motivation for innovationmotivation for innovation

Volume 16, Issue 2 • 2011$15 US

Find inspiration and destinations

Plus, a handy-dandy planning guide! InnovatIon

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2 P l a n Y o u r M e e t i n g s

32 help is just an app awayinnovative tools that take the worry out of work

34 Gadgetsand gizmos

37 seven for ’11: hot meeting technology trends

10 motivation for innovation13 innovative green meeting

and hospitality trends

15 sponsorship trends

18 five mental traits that promote innovation

19 innovative meeting venues

20 feed your mind

21 a conversation with emilie Barta: 'the virtual hostess with the mostest'

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24 social media for events:how to make the personal professional

in this issue

27 roll call: league of extraordinary innovators

29 winners of the pym innovation contest

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in this issue

4 P l a n Y o u r M e e t i n g s

7 editor’s letter

9 contriButors

208 what’s online

209 the practical Guide to meetinG planninG

224 index of advertisers

l alabama 40 auburn/opelika

41 Birmingham 42 florence

43 montgomery 44 Gulf shores

46 mobilel arizona 47 Glendale

49 wickenburgl california 51 san franciscol colorado

53 denver56 Breckenridge

58 vail/Beaver creek 60 aspen 62 Grand junction 64 telluridel district of columbia 66 washington d.c.l florida 68 Beaches of

south walton 70 panama city

& the Beach 72 st. petersburg/

clearwater 78 fort myers

& the islands

80 orlando 85 space coast 86 jacksonville 92 amelia island 94 daytona Beach 97 the palm Beaches 100 miamil georgia

102 metro atlanta 116 sandy springs 118 dunwoody 120 Braselton 122 augusta 125 valdosta 127 savannah 129 st. simons 132 jekyll islandl illinois 134 chicagol indiana 138 indianapolisl louisiana

140 new orleansl minnesota 143 minneapolisl mississippi

144 tunical nevada 146 lake tahoe

148 las vegas

l new mexico 150 taosl north carolina 152 asheville 153 charlotte 156 durhaml south carolina 157 charleston 158 kiawah island 160 myrtle Beachl tennessee

164 nashvillel texas

166 dallas-fort worth 171 arlington 172 richardson 173 plano 174 irving 176 Bryan-college station 178 houston 186 the woodlands 188 austin 194 san marcos 196 new Braunfels 198 san antonio 204 rockport-fulton 206 south padre island

39 destination Guide a tour of some top meeting cities.

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editorialeditorial director/chief storyteller

kristi casey sanderscontriButinG editors

diane casey, monica compton, ashley ferrellcontriButinG writers

christine Born, traci Browne, midori connolly, taylor dahl, jeff hurt, claire r. Gould, denise Quashie, jackie thornton, johanna walsh, mary welcheditorial assistants

penn hansa and madeline richards

productionart director

jenny schislerproject manaGer/production artist

whitney stubblefieldweB/it specialist

aaron karpproduction assistant

lauren wright

advertisinGvice president, sales & marketinG

evan casey Group puBlisher

carol campbell account executives

jim Gilligan, aleigh murawski, carol wilhems

audience development/marketinGdirector

lisa kraus Gardnerevents & client services

eileen lawrenceaudience development

jess davis, vanessa jatho, kaprecha robinson

chairwoman diane caseypresident

tom caseycontroller

suzzie Gilhamchief administrative officer claudia madigane-mail: first.lastname@atlantametropub.com

published by atlanta metropolitan publishing inc., 180 allen road ne, 200 north Building, atlanta, Georgia 30328, 404-843-9800, fax 404-843-9070. copyright ©2011 by atlanta metropolitan pub lishing inc. amp makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information it publishes, but cannot be held responsible for any consequences arising from errors, omissions or opinions expressed herein. all rights reserved. repro duction in whole or in part of any text, photograph or illustration without written permission from the publisher strictly prohibited. publisher reserves the right to refuse any advertising for any reason and to alter advertising copy or graphics deemed unacceptable for publication.

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The ideas that make up our PYM annual guide generally arrive unannounced, at odd hours. I first started thinking about this issue’s “innovation” theme while walking past the graveyard outside the Dallas Convention Center. After speaking with several planners at our PYM LIVE Events, I found that their biggest social media obstacle was finding time to explore the possibilities of these powerful marketing tools (p. 28). I had a flash that our innovation guide could be like a Boy Scout manual (p. 10), helping planners through a wilderness of options (p. 33). Other bursts of what my Art Director Jenny Schisler calls “inspirado” arrived while en route to a site tour in Pittsburgh (p. 29), juxtaposing images with the EditPro team at work (p. 24) and tapping in to the constant stream of information being exchanged online between the great minds and innovative thinkers I admire (p. 12).

When I was a young girl, I read that the singer Jim Morrison educated himself by reading the books his idols read (p. 20). That sounded very wise, so I did the same. At some point it occurred to me that I should widen my scope to also read books and study the art and music made by their friends (p. 27). Doing so had an unexpected side effect — I began to see connections between seemingly incongruous things. It gave me an intellectual history of inspiration and innovation that descended straight down from Dante to The Doors. And, it illuminated for me how deeply relationships affect one’s work.

