When a destination suddenly finds itself in the global spotlight, meeting planners start paying attention. But how does that visibility turn into real opportunities for conventions and events?

In this episode of Smart Start Radio, host Eming Piansay talks with Peter Gamez, president and CEO of Visit Oakland, about how recent cultural moments, including Olympic figure skater Alysa Liu, filmmaker Ryan Coogler and Grammy-winning artist Kehlani, are bringing new attention to Oakland, California, and why that matters for the meetings industry.

They discuss how positive storytelling shapes perception, how curiosity from planners turns into bookings, and why destinations that lean into their culture, food scene and local experiences are creating stronger meetings and events.

Further Resources

Oakland Back in the Spotlight as Hometown Stars Boost Destination Buzz

Oakland Sports Remain Strong Despite Exodus of Major Sports Teams

Eming Piansay
You never know what is going to put a city back in the spotlight. Sometimes it is a major event, sometimes it is a big movie, and sometimes it is the people who grew up there making headlines around the world.

Right now, Oakland, California, has a lot to celebrate, with Oakland native Alysa Liu making waves in the figure skating world and filmmaker Ryan Coogler continuing to shine a global light on the city, or the Town he calls home.

So today we are asking the question, what does this kind of visibility mean for tourism, conventions and events?

Welcome to Smart Start Radio. I am your host, Eming Piansay. Today I am talking with Peter Gamez, president and CEO of Visit Oakland, about how moments like these can shape perception, drive interest and open new opportunities for meetings and events in Oakland.

I really enjoyed this episode, mainly because it is two folks who grew up in the Bay Area talking about the Bay Area. If you are a Bay Area fan, resident or just someone who has been here, I hope you enjoy this show, because I certainly enjoyed producing it.

Let’s go.

EP
How is it going, Peter? Welcome to Smart Start Radio. I am so happy you are here.

Peter Gamez
I am really happy to be here. It has been quite a week of celebration going on in The Town.

EP
It has. Last week you had, it was not a parade, it was a rally.

PG
It was a rally.

EP
There we go. For Alysa. I wish I was there, but I had things to do. How was that?

PG
It was amazing. We had close to 10,000 people in downtown Oakland welcoming our hometown hero, Alysa Liu. She has brought so much light to Oakland and definitely put us on the global stage.

What I love about this, especially for the topic we are talking about today, what it means in the meetings world, is that she really brought to the global stage what I have always known all along about Oakland.

Her story, where she grew up and where she lives, represents our persistence, our multiculturalism and the soulfulness you find when you come to Oakland. That is what has opened us up to the meetings community. When planners are looking for that type of energy for their meeting, they can find it here in Oakland.

EP
Whenever I would hear about her, they always talked about where she is from, because Oakland is a very unique place. How do you feel that narrative shaped what is happening right now?

PG
First of all, I love that people say where she is from, but she acknowledged it first. She took pride in saying she is from Oakland.

And it is not just Alysa. Ryan Coogler wins an Academy Award and the first thing he says is he is from Oakland. Then you look at the Grammys, music, sports and film. All of these global stages have Oaklanders putting our city in the spotlight.

The cool thing is the reaction we are getting from clients and planners. We have had local planners say congratulations, it gives them pride that they had their meeting here. That constant positive storytelling is creating a new narrative for us.

It puts us on a global stage and gives us a chance to introduce what Oakland is all about.

EP
So for people who are not from Oakland or do not live near Oakland, like myself, I am from the Bay, so I have a general sense of Oakland. But for people who are not from here and are hearing about it now on a global scale, what do you feel like they are seeing?

PG
I think what they are seeing is curiosity. In the last 90 days there have been some pretty big names coming from this part of the world, and people want to learn more about it.

When I say global stage, I mean global. We are getting emails from Asia, Australia, South America and Mexico asking for information about Oakland. That opens the door for conversation.

People start to say, maybe I should consider this location. Some may have heard of Oakland in a negative light before, and that can happen with any urban area. But that does not define us. What defines us now are the great things happening in sports, arts and culture, and even our food scene.

