and record profits among travel suppliers, it is also imperative that they reinvest in the customer experience – innovative new products from all travel suppliers can lead to increased productivity for business travelers on the road, helping to drive continued business growth.”

Company Travel Policies Are Evolving

Across the globe, some companies have travel policies that allow employees to use ride-sharing (44 percent) or home-sharing (28 percent) services when they travel for work. However, these services are still so new that more than one in five travelers aren’t sure if the options are covered by their companies’ policies. Companies in some countries are more open to sharing economy options than others, with 79 percent of business travelers in Mexico and 61 percent in the United States able to use ride-sharing services and 42 percent of Hong Kong-based business travelers free to use home-sharing services. Millennials are more likely than business travelers of other age groups to have used ride- or home-sharing services on work trips taken in the previous three months.

In addition, fewer business travelers in 2016 reported being required to follow a company travel policy, 44 percent compared to 52 percent in 2015. A majority of travelers who are required to follow a travel policy or guidelines are satisfied with the ease of understanding travel policies (61 percent), flexibility in planning (60 percent) and changing their itinerary as needed (58 percent).

“Flexibility continues to be a major priority for business travelers—whether it’s the flexibility to choose which business technology will best serve their needs on the road or the travel itinerary that will best meet their business objectives,” said Susan Chapman-Hughes, Senior Vice President, American Express Global Commercial Payments. “Companies should consider how their policies can strike the right balance of providing guidelines for employees while empowering them with an appropriate level of flexibility.”

Social Media Keeps More Travelers Connected on the Road

Compared to last year, more employees say using social media helps their ability to connect with work contacts, colleagues and friends when on the road, with millennials leading the way. During work trips, 61 percent of millennials and 50 percent of all business travelers use social networks such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Xing or Mixi once or more per day for work-related purposes.

An increase in business travelers’ adoption of social media helped boost the Social Media Experience component scores in 2016 over 2015 for a majority of the countries surveyed, including Australia, Germany, Mexico and the United States.

When it comes to mobile devices, in general, 72 percent of millennials and 64 percent of all business travelers use mobile devices to check travel itineraries one or more times a day during trips, and 55 percent of millennials and 44 percent of all business travelers use them to check their expenses at least once a day while on the road.

Smart Meeting events are designed to connect planners with suppliers in one convenient, efficient setting for maximum ROI. Besides networking, we typically have speakers, awesome F&B and experiences reflective of the destinations where we’re holding our events.

For example, our event on May 10 in New York City was staged on a Hornblower Cruises & Events yacht docked at Pier 40. We utilized all three floors of the boat, including the top level for a cocktail reception that took place while we toured Hudson River out to the Statue of Liberty and back.

registration

This event was so cool that Cliff Robinson, co-president of Revo, stopped by to say hello and talk about how the sunglasses company works with rock star Bono to support eye screening, eye care and prescription glasses in under-resourced communities. Smart Meetings has an agreement with Revo and Wet Paint Group to distribute free sunglasses during select events, which included NYC.

smart-meeting-new-york

It’s very satisfying to see planners finding the exact right venues for their events, and it’s even more impressive that the one-on-one appointments often lead to stellar ROI for resorts and destinations. (During the reception, Todd Bertka from the Virginia Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau told me that he landed a conference for 1,000 people and had a few other leads thanks to his appointments earlier in the day.)

Here are a few of the cool things I heard about during the recent Smart Meeting event in New York City:

daytona-beach

Daytona Beach, Florida, is smoking-hot. According to Linda McMahon, director of group sales for Daytona Beach Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, there’s been nearly $2 billion worth of development in the area, including $400 million in upgrades at Daytona International Speedway that expanded event space. The addition of a nearby Marriott Autograph Collection property, One Daytona, gives event planners a great double option. (Can you say offsite team building at the race track?) Of course, attendees will want to enjoy the recently refurbished historic boardwalk and pier.

Loudoun County, Virginia, is getting a lot of attention right now thanks to three key meeting properties: The National Conference Center in Leesburg; Lansdowne Resort in Leesburg; and Salamander Resort & Spa in Middleburg. “You’re further away than where you are,” says Ann Diamond Hayes, nationals sales manager for Visit Loudoun, which is home to Dulles International Airport. The National Conference Center, former training headquarters for Xerox, completed a major overhaul last year. It offers 917 guest rooms and 265,000 sq. ft. of meeting space. Not to be overlooked, Loudoun has 17 breweries and 45 wineries. It’s kind of a suburb of DC due to its proximity, but several country roads away. (See my blog for more on the amazing Salamander.)