Before Twitter and Facebook, I don’t think it would have occurred to me that technology could create the same kind of bonds between minds that personal relationships historically have. But like attracts like, and technology has just made it easier for groups of like minds to find each other. The great news is that it also makes it a lot easier for the rest of us to eavesdrop in on their conversations (p. 21).

Speaking of conversations, please engage us on our other social and online platforms (p. 208) or come meet us in person at a LIVE Event (p. 77). And, in case you’re wondering, I did have a vision of the 2012 PYM annual guide. It will have a Hitchcock-inspired “Anatomy of a Planner” theme (which of course came to me in the shower).

All year long, we’ll be collecting stories of your best days, your worst days, your favorite events and the ones that went haywire. So if you have something you’d like to share, e-mail kristi@planyourmeetings.com or tweet me @PYMLive with the hashtag #pym12. And, if you’re interested in being a mentor or are in search of one, let us know!

Kristi Casey Sanders Editorial Director/Chief Storyteller

Be prepared

P l a n Y o u r M e e t i n g s . C o M 7

editor's letter

“The future is already here — it’s just not evenly distributed.” I’ve been thinking about that William Gibson quote a lot lately. Overseas, social media is able to unite and motivate people to topple dictatorships. Yet, in America, it’s primarily used to snicker at celebrity mishaps.

I'd like to thank the following for making this issue possible:lcd soundsystem, vic chesnutt, stella Bella, rescue remedy, twitter, #eventprofs, mighty mighty 44, master Blaster, whit, real time, "just" aaron, office babysitters, pcma convening leaders, fast forward, wired, inc., @samueljsmith, @jeffhurt, 4 hour Body, chipotle, pym live events, Belle & sebastian, chuck d and flava flav, cypress hill, king claude, @dqtweets, @checklistqueen, cozmic fun lines' awesome artist resandersarts@yahoo.com, jimmy johns, breastpumps, "chelsea lately," "Glee," mimi and poppa t, mashable, seth Godin and the weird chirpy music at the thai restaurant on roswell road.[

©2011 Hard Rock International (USA), Inc. All rights reserved. SeeTheShow™

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see the world.

United States

Atlanta

Atlantic City

Baltimore

Biloxi

Boston

Chicago

Cleveland

Dallas

Denver

Destin

Detroit

Foxwoods

Gatlinburg

Hollywood, CA on Hollywood Blvd.

Hollywood, CA at Universal CityWalk

Hollywood, FL

Honolulu

Houston

Indianapolis

Key West

Lake Tahoe

Las Vegas

Las Vegas at Hard Rock Hotel

Louisville

Maui

Memphis

Miami

Minneapolis

Myrtle Beach

Nashville

New Orleans

New York

Niagara Falls

Orlando

Philadelphia

Phoenix

Pittsburgh

San Antonio

San Diego

San Francisco

Seattle

St. Louis

Tampa

Washington, DC

Yankee Stadium

Canada

Niagara Falls

Ottawa

Toronto

cafes

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contriButors

P l a n Y o u r M e e t i n g s . C o M 9

debbie autman, atlanta, Gamonica compton, cmp, atlanta, Gadavid ecton, marietta, Gatavia foster evans, atlanta, Gasusan m. fox, cmp, cmm, plano, txamber frix, atlanta, GaBobby hobes, ccte, atlanta, Gajames hogg, phd, orlando, flanesia jordan-moville, atlanta, Ga

Qualena odom-royes, csep, cmp, atlanta, Ga

erica prewett, woodstock, Gapaula j. rigling, cae, cmp,

austin, txkimberly d. roberts, cmp, csep,

atlanta, Galynne k. tiras, cmp, houston, txkeisha wilson, csep, austell, Ga

Meet the PYM Advisory Board

We are a proud sponsor of the Green Meeting Industry Council and assist with the communications for GMIC Atlanta. Read about our other CSR initiatives at PlanYourMeetings.com/corevalues.

JEff HURt has more than 20 years experience in the meetings industry working for nonprofit associations. He currently serves as director of education and engagement for Velvet Chainsaw Consulting, a consulting firm that helps organizations improve their annual meetings, events, education and social media. He pens the Midcourse Corrections blog (jeffhurtblog.com) and tweets as @jeffhurt.

DEnISE QUASHIE is CEO of Socially Planned (sociallyplanned.com), managing partner of Events By Canvas (eventsbycanvas.com), and founder of BarkWorld Expo. An award-winning event producer, she has executed successful events for brands like Deloitte, PETCO, GMC, HP, AT&T, RIM BlackBerry and State Farm. She is currently working on a book, Confessions of an Event Organizer. Follow her on Twitter @DQtweets.

MARY WElcH is an Atlanta-based freelance writer. Formerly the editor in chief of Atlanta Woman magazine and Business to Business magazine, she writes about business, travel, lifestyle and women's issues. marywelchwriter.com.

RoBERt SAnDERS, who created the illustrations and merit badges for this issue, is the owner and head imaginarian of Cozmic Fun Lines, a toy and gift company for kids of all ages. He finds inspiration in his beautiful wife and wonderful kids, and his Color Me ... Gift Cards are an extention of the fun his family has making art together. For more information, go to cozmicfunlines.com, like it on Facebook or follow @cozmicfunlines.

