Sprinkled across the serene beauty of the sun-drenched Sonoran Desert, the metro region known as the "Valley of the Sun" centers on Phoenix and includes the cities of Scottsdale, Tempe and Mesa, as well as several smaller communities. Sedona lies to the north. Gateway to the Grand Canyon and home to extraordinary spa and golf resorts, the entire area is steeped in the allure of Southwestern food, culture and art derived from Native American, Mexican and Wild West heritage.
New hotels and expansions across the region are helping each city level up as a meetings destination. Combined with the opportunity to sunbathe while other parts of the country are shivering, and a fabulous array of both indoor and outdoor activities, the Phoenix, Scottsdale and Sedona area is an all-season favorite.
Phoenix
The accurately named capital of Arizona is one of the hottest big cities in the U.S. in more ways than one. Besides its perennial sunshine, several key hotel, convention center and transportation developments designed to attract meetings are putting the crowning touches on a long-term downtown revitalization project.
"Phoenix has invested $1 billion on two projects that drastically enhance our already strong reputation as a meetings destination," says Kevin Kamenzind, senior vice president of sales and marketing at the Greater Phoenix CVB. "The newly expanded Phoenix Convention Center can accommodate over 80 percent of the conventions in the nation. A block away is our new 1,000-room Sheraton Phoenix Downtown, which opened last October. On top of this we’ve got the newest light rail system in the country, which can transport meeting attendees to and from the airport and to a range of dining and entertainment options, all for a $3.50 roundtrip."
Along with the expanded Phoenix Convention Center, which now boasts nearly 900,000 square feet of space, and the new Sheraton, other large downtown meeting hotels include the Hyatt Regency Phoenix and Wyndham Phoenix Downtown.
Among the larger meetings resorts are Arizona Biltmore, part of the Waldorf=Astoria Collection; Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort & Spa and JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa, both of which recently expanded meeting space; and Arizona Grand Resort, which recently finished a $52 million makeover.
In addition to highly rated golf courses such as Legacy Golf Resort and Raven Golf Club at South Mountain, there are a number of colorful off-site venues that welcome groups. One option is Corona Ranch & Rodeo Grounds, delivering a zesty taste of the Southwest to groups of up to 3,000 people with Mexican fiestas and both Western- and Mexican-style rodeos.
Home to more Native American cultural treasures than any other space in the U.S., Phoenix’s Heard Museum welcomes events of up to several hundred people.
Scottsdale
An upscale destination with a reputation of one of the country’s most revered golf meccas, Scottsdale also offers the draws of high-end spa resorts, shopping and art galleries and a bumping downtown nightlife that has been compared to Miami’s South Beach.
The hot news in Scottsdale is the multibillion-dollar downtown development that’s been in the works for the past five years, improving the waterfront and adding an ever-growing number of meetings hotels. Its most recent additions were new InterContinental and W properties, both of which debuted last year. Three more high-end properties are slated to open over the next two years.
"Scottsdale’s downtown has experienced a renaissance with more than $3.3 billion of development ranging from new properties like the Best Western Sundial and the W Scottsdale Hotel & Residences to unique boutiques and one-of-a-kind restaurants along Scottsdale’s ancient Hohokam Indian canal system," says Brent DeRaad, executive vice president of the Scottsdale CVB. "This amped-up, pedestrian-friendly downtown makes the perfect setting for off-site events either in one of Scottsdale’s myriad art galleries or with a dine-around along the Arizona Canal."
One of the biggest new upcoming developments is Talking Stick Resort & Spa, slated to open in early 2010 with 497 rooms as well as more than 100,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor conference space, a 750-seat live entertainment venue and a 13,000-square-foot spa.
Other upcoming developments include The Ritz-Carlton, Paradise Valley, slated to break ground later this year, and the 225-room Edition, a new high-end boutique hotel brand by Marriott International and Ian Schrager that is scheduled to open in 2011.
Meanwhile, Camelback Inn, A JW Marriott Resort & Spa celebrated its 71st anniversary in September 2008 by completing a $50 million renovation.
Indisputably a posh destination, Scottsdale is nevertheless adapting to the economy and making a variety of money-saving options available in order to attract events.
"Right now, properties are offering exceptional values through customized meeting planner packages that provide rebates to the final master bill, waived room rental fees, food and beverage discounts, and generous complimentary room policies," De-Raad says. "We have collected the best meeting offers available to planners at numerous Scottsdale properties and posted them on a special section of our website: www.signaturescottsdaleexperiences.com."
Scottsdale’s largest meetings properties are Westin Kierland Resort and Spa, with more than 175,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space; Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort and Spa at Gainey Ranch; The Phoenician, set to finish a 42,000-square-foot meeting space addition in October; and Xona Resort Suites (formerly Resort Suites Scottsdale).
Just a few of the top-tier golf resorts in the area include Grayhawk Golf Club, Legend Trail Golf Club and Talking Stick Golf Club, each of which offers group tournaments and event space.
Groups can rent a piece of architectural history at Taliesin West, Frank Lloyd Wright’s masterpiece in the foothills of the McDowell Mountains outside Scottsdale.
