For planners tired of the standard hotel ballroom or convention center, both the Baton Rouge and Shreveport-Bossier metropolitan areas provide a smattering of off-the-beaten-path options. Plantations, art galleries, science facilities and alligator farms all contribute to a wide palette of ideas at any planner’s disposal.
The Nottoway Plantation & Resort (225.545.2730; www.nottoway.com) is the largest remaining antebellum property in the South. Common for weddings and corporate meetings, the property sits on 22 acres outside Baton Rouge and features 40 guest rooms and a number of meeting and banquet spaces measuring up to 3,600 square feet.
Back within Baton Rouge city confines, the Louisiana State Museum (225.219.0726) near the Louisiana State Capitol offers more than 10,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor space, accommodating up to 750 people for meetings, dinners, receptions and other events. Any get-together features the backdrop of the museum’s exhibits on Louisiana history.
For planners keyed into science, private events in the newly renovated planetarium of the Louisiana Art & Science Museum (225.344.5272; www.lasm.org) will impress any group of delegates. The facility is popular for cocktail receptions, atrium dinners and boardroom-style lectures. Other available options include art galleries, an auditorium and a smaller meeting room. Additionally, the space shuttle simulator provides a unique team-building experience.
The Shreveport-Bossier area likewise bestows any planner with a selection of creative ideas, in particular, if delegates are alligator fans. An alligator park and exotic zoo by the name of Gators & Friends (318.938.1199; www.gatorsandfriends.com) instills in visitors an appreciation for reptiles, ostriches and porcupines. Gators & Friends is popular for family reunions, church group outings and corporate tours.
Also in Shreveport, the Barnwell Memorial Garden and Art Center (318.673.7703; www.barnwellcenter.com) presents another unique setting for groups. Both an indoor art museum and an outdoor garden, the facility provides views of the Red River, the skylines of Shreveport and Bossier City, the Texas Street Neon Bridge and the Louisiana Boardwalk. Common for weddings, banquets and receptions, the center offers numerous indoor and outdoor configurations for events.
Shreveport’s Robinson Film Center (318.459.4122; www.robinsonfilmcenter.com) is the city’s unique spot for independent films and international and classic cinema, plus it serves as a production studio. Several venue spaces are available for corporate luncheons, company socials, wedding receptions and rehearsal dinners, live television events and private screenings.