With an average of more than 300 sunny days a year, a chain of high-peaked mountains surrounding the region in every direction, a river flowing through the heart of the city and sparkling Lake Tahoe a short drive away, Reno’s natural beauty provides a stunning backdrop to the city’s changing urban landscape. From a redeveloped downtown corridor and new shopping venues to residential, hotel and casino developments, Reno is undergoing a major transformation, placing the destination in a very competitive position. When the economy recovers, “America’s Adventure Place” is poised to take on even bigger business.
“This is an unprecedented time for conventions and group meetings across the country,” says Ellen Oppenheim, president and CEO of the Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority (RSCVA). “But given the economic climate facing the industry, Reno-Tahoe has fared well. For the 2009 calendar year, only three pieces of business have decided to relocate.”
Because the planning and financing for some large-scale projects were already established before the downturn, developments are moving ahead, and the future for Reno looks promising. Highlights of the regional renaissance include new properties in the Reno-Sparks area and multimillion-dollar renovations and expansions at existing hotels and casinos.
Take, for instance, Atlantis Casino Resort Spa. The RSCVA celebrated the completion of the Reno-Sparks Convention Center–Atlantis Sky Bridge just last November. The sky bridge adds convenience for convention visitors, connecting the rooms, restaurants and amenities of the Atlantis to more than 500,000 square feet of space at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center.
“The sky bridge offers patrons traveling between Atlantis and the Reno-Sparks Convention Center a comfortable indoor environment sheltered from the elements,” Oppenheim says.
The sky bridge addition places the Reno-Sparks Convention Center among the top eight convention facilities in the country with a direct connection to hotel and lodging facilities.
“It further enhances Reno-Tahoe’s reputation as a premier meeting and convention destination,” Oppenheim says. “With approximately 20,000 guest rooms within five miles of Reno/Tahoe International Airport, meetings and conventions account for nearly 17 percent of tourism in the region, so we are pleased to have an amenity of this caliber in the destination.”
Large group spaces in Reno include the Reno-Sparks Convention Center, with 565,000 square feet of exhibition and meeting space, 53 meeting rooms and a 30,000-square-foot ballroom, and the Reno-Sparks Livestock Events Center, with two indoor and two outdoor arenas and a 20,000-square-foot exhibit hall. Smaller groups can take advantage of the Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts.
There’s also the new Downtown Reno Ballroom, a 28,000-square-foot, $25 million facility that celebrated its grand opening last year. The ballroom adds to a downtown meeting complex that also includes the adjacent 118,000-square-foot Reno Events Center and 65,000-square-foot National Bowling Stadium. The facility has a commercial kitchen with the capacity to prepare banquets for more than 1,900 guests and can seat 2,900 for a general session. Column-free meeting space is divisible into six self-sufficient rooms.
Aside from the new sky bridge at Atlantis Casino Resort Spa, the property has unveiled several other additions as part of a $70 million expansion that is nearly finished. The property features 27,000 square feet of additional meeting space, a new spa and another casino.
Other newly renovated and expanded properties include Peppermill Hotel Casino, which unveiled a new all-suite tower with a ballroom, as well as a new spa, nightclub and steakhouse as part of a $400 million transformation, and Grand Sierra Resort and Casino, which completed a $90 million upgrade that included enhancements to guest suites and the hotel’s 200,000 square feet of meeting space, and the addition of several bars and lounges. John Ascuaga’s Nugget wrapped up a renovation of its east tower guest rooms last year and plans to finish a renovation of 17,000 square feet of its 110,000 total square feet of meeting space in September. Holiday Inn Reno-Sparks also underwent a major renovation last year.
Other large meetings hotels in Reno include Silver Legacy Resort Casino, with 90,000 square feet of meeting space; Harrah’s Reno, with 22,000 square feet of meeting space; Circus Circus Reno, with 23,000 square feet of meeting space; Eldorado Hotel Casino, with 10,000 square feet of meeting space; Sands Regency Casino Hotel, with 13,000 square feet of meeting space; and Siena Hotel Spa Casino, with 10,500 square feet of meeting space.
Several upcoming hotels in the Reno-Sparks area are also being developed with meetings in mind, including Legends Bay Casino-Resort-Spa, Hyatt Summerfield Suites, Hyatt Place and two Station Casinos’ properties.
Reno’s new and existing facilities, along with its many attractions and easy accessibility, make is a value-inherent choice for groups, according to Oppenheim.
“Reno-Tahoe is an ideal meeting destination because it’s fun and easy to get to by plane or car and has great value and outstanding customer service and facilities,” she says.
Gaming and tourism have long dominated the area’s economy. The business economy has strengthened and diversified in recent years with an influx of jobs associated with the urban redevelopment. With ongoing development, this trend is expected to continue, according to Oppenheim.
Part of the revitalization plans include transportation improvements. Reno-Tahoe International Airport will open an entirely new ticket lobby in late 2009, and the project to lower more than two miles of railroad track through downtown Reno has resulted in an improved downtown area that is safer and cleaner with more areas to use for economic development.
Reno’s progress continues as restaurants, cafes and other services move downtown, including the Nevada Discovery Museum and an $81 million Triple-A ballpark district scheduled to open this year with new retail, business and entertainment options.
