3 Patriotic Venues for a Star-Spangled Event

Thursday, July 2, 2009 by Sarah Larkins
The United States is celebrating its 233rd birthday this weekend (only a few days left to get a gift!), so it seems fitting to have a look at some of the best patriotic event venues in the country where you can celebrate this, or really any, important event.

Boston's Old South Meeting HouseOld South Meeting House

Located in the heart of downtown Boston, the Old South Meeting House has big reputation with meetings. In 1773, 5,000 colonists gathered here to protest the tax on tea, a protest that ultimately led to the famous Boston Tea Party.

For "revolutionary" Boston events, the Old South Meeting House can accommodate up to 650 people. Equipment such as theater lighting, a modular staging system, a piano, screens and projectors can be arranged.

Liberty Bell Center

On display at the Liberty Bell Center in Philadelphia, this 2,000-pound former Pennsylvania State House bell called citizens to the first reading of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. After the first bell cracked, the second one cracked as well—twice—and as such it has not be rung since the mid-1800s. However, the Liberty Bell's message of freedom has persevered, serving as an icon of the abolitionist movement, the fight for women's suffrage, the Civil Rights Movement and more.

The Independence National Historic Park issues permits for special park use to groups that will not cause derogation of the park's resources or values, visitor experiences, or the purpose for which the park was established. Planners can submit a permit application for special events and meetings.

Fort McHenry

Does the quote "O say can you see, by the dawns early light..." sound familiar? Likely you know it's our National Anthem, The Star-Spangled Banner. What you might not know, however, is that Fort McHenry in Baltimore was the birthplace of the patriotic tune. It was here in 1814 that 1,000 Americans resisted a 25-hour attack from British troops, inspiring Francis Scott Key to write the anthem lyrics.

Meeting planners can obtain Special Use Permits to gain access to the park for runs, weddings, ceremonies, banquets, etc.

Watergate Hotel May Face Foreclosure

Thursday, July 2, 2009 by Sarah Larkins
In more sad foreclosure news, The Washington Post is reporting that the infamous Watergate Hotel is facing foreclosure unless the lender agrees to new terms with developer Monument Realty. The owners defaulted on a $70 million loan that was due this week.

The 251-room Watergate has actually been closed for five years following its purchase by Monument. However,  redevelopment has stalled due to the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers (a partner and equity investor in the hotel) and the declining real estate market.

"Monument is still committed to the Watergate," Michael J. Darby, a company principal and co-founder, said, according to WP. "We still believe it's a phenomenal asset and will have the potential to be a great hotel in the future."

The Post also reports that lender PB Capital is working with Monument to restructure the loan.

"At the end of the day, it's a landmark," said Kurt Sachs, senior managing director at PB Capital. "The fact is, we have not foreclosed. There are investors with an interest in buying this. The question is, what kind of price are they offering us?"

Orlando Venue Spotlight: Host Events in a 2,300-Acre Florida Paradise at Reunion Resort

Thursday, July 2, 2009 by Katie Hollar
Bask in the warm Florida sun at your next meeting! The premier Reunion Resort in Orlando, Florida, offers 25,000 square feet of state-of-the-art conference facilities spread among over a dozen meeting rooms, making it a prime destination for hosting your next corporate event. Your guests will feel right at home with its 1-, 2-, and 3-bedroom villas or 3- to 8-bedroom private homes, each with its own private kitchen, dining and living room. Reunion boasts 500 sleeping rooms total, each of which feature complimentary high-speed Internet access, in-room safes, newspaper delivery, and flat-screen TVs and DVDs (not to mention incredible views of the Florida surroundings).

When not relaxing in luxury, guests can take part in a number of activities at Reunion. They can enjoy an expansive on-site water park, play tennis at the award-winning tennis center, or take a complimentary yoga class in between treatments at the spa. Leaving resort grounds, guests find the world-renowned Walt Disney World park just six miles away.

If your guests are looking to hit the golf course, Reunion Resort includes three Signature golf courses designed by legends Palmer, Watson and Nicklaus.  Or, join in on the fun yourself with Reunion’s special promotion for planners: through 2010, when you book 100 room nights or more for your group event, you receive one custom set of Callaway Clubs!

