Rocky Mountain High

Rafting in Boise

For most folks this naturally spectacular swatch of America’s rugged frontier would seem a no-brainer for outdoor adventures, family vacations, eco-tourism and the chance to get away from it all and clear one’s head. But for all of those reasons, along with a slew of affordable hotels, top-rate conference and convention centers, and an array of restaurants and recreational options, Colorado, Utah and Idaho offer an ideal solution for faith-based groups in search of something new and exciting in their meeting destinations.

The Centennial State

It’s rare indeed to find a destination that seems to perfectly balance both business and pleasure to the extent that Colorado does. In many ways the state’s natural assets complete the meetings package of its destinations and resorts. That’s a great incentive for faith-based attendees who look to bring their families along for pre/post meeting activities. Attendees can revel in the bustling excitement and urban sophistication of Denver and Colorado Springs, all the while within easy access of lakes, forests and some of the country’s highest and most beloved mountains.

“Half of Colorado is public land, preserved in more than two dozen national forests, parks, monuments and recreation areas,” says Richard Scharf, president and CEO at the Denver Metro CVB. “Our mountainous area is six times the size of Switzerland and offers some of the world’s best skiing, golf, whitewater rafting, fishing, hiking, horseback riding and scenery.” That said, many resorts come with complete meeting and recreational packages. Keystone Resort, for example, features a conference center with almost 40,000 square feet of meeting space and has three mountains available for year-round team building and other outdoor activities.

Denver Art Museum

One of the fastest growing regions in America, Denver offers a good example of urban lifestyle in a broader rural setting (the 16th Street Mall repeatedly garners attendee kudos for its shopping, dining and entertainment), where groups can divide their day among the meeting room, ski slopes and exhibits — “Tutankhamun: The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs” opens in July at the Denver Art Museum (a nifty spot as well for banquets, receptions and other special events). Colorado’s capital has also invested more than $8 billion in hospitality-related upgrades. “We have a lively, pedestrian-oriented city with a mild climate, state-of-the-art facilities, that is very user-friendly for business, and yet is also a lot of fun,” Scharf says. “Denver International Airport is just 340 miles from the exact center of the continental United States, so it’s easy to reach. Our downtown was recently picked as the fourth most walkable in the U.S. with 8,300 rooms and 300 restaurants, all just a short stroll from the Colorado Convention Center.”

The city’s also in the midst of a hotel boom, with a $70 million redo of the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel (Colorado’s largest hotel) and eight new properties adding some 1,200 rooms to the city in the past three years, including the value-minded Homewood Suites and Embassy Suites. Denver’s various sports venues — Coors Field, INVESCO Field at Mile High Stadium, the Pepsi Center — also provide great group options for team building and recreational fun.

Colorado Springs, the state’s second-largest city in the heart of the Pikes Peak region, gives new meaning to the concept of group adventure, with a new CityRock climbing gym, $1 million skate park and the Richard Petty Driving Experience. The meeting industry here has expanded as well, as witnessed by both new properties (the 135-room Mining Exchange Hotel and 300-room Renaissance Colorado Springs Hotel, Spa and Conference Center, both opening this fall) and those, like the Cliff House and Cheyenne Mountain resort, that are sprucing up.

For Michele Manry, event coordinator with the Montana-based RightNow Technologies, the Pikes Peak region proves ideal for the mindset of her meetings. “We like to focus on a mountainous area because it’s a big draw and that’s our culture — we live by the mountains,” she says. “We hold our user conference, about 750-800 attendees, at the Broadmoor. Their meeting space is large and they go out of their way to make the customers feel that the resort is just for them.”

Reaching Zion

Utah may be the best-kept meetings secret in the West. No doubt we think of the Beehive State as a recreational mecca of sorts, given Park City’s resorts, the 2002 Winter Olympics site and a slew of spectacular National Parks — Zion, Bryce Canyon and Arches among the more popular stops. But Utah also brings top-rate meeting space to the table, led by the Salt Palace Convention Center, Ogden Eccles Conference Center and a well-balanced selection of accommodations and special event venues.

Utah Olympic Park

Another plus about meeting in Utah is the easy access in and out of the state, either by car, train or air, notably Salt Lake City Airport, just 10 minutes from downtown and a half-hour’s drive to Park City. Once in town, Salt Lake will surprise and impress attendees, with its easy traffic flow and clean, nicely laid out downtown. Salt Lake City hotel stock has grown considerably recently, sporting several new economy properties (a Springhill Suites, Hyatt Place, Comfort Suites and Holiday Inn Express) with two Cambria Suites properties set to debut later this year.

Park City manages to exude both a posh ambience and a down-home attitude, helped by a number of meetings-friendly resorts and a cozy downtown. Moreover, this ski town also comes with a lengthy Green Meetings resume, from the stunning, 10,000-sq.-ft. Swaner EcoCenter to the city’s LEED Certified buildings and miles of bikeways. Nearby, the Utah Olympic Park remains a group favorite for team-building, fun day-trip activities and off-site receptions.

Ogden offers an eclectic mix of fine dining, shopping, creative lodging, and convention and meeting facilities in a charming mountain setting. The Ogden Eccles Conference Center, which has more than 50,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, is attached to a 137-room Hampton Hotel and within walking distance of the Ogden Marriott. Nearby, Historic 25th Street provides attendees with retail, restaurants and attractions that include the Utah State Railroad Museum in Union Station.

Outdoor Excitement

For those who’ve been thinking of Idaho as all potatoes and no beef, think again. More and more this Mountain West getaway is making believers of planners and attendees alike, from the college town Moscow and Lewiston, the farthest inland port in the lower 48 to Boise, Idaho’s capital and largest meeting destination. “We’re usually a surprise to our clients,” says Terry Copp, director of sales for the Boise CVB. “We find that if we can bring them to Boise for a visit then the city really sells itself. People say it’s a city that just feels good and they think they could live here. We get that a lot.”

One pleasant surprise, says Copp, is the weather. “People think we have weather like the Midwest but we’re actually a high desert community,” she says. “We have four distinct seasons, almost no humidity and the snow goes to the mountains. Our summer days last until 10 at night, which is great for holding outdoor events.” That means such group fun as rafting and golf in the summer months and skiing during the winter. Nearby Sun Valley, in fact, introduced the world to the first ski chairlift back in 1939.

The Boise Centre, the state’s largest meeting facility, is within walking distance of around 800 hotel rooms and is nicely complemented by generous space at several area hotels and resorts. Boise State University is also a good source for unique meeting space and community tie-ins for groups. “We’re a big sporting town as well and host soccer and softball tournaments,” adds Copp, citing another option for group outings and pre/post meeting fun. Boise is also ideal for faith-based networking, with more than 150 places of worship area-wide.

— Marc Boisclair

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