Special Places

By Michelle Martin

Typical meeting venues are great for getting down to business, but off-site venues create excitement among attendees. Boost networking with an opening reception in a museum that has great conversation pieces. Or stimulate new ideas from your board in a meeting room overlooking the water. One of these places may be just right for your group’s special event.

The Grammy Museum at L.A. Live
Los Angeles, California

Church choir groups, music directors or anyone who loves music can appreciate the musical history at the Grammy Museum, part of L.A. Live, the 4 million-sq.-ft, entertainment, sports and residential district in downtown Los Angeles. “The 35,000-sq.-ft. museum features four floors of multimedia exhibits that explore the process of making music, from songwriting to recording,” says Executive Director Bob Santelli. Small gatherings work well in the lobby or Green Room, while the 200-seat Clive Davis Theater can house anything from presentations to concerts and film screenings. The 8,100-sq.-ft. Target Terrace is a fitting setting for a reception with its views of downtown and the famous Hollywood sign.

Frontier Ranch
Buena Vista, Colorado

Frontier Ranch, located at the trailhead of Colorado’s Mount Princeton, is one of more than 20 properties in North America operated by Young Life. Purchased by the organization’s founder, Jim Rayburn, in 1951, Frontier Ranch hosts overnight camps for middle- and high-school students in the summer. “Many campers describe their experience at Frontier as the best week of their lives,” says Amanda Lagree, guest group communications coordinator for the ranch. During the school year, the ranch hosts faith-based organizations, and men’s, women’s and nonprofit groups, including leadership training weekends, retreats and other events. The Aspen, White Eagle and Bristlecone lodges have hotel-style accommodations, and 12 of the 14 cabins on-site offer bunk-style accommodations. In addition, Frontier Ranch has two meeting spaces: The rustic, log cabin-style Kachina and Kiva venues give groups of 350 and 150, respectively, a place for worship services and other meetings. Guests of all ages stay busy at the ranch, taking advantage of the hot springs-fed pool and hot tub, waterslide, ropes course, game room, outdoor sand volleyball court, foursquare court, and Gold Mine gym, which opened in November 2009. Groups of 350 get exclusive use of the camp.

Nottoway Plantation
White Castle, Louisiana

The largest remaining antebellum mansion in the South, Nottoway Plantation and Resort combines the charm of the old South with modern, luxurious amenities. The Louisiana Baptist Convention recently hosted a group of state executive directors of multimillion-dollar ministries representing more than 9,000 churches in North America at Nottoway. “Since Baptists in Louisiana are nearing their 200th anniversary, it was fitting for us to make use of a historical location,” says David E. Hankins, executive director of the Louisiana Baptist Convention says. “Nottoway Plantation was perfectly suited for the work our group was doing. The location was just right for a lunch event with Gov. Jindal in Baton Rouge. The service and the food were superb, and the Nottoway event staff was very accommodating to our needs.” Located just south of Baton Rouge, the historic mansion was built in 1859 for John Hampden Randolph and his family. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1980, the mansion underwent a multimillion-dollar restoration that included the addition of event venues in 2009, and an additional meeting facility currently is under construction. There is more than 10,000 square feet of flexible meeting and event space on-site, including the Randolph and White ballrooms. The plantation’s renovated Mansion Restaurant serves authentic New Orleans cuisine, and after renovation is completed in 2011, the resort will have a total of 40 guest rooms, cottages and suites, a gentlemen’s den, a fitness center and tennis courts in addition to its existing outdoor pool and cabana, and salon and spa.

Chesapeake Boathouse
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Millions of dollars were invested to renovate the Oklahoma River in downtown Oklahoma City, and a series of architecturally striking boathouses has developed around it, beginning with the Chesapeake Boathouse. “The district has quickly become a gathering place for events of all kinds — not only rowing and boating but also church services and retreats for church staff,” says Elizabeth Laurent, senior director of marketing, events and program development for the Oklahoma City Boathouse Foundation, which operates the facility. The river has become a hot spot for dragon boating, a popular sport in Asian cultures that has made its way to the U.S., and the foundation hopes to partner with local churches to establish a dragon boating league similar to traditional church softball leagues and use it as a team-building activity for groups. “We also offer a unique venue for youth gatherings since we offer dragon boating, kayaking, running, cycling — all sorts of activities that can build community,” she says. Chesapeake Boathouse can accommodate up to 300 people for a cocktail reception. Devon Boathouse, another boathouse from the foundation opening in December, can accommodate up to 500 for an event.

