Once upon a time, sustainable growth was an oxymoron. Cities could either overdevelop until they strangled themselves or cease developing and begin to decay. Neither prospect was a winning formula for desirable meetings destinations.
Those dark times are passing, and a new green era has begun wherein a metropolis can focus on growth without losing sight of balance or environmental awareness. The result is a clean, safe, scenic city with easy access to continually expanding and improving hotels, meeting venues and leisure activities.
Madison sets a green standard for growth and creates a unique and dynamic destination with its wonderful sense of balance.
“Madison boasts an incredibly rare blend of stunning rural and urban landscapes, stimulating cultural activities, superlative recreational outlets and events, plus a population bursting with a passion for both sustaining and enjoying life,” says Deb Archer, president and CEO of the Greater Madison CVB.
Even those who have held a meeting in Madison before can look forward to pleasant surprises as improvements and additions queue up into the future.
“Event planners and meeting attendees should be delighted with the continued enhancements and choices of hotel products in Madison,” Archer says. “Two of the destination’s convention properties, the Sheraton Madison and Crowne Plaza Madison, are undergoing multimillion-dollar renovations following recent purchases. Both properties are favorites among regional event planners and will now offer enhanced state-of-the-art facilities and amenities.”
Sheraton Madison offers 237 guest rooms and 17,500 square feet of meeting space. The 226-room Crowne Plaza Madison offers nine meeting rooms and is in the midst of expanding its meeting space by 30 percent.
Other important meetings hotels include the 356-room Madison Concourse Hotel and Governor’s Club, the 292-room Marriott Madison West Conference Center, the 240-room Hilton Madison Monona Terrace, the 163-room Doubletree of Madison, and the lakefront, 107-room Edgewater Hotel.
The city is also increasing its portfolio of limited-service properties with the development of several new hotels on the popular west side. Courtyard by Marriott Madison West, Holiday Inn Madison at the American Center and, opening in late 2008, Hampton Inn & Suites and Homewood Suites by Hilton, are adding hundreds of rooms within easy reach of convention facilities.
In addition, two boutique hotels have received preliminary approvals for downtown development within the next two years.
Moreover, discussions are under way with the aim of developing a major convention hotel in the heart of downtown in the next few years as the city sets its sights on attracting large-scale national and international events.
Currently, there are several choices for larger events in Madison. The Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center has a 14,000-square-foot ballroom, 28,000 square feet of meeting space and 16,000 square feet of prefunction space, and many of its venues boast outstanding lake views. Other options include Alliant Energy Center of Dane County, offering 100,000 square feet of exhibition space, and University of Wisconsin–Madison’s Kohl Center, a configurable sports arena with as many as 17,000 seats.
Madison is at least as proud that its growth is sustainable and environmentally conscious as it is of the growth itself.
“Our destination’s commitment to sustainability is clear,” Archer says. “Many of our destination’s hotels have received certification in Wisconsin’s Travel Green program, and in 2007 Monona Terrace Convention Center gained certification as the country’s first existing convention center to achieve status as a Silver-level LEED [Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design] Existing Building.”
Even the Dane County Regional Airport has undergone an eco-friendly expansion, which included a renovation and the addition of five more nonstop destinations. Named one of the “Top 20 Most Noteworthy Airports” by Passenger Terminal World in 2008, the facility earned praise for its design, excellent management and service, and the unique environmental practices that make it one of the greenest airports in the world. During its remodel, the airport recycled 97 percent of demolition waste back into the renovation. Attention to eco-friendly practices during its renovations earned it an Environmental Achievement Award from the Airports Council International–North America and a Wisconsin Sustainability & Energy Efficiency Leadership Award last year.
The city is committed to environmentally sustainable progress in all aspects of its infrastructure, and one of its most recent green efforts was the addition of five diesel-electric hybrid buses to its transit fleet, with 10 more to come in the next few years.
In Madison, culture doesn’t take a back seat to business. Last year the city became the first location for Robert Redford’s new Sundance Cinema project. As an ardent fan base for independent and art film, Madison was the perfect choice for the new venture. The facility features six theaters with stadium seating, a cafe, two bars, and a gallery. Group tickets are available, and the venue can be utilized for events.
Technological progress is not neglected in Madison either. In 2007 the entire downtown became Wi-Fi capable, enabling laptop users to enjoy connections in parks, cafes or wherever they may go during their stay and making breaks between sessions that much more productive.
As for science, the new Wisconsin Institutes of Discovery will be a hub for research and innovation in biotechnology and nanotechnology when they open in 2010. Scheduled to enter the construction phase soon, the University of Wisconsin–Madison is building the facility as a world-class think tank for research scientists, academics and biotech business leaders, and it should also prove a strong draw for industry meetings.
Planners can take meetings off the beaten path at interesting off-site locations. Madison’s downtown “Museum Mile” offers six different museums and galleries, including Madison Art Center, Wisconsin Historical Museum, Wisconsin Veterans Museum, and University of Wisconsin Geology Museum. Planners can also throw a 300-person reception in the rooftop sculpture garden at Madison Museum of Contemporary Art or hold a meeting in its 230-seat lecture hall.
Wollersheim Winery, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, offers group tours and private wine tastings for up to 50 people. It is located a short drive from Madison in Prairie du Sac.
It’s also possible to charter a yacht for a private lake cruise when the weather is nice, usually from April to October.
With all of its current charms and a future filled with environmentally conscious development, it’s clear that Madison will continue to enhance its appeal among meeting and convention groups.
“Our current developments point to Madison’s growing popularity as a destination,” Archer says. “Our destination’s tourism product will continue to be enhanced, as Madison remains committed to being one of the best places in our country to live, work and play. This destination will also continue to gain notoriety as a stimulating and distinctive location for conventions, meetings and events.”
For More Info
Greater Madison CVB 608.255.2537
www.visitmadison.com
