By Nancy Mann Jackson
It’s easily accessible by air, car and rail, right in the middle of the country. It’s known for its all-American values and friendliness. It’s the sprawling Midwest, an ideal location for scores of SMERF meetings and events each year.
“Many Midwestern destinations offer good value for groups,” says Brent Foerster, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Visit Milwaukee. “We’re not necessarily on sale, but planners can make their dollars go further without sacrificing the experience their groups expect.”
In fact, thanks to their affordability and superior product mix, a number of Midwestern destinations have actually maintained pre-recession visitor numbers, and some have even increased their market share. Indianapolis, for instance, saw a 5% increase in overall tourism from 2007 to 2008, and the city is slated to see similar growth in 2009. “Our hotels are hovering around 75% occupancy, and the convention center is the same,” says Chris Gahl, Associate Director of Communications at the Indianapolis Convention and Visitors Association. “We offer first-tier amenities with second-tier affordability; for instance, our average room rate is around $95 a night, but we have eight hotels connected to the Convention Center, which is within walking distance of 200 restaurants and 50 attractions.”
Like Indianapolis, a number of Midwestern destinations offer convenience, affordability and a memorable meeting experience. Here’s the latest news from some of the hottest Midwestern cities.
Ever Expanding
Indianapolis may be staying booked, but the city isn’t resting on its laurels. An expansion is currently underway that will double the size of the Indiana Convention Center by February 2011, resulting in 566,000 square feet of exhibition space. The new center will be connected underground to the city’s recently-opened NFL stadium, which includes 183,000 square feet of exhibit space. Together, the two facilities will offer 749,000 square feet of meeting and event space.
While major hotel projects have all but come to a halt across the country, the new Marriott Place Indianapolis is continuing as planned, and will also be completed in February 2011. The $450 million project will connect to the expanded Convention Center, with 1,600 hotel rooms under four different Marriott flags. A JW Marriott will offer 1,000 rooms and a 400,000-square-foot ballroom, and the remaining rooms will open under the Courtyard by Marriott, Fairfield Inn and Springfield Suites banners.
Indianapolis has always been popular with SMERF groups, says Gahl. Religious groups are often interested in the fact that he Religious Conference Managers Association is headquartered in the city. Military groups appreciate that Indy is home to more monuments and memorials than any U.S. city besides Washington, D.C., and many of the memorials are available as off-site venues. The city is known as the home of major sporting events such as the Indy 500, and in 2012 Indianapolis will host the Super Bowl.
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Infrastructure Improvements
In Minneapolis, transportation will soon be easier and more affordable than ever before. Along with the redesign of public transit in downtown Minneapolis, a new complimentary shuttle will debut early next year to provide free transportation from downtown hotels to the Minneapolis Convention Center, says Scott Romane, Vice President of Destination Sales and Services at Meet Minneapolis. “The shuttle will also connect to the light rail transit [line] that goes directly to the airport for only $1.75,” Romane says.
In addition to eliminating the need for shuttle service, Minneapolis also offers groups a number of meeting hotels and varied meeting spaces, including the Minneapolis Convention Center; Target Field, opening in April 2010 for the Minnesota Twins; the new TCF Bank Stadium at the University of Minnesota; Guthrie Theater; Walker Art Center; and the popular Mall of America. The city “is attracting the notice of many SMERF groups, especially religious organizations, in 2009-2010,” Romane says.
The Lions Club International gathered in Minneapolis in July, and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America came in August. Next year, the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations, the Presbyterian Church USA, and the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World will all meet in the city.
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Attracting the Arts
The newest attraction in Des Moines is Pappajohn Sculpture Park, which is now under construction but will become the new gateway into downtown Des Moines. The park’s collection of sculptures “ranks among the most artistically significant sculpture parks in the nation,” says Margie Marble, Director of Sales at the Greater Des Moines Convention and Visitors Bureau. “The 24 sculptures valued at $40 million were donated by a local philanthropist who advises the Smithsonian Institute on art purchases. It offers an incredible site for attendees to celebrate the arts in a park atmosphere.”
