Nov 18, 2019
When it comes to planning group dinners or receptions, hotel restaurants used to be the fall-back option: convenient but not exciting. But in Portland, Ore. the tables have been turned. Some of the finest restaurants in the city — and in the Pacific Northwest — are located inside Portland’s downtown hotels. This is good news for every planner who dreads finding a hot restaurant for private dining, and also for attendees who are tired at the end of their event day and would rather not deal with taxis, Ubers or Lyfts. Marcus Hibdon, director of public relations and communications for Travel… more
Nov 11, 2019
Several hotel brands and convention centers are jumping on the green bandwagon to help the environment and people in need through an array of sustainability and CSR initiatives.  TCF Center Snags LEED Gold Certification Detroit’s TCF Center has been awarded LEED Gold Certification, making it the largest LEED-certified building in the state of Michigan. The LEED rating system, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, is considered the foremost program for buildings, homes and communities that are designed, constructed, maintained and operated for improved environmental and human health… more
Oct 29, 2019
Rich in history, tradition and culture, Scotland is an easy-to-reach, yet often new destination for meeting attendees. The number of direct flights from the U.S. east coast has grown significantly over the past several years, and many major European cities offer connections to Scotland’s five international airports.  There’s a lot more to the country than golf, Scotch whisky, bagpipes, sheep and haggis (a boiled Scottish dish made from sheep offal, onion, oatmeal and other ingredients), although all of those are plentiful. “Scotland offers historic cities, castles, distillery tasting… more
Asheville
Oct 18, 2019
If you’re meeting in autumn and looking for a spot that’s a beautiful as it is functional, consider one of these eight properties around the country where fiery shades of red, gold and orange take center stage this time of year. Cambria Hotel Downtown Asheville Asheville, North Carolina Located in the heart of downtown Asheville, a prime leaf-peeping destination in the South, this hotel has 8,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, including a venue that opens to a terrace on the fourth floor. Attendees may want to add on a few days before or after a meeting to drive through the Blue… more
Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady
Oct 14, 2019
Looking for a different kind of venue for your incentive trip? Want an adult-only experience — no kids allowed? Sir Richard Branson’s latest venture, Virgin Voyages, offers ocean cruises that promise to reset expectations of what group experiences aboard ship should be like. “Virgin aims to disrupt the traditional and reset to ultimately create a better experience or product for the consumer,” says Kayla Corbett, charters, incentives and future voyage sales manager for Virgin Voyages. Scarlet Lady, the first of four vessels planned for the fleet, will set sail from Miami on April 1, 2020.… more
BCEC
Sep 23, 2019
The Boston Convention and Exhibition Center is getting ready to grow. On Sept. 19, the  Massachusetts Convention Center Authority board of directors accepted a proposal announced by Governor Charlie Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito on Sept. 16 that includes expanding BCEC and selling Hynes Convention Center to fund the project. According to Governor Baker, the expansion plan will make Boston’s convention space more efficient by consolidating the city’s major convention business in one central location. It will also maximize new economic opportunities in both the Seaport and Back Bay… more
Sep 18, 2019
Arlington, Texas is a city uniquely dedicated to sports. The city is home to AT&T Stadium, Globe Life Park, the eSports Stadium Arlington & Expo Center and Texas Live!, a sports, dining and entertainment district that opened in August 2018. Live! By Loews — Arlington, TX, which opened its doors last month, is the newest hotel to open in the district, and expands both the city’s convention and meeting capacity. Billed as a “multi-concept sports resort”, the 300-room Live! By Loews – Arlington, TX offers 35,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space, including a 14,000 sq. ft.… more
Sep 10, 2019
CAESARS FORUM is set to open in Las Vegas in seven months, and Caesars Entertainment has already secured more than $300 million in business for the new, 550,000-square-foot conference facility. Officials announced that in the last 18 months, more than 125 contracts for meetings and events have been signed, 75 percent of which represent new business. The $375 million conference center, which can accommodate more than 10,000 attendees, will hold LEED Silver certification and features the world's two largest pillarless ballrooms, each equivalent to one football field. "I am thrilled with the… more
Sep 05, 2019
Set on the bank of the Chicago River, Sheraton Grand Chicago is an impressive sight. One of the larger meeting properties in the Windy City, the hotel’s 1,218 guest rooms and suites offer views of the river, Lake Michigan or the city skyline.  While there are other properties in Chicago with larger exhibit halls, Sheraton Grand Chicago has the largest ballroom, at 40,000 square feet, which can hold general sessions of up to 4,600 or can be divided into up to 10 smaller spaces. The hotel also features 43 meeting rooms and a 35,000 sq. ft. exhibit hall with pre-function space that leads… more
Aug 21, 2019
Facility leadership and show floor trade partners of Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia have signed a five-year extension and amendment of its 10-year labor agreement. The contract builds on the competitive work rules and expanded exhibitor rights initially put in place in 2014.    Known as the Customer Satisfaction Agreement, the extended labor agreement, which went into effect Aug. 1, allows exhibitors to set up and tear down their own booths without limitations on booth size. This marks a significant shift from the facility’s previous practice, which limited exhibitors to… more
Partner Voices
Just when it seems like Las Vegas can’t get any bigger, brighter or more exciting for groups, MGM Resorts raises the bar again. The company continues to invest and innovate across its portfolio of Las Vegas resorts, with new attractions and upgraded experiences for attendees of all interests.  Remodeled Guest Rooms MGM Grand is the largest single hotel in the world with over 5,000 guest rooms and an 850,000-square-foot conference center. It is home to the newly remodeled MGM Grand Studio Tower—700 reimagined guest rooms with a fun mid-century vibe. Nearby, the iconic New York-New York Las more