Want to become a PYM mentor? Contact Lisa.Kraus@PlanYourMeetings.com

24 P l a n Y o u r M e e t i n g s

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How to make the personal professionalBy denise quashie

ceo & social media event consultant at socially planned

For the past few years, many have been scrambling on what’s considered “standard practice.” Because the social space continues to grow, there’s no one recipe for all. “At times there’s a need to divide personal and professional, but in many cases the overlap can be advantageous and can really establish your credibility in the industry, if done correctly,” says Danielle Leitch, executive vice president of client strategy for MoreVisibility (morevisibility.com).

Here’s a great example of the kind of advantageous opportunities social media offers: Recently, I was asked to co-speak at two industry conferences, and I did it with event professionals I virtually met on Twitter and only physically met the day of our presentations. That’s a true testament that the time spent on social media platforms does have its benefits.

What’s the Difference? Many confuse personal with private. Telling your fan base that you passed out from too much alcohol is probably not smart and certainly shouldn’t be shared. Professionals need to have the ability to edit themselves. An edited version of the above would say that the weekend was spent by enjoying great friends and conversations. 3 Tip: Base what’s “professionally personal” by the personal updates you often give during the first few minutes of a conference call you might have on a Monday morning.

Rick Calvert, co-founder of BlogWorld Expo (blogworldexpo.com), has an interesting view on this topic. “The entire advantage of social media vs. traditional media is the opportunity to connect with people on a personal level,” he says. “The goal is to strengthen your personal relationships and humanize your business self, thereby enriching yourself and your friends who also happen to be customers and business associates.”

How do you balance the two? “I’ve had my Facebook account since I was in college,” says Sarah Fields, an online marketing manager at the agency DENMARK (denmarktheagency.com) “I wouldn’t want to have to censor my friends just in case they post something that may not be appropriate for more professional contacts.”3Tip: Keep your college-built profiles private and create a Facebook Group or a Fan Page for your blog, event or specific interest. A great example is a user-run online community of event professionals, “Eventprofs” (facebook.com/eventprofs). This is one of the best,

most innovative ways to promote events and garner registrations and awareness.3Tip: Think of LinkedInas the 9-to-5 social network, Twitter as the networking happy hour and Facebook as the after-party. By using this logic, it will be easier for

you to determine an appropriate ratio for your online content.

26 P l a n Y o u r M e e t i n g s

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hen it comes to using social media both personally and for business, many professionals cringe at the

thought of combining the two. However, you can and should be “professionally personal” on social media because beyond the tweets about what’s on television, there’s actually a lot of excellent content relative to business and branding, and open opportunities to develop meaningful, and at times profitable, professional relationships.

#eventprofsif you’re on

twitter, do a search for #eventprofs, and you’ll quickly discover some of the most innovative meeting professions working today. they regularly hold twitter “chats” on a variety of topics. to see the current calendar and archived stream of past conversations, visit eventprofs.pbworks.com. recently, eventprofs stepped into the face-to-face arena with a series of user-generated live events called event camps (eventcamp.org). Most of them have a free virtual component that allows you to view sessions and interact with the participants and speakers remotely.

InteractIve Q&a

Vyou.com is a fun way to answer questions your attendees may have about your event. accounts are free, and all you need is a webcam to film one brief segment of you, the company president or speakers “waiting” for people to ask questions, and another segment that will be played in response to questions that haven’t yet been answered. after responses are filmed, a link to them may be shared on Facebook, twitter and tumblr blogs. Do you have any questions? come visit us at vyou.com/pym. we’re always happy to help!

VelVet Chainsaw’s MidCourse CorreCtionsjeffhurtblog.comIf you enjoyed the Innovation feature in this issue, you’ll love this site. on a daily basis, Jeff asks some fascinating questions about why we plan events the way we do, challenges our assumptions and proposes some interesting alternatives.

uMair haque for the harVard Business reViewblogs.hbr.org/haqueWriting on the topics of global business, competition and the economy, Haque produces well-researched columns that question the status quo, point out the inadequacy of certain paradigms and brings humanity to the world of big business.

ready2sparkready2spark.comLara Mcculloch-carter helps companies develop their social media, marketing and branding strategies, and brings that expertise to the events industry. from an event planning tools megalist to career

advice for independent planners, she offers real grounded, actionable ideas.

interaCtiVe Meeting teChnologyinteractivemeetingtechnology.comso we totally geek out when samuel J. smith talks about new event technologies and ways to engage the audience, but the entries we love the best are his reviews of what worked and didn’t work at the events he’s attended, virtually or otherwise (and he goes to a lot).

design dawgsdesigndawgs.netWhen you need a little eye candy, head on over to aoo event’s blog. David Merrell and a series of guest bloggers post pictures and write-ups of interesting event designs and décor.

Meetings podCastgrassshackroad.com/blogMike Mcallen’s Grass shack road blog features a mix of written posts and podcast interviews with event professionals he finds interesting. He’s a cool guy to talk with, and it’s fun getting to know more about the industry peers he profiles.

plannerwireplannerwire.netIncentive/association planner Keith Johnston and medical meeting planner trish rafferty contribute to this entertaining blog that gives readers a window into what the life and work of planning meetings and

events is really like. plus, Keith writes some really fantastic rants.

daniel pinkdanpink.comauthor of “Drive: the surprising truth about What Motivates Us” and “a Whole new Mind: Why right-Brainers Will rule the future,” Daniel pink writes about how the workplace is evolving.

seth’s Blogsethgodin.typepad.comon the surface, seth Godin’s blog is about marketing. But more often, it’s about how you can relate to people more effectively, what you are truly capable of and what people are doing that is changing the world.

sanders sayssanderssays.typepad.comtim sanders is a keynote speaker, author and business consultant who specializes in corporate social responsibility, leadership and motivation. He’s also an avid reader, so his blog posts are filled with links to innovative thinkers, ideas and books.

