Convention Center Hotel

The lively city of Miami is about to shake things up. The Miami Downtown Development Authority recently approved the 2025 Downtown Miami Master Plan, designed to transform the area into the "Epicenter of the Americas."

Plans include the development of its convention center, facilitating waterway and road transport, and assimilating its waterfront into burgeoning districts, according to the South Florida Business Journal. Among the other main goals of the district are to leverage the city’s beautiful and iconic tropical waterfront; elevate downtown’s grand boulevards to prominence; and create great streets and community spaces throughout the district.

The Miami Convention Center was last updated in 1989. Though it opened as the nation's fourth-largest center in the 1950s, it is now the 28th largest. According to Miami Today, a recent convention center study has suggested that expanded exhibit space, a ballroom, 25,000 square feet of new meeting space, an alternative outdoor rooftop venue, and another convention center hotel be added to the center.

More news on the Nashville convention hotel project. According to The Tennessean, financing for the $300 million, Marriott property may need public financing, eliciting concerns some local hotel owners.

"That would be a major, major sea change from the market for private lodging properties right now," Mark Bloom, senior vice president for tax-free bonds with UBS Financial Services, Inc., and a minority owner of the Hilton Downtown Nashville, told the paper.

Though private financing is ideal, it may not be possible for such a large project to find private funding in today's marketplace. Nashville would pay off the debt on a publicly-financed hotel using revenue from the hotel itself.

Though some are concerned that a government-owned hotel could drive down room rates with no repercussions, Walt Baker, CEO of the Tennessee Hospitality Association, said Marriott would have control over sales.

"We wouldn't want to get into a pricing war with Metro [Council]," Baker told The Tennessean. "It doesn't matter as long as the management is independent and has control over pricing."

Blues festivals, auto shows, wine tastings, NCA championships, high school graduations...the list goes on and on. Where am I? The Dallas Convention Center of course.

This massive facility has been a staple in the heart of downtown Dallas since its construction in 1957. Over the years, it has been home to professional sports teams, annual cheerleading competitions and auto shows, in addition to hosting Texas-sized events such as the Texas Bridal Show (the end all, be all of Texas Bridal shows!) and the annual Mary Kay convention.

The convention center itself is over two million square feet and boasts more than one million square feet of exhibit space and a 203,000-square-foot, column-free space, making it an attractive spot for concerts, large-scale conferences, and sporting events. The complex also has a 1,740-person theater, more than 100 meeting rooms, two gigantic Dallas ballrooms, and what is rumored to be the world’s largest heliport. Pretty impressive!

With the impending addition of the 1,000-room convention center hotel, run by Irving-based Omni Hotels, the center's "hot" factor is set to skyrocket when hotel doors open in 2012. After all, the Dallas hotel's plans for connecting atriums and walkways will allow for better access to events, dining, and nightlife in the immediate area.

View more information about the Dallas Convention Center on the Cvent Supplier Network

Last month the city of Dallas voted "Yes" on the new 1,016-room Omni Dallas Convention Center hotel. Now, the Dallas City Council has approved an ordinance to authorize the sale of $514 million in Dallas Convention Center Revenue bonds to secure financing for the hotel, set to open in 2012.

Mayor Tom Leppert, a major proponent of the hotel project, said the vote was the right move, as he expects an upturn in the economy, according to The Dallas Morning News.

"This hotel is not going to be in place for several years, and we believe we are going to be able to capture that upturn," he said.

As of now, the Dallas Convention and Visitors Bureau reports that 172,000 tentative room night bookings are scheduled at the hotel in coming years.

The Dallas hotel will feature over 80,000 square feet of meeting space.

Developers for a 1,000-key convention center hotel in downtown Nashville have revealed their plans for the project, which will be adjacent to the planned Music City Center. The rooms would be housed in a 40-story tower that features a curved design, meant to complement the wave-like architecture of the Country Music Hall of Fame and the rounded motif of the Sommet Center. Hotel amenities would include an entry with glass ceilings and 100,000 square feet of meeting space, restaurants, and retail, according to the Nashville Business Journal.

Cvent lists over 305 Hotels and Unique Venues in Nashville on the Cvent Supplier Network

Also, for more information on Nashville please visit the city pages on the Cvent Destination Guide

We recently did a venue spotlight on the Gaylord Opryland Hotel & Convention Center. With over 2,000 guest rooms, 600,000 square feet of meeting space, and a wealth of top-notch amenities, it's a great option for hosting your Nashville events.

Today I came across another way in which Gaylord is making your events unique. In my Meetings & Conventions Hot Idea of the Day newsletter, I read that the resort will hire a local singer/songwriter to write a song about your group, usually drawing the music from a popular and familiar tune. The singer will then perform it for your attendees!