Reno also plans to create a historic mixed-use center for restaurants, shops and office space in the 1934 downtown post office. A public plaza behind the post office will extend the existing pedestrian RiverWalk by two blocks as well as expand the Truckee River Whitewater Park, which offers adventure in the heart of the casino and arts and culture districts.
Sparks also constructed a white-water park at Rock Park. Along with pools for kayaking, tubing and rafting for all skill levels, the improvements in Sparks include riverbank landscaping, shaded structures, play structures, parking and better access for people with disabilities.
A mixed-use, one-acre public plaza has also been developed at the corner of Virginia and First streets in downtown Reno. The plaza includes an 85-foot by 180-foot rectangular seasonal ice rink.
Downtown Reno’s new West Street Market is designed to serve as a gathering place that will provide a unique experience centered on food, shopping, entertainment and demonstrations.
And with the opening of Cabela’s and Scheels, the world’s largest sporting goods store, and Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World Superstore on the way, the Reno area is set to become a premier destination for outdoor retail. Couple that with the recent completion of Golden Eagle Regional Park in Sparks, which features 1.4 million square feet of artificial turf and is designed to accommodate the diverse needs of sports enthusiasts, and national sports tournaments now have a new option.
With all of the urban revitalization, planners and their groups are experiencing an exciting time in the region’s history. Still, given the competitive nature of the industry, the RSCVA is offering a variety of incentives to planners booking meetings in the destination.
“The RSCVA convention sales team is working more closely with the stakeholders in the destination, such as hotel convention sales staff, to partner on ways to develop fresh new leads,” Oppenheim says. “As a result of this partnership, the RSCVA is launching a tongue-in-cheek, incentive-based campaign called ‘Meeting Planners’ Recession Survival Guide.’ To learn more about the campaign, planners can go to www.plannersurvival.com.”
The campaign kicked off in May and as part of the effort, the RSCVA will work with meeting planners to negotiate the best possible deal for their meeting while offering “extra life-saving incentives to choose from to help their bottom line,” Oppenheim says.
Lake Tahoe
Considered one of the most popular destinations in the U.S., Lake Tahoe is only 45 minutes from downtown Reno, making the region ideal for day trips.
On the Nevada side of the lake, the North Shore enclave of Incline Village features some of Tahoe’s most peaceful beaches and a refined approach to Lake Tahoe life. In summer, theater-goers flock to see the Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival at nearby Sand Harbor, and mountain bikers get their game on with perfect rides down the Flume Trail, which stretches into the village. During winter, snowboarders and skiers flock to the region to experience some of the most scenic and challenging slopes in the world.
The California/Nevada state line carves a line through Crystal Bay and visitors can swim from one state to the other in the Cal-Neva Resort’s swimming pool.
Carnelian Bay is popular for boating and is also considered the place where big, hungry Mackinaw trout can be found lurking in the depths.
There’s plenty of outdoor activity in Tahoe City, including biking, jogging and hiking the unspoiled trail system along the lake, across the historic Lake Tahoe dam and down the river.
Carson City
Carson City, a 30-minute drive from Reno, has been the capital of Nevada since the Nevada Territory was established in 1861. While it doesn’t have the size or reputation of Reno, Carson City does provide interesting diversions by virtue of its frontier architecture and historical attractions, making it an ideal excursion or off-site venue option for groups gathering in nearby Reno. With a handful of group-friendly hotels, it can also be a stand-alone meetings destination.
To experience a sampling of Nevada’s rich history and architecture, Carson City’s historic district has a lot to offer, including the Nevada State Museum and the Nevada State Capitol. Groups can even meet in the Nevada State Capitol Building. Its Old Assembly Hall can accommodate 172 people.
There’s also Lone Mountain Cemetery, where many pioneer families are represented. For a taste of more local history and art, there’s the Warren Engine Company Museum, Great Basin Art Gallery, Stewart Indian Cultural Center and Virginia and Truckee Railroad Museum, which features two locomotives, a passenger car and caboose, and one of the best gift shops in Nevada. There’s also the Brewery Arts Center, which was built in 1864 as the home of Tahoe Beer and has a meeting room large enough for 200 people and a smaller art gallery for receptions.
Other meetings options include Genoa Lakes Golf Resort, which can host 250 people for indoor banquets or 300 guests outdoors; the clubhouse at Silver Oak Golf Club, accommodating 400 people; Empire Ranch Golf Course, with a 2,000-square-foot gazebo perfect for outdoor barbeques; and Seven Mile Canyon Guest Ranch, which is located near Virginia City and offers a 32-seat dining room.
A few of the destination’s larger meetings hotels are Carson Nugget Casino, with 8,600 square feet of meeting space; Carson City Plaza Hotel & Conference Center, with 4,600 square feet of meeting space; Gold Dust West Casino Hotel, with 4,000 square feet of meeting space; Best Western Carson Station Hotel Casino, with two meeting rooms; and the Hampton Inn & Suites Carson City, with one meeting room.
For More Info
Carson City CVB 775.687.7410 www.visitcarsoncity.com
Reno–Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority 775.827.7600 www.meetrenotahoe.com