Roll call: League of extraordinary innovators

Many of the people featured in this issue write blogs. Here are links to a few we find especially thought-provoking — and some blogs that have inspired them. coMpiled By kristi casey sanders

P l a n Y o u r M e e t i n g s . C o M 27

28 P l a n Y o u r M e e t i n g s

what’s tMi? “I make it my business to understand and exercise all of the privacy options that are available,” says Venita Hale of venitalynn.com. “And remember that ‘guilty by association’ applies. Connecting with a person online is a form of low-level endorsement, and if you’re associated with someone who is unprofessional online, it could impact your reputation.” 3Tip: If you use mobile applications like Foursquare, be sure to also edit where you “check-in.” I recently viewed an update of someone checking in from the County Jail. You’re broadcasting information to the world, so make sure it’s what you want your boss, co-workers or business prospects to see.

to share … or not? Companies are starting to hire again, and they’re researching candidates on social media. I certainly do and have turned down many fantastic resumes because of the candidate’s Facebook updates. 3Tip: “Those looking for business opportunities ought to be cautious of what’s being shared publicly, and to disclose your [social media after dark] pastime to potential employers if they feel there’s potential for the two to intersect,” Leitch says. This doesn’t mean you need to friend, follow, or allow access to the VP of

HR. However, it does mean you can showcase your work, writing style, and creativity in an innovative, current format.

For employers, it’s important to disclose your social media policies. Jennifer Daniels, “The Friendraiser” (thefriendraiser.com) and social media manager for a library system, says she’s written office polices as well as “common sense rules” for employees. “We explain to our employees to keep their personal social media brand distinguished, not separated, from their role with library and to have the disclaimer ‘my tweets do not reflect that of my employer’.”

the bottom lineUltimately, you have to do what’s best for your particular situation. The market is changing, and social media isn’t going away. It will continue to grow. And, if you’re in the event industry, it’s critical that you use the space to build, promote, and sell your brand and events. Clients want innovative event organizers, and creatively using social media is a fantastic way to close the deal.

No matter how successful, all of us have made a few social media mistakes. That’s why I encourage you to explore it by listening first before graduating to making professional contributions. Know your limits, be authentic, and eventually you’ll find your comfort zone. That’s when the benefits will begin to roll in.

Case study: proving the value of social mediaeVent: social Media tourism

symposium (soMet)goal: to create a 100

percent user-generated conference.Challenge: create and promote a conference without using any traditional marketing channels or planning methodology.solution: all communications with potential attendees were established through a fan page on facebook and @soMet on twitter, using the hashtag #soMet. Input from potential attendees was used to plan every element of the meeting — from what the cost and duration should be to who would speak at the event. once request for proposals (rfps) from potential hosts were narrowed down to those that met attendees’ criteria, fans were encouraged to vote for their favorites on facebook. every educator

booked to speak came from a suggestion from facebook or twitter.result: the fan page started with 163 fans. once voting on potential destinations opened, membership on the facebook fan page swelled to 1,033. the competing hosts generated extra publicity by writing blog posts and launching their own twitter campaigns using the #soMet tag. a video contest also increased awareness, as attendees vied to win a gift certificate by posting online videos

describing why they wanted to attend. Because of this powerful word-of-mouth buzz, less than $150 was spent on facebook ads and other pr efforts.feedBaCk: the rfp for the 2011 event was downloaded by 532 destinations, versus 219 in 2010. on the day the 2011 dates were announced, #soMet was mentioned on twitter almost 200 times. During the rfp voting period, #soMet was mentioned on twitter an average of 75-125 times a day. the hashtag was used by 558 unique users, who engaged 426,424 additional audience members between the end of the 2010 event and the beginning of the rfp voting process, four months later. the hashtag was viewed by 1.8 million people during that time.

as of press time, the soMetourism facebook page had more than 2,500 fans, 500 of whom had joined the group within the last seven days.

KeepInG It toGetHer

the more platforms you use to engage people, the more difficult it can become to monitor the conversations and manage your workflow. that’s why most marketing professionals (and more and more meeting planners) use a social media dashboard to keep everything straight. tools like hootsuite.com, socialoomph.com and tweetdeck.com allow users to post one message across multiple social networking sites, schedule posts days in advance, track metrics, and connect accounts and Facebook fan pages to rss feeds to provide a steady stream of content. you can go a step further with a tool like threadsy.com, which gives users access to their e-mail accounts as well.

P l a n Y o u r M e e t i n g s . C o M 29

PYM Innovation Winners

But it would be unfair not to share with you some of the other great people, ideas and events we got to hear about. for example, syscom technology’s David ecton has found a really fun application for segways — he uses them to create team-building polo matches on golf courses and event lawns. We were blown away by the coolness quotient of cream of the crop events and Logistics’ party (at right) for 500 they created in a parking garage at 1111 Lincoln road (thanks Deirdre everdij!). We love Dave & Buster’s unique team-building offerings. We can’t wait to see how telluride is reinventing the faM tour. and we were pretty sad we missed the new Year’s eve party Jennifer Johnston of the sea palms resort wrote us about. Here are some other things we thought were pretty darn innovative.

