Planners who are accustomed to rolling with the “in” crowd, who pride themselves on possessing the “in” scoop, have probably (at the very least) considered booking Alabama’s largest, and arguably most happening, city for an event. Having Birmingham, a meetings-friendly cultural hub, on a short list of possible host cities means having one’s finger on the pulse of what’s “in” in the South.
In an effort to bring more attention to just how “in” Birmingham is and how much there is to do there, the good folks at the Greater Birmingham CVB (GBCVB) unveiled a new advertising campaign for 2008 that projects “IN” at the center of the city’s name. The campaign brings the CVB together with the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex, the Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Birmingham Metropolitan Development Board to share the common logo.
“Last year our theme focused on Birmingham being a diverse city, and this year we’re taking that to another level,” explains Mike Gunn, CMP, vice president of convention sales at the GBCVB. “Everything’s here, in Birmingham.”
Gunn adds that there will be IN boxes strategically placed throughout the city, so people can leave cards that state their favorite Birmingham cultural and shopping options, among other hot spots. At some point they will all be tallied, and if a restaurant, for instance, receives an abundance of votes, it will get an IN sticker to boast itself as an IN establishment, according to Gunn.
“We wanted a user-friendly campaign,” he says, adding that all the information will be gathered and compiled into an IN Guide that showcases the nominees.
Aside from the new IN status of city establishments, Birmingham has long lured groups for a variety of reasons, namely Southern charm, meetings-ready facilities, premier dining options, and plenty of off-site attractions.
Building on an American Icon
It’s no wonder Birmingham is home to several icons, including the Roman god of fire and forge, and a couple of singers who made names for themselves on a little show called American Idol.
Sculpted by artist Giuseppe Moretti, Vulcan is a towering 55-foot statue second in size in the U.S. only to the Statue of Liberty. Locals and former American Idol contestants Ruben Studdard and Taylor Hicks will leave another stamp on the city with the opening of signature nightclubs in 2009.
According to Gunn, the nightclub projects will come with the development of a multimillion-dollar entertainment district that will be situated next to the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex (BJCC). Groundbreaking on The Forge, named for Birmingham’s history as a steel town, is scheduled for July.
“We consistently heard feedback that there wasn’t enough to do within walking distance of the convention center, so we’re meeting that need,” Gunn says, adding The Forge (being developed by Performa, the same outfit that worked on Beale Street in Memphis, Tenn.) will boast about 30 different venues, from restaurants to retail shops, plus two hotels, to form a compact meetings package.
The Forge will only add to the unique attractions that currently abound in Birmingham, and Gunn says they all, in varying degrees, accommodate meetings. At the top of one planner’s list is a facility that highlights Birmingham’s role in the Civil Rights Movement.
“The favorite event of teams was the tour of the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute,” says Missy Betres, manager, special events, for Birmingham-based ESPN Regional TV, who planned the PapaJohns.com Bowl Game in town in 2007. “Planners should definitely plan a visit or an event there.”
Other popular off-site options for group events include the Birmingham Museum of Art, where Leonardo da Vinci: Drawings from the Biblioteca Reale in Turin will open Sept. 28 and run through Nov. 9; the McWane Science Center; Vulcan Park and Museum; and Barber Motorsports Park.
“Birmingham awareness is growing because of unique things we have here like the one-of-a-kind Barber,” Gunn says. “People come from all over the world to race and watch races here.”
They come from all over to hit the links as well, as Alabama is home to the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, which features 11 golf courses throughout the state, including Birmingham’s Oxmoor Valley and Ross Bridge in nearby Hoover at the Renaissance Ross Bridge Golf Resort & Spa.
For planners who seek a setting slightly removed from downtown, Ross Bridge, with 20,000 square feet of meeting space, golf and a spa, should meet their needs.
“We planned a ladies day out at the Ross Bridge Spa, followed by an afternoon of shopping at The Summit [Birmingham, a retail and dining complex],” Betres says.
For more active delegates, Alabama Adventure amusement park in nearby Bessemer, where groups of 15 to 99 can receive discounts with advance reservations, is a great place to enjoy a picnic and a day of thrills.
Is There a Doctor in the House?
With so much to do and explore off-session, plus meeting facilities geared toward particular purposes, it stands to reason that groups of various stripes would be happy to meet in Birmingham.
“We do quite a bit of business with medical meetings,” Gunn says, citing the BJCC’s Medical Forum, a 10-story facility with a 270-seat auditorium equipped for interactive education, connected to the Sheraton Birmingham. “We also host a lot of sporting events.”
Indeed, Betres and her PapaJohns.com Bowl were drawn to meet here in part because Birmingham was formerly referred to as the “Football Capital of the South.” The game was held at the historic Legion Field.
“In terms of attracting events, Birmingham is considered affordable for all different types of groups,” Gunn says.
Among its standout facilities are the BJCC, which features 220,000-plus square feet of exhibition space, a 19,000-seat arena, 74 meeting rooms totaling 100,000-plus square feet, a 3,000-seat concert hall, and two ballrooms for up to 2,000 guests. The BJCC’s headquarters hotel is the Sheraton Birmingham, which is poised to complete a multimillion-dollar renovation by next year, and several other Birmingham properties accommodate meetings, including the Wynfrey Hotel, connected to the Riverchase Galleria, the largest mall in the Southeast, according to Gunn; the Tutwiler Hotel, a Hampton Inn and Suites property that completed a $9 million preservation project in April 2007; the Hilton Birmingham Perimeter Park and the Birmingham Marriott, both located outside of downtown; the Doubletree Hotel Birmingham, which recently completed a renovation; and the Holiday Inn Birmingham-Airport, which also recently completed a major renovation.
“Another advantage of meeting here versus Atlanta or New Orleans is that a midsize to large group is the No. 1 player here,” Gunn says. “They get our Southern hospitality and welcome, but they’re not lost in the shuffle.”
Betres, who had great success with the PapaJohns.com Bowl, which attracted thousands to Birmingham and will return through 2009 and possibly beyond, couldn’t agree more.
“I can’t really think of a group that wouldn’t fit well here,” she says. “Birmingham is an underrated city that deserves more events."
For More Info
Greater Birmingham CVB 205.458.8000
www.birminghamal.org
