From Sandusky to Cincinnati, Ohio has experienced a rush of growth over the past few years, and it doesn’t appear to be slowing down. Developers are reaching to the skies with new hotels, attractions and venues, while major developments, including the upcoming opening of the Cleveland Medical Mart and Convention Center, a multimillion-dollar Kalahari Resorts renovation and the opening of the Hilton Columbus Downtown, are shaping the state’s skyline and upgrading its group offerings.
On the smaller side of the meetings spectrum, inviting boutique hotels are also cropping up.
“A trend is that people want unique, intimate experiences, and boutique hotels are opening across the U.S.,” says Julie Calvert, vice president, communication and strategic development for the Cincinnati USA CVB. “Before, people wouldn’t choose a destination based on a cool hotel because they wanted to spend their time outside of it, but now they will.”
Fortunately for these planners, Ohio has an assortment of local hotels with plenty of personality, combined with the standby attractions of sports, food and culture.
Northeast
Cool destination hotels in Cleveland include the tiny Washington Place Bistro & Inn in Little Italy, renovated in 2010, and the 60-room Glidden House, a French Gothic-style mansion that can accommodate up to 130 on its tented patio. While they only offer minimal event space, both boutique properties are located near Cleveland’s walkable downtown core, which includes large venues such as the Cleveland Museum of Art and Severance Hall, where the Cleveland orchestra plays.
These lodging options will soon be accented by the brand-new, 1 million-square-foot Cleveland Medical Mart and Convention Center. The $465 million project is scheduled to open this fall and is already drawing the attention of planners and medical groups.
Meanwhile, Akron offers 5,000 hotel rooms and the 123,000-square-foot John S. Knight Center. PageBreak
Southwest
When Cincinnati’s renovated and expanded Duke Energy Convention Center debuted in 2006, the additional 200,000 square feet of exhibit space suddenly allowed the city to accommodate about 75 percent of the meetings and events in the national market—essentially everything except for the odd mega-convention. This was a game changer for the destination and since then, through 2012, Cincinnati has seen eight years of growth, with increases in everything from room nights to overall economic impact, according to Calvert.
“That renovation definitely paid off well for Cincinnati,” she says.
The city books a lot of national association business, has hosted the NAACP and the World Choir Games, and is popular among religious, educational and multicultural groups, in addition to doing a sizable amount of state business.
An artsy new 21c Hotel opened recently, the flag’s first property outside Louisville.
“It’s technically a boutique property with 156 rooms,” Calvert says. “But it’s a hip, upscale addition that we’re excited about.”
Focused on contemporary art and located across from the Aranoff Center for the Arts, the hotel offers 8,000 square feet of event space. Docent tours of the changing exhibitions and weekly Sunday yoga classes are open to the public.
An alternative venue is the stately Cincinnatian Hotel, the longest operating hotel in the state. It sets a formal tone with marble architecture, preserved historical elements and six private meeting rooms.
“Cincinnati has a nice mix of flagged and unique properties,” Calvert says, adding that a few new hotel projects are targeted to open in the next few years but haven’t been announced yet.
In Dayton, the Crowne Plaza Dayton completed a $5 million renovation last year, updating its lobby, 285 guest rooms and 12,000 square feet of meeting space. It is connected to the 100,000-square-foot Dayton Convention Center via skywalk.
Central
The Columbus CVB recently welcomed a new president and CEO, Brian Ross, following the retirement of Paul Astlerod, who led the bureau for 13 years. Ross will oversee a city poised to take off in the meetings market. Ross has already indicated that his goals for the CVB include enacting a six-point plan to grow the $7.8 billion tourism and hospitality industry, and the 61,000 jobs it supports locally.
Like other major Ohio cities, Columbus is celebrating a thriving food scene and capitalizing on the increasing popularity of culinary tours. Columbus Food Adventures operates seven local itineraries for groups of less than 25 people, including a dessert tour, a taco truck tour and a coffee tour. The company has also organized larger progressive dinners and food truck-type events for groups of up to 100.PageBreak
Northwest
The new Hollywood Casino opened in Toledo last summer with 2,000 slots and group dining options, adding another entertainment option to the city’s slate of well-equipped venues, including the 17,000-square-foot, LEED-certified Huntington Center arena and the three-level SeaGate Convention Centre, accommodating up to 9,000 attendees.
The Lake Erie Shores & Islands CVB represents Erie and Ottawa Counties, including the cities of Sandusky, Port Clinton and various area islands. The major selling points in the region are the lakefront location and proximity to major cities, says Amanda Smith Rasnick, the CVB’s group sales manager.
Erie County is about 25 minutes from Toledo, five hours from Chicago, two hours from Columbus and 2.5 hours from Pittsburgh. Groups arriving by air generally fly into Cleveland Hopkins International Airport or Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport.
“The area has always been popular as a leisure destination, with Cedar Point and the famous water slides, but it has since grown popular with meeting planners as well. From religious groups to students, corporate teams and state associations, we do it all,” Rasnick says.
Kalahari Resorts, the largest hotel in Ohio with 890 guest rooms, recently expanded, adding 120,000 square feet to its conference center during a $22 million project. The Sandusky resort can now accommodate more than 5,200 attendees and welcomes families with its array of indoor waterslides and other year-round attractions.
For another resort experience, Rasnick recommends Sawmill Creek Resort in Huron/Sandusky, highlighting team-building options such as golf, boat excursions, fishing and beach games on Lake Erie and the 235-acre campus. The 16,000-square-foot Wilderness Hall accommodates 1,750 attendees or 100 exhibits.
Also near the lake, Great Wolf Lodge is a hot spot for groups, with meeting space and indoor water parks, “The islands are always worth noting,” Rasnick says, explaining that Put-In-Bay is actually located on South Bass Island, although everyone calls it by the name of the island’s only city. “The ferry ride is fun for groups, and there are wineries, caves and plenty of meeting spaces. It offers a great escape from the mainland for corporate groups. You don’t even feel like you’re in Ohio.”
Destination-specific activities are a major selling point, she adds.
“Everyone has meeting space and hotels, but we also offer Kalahari, Lake Erie and an abundance of awesome wineries, to name a few things,” Rasnick says.
