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Planner’s Perspective

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Karolyn Kiburz, CMP,
Owner
Meetings & Concierge Source Scottsdale, Ariz.

Describe your event.

The meeting was for the Alliance of Ford Motor Minority Dealers. It’s an association of dealers throughout the U.S. It was held at the Radisson Fort McDowell Resort and Casino in Scottsdale/Fountain Hills, and it was a three-day meeting. There were 125 in attendance.

What did your attendees enjoy the most?
They really liked the resort. It has everything, including a casino and two beautiful golf courses. It’s remote, but close enough to do things in the city.

Was anybody particularly helpful?
The Scottsdale CVB was great about bringing this meeting to Scottsdale/Phoenix. The group actually contacted them first, and then they passed the planning lead on to me.

How did you incorporate a Native American element into the program?
The first night we had Native American hoop dancers and a singer. The group was mesmerized by their performance. The resort also does a great job of incorporating Native American food into their menus, which makes them quite different from the typical catering menu. The variety and quality of cuisine was wonderful.

What were some of the unique off-site venues that you used?
We had an event at Fort McDowell Adventures. This was more of a Western-themed evening. We had a band, Mexican games and old-time photos. We also brought in a cigar vendor, and guests could help themselves to upscale cigars for free! It was a very fun evening.

How does Arizona compare to other destinations where you have hosted meetings?
Arizona is great for meetings. There is so much variety in terms of types of properties, location and available activities. It is fairly expensive in-season, so that can be a drawback. But as an overall destination, it’s the land of many options and near-perfect weather.