Learn more about this special offer and the Reunion Resort on the Cvent Supplier Network.

Marriott, Starwood Add Value to Meetings with New Telepresence Technology

Thursday, July 2, 2009 by Sarah Larkins
Remote ConferencingMarriott and Starwood are going high tech with their meetings. Both brands announced separate plans this week to introduce Cisco's TelePresence remote conferencing technology to several properties this year.

Using high-definition video and real-time audio, telepresence is growing in popularity for its ability to help small groups meet and collaborate no matter where attendees are located across the world. Companies without Telepresence capability, or remote regional employees, can connect "in-person" with people in various locations by renting the rooms.

"As the 24/7 world economy becomes more interconnected, the need to hold small global meetings that cross continents and oceans will only grow," said Arne Sorenson, president and COO, Marriott International, in a statement. "We believe telepresence will create more business meetings because people can travel shorter distances and easily connect with colleagues and clients around the world.

Marriott, who is partnering with At&T's fully-managed AT&T's Telepresence Solution, plans to offer telepresence meeting suites at its Marriott Hotels & Resorts, JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts, and Renaissance Hotels & Resorts brands in 25 cities, including New York, San Francisco, Hong Kong and London. Starwood, partnering with Tata Communications, will have telepresence in 10 of its new facilities, including Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers, Sheraton on the Park in Sydney, and Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel.

"The partnership with Tata Communications is yet another opportunity for us to bring innovative, cutting edge technology to our properties, and add true value for our business and conference facilities' guests," said Christie Hicks, senior vice president of global sales for Starwood, in a statement. "With global companies under increasing pressure to foster productivity at the least cost, the need for public telepresence rooms is greater than ever. Telepresence that is available on a per use basis enables affordable, high quality communication for the small and medium business or remote regional office worker."

Detroit, San Francisco Are the Next Cities to Discuss Convention Center Expansions

Thursday, July 2, 2009 by Sarah Larkins
The down economy certainly isn't stopping cities from investing in convention and meeting business. Just ask Nashville, which recently approved the purchase of 16 acres of land for the new Music City Center.

Detroit is also following suit. The Michigan state legislature recently passed a bill that authorized the expansion of the Cobo Center, to be paid for by regional liquor and hotel tax revenues, according to Spinal Column Newsweekly.

However, Detroit officials do have 30 days to act on the proposal or the funds will go to renovating a convention center in the suburbs.

At the same time, the city of San Francisco said it's considering a major expansion of the Moscone Center. Dubbed Moscone East, the plan would include the addition of 180,000 square feet of meeting space and 100,000 square feet of exhibit space. This would increase the center's current size by 25 percent.

With the state of the economy as it is, do you think it's a good idea to keep investing in convention centers?

Asia's Exhibition Industry Saw Growth in 2008

Thursday, July 2, 2009 by Sarah Larkins
The exhibition industry is alive and well in Asia. According to a new report by UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, Asia's exhibition industry grew by 8.7 percent in 2008 as compared to 2007.

China led the way with 14 percent growth. More than half of the exhibition space sold in Asia last year was in fact purchased in China. Smaller destinations also showed impressive growth, such as Macau with a 69 percent increase in square feet sold, Taiwan with a 26 percent increase, and Vietnam with a 24 percent increase.

Revenue from tradeshows jumped up six percent from 2007, reaching $3.45 billion.

As I've blogged before, it's been a completely different story in the United States, where the exhibition industry saw market declines in 2008. Plus, tradeshow industry performance already saw a nearly 12 percent dropped in Q1 2009.

Although I haven't seen any similar early 2009 data for Asian markets, I have blogged about how experts believe that emerging markets, such as China, will likely be the first to see growth after the down economy. So it's very possible that Asia will continue to hold strong. Either way, it should be interesting to see what the future holds.

Atlanta Venue Spotlight: Atlanta Airport Marriott Gateway Scheduled to Open September 2010

Thursday, July 2, 2009 by Katie Hollar
Soon to be connected to the Hartsfield Jackson International Airport by transit rail, the brand new Atlanta Airport Marriott Gateway hotel will offer Atlanta travelers convenient accommodations just minutes away from the world’s busiest airport and adjacent to the Georgia International Convention Center (GICC).  For your meeting and event planning needs, this property will offer over 20,000 square feet of function space, including a 12,000 square-foot ballroom.

