Once upon a bygone era, flatlanders bound for their Rocky Mountain highs landed in Denver, and then promptly flew or drove off to mountain destinations west of the capital. If these folks hit downtown at all, it was just long enough to buy a new pair of boots and grab a local brew.
Culture? In those days it was probably only a couple of rungs up from the city’s gold mining camp days, and there was little time for ballet or music that didn’t come out of a fiddle.
But look at the old gal now. The altitude hasn’t changed—Denver still has her mile-up perspective near the mountains but not in them—but the attitude certainly has. Planners who consider Denver now find she’s one of America’s fastest-growing cities, experiencing a more than 30 percent population explosion between 1990 and 2000. And the city’s healthy number of Baby Boomers drives a love of outdoor recreation and has contributed greatly to a rising culture scene.
The Denver of today is well equipped for meetings large and small. The walkable central downtown area has 5,300 hotel rooms, a recently expanded convention center and performing arts complexes, shops, restaurants, and nightspots with diverse profiles. It’s where you can find plenty of white-cloth dining choices along with a bevy of brewpubs.
Downtown parks and other green spaces punctuate a landscape that’s replete with tall modern buildings, preserved Victorian facades and warehouses now occupied by trendy restaurants, art galleries, offices, and shops. And Lower Downtown—or “LoDo,” as it’s known—is just one happening spot in a mile-high destination reaching new heights.
Off-Site Options
New and perennial museums as diverse as the Colorado History Museum, Butterfly Pavilion & Insect Center and the Coors Brewery enrich the lineup of off-site options in metro Denver.
Denver’s newest event-friendly downtown icon of refinement is architect Daniel Libeskind’s dramatic $110 million Hamilton wing of the Denver Art Museum. It adds 50,000 square feet of gallery space and houses collections of Western American, African, Oceanic, and modern/contemporary art pieces to the museum. It joins the original North Building, where galleries of Spanish Colonial, textile and American Indian art also provide a background for private events. The addition has a 280-seat auditorium and several other venues for events, including the galleries. Schlessman Hall is the largest, and accommodates up to 200 for a seated meal. Duncan Pavilion offers an outdoor wraparound deck and dramatic city views.
Kevin Taylor is a premier local chef, and his Palettes at Denver Art Museum serves up contemporary American cuisine with flair at private events for up to 300.
Floor-to-ceiling window views of the Rockies are no better anywhere in the city than from the 17,000-square-foot Pinnacle Club at the Grand Hyatt Denver Downtown. This is a 37th- and 38th-floor perch for groups that want to draw inspiration from about 200 surrounding peaks, including snowcapped Pikes Peak a hundred miles away.
Denver Botanic Gardens is another spot to enjoy nature. The 23-acre urban oasis includes a large tropical conservatory filled with blooming orchids and other species, a rock alpine garden of rare specimens, and a Japanese garden centered by an inviting teahouse. The gardens has indoor and outdoor spaces of varying sizes for private events up to 400.
Those who want their events branded by Denver’s Western flavor and bravado enjoy Wynkoop Brewing Company in LoDo. It has room for groups from 20 to 800 in spaces such as The Mercantile Room, an 18th century former showroom with high ceilings, hardwood floors and an antique bar.
Racines Restaurant, near the state capitol, bills itself as Denver’s most popular meeting place. Locals say it is the spot to get close to local politicians, business brokers and other movers, especially for breakfast (gingerbread pancakes, and artichoke and asparagus omelets). Racines has no enclosed private space, but a “set off” venue for up to 40 puts diners near the action. Racines’ popular LoDo sister site, Dixons Downtown Grill, does have private event space, with audiovisual-equipped facilities for up to 45.
For More Info
Colorado History Museum 303.866.3670
www.coloradohistory.org
Butterfly Pavilion & Insect Center 303.469.6441
www.butterflies.org
Coors Brewery 303.277.2337
www.coors.com
Denver Art Museum 720.865.5171
www.denverartmuseum.org
Pinnacle Club 303.295.1234
www.granddenver.hyatt.com
Denver Botanic Gardens 720.865.3500
www.botanicgardens.org
Wynkoop Brewing Company 303.297.2700
www.wynkoop.com
Racines Restaurant 303.595.0418
www.racinesrestaurant.com
Dixons Downtown Grill 303.573.6100
www.dixonsrestaurant.com
