Jan 04, 2019
The Moscone Center expansion project, completed on schedule at the end of 2018, was celebrated with a grand opening gala event on Jan. 3, 2019. The $551 million expansion adds more than 157,000 gross square feet of flexible meeting space to Moscone North and South and increases the center's total exhibit space to more than 504,000 sq. ft. “Our two main goals have been to create contiguous space and flexibility for the Moscone Center,” said Lynn Farzaroli, senior director of the Moscone expansion for San Francisco Travel Association. “It’s a brand-new center with state-of-the-art everything… more
Dec 31, 2018
The new Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center, opened Dec. 18, 2018, adds another option for large-scale meetings in the Denver area.  The Gaylord Rockies, the largest combined resort and convention center in Colorado, is the first Gaylord Hotels property to open in ten years and the fifth addition to the chain, which is owned by Marriott International.  The Gaylord Rockies, located in Aurora, Colo., is just 10 minutes from Denver International Airport and offers shuttle access to the A Line airport rail with service to the airport and downtown Denver. The resort boasts 1,501 guest… more
Dec 20, 2018
Not all that long ago, all meetings were conducted face-to-face. More recently, technology enabled virtual meetings. Today, a hybrid model allows for more participants spread across a wider geographical area, but the challenge has continued to be around engagement. How do you keep remote participants engaged and how do you keep and share the data generated within the meeting? Park MGM and Cisco have an answer: the new 7,000 square foot Ideation Studio. With the opening of the Studio, Las Vegas’ Park MGM is the world’s first hotel to offer groups Cisco Webex Boards and Cisco Webex Teams… more
Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
Dec 18, 2018
Located 50 miles from Milwaukee and 80 miles from Chicago, the Lake Geneva area of Wisconsin is best known for its historic mansions, or perhaps for being the location of the first Playboy resort. Or — if you’re a gamer — for being the site of the annual Gary Con, a celebration of Dungeons and Dragons co-creator Gary Gygax. But, as I discovered first-hand in October, Lake Geneva is also a great location for corporate events. For an area whose total population is no more than 20,000 residents, Lake Geneva has a surprising number of resorts, activities and amenities. While the area is referred… more
Dec 13, 2018
Even planners looking for a Pacific Northwest hotel able to accommodate all their meeting guests might want to take a look at the Hyatt Regency Seattle. The new 45-story downtown property, which is now the largest hotel in the region, opened its doors on Dec. 10. Located just two blocks from the Washington State Convention Center and adjacent to The Summit, the planned convention center expansion building slated to open Spring 2022, Hyatt Regency Seattle offers more than 103,000 square feet of flexible meeting and event space. “Progress is all around us,” said Hyatt Regency Seattle general… more
Dec 06, 2018
Harrah's Resort Atlantic City has announced plans for a $56 million guest room and suite renovation in its Coastal Tower. The room and suite upgrades are part of Caesars Entertainment's total investment of over $250 million into its Atlantic City casino-resorts over the last four years. Harrah's Resort Atlantic City will re-design and enhance 507 guest rooms and suites in the current Harbour Tower, partnering with a local design house, MPM Studios. "Building on the recent success of our world-class Waterfront Conference Center which is the largest hotel-conference center complex from… more
Dec 03, 2018
We all know that the preferred place to gather is in the kitchen. We eat, talk, learn and connect in this favorite spot. The Omni Montelucia in Scottsdale captures the true essence of this connection in their Chef’s Kitchen Dinner Series — a monthly intimate gathering of up to 20 participants. “Here at Omni Montelucia, we wanted to bring the concept of an intimate gathering to our resort, where there is an opportunity to learn, eat well, and introduce new foods and cocktails to fellow participants,” said Patrick Brophy, General Manager at Omni Montelucia. He added, “Our Chef’s Kitchen was… more
Nov 28, 2018
As the desire for sustainable meetings grows, so does the desire for sustainable cities in which to hold them. The city of Brussels, Belgium was ranked ninth in the 2009 European Green City Index, and now, a decade later, the city is well on its way towards its goal of becoming the “Green city of Europe” by 2024. “As Europe’s leading terminal for international high-speed trains, Brussels is becoming a greener place to meet,” said Elisabeth Van Ingelgem, director, convention & association bureau at visit.brussels. She added, “The city was voted the number one sustainable city in Europe… more
Nov 26, 2018
Indianapolis is no stranger to convention business. USA Today’s top ranked convention city, Indy already has a robust infrastructure in place to support large events. But the city is aiming for even bigger and even better, with new plans for significant expansion. The Indiana Convention Center already boasts 12 connected properties and 4,700 connected rooms. But last month, an expansion project was green-lighted that will include adding a 50,000 square foot convention center ballroom — the largest in the state — and two new hotel towers connected to the Convention Center.   This will be the… more
Nov 12, 2018
Last month, NYC & Company, New York City’s official destination marketing organization and Discover Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico’s newly established destination marketing organization, signed a first-ever partnership to boost tourism between the two destinations Formalized at a press conference on Oct. 23 at El Museo del Barrio in Manhattan, the new one-year city-to-island alliance includes a collaboration agreement between Puerto Rico and New York City; the exchange of marketing assets to boost reciprocal travel; the sharing of best practices in tourism marketing and management, and the… 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