It costs about $600 for the service and requires two days' lead time. Your budget may be tight these days, but thanks to Gaylord's Total Meeting Pricing promotion, you might just be able to fit in this extra. And just think of the impression it will make on your attendees!

Read more about the Gaylord Opryland on the Cvent Supplier Network

Located just 10 minutes from the Nashville International Airport, Gaylord Opryland Hotel & Convention Center boast an an impressive 2,881 guest rooms and 220 suites, all of which are well suited to business travelers thanks to wireless Internet access, dual-line telephones and modern data ports.

Equipped to handle everything from small corporate functions to large black-tie galas, the Gaylord Opryland has 600,000 square feet of meeting space, including a 263,885-square-foot Exhibition Hall, over 100 breakout rooms, and five ballrooms, the largest of which can accommodate over 5,000 guests. A full-service business center, in-house technology professionals, and award-winning culinary team are among the conference services available to make your Nashville event a success.

Beyond the boardroom, planners can take advantage of Gaylord Opryland's on-site restaurants, including Old Hickory Steakhouse and Ristorante Volare, for private functions. Its 27,000-square-foot Relache Spa and 18-hole Gaylord Springs golf course also make for perfect unique venues and group activity options.

Planners can enjoy all Gaylord Opryland has to offer now at a great price. For meetings held in 2009 and 2010, Gaylord Hotels' Total Meeting Pricing program offers the benefits of inclusive pricing, flexible meal options and the best available room rate.

The Total Meeting Pricing program is available at Gaylord Opryland as well as the brand's three other properties, Gaylord Palms, Gaylord Texan, and Gaylord National. For more information, call 877-677-9352 and refer to Total Meeting Pricing.

View more information about Gaylord Opryland on the Cvent Supplier Network

The event sourcing and Request for Proposal (RFP) process is critical to the success of any meeting. After all, finding the right venue starts you on the path to a great event down the line.

Because the site selection process is so critical, it's no surprise that more and more tools and resources are popping up online, promising planners a faster and more effective way to find and book venues. How can you be sure which one is right for you? I've come up with a list of four basic criteria that all effective sourcing tools should have. Today, we'll start with number 1: a range of venue options.

Go-to meeting destinations such as hotels, convention centers, and auditoriums are popular venues for many planners. As such, they comprise the basic foundation of any site selection tool.

However, they are by no means the only options for meeting planners. Those planning smaller events certainly won't require the vast space of a convention center, while those just looking to hold a cocktail reception have no need for the presentation technology offered at an auditorium or arena. And no matter what the meeting type, all planners are recognizing the importance of exploring their venue type options in the interest of lowering costs.

So, while good site selection tools will offer the basic venues, great ones will be more comprehensive. Can you search for banquet halls and corporate office space? What about museums and restaurants? Even movie theaters can be an appropriate, economical venue choice for planners. Make sure your site selection tool encompasses a wide range of options.

Last Saturday's vote on the Dallas Convention Center hotel has finally settled its fate. Or has it?

The Dallas-owned hotel passed narrowly, separated by just over 2,000 votes. Supporters say that the hotel will create more jobs, as about 3,000 people will be needed for construction and 1,000 people will be needed for operations.

Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert, one of the $500 million project's supporters, was excited about the victory.

"I think it looks good," Leppert told WFAA-TV. "I think the Dallas taxpayers are the winner...we're going to have an even more vibrant downtown; we're going to move the city forward."

However, the 1,000-room Dallas hotel still faces one major challenge: finding funding. The project will be funded by the sale of revenue bonds, which have seen high interest rates in light of the recent credit crisis. The city is looking for an interest rate of 5.5 percent or better.

"We won't go forward if it is substantially higher than that," Leppert said. "We simply just won't do it, and then we will sit and wait for the appropriate time to move forward."

The convention center hotel is just one piece of Dallas' revitalized downtown area. Adjacent retail, food and entertainment complexes are expected to follow.

Only days away from the vote deciding the fate of the proposed 1,000-room Dallas Convention Center Hotel, more than 300 city leaders and business owners staged a political rally in support of the controversial addition to Dallas' hotel offerings. Supporters feel the addition of the property will boost business and bring much needed tax dollars to the city.

Dallas hoteliers are perhaps the biggest supporters of the proposed Dallas Convention Hotel and are looking forward to the growth in the number of meetings that will be hosted in Dallas as a result of the new property.  The owner of the Loft Hotel on Young Street can't wait for the new hotel to open: "We are all for it," he stated in an article published by the Dallas Morning News.  Andrian Norbury of the Rosewood Crescent Hotel echoed his sentiments saying, "We need this hotel really badly."

