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Planner's Perspective

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Dick Ott
Network Director
National Interiorscape Network
Knoxville, Tenn.


Describe your event.

We have about 50 companies from throughout the U.S. and England that meet twice a year in the U.S. We voted on Las Vegas for the fall meeting. Each attendee owns an interior landscape company for commercial buildings. We meet to pursue and brainstorm best practices. We try to look into the future on demand and supply. We had 55 attendees at the Platinum Hotel Lounge Spa.

Why did you decide to host the meeting in Las Vegas?
We went to Las Vegas because our partners chose to meet there.

What surprised you the most about Las Vegas?
Lots of traffic, lots of lights.

What did your attendees seem to enjoy the most?
Not being on the Strip. The Platinum was within a block of the Strip. We chose a hotel that didn’t have a casino in it on purpose to not distract the attendees from the business part of the meeting. They also liked the hotel because it was non-smoking.

Was anybody particularly helpful at a venue or property?
We had two people at the Platinum: Kelly Theuerkauf and Nick Meir. Nick is in sales and was very accommodating, and Kelly was in charge of banquets and catering and was very accommodating. They went out of their way to satisfy the customer.

What other types of groups would fit well with the property?
Small to midsize groups. The hotel has 255 rooms—all suites. It’s a wonderful property. It’s quiet—perfect for a meeting where you’re really trying to focus on something, not monkey business.

What were some of the unique off-site venues that you used?
We had a nice group dinner at McCormick and Schmick’s across the street from the Platinum. It has two dedicated private dining rooms. We had receptions on the rooftop at the hotel, which has a view of the city. That’s where you see the night lights of Las Vegas and the mountains. We also toured the Wynn hotel and the Mirage and some of the other facilities to see their interior plantings and their landscapes.

How does Las Vegas compare to other cities where you have hosted meetings?
It’s twice as expensive.

Would you return?
I think we probably would, yes.

Do you have any advice for other planners who might bring a meeting to Las Vegas?
Try to define your group’s priorities. Is it a reward trip and would they like to stay on the Strip? Or would they rather be off the Strip and close, or off the Strip and far away? Do you want a facility with a casino or without a casino? Look at hotels that offer what you’re looking for. For a business meeting where you really want to focus on business and not stay out until 3 or 4 in the morning, the Platinum was good, but we were a block away for those who wanted to.