National Christian Conference Center
Valley Forge, Pennsylvania

Dubbed NC3, the National Christian Conference Center was established in 1974 by Gil and Marge Pugh, along with a handful of dedicated Christian women. Ten years later, as more and more individuals were drawn to the mission of the organization, they began to envision a place where others could gather, resulting in NC3. Since opening in 1984, the 50-acre property — located just outside of Valley Forge National Park and 30 minutes from Philadelphia — has expanded to serve as a venue for conferences, seminars and retreats. The center’s 10 meeting rooms can seat from 20 to 230 people, and there are 49 guest rooms on-site. Rebekah Glennon, director of marketing, says NC3 can accommodate any type of meeting or event, including training seminars, men’s and women’s retreats, and church services. Guests can take in the serene surroundings of nature or visit the many historic attractions nearby, including Valley Forge National Park, home to the Continental Army soldiers of the 1700s, the historic district of Phoenixville and the many landmarks in Philadelphia.

Historic Sunset Station at St. Paul Square
San Antonio, Texas

Historic Sunset Station, a designated National Historic Landmark located just minutes from San Antonio’s famed River Walk and the Alamo, is a 10-acre facility with four primary venues that can be divided into 10 separate rooms, totaling more than 100,000 square feet of flexible event space, which can accommodate between 20 and 20,000 guests. Built in 1902 as the Southern Pacific Railroad Depot, Sunset Station underwent a multimillion-dollar renovation and restoration in 1999. “Each of the different venues has a historic background and beauty that make it a unique setting for special events,” says Caroline Buckley, marketing coordinator. The Depot has a grand staircase, stained-glass windows and ornate vaulted ceilings. It can be set up in a variety of different ways for events. Groups can also meet in The Spire, originally St. Paul Methodist Episcopal Church from 1866 to 1922; The Crown, a coupling of The Palace Hotel and Bar (1905) and the Model Apartments (1907); and The Pavilion, an outdoor plaza ideal for concerts and public events. In addition, the Zagat-rated Aldaco’s Mexican restaurant, in an area of the development that originally was home to Interstate Company News, has meeting rooms and offers catering and event planning. Faith-based groups have chosen Sunset Station for Sunday Gospel brunches, dinners and other special events.

Harbor History Museum
Gig Harbor, Washington

Open since September, Harbor History Museum is located downtown on the waterfront, on the site of Gig Harbor’s original Native American settlement. Permanent and interactive exhibits, as well as rotating special exhibitions, showcase the rich history of the Gig Harbor Peninsula from a time when Native Americans lived along its shores through its development as a commercial waterfront. The flexibility of the 15,000-sq.-ft. facility makes it a good fit for meetings and events of up to 250 people. A Yakup, a 1915 Norwegian rowing vessel, and remnants from the first Narrows Bridge are featured in the lobby, which also has a small kitchen for events. Large picture windows with expansive views of the harbor provide the backdrop for meetings in the resource room. The permanent gallery, special exhibition gallery and maritime gallery, which houses the Shenandoah, a 65-foot fishing vessel, are also available for events. The Center for Ministry Development, based in Gig Harbor, used the museum for a meeting of its board of directors and professional staff in November. Phyllis Evans, the organization’s office manager who planned the event, says she was inspired when she attended the museum’s opening and decided it was a good fit for her meeting. “It’s not far from our office and provides a taste of Gig Harbor history that locals and out-of-town visitors alike can enjoy,” she says.

LeMay Museum at Marymount Academy
Tacoma, Washington

LeMay Museum at Marymount, also known as Marymount Event Center, once was the Marymount Military Academy run by Dominican nuns. Today, the west side of the 80-acre property houses more than 500 vintage automobiles from the LeMay Family Collection, recognized by the “Guinness Book of World Records” as the world’s largest private collection of automobiles. “These vintage vehicles can provide instant atmosphere to match event themes,” says Stacy Rushton with the LeMay Family Collection Foundation. The property features more than 100,000 square feet of outdoor space and more than 13,000 square feet indoors. The largest indoor venue can accommodate up to 425 seated.