The Triad, a popular North Carolina trio encompassing Greensboro, High Point and Winston-Salem, is home to every imaginable necessity for group events, including terrific accommodations and plenty of attractions to keep the group busy after the meeting.
Some of these attractions, including the Greensboro Science Center, High Point’s Centennial Station Arts Center and Winston-Salem’s Milton Rhodes Center for the Arts, double as intriguing off-site event venues for group receptions, banquets, general sessions and more.
There are also stand-alone event venues, including Greensboro’s Elm Street Center, that offer handsome backdrops for memorable soirees.
Here’s a look at six of the most memorable options.
Elm Street Center, Greensboro
Located in the heart of downtown Greensboro, the Elm Street Center offers flexible space for groups both large and small.
“We treat all of our clients as if their events were our own,” says Bill Falcon, general manager/lead event designer at the center. “We excel at the ‘personal side of service’ and make sure everything is perfect.”
The center features the Regency Room and the Empire Room.
“The Empire style decor of both ballrooms is timeless and serves as a blank slate for any event,” Falcon says. “The look of each room can be easily changed with lighting and linens.”
Among the venue’s amenities are built-in audiovisual equipment, on-site catering, a large inventory of tables and chairs, and a great location with easy access to hotels, dining and shopping.
Greensboro Science Center
The Greensboro Science Center is a unique space that includes an aquarium, museum and zoo, all or parts of which can be rented for group events, says Terri Cooke, reservations and rentals manager at the center.
“We have a variety of venues that accommodate various sizes of groups, from 10 to 1,600 people,” she says. “Visitors can experience up-close viewing of tigers, maned wolves, gibbons, wallabies, ancient tortoises, sharks, penguins and otters during social or corporate events.”
Meeting spaces range from seating for 120 to areas for sit-down dinners to a small meeting room in a quiet space with a conference table that seats 10.
The newest rental space features a 90,000-gallon aquarium that’s popular for private parties and corporate gatherings, and there is also the state-of-the art OmniSphere Theater, which houses a Super Mediaglobe full-dome projection system along with Infitec, the world’s most advanced 3D projection system.
“This is a good option for corporate presentations, where we can project a starry night sky or spectacular mountain scenes on the tilted-dome above,” Cooke says. “We have two other smaller theaters with stadium bench seating where more intimate shows and presentations are enhanced by unique scenic visuals.” PageBreak
Centennial Station Arts Center, High Point
Originally a freight train depot in the 1930s, the Centennial Station Arts Center now has a dinner theater, offices and rehearsal studios for community arts organizations.
In addition to hosting plays and concerts, the dinner theater is also available to rent for special occasions, such as receptions, corporate events and banquets, according to Debbie Lumpkins, executive director for High Point Area Arts Council, which owns and operates the venue.
Amenities include a stage with dressing rooms, a dance floor, a fully stocked bar and a catering kitchen.
The basic rental fee includes tables and chairs, dinnerware, silverware and glassware, plus there is a state-of the-art sound system, specialty lightning and a variety of decorative additions that are available at no charge.
“This unique, one-of-a-kind facility seats up to 250 guests,” she says. “The vintage decor inside and the historic Pullman train car outside create excellent photo opportunities; and everyone who walks into the building falls in love with the 100-year-old floors, the copper lanterns and the overall ambience.”
High Point Country Club
The High Point Country Club, which is now open to non-members for meetings and receptions, is a special venue for groups, according to Samone Tuff, spokeswoman for the facility.
“We work together to assist clients in planning and hosting the perfect event complete with an exquisite venue and an experienced and caring staff that is attentive to details,” she says.
The country club has various ballrooms, including a grand ballroom that hosts up to 500 people, as well as a private dining room for smaller groups and two clubhouses: Willow Creek and Emerywood.
“Willow Creek Clubhouse boasts an 18-hole golf course that is currently rated as a top 30 course in the state,” Tuff says, explaining that groups can play the course under specified conditions. PageBreak
Milton Rhodes Center for the Arts, Winston-Salem
The Milton Rhodes Center for the Arts, situated in historic downtown Winston-Salem near the vibrant Twin City Quarter and Benton Convention Center, is an artistic, flexible and functional event space that blends historic charm and a modern design to create a beautiful setting that’s well-suited for any gathering, according to Sarah Smith, events coordinator at the venue.
“Each event is set up according to the client’s needs, essentially giving you a ‘blank canvas’ to work with when making your arrangements,” she says, citing business meetings, receptions, fundraisers and banquets among the events facilitated.
Located on-site are two art galleries that attendees can browse during private events; the Sawtooth School, where groups can arrange taste of art classes that Smith says are great for team building; and two prep kitchens for use during events.
“There are also many restaurants within walking distance of the center, a benefit of being located in the heart of downtown Winston-Salem,” she says.
Hanesbrands Theatre, Winston-Salem
The 300-seat Hanesbrands Theatre, situated next to the Milton Rhodes Center and a member of the center’s family of venues, is available to accommodate meetings and receptions, as well as a variety of performances, including live theater, dance and music.
“The theater, originally the AC Delco building, is a meeting planner’s dream come true,” Smith says, citing a moveable stage and seats, and additional seating in the dramatic wrap-around balcony that adds flexibility and charm to the facility.
According to Liz May, the theater’s production manager, the venue has state-of-the-art lighting and sound equipment as well as HD video projection and a surround sound system for showcasing the Metropolitan Opera, National Theatre of London and various film festivals and independent screenings.
Frequent contributor Carolyn blackburn is a fan of the Live in HD from the Metropolitan Opera performances that are broadcast from the Hanesbrands Theater.
