Get out that checklist. Okay, ready? Variety of off-site venues? Check. Great museums and nightlife? Check. Accessibility? Check. Great shopping options? Definitely check that.
Minneapolis
Obviously, we are dealing with difficult economic times like everyone else," says Melvin Tennant, CEO and president of Meet Minneapolis. "But some of our major hotels have completed some significant renovations."
Hilton Minneapolis downtown, which is connected to the Minneapolis Convention Center, recently added the 7,399-square-foot Symphony Ballroom, for a total of 77,000 square feet of meeting space.
Tennant says the convention center’s remodeling of its concession areas is expected to be completed in January 2010. The venue offers 475,000 square feet of exhibition space and 87 meeting rooms.
Hyatt Regency Minneapolis, Millennium Hotel Minneapolis and Holiday Inn Metrodome have all received upgrades, adding to the glittering downtown offerings.
The city’s live music venues continue to appeal to groups, and one of Minneapolis’ coolest music clubs, the Dakota Jazz Club & Restaurant, celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2010.
"It’s a fantastic place for live music and great food," Tennant points out. "And it’s a special place to take a group."
The jazz club and restaurant combined can accommodate 250 for a seated affair or 350 for a cocktail reception. And speaking of cocktails, the venue offers playful names for many of the cocktails in homage to legendary jazz: Call Me a Cab Calloway and Bitches Brew (the title of Miles Davis’ 1970 double album) are some libations on the menu.
Minneapolis offers a slew of hip venues thanks to its stature in the theater world. The region is second to New York City in live theater per capita and the third-largest theater market after the "Big Apple" and Chicago. No wonder the city is sometimes called the "Mini Apple."
One of the most versatile and memorable venues is the Guthrie Theater. One of its stages accommodates up to 1,100 people, while several classrooms host anywhere from 40 to 60 people. The theater’s Endless Bridge, a cantilevered lobby, offers views of the Mississippi River, St. Anthony Falls and several historic landmarks. The space hosts up to 150 for a cocktail party.
The Walker Art Center is another memorable venue, as this museum is considered one of the country’s "big five" museums for modern art. It hosted the Google-Vanity Fair party during the RNC in 2008. The Minneapolis Sculpture Gardens is near the museum and is one of the largest urban sculpture gardens in the U.S.
Another unique venue Tennant is quick to point out is Windows on Minnesota, an event center located on the 50th floor of the tallest building in the city, the IDS Tower. The space offers 11-foot floor-to-ceiling windows and panoramic views.
"This venue is increasingly popular and it’s something groups will remember," Tennant says.
The city has wide appeal, whether attendees are urban trekkers or lake lovers.
"Many residents live in our downtown, about 35,000 people," Tennant points out. "So it’s full of excitement and art and culture."
It’s also the headquarters for Target and home of a Macy’s that offers unique wares that can’t be found at other stores in the U.S., Tennant notes.
And it’s all very accessible thanks to the city’s skyway system that connects 69 city blocks over seven miles. And if attendees do go outside in the winter, heated sidewalks make it a lot more comfortable.
Outdoor lovers will appreciate the city’s Mississippi River views and twenty-some lakes, creeks and waterfalls, as well as the Grand Rounds, which is a 50-mile system of linked park areas. The urban greenspace is quite unique, since most scenic byways run through rural areas.
Saint Paul
Saint Paul, the state capital that is situated just east of Minneapolis and primarily on the north bank of the Mississippi River, offers convention-goers plenty of history, great theater experiences, outdoor recreation and a melange of hip and quaint neighborhoods.
"Planners are always telling us that Saint Paul is the best kept secret," says Ted Davis, vice president of marketing and public affairs for the Saint Paul CVA. "We want that to change. The city offers lovely meeting experiences with great venues."
Some of those great venues include the Saint Paul RiverCentre, the city’s main meetings facility with seven nearby hotels, six of which are connected by skyway to the RiverCentre. Xcel Energy Center and the Legendary Roy Wilkins Auditorium are part of the complex. Other prime venues are located next to the RiverCentre, the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, 317 on Rice Park and the Science Museum of Minnesota.