For the truly adventurous, Arizona Outback Adventures offers a variety of unique team-building events in the desert surrounding Scottsdale.
Tempe
A friendly college town that serves as a crossroads for the larger cities of the "Valley of the Sun" region, Tempe offers a less-expensive option for midsize meetings with all the blessings of weather and attractions enjoyed by its neighbors. Transportation between cities and within Tempe is now easier than ever.
"Our new Metro Light Rail is up and running, connecting Tempe with Phoenix (including the convention center) and Mesa," says Mark McMinn, director of sales at the Tempe CVB. "Our downtown, the Mill Avenue District, was named one of America’s "Ten Great Streets" for 2008 by the American Planning Association."
The Buttes, a Marriott Resort is one of the city’s largest meetings-friendly properties, and other options include Fiesta Resort Conference Center, built in 2008, and Four Points by Sheraton Tempe.
The burgeoning arts scene in Tempe is a great source for off-site venues, and a new website makes it even easier to access.
"TempeScene.com will feature all of Tempe’s arts and cultural attractions and events, from Broadway shows to gallery exhibitions and dance performances," McMinn says.
Two great choices include the lakeside Tempe Center for the Arts and the new MADCAP Theaters.
The Arizona Historical Society Museum, located in picturesque Papago Park, is another unique off-site venue, while the Arizona State University’s Memorial Union is also available for groups.
Mesa
With newly renovated hotels and a mammoth new meetings property in the pipeline, fast-growing Mesa is rapidly changing its reputation as a bedroom community.
"Mesa is going to be the next hot spot with the recent announcement of Gaylord Hotels coming to Mesa Proving Grounds," says Pam Williams, convention sales manager at the Mesa CVB. "Expected to break ground in 2010 with completion not expected until 2014, the Gaylord property will be Arizona’s largest meetings and hotel property and the largest private capital investment in Mesa’s history. The development is adjacent to the growing Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport."
The city’s Mesa Convention Center has 19,000 square feet of exhibit space and 19,000 square feet of meeting space, and meetings-friendly hotels include Arizona Golf Resort Hotel and Conference Center; Phoenix Marriott Mesa; the recently renovated Hilton Phoenix East/Mesa; and the new Hyatt Place Phoenix/Mesa. Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites-Mesa and Best Western Dobson Ranch Inn, both newly renovated, are also equipped with meeting space.
The newest trend for off-site group activities in Mesa is agri-tourism. At Queen Creek Olive Mill, groups of 30 or more can take tours of the mill and learn about the cold-pressing process, then have lunch in an outdoor group dining area or on-site restaurant. Groups can learn about the inner workings of a dairy farm at Superstition Farms and Schnepf Farms, and the latter offers seasonal dinners in the midst of its peach orchard.
For those more enthralled by artwork than farm work, Mesa Arts Center offers classes on mosaics, jewelry making, painting and more, as well as tours of its working art studios and galleries.
Other Communities
The smaller towns of the "Valley of the Sun," among them Carefree, Litchfield Park, Fountain Hills, Glendale and Chandler, are also well suited to groups. The communities are home to some of the region’s best golf courses and spas, and many unique attractions.
Popular meetings properties include The Boulders Resort & Golden Door Spa in Carefree, with two top golf courses; Renaissance Glendale Hotel & Spa; and Wigwam Golf Resort and Spa in Litchfield Park.
Fountain Hills is home to meetings-ready options such as Radisson Fort McDowell Resort and Casino, Inn at Eagle Mountain and CopperWynd Resort and Club, as well as excellent golf courses, including SunRidge Canyon Golf Club and the Golf Club at Eagle Mountain.
Rawhide Western Town in Chandler, eight miles south of Mesa, offers groups as large as 10,000 a chance to visit an 1880s boomtown, complete with stunt shows, theater acts, stagecoach and train rides, and horseback riding. Chandler is also home to the highly ranked Ocotillo Golf Resort, which welcomes groups as large as 250 people.
Sedona
The spectacular red rock scenery of Sedona guarantees a memorable meeting from attendees’ first moment of arrival. The destination is known for its inspirational nature, and its thriving community of artists provides an additional draw for visitors. The nearby Page Springs area is home to more than 10 vineyards, and wine tours are available.
"Sedona is home to some of the most beautiful views in the world," says Jennifer Wesselhoff, president and CEO at the Sedona Chamber of Commerce. "Our community also abounds with rich arts and culture, activities, world-class accommodations and dining establishments. Meeting and event planners are definitely looking for a new twist in their planning at an affordable rate. Sedona is offering many options for off-season, midweek and group pricing."
The spa resorts of Sedona are legendary. Among the largest meetings-friendly options are Hilton Sedona Hotel and Spa; Radisson Poco Diablo Resort; L’Auberge de Sedona, which is nearing completion of a $25 million expansion; Sedona Rouge Hotel and Spa; Enchantment Resort and Mii Amo Spa; and Amara Resort and Spa.
Surrounded by the magnificent Coconino National Forest, Sedona Mago Retreat Center presents a unique opportunity for group retreats. Groups can take advantage of energy yoga and healing martial arts classes, visits to an organic farm and tours of Native American ruins.
