There’s more than meets the eye in Eastern Iowa; Midwestern hospitality flows like the rivers that thread through these cities, and the area brims with pleasant surprises, from the Victorian beauty and steep bluffs of Dubuque to the diverse ethnic experiences in Cedar Rapids and the Amana Colonies. Whether it’s an evening riverboat reception down the Mississippi River in the Quad Cities or a sports-themed meeting in Iowa City, there’s plenty to keep attendees’ interests afloat.
Dubuque
As a meetings destination, Dubuque is a picturesque choice. The natural beauty of the Mississippi River against the rolling hills combined with the historic charm of paddle wheel boats and gingerbread houses make it popular with all types of groups. While this city features a vibrant downtown, art galleries, a botanical garden and even a regional hockey team, the river remains the heart of this community.
"We take the river and embrace that," says Keith Rahe, director of the Dubuque Area CVB. "Many groups request an evening social on an old-fashioned paddle wheeler with Dixieland music and food, and it’s great to see the river from that vantage point. We’ll also help arrange vintage costume parties at the National Mississippi River Museum so delegates can truly get in the spirit of the event."
The museum, part of the America’s River Project, is expanding its campus and will have new interactive displays and activities by this summer, Rahe says. The project continues planned development with a completed expansion of the Diamond Jo Casino, which now boasts 8,000 square feet of meeting space and a 300-seat entertainment venue.
Within walking distance of the casino in downtown, the Hotel Julien Dubuque recently finished a $36 million renovation and now offers a restaurant, spa and meeting space for up to 300 delegates.
Other meeting facilities in the area include the Grand River Center, the city’s main convention facility, the Best Western Midway and the Holiday Inn Dubuque Galena.
In nearby Clinton, the new Wild Rose Casino Resort opened last year after moving inland from its original riverside location.
Quad Cities
The Mississippi River may split the Quad Cities of Bettendorf and Davenport in Iowa and Moline and Rock Island in Illinois, but all together the region offers a diverse selection of venues and attractions.
Topping off the lineup is the new Quad Cities Waterfront Convention Center in Bettendorf, which opened last year with more than 25,000 square feet of event space. This development, plus a recently added hotel tower at the Isle Casino Hotel and Convention Center, has opened up the area for larger groups, says Lynn Hunt, vice president of sales for the Quad Cities CVB.
"Our new center is just beautiful, and the fact that the Isle is the largest hotel in the state really broadens our options for associations, corporate and religious markets," she says.
Hunt has seen a lot of movement in the area’s religious market recently, something the CVB has encouraged with tailor-made experiences for groups, including a Greek culture immersion package with food and music at the local Greek Orthodox Church.
Other off-site venues popular with all groups include receptions at the noted Figge Art Museum or the Putnam Museum, which offers a stunning view of the Mississippi River. For a convention success that hits it out of the park, the Modern Woodmen Park has become a meetings favorite. The concourse has open space for exhibitors, and meetings for up to 300 can be held on the suite level. Using this St. Louis Cardinals-affiliated venue not only gives attendees a great view of the park, but also provides something different for events and a taste of Davenport’s local baseball culture. Another tempting bite of local color can be shared at the River Music Experience, which showcases the work of both regional and national American talent. The option of using local musicians for receptions and events makes this venue doubly appealing for its historic and entertainment value.
Whether attendees stay on the Iowa side or visit attractions across the river, any travel from point A to B takes less than 20 minutes, Hunt says.
"We have the water taxi and new fuel-efficient transport buses to get people back and forth between all the downtowns of the Quad Cities area," she says.
In addition to the new convention center and the Isle of Capri, other meeting facilities include the RiverCenter in Davenport, the Clarion Hotel and Conference Center and the Lodge Hotel and Conference Center in Bettendorf.
Cedar Rapids
One of the hardest-hit areas of the 2008 Iowa floods, Cedar Rapids has made significant strides since the storms.
Iowa residents have a gift for seeing the silver lining in any dark cloud, and the glint after the storm for Cedar Rapids is potential funding from the Economic Development Administration to renovate and expand the U.S. Cellular Center, also known as the Cedar Rapids Event Center. If approved, the grant funds will allow the city to add 60,000 square feet of exhibit space and 12,000 square feet of meeting space to the center. This would make Cedar Rapids a competitive player for larger conventions and provide a significant boost to the local economy and downtown revitalization, according to Jessica Palmer, director of marketing for the Cedar Rapids Area CVB.
"Cedar Rapids has gone through intense planning since the flood, and one of the major focus points is the events center," she says. "We’re hoping for an announcement soon that will allow renovations to start."
Two attractions displaced by the flood are making comebacks: Theatre Cedar Rapids, the local theater company, will return to the historic Iowa Theater Building in February after an extensive renovation, and the National Czech and Slovak Museum and Library is wrapping up renovations on the historic Kosek Building and will launch a new interactive exhibit this spring. Plans were also announced in November to move and elevate the formerly flooded museum building, making it part of an expanded, 60,000-square-foot facility. The $25 million project is slated to begin with the museum move this year and end with the grand opening in 2012.
Other new developments include recently finished renovations of the Crowne Plaza Cedar Rapids, connected to the U.S. Cellular Center, and the Best Western Longbranch Hotel and Conference Center. The new Hotel at Kirkwood Center will open this fall with 71 guest units, a ballroom that can accommodate up to 480 attendees and nine meeting rooms.
"Cedar Rapids is rich with history and culture," says Susan Lloyd, convention marketing director for the Cedar Rapids Area CVB. "We have the Cedar Rapids Symphony and Orchestra Iowa, plus the historic studio where Grant Wood painted the second most recognized painting in the world, American Gothic.