Each of the 403 guest rooms are luxuriously decorated and equipped with a large work desk and high-speed Internet access for business travelers.  Additionally,  the hotel will have 18 spacious suites for meeting or entertaining up to 30 people.

View information about the Atlanta Airport Marriott Gateway on the Cvent Supplier Network.

New Orleans Tops List of Most Popular July 4 Destinations

Wednesday, July 1, 2009 by Sarah Larkins
July 4 FireworksAnother holiday weekend is upon us, which means it's time to find out where everyone will be going. Priceline.com has released a list of the 50 most popular destinations for the 2009 Independence Day weekend, based on a survey of over 30,000 hotel booking requests made by customers.

Here are the top 10:

1. New Orleans, Downtown/Convention Center

2. Las Vegas, Strip Vicinity South

3. Chicago, Millennium Park/Loop/Grant Park Area

4. New York City, Times Square/Theater District

5. Seattle, Downtown/Pike Place

6. San Diego, Coastal Area

7. Chicago, North Michigan Avenue/River North Area

8. New Orleans, French Quarter

9. Washington, DC, White House/Downtown

10. Boston, Copley Square/Theater District

Priceline.com's "Travel Ekspert" Brian Ek had this to say about the results: "The big surprise this year is the emergence of New Orleans' downtown/convention center area as the #1 July 4 destination. This is the first time New Orleans is in the top spot for the holiday and could signal the completion of the city's comeback as a tourist mecca following Hurricane Katrina."

He also noted that many of the top locations are reachable by car for large segments of the population, likely due to the current state of the economy.

Did you find any of these destinations surprising? I'm a little surprised not just that New Orleans is number one, but that it actually has two spots on the top 10. I thought Philadelphia was a pretty popular July 4 destination (at least over here on the East Coast it is), so I figured that would be on the list.

Did your July 4 destination of choice make the list?

Read the full list at Priceline's Travel Blog.

Lancaster Venue Spotlight: Lancaster County Convention Center-Marriott Complex Opens

Wednesday, July 1, 2009 by Cvent Staff
Lancaster County Convention CenterThe Lancaster County Convention Center and Lancaster Marriott at Penn Square are now welcoming events, conferences, tradeshows and more in the heart of Pennsylvania's countryside. Opened last week, the $177 million project features a Beaux Arts facade of the former Watt & Shand Department Store.

Combined, the hotel and convention center offer 90,000 square feet of meeting space, including a 45,000-square-foot exhibition hall. The center also has two grand ballrooms and several meeting and board rooms.

An additional 15,000 square feet of meeting space can be found at the Marriott, as well as 299 guest rooms.

View more information about the Lancaster County Convention Center on the Cvent Supplier Network

W Hotel Properties Are Set to Double Over Next Three Years

Tuesday, June 30, 2009 by Sarah Larkins
W Hotels, which recently celebrated the opening of its 30th property worldwide, the W Fort Lauderdale, plans to double its footprint by 2011. The brand will expand both domestically and internationally, to locations such as Paris, Barcelona, Washington, DC and London.

"Obviously the financing market is a challenge now," Carlos Becil, vice president of W brand management, told HOTELS magazine. "But we're working with strong developers. We are going into the right destinations with great partners."

According to the magazine, the 312-room W South Beach is set to be the first to open in mid-August, followed by the 317-room Washington, DC property just steps away from the White House.

October will see the opening of the W Barcelona at the Port of Barcelona, which will serve as W's flagship in Western Europe. Scheduled for a 2011 opening, the W Paris Opera hotel is among the properties on the roster.

3 Tips for Fostering Conversation Among Event Attendees

Tuesday, June 30, 2009 by Sarah Larkins
Good conversation is an important factor in a positive attendee experience. However, it's also one that many planners assume is out of their control. After all, you can't force that shy attendee to step out of his or her shell, and you can't make the IT guy and the human resources director find some common ground, right?