Other favorite attractions in Des Moines include a state-of-the-art science center, historic building tours, Prairie Meadows racetrack and casino and the NASCAR Iowa Speedway. Groups convening in Des Moines have an array of hotels and meeting spaces to choose from, including several newly opened properties such as the Hilton Garden Inn and Courtyard Marriott.
If Des Moines is on your radar, book now: For any group or event booking 1,000 total room nights before the end of 2009 to be held in 2010 or 2011, Des Moines is offering a 75% discount on meeting and exhibit space, as well as a guarantee of 2009 hotel room rates.
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Wonderful Wisconsin
In Milwaukee, the Harley Museum, which opened last year, has become a favorite among meeting attendees, “and not exclusively motorcycle enthusiasts,” says Brent Foerster. Not just about bikes, the museum is “about American ingenuity,” he adds. And because it’s built on sprawling grounds – including a crossroads and a garage – meeting planners love using the venue for indoor-outdoor events for up to 6,000 people.
The Harley Museum isn’t the only news in Milwaukee. The 481-room Hyatt just completed a $19 million renovation, and the 721-room Hilton is in the process of a complete renovation. When meeting in Milwaukee, planners have plenty of options for meeting space. In addition to off-site venues like the Harley Museum, the Midwest Airline Center offers 109,000 square feet of exhibit space, a 37,000-square-foot ballroom and 28 breakout rooms. The 14,000-seat US Cellular Arena is connected to the 4,000-seat Milwaukee Theater, which is a renovated, turn-of-the-century historic property. And the city includes more than 15,000 acres of parks, many of them waterside, so there are plenty of options for outdoor venues.
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Outdoor Options
In Columbus, an already robust hotel product keeps growing. A 198-room Embassy Suites and a 110-room Sheraton Four Points just opened in the airport area, and in 2012 a new Hilton convention hotel will open downtown next to the arena and convention center, adding 500 rooms to the city’s current hotel package of 3,280 hotel rooms downtown and 22,629 citywide.
As Columbus evolves, it is embracing Americans’ renewed interest in walkability and natural preservation. The former City Center mall in downtown Columbus is being demolished, and in its place, Columbus Commons will be a pedestrian-friendly recreational and gathering space featuring trees, grass and walking paths on the 8.9-acre site. Over time, Columbus Commons will transform into a full-fledged neighborhood of multi-story buildings with residential units above street-level retail, office buildings and entertainment venues, as well as a return to more pedestrian-friendly streets. Visiting groups will want to visit the newly-opened Grange Insurance Audubon Center, one of the first such centers in Audubon’s storied history to bring hands-on conservation and nature-based learning this close to the core of a major American city. The center is located in an Important Bird Area (IBA) known as Whittier Peninsula. Thousands of birds migrating from Central and South America use this spot along the Scioto River overlooking downtown Columbus as a stopover during their long journeys.
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Midwest Metro
The largest city in the Midwest, Chicago welcomes convention groups with big-city attractions and Midwestern charm. “From turn-of-the-century ballrooms to the most modern amenities and business services, Chicago hotels offer service, comfort and value at every price point,” says Meghan Risch, Director of Public Relations for the Chicago Convention & Tourism Bureau. The city offers more than 30,000 guest rooms in the central business district and more than 100,000 in the metro area. And over the past seven years, 20 properties have been built or reflagged and renovated in downtown Chicago, Risch says.
Visitors enjoy sampling Chicago’s storied food and visiting the lakefront, which “is becoming even more stunning,” Risch says. “Forty miles of bike paths weave their way through acres of beautifully maintained parks.”
And with the city’s newly enhanced online Destination Marketing Kit, which includes HTML email templates, customized microsites, internationally translated materials and breathtaking photos, “marketing an event in Chicago has never been easier,” Risch says.
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