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Planner's Perspective

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Mel Schlitt
Vice President of Marketing
NeoCon
Chicago

Nancy DeBiasi
Director of Meeting Planning
Merchandise Mart Properties
Chicago

Describe your event.

NeoCon East is an annual trade show focusing on the design and management of the built environment, including offices, hospitals, schools, hotels, restaurants, airports, retail facilities, and government facilities. Our exhibitors are manufacturers of commercial furnishings and interior building products. We attract over 8,000 interior designers, architects, facility managers, and government buyers from the East Coast. We hold the show at the Baltimore Convention Center.

Why did you decide to host the meeting in Baltimore?
We decided to hold the show in Baltimore because of its close proximity to the General Services Administration (GSA) and other federal agencies, as they represent our primary target audience for the show. Also, Baltimore is easy to get to by train, plane or automobile from many of the surrounding states, which helps us attract attendees from those areas.

What surprised you the most about Baltimore?
The train system was one of the biggest surprises in how easy it is for people to travel from New York City and back in one day. Also, the city is very friendly and safe to walk around at night. Plus, because everything is so close to the convention center you do not have to provide shuttle transportation to and from the hotels, and people can easily walk to the restaurants and clubs in the evening.

What did your attendees seem to enjoy the most?
Everyone loved our event and Baltimore. The seafood is great and there is something for everyone to do in the evening, whether it’s hitting the bars at Fell’s Point, going on a dinner cruise or just enjoying the Inner Harbor.

Was anybody particularly helpful?
All of the hotels in our block were very accommodating and helpful. Plus, the staff at the Baltimore Area Convention and Visitors Association was great and helped us with our off-site party location selection as well as with our temporary staffing needs. Our convention services manager, Sher-Rhonda Lynn Cabean, saw to our every need throughout setup, the show and teardown. The Baltimore Convention Center is staffed with true professionals!

Is there anything you wish you had known beforehand?
We were concerned that the Baltimore Convention Center does not have any parking as part of the facility. But with the close proximity of the hotels and Camden Yards there was ample parking, and it did not turn into a problem as we had anticipated it might.

What were some of the unique off-site venues that you used?
Last year we used the National Aquarium for our opening night party, and it was a big hit. This year we plan to use the Maryland Science Center, located in the Inner Harbor area. We also used the American Visionary Art Museum, which was great as well.

How does Baltimore compare to other cities where you have hosted meetings?
Baltimore is a great city in which to hold your event. It is very manageable and the attendees love the location right on the Inner Harbor. Other cities can be very costly for attendees and show management. Baltimore is very affordable and very attendee- and exhibitor-friendly.

Would you return?
We plan to continue to hold our event in Baltimore every year for the foreseeable future.