Western Canada is getting ready for company—and a lot of it. With the 2010 Winter Olympics just around the corner, this region is cleaning house—renovating and expanding hotels, expanding airports and constructing new sports venues. Even provinces not hosting Olympic events are readying for the tide of post-Olympic travelers expected to explore this land of mountains, prairies and open spaces. From the urban
destinations of Vancouver and Calgary to nature-loving hideaways like Banff, Whistler and Vancouver Island, Western Canada offers a wide variety of group options.
British Columbia
As the host province for the 2010 Olympic Winter and Paralympic Games, British Columbia has an extensive menu of projects under way, ones that will attract groups for years to come.
To prepare for the upcoming Olympic Games, the Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Centre (VCEC), which will serve as the international broadcast and media center, is adding almost 340,000 square feet of space. Perched on the shoreline—with 40 percent of the new construction actually out over the water—the expanded facility will offer nearly 500,000 square feet of meeting, exhibit and function space. Completion is scheduled for spring 2009.
“While not Olympic projects per se, the expansion of the Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Centre and the Canada Line (which is an extension of the rapid-transit rail system line from Vancouver International Airport to downtown), and the upgrade of the Sea to Sky Highway (which connects Vancouver and Whistler), all have far-reaching effects,” says Richard Yore, director of sales, meetings and conventions for Tourism Vancouver. “The expansion of the VCEC translates into accommodating larger groups that could not utilize the award-winning existing facility for their extensive meeting/exhibit space requirements. It also means that we can host more than one group at one time in the East and West wings. The development of the Canada line influenced the choice of Vancouver for two 2010 conferences (post Olympics) related to tunneling and public transport. The Sea to Sky Highway upgrades result in safer and faster travel between Whistler and Vancouver.”
To meet the growing demand, several new hotel projects are under way throughout the city. Ritz-Carlton will open a 127-room hotel by 2011. The 77-room Loden Hotel, opening this year, will be Kor Hotel Group’s first Canadian property and offer 3,500 square feet of meeting space and a 16-seat boardroom. The new Shangri-La Vancouver, scheduled to open this fall, will be Shangri-La’s first North American hotel, occupying the first 15 floors of a mixed-use building. The 415-room Fairmont Pacific Rim, scheduled for a 2009 opening, will feature a hotel and residences and a location at the edge of Coal Harbour. Just two blocks from the convention center, the 220-room Coast Coal Harbour Hotel is scheduled to open in fall 2009. Also opening in fall 2009 is the 40-room Hotel Giardino, which will feature a Tuscan design with vaulted ceilings, opera balconies and terra-cotta tiling.
Existing hotels are also undergoing expansion and renovation projects. The 644-room Hyatt Regency Vancouver recenlty completed a $40 million renovation, including all guest rooms and 45,000 square feet of public space. The city’s oldest hotel, the Hotel Georgia, closed to undergo an extensive reconstruction and expansion, including a $14 million structural upgrade. The Four Seasons Hotel is undergoing a $5.3 million (CAD) renovation that will include the addition of a brand-new restaurant, bar and lounge, as well as enhancements to the lobbies.
The nearby city of Richmond, home to Vancouver International Airport, is actually the first introduction to the area for many groups. The airport recently completed an expansion of the international terminal, which now features an indoor stream surrounded by cafes and two large aquariums showcasing British Columbia’s indigenous sea life.
Starting in fall 2009, the recently expanded airport will be connected to downtown Richmond and downtown Vancouver by a new rapid transit line that will also connect to the new Richmond Oval, the official venue for long-track speed skating.
Called the “Gateway to British Columbia,” Richmond has its own distinct attractions and plenty of options for free time fun, including whale watching, golfing and Golden Village, the second-largest Chinatown in North America after San Francisco.
Farther north, Whistler is also hard at work readying itself as an Olympic venue, improving on its present status as one of the top ski resorts in North America. The resort area is home to the 65,000-square-foot Telus Whistler Conference Centre, which expanded in 2003 and now offers a 16,500-square-foot ballroom and 14 breakout rooms.
Whistler is a year-round destination known not only for its winter sports but also for hiking, biking and golf. It is also home to numerous hotels with meetings facilities, including The Fairmont Chateau Whistler, with nearly 29,000 square feet of function space. Among the other meetings properties are the Hilton Whistler Resort & Spa, The Whistler Westin Resort & Spa and the Four Seasons Whistler. In January, the Nita Lake Lodge, just steps from the site of the Olympic alpine events, opened with 77 suites and 4,000 square feet of meeting space.
