There is a reason the Peoria Area is considered one of the premier meeting destinations in the Midwest. Located within the heart of Illinois, the Peoria Area has big city amenities with small town hospitality. It is only a short drive from Chicago, St. Louis and Indianapolis, and it is an amazing alternative for those not wanting to mess with the congestion or expense of larger cities.
Located in the city’s downtown, the Peoria Civic Center is the largest event facility in downstate Illinois boasting 110,000 square feet of exhibit space and 45,000 square feet of additional meeting room space. The exhibit hall can be converted from one large venue to four separate rooms, suitable for any size event. This adaptable, multi-use space is considered one of the top meeting options in the Midwest. The exhibit hall is routinely used for a number of consumer shows, conventions, concerts and sporting events. In addition, the Peoria Civic Center houses a 11,330-seat arena that may be used for larger exhibits and displays, while a 2,196-seat theater is a unique venue for formal presentations.
The Peoria Civic Center also has an exceptional 27,000-square-foot ballroom that can be broken into smaller meeting and break out areas. Ideal for lunch or dinner banquets, the ballroom seats 1,500 guests with exquisite in-house catering by Savor...Peoria. State of the art facilities, in-house audiovisual services, convenient location, ample parking and a friendly staff help make the Peoria Civic Center a premier Illinois facility.
Just across the street from the Peoria Civic Center is the Peoria Marriott Pere Marquette. The hip and historic Pere Marquette boasts of 286 elegant rooms, including 35 luxury suites, all with custom bedding, spacious workspaces and complimentary high-speed internet access. The Pere Marquette offers over 18,900 square feet of on-site meeting space, in eight different rooms. Enjoy farm-to-table dining at Table 19, located inside the hotel. Do not worry about walking to and from the Peoria Civic Center, the two are connected by an indoor skywalk. This makes for easy access at all times of the year.
Opening in the summer of 2017, the newly redesigned Four Points by Sheraton will add over 300 new rooms to Downtown Peoria. 21,000 square feet of banquet space is split up into 12 rooms, with the largest room having over 12,000 square feet of space. The Four Points by Sheraton will also have a restaurant attached. When open, the renovated hotel will be one of Downtown Peoria’s biggest gems.
An award-winning, John Q. Hammons hotel, the Embassy Suites Hotel & Conference Center on the East Peoria riverfront offers two-room guest suites. Included is a daily complimentary cooked-to-order breakfast buffet and evening reception that includes beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) and light snacks. The atrium style 8-story hotel features 226 suites, an indoor pool, business and fitness center, Caffeina’s Internet Café, Riverside Café, lounge, free parking and outdoor dining on the patio overlooking the picturesque Illinois River. Enjoy 50,000 sq. ft. of conference space at the connected Riverfront Conference Center.
Relax in the elegant Par-A-Dice Hotel Casino. The 202 comfortable, well-appointed rooms and suites at Par-A-Dice include luxurious linens, workstations, wireless high-speed internet and a variety of other amenities. Voted one of the Midwest’s finest hotels, all rooms include upscale amenities. The property offers over 20,000 sq. ft. of plush banquet and meeting space and the facilities are designed to accommodate functions for up to 1,000 people. The hotel is steps away from hot casino action and free shuttle service is available rain or shine. It also features a number of dining options, including Boyd’s Steakhouse, Options Buffet, Rocks Bar and Restaurant and Nelson’s Deli. Hotel staff will provide all the amenities to make your meeting successful.
The Hotels at Grand Prairie offer a number of amazing options next to one of Peoria’s newest shopping districts. The Holiday Inn and Suites is the hallmark hotel. This contemporary hotel offers everything you need when you’re away from home. With 113 rooms and 6,000 square feet of meeting space, the Holiday Inn and Suites is perfect for your meeting. Stop by Suite Fire Bar and Grill, located inside the Holiday Inn, for a nice meal or quick drink. If you are looking for a more intimate meeting venue, check out the Hampton Inn and Suites, with 78 rooms and enough meeting space for 50 people. The Wingate by Windham, Country Inn and Suites and Candlewood Suites add another 200 rooms. The hotels are within a stones throw of each other, making it a perfect complex for any meeting.
There are an endless number of dining options in the Peoria Area that cater to any taste buds. If you are looking for something out of the ordinary, check out Thyme Kitchen and Craft Beer or its sister restaurants, Cayenne and Sugar Wood-Fire Bistro. Located in Downtown Peoria, Obed and Isaac’s turns a historic church into one of the area’s most popular microbreweries and gastrobpubs. An intimiate and wonderful dining experience can be found at either Johnny’s Italian Steakhouse or Jonah’s along the river in East Peoria. With wonderful steak and seafood they are a must try!
Need something to do during downtime? Stay busy with a number of amazing attractions. Located in Downtown Peoria, The Peoria Riverfront Museum is a one-of-a-kind collaboration where visitors can explore and learn about the world -- from our own backyards to far-off galaxies. Or, take a moment to learn about the history of the world’s biggest manufacturer of earth-movers at the Caterpillar Visitors Museum. Get hands on and experience all things Black and Yellow, with everything from interactive displays to a theater built inside one of Caterpillar’s biggest machines!
The Peoria Area Convention and Visitors Bureau works tirelessly to make sure people realize that Peoria is a perfect place to stay and play and the perfect location for any meeting. Its sales and marketing team can assist you find the perfect facility for potential meeting, score the best hotel deals, create competitive pricing proposals, provide amazing publicity and make meetings run as smoothly as possible. The services team works with event organizers from the minute they start event planning to the day they leave the Peoria Area. The Peoria Area Convention and Visitors Bureau wants people to come to Peoria, enjoy their visit, and come back again.
To learn more visit our website at www.enjoypeoria.com/planners.