The best part of planning an event in a destination with a thriving entertainment district could be the stress-reducing benefits such “turnkey” areas provide, along with the cost-savings from not having to hire transportation to shuttle bus loads full of attendees hither and yon.
Following are a few major Midwest entertainment districts that provide perfect post-meeting hot spots with a minimum of fuss.
Indianapolis
If this year’s Super Bowl showed Midwesterners anything, it’s that Indianapolis knows how to have fun. The February event was a smashing success, thanks largely to the city’s downtown Wholesale District. The six-ish block region is within walking distance of the expanded Indiana Convention Center and Lucas Oil Stadium.
“The area has great shopping, nightlife, theater, museums and art galleries,” says Michelle Travis, senior vice president of sales for the Indianapolis CVA. “Right out the door of the convention center there is so much to do and groups don’t have to provide transportation.”
Meeting properties include the Omni Severin Hotel, Hyatt Regency Indianapolis, Crowne Plaza, Canterbury Hotel and Conrad Indianapolis.
For an off-site reception, Indianapolis has several options too, starting with the 1933 Lounge, a speakeasy-themed bar above the famous St. Elmo Steakhouse with enough space for around 100 people.
Close by is The Slippery Noodle, offering live jazz and blues bands.
“It is the oldest bar in Indianapolis and the place where John Dillinger and his gang used to do target practice; you can still find bullet holes there, which is pretty neat,” she adds. “They have reception space and areas outdoors if the weather is nice.”
Minneapolis
Nearly 600 miles northwest is Nicollet Mall, a 12-block pedestrian complex that runs the length of downtown Minneapolis.
The area is just a few blocks from the Minneapolis Convention Center and offers free bus transportation. There are two major meeting hotels: The Hyatt, which just finished a $25 million renovation, and The Millenium, which will start a $20 million upgrade later this year.
“Just half a block off the mall you can find a Marriott, Radisson, Doubletree, Westin and The Marquette Hotel,” says Scott Romane, vice president of destination services for Meet Minneapolis.
Delegates can visit Dakota Jazz Club & Restaurant, with entertainment and event space for 250 seated guests and 350 standing. Another spot is Brit’s Pub & Eating Establishment, a legend in Minneapolis for more than 20 years. It has a 10,000-square-foot grass bowling area and an 18,000-square-foot garden for private events.
Lincoln, Neb.
Back in the early ’70s, Lincoln had a worn-down district filled with warehouses. Years later, developers decided to turn the region into a destination for shopping, dining and entertainment. Today, the eight-block area, the Historic Haymarket District, is as hot as ever.
“Everyone goes there,” says Derek Feyerherm, director of sales and operations for the Lincoln CVB. “All the buildings are restored brick warehouses with unique restaurants and shops. It is a fantastic place.”
Attendees can go to The Haymarket Theatre for shows or go to events there. They also can stop by Brewsky’s, a dueling piano bar.
Additional off-site options include The Great Hall at Lincoln Station, a turn-of-the-century train depot.
“The ticket lobby has marble floors and space for 300 people,” Feyerherm says. “Many planners use the ticket windows for bars.”
Another popular spot: The Grand Manse. Located at the corner of the district, the former courthouse and post office still holds its original charm and boasts space for around 120 guests.
Hotel-wise, the full-service Holiday Inn offers 231 guest rooms and 13,500 square feet of meeting space; plans are under way to open a Courtyard by Marriott and Hilton Garden Inn in the near future.
Meanwhile, the 16,500-seat Pinnacle Bank Arena will open next fall.
Kansas City, Mo.
Kansas City boasts the Power & Light District, with more than 50 bars, shops and entertainment venues.
“The nine-block district opened up in 2008,” says Denise DeJulio, executive director of convention sales for the Kansas City CVA. “KC Live!, in the district, has a stage, two levels of bars and entertainment.”
“Meeting planners really love it because it is so close to the convention center and downtown hotels,” she says.
Accommodation options include a Marriott, Hilton President, Crowne Plaza, Hotel Phillips and the Holiday Inn Aladdin.
Off-site venues include the Midland Theater (“built in the 1920s, it’s gorgeous inside,” says DeJulio) and the 285,000-square-foot Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, with a 1,800-seat theater.
“The District is the nucleus of entertainment here,” DuJulio says. “It’s a lot of fun.”
Katie Morell, a San Francisco-based writer and editor, always dedicates a lot of time to exploring downtown areas in every new city she visits.
