With established meeting enclaves of the West such as Las Vegas, Seattle and San Francisco often grabbing the spotlight, it can be a challenge for other locales in the region to capture their due mindshare from meeting planners.
Here are five up-and-coming Western destinations that are striving for some time in the spotlight, and are worth a second look when selecting a site for a meeting.
Utah Valley
Home to Provo and Brigham Young University, the Utah Valley has long been a popular destination for vacationers seeking to explore Utah’s great outdoors and pioneering history. Now, superb new meeting venues and transportation options have bolstered its standing as a meetings magnet and drawn substantial new industry to the area.
“Utah Valley has seen tremendous growth this past year and is continually flourishing with its new infrastructure and transportation,” says Charlene Christensen, director of services at the Utah Valley CVB. “Several corporations, such as Adobe, National Security Agency, Overstock.com and others recently established a significant presence in Utah Valley with new buildings, offices and jobs.
“Additionally,” she continues, “the new Frontrunner line connecting Salt Lake to Provo, direct Frontier Airline service into Provo Airport and the anticipated 50-acre Outlets at Traverse Mountain shopping center make Utah Valley an even more convenient and ideal location for any meeting.”
And that’s without even mentioning the gleaming Utah Valley Convention Center. The eco-friendly new facility is located just 45 minutes south of Salt Lake City in historic downtown Provo. The LEED Silver-certified building offers 83,578 square feet of meeting and exhibit space, including an elegant Grand Ballroom and rooftop garden with sweeping views of the Wasatch Mountains.
Ample lodging is also on hand, with more than 1,300 hotel rooms available in downtown Provo. The aforementioned Frontrunner line, running from Ogden to the Utah Valley—and making transportation easier between the SLC airport and Provo—is projected to open this December.
Eugene, Ore.
Like the Utah Valley area, Eugene has built upon its reputation as an appealing leisure escape—enhanced by nearby natural lures that abound in the Willamette Valley—to gain footing as an enticing events haven. And once again, a convention facility deserves substantial credit for the locale’s re-made reputation.
“The addition of Matthew Knight Arena, which opened in January 2011 with seating capacity for 12,500, has opened up new opportunities for large conventions to meet in Eugene,” says Janis Ross, vice president of convention and sports marketing for Travel Lane County. “Faith-based conferences in particular have found this new facility ideal for their event needs.”
Ross also touts the region’s large, and still-growing, lodging landscape.
“The Eugene-Springfield metro area has seen new hotels open in the past year: Hilton Garden Inn in 2011, and Inn at the 5th, a luxury boutique hotel, which opened in February 2012,” Ross says. “With over 4,000 guest rooms in the metro area and a reputation for hosting major events, like the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials, our community knows how to take care of delegates and visitors, from transportation to housing to a wide range of activities.”
Ross also says the region, like much of eco-focused Oregon, prides itself on sustainability. And the area couldn’t be more accessible to attendees, she adds.
“Convenient air access via the Eugene Airport includes direct flights from nine major Western cities: Denver, Salt Lake City, Phoenix-Mesa, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, Portland and Seattle,” she says. “And our conference hotels all offer complimentary airport shuttle service.”PageBreak
Oakland, Calif.
When it comes to being overshadowed, Oakland takes the cake, with spectacular San Francisco stealing much of the Bay Area’s meeting spotlight.
But planners taking the time to explore will discover an ever-burgeoning bounty of dining choices, culture and revamped venues.
The Oakland Convention Center recently completed an $8 million renovation, for example, and the adjacent Oakland Marriott City Center underwent a $17 million overhaul a little over a year ago.
“Together, the hotel and convention center provide 58,000 square feet of meeting space within walking distance of many of our award-winning chef-owned restaurants and live music venues,” says Lindsay Wright, public relations and communications manager for Visit Oakland.
“Oakland has continued to grow as an emerging travel destination over the past few years,” she adds. “The city is experiencing a resurgence of bars, restaurants, shops, cultural events and more, and meeting planners are taking notice; as is The New York Times, which listed Oakland as one of the Top Places to Visit in the world.”