Another new development in Whistler is the Squamish Lil-wat Cultural Center, set to open in June. A combined project of the Squamish and Lil-wat First Nations, the facility will feature a longhouse and an earthen dwelling with a firepit as well as a Great Hall available for receptions of up to 300 attendees.
British Columbia’s Vancouver Island was recently named Best Island, North America by the readers of Conde Nast Traveler.
“For conference delegates, Vancouver Island offers the ability to mix meeting time in first-class facilities with island time to enjoy the beautiful surroundings and abundance of activities available from an island destination,” explains Dave Petryk, president/CEO of Tourism Vancouver Island. “Of course, the local cuisine and wine top off the experience of an island conference like nowhere else.”
This distinct group destination is accessible by air or by ferry from Seattle and Vancouver. BC Ferries recently added 20-person conference rooms onboard its Spirit Class ferries from Vancouver, a journey of just over 90 minutes.
Victoria is the largest city on the island and the site of the island’s largest meeting facility, the Victoria Conference Centre (VCC). The facility recently took over the former Crystal Garden, which, when completed this year, will provide 25,000 square feet of additional meeting space, including a banquet and exhibit level and a mezzanine, bringing the total square footage of function space at the center to 65,000 square feet.
“2008 is expected to be a strong year for meeting and convention business in Victoria, and the VCC looks forward to a $6 million expansion in 2008,” says Melissa McLean, Tourism Victoria’s interim president and CEO.
The conference center adjoins the historic Fairmont Empress, celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. Victoria is also home to some new entrants in the group market, including the Oswego Hotel, which opened in June 2007. The first contemporary boutique hotel in the city, the 80-room property features a 24-person boardroom.
Other premier properties for groups include the Hotel Grand Pacific, the Victoria Marriott Inner Harbour, and in the outskirts of the city, the Westin Bear Mountain Victoria Golf Resort & Spa.
Although Victoria serves as a gate way to Vancouver Island, the island itself offers numerous destinations ranging from small towns to provincial parks. Twenty-five minutes north of Victoria near Victoria International Airport, The Sidney Pier Hotel & Spa opened in May 2007. The 55-room waterfront property, located in the coastal community of Sidney-by-the-Sea, includes meeting space for up to 60 people.
The city of Nanaimo will be the setting for the new 38,000-square-foot Vancouver Island Conference Centre, scheduled to open in June one block from the harbor. The new facility will also host the 16,000-square-foot Nanaimo Museum, spotlighting the history and heritage of Nanaimo and Vancouver Island. Adjacent to the convention center, the 800-seat Port Theatre can be used for meetings and symposia.
Numerous hotels and resorts across the island also offer meeting facilities for small- and midsize groups. On Pender Island, Poets Cove Resort and Spa features the 1,600-square-foot Seaglass Ballroom with floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook the ocean.
Alberta
East of British Columbia, the province of Alberta, led by its capital city of Edmonton, is a favorite for groups with an eye on the budget.
“Still able to boast the best average hotel room rates in the country, coupled with the fact Alberta is the only province without a sales tax, Edmonton remains one of the best values in North America for meeting and convention groups,” says Glenn Duncan, director, meetings, business travel and events for Edmonton Tourism.
Meeting facilities in and around the city include the 255-room Edmonton Marriott River Cree Resort & Casino, which opened in 2006 with a sports complex with two NHL-size ice rinks. The city is also home to the 185-room Matrix Hotel, a boutique property that opened in late 2007 with over 8,500 square feet of meeting space in downtown Edmonton.
The largest meeting facility in the city and in all of Alberta is the Shaw Conference Centre, offering 200,000 square feet of meeting and exhibit space following a recent expansion. Roughly 3,000 hotel rooms are located within walking distance of the center and many are connected to the center by an indoor pedestrian walkway system.
Other meeting facilities are found at Northlands, an exhibit and meeting complex that is undergoing an expansion. Upon completion of the project, the venue will have 500,000 square feet for group use. The project will add four exhibit halls, a conference center, a business center, and gallery spaces. Last year, the Oasis Edmonton Conference Centre opened with a grand hall capacity of 625 delegates.
Unique venues are also found over at the West Edmonton Mall, the world’s largest entertainment and shopping center. In September, the Empire Ballroom opened its doors, combining an Egyptian theme with high technology, including the largest video wall in Canada. The nightclub can host up to 1,500 attendees on four levels.
Both Edmonton and Calgary are favorites with petroleum groups thanks to the region’s oil industry roots.
Calgary is also popular for its Western atmosphere. Canada’s cowboy capital offers group activities that range from horseback riding to heli-hiking.
