Meeting News - January 5, 2009 - (Page 12)

Hotels & Resorts MeetingNews Q&A: Edited by Rayna Katz rayna.katz@nielsen.com Beau Rivage Hotel Sets Its Sights On a Bright Future All properties along the Mississippi Gulf Coast have been restored to their pre-Hurricane Katrina status, and all are open for business. Beau Rivage, an MGM Mirage property, has been a centerpiece of the Mississippi Gulf Coast and the region’s hospitality industry since 1999. It was rebuilt after Katrina, reopening in 2006. Now, two years later, Maureen Wooten, director of hotel sales and marketing at Beau Rivage, talked with MeetingNews about the Mississippi Gulf Coast as a meetings destination, and what 2009 holds for the property. A The National Governors Association is coming in July; that is a really big deal. Total room nights will be 2,000—650 peak. But every piece of business is important. Do on-site casinos play a role in groups booking along the Mississippi Gulf Coast? Q A Q A How well have you recovered from the hurricane? ’09 and 2010. We’re gaining momentum after closing all year. On the convention side, we’re where we were pre-Katrina. This year (2008) has been fantastic. A lot of our business is repeat business. Meetings are on pace for Q A What will your group business mix be in 2009? Sixty percent is association; 40 percent is corporate, with a very broad size range, from 30 to 500 people. We’re also trying to capture incentive groups; we have to court them all. What’s on the horizon for Beau Rivage’s meeting business in 2009? Yes, the casino is an added amenity. [But it] depends on the nature of the meeting and the group. We also have 11 restaurants, a nightclub, and a theater. Q Q The Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention Center is nearing International Airport Also, please visit us online at www.theislebettendorf.com. 1777 Isle Parkway, Bettendorf, IA 52722 1-800-THE-ISLE (1-800-843-4753) www.theislebettendorf.com © 2008 Isle of Capri, Inc. Must be 21 to enter casino. Quad-Cities Waterfront Convention Center is a trademark of the City of Bettendorf. Gambling a problem? There is help.And hope. Call 1-800-BETS-OFF. 12 MeetingNews January 5, 2009 www.meetingnews.com http://www.theislebettendorf.com http://www.theislebettendorf.com http://www.theislebettendorf.com http://www.meetingnews.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Meeting News - January 5, 2009

Meeting News - January 5, 2009
Contents
What’s Up @ MeetingNews.com
Inside the Industry
People Making News
Hotels & Resorts
CVBs
Convention Centers
Transportation
Destination Insider
Incentive Report
Insider Report
MN Webcast Report
Ad Index
Live from the Forum

Meeting News - January 5, 2009