The city’s relative affordability has been a boost to its emergence, as has its accessibility—and proximity to much to see and do.
“The Oakland International Airport, just eight miles south of downtown, has been praised for its on-time arrivals, and the upcoming Air BART [Bay Area Rapid Transit] Connector will only make travel to and from the airport more convenient,” Wright remarks. “There are many attractions and events year-round throughout the city that are a huge draw for groups, as well as free activities such as walking tours, farmers markets, and even a free shuttle along Broadway to the Waterfront. For those looking to explore the greater Bay Area, Oakland is the hub, located within close proximity to San Francisco, Berkeley and Napa.”
Temecula, Calif.
Easily lost in the shuffle of the magnificent meetings offering of neighboring L.A. and Orange County, Temecula can certainly relate to Oakland’s plight. Yet like its northern counterpart, the city offers cost-effectiveness and accessibility, with a burgeoning wine country adding to the off-site allure.
“Temecula Valley is ideal for corporate meetings due to its proximity to four major Southern California airports: San Diego, Ontario, Orange County and Los Angeles,” says Annette Brown, marketing and public relations manager for the Temecula CVB.
Brown adds that the city’s location also makes it ideal for the drive markets from all of these regions, and that the many wineries offer unique meeting spaces, such as barrel boardrooms or meeting rooms overlooking rolling vineyards.
The city’s wine region—and the charming and historic Old Town—have helped draw leisure and corporate travelers in droves since the start of the new millennium.
“The total impact of Temecula tourism has quadrupled from 2000 to 2010, and [the city] has become a popular destination for meeting groups from all over the country,” says Christine Damko, economic development analyst for the city. “Temecula facilities include a high-tech casino property, peaceful resorts set among rolling fairways, casual wineries and traditional yet friendly hotels.”
The newest meeting facility, the Civic Center, is located in Old Town, Temecula’s downtown. The Civic Center, Damko informs, includes a town square and a 2,583-square-foot conference center with a private outdoor patio.
All told, Temecula boasts over 73,000 square feet of meeting space and over 2,000 hotel rooms, including Pechanga Resort and Casino, Wine Country boutiques and Temecula Creek Inn Resort/Golf Course.
Acapulco’s Diamante District
With its spectacular setting and vibrant nightlife, Acapulco has long been an appealing incentive destination. Today, though, a particular section of the stunning city is turning meeting planners’ heads, the Acapulco Diamante district, also known as the Diamond Zone.
The stylish neighborhood at Acapulco’s south end has been the city’s fastest-growing area, and includes magnificent beachfront and the highest quality of infrastructure in Mexico. One big boost to Diamante’s allure has been the opening of the La Isla shopping village less than four years ago, providing a group-friendly trove of dining, retail and entertainment options amongst a handsome setting dotted with palm trees and waterfalls.
As for hotel and venue progress, the Fairmont Acapulco Princess’ recent additions and improvements serve as an illustration of the sector’s overall progress.
The iconic resort with an “Aztec temple” exterior and more than 1,000 guest rooms has, in recent years, devoted millions of dollars toward upgrades to the property, including a $30 million improvement effort resulting in Pearl, an elegant enclave with its own tower and 300-plus rooms; a new 20,000-square-foot exhibition hall; and an innovative golfing academy for groups that want to improve their game while having a great time.
Other recent additions include the “integrated proposal 360” concept—a new offering that helps groups customize their events and integrate the resort’s lodging, culinary, entertainment and sports programs—and an area of gourmet rooms, offering exquisite dining offerings in superb settings.
The flourishing “Diamond Zone” boasts a number of top-notch resort properties, including the elegant Fairmont Pierre Marqués, which adjoins the Princess.
“All these changes and novelties are integrated into the sophisticated, avant-garde and chic luxury concept that The Fairmont Acapulco Princess complex is trying to highlight,” says America Anguiano, public relations director for the resort. “It suggests a whole new lifestyle and a return to mythical Acapulco.”
