Beaumont

Located on the Gulf Coast near the Louisiana border, Beaumont has a history linked to bayous and oil. In 1901 in nearby Spindletop, one of the world’s great oil discoveries transformed Beaumont from a small-but-significant timber and rice town into a boomtown that led the way for petroleum production in Texas. The legacy of that oil prosperity can be seen today in such grand structures as the Neoclassical McFaddin-Ward House or the historic structures that comprise the Crockett Street entertainment district.

A mid-sized city of about 100,000, Beaumont is experiencing a cultural boom again. Visitors come for its historic architecture, fine dining, lively nightlife and high concentration of quality museums—including the Texas Energy Museum, Spindletop-Gladys City Boomtown Museum, Fire Museum of Texas and the Art Museum of Southeast Texas. Cajun culture entices with spicy cuisine, high-energy Zydeco music and colorful festivals, while the great outdoors provides ample water-recreation adventures in gator country.

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Beaumont’s largest conference facility is the Ford Park Event Center, which, on May 5, will be the site of the fourth annual LiveWell Women’s Conference sponsored by local Christus Hospital. The one-day conference attracts about 2,000 women, mostly from the region, though it now attracts people from Houston, Louisiana and beyond. That is sure to be the case this year with Hilary Swank as the keynote speaker and about 25 breakout sessions on topics ranging from leadership to health to financial management, spirituality and fashion. There will also be cooking demonstrations and a fitness arena with classes throughout the day.

Marketing and Events Coordinator Becky Howard has seen the conference grow from the start. The first year, the event was at the MCM Eleganté, which is still the host hotel. “Max attendance was going to be 500, but 600 attendees packed in,” Howard recalls. “The next year it was at the Beaumont Civic Center Complex and, again, we sold out in 10 days. We moved to Ford Park, and we’re excited this year that we should be able to stay at the same place for a while.”

The Ford Park Event Center has a 48,000-sq.-ft. exhibit hall, eight meeting rooms, a 9,500-seat arena and a VIP lounge. Combined with the arena, there’s 95,000 square feet of floor space. “We have plenty of parking and a Houston pedicab company that escorts people on bicycle rickshaws from their cars,” says Howard. “As it’s getting bigger, it became important to have nearby hotels, and the Ford Park is not even two miles from what we call hotel alley,” an area of town with a number of hotels.

El Paso

In its early days, El Paso’s reputation was staked as a Wild West border town. People have always been drawn to the dusty outpost in the northern Chihuahuan Desert as a gateway to its Mexican sister city, Ciudad Juarez. But people don’t head south to Mexico anymore. El Paso has redefined itself as a growing destination with massive scale of construction projects throughout the city. Fueling the boom are the expansions of U.S. Army base Fort Bliss and the Texas Tech University medical school, as well as the new El Paso Children’s Hospital and the revitalization of the historic downtown. The population is rapidly approaching 800,000.

The buzz throughout the city is palpable. Residents are excited and hopeful about the upswing in business, while visitors continue to be drawn by long-time favorites like the Spanish Colonial architecture of the Mission Trail, sun-drenched recreation at Franklin Mountains and Hueco Tanks state parks and the city’s famed rendition of the Mexican dish, “chile relleno,” or stuffed chile pepper.

“Downtown El Paso has undergone a drastic change,” says Brooke Underwood, Director of Convention Development for the El Paso CVB. “A couple years ago, after 5 p.m. it would have turned into a ghost town, but now it really comes alive.” Some of the projects contributing to that makeover include the new El Paso Museum of History, new downtown public library, the historic restoration of a few 1930s–40s office buildings, the renovation of the 1930 Plaza Theatre and the new Doubletree Hotel, which has 200 guest rooms and seven meeting rooms.

Sister Kateri Mitchell, executive director of the National Tekakwitha Conference, visited El Paso in February in advance of her organization’s annual conference to be held in July 2013. She noticed a dramatic change in the city since the event was last held there in 2004: “It has grown tremendously. I found the downtown area to have changed so much because of development. The whole city is much, much larger.”