Wrong. While it's true that most planners don't have the ability to forge fast friendships among others (if you do, what a gift!), there are a few tricks you can implement at your catered functions that should encourage friendly conversations and discussion. Try one, or all, of them at your next dinner or reception, and watch as your attendees no longer pass through your events with their lips sealed and their eyes on the clock.

Cocktail TrayOffer welcoming cocktails. Let's face it, nothing loosens up your guests' inhibitions, and mouths, like a few drinks. About half an hour to an hour before you reception, consider having waiters pass out welcome drinks to early arrivers. Or, if you have an open bar, make sure it's set up and ready to go before guests need to be in their seats for dinner.

Set places with questions, not names. Here's a unique idea from Meetings & Conventions' Hot Idea of the Day: instead of labeling placecards with attendees' names, print a question on them. Companies such as Posh Placecards will print conversation-starting questions such as "What was the most memorable event you ever went to?" on your placecards, giving guests some neutral topics to start a discussion.

Use a unique centerpiece or decor. I blogged about some unique event centerpiece ideas a little while ago, such as a cupcake tower or stand of colorful hors d'oeuvres, that are bound to get attendees talking to fellow tablemates. Or, consider incorporating convo-starting topics in the event decor. Photos from last year's event, images submitted by company employees, or even a timeline of corporate logos could all be displayed in photos and/or video presentations.

Hotels May Need Four Years to Restore Average Room Rates

Tuesday, June 30, 2009 by Sarah Larkins
Marriott and Starwood are among the various U.S. hotel operators that may need up to four years to restore room rates to 2008 levels, Bloomberg reported. The average U.S. daily hotel rate dropped 9.8 percent in May from a year prior to $97.03, according to Smith Travel Research.

"We don’t see national average room rates getting back to 2008 levels until sometime in 2012 or even 2013," Mark Woodworth, president of PKF Hospitality Research, said in an interview. "There were rate declines in 2001 and 2002, but until this year that was the only other time that happened in this industry in some 20 plus years."

Additionally, hotels are seeing lower than average occupancy rates. Occupancies could drop to 55.5 percent compared with a record high of 64.8 percent in 1995.

Rosen Hotels & Resorts Invites Planners to Propose Their Own Rates

Monday, June 29, 2009 by Cvent Staff
Rosen Shingle CreekRosen Hotels & Resorts is celebrating its 35th anniversary with a nod to its roots. Florida's largest independent hotelier is bringing back the cocktail napkin contract of the old days, offering planners a virtual napkin contract form on which they can propose their own nightly rate.

"After 35 years in business, I still believe in the integrity of a handshake and the honor of a person's word," said Harris Rosen, President & COO of Rosen Hotels & Resorts, in a statement. "While our tremendous growth over the years has made it necessary to formalize our business practices in some ways, in spirit, we've never strayed from our old-fashioned values. That's why I'm excited to bring back the concept of 'cocktail napkin contracts' to celebrate our roots and demonstrate our continued sense of trust and goodwill to our meetings clients."

The simple virtual form requests a name, phone number, date of travel, group size and proposed rate. Rosen Hotels will make every effort to honor reasonable rate proposals, which are subject to availability and certain blackout dates. The offer is not valid for previously booked groups or in conjunction with other discounts.

Rosen Hotels & Resorts encompasses seven meeting, convention and vacation hotels near major Orlando attractions. Its three award-winning convention properties, Rosen Plaza, Rosen Centre and Rosen Shingle Creek, offer the most rooms and meeting space and the closest proximity to the Orange County Convention Center as compared to any Orlando convention hotels.

Learn more about Rosen Hotels' 35th anniversary promotion.

Cvent Announces Partnership with Starwood Hotels!

Monday, June 29, 2009 by Cvent Staff
Cvent has announced a strategic partnership with Starwood Hotels! With its preferred placement on the Cvent Supplier Network, Starwood will increase exposure to the thousands of qualified meeting planners using the Supplier Network's electronic RFP tool and will generate quality lead flow for its Sheraton and Westin brands.

"The group business lead quality from the Cvent Supplier Network speaks for itself," said Brian Povinelli, vice president, brand management, for Sheraton and Westin. "Over the past 120 days, Cvent Supplier Network meeting planners have booked over 10,000 sleeping rooms at Starwood properties. That was a key driver in our decision to enhance our partnership with the Cvent Supplier Network."

