By Marc Boisclair
Mention meeting in Arizona to a crowd of attendees, and chances are the response will be enthusiastic. And who could blame them? Here’s a state with seemingly endless sunshine and balmy warmth, where visitors are never far from rugged natural beauty.
Mention Arizona to a meeting planner and the reactions are similar, but for different reasons. Sure, there are plenty of posh resorts and high-end restaurants. But the state also offers a wealth of clean, competitively-priced hotels and eateries. Getting there is easy, the choices plentiful and the prices affordable. It’s also the ideal spot for that post-meeting vacation, with a slew of attractions and outdoor recreation to make the trip more than worthwhile. Bottom line: As a meeting spot, Arizona works well all around.
Rising Suns
Phoenix and Scottsdale, the lynchpins of what’s aptly dubbed Arizona’s Valley of the Sun, are home to most of the state’s meeting hotels and venues. “The frequency and value of air flights at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport make us a prime destination for SMERF groups,” says Douglas MacKenzie, Director of Communications for the Greater Phoenix Convention & Visitors Bureau. “The wide range of our accommodations offers great value as well, especially during the off season from May-September.”
Last year saw the unveiling of Phase One of the downtown Phoenix Convention Center’s $600 million expansion and renovation project. The sleek, stylish 156,000-square-foot hall features a 192-seat amphitheater, 21,000 square feet of conference-style meeting space and a 45,000-square-foot ballroom with 1,200 integrated folding seats. The practicality of the center lies in its design, which allows both large and small groups to use the facility simultaneously.
Next door, the new Sheraton Phoenix Downtown Hotel, on target for a 2008 opening, will add 1,000 guestrooms and 80,000 square feet of space to downtown’s business blocks. Getting around will soon be much easier thanks to METRO, a new $1.4 billion, 20-mile system that will eventually connect downtown with Sky Harbor International Airport. The city also features a host of attractions that do double duty as special event venues, from the Heard Museum and Botanical Gardens to the firefighters Hall of Flame and newly renovated Phoenix Art Museum.
Neighboring Scottsdale is enjoying a building boom, much to the benefit of meetings groups. The downtown core is transforming itself into a modern mix of hotels, restaurants, galleries, retail shops and nightclubs, most of which are concentrated within walking distance of the city’s center. New and renovated hotels abound, from a new W Hotel (under construction) and the retro-1950s Hotel Valley Ho to a smorgasbord of mid-range and economy suites and extended-stay properties. Expect meeting and function space in most Scottsdale properties as well.
Flagstaff, two hours north of Greater Phoenix, offers good seasonal values on room rates and availability, with a cooler climate that encourages winter recreation and summer getaways.
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Tempe: In the Middle of it All
Whether you’re planning an indoor event or wish to take advantage of Tempe’s beautiful weather and meet outdoors, The city’s Convention & Visitors Bureau can assist you in finding the perfect facility to fit your needs. Tempe’s central location also makes it an ideal hub for visiting the rest of the area’s must-see attractions.
For example, the Arizona Historical Society Museum’s facilities are available for events such as receptions, auditorium presentations, trade shows and meetings. The grounds feature a brick courtyard, sandstone lobby, 50-person meeting room and newly-renovated state-of-the-art auditorium. Rated “Four Stars” by Golf Digest, the par-72 ASU Karsten Golf Course boasts exceptional playing conditions year-round. Sun Angel Clubhouse is home to the award-winning Trophy Room restaurant. Karsten specializes in group outings and events. Or how about the Desert Botanical Garden, a “living museum” featuring 50,000 desert plants from around the world? Enjoy tours, concerts, seasonal exhibits, special events and family activities. Beautiful indoor and outdoor meeting/event space is available to accommodate 500+ people.
Downtown Tempe itself bustles with more than 100 boutiques, shops, restaurants, nightclubs, theaters, hotels and offices – all concentrated in the city’s renowned Mill Avenue District. The center of a thriving university nightlife scene, the area teems with professional and collegiate athletics, live music, movies, plays, street festivals, fun runs and dozens of community events. And the 3,000-seat Frank Lloyd designed ASU Gammage hosts award-winning Broadway shows.
Tempe’s cultural attractions, museums, vibrant downtown, festivals, sporting events, shopping opportunities, Arizona State University, Tempe Town Lake and an array of accommodations add up to a great meeting or conference.
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Memories of the Old West
While Tucson has grown to than a half-million residents, it still retains the look and feel of its Old West roots. Just a two hours south of Phoenix and an hour from the Mexican border, Tucson is awash in creative professional energy (and at 2,500 feet is always cooler than its sibling Phoenix).
Visitors need look no further than downtown and the University of Arizona, where the on-going student population lends an edge to the city. The compact, user-friendly campus is a favorite meeting spot for artists, academicians and entrepreneurs, and a great networking site for tech, educational and research-based groups.
A few blocks away, the stretch of Fourth Avenue from 6th to10th streets features clubs, cafes and shops, from retro clothing and custom art to hip home furnishings and collectibles. The El Presidio Historic District is home to some of Tucson’s oldest landmarks and one of the city’s culinary and artistic musts, El Charro. Other attractions of note include the Arizona-Sonoran Desert Museum, PIMA Air Museum and Kartchner Caverns, two hours south of town.
The city can also prove a bargain for SMERF meetings, especially for hotel and meeting packages. “We can offer a better value than resorts, with a number of properties that could offer savings even in peak season,” says Toby Parks, Director of Convention Sales for the Metropolitan Tucson Convention & Visitors Bureau. As in Greater Phoenix, travel in an out of Tucson is easy, with Tucson International Airport just a short ride from downtown.
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Red Rocks Galore
Sedona, Arizona’s off-the-desert-trail retreat, offers a cool, peaceful escape in a setting marked by majestic, mysterious red rock formations. The town is a magnet for celebrities and spiritualists who crave getting back to nature and spirituality. A great interactive route for exploring the rocks is via jeep tours or a group hike along one of the many miles of desert trails. Downtown Sedona is lined with souvenir shops and arts and crafts galleries, plus the requisite New Age vendors hawking crystals and gems. Plan a meal at the Cowboy Club for its frontier-style décor and tasty ribs and fried chicken. And be sure to catch the day’s last rays atop Airport Road, where sunsets are an eye-popping, 360-degree experience.
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