The National Tekakwitha Conference is an organization for Native American Catholics based upon the teachings of patroness Kateri Tekakwitha, a 17th

century woman who was beatified in 1980. The organization is based around Kateri Circles, or local prayer and study groups comprised of Native Americans from various tribes. Each year, they hold an annual conference that rotates around the country with the goal of bringing members together to share their Catholic faith and study the diverse cultures from the 156 tribes represented.

Special Places: Click here to learn about outdoor activities in West Texas.

“We’re going to El Paso in July 2013 because there is a Kateri Circle there,” Mitchell says, “and the process is to have a local group to work with to help plan this annual event with the national office.” As the national representative, she meets with the local membership, the Catholic Diocese of El Paso and the CVB to choose host hotels and the conference location.

As in 2004, the conference will be held at the Judson F. Williams Convention Center. Located downtown, the 133,000-sq.-ft. facility includes 80,000 square feet of exhibit space, 17 breakout meeting rooms, three halls and an additional 15,000 square feet of meeting space. Last year, a striking new outdoor shade canopy was constructed, which can be booked for outdoor receptions of a few hundred people.

Directly behind the convention center is the popular Union Plaza Entertainment District. Formerly an industrial warehouse park, the area has been reshaped as a hip dining and nightlife district, including notable restaurant, The Garden. And despite its thriving business climate, spicy culture and

year-round sunny weather, El Paso remains surprisingly affordable. “To combat the travel expenses of a delegate coming into El Paso, we can close that gap with much more affordable meeting accommodations,” Underwood says. “As far as parking, meals, lodging, accommodations and the actual meeting, it won’t break the bank.”

The other perception she wishes were commonplace regards safety. “Despite what people are hearing in the national media, El Paso is the safest city in America with a population of more than 500,000,” Underwood says. “The things that are happening on the other side of the border are not spilling over. If people want that international experience, they can still experience it by coming to El Paso. All that flavor, culture and cuisine is now on this side of the border.”

Galveston

Few places embody the spirit of Texas tenacity like Galveston. It rose to national prominence in the 19th century, at one time becoming the largest city in Texas due to its port, where cotton shipped out and immigrants poured in. But all that changed with the Great Storm of 1900. The city was submerged and more than 6,000 people were killed by a hurricane, the worst natural disaster the U.S. had faced. In the aftermath, the Houston ship channel was constructed, and that inland city became the state’s major commercial center.

Galveston residents raised the entire city by eight feet and constructed a 17-foot seawall to protect against future storms. During Prohibition, Galveston experienced a comeback as a lawless hub for drinking, gambling and prostitution. That mini-boom lasted until the mid-1950s, when the Texas Rangers finally put an end to those activities. Since the 1980s, Galveston has focused on tourism, capitalizing on its colorful history, grand architecture and beaches.

In 2008, Hurricane Ike flooded Galveston again. More than two years later, it’s estimated that at least 20 percent of the population of 58,000 did not return. Some historic buildings were seriously damaged or destroyed, and saltwater killed about 40,000 trees. The city has mostly rebuilt and recovered, and its major attractions—including the Strand Historic District, the 1859 Ashton Villa, 1892 Bishop’s Palace, tall ship Elissa, Moody Gardens tourist complex and Schlitterbahn waterpark—are open for business.

As a former Floridian who lives in Plano, Phyllis McCully enjoys Galveston for its beach and seafood. But as a meeting planner, the associate director of the South-Central Region of the Association of Christian Schools International appreciates Moody Gardens as the yearly setting of ACSI’s regional educators’ convention. “I’ve been involved in planning at a lot of different venues, and Moody Gardens is my favorite venue to attend both because of their wonderful facilities and the people to work with,” she says.

Moody Gardens Convention Center has more than 100,000 square feet of meeting space, including a 60,000-sq.-ft. flexible space for a ballroom or expo hall. Most rooms can be divided into smaller rooms for breakout sessions, receptions or other events. The attached garage can accommodate 1,000 cars, and adjacent Moody Gardens Resort has 428 guest rooms. The resort and convention center are part of the 242-acre Moody Gardens tourist complex, one of Texas’ top attractions, which draws more than two million visitors a year and features three glass pyramids housing an aquarium, recreated rainforest and science exhibits.