Unlike other group business channels, the Cvent Supplier Network electronic RFPs are well qualified and targeted. On average, a Cvent RFP is sent to only nine properties, giving Starwood properties a chance to earn consistent and unique group business with Cvent’s audience of meeting planners.
 
"Hotels are more selective about how they deploy marketing dollars in today’s economy. An online channel like the Cvent Supplier Network offers hotels cost-effective marketing options and a true return on investment. The average contract value for Cvent Supplier Network electronic RFPs is $68,000, and hotels can establish direct contact with qualified meeting planners who are using the Cvent Supplier Network when they are ready to buy," said Bharet Malhotra, Cvent vice president of sales. "We are pleased to partner with Starwood and to provide our meeting planners with direct access to Starwood properties during the sourcing process."

Starwood is also using the Supplier Network to promote its "Value Added Meeting Promotion," one of the best deals in the industry. This Cvent Supplier Network promotion includes a 4% discount off the master bill and complimentary food and beverage breaks. The meeting planner will also be entered in a drawing for a chance to win a charitable concert for their community starring Grammy-nominated singer Natasha Bedingfield. All Cvent Supplier Network planners who book meetings before March 31, 2010, will be eligible for this promotion.

Learn more about the Cvent-Starwood partnership.

Starwood Plans for 11 Hotels in Hawaii

Saturday, June 27, 2009 by Eric Eden

Hawaii has been having a tought time with the recession drawing visitors.  But many hotel chains are investing heavily in the tropical paradise.  Starwood is planning to have 11 hotels in hawaii, spread out over four islands.

Starwood seems to be taking over the tropical paradise with four properties on Oahu, three on Maui, and four on Kauai. With that many choices, Starwood thinks there will be something for everyone.

Among the chain’s many properties is the flagship Royal Hawaiian, with its signature pink façade. The hotel was built in 1927 by a cruise ship company, and has been welcoming visitors to the sands of Waikiki Beach ever since. However, you can get an even better view of famous Diamond Head just down the road at the 30th-story restaurant, Twist at Hanohano, at Starwood’s Sheraton Waikiki.

Perhaps the most exciting news is the scheduled October opening of the St. Regis in Princeville on the cliffs of Kauai. The resort will be the first St. Regis in the Hawaii, and is practically carved into the Princeville bluffs above the ocean, with panoramic views of the surrounding mountains.


Event Management Best Practices - Reducing Attrition Costs

Saturday, June 27, 2009 by Eric Eden
Here are a couple of simple ideas for planners to put in place to reduce cost liability related to room block costs from lack of attendance and registration.


1. Get a Mitigation Clause in the Contract—
Make certain you get credit for any “re-sold rooms” at the hotel.  Every good hotel contract should contain a provision crediting your organization for room nights resold by the hotel.  

2. Get Credit For No Shows — if the  hotel is collecting lost deposits for no showsspeak to the hotel and make sure those funds are credited against the attrition obligation.

3.  Limit Off Site Catering — Move off property Food & Beverage events back into hotel.  This provides an alternative unexpected revenue stream to help offset the room shortfall.

4. 
Bring Attendees Back to Contracted Hotel — move attendees that have booked outside the block into the contracted hotel(s) and pay the rate difference.  This will be less expensive than paying full attrition on unused rooms and is a winning proposition for everyone.

5.  Convert Attrition Expense To Gift Certificates — Attrition is converted to gift certificates and then sold to the attendees to giveaway as incentives, etc. Every time a gift certificate is used – a proportionate reduction is made to the attrition obligation.

6.  Book Future Events at the Attrition Hotel — If your organization is able to place other future business into the affected hotel, then you should be able to negotiate a reduction of the attrition obligation based upon that event’s projected value.  This arrangement is most effective if you are able to provide new business during the same calendar year.

Dallas Cowboys name Gaylord Texan Hotel as official home-game hotel

Saturday, June 27, 2009 by Eric Eden

The Dallas Cowboys football team has partnered with the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center in Grapevine, Texas, to make the resort the team's official hotel. Under the two-year contract, the Gaylord will host players, coaches, staff, cheerleaders and fans the night before each home game.