“sculptware created a chair cover with pockets on the back for meetings and new product launch parties. company info for meetings or new product launch items can be put in the pockets to create a seamless meeting or decluttering the table.” — Linda Peters

“[corporate social responsibility] (csr) can reach beyond just a team-building activity and really impact lives. someone who personifies this commitment to csr is

tammi runzler, vice president of convention sales and

services for visit orlando, who is right now leaving for her second trip to

Haiti with clean the World, a fantastic orlando-based non-profit organization that collects, recycles and distributes soap to needy populations. With the cholera

outbreaks there’s been a special need for soap, so clean the World has gone to Haiti a few times within the past year to help the situation. You can learn more about them here: cleantheworld.org/about-us.asp.” — Jennifer Dienst

“at Zoo atlanta, you can have dinner at the giant panda habitat, or sip a cocktail while watching a gorilla feeding.” — andrea smith

“the sales department at the alabama Gulf coast cvB has devised an innovative approach to including social media in every meeting that takes place here. We maintain an ongoing presence on facebook and twitter, as well as a special website just for meeting planners and attendees. through the use of these web 2.0 tools, we are able to extend our services to our customers and guests. via our social media tools, we promote Gulf shores & orange Beach to planners and attendees by highlighting what is special about our area. Using vibrant photography, video, and links, we showcase the best our destination has to offer, and put it in the perspective of a meeting/conference environment.” — April Boone

the naples, Marco Island and everglades cvB offers planners access to a digital library of promotional materials they can customize and distribute to attendees at paradisecoast.com/gap.

Do you have an idea, event or a shout-out you’d like to share with us? Go to our Facebook page and tell us about the people, events and meeting services you think are cool. We’ll post our favorites for you to vote from May 15-30. The winner will appear on the cover of the next issue of PYM!

One of the amazing things about working at Plan Your Meetings is getting to meet truly innovative meeting professionals. These visionaries are

finding new ways to engage the audience, present their client’s message, build teams, use technology to improve events, create immersive experiences and yes, even change the world. cOMPiled BY krisTi caseY sanders

We asked you to tell us about an innovative event, service, supplier or product and we were overwhelmed with your replies. Earlier this year, we put our three favorites up for a vote and let you select the winner, the meeting planner you felt was the most innovative. Overwhelmingly,

you chose Erica Prewett (@checklistqueen) from A Big To Do Event in Atlanta. Her winning case study is featured on page 17, and in, homage, we’ve put her animated alter-ego on the cover.

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Want creative venues?Don’t let the Doubletree branding fool you; The Curtis is a unique boutique hotel at heart. Everything about its design and decor is fun and unexpected, from the cartoons playing in the lobby to its tic-tac meeting notepads. Meeting rooms are named for childhood games like “Duck Duck Goose” and accommodate up to 280 banquet-style and 400 for receptions. If you’re looking for an out-of-the box option that is still business-friendly, it’s an inspired choice for a host hotel. Famous actors, including Douglas Fairbanks, Sarah Bernhardt, Grace Kelly and Vincent Price, have performed at Denver’s oldest theater, the 115-year-old Center for American Theatre at Old Elitch Gardens. The Denver Performing Arts Center is one of the largest in the world, with facility rentals available in some venues, including the recently opened Ellie Caulkins Opera House. Other facilities include the Denver Art Museum’s Daniel Libeskind-designed Hamilton Building, and the Museum of Contemporary Art’s David Adjaye-designed building.

Want group dining?McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurant offers an upscale, business-friendly environment and several versatile private and semi-private dining spaces decorated with elegant mahogany woodwork and Tiffany lamps. The menu offers fresh seafood, steak, chicken, salads and pasta. The bar specializes in traditional mixology, and patio space is available. Dave & Buster’s has executive meeting rooms hidden among its billiard

and arcade rooms as well as multiple bars and a fine-dining restaurant. The Buckhorn Exchange, Denver’s oldest restaurant, is an eccentric steak house serving exotic meats such as elk, quail, alligator tail and rattlesnake; thousands of animal heads line the walls of the main dining room. Private dining is available in a covered and climate-controlled rooftop garden with entertainment provided by cowboy poets and folk singers.

Want presidential accommodations?The Brown Palace Hotel and Spa has hosted every United States president

since Teddy Roosevelt, with the exception of Calvin Coolidge. In fact, the Brown Palace Club, located on the second floor, was the campaign headquarters for Dwight D. Eisenhower prior to his election as president. (The Eisenhower suite even has a dent in the fireplace from a wayward golf ball the president hit while practicing in his room.) More than a century old, the 241-room property is the only Mobil Four Star and AAA Four Diamond hotel in Denver. It also ranked among Travel + Leisure’s 500 World’s Best Hotels for 2010. Amenities include 13,000 square feet of meeting space and an A/V department that assists with Webcasting and video conferencing setups.

Want to team-build?With versatile meeting space for large corporate groups or small gatherings, Dave & Buster’s is the perfect place to kick back or kick butt. Engage your group in one of several team-building activities or let them loose to explore on their own. You also have the option of renting out the entire place — up to 70,000 square feet, depending on location. The Inverness Golf Club can create golf tournaments followed by receptions or banquets.