Pennsylvania was well represented at our Smart Meeting event. Mohegan Sun Pocono has emerged as a convenient meetings getaway for the Eastern Seaboard. It’s two hours from Philadelphia and New York City. The racetrack and casino have been around for a while, but the addition of 230 guest rooms and 20,000 sq. ft. of meeting space two years ago has upped the event ante here. Kelly Connors, sales manager for the Mohegan Sun, says there are plans for a water park.

valley-forge-casino

Valley Forge Casino Resort has its own event center, which offers 54,000 sq. ft. of meeting space. Of course, it’s popular for trade shows and association conventions, but also hosts concerts. In total, it offers 100,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, plus 485 guest rooms. Juliana Dos Santos, convention and sales manager, told me that the resort’s proximity to Philadelphia is a big bonus.

According to Yvonne Dickey, executive meeting specialist for Le Parker Meridien New York, her property features one of the trendiest event venues in the city. Estrela Penthouse features 3,000 sq. ft. of space and eye-popping views of the NYC skyline. Le Parker renovated its 729 guest rooms in 2014. It offers 16,000 sq. ft. of meeting space and two popular restaurants.

The Spa at Norwich Inn is a Connecticut jewel. James Boucher, director of sales, says his property is available for buyout of its 97 guest rooms and 6,500 sq. ft. of meeting space. A member of Historic Hotels of America, the inn dates to 1929. It’s located near Mohegan Sun and Foxwood Resort Casino, so after spa treatments, guests have access to a variety of entertainment. This property is a great option for incentive trips.

Kerri Furtado from the Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau, attended our event to talk about her destination’s affordability, walkability and convention complex. Rhode Island Convention Center offers 100,000 sq. ft. of contiguous exhibition space and a 20,000-square-foot ballroom. Adjacent Dunkin’ Donuts Center is a 14,000-seat arena. “We have small-town charm in a city,” Furtado says.

I really enjoyed meeting with Christe Daddario, who was representing Hard Rock’s All-Inclusive Collection. Daddario came to NYC to discuss the AIC Hotel Group of properties, many of which are already under the Hard Rock umbrella. AIC is launching a new luxury brand called Unico, with the first property set to open later this year south of Playa Del Carmen on Mexico’s eastern coast.

smart-meeting-new-york1

Just as Hard Rock is expanding with a new luxury brand, Smart Meeting events are always trying to explore unchartered waters.

airplane-etiquette

As summertime temperatures begin to rise, air travel passengers’ patience tends to wane – which can lead to uncomfortable situations and potentially unruly behavior, particularly on extremely full flights. Recently, Travel Leaders Group asked 3,431 American travelers “What would you do?” when faced with a variety of travel situations, such as in-flight fights, reclining airline seats, children behaving badly on a plane, and airline passengers not using headphones when listening to music, watching movies or playing video games.

“Last year, an all-time record of more than 798 million American airline passengers took to the skies. That means there are plenty of opportunities for travelers, perhaps unknowingly, to commit a gaffe – from the constant tapping on the seatback monitor to reclining so much that it’s uncomfortable for the passenger behind you,” explained Travel Leaders Group CEO Ninan Chacko.

“Not surprisingly, a vast majority would let the flight crew handle any in-flight disagreements – and there have been a few as of late. But in many other instances, there aren’t clearly defined right and wrong answers on how to handle particular situations. Patience, civility, common sense, self-awareness and courtesy toward others all contribute dramatically toward in making any travel experience better, all around.”

In-Flight Fights and Bad Behavior:

After multiple incidents of airline passengers fighting, survey participants were asked, “If you saw two airline passengers fighting, in-flight, what would you do?” and the responses included:

Call a flight attendant and let him/her handle the situation.	73.3%
Step in and try to defuse the situation.	7.8%
Sit quietly and say nothing.	4.6%
Capture the video on my smartphone to share with others.	1.3%
Not sure.	13.0%

When asked, “If a child was behaving badly on a plane, one that was old enough to understand their actions, and the parents did nothing to correct the behavior, what would you do?” the responses were:

Call a flight attendant and let him/her handle the situation.	54.8%
Sit quietly and say nothing.	14.4%
Say something directly to the parents.	13.4%
Say something directly to the child.	6.6%
Not sure.	10.8%

