The higher you go, the farther you can see. It’s possible that the old saying is truer in Colorado than anywhere else. Meetings in Denver, Boulder and Colorado Springs combine elevation and inspiration.
“Gold seekers and explorers discovered this region in the 1800s and were immediately captivated by the beauty and wonder of the Rocky Mountains,” says Janie McCullough, executive director of Destination Colorado. “From the very beginning, the stage was set for a cultural environment of creativity inspired by independent thinkers with a real appreciation of the natural landscape. That spirit remains today and provides experiences that embrace both the past and groundbreaking innovation.”
Denver
The Mile High City has always made culture a priority.
“Denver was born as a gold rush boom town in 1858 and had a performance of Macbeth before the city had a school or a hospital,” says Rachel Benedick, vice president, sales and services at Visit Denver. “The tradition of supporting the arts has continued. Today, Denver contributes more public money for the arts than any other city.”
Denver opened two new museums in the downtown Golden Triangle Museum District in the past two years. In April 2012, the $110 million History Colorado Center opened to share interactive exhibits about the state’s history and heritage. The center can welcome groups as large as 400 for receptions and banquets.
The Clyfford Still Museum, devoted to the American abstract impressionist painter, opened in November 2011. The museum features more than 2,000 works by Still and can host as many as 400 for events.
Next door, Denver Art Museum houses 70,000 artworks from all over the world in two buildings designed by world-renowned modern architects. Event spaces include a 500-person formal reception hall, an indoor and outdoor pavilion with city views capable of welcoming 200, and a 266-seat auditorium. The entire facility can host more than 3,000 for receptions when all galleries are open.
Denver’s heritage properties combine vintage style with modern amenities. The Brown Palace opened downtown in 1893, and its 12 meeting rooms have hosted presidents and foreign heads of state.
The Oxford Hotel, which was built in 1892 and offers 10,000 square feet of meeting space, is located in Denver’s LoDo District. This 26-block entertainment destination features many historic warehouses transformed into hip restaurants, brewpubs and cafes.
Two more historic properties will join Denver’s portfolio over the next year. Located in LoDo, the Beaux Arts-style Union Station will offer a new 112-room hotel, four signature restaurants and a beer hall when it opens in July 2014. The new property will share meeting space with the nearby Oxford Hotel.
In addition, the new 230-room Renaissance Denver Downtown–City Center is under construction in a historic bank on 17th Street that is nicknamed “The Wall Street of the West.” Scheduled to open in December 2013, the property will retain the Greek Revival marble and 16 original mural paintings created for the bank. It will offer 5,000 square feet of meeting space, including three boardrooms created in former bank vaults.
Just steps away from the city’s major meeting hotels are lively new neighborhoods loaded with urban charm and local culture.
“Downtown Denver is surrounded by a series of hip, young neighborhoods—all within walking distance of downtown hotels,” Benedick says. “LoHi is a new neighborhood connected to downtown by three pedestrian bridges. This hip neighborhood is filled with trendy restaurants, brewpubs, tap houses and even a speakeasy, all on a slight hill overlooking the Denver skyline.”PageBreak
Boulder
Inspiration is woven right into the scenery in Boulder.
“Entrepreneurial spirit and natural beauty are the two key components to Boulder’s lifestyle,” says Andrew Heidt, senior sales manager at the Boulder CVB. “Creativity, innovation and the great outdoors are infused into almost everything. This creative energy rubs off on visiting groups.”
Groups can really get their creative juices flowing with events at the Dairy Center for the Arts. The former dairy is a community space used by 15 different arts groups for classes, exhibits and performances. Venues include a 250-seat performance hall, an 80-person art gallery and several smaller theaters.
Rembrandt Yard, a posh gallery and event center, dazzles with its open space, hardwood floors, floor-to-ceiling windows and mountain views. Located downtown, it can accommodate groups as large as 200.
The Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art juxtaposes postmodern artwork with a century-old brick warehouse. The downtown attraction can welcome as many as 350.
Groups can tap into the spiritual side of Boulder with an event at the Solstice Center. The venue hosts yoga, meditation and other healing retreats. The maximum group size for rentals is 62.
The landmark hotels of Boulder’s downtown historic district have hosted generations of meetings. Hotel Boulderado charms with stained glass, a polished cherry staircase and mountain views from most of its 160 guest rooms. The property features 10,000 square feet of meeting space.
The nearby St Julien Hotel and Spa, built in 2005, is the newest property in town, and its lobby is hopping with live music five nights a week. It has 201 guest rooms and 16,000 square feet of event space.
Boulder has won accolades in recent years for its food, and Pearl Street is the locus of the city’s gastronomic culture.
“Pearl Street is the heart and soul of Boulder,” Heidt says. “Four blocks are closed to traffic and the pavement has been replaced with red bricks, benches, trees and flowers. Street performers, outdoor cafes, galleries and trendy shops abound.” PageBreak
Colorado Springs
With its culture of good food, good health and appreciation for natural beauty, Colorado Springs has a heritage of hospitality.
“It’s been said we were a cultural crossroads with residents and visitors ranging from Native American tribes and miners to sophisticated European travelers,” says Kathy Reak, director of convention sales at the Colorado Springs CVB. “I think the same is true today.”
Built as the “Grande Dame of the Rockies” nearly 100 years ago, the AAA Five Diamond Broadmoor Hotel has carried its legacy of luxury into the new millennium.
“When Spencer and Julie Penrose opened their grand resort at the gateway to the Colorado Rocky Mountains in 1918, the master plan was to create a place where European elegance met Western hospitality in the perfect blend of style and service excellence,” says John Rovie, director of sales at The Broadmoor. “More than nine decades later, their vision is intact and their dream is still alive.”
The Broadmoor offers 185,000 square feet of meeting space.
The city’s historic Mining Exchange building found new life in 2012 as a Wyndham Grand Hotel. Lovingly restored, the building now has 117 guest rooms and 10,000 square feet of meeting space.
Glen Eyrie Castle and Retreat Center was the estate of William Palmer, founder of Colorado Springs. The center hosts meetings, welcomes private high teas and offers group tours.
Cheyenne Mountain Resort is another top group choice, featuring an IACC-certified conference center with 40,000 square feet of space, as well as plenty of outdoor adventure options and a newly renovated Pete Dye-designed golf course.
Colorado Springs is also a foodie destination known for its locavore leanings.
“There is such a thing as Colorado cuisine,” Reak says. “It consists of fresh game such as elk and lamb. A lot of wonderful eateries are focused on sourcing as many local ingredients as possible.”
Two group-friendly restaurants serving local fare with a wild flair include Craftwood Inn, which accommodates groups of up to 100, and Warehouse Restaurant, which hosts private events of up to 200.
What’s food without drink?
“Microbrews are a trendy and exciting addition to any corporate event, and Colorado boasts some of the best in the West,” says Leigh Trance Barnes, vice president of sales at RMC, a local DMC. “Bristol Brewing Company and the Blue Star Restaurant have teamed up to update the old Ivywild School to include a pub and tasting room, coffee bar and bakery sure to be a huge hit with the local community and a wonderful location to host unique corporate events.”
The 20,000-square-foot Ivywild School is scheduled to open in 2013.
Kelly crumrin is a freelance writer based in San Francisco. Colorado is one of her family’s favorite places to vacation.
