The rebirth of many major American cities is paying dividends to the meetings and events industry, as once-empty, and sometimes dilapidated, urban areas have come back to life full of inventive restaurants and entertainment offerings for attendees. To mangle the words of author Gertrude Stein, “There is some ‘there there.’”
Mega cities such as Los Angeles, the quintessential example of “urban sprawl,” are successfully developing massive, multibillion-dollar entertainment hubs such as L.A. Live that are meeting and convention magnets. L.A. always had it all, but not all in one place.
Midwestern metros are also getting into the act, with Kansas City, Mo., and Indianapolis unveiling new city center projects.
Our “City Life” story, written by Senior Editor Maria Lenhart, explores this 21st century phenomenon. There’s a town coming to a town near you!
On a somewhat related note, our “SMERF ’n’ Turf” article examines how some second-tier destinations are firmly in the mix for SMERF groups addled by the current seller’s market, with some tips for how meeting planners can keep costs down.
