Amid Google shuttle bus protests and other occasional murmurings of backlash, tech and tourism are both booming in the San Francisco Bay Area, and if the Bay Area's biggest bridges are any indication, major changes are afoot in the region.
The iconic Golden Gate Bridge has converted to an entirely electronic toll payment system and the glimmering new eastern span of the Bay Bridge opened to traffic last fall, along with an accompanying bike path that will eventually connect Oakland to Treasure Island.
Not to be outdone, the western span is sparkling too, with the Bay Lights sculpture that will be on display through March 2015. The art piece is made up of thousands of individual LED lights, attached to the bridge's vertical support cables, which are illuminated in seemingly endless unique patterns.
Group business is shining locally as well, with a long list of new venues and attractions, from the start-up company stomping grounds of San Francisco and the peninsula to the energetic markets of the East Bay.
San Francisco
Occupancy is strong and group revenue is rising, according to Kathryn Horton, vice president of convention services and events at the San Francisco Travel Association. As some tech companies migrate north, moving offices to San Francisco, the city has been attracting an increasing number of tech-focused citywide conferences, she says.
"Corporate business is back and groups are breaking records here right now. Local DMCs are reporting healthy business as well, so it's all trickling down," Horton says.
And the fast-paced growth is not showing signs of stopping, with remodels, openings and construction taking place around every corner.
Moscone Center, San Francisco's marquee convention space, recently completed its major renovation, which included an overhaul of its tech offerings. The center can now accommodate up to 60,000 tablets or mobile devices all online at the same time.
Meanwhile, the Exploratorium science museum is settling into its new waterfront location at Pier 15 on the Embarcadero. With more than 150 exhibits, an entrancing fog bridge and interactive public spaces, the sustainable venue is available for private events, with galleries that can be rented individually or together. The full 100,000-square-foot facility can accommodate 1,100 seated guests or more than 3,000 standing.
Even San Francisco's new Jazz Center paid close attention to its technological offerings during design and construction. The glossy LEED-certified structure in Hayes Valley is the first venue in the country that is dedicated entirely to jazz performance and education. Available for special events, the main auditorium scales from 350 to 700 seats and is equipped with top-of-the-line lighting, sound and video equipment. Two lobby spaces can host receptions, and a second, smaller theater has an open floor plan and can seat 80 people.
PageBreakThe highly anticipated Pier 27 cruise terminal is expected to open this year. The structure was used as the America's Cup Village during last year's sailing races, and after reopening as a cruise terminal, will be able to accommodate vessels as long as 1,200 feet carrying as many as 2,600 passengers. The pier will be rentable as a large event space when cruise ships are not docked.
"Currently, San Francisco has a limited number of venues for groups larger than 1,000 people, so the cruise terminal will be an important addition," Horton says.
The terminal will also create a new public park plaza along the wharf.
Another major development taking shape is the expansion of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA). After closing temporarily in June 2013, SFMOMA continues to make progress on its huge transformation, and in the meantime has been producing off-site programs as part of its SFMOMA on the Go program, such as Crissy Field's Mark di Suvero outdoor sculpture installation. SFMOMA also partnered with The Bently Reserve, a premier group venue, to showcase rotating exhibits of work from its Artists Gallery in Bently's conference rooms. Upon completion, SFMOMA's new facility will add more than 78,000 square feet of galleries and public spaces.
Horton says another trend she has seen is that planners are moving away from offering shuttle service, since San Francisco's downtown core is very walkable, with many hotels like the 1,020-room Parc 55 Wyndham, the W San Francisco, the St. Regis San Francisco, the InterContinental San Francisco and the San Francisco Marriott Marquis all located within a quick stroll of Moscone.
East Bay
Still riding high after positive media coverage from the likes of The New York Times travel section within the last few years, the Oakland CVB launched a new branding initiative this spring and debuted a shiny new visitor center in the waterfront Jack London Square earlier this year. The city is seeing an influx of smaller tech companies seeking lower rents.
One example, according to Lindsay Wright, communications manager at Visit Oakland, is Oakland-based startup Rockbot. The app-based music system lets patrons at a hotel, restaurant, bar or shopping center control the music that is playing, similar to a jukebox.
Oakland's growth and energy make the city a dynamic choice for planners looking to incorporate hip restaurants, venues, entertainment and excursions into itineraries.
The tranquil Tri-Valley cities of Danville, Dublin, Pleasanton, Livermore and San Ramon continue to charm attendees with hiking trails, local wineries and friendly downtowns filled with a wide range of restaurants, local shops and venues.
Marriott properties in both San Ramon and Pleasanton completed multimillion-dollar renovations, with 16,500 and 5,000 square feet of meeting space, respectively. The 292-room Hilton Pleasanton at the Club offers 14,000 square feet of function space. The hotel recently completed an exterior renovation and will be rebranded as a DoubleTree hotel in June.
PageBreakSan Mateo County
San Mateo County is also seeing growth and development both indoors and out, highlighted by the most recent addition to the San Mateo County Parks System. Anne LeClaire, president and CEO of the San Mateo CVB, is excited about the brand-new Devil's Slide Trail on a stretch of Route 1 that runs on a cliff above the Pacific Ocean. The park project began when a tunnel bypass was built a few years ago, allowing cars to avoid the harrowing cliff-side stretch of road in Pacifica. It has since been developed into a 1.3-mile long path with benches, restroom facilities and stunning coastal views.
Meanwhile, properties like Palo Alto's new Epiphany Hotel, part of the Joie de Vivre collection, and the renovated Garden Court Hotel have offerings tailored for tech clients. The stylish 86-room Epiphany Hotel opened in March and features meeting rooms and casual collaborative spaces, and views of Stanford University campus and the Santa Cruz mountains.
Another newcomer is the DoubleTree by Hilton San Francisco Airport North in Brisbane, with 210 guest rooms and 4,200 square feet of meeting space.
Additionally, the Holiday Inn San Francisco International Airport renovated its public spaces and guest rooms, and the Sofitel San Francisco Bay in Redwood City completed a $6 million renovation. The hotel has 421 guest rooms and 17,000 square feet of meeting space.
Along the Pacific Ocean, the 80-room Half Moon Bay Lodge completed a $1.5 million renovation, adding a new covered patio that can host cocktail receptions overlooking the Half Moon Bay Golf Links.
Another top venue in the county is the South San Francisco Conference Center, with 20,500 square feet of meeting space.
Other local venues include Autovino in Menlo Park, featuring classic cars and wine tasting in a 20,000-square-foot facility.
North Bay
Across the Golden Gate Bridge, the charming cities of the North Bay are also updating and adding group offerings, while holding strong to a few delicious regional traditions. According to Horton, classic teambuilding programs focused on food and wine are still overwhelmingly popular in San Francisco, and the same holds true in Marin, but that doesn't mean their technology is lacking.
Blending cutting-edge technology with proximity to the natural beauty of Richardson Bay and the Marin Headlands, Sausalito's Casa Madrona completed a renovation of the property's historic mansion, built in 1889. The mansion's 11 guest rooms were redesigned, and updates were made to the 5,000-square-foot Alexandrite Suite and the 1,700-square-foot Junto meeting space.
Casa Madrona offers 62 guest rooms, a 5,000-square-foot spa and flexible meeting spaces.
Christine Bohlke, sales and marketing director at the Marin CVB, says trends such as sustainability, local catering and conservation are as strong as ever, and with state and national parks comprising more than 80 percent of the land in Marin County, there are plenty of opportunities for planners to get groups outdoors and several local farms that work with groups.
