By Nancy Mann Jackson
Like many SMERF planners, Renee Aubin pays close attention to her budget when planning meetings. As Manager of the Convention Division of Lions Clubs International, she looks for destinations where her group members can enjoy themselves and have a successful meeting without breaking the bank. For her 2004 International Convention, Aubin found the ideal destination to be Detroit. Not only was the city within budget for her organization, it also offered a variety of unique venues and activities along with a helpful hospitality community, all of which contributed to a memorable event.
“The majority of our attendees were within easy walking distance of the COBO Convention Center and Joe Louis Arena,” Aubin says. “The historical Fox Theater was a wonderful venue to host an event. Comerica Park’s close proximity to the Convention Center allowed convention-goers to attend a game in the evening and also served as an excellent assembly area for our parade, which was one of the best in many years. The Detroit Convention Bureau worked closely with our local Lions to secure 35 late model cars to lead off the parade, which made an outstanding start to this unique event. The Bureau was extremely supportive in both the planning and execution of the event, and the city and Bureau helped us contain costs to meet budget constraints.”
Like Detroit, there are a number of Midwestern cities that offer unique experiences for SMERF groups – often at surprisingly affordable prices.
Michigan
As the Lions Clubs found, Detroit is a big city with interesting attractions like the Henry Ford Museum, as well as plenty of other affordable options. For instance, the Detroit Metropolitan Airport was recently named one of the country’s least expensive airports to fly into and out of, according to Deanna Buckner, Marketing Communications Specialist at the Detroit Metro CVB. The city also offers a “vast selection of hotels in suburbs and downtown,” says Buckner, including a variety of brands and price points. “There are lots of reasonably priced restaurants and dining options, including the food court at the General Motors Renaissance Center, and lots of free festivals and activities throughout the year.”
In nearby Ann Arbor, SMERF groups can find a variety of low-cost facilities from hotels and unique venues to state-of-the-art conference facilities at the University of Michigan and Eastern Michigan University. These locations range from the home of Internet2 to one of the largest rock climbing gyms in North America, says Nick Miller, Communications Director at the Ann Arbor Area CVB, adding, “To complement that, the CVB offers a variety of free meeting planning services.”
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Illinois
While Chicago draws thousands of convention guests each year, it’s not the only convention town in Illinois. SMERF groups can often find affordable deals in smaller locations such as Rockford, which offers more than 100,000 square feet of collective meeting space at five major conference facilities. “These facilities offer catering services, hotel rooms and meeting spaces that can fit just about any specific need,” says Carrie Skogsberg, Communications Coordinator for the Rockford Area CVB. “We’ll work with groups to determine the budget and needs for meetings and reunions, and will work within those specifications to find the perfect spot for the event.”
For groups looking for a different approach, Rockford offers a number of unique venues such as the historic Coronado Theatre, a stunning baroque style theater; Klehm Arboretum and Botanic Garden; and the Burpee Museum of Natural History.
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Indiana
With 4,000 hotel rooms, a state-of-the-art convention center and free parking throughout the community, Evansville is an ideal destination for planners with limited budgets. The city also boasts several new attractions that appeal to visitors of all ages, including the Children’s Museum of Evansville, the vintage World War II LST 325 military ship and the Evansville African American Museum, all of which are available for off-site events.
Located just 30 miles from downtown Cincinnati, Dearborn County offers groups an affordable Indiana getaway with easy access to big-city attractions. The Argosy Casino & Hotel, a 24-hourriverboat gaming facility, is Dearborn County’s largest tourist attraction and features a newly-remodeled 300-room hotel, with plans underway for a new $300 million casino and parking garage.
Groups that need more space can find what they’re looking for in Indianapolis, where the convention center is connected to more than 3,000 hotel rooms, and there are more than 200 restaurants and 50 attractions within walking distance. A new shuttle service will launch this fall, “giving convention delegates an easy, inexpensive way to make the 12-minute ride from the airport to downtown hotels and the convention center,” says Chris Gahl, spokesperson for the Indianapolis CVA. SMERF groups will also enjoy visiting the new museum paying tribute to the USS Indianapolis naval ship and the men and women who served aboard it, as well as Harry & Izzy’s, a new restaurant partly owned by Indianapolis Colts quarterback and Super Bowl MVP Peyton Manning.
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Iowa
Home to Iowa State University, Ames offers a number of options for SMERF groups. “Incorporating learning with entertainment is a priority in this central Iowa community,” says Julie Weeks, Executive Director of the Ames CVB. “Area tours and attractions typically include a fun and educational twist. Ames has three art museums and many other local attractions that provide a unique entertainment experience and a chance to learn something new, including creating impressive seasonal floral designs, making hand-dipped chocolates while learning about the history of chocolate, participating in a cooking demonstration or attending a winery or brewery tour.” In addition to a number of free or inexpensive attractions, Ames also offers free or reduced fee transportation options to convention groups during their stay.