For two years in a row, we were named the No. 1 food city by Conde Nast Traveler. Our chefs are ambassadors for Oakland. We have more than 125 languages spoken here, and that diversity shows up in our food.

EP
That makes sense. Given everything that has been going on, what are planners asking about the most right now?

PG
A lot of it comes back to the food scene. Planners want to know how they can incorporate that into their meetings.

These global moments in film, music and sports also create curiosity. They ask how they can connect their meeting to the culture of the city. For example, I had someone ask about the ice rink Alysa Liu trained at. That is not a question I used to get, but now planners want to know if they can do an outing there.

We see the same thing with film. The Grand Lake Theatre just celebrated 100 years, and Ryan Coogler has done premieres there. Those stories make planners want to connect their event to the experience people had growing up in Oakland.

EP
The news plays a big role in how a city is talked about. With everything happening right now, what do you hope this leads to for Oakland?

PG
I hope it impacts our biggest asset, which is the people of Oakland.

It is not just about the convention center or the venues. When you bring a meeting to a city, you are impacting the people who live and work there. The housekeeper, the cook, the server, the people behind the scenes. Meetings are an economic engine for the community.

Sometimes people think a destination marketing organization is just promoting the city, but we are also supporting the people who live here. That is what I hope comes from all of this positive attention.

EP
How do you keep that momentum going after the headlines fade?

PG
It takes a strong team. Our marketing, PR and sales teams keep the story alive.

A few years ago we focused on our culinary scene, and that helped lead to national recognition. Now we can do the same thing with sports, arts and culture.

We have the World Cup coming, and Australia has chosen Oakland as its home base. We have film, music and the arts. We have the Oakland School for the Arts, which so many successful artists attended.

We keep telling those stories and showing planners how they can build events around them. They can host something at the Fox Theater, the Paramount Theatre or other cultural venues. Those experiences make meetings more memorable.

EP
For planners who want to use sports as part of their event, how can they do that in Oakland?

PG
We talk about what we call turnkey experiences.

For example, you might not always go to a major league game, but you can go to an Oakland Ballers game and get closer to the action. You can combine that with a visit to Prescott Market, which is a great food hall nearby.

That allows planners to show attendees the culture of Oakland while still giving them something fun to do outside the meeting.

EP
Are there any new or updated event spaces planners should know about right now?

PG
One space that just reopened is the Henry J. Kaiser Auditorium near Lake Merritt. It has a lot of history and has been renovated. It has a theater that works well for product launches or performances.

Another is the Rotunda in downtown Oakland. It used to be a department store, and now it is a beautiful event space that works well for receptions and special events.

We also have so many unique venues throughout the city, and planners can find updated information on our website.

EP
On a personal note, I had my 40th birthday in Oakland recently, and I found this amazing outdoor bar with a huge tree in the middle. I had no idea it was there. That is one of the things I love about Oakland. Even if you grew up here, you can still find something new.

PG
That is one of the things that makes Oakland special. Spaces are always being reimagined. There is a strong entrepreneurial spirit here.

EP
Do you have a favorite place in Oakland?

PG
I always say I cannot have a favorite, but I do love how you can be in the city and then be in nature very quickly.

You can be kayaking at Jack London Square and then be in the redwoods a short time later. The Oakland Zoo has a gondola that takes you to the top, and the views of the Bay Area are incredible.

Chabot Space and Science Center is another favorite. Planners love using it for events, and it is surrounded by trails and redwoods.

And of course the Claremont Resort has amazing views and so much history.

EP
Is there anything we did not talk about that you want planners to know?

PG
The best way to stay updated is to visit our website. Our team works hard to tell the story of Oakland and share what makes the city special.

These recent headlines brought attention, but we have been telling this story for years.

We want planners to know that when they bring a meeting to Oakland, they are supporting the people who live here. That is what makes this work meaningful.

EP
Well, thank you so much, Peter. I really appreciate you being here and sharing Oakland with us.

PG
Thank you for having me.

EP
And we hope to have you back again soon.

PG
Anytime.

EP
Thanks again.