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The Denver Art Museum has breathtaking indoor and outdoor event spaces.

WhAT you shoulD knoWThe city of Denver set out to make

the 2008 Democratic National Convention (DNC) the greenest ever. As a result, major properties and meeting facilities invested in extensive back-of-house operations, like composting, recycling and water conservation, that continue to help planners create more sustainable meetings. World-class sports facilities, art museums and theaters provide both entertainment and state-of-the-art meeting facilities, and the city’s luxury room portfolio is expanding.

WhAT Will surprise youSome people assume Denver

is in the mountains; in fact, it is in the foothills. Winter temperatures average 45 degrees; snow falls but melts quickly, which is why pre- and post-convention events in Vail/Beaver Creek are popular. The convention and visitors bureau has a free housing bureau service available to planners booking at least 1,200 peak room nights in three or more hotels.

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Impulse Management uses improv comedy skills to create and facilitate customized corporate workshops on such topics as dealing with change, improving communication, reducing stress, building collaborative work teams and spurring creativity. Denver Adventures creates customized trips for groups ranging from skiing, snowboarding and snowshoeing during winter months to warm-weather hiking, biking and packages incorporating outdoor meetings. Adventures Out West offers whitewater rafting, mountain biking, hot air balloon and customized jeep tours.

Want outdoor events?The Denver Botanic Gardens is one of the top-ranked botanical gardens

in the United States with a 23-acre downtown campus, a 750-acre wildlife and plant refuge in Littleton, an alpine trail and interpretive site on the Mount Evans Scenic Byway, and a five-acre formal garden downtown (Centennial Gardens). For events that rock, Red Rocks Amphitheatre is a 9,000-seat natural outdoor arena and picnic area carved into the mountainside that hosts major concerts and has a spectacular view of the city. The Denver Museum of Nature & Science has several event facilities including a 5,000-sq. ft. rooftop terrace with a telescope for viewing the night sky.

Want to meet in a place with history?The Museo de las Américas focuses on the art, history and culture of Latinos in the Americas from ancient times to present day. The Byers-Evans House Museum is a landmark home built in 1883 within walking distance of the Colorado Convention Center and Civic Center Park. The Colorado Historical Society rents historic sites such as the Grant-Humphreys Mansion, the Bloom Gardens in Trinidad and the Colorado History Museum to groups for private functions.

Want to rev things up?The Hard Rock Café Denver has a living museum of rock ’n’ roll memorabilia and atmospheric meeting and event space for up to 750 people. Nightclubs in the SoCo district, such as The Church, Vinyl and The Living Room, are available for private functions. Rise nightclub in LoDo is a South Beach-style nightclub with four dance floors and a 5,000-sq. ft. patio lounge. EagleRider Rentals & Tours offers guided Harley-Davidson motorcycle tours, as well as bike, watercraft, dirt bike and snowmobile rentals during the winter months.

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The 411• 584,000-sq. ft. exhibit hall

in Colorado Convention Center• 40,000 guest rooms citywide• 8,000 hotel rooms within walking

distance of convention center• Best values from November through march

Denver ABCsThe city is big on acronyms:

LoDo (lower downtown) is a shopping and dining destination; SoCo (south of Colfax) is the nightlife district; the gTmD (golden Triangle museum District) is home to museums and performing arts facilities. South of downtown is the Cherry Creek district, which has upscale shopping, dining and art galleries.

Denver Botanic Gardens has several indoor and outdoor venues; the Colorado Convention Center was designed with input from meeting planners and has a sustainability coordinator.

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Want to meet green?Visit Orlando and the Central Florida chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council are working together to make this the greenest meetings destination in the country. Solar panels on the roof of the Orange County Convention Center generate enough energy to power 100 homes, and the convention center has been nationally recognized for its eco-friendly initiatives. More than 30 local hotels are Florida-certified Green Lodging hotels, and several restaurants use locally grown and sourced ingredients. Check with Visit Orlando for a complete list of the city’s green service providers and initiatives. In addition to being a certified Florida Green Lodging Property, Peabody Orlando has a partnership with Clean the World that lets them turn those little bars of soap attendees leave behind into life-saving donations. The bars of soap are sanitized, remolded and shipped to Haiti, where a bar of soap costs $3-5, a family only has $2-3 a day to live off of and preventable sanitary diseases kill thousands of people every year. The Peabody’s program has inspired hotels around the country to look into forming similar partnerships.

Want locally made items for gifts?Orlando Brewing Company brews a wide variety of organic beers and

coffee. Winter Park’s boutiques sell specialty goods and foods. Visit Orlando sells Magicards, offering savings at 67 attractions, shops, hotels and restaurants. Florida’s Natural Brand Co-op has a gift shop with branded merchandise, food and gift items, as well as an online store. Behr’s Chocolates can create customized chocolates and gourmet treats, such as s’mores and chocolate-dipped fortune cookies.

