Museums & Attractions
- The FlyOver Canada virtual flight attraction is scheduled to open in spring 2013 at the iconic Canada Place building, home to the Vancouver Convention Center, along the city’s waterfront. The $15 million experience will operate in a former IMAX theater and take groups of 60 riders on a journey across the country showcasing virtual flight-ride technology. For more information, visit www.flyovercanada.com or www.canadaplace.ca.
- The Denver Art Museum welcomed Becoming Van Gogh this fall. Featuring more than 70 paintings and drawings by Van Gogh and artists who inspired him, the exhibition will run through Jan. 20, 2013. The museum offers several spaces that can be rented for private group events. For more information, call 720.865.5000 or visit www.denverartmuseum.org.
Programs & Packages
- The Pan Pacific Hotel Seattle added a Corks & Canvas breakout session that is available for groups and private classes. Participants will drink Washington wines and be instructed by a regional artist as they create their own painting. The hotel’s lobby is decorated with works of local art and offers views of the Space Needle. Pan Pacific Seattle can accommodate conferences of up to 200 guests; the property’s largest ballroom measures 1,674 square feet. For more information, call 206.264.8111 or visit www.panpacific.com/seattle.
Destination Dispatch
- Rays on the Bay opened at the newly renovated Sheraton Kona Resort & Spa at Keauhou Bay, featuring Big Island cuisine. The restaurant seats 216, with tables perched above the ocean where giant manta rays come to feed in the evening. The property recently upgraded its 485 guest rooms and 24 suites. For more information, call 808.930.4900 or visit www.sheratonkona.com.
Tech Update
- The Santa Clara CVB launched an online tour-building tool, where visitors answer questions regarding their budget, preferred activities and general preferences and receive a custom itinerary highlighting sites and special events in Santa Clara and Silicon Valley. For more information, visit www.yourtour.com/santaclara or www.santaclara.org.
Kudos
- Calgary’s TELUS Convention Center installed solar panels that will reduce the center’s draw from the provincial energy grid by 14,000 kilowatt hours per year and reduce emission by 11 tons, according to Heather Lundy, director of marketing. For more information, visit www.calgary-convention.com.
- The Colorado Convention Center planted 2,000 plants including basil, beans, parsnip, peppers, spinach, tomatoes, squash, radishes and raspberries at the center’s 5,000-square-foot Blue Bear Farm. The fruits, vegetables and herbs will be used by chefs at the Centerplate restaurant to feed convention delegates. The farm, which grew from the Denver Seeds Initiative, is expected to ultimately yield 5,000 pounds a year, and can also be used as an outdoor event or reception space. For more information, visit www.visitdenver.com.