Anti-Convention Hotel Groups insist Dallas should be extremely concerned about how the new convention hotel will burden the taxpayers.  They feel strongly that city leaders should spend their time focusing on how to finance the $500 million development instead of staging rallies. 

The outcome of the controversy remains in the hands of the voters.  The official vote will take place on May 9th.  For more information on the current debate, visit the Dallas City Hall Blog.

The debate surrounding a convention center hotel in Dallas has stepped up a notch this week. Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert's office started to circulate a letter noting the consequences to the city if the $550 million Omni hotel, to be located adjacent to the Dallas Convention Center, is not built.

Dallas voters will determine the hotel's fate on May 9 by casting a "Yes" or "No" to Proposition 1, which asks them to prohibit the city from building the publicly-funded hotel. The proposition was put on the ballot thanks to a petition of 60,000 signatures collected by the group Citizens Against Taxpayer-Owned Hotel, a coalition of local citizens. According to the group's blog, its members foresee "immediate cuts in our public service; ongoing deficits that jeopardize the remaining services; and higher taxes on our families" if the hotel is built.

Urging voters to vote "No" on May 9, Leppert would disagree. He writes in his letter, "Dallas's potential as a convention destination city and a magnet for business development has never been more in jeopardy."

If the proposition passes, Leppert writes it "could prove devastating...to our long-term economy...to our hopes of transforming Downtown Dallas...to our hopes of becoming the world-class city we are on the verge of becoming. What will also pass us by are the thousands of jobs—and the millions of dollars of tax revenues—that such conventions and developments create."

The argument that hotel and entertainment developments will create jobs, stimulate the economy and promote tourism seems similar to the situation in Las Vegas regarding MGM's CityCenter. What do you think: would you vote Yes or No on Proposition 1?

MeetingNews recently released its 2008 Planners' Choice Award winners. Hundreds of meeting and event planners gave their thoughts on the top resorts, conference centers, convention centers, hotels and more in the industry.

Scottsdale, Arizona, was one of leaders for resort destinations, being home to several winners including Camelback Inn, A JW Marriott Resort & Spa, The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa, Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort at Gainey Ranch and The Fairmont Scottsdale Princess.

Planners should head West when looking for the top gaming facilities, as the majority of the winners were located in this region. Las Vegas' Bellagio, Caesars Palace, Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino and MGM Grand were included on the list.

Though big cities can claim many of the convention centers chosen as top (including New York City's Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center and the Dallas Convention Center), many smaller locales are also welcoming planners with top-notch, large-scale facilities. The Myrtle Beach Convention Center, Wildwood Convention Center in New Jersey and Branson Convention Center in Missouri were among the honorees.

From the Hilton Atlanta in the Southeast to the Palace Hotel in San Francisco in the West, planners can find an award-winning hotel in regions across the nation. A few international hotels also made the list: Crowne Plaza Mexico in Napoles, Mexico City; Hilton Athens; and Hilton Guadalajara.

For the complete list of winners, visit the MeetingNews Design Awards 2008 website.

Dulles International Airport was not the only travel hub gearing up for holiday traffic last week. Chicago's O'Hare International Airport and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport both opened new runways as well.

Built at a cost of about $450 million, the runway at O'Hare is the first one for the airport in almost 40 years. Sea-Tac's 8,500-foot-long runway was built at a cost of just over $1 billion.

Both runways, just like that of Dulles, are expected to reduce delays and increased capacity for travelers. The runway at Seattle is set to make more flights possible even in poor visibility conditions, which occur about 44 percent of the year. Its first two runways were too close in distance to accommodate multiple traffic streams.

Meeting planners welcoming out-of-town guests at one of these airports can offer plenty of transportation options to city convention centers, hotels and other venues. O'Hare Airport Shuttles run by Go Airport Express travel to downtown locations every 10 to 15 minutes for about $27 for a one-way trip. Taxi fare is about $35 to $40.

Taxis to downtown Seattle from Sea-Tac cost about $33. Shuttles and public transportation can also connect your guests to their destination; the Gray Line Downtown Airporter travels to major downtown hotels for a one-way cost of $10 to $25.

In a previous post on event accessibility, we stressed the importance of making sure your event is friendly to attendees with disabilities and/or limited mobility. The Open Doors Organization (ODO), which aims to help businesses find success in the disability market, has made it easier for you to start your search for accommodating venues.

In its 2006 travel survey, ODO identified the most disabled-friendly U.S. cities, with New York City, Washington, DC, and Chicago topping the list. The study surveyed over 1,000 adults with disabilities, asking them to name which cities they visited and detail their patterns of hotel, restaurant and transportation use. Orlando, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Atlanta, Dallas and San Diego also made the list.

Planners can use these results as a starting point as they begin to book accessible venues. Explore the hotels, convention centers and unique venues in these cities on the Cvent Supplier Network.