Group facilities include everything from the Calgary Telus Convention Centre, with 132,000 square feet of space in downtown Calgary, to unique venues such as the Roundup Centre at the Calgary Stampede, the Calgary Soccer Centre, the open-air amphitheater at the Calgary Olympic Park, and the Devonian Gardens, one of the world’s largest indoor parks.
Downtown Calgary is also home to more than 4,000 of the city’s 11,000 hotel rooms. Top convention hotels include the Marriott Calgary, Fairmont Palliser and Hyatt Regency Calgary, each connected to the convention center by elevated indoor walkways.
Just 35 miles west of Calgary, Banff and Lake Louise in the Canadian Rocky Mountains are top picks for convention and incentive groups drawn to Banff National Park and its magnificent natural beauty. Groups of up to 2,000 delegates can be accommodated in the Banff and Lake Louise area, where premier conference hotels include The Fairmont Banff Springs, the historic Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, Delta Banff Royal Canadian Lodge, and Rimrock Resort Hotel. Meanwhile, the IACC-certified Banff Centre is a renowned arts, cultural and educational institution and conference facility that features more than 60 meeting venues, lecture theaters and auditoriums.
Saskatchewan and Manitoba
The prairie provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba serve as convenient meeting locales thanks to their central location in Canada.
Saskatchewan’s capital city of Regina, the largest city closest to the geographic center of North America, is home to IPSCO Place, the largest convention facility in the city. Spanning over 900,000 square feet of event space, the facility includes the Queensbury Convention Centre, the Credit Union Eventplex and the Brandt Centre.
Another extensive meeting space is found at the Delta Regina Hotel, home to the Saskatchewan Trade and Convention Centre, with a grand ballroom capable of accommodating 1,900 people. The Conexus Arts Centre is another favorite venue thanks to its main theater, which seats 2,029.
Regina is also the location of Canada’s only training center for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The Royal Heritage Centre opened in May 2007 and traces the history of the mounted police with exhibits and a multimedia show. A second phase of development starting this year will add an additional 8,000 square feet to the facility with additional exhibits as well as outdoor interpretive displays.
The largest city in Saskatchewan is Saskatoon, which has undergone several major expansion projects in the past few years.
The TCU Place Arts & Convention Centre, enlarged in 2006, offers 104,000 square feet of meeting space downtown, while other major venues in the city include Prairieland Park, with 200,000 square feet of exhibit space following a $16 million enhancement.
“The award-winning expansion at TCU Place paid immediate dividends, allowing us to easily host conferences of 1,200 delegates,” says Todd Brandt, president and CEO of Tourism Saskatoon. “Expanded trade space at Prairieland Park enables the facility and city to host almost any major trade event. Passenger traffic has increased by 36 percent as a result of our newly expanded airport, cementing Saskatoon as a hot new convention and tourism destination.”
Meanwhile, Travelodge Hotel Saskatoon recently finished a renovation and expansion of meeting facilities and now offers 16,000 square feet of function space.
East of Saskatchewan is the province of Manitoba and its capital city, Winnipeg. This diverse city was settled by immigrants from all around the globe and today offers cuisine, shopping experiences and festivals reflecting that multicultural heritage.
The city is home to the Winnipeg Convention Centre, with 160,000 square feet of function space, and other major meeting facilities are found at the Delta Winnipeg, Victoria Inn Hotel and Convention Centre, Radisson Hotel Winnipeg Skyview, Fairmont Winnipeg, and Marlborough Hotel.
For More Info
ALBERTA
Banff Lake Louise Tourism Bureau 403.762.8421
www.banfflakelouise.com
Edmonton Economic Development Corporation 780.424.9191
www.edmonton.com
Tourism Calgary 403.263.8510
www.tourismcalgary.com
Travel Alberta 780.427.4321
www.travelalberta.com
BRITISH COLUMBIA
Tourism British Columbia 800.HELLOBC
www.hellobc.com
Tourism Richmond 604.821.5474
www.tourismrichmond.com
Tourism Vancouver 604.682.2222
www.tourismvancouver.com
Tourism Vancouver Island 250.754.3500
www.vancouverisland.travel
Tourism Victoria 250.414.6999
www.tourismvictoria.com
Tourism Whistler 604.932.3928
www.tourismwhistler.com
MANITOBA
Destination Winnipeg 204.943.1970
www.destinationwinnipeg.ca
Travel Manitoba 204.927.7800
www.travelmanitoba.com
SASKATCHEWAN
Tourism Regina 306.789.5099
www.tourismregina.com
Tourism Saskatchewan 306.787.9600
www.sasktourism.com
Tourism Saskatoon 306.242.1206
www.tourismsaskatoon.com
