Successful Meetings - May 2008 - (Page 98)

Meeting Sites Phoenix RENEWAL: As splashier cities and resorts sprouted across the Grand Canyon State during a generation of growth, Arizona’s capital and largest city had remained conservative. Until lately, that is. Now, the city’s core is awash in hard hats and construction cranes, signaling a remarkable resurgence: new hotels, condos, restaurants, nightspots, and public transit. Leading the way has been the renovation and expansion of the Phoenix Convention Center. It’s a sea change that has even those immersed in it marveling at the results. HOME TEAM RECOMMENDS According to Kathy Christensen of Phoenix-based PRA Arizona, “Phoenix is a major city with an incredible amount of activities and recreation, sports, wonderful dining, entertainment, and culture while still embracing the past. There are terrific incentive properties, several large and small corporate properties, and for association meetings, depending on the size, we have downtown properties providing great access to the new Phoenix Convention Center and large properties throughout the Valley to accommodate programs of all sizes. “One of my favorites for corporate meetings,” says Christensen, “is the Marriott Buttes Resort. By Marc Boisclair ton Downtown, and Sheraton Wild Horse Pass (“a jewel”). For meetings of 100 and Beautiful sunsets: inset, stellar resorts, like Royal Palms under, she suggests the new Renaissance Glendale, as well as the Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain and the Royal Palms Resort: “These are among many of our area’s wonderful resorts that have an incredible reputation for servicing all sizes of meetings.” “WHOLE NEW PHOENIX” “It’s the launching pad for all those things that will make downtown the vibrant urban showcase it can really be,” says Kevin Kamenzind, SVP of sales and marketing for the Greater Phoenix CVB. For groups, in particular, Kamenzind compares Phoenix’s rising to that of San Diego during the past decade. “The biggest benefit is that we’re tripling the size of the convention center,” says Kamenzind, adding that the new space is already booked solid for the first three months of 2009. “The way the building is designed, we can easily accommodate a substantial convention and smaller groups at the same time, without people crashing into each other.” Nor does it hurt that by year’s end, when work on the new North Building wraps, both the city-owned Sheraton Downtown Phoenix and the new METRO This property is near the airport, yet on its own mountain. Accessibility is terrific as are the food and service.” Thinking of some of the newer properties, Christensen can recommend the new Phoenix Shera- light-rail system are set to debut as well. “You’ve got three major events converging simultaneously, and that’s a significant change for downtown,” Kamenzind says. “Because of that, we’re getting lots of calls from developers about future activity, not only for hotels but restaurants, shopping, nightlife, residential properties—things that downtown really needs but has not, until now, had the infrastructure for.” WHERE THE ACTION IS The Phoenix Convention Center’s already open West Building and soon-to-beMAY 2008 SUCCESSFUL MEETINGS 98 mimegasite.com http://mimegasite.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Successful Meetings - May 2008

Successful Meetings - May 2008
Contents
Editor's Note
Industry Trends
Destination News
Destination News
Suppliers
Destination News
Calendar
On the Record
Websites of the Month
Management Matters
Mouth for Sale
Meetings Law
Planner's Spotlight
Pre-Event
On Site
Tools of the Trade
Pre-Event
Counting Change
Giving Them the Business
The Magnificent Seven
All-American Gift Guide
Green Lights
Places & Spaces
Anaheim & Orange County
Upstate New York
Cincinnati
Detroit
San Diego
Phoenix
Gurus

Successful Meetings - May 2008