Wood’s studio is part of the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art complex and is available for group events. The city also offers other cultural opportunities for groups that deal with the American experience, including the National Czech and Slovak Museum and the African American Museum, offering meeting space and the 240-seat Celebration Hall.
Other meeting facilities include the Cedar Rapids Marriott, Clarion Hotel and Convention Center and Cedar Rapids Education Conference Center.
Amana Colonies
More than a museum, the Amana Colonies offer an authentic journey into early German-American heritage dating back to the 1850s.
Just a short drive from Cedar Rapids, these seven villages span 26,000 acres and feature historic sites, quaint shops and old-world crafts, from bakeries to an operating wool mill. The area also boasts modern amenities for groups, including an 18-hole golf course, several restaurants with meeting and event space, and the Amana Colonies RV Park and Event Center, with indoor and outdoor function space.
Other meeting facilities include the Amana Colonies Golf Club; the Amana Pioneer Building; and Zuber’s Homestead Hotel, an 1850s-era hotel fully renovated with modern amenities in 2007.
Iowa City/Coralville
Due to its proximity to the Iowa River, Iowa City and Coralville continue to recover from last year’s flood. Some shops and one popular group venue, Hancher Auditorium at the University of Iowa (UI), remain closed but all other hotels and meeting facilities are open.
Several hotels renovated after the flood, including the Heartland Inn and the Iowa House Hotel, while the Sheraton Iowa City finished an $11 million renovation of meeting space and guest rooms last September. Although Hancher Auditorium is still closed due to flood damage, the facility will rebuild, and university officials are currently scouting new locations.
The region enjoys a reputation as a center for literature and the writing arts. The University of Iowa is home to one of the best writer’s workshops in the country, and UNESCO recently bestowed Iowa City with the honor of being a City of Literature. An upcoming development celebrating this culture is still in the planning stages: the Stories Project, a $90 million effort that will include an interactive writing and storytelling center, the Iowa Language and Literacy Institute and the Hall of American Literary Achievement.
Although progress on the project, slated to be located in the Iowa River Landing district by the Marriott Coralville Hotel and Conference Center, was put on hold due to the flood, it’s still on the table as a future attraction, according to Eric Heinkel, convention sales manager for the Iowa City/Coralville CVB, who sees the area’s arts and athletics culture as a prime backdrop for group events.
"The Englert Civic Theater is a major off-site venue, and Kinnick Stadium just has that ‘wow’ factor as a venue as well," he says. "Also, the UI Athletics Hall of Fame is very popular, with interactive displays and three floors of space."
Heinkel adds that the CVB can assist in arranging for alumni, coaches or broadcasters as speakers for group events.
Other area meeting facilities include Iowa City’s hotelVetro; the Riverside Casino and Golf Resort in nearby Riverside; and the Bella Sala reception and banquet facility in nearby Tiffin, slated to open in February with 17,000 square feet of event space.
Waterloo/Cedar Falls
North of Cedar Rapids along the Cedar River, Waterloo and Cedar Falls are two towns teeming with historic sites, outdoor activities and artistic charm.
"Outdoor activities are our main strength," says Kim Burger, manager of the Cedar Falls Tourism Bureau. "Our trails set us apart, and we’re also known as a shopping destination since our downtown area has become known for unique, individually owned shops and boutiques."
There’s plenty of outdoor fun for nature lovers, with land and water trails for bicycling, hiking, rollerblading and kayaking, as well as team-building programs.
Two new hotels will open in the next few months within a mile of the Park Place Conference Centre: the 70-room Suburban Extended Stay Hotel and the 57-room Super 8 Cedar Falls. Additional meeting facilities are available on the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) campus, including the 20,000-seat UNI-Dome and the Holiday Inn Cedar Falls-University Plaza.
Unique attractions in Waterloo include the Sullivan Brothers Iowa Veterans Museum and the re-creation of the Sistine Chapel ceiling at the Galleria de Paco restaurant and art gallery. Both locations are popular off-site venues, and group tours of the John Deere Engine Works facility are also available.
"Waterloo is truly a hidden gem," says Brooke Burnham, director of convention development for the Waterloo CVB. "We offer the culture and history of an old manufacturing, riverfront town with modern amenities and great attractions."
Meeting facilities in Waterloo include the Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center, which is connected to the Ramada Hotel; the Isle Casino Hotel Waterloo; the Country Inn & Suites Waterloo and the Heartland Inn-Crossroads.
Burlington
Just down the Mississippi River from Davenport is Burlington, where the waterfront lifestyle draws attendees in with events like Steamboat Days, one of the region’s largest music festivals.
The area offers gaming fun at the Catfish Bend Casino, one of the venues of the Pzazz Entertainment Complex, a group favorite.
The complex treats groups to the Pzazz Convention & Event Center, suitable for a variety of gatherings; Catfish Bend Inn and Spa; Pzazz Resort Hotel; a golf course; and waterparks. In addition to the convention and event center, there are a number of unique venue options throughout the complex.
Other meeting facilities include Memorial Auditorium and the Howard Johnson Burlington, which is renovating its banquet space.
Nearby Ottumwa is home to the American Gothic house that was featured in the famous painting by Grant Wood, and the Air Power Museum, perfect for high-flying receptions. The town’s Bridge View Center offers 50,000 square feet of event space.
—Freelance writer Beth Bartlett has been practicing her best Mark Twain impersonation so she’ll be ready for a paddle wheel trip from Dubuque down the Mississippi River.
