Prevue July/August 2014 - (Page 52)

Louisiana Culture, dramatic venues & immersive tours surround the Big Easy BY JOHNALEE JOHNSTON O ver half of Louisiana's ﬁrst time visitors come for the food. More precisely, they come for the seafood. An unexpected bonus for many is the rich array of historical tidbits that dwell within the cuisines themselves. French, German, African and Spanish are just some of the inﬂuences that have leapt from their archived pages straight into the pot. Yes, it's pretty safe to say that food is an "oral tradition" of Louisiana, but lucky for us, it isn't the only one. Dotting the Louisiana Brewery Trail are eleven craft breweries that have come to rival the state's prized foodie culture. The music scene is hypnotic-from the North Shore all the way to Baton Rouge and New Orleans; the washboard, ﬁddle and slide guitar daily sing their songs. Louisiana's River Road plantations have been known to "communicate" in unique ways, and if these walls could talk, what chatter the nearly 60 National Historic Landmarks would tell. With such cultural diversity at the helm, it's no wonder that Louisiana is consistently ranked a top U.S. meetings destination. The ﬂagship city for meetings and events is New Orleans. Surrounding the Big Easy, however, are equally vibrant cities that are steadily increasing their meetings structure-dramatic venues, responsive hotels and creative group options are ready and willing to serve. Regardless of your chosen stomping grounds, in this charming Southern state the reality is quite inescapable: Coming to Louisiana for the food, be prepared to leave with more than a belly full. BATON ROUGE The Grand Fancy Dress Anniversary Ball was one of the ﬁrst big events held in Louisiana's Old State Capitol building. The castle-like building carved out a grand convening spot along the Mississippi River for government ofﬁcials in the 1850s. Ascending the 32-step cast-iron spiral staircase, your delegates will undoubtedly imagine the governors, legislators and highsociety women in their hoop skirts and ball gowns who swept lazily up and down the stairs. Soaring high above, a 2,000-pane stained-glass rotunda with an umbrella-shaped dome squeezes out shafts of light onto wood beams and black and white marble ﬂooring with a kaleidoscopic effect. The Gothic-inspired space seems made for cocktails, socializing, meet and greets or events which require a dramatic grand entrance. "The building itself is our greatest artifact," Jan Sumrall, the property's business manager remarks, adding that political fund raisers, corporate meetings and presentations have all been held in the House and Senate chambers. The chambers offer planners the striking ambiance of hardwood ﬂooring, lofty ceilings and ﬂoor-to-ceiling stained-glass windows-the House, with its tiered, 200-seat auditorium and the ﬂexibly designed Senate, a multifaceted space for receptionstyle events for up to 180 people. Throughout the years, the Old State Capitol building has survived ﬁre, war, scandal and the occasional brawl. Question is: Will your groups survive the building? A new 4D experience places groups face to face with the ghost of Sarah Morgan, an authentic Civil War-era ﬁgure who narrates a vivid 12-minute journey through the building's tumultuous past. The "Ghost of the Castle" experience includes ﬂoating, lifelike images and special effects that surround the audience. Sumrall says the presentation really builds interest in a subject that may otherwise seem lackluster. "It's kind of like your getting a history lesson, but you don't realize it during the show." 52 | prevue magazine 52-55-Louisiana 52 7/2/14 9:19 PM

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Prevue July/August 2014

Planner’s Pick: The Franklin Institute
Fresh Meets: Marriott Hotels
Bureau Buzz: Bermuda Tourism Authority
Good Business: Anaheim/Orange County CVB
Sea Shores: Table for 2 (Hundred)
Table Talk Creativity and engagement add flavor to culinary events
SPECIAL SECTION: THE CARIBBEAN More than a vacation spot, paradise for meetings
IRF INVITATIONAL Secrets Puerto Los Cabos hosts the biggest incentive forum yet
On Location: Dominican Republic
On Location: Westin Hilton Head
On Location: Vancouver
LOUISIANA Culture, dramatic venues and immersive tours surround the Big Easy
ORLANDO AIBTM host city is a top draw for meetings
On Location: Auckland
SUSTAINABLE MEETINGS GMIC helps planners minimize their footprint
Checkout: Thompson Chicago

Prevue July/August 2014