Reclining Seats

When asked, “If the person in the airline seat in front of you reclined their seat so much that you had difficulty lowering your tray table or perhaps were unable to open up a laptop, what would you do?” the responses were:

Say something directly to the person.	41.6%
Call a flight attendant and let him/her handle the situation.	31.6%
Sit quietly and say nothing.	15.3%
Jam your knees into the back of the seat.	3.7%
Not sure.	7.8%

Conversely, when asked, “If you were trying to recline your airplane seat and you were hindered by the person behind you, in some way, what would you do?” the responses were:

Say something directly to the person.	27.8%
Call a flight attendant and let him/her handle the situation.	27.5%
Sit quietly and say nothing.	27.0%
Continuously try to recline my seat.	5.0%
Not sure.	12.7%

Music and Videos

Trying to keep occupied on flights today often includes watching videos or in-flight television or listening to music. It’s not uncommon for the volume of those to be disruptive to other passengers. When asked, “If an adult passenger seated near you on an airplane was listening to music or watching videos without using headphones, what would you do?” the responses included:

Say something directly to the individual.	32.6%
Call a flight attendant and let him/her handle the situation.	21.3%
Put in my own earphones to drown them out.	18.4%
Do nothing because it would not bother me.	13.0%
Sit quietly and do nothing, even though the sound bothers me.	3.7%
Try to find an alternative seat.	3.5%
Not sure.	7.5%

When asked, “Many newer airplanes have seatback monitors for watching movies or playing games. If the person behind you continuously tapped the monitor on the back of your seat during the flight, what would you do?” the responses were:

Say something directly to the person.	29.5%
I don’t think it would bother me.	28.6%
Call a flight attendant and let him/her handle the situation.	18.3%
Sit quietly and say nothing – even though it bothers me.	10.7%
Not sure.	12.9%

Looking to change up your meeting protocol? Have a look at what the big tech companies and major businesses do to facilitate effective meetings in this infographic from Event Essex. After all, if it works for Apple, it’s worth a try, right?

Infographic provided by Event Essex.

As the trusted authoritative voice on the Disney approach to customer experience, Disney Institute offers unparalleled professional development content to meeting and convention groups holding onsite events at Disney Conference Center.

Offering meeting planners an immersive learning experience for their groups, grounded in solid business results, Disney Institute uses business insights and time-tested examples from Disney Parks and Resorts worldwide to inspire individuals and organizations to enhance their own customer experience using Disney principles as their guide. Facilitated by experienced Disney leaders, these sessions offer attendees a look at our best practices in the areas of Leadership, Service and Employee Engagement.

According to the American Express 2016 Global Meetings and Events Forecast, training meetings are currently experiencing the largest growth in the industry, outpacing all other types of meetings, marking a significant new shift in creating face-to-face meetings that enhance learning, team building and professional development.

Now more than ever, it’s critical for meeting planners and event organizers to think strategically about the content of their meeting or conference, and whether or not it will demonstrate value and deliver long-term, sustained results. Both business leaders and attendees alike are looking for defined outcomes in the form of knowledge that equips themselves and their employees with new skills or ways of thinking to positively impact the bottom line.

To meet the needs of the growing trend, Disney Institute sessions take professional development one-step further by providing attendees the opportunity for immersive learning through first-hand observation. These facilitator-led field experiences into the “living laboratory” of Disney Parks and Resorts allow attendees the opportunity to explore the business firsthand. These powerful professional development opportunities are not about becoming Disney, but rather by learning to think how we think, and how to adapt these principles into participants’ own business environments and personal careers.

From inspiring your attendees with a high-level introduction to immersing a group in a more in-depth program to spark idea generation, a variety of formats are available to meet specific needs for every group, including Keynote Presentations, Team Building Experiences, One-Day Programs and Multi-Day Programs. Learning outcomes will vary based upon the format(s) selected, ranging from a high-level introduction to the Disney approach, to a highly experiential learning opportunity including group activities, field experiences and special access to Disney leaders.

To learn more about engaging Disney Institute for professional development content for meetings or events at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, Disneyland Resort in California and Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa in Hawaii, visit www.disneymeetings.com or call 321-939-7275.

modern-planner

Are you a modern meeting planner? What are the duties and roles required of modern meeting planners?

Social Tables, a leading provider of cloud-based hospitality software, decided to dig deeper into these questions by surveying 350 event professionals to find out what it takes to be a meeting planner. Of course, Social Tables was also interested in what technology modern meeting planners use to stay on top of dozens of events at the same time.