The Science Museum offers event space for groups of up to 1,200. The museum is getting set for The Dead Sea Scrolls exhibition, which begins March 12.
"Saint Paul is a very walkable city, even though it’s the second-largest city in the state," Davis notes. "The museum, the historic 317 on Rice Park and the convention center are all centrally located and right on the Mississippi River."
Historic tours of Saint Paul are increasingly popular. The high point is a tour of Summit Avenue, the country’s longest span of intact Victorian homes. The five-mile street, which includes the homes of F. Scott Fitzgerald and Garrison Keillor, begins at the Cathedral of Saint Paul and winds all the way down to the Mississippi River.
Just one block south, Grand Avenue is a hip, up-and-coming neighborhood with unique eateries and eclectic shops.
Padelford Riverboats offers sightseeing tours along the Mississippi, as well as private event space for up to 700 people.
"We have all the charm and history, along with a modern sensibility," Davis says. "Saint Paul is not a cookie-cutter destination."
Attendees visiting in the summer can attend a Saint Paul Saints baseball game. They may catch a glimpse of Bill Murray, who is part owner of the independent minor league baseball club. His official role in the organization is Team Psychologist.
Minneapolis North
Minneapolis North comprises 11 cities in the north and west suburbs of Minneapolis and Saint Paul. The region includes 40-plus distinctive meeting spaces and more than 3,500 hotel rooms. The area offers plenty of golf, outdoor recreation, museums and shopping. The area also boasts wineries.
The largest meeting spaces here include the Earle Browne Heritage Center, The Northland Inn Hotel & Conference Center, Crowne Plaza Minneapolis North, The Mermaid Event Center and the Ramada Minneapolis Northwest.
Some unique venues include the Anoka County Fairgrounds (which can accommodate up to 20,000 people), Lyric Arts Mainstreet Stage, Flaherty’s Arden Bowl, the National Sports Center and Space Aliens—the latter of which is a virtual space-themed bar and grill.
Bloomington
Bloomington is blooming as a destination for meetings and events.
The Twin Cities suburb is the closest city to Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport. In fact, most hotels in town provide shuttles to and from the airport and free transportation to the mammoth Mall of America, the area’s top destination for groups. Light rail connects the mall to Minneapolis, making it easier for groups to take advantage of as much of the Twin Cities area as possible.
Daniel O’Neill, vice president of sales and strategy for the Bloomington CVB, says that "B-Town" offers a lot of value for several reasons.
"We have more hotel rooms than Minneapolis and Saint Paul combined," he says. "We are close to the airport, and the mall draws attendees of all demographics."
Bloomington offers more than 35 hotels with more than 7,500 rooms. Groups from 10 up to 2,000 have plenty of room to convene.
Mall of America, one of the world’s largest shopping and entertainment complexes (seven Yankee Stadiums could fit inside the mall) includes 520 stores, a flight simulation center, an amusement park and meeting and banquet facilities, which makes it ideal for business and recreation. The mall offers many team-building options, whether it’s a scavenger hunt or a little friendly competition at the Silicon Motor Speedway.
The CVB recently launched The Big Ticket package, a three-day bundled pass that gives visitors up to a 30 percent savings on five cool Twin Cities attractions.
The bureau will also unveil mobile technology for meeting attendees in 2010 that will provide special offers and incentives to various stores at the Mall of America.
"We conducted a beta test, and it really captured a lot of interest," O’Neill says. "The variety of the offers is really cool. We’ll be able to roll this out to even the largest conventions like those in our sports market."
The Minnesota Valley Wildlife Refuge in Bloomington offers another interesting option for groups, and it happens to be close to the airport. The refuge’s visitor center features 8,000 square feet of exhibit space, a 125-seat auditorium, classrooms, an observation deck and other spaces.
