Sitting smack between two glacial lakes and sporting more than 260 city parks and over 120 miles of biking and hiking trails, Madison satiates the appetite of even the most ravenous outdoor fiend. Its green sensibilities are rooted in some of its former residents, including John Muir, who attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and former Wisconsin Gov. Gaylord Nelson, who founded Earth Day. Mad City equally excels with its cultural pursuits, ranging from the ballet to the downtown stretch dubbed Museum Mile. The people of Wisconsin’s state capital are similarly diverse in nature, as scholars and researchers from around the world flock to the city to attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison. And the city was featured on an episode last year of NBC’s Today Show as one of the country’s top five friendliest cities, based partially on welcoming demeanor, pedestrian and bike friendliness and the presence of parks and public spaces.
The economic downturn has actually had some positive effects on the city’s group business.
“We think we’re in a great position,” says Deb Archer, CEO of the Greater Madison CVB. “People are comfortable. It’s the state capital and a university town. It’s not extravagant—you get great value, so the quality is not looked down upon.”
Some groups are holding off on the decision-making, but they are not canceling meetings entirely.
“We’re still talking to national clients, but people are waiting to sign contracts,” Archer says. “We are seeing some state groups interested in Madison. In the past they have bypassed us for other destinations like the Dells, but they are saying they want to come back to an urban environment, back to the state capital. We’re seeing state associations we haven’t seen in a long time.”
“Our new branding is ‘Going Beyond Visit,’” Archer says. “The whole idea is that what we do in terms of taking care of our customers—we go beyond. When they visit, we go beyond what is expected. It’s a fresh destination.”
The CVB also features its reworked brand on its new website, www.visitmadison.com.
“We are very targeted in our marketing,” Archer says. “We actively pursue distinct markets where we have exceptionally deep programming.”
A few of the expert fields in Madison focus on agriculture, biotech and sports.
Madison offers about 9,000 rooms and is an ideal spot for small to midsize national associations and groups.
But the economic downturn has put the brakes on a number of expansions and new hotel products.
“Many of the projects that were planned have been put on hold,” Archer says.
One of the few projects still proceeding is The Hyatt Place. The hotel was slated to open this spring, and the new opening date has not been set, but the property did recently hire a sales manager.
The city of Madison also completed studies regarding a new downtown convention hotel and is in negotiations with a hotel company, according to Archer.
“We’re still building our database of new customers to pursue, and we’re hopeful there will be a downtown convention hotel,” Archer says. “Clients hosted in the past are waiting for new product. We’re still very hopeful they will put plans in place later this year or next year.”
That’s not to say all projects have stopped. A number of hotels are sporting recent renovations, including the 356-room Madison Concourse Hotel and Governor’s Club, which recently completed a $3 million renovation. The 292-room Marriott Madison West Conference Center and the 240-room Hilton Madison Monona Terrace also recently underwent upgrades. Inn at the Park has also undergone remodeling, and the Sheraton Madison completed a $5 million renovation.
The Crowne Plaza Hotel Madison-East Towne took the wraps off a $6 million remodel, including 3,300 square feet of additional meeting space. The hotel now features the Odana Ballroom as well as new executive meeting space for board meetings or breakouts.
Other meetings-friendly hotels include the Doubletree Hotel Madison and the Edgewater Hotel.
The city’s premier gathering venue is the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Monona Terrace Convention Center, located in Madison’s downtown area on the shores of Lake Monona. The 250,000-square-foot, multilevel structure features public promenades, meeting rooms with lake views and a new rooftop cafe. The rooftop also features a 68,000-square-foot garden that may be reserved for events.
Another top option, the Alliant Energy Center, is a 164-acre campus located at the gateway to downtown, offering flexible exhibit space that ranges from 20,000 square feet to 100,000 square feet. The complex includes the Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Exhibition Hall, an arena and Willow Island—29 acres of green space in a park setting.
The new Wisconsin Institutes of Discovery will be a hub for research and innovation in biotechnology and nanotechnology when they open in fall 2010. The University of Wisconsin-Madison is building the $150 million facility as a world-class think tank for research scientists, academics and biotech business leaders, and it will also appeal to industry meetings.
There is talk of an expanded rail system in the future and an additional public market. Madison is already home to one of the top five farmers’ markets in the country: Dane County Farmers’ Market on the Square, which takes place every Saturday from April through October.
“A lot of groups like to wrap their event around that because it’s exceptional,” Archer says, adding that the area is also a big organic farming center, which appeals to agriculture groups.
For attendees, the downtown area is a draw itself. The main downtown thoroughfare is State Street, which links the University of Wisconsin campus with the Wisconsin State Capitol square, and is lined with restaurants, espresso cafes and shops. On the other side of Capitol Square is King Street, which is also filled with eateries and entertainment. In 2007, the entire downtown became Wi-Fi capable.
Groups also take advantage of Madison’s sports town atmosphere.
Groups can organize team bike rides and runs along Lake Monona, or arrange other team-building options such as community service projects with organizations like Habitat for Humanity.
“Community-based projects are getting more popular,” Archer says.
Groups can also go ice fishing in the winter or get out on the water in summer. The lakes are rimmed with beaches, and there are boat cruises, paddleboat rentals and kayak rentals.
A number of businesses arrange water adventure lessons in sports like sailing, rowing, kayaking, canoeing and windsurfing. Attendees can also arrange anything from a mind-clearing golf tournament on one of the city’s many courses to an intellectually stimulating visit at the Wisconsin State Capitol dome, a highlight of the Madison skyline.
Other outings can include the historic Cave of the Mounds, the Henry Vilas Zoo, the Olbrich Botanical Gardens and the UW-Arboretum.
For More Info
Greater Madison CVB 608.255.2537 www.visitmadison.com