“We know that meeting planners are some of the hardest working people out there across any industry,” says Dan Berger, CEO of Social Tables. “So we conducted a study, and collected some of the latest research to see if we could quantify what that meant. In this report, we took our findings and turned them into actionable insights to help planners use their time more wisely, collaborate more efficiently and put on even better events.”

Modern Meeting Planners

Here are a few key findings from the survey:

• The average planner manages 37 events each year.
• Over 100,000 meeting planners are employed in the United States and the industry is growing faster than the average across growth rate of all other industries.
• Washington, DC, has the highest concentration of event planners in the United States.
• The average planner spends over 100 hours each year on site visits.
• 61 percent of planners still record information primarily with pen and paper.
• 50 percent of planners said the primary way they source events is online.

The report provides lots of insights about the careers of modern meeting planners, including tops cities for salaries. Who would have guessed that planners in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, would have a higher average salary that those working in San Francisco and New York City? In the resort town of Coeur d’Alene, planners make an average of $69,201 a year.

Another interesting fact revolves around site selection and site visits. The survey data shows that planners who support more than 50 events each year tend to make fewer site visits. Due to their increased number of event, modern meeting planners identify properties they trust and stick with them more frequently.

When selecting where to hold meetings and events, planners said that location was the No. 1 factor, followed by cost and the look and feel of a venue.

The report concludes: “Modern planners are like alchemists. They either need to be able to immediately imagine the event as soon as they walk into a venue, or take a raw space and turn it into a gold. Meeting planners are uniquely equipped to balance logistics, event flow, and creativity. It’s this category that makes site visits, the make or break moment in the event planning process.”

Need an expert to setup your site visits? Learn more about Smart Meetings 360

wild-dunes Wild Dunes Resort

With the Fourth of July weekend upon us, “it’s getting in hot in here” to borrow lyrics from Nelly. Now that summer is in full swing, it’s a great time to report on beach resorts, with meetings and events space.

When I think of this holiday, I inevitably think of going to the beach. Growing up in Southeastern Virginia, I was in heaven every time I got to go to Virginia Beach. I’m still that way and try to at least take a bike ride on the boardwalk when I return home.

The beauty of beaches is that they come in all sizes and flavors. For example, many of Virginia Beach’s oceanfront hotels share their views and sand. Of course, oceanfront private pools are the perfect antidote if privacy is what you’re looking for. Here are a few top beach resorts sure to help those in your group enjoy summer like it was meant to be enjoyed—at the beach!

Oceanaire Resort Hotel-a Diamond Resort in Virginia Beach is a top choice for luxury and special events. There are four swimming pools, two outdoors and two indoors. But most people will want to enjoy Virginia Beach’s typically mild Atlantic Ocean waters. Oceanaire offers 189 one- and two-bedroom suites. There’s indoor reception space for up to 190 and a 3,275-square-foot sundeck on the 10th floor. The views from the sundeck are expansive and create a party vibe that you’d expect to find in South Beach.

Wild Dunes Resort, A Destinations Hotel on Isle of Palms outside Charleston, South Carolina, completed renovations to its 93-room AAA Four Diamond Boardwalk Inn in May. The resort also features condos, townhomes, a newly renovated golf course, new restaurant and adventure activities. Meeting space includes the elegant 10,000-square-foot Sweetgrass Pavilion and the covered gazebo at the Grand Pavilion, which boasts panoramic ocean views.

Nobu Hotel at Eden Roc Miami Beach is a multimillion-dollar collaboration between Nobu Hotels and Eden Roc Resort Miami Beach that will debut in the fall. It will be the second Nobu hotel to open in the United States. The expanded property will feature a hotel-within-a-hotel concept, including 210 new guest rooms, Nobu Restaurant and bar and an additional beachfront restaurant. Well-established Eden Roc Miami Beach already boasts 631 guest rooms and suites and more than 70,000 sq. ft. of meeting and event space on between famous Collins Avenue and the Atlantic Ocean.

Naples-Beach-Hotel-&-Golf-Club

Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club on the southwest coast of Florida has undergone $50 million in renovations and enhancements over the last few years. The latest project is $9 million upgrade to its championship golf course by none other than Jack Nicklaus. The total redesign of the golf course began in April and is slated for completion in December. This beach resort offers 319 guest rooms and 34,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, including the 6,283-square-foot River of Grass Ballroom. The resort’s access to the white-sand beach on the Gulf of Mexico is pretty awesome, too.