In Cedar Rapids, the hospitality community works consistently to ensure that SMERF groups receive the highest amount of value, service and commitment, says Matt Krug, Director of Marketing and Communications for the Cedar Rapids Area CVB. Visitors to the area enjoy attractions such as the National Czech and Slovak Museum and Library, the largest outside of Prague; the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, featuring the work of famed American Gothic artist Grant Wood; and the Brucemore Estate, offering tours of a Victorian style mansion with acres of gardens and history.
Just 20 minutes south of Cedar Rapids, the Amana Colonies allows visitors to experience a former communal society. “Considered by many as the number one tourist asset in the state, visitors can visit dozens of unique shops, bakeries, wineries, and admire the handcrafted goods,” says Krug.
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Is Mid-South Midwest?
In addition to the growing destinations of the Midwest, planners are also finding bargains in surrounding states like Missouri, Kentucky, Arkansas and Tennessee. In Hot Springs, AR, the site of Hot Springs National Park, the nation’s first federally protected area, visitors can choose to tackle the gorgeous Arkansas hiking trails of the Ouachita Mountains, tour the historic Fordyce Bathhouse and Visitor’s Center or enjoy a relaxing Hot Springs spa, all without leaving the downtown area. In Lexington, KY, groups enjoy visiting the private horse farms (where Kentucky’s four-legged champions receive all-star treatment) and following the city’s Bourbon Trail. And in Chattanooga, TN, visitors of all ages love the Tennessee Aquarium (which just added penguins in its newest gallery), the Chattanooga Choo-Choo and the wonders of Rock City and Lookout Mountain, where you can see seven states. Whatever their interests and whatever their budget, SMERF groups can find numerous interesting diversions – as well as top-quality meeting facilities – across this broad region.
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Midwest Newswire
Illinois: Downtown Rockford’s MetroCentre, a 10,000-seat arena, is undergoing a $23 million renovation to include club seats, boxes, a major concourse on the mezzanine level, and rooftop space available for rental. Renovations are scheduled to be complete in June 2008. Also in Rockford, the landmark Clock Tower Resort & Conference Center recently added a 65,000-square-foot indoor water park, perfect for groups traveling with their families.
Indiana: More than $1 billion in upgrades are underway at the Indianapolis International Airport, including a new midfield terminal and concourse, with completion slated for 2008. By 2010, a new $325 million Marriott Complex will open in Indianapolis with four separate hotels totaling 1,568 guest rooms and 110,000 square feet of meeting space. The Hyatt Regency Indianapolis has just completed an $11 million renovation, including a new restaurant, lounge, and renovated lobby. Indianapolis’ new Lucas Oil Stadium, opening in 2008, will not only play host to the Colts, but is designed with major conventions in mind. An expansion of the Indiana Convention Center, to be completed in 2010, will connect to the stadium and together, the two facilities will offer 747,000 square feet of exhibit space. A new 100-room boutique property, the LeMegot Hotel, recently opened in Evansville. The hotel is located on the Evansville riverfront and is part of the $40 million Casino Aztar expansion, which includes The District entertainment area.
Iowa: Several hotels in Iowa have undergone recent renovations and expansions. Fairfield Inn by Marriott completed the construction of a brand new 76-room location in Ames in July 2007. Also in Ames, the Holiday Inn Ames Conference Center underwent a major renovation in 2007, including an affiliation change to the Holiday Inn from the Comfort Suites and the addition of a full-service restaurant and lounge, in-house banquet services, and new furnishings throughout the property. The Quality Inn and Suites Starlite Village is currently in the process of a major renovation project, which includes upgrades to all 120 guest rooms and most public areas. Finally, the University Park Inn and Suites officially became the Best Western University Park Inn and Suites in May 2007. In addition to the name change and new affiliation, the facility has also made major upgrades throughout the property, including the addition of a business center. The new Christian Petersen Art Museum opened at Iowa State University in March, featuring two galleries to showcase work by Christian Petersen and other contemporary artists. And the Central Iowa Expo, a 100+-acre site with indoor and outdoor exhibition areas, is scheduled to open in 2008. It will be the biennial home to the Farm Progress Show and will also host many other events. Four major full-service hotels in Cedar Rapids have recently completed or are undergoing multi-million dollar renovation projects. Renovations have been completed at the 157-room Clarion Hotel & Convention Center, the 106-room Best Western Longbranch, and the 221-room Cedar Rapids Marriott, and are scheduled to be completed at the 275-room Crowne Plaza Five Seasons Hotel by mid 2008.
Michigan: Detroit will gain five new hotels in its downtown core by December 2008. Those properties include the MGM Grand Detroit, MotorCity Casino Hotel, Greektown Casino Hotel, Westin Book-Cadillac Hotel, and the Fort Shelby Hotel, managed by Doubletree. The Detroit International Riverfront Revitalization is now more than 75 percent complete and open to the public. The open portion includes two of the four planned plazas and pavilions, which include outdoor covered seating areas, WiFi access, bike and rollerblade rentals, concessions, butterfly gardens and a river carousel. The EMU Student Center, a new, state-of-the-art building on the campus of Eastern Michigan University, is now open in Ann Arbor, with a variety of meeting space available for groups. Ann Arbor recently added a Holiday Inn & Suites with just over 100 rooms and meeting space, and the city’s Comfort Inn and Conference Center is undergoing major renovations.
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