Want to shake up a meal function?Send attendees on a scenic boat tour through the lakes and canals of historic Winter Park. Disembark at the Albin Polasek Museum and Gardens for an afternoon luncheon or evening reception in the sculpture garden, which accommodates more than 300 people. Polasek helmed the Art Institute of Chicago’s sculpture department for nearly three decades before retiring to Winter Park to build a home for his “children”

— life-size sculptures that he arranged in his garden overlooking Lake Osceola. What’s remarkable about the museum’s collection is that many of the large sculptures on display were created by Polasek after he suffered a stroke, which left him wheelchair-bound and with the use of only one arm. A smaller chapel and indoor house museum with galleries also are available for groups to tour.

Want to golf?The Reunion Resort is home to three golf courses, designed by Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson. Other amenities at the luxury resort include villa accommodations, elegant conference space, a rooftop pool/patio venue and a 4,700-sq. ft. ballroom overlooking natural wetlands. The El Campeon course at the Mission Inn Resort in Howey-in-the-Hills is one of Florida’s Top 10 courses; the neighboring Las Colinas course was designed by Gary Koch and recognized by Golf Digest as

Orlando

The Orange County Convention Center has 2.1 million square feet of exhibit space.

WhaT yOu shOuld knOWMore than 10 million meeting

and convention attendees come to orlando every year. the convention center and most of the convention hotels are clustered around International drive (also known as I-drive), which is anchored by universal orlando resort to the north and Sea World adventure Park and the Walt disney World resort to the south. a flurry of development has revitalized some familiar properties, like six of rosen Hotels and resorts’ properties and the Peabody orlando, which added 145,000 square feet of meeting space and a new guest room tower to its campus. three airports service the area: orlando International airport, orlando executive airport and the Kissimmee gateway airport.

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one of the best new resort courses when it opened. Walt Disney World Resort has four championship golf courses, a nine-hole walking course and fantasy mini-golf courses for families. Other top-ranked Golf Digest courses include the National and the International at ChampionsGate, the Lake Nona Golf Course, and the Tom Watson- and Jack

Nicklaus-designed courses at Reunion Resort. Zagat gives top marks to the Panther Lake and the Crooked Cat courses at Orange County National.

Want creative venues?Fantasy of Flight’s historic aircraft museum offers banquet and reception space for up to 5,000, interactive flight simulations and conference facilities. WonderWorks, an upside-down “museum of the mind” is a fun alternative for a reception or evening function for up

to 1,200 people. In addition to a laser tag arena and a dinner-theater magic show, the facility has virtual reality rides, hands-on science experiments and other activities, including a three-story indoor ropes challenge course and a 4-D extreme-motion, simulated-thrill theater. At the CityArts Factory, groups can learn the art of glass blowing; the facility also has gallery and performance space. The Harry P. Leu Gardens has indoor and outdoor meeting space as well as classrooms for educational programs.

Want to stay near one of the “big three” amusement parks?The Holiday Inn Resort Orlando - The Castle is a 216-room Medieval-themed “palace.” Within walking distance of International Drive and a short ride to the Disney parks, the Kessler Collection property has 10,000 square feet of function space, including two ballrooms and rooftop terraces. The 115-room, AAA Four-Diamond Bohemian Hotel Celebration is five minutes away from the Disney magic. The boutique property has 5,000 square feet of indoor meeting space with panoramic lakeside views, and two lakeside terraces for

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WhaT Will surprise yOuJust north of the convention

district, downtown orlando offers a quieter, less touristy meeting alternative to I-drive. orlando is well known as a destination for large conventions, but there are many properties and venues that cater to small groups. In addition to the creative resources available to meeting planners from companies such as disney, there is Medical city, which is home to M.d. anderson orlando cancer research Institute and Sanford-burnham Medical research Institute. three other medical facilities are being developed.

The 411• 2.1 million square feet

of exhibit space in the orange county convention center

• 116,000 guest rooms• 447 hotels• 168 golf courses• 90+ attractions• 60+ convention hotels

ChampionsGate has one of several top-ranked golf courses in the area; the harry p. leu Gardens features three miles of paved scenic walkways that take visitors through 50 acres of southern-style gardens.

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florida

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ReImagine your next meeting in a place where unforgettable surroundings

inspire creativity. Expertly designed facilities provide the perfect backdrop

for meetings from 15 to 15,000. With two decades of service expertise

backed by award-winning accommodations and dining, this is the world

you’ll experience at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort.

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outdoor functions. Free shuttle service to Disney theme parks also is provided. The International Palms Orlando has 652 guest rooms and suites and 26 meeting rooms, including a 10,000-sq. ft. ballroom that seats up to 1,400 people. Located near Sea World and the other theme parks, the 652-room hotel offers many business amenities, including 24-hour fitness and business centers, same-day dry cleaning and complimentary high-speed Internet.

Want to meet at one of the amusement parks?In addition to Walt Disney World Resorts’ four parks (Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom), the resort offers professional development workshops and unusual venues such as the 10,000-sq. ft. Stage 17 Hollywood-style soundstage. Groups can stay at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin, which has 2,265 guest rooms, 84 meeting rooms, two boardrooms, four ballrooms and 110,500 contiguous square feet of exhibit space. For meetings that rock, head to Universal Orlando Resort’s

CityWalk complex and check out the Hard Rock Café Orlando. In addition to a living museum of rock’n’roll memorabilia, the restaurant has eight function spaces for music-themed meetings and events, including the 150-person Art Bar and the 60-person Elvis Library.

