Because it’s next to a global seat of political power, has one of the most highly educated and affluent populaces in the country, and is filled with business and cultural attributes, Montgomery County, Md., offers meeting groups enticing reasons to book its portfolio of varied gathering venues and 10,000 hotel rooms.
Though the county of 3.5 million square miles has an urban profile in its areas that border Washington, D.C., it also offers open and rolling rural spaces in its extremities. Stellar public transportation access is also one of its lures for groups, as well as budget-friendly facilities that fulfill business needs.
Location, Location, Location
“When we talk to meeting planners, we like to tell them about our proximity to D.C.,” says Natalie Ramos, director of sales for the Conference and Visitors Bureau of Montgomery County, Md. “We are only eight miles away but many aren’t familiar with just how close we are to everything the nation’s capital offers.”
Montgomery County’s location isn’t great just because it’s adjacent to one of the world’s most important cities. It is also a major hub for high-tech business and government agencies such as the National Institute of Health, National Institute of Standards and Technology, and the Food and Drug Administration. Private industry titans abound, too, such as biotech companies and retailers.
Access is another Montgomery County strong suit for business groups. It’s equidistant from three major airports: Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport; Ronald Reagan Washington National; and Washington Dulles International Airport. Also, the region’s subway system, Metro, has 13 stations in the county, all connecting with D.C. and surrounding regional destinations. The Capital Beltway, I-495, carries motorists into and through the county from D.C. and the Virginia suburbs.
With more than 50 hotels and nearly 10,000 guest rooms, the county offers hotels for every budget and a variety of meeting venues, according to Ramos.
“Planners have a choice of many price points among our hotels, as well as lovely suburban settings and open spaces in our far north,” Ramos says.
While associations and federal government meetings are the primary target, the county also attracts other segments, such as reunion groups and corporations, Ramos adds.
Affordability pops up on the county’s list of attributes, too, especially when compared to the big city next door.
“Our rates are between 20 percent and 30 percent less than D.C.,” she says.
Bethesda North Marriott Hotel and Conference Center is the county’s largest meetings facility, with 450 guest rooms and suites and 23,300 square feet of meeting space. Other dedicated conference spaces include National Labor College, Kirkland Center, National 4H Conference Center, Silver Spring Civic Center at Veterans Plaza and University of Maryland Shady Grove Conference Center.
For a retreat atmosphere only 15 miles from The White House, The Bolger Center has 75 meeting rooms for groups of up to 400, including classic meeting rooms, ballrooms, boardrooms and computer labs.
Out and About
Because Montgomery County residents are both affluent and international, it has a diverse cultural, restaurant and retail lineup, which is another group draw, while the museums, monuments, restaurants, theaters and arts scene of D.C. are within easy reach via subway and other transport.
Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Rockville and Silver Spring are centers for upscale and mid-priced restaurants, running the gamut from Spanish tapas to Maryland seafood and international cuisine. Numerous boutiques and shopping malls are also available.
Wheaton is one of the D.C. Metro area’s best centers for ethnic eats, especially Asian and Central American foods because of its Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai, Guatemalan and Salvadoran communities. Add to that such choices as Korean, Ethiopian and Peruvian for even more diversity. And there are even more such choices in Silver Spring and Takoma Park.
Outer suburban locations like Colesville and Burtonsville dish out some delectable independently owned restaurants and unique attractions such as the National Capital Trolley Museum. Gaithersburg and Olney are surrounded by open farmlands and have charming historic districts that recall another era. Within the county’s rolling farmlands, small towns such as Damascus, Poolesville, Darnestown and Clarksburg have a quieter pace.
For outdoor recreation, there are several county parks, including Cabin John Regional Park, where picnic grounds and summer concerts draw visitors. The Potomac River flows beside the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park, and over the Great Falls, which attracts those keen on both scenic beauty and adventurous activities such as rock climbing. Glen Echo is a historic amusement park by the river that dates to the 19th century, and has seasonal outdoor amusement rides and plays. The county also has a foot in Rock Creek Park, a national preserve in both Maryland and D.C., which has bike and pedestrian pathways, parks and sports sites within its woodland acres.
Cultural Renaissance
Silver Spring is one of the county’s cities near D.C., and it is enjoying a renaissance that is transforming its downtown core from a lost mid-20th century retail base to an exciting cultural center.
One of the newest transformations is The Fillmore, a live entertainment venue that retains the historic facade of a J.C. Penney store site that was vacant for nearly 20 years. Tech amenities are part of the new venue’s profile, as are live concerts. Across the street is the American Film Institute (AFI) Silver Theatre and Cultural Center. It’s anchored by the restored and historic 1938 Silver Theatre. Three theaters under the AFI roof are available for rental. Contemporary tech features, including high-definition digital cinema video projection and broadcast quality video recording and distance learning capabilities are also in the package.
The stunning 2,000-seat Music Center at Strathmore and the historic Mansion at Strathmore on an 11-acre landscaped site in North Bethesda have a roster of live concert and theater events, including folk, rock, blues, pop, R&B, jazz, show tunes and classical. The Mansion at Strathmore is home to more intimate artistic programs in the 100-seat Dorothy M. and Maurice C. Shapiro Music Room, the Gudelsky Gallery Suite exhibition spaces and the outdoor Gudelsky Concert Pavilion and sculpture gardens. The mansion also features the Strathmore Tea Room, which has scheduled tea service on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Additional Montgomery County cultural options draw groups into other county corners for entertainment and refreshments.
Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard produces Bordeaux-style wines that have received awards, and Sugarloaf offers many public events throughout the year, including the Sugarloaf Crafts Festival and the Grape Stomp Festival.
300 Shady Grove is a trendy and upscale bowling experience for recreation and team building. The entire 32,000-square-foot site can handle up to 500 guests, and Club 300, its private bowling suite, has eight lanes and a dedicated bar. Other amenities throughout the site include wireless DSL internet access, audiovisual equipment and space to accommodate several seating styles for varied purposes.
Touring the region frequently takes visitors into D.C. for its array of museums, monuments and stops at the seats of power on Capitol Hill. Montgomery County adds its own unique attractions to the possibilities, including the National Mormon Temple in Kensington, an impressive and soaring piece of architecture (particularly at night). Its visitor center educates guests about the Church of Latter Day Saints. At Glen Echo, there is a historic antique amusement park which still offers an operating carousel, a Spanish ballroom for dance lessons and other events and theater performances.
