It’s not enough being home to one of the world’s great racetracks, a legendary stretch of sand and a space center launching rockets into the heavens. Central East Florida also keeps burnishing its reputation as one of the state’s most unique meeting locations, with convention venues on and near the beach, off-site venues that are off the charts in creativity, and attractions that span science and nature and all but guarantee pre and post bookings from attendees.
“Planners choose us because they want to make sure they get good attendance, and attendees do come early or stay later,” notes Lori Campbell Baker, spokesperson for the Daytona Beach Area CVB. “Being an iconic beach destination with a convention center and convention hotels right on the beach makes us pretty unique.”
Daytona Beach
Part of what makes Daytona Beach so iconic is the beach itself, with hard-packed sands that are quite unlike anything else in the state and where early automobile enthusiasts were inspired to race their new-fangled horseless carriages beside the ocean.
That racing tradition continues to this day at Daytona International Speedway, fabled home of Speedweeks, the February racing extravaganza that concludes with the Daytona 500, though as Campbell Baker says, “they’ll race anything that goes fast… sport bikes, go-karts, ATVs, you name it.”
In addition to premier racing events, the Speedway has boosted its profile as a private event venue, boasting an amazing range of facilities, including press boxes, luxury suites and club rooms that are both high above the action or right at the finish line. Those options are about to expand with the January 2016 debut of Daytona Rising, a $400 million redevelopment project that will add 101,500 new seats, more than 60 new trackside suites with patios and 11 social areas called “neighborhoods,” each the size of a football field with open sightlines and dozens of video screens to capture the on-track action.
With space for more events—not just group gathering but concerts and other happenings—Campbell Baker says Daytona is moving beyond its identity as the “world center of racing” toward “the world center of entertainment.”
Aiding that transition will be the One Daytona retail, dining and entertainment center, slated to open across from the Speedway in 2017.
“Cobb Theatres and Bass Pro Shops will be anchors and a Marriott Autograph will be one of the hotels,” Campbell Baker says. “It’s going to be one of those places where, once you arrive, you never have to leave. When you come to Daytona now, your options will be so much bigger,” she adds, pointing to such sites as the new Cici and Hyatt Brown Museum of Art, offering a range of event spaces, including conference rooms and an auditorium; and the Daytona Beach Kennel Club and Poker Room, hosting group poker parties complete with lessons from an expert dealer.
“Breakouts are really fun to plan in Daytona Beach, especially when you want that teambuilding element because we have so many race-themed attractions and activities,” Campbell Baker says.
Not to be outdone, Daytona Beach’s hotel scene is making waves of its own, with recently opened properties including the Residence Inn by Marriott Daytona Beach Oceanfront; the Hilton Garden Inn; the Hyatt Place Daytona Beach-Oceanfront; and on the horizon, a revamped Westin and a new Hard Rock Hotel. Meanwhile, the city’s premier venue, the Ocean Center—steps away from the Atlantic and offering 200,000 square feet of event space—maintains a brisk schedule of conventions, trade shows and sporting events.
“The variety of our meeting space and hotels is pretty amazing,” Campbell Baker says.
Space Coast
Groups may be equally amazed by what they find south of Daytona on the Space Coast, which goes above and beyond familiar Florida destinations—literally—at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex which, in addition to being a working NASA facility, is an attraction in its own right with a full complement of out-of-this-world experiences, from astronaut training to hands-on simulators.
With new programs being launched on a regular basis—including the new Fly with an Astronaut—not to mention the awe-inspiring settings for private events, the Kennedy Space Center continues to be a big draw for groups, notes Bonnie King, deputy director of the Space Coast Office of Tourism. “The entire park is a must-see, and we are finding our groups are showcasing it to their participants as something to do in their free time.”
But the most surprising thing about the center might just be its location, surrounded entirely by the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. So when your group isn’t blasting into virtual outer space, you can watch nesting sea turtles lumber ashore in an annual ritual millions of years old.
It’s just one of countless outdoor options on the Space Coast—including the cities of Cocoa Beach, Melbourne Beach, Palm Bay and Titusville—where groups board the Indian River Queen for dinner and entertainment cruises, set up golf tournaments through the local golf association, take zipline rides at the Brevard Zoo and browse the eclectic town centers of Cocoa Village, the Eau Gallie Arts District and Historic Downtown Melbourne, taking in the local art and theater scene and relaxing at charming cafes.
When it comes to meetings, the Space Coast, like Daytona, is experiencing a boomlet of hotel development, with a Homewood Suites on the way and a flurry of renovations, while also seeing group numbers take off
“Meeting hotels are ahead of pace with groups … some properties are having record years,” King notes.
One niche the office of tourism hopes to grow is the cruise market, even among attendees, who would sail out of Port Canaveral toward the Bahamas and Caribbean or on five-hour casino junkets.
“Planners can always add a cruise to the itinerary, either pre- or post-meeting,” King says. “Our theme for that market is ‘Don’t Miss the Boat’ as we alert them to special cruise packages. We are the world’s third largest cruise port,” she adds. “Having guests spend at least one night on the Space Coast before boarding their ship has seen great rewards for us.”