Henderson Beach Resort, a Salamander Hotels & Resorts will be the newest beach resort in Destin, Florida, when it opens in the fall. It will offer 171 guest rooms next to 1.5 miles of white-sand on the Gulf of Mexico. Henderson will feature 10,000 sq. ft. of event space, including a dedicated meeting wing. There will be a 5,221-square-foot ballroom and as well as 20,000 sq. ft. of outdoor spaces for waterfront functions.

Pasea Hotel & Spa, a Meritage Collection property, opened in June in Huntington Beach, California, with 250 guest rooms and suites, almost all with Pacific Ocean views. The beach resort offers 34,600 sq. ft. of meeting space, including a 14,600-square-foot ocean lawn and terrace and 8,400-square-foot Sapphire Ballroom. Tanner’s restaurant features fresh California cuisine, and guests are able to watch the culinary team in action at its wood-fired inferno grill in an exhibition kitchen encased in glass. Groups can also head upstairs to Treehouse Lounge, a rooftop patio.

ritz-carlton-lake-tahoe beach resorts for meetings

The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe announced plans for creation of a new beach experience earlier this month. The AAA Five Diamond resort in Truckee, California, is building a lakefront project called Lake Club. Resort guests will have exclusive use of the club’s elegant, multilevel dining and bar facility with panoramic views of Lake Tahoe. There will be direct beach access, with an adjacent private boat pier for water sports.

The Ritz features 170 guest rooms, 23 private residences, a spa and an inter-mountain gondola that connects the resort to the nearby Village at Northstar. The 6,600-square-foot Ritz Carlton Ballroom can host 520 with theater-style seating and 478 for receptions.

“Our intention is to create a space that complements the rugged landscape with a clean, modern aesthetic,” said Clare Walton, principal architect of Tahoe City-based Walton Architecture + Engineering. “The transparency of our design allows guests to connect immediately with the setting and flow seamlessly between interior and exterior social gathering spaces.”

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Great Wolf Resorts, the world’s largest operator of indoor water parks, will invest $150 million to open a new resort in LaGrange, Georgia.

Great Wolf Lodge Georgia will provide families with nearly 500,000 sq. ft. of entertainment offerings and 456 guest suites along with world-class amenities to enjoy under one roof. The centerpiece of the resort will be a 93,000 sq. ft. indoor water park. The resort will feature signature Great Wolf Lodge rides and attractions, including high thrill water slides, a relaxing lazy river, wave pool and several water play areas for children.

“We look forward to bringing the Great Wolf Lodge brand to Georgia,” said Rubén Rodríguez, chief executive officer, Great Wolf Resorts, Inc., “Great Wolf Lodge Georgia will feature many of the amenities and activities our guests know and love, as well as several new experiences exclusive to this resort. As our company continues to expand, we could not think of a more perfect place than the location we found in LaGrange and we look forward to opening our doors to guests in just two short years.”

The resort is the result of great collaboration and partnership Great Wolf Resorts entered with the state of Georgia and the City of LaGrange. Governor Nathan Deal echoed Rodríguez’s statement, “We are excited that Great Wolf Lodge has chosen LaGrange to build their newest resort. Creating more than 600 jobs and investing more than $150 million, the economic impact from the Great Wolf Lodge Georgia operation will be felt immediately, and we anticipate additional investment in the region as operations ramp up. This project is a result of strong partnership between local and state leaders that will benefit the local community.”

Meeting and event planners can also look to Great Wolf Lodge Georgia for group and meeting needs. The property will have more than 16,000 sq. ft. of flexible conference space, built-in audio/video technology and customizable catering options.

Great Wolf Lodge Georgia will be a complete destination with a multitude of entertainment and dining options. Beyond the thrills of the water park, Great Wolf Lodge Georgia will feature dozens of entertainment choices, including Great Wolf Adventure Park, a full service entertainment center, and MagiQuest^®, the brand’s exclusive live-action, interactive that takes place throughout the resort. The resort will have several restaurants and food outlets onsite including Barnwood, the brand’s unique full service restaurant and Hungry as a Wolf^® handcrafted pizza and pasta.

Great Wolf Lodge Georgia will be the company’s fifteenth resort in North America. It will be located in La Grange off of I85, 70 minutes from downtown Atlanta. The resort is expected to open in 2018.