This is an excellent marketing move by the Gaylord Texan to get people into their hotel.

The Gaylord recently hosted The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Swimsuit Calendar Release Party in its Glass Cactus nightclub and The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders team try-outs in its 50,000-square-foot Texas Ballroom. The team and resort will host additional events and promotions together throughout the coming year.

PCMA and ACTE Announce Strategic Alliance

Friday, June 26, 2009 by Cvent Staff
The Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) and the Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE) have announced plans to develop a "strategic alliance." Both associations will remain independent entities, but will coordinate on joint member benefits, education and research in order to benefit their respective members and expand their brands.

"This Strategic Alliance offers our organizations the opportunity to increase the size of the pie because of the synergies that exist between us," said Deborah Sexton, PCMA president and CEO, said in a statement. "The more we investigated this opportunity, the more we uncovered benefits for both memberships and our industry at large. The time has never been more opportune for the innovation that I think our industry needs."

This announcement follows the failed merger between ACTE and the National Business Travel Association (NBTA). The merger did not gain the approval of the required two-thirds of ACTE's board of directors.

The PCMA-ACTE alliance is not a merger, however. Rather it will "expand the education exchange that has been underway for nearly a year and offer the opportunity to co-locate
select events for the benefit of all members."

"There is a continuing convergence of travel professionals becoming responsible for meeting planning and meetings professionals being asked to manage travel," said 2009 PCMA Chairman of the Board John Folks. "In an increasingly complex and intertwined world, I only see upside to this unique alliance for everyone. It will absolutely add member value."

Members of these associations can expect to see value-added member access and pricing to each organization's benefits at regular member rates. Strategic Partners will see extended market research into new target markets.

A strong supporter of PCMA and ACTE, Cvent congratulates the two groups on the partnership!

Read more information about the PCMA-ACTE alliance.

Chicago Venue Spotlight: Swissotel Chicago Expands Event Centre

Friday, June 26, 2009 by Cvent Staff
Swissotel ChicagoThe long-awaited meeting space at Swissotel Chicago is now open! The 661-room hotel's Event Centre expansion brings adds 38,000 square feet of meeting space to its facilities, which now boast an impressive 65,000 square feet of flexible space.

Venue options include the new 14,000-square-foot ballroom, the 43rd floor Edelweiss penthouse and two elegant executive boardrooms. Designed with meeting and business professionals in mind, the entire venue is equipped with wireless Internet capabilities, 400 amp service and flexible lighting control.

Planners can enjoy the groundbreaking space at a great price when booked during the 2009 Hot Dates. The promotion includes discounted room rates, complimentary access to the fitness center and pool, one upgrade per 25 rooms, one complimentary room per 40 rooms, complimentary room rental and more.

View more information about Swissotel Chicago on the Cvent Supplier Network

Inside the Event: White House Annual Picnic

Friday, June 26, 2009 by Sarah Larkins
The White House South Lawn transformed into a Hawaiian luau last night at the annual congressional picnic event. Attendees, including the president, first lady and daughters Malia and Sasha as well as Vice President Joe Biden, donned leis as they gathered among tiki torches, thatched huts, potted palm trees and inflatable sharks.

Guests enjoyed a traditional luau meal, which included kalua pig, barbecue baby back ribs, and lomi lomi salmon prepared by famed chef Alan Wong, according to The Associated Press. He said that the catered meal included other picnic favorites with a twist, for example, the wasabi potato salad. Desserts included strawberry tiramisu and chocolate bars.

In addition to the first-class spread, the luau featured island entertainment provided by dance group Tihati, who preformed a blend of Polynesian and hula dancing. Also part of the fun was the dunk booth, where both White House spokesman Robert Gibbs and White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel went under.

With the attendee list including members of the press corp and both Republicans and Democrats, you'd think it would be a rather tense crowd. However, Debbie Dingell, who attended with husband Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.), felt the opposite.

"I haven't seen people just have a good time like that in a long time," she said according to The Sleuth. "And Republicans were having just as good a time as the Democrats were."

Nothing like a luau party to bring everyone together!