Want to team-build?SkyVenture offers a free-fall skydiving adventure in a specially constructed wind tunnel. Teams of eight to 12 go every 30 minutes; a viewing platform allows waiting groups to watch each mission. Corporate Astronaut Training

Programs (ATX) are available at the Kennedy Space Center (44 miles away).

Want to surround your group with culture?The 250-room Grand Bohemian Hotel has 9,600 square feet of function space, including the rooftop Bohemian Garden. Amenities include a gallery of over 150 works of rare art, live nightly entertainment and AAA Four-Diamond, DiRoNA dining. The Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art in Winter Park has the world’s most comprehensive collection of Louis Comfort Tiffany works.

skyVenture Orlando is one option for team-building; universal’s CityWalk entertainment complex has many restaurants and entertainment venues.

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Want to keep it green?The contemporary International House is a member of the Green Hotels Association. New Orleans’ first boutique hotel, it uses indigenous materials in the décor: Vases in the rooms are crafted from a local apothecary’s mineral water bottles, photos of local musicians are on the walls, a history book of New Orleans is on the desk. If you have a small group, stop at the hotel’s attractive Loa Bar (named for a voodoo deity or divine spirit), a popular spot for visiting celebrities.

Looking for off-beat or unusual meeting venues?New Orleans is full of character, and that applies to its facilities, too. You’ll find gallery spaces, historic homes, attractions and restaurants that can enhance your smaller events. There’s also Mardi Gras World, the Audubon Zoo and Aquarium, and The National World War II Museum. The Foundry, situated near the Mississippi Riverfront in the city’s historic Warehouse District, boasts an open floor plan capable of accommodating groups of 100 to 1,000, and evokes the romance of the 19th century era of steamboats and horse-drawn wagons.

Want a venue with views?A few blocks from the French Quarter, within walking distance of the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, the W New Orleans has more than 13,000 square feet of meeting space, including 13 meeting and banquet rooms with stellar views of downtown. The AAA Four-Diamond property has 423 rooms, a 4,992-sq. ft. Great Room and

a Whiskey Blue cocktail lounge. In the Central Business District, Hilton New Orleans/St. Charles Avenue has a 2,279-sq. ft. Skyview Terrace overlooking the city. The 250-room, 25-suite hotel began life as a Masonic Temple in 1926 and has more than 15,000 square feet of meeting space, including a historic chapel, three breakout rooms and four ballrooms. In the French Quarter, the Astor Crowne Plaza and Royal Sonesta have balcony pre-function and reception spaces.

Want to say “fast forward” in the city known for its laid-back attitude?The Pan-American Life Conference and Media Center has 21,000 square feet of meeting space, including 14 breakout rooms and a 250-seat auditorium with the latest technology. The University of New Orleans has several facilities: The Uno Lakefront Arena on the 90-acre ground of the University’s East Campus has a 10,000-seat arena, theater and Privateer Room; and the Uno Lindy C. Boggs International Conference Center has an auditorium, amphitheater, conference rooms, boardroom suite and multipurpose rooms.

Want group activities?Dining is No. 1. Many attendees will be familiar with the names of the most famous restaurants (and, in some cases, the chefs): Galatoire’s, Cochon,

New Orleans

The St. Louis Cathedral presides over Jackson Square in the heart of the French Quarter. The iconic Catholic cathedral is the oldest continuously operating one of its kind in America.

WhAT yOu ShOuLd kNOWauthentic, architecturally

significant and considered a U.s. icon, New orleans has always held a special place in the minds of travelers, both here and abroad. since Hurricane Katrina, it also has an emotional hold that has brought celebrities and corporate america to the city, offering economic and hands-on support for its rebuilding efforts. Many are drawn to New orleans for the wealth of “voluntourism” opportunities available during meetings.

WhAT WiLL SurpriSe yOuThe city’s reputation for dining

has only grown post-Katrina, with foodies from all over the country discovering what locals have appreciated for a long time; the CvB claims the city has more one-of-a-kind restaurants than before.

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Antoine’s, Commander’s Palace, Brennan’s, Bourbon House, Mr. B’s, K-Paul’s, Palace Café, Lilette, Arnaud’s, Broussard’s, Muriel’s, Emeril’s, NOLA ... We could go on and on (New Orleans boasts more than 1,000).

Want to team-build?Consider building teams through voluntourism. Opportunities range from helping out at schools and libraries to rebuilding homes with Habitat for Humanity. At Mardi Gras World, your attendees can build mini-floats.

Want an adventure that will keep them talking?Still high on the visitor list: post-Katrina disaster tours. Don’t be shy about your curiosity — locals point out that understanding what happened and the challenges that remain is important. Haunted cemetery tours are popular. Swamp and plantation tours, showing a way of life that no longer exists, leave a lasting impression as well. A list of tours by land, water and air is on the CVB Web site.

Want real local color?Skip Bourbon Street and head “below” (down river from) the French Quarter. The Faubourg Marigny, or usually just Marigny, is a hip neighborhood with a few small hotels and many bed-and-breakfasts, as well as a number of good restaurants, coffee shops and music venues. Architecturally, the Marigny is known for its many styles of Creole cottages, most of which date to the 19th century. Frenchmen Street is the main nightlife district, with half a dozen live music clubs and as many restaurants in four blocks.

The 411•1.1+ million square feet

of exhibit space in the New orleans Morial Convention Center•32,000 guest rooms•900+ restaurants•137 flights to 37 cities per day