ACSI uses the convention center for exhibits and general sessions, and has breakout sessions at both the hotel and convention center. “They have some rooms that can be divided into two spaces or opened up,” McCully says. “Depending upon what our needs are—whether we want them set classroom-style or whether we want them set theater-style—they are always very good about working with us.
McCully praises Moody Gardens’ staff for always exceeding expectations: “Even when the hurricane came through, they called us right away to let us know they had minimal damage and there wouldn’t be any problem with holding our convention…There is always a lot of communication back and forth about what our needs will be. The whole staff just seems to really go out of their way to work with us.”

Plano

In the late 1970s and ’80s, the popular television series “Dallas” reinforced the stereotypes of Texans the world over. Right or wrong, J.R. Ewing et al came to represent the popular notion of Texas excess—big oil and ranching money, brash attitudes and outsized personalities. The setting for this melodrama took place at Plano’s real-life Southfork Ranch.

The reality of Plano is much more ordinary. The Dallas suburb began as a rural agricultural community with origins dating back to the 1840s. In 1960, the population was less than 4,000, but it exploded in subsequent decades as the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex expanded. Plano’s population is currently estimated at around 300,000, making it the ninth-largest city in the state. It is now known for outstanding shopping and dining establishments, a hot air balloon festival and a penchant for ending up on best-places-to-live lists. But small-town agricultural roots are still evident in the historic downtown and the Heritage Farmstead Museum—a living history property that features an 1891 Victorian farmhouse.

Special Places: Click here to learn about the Texas Independence Trail.

In April 2009, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America held its 22nd Northern Texas-Northern Louisiana Synod Assembly at the Plano Centre. The annual meeting of the church rotates around the region, coming back to the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex every few years. With more than 86,000 square feet of meeting space, 18 breakout rooms and more than 21,000 square feet of exhibit space, meeting planner Becky Brakke recalls the Plano Centre meeting the synod’s needs.

“It is just an absolutely lovely space,” she says. “It sits on a nice, expansive country lot. You have plenty of parking and even some hook-ups for campers.” Those are important assets for a planner whose delegates tend to drive and bring RVs. “We’ve used two hotels that are about a mile or two away, so there is some travel,” she says.

The synod used all the breakout rooms, as well as hallways for displays and the assembly space for worship. Church youth also attend, and Brakke says their own meetings were conducted in rooms set off specifically for them. “We found the staff to be very accommodating, and it has one of the best in-house caterers we have ever worked with,” she says. “I would rank the Centre at the top of the list.”

San Antonio

San Antonio is one of America’s cultural gems, world-renowned for its Spanish Colonial architecture, hallowed history, vibrant traditions and top-tier attractions like the Alamo and the River Walk. This year, Texans celebrate the 175th anniversary of independence from Mexico and the fight for freedom that took center stage at the Alamo on March 6, 1836. The tragic events of that day rallied the Texas revolutionaries and helped shape the state’s resolute destiny and character, commemorated this year in anniversary events across the state and city.

Another reason to visit San Antonio soon is to experience the new expansion of the River Walk. The Museum Reach section opened in 2009 and extends the walking trail about a mile and a half north of downtown to the San Antonio Museum of Art, Pearl Brewery complex, Brackenridge Park and the Witte Museum. This noncommercial stretch is beautifully landscaped with native plants and public art installations, offering visitors and residents alike a tranquil alternative to the bustling tourist restaurants and nightlife of the old River Walk. In late 2010, the first part of the Mission Reach section opened, which will eventually be a hike-and-bike trail connecting four historic Spanish missions south of downtown with the city center. The entire River Walk will stretch 15 miles by 2014.

In addition to attractions, meeting professionals love San Antonio for its unique combination of culture, convenience and compactness. From humble beginnings as a Spanish colony founded in 1718, San Antonio now has a population of about 1.4 million, making it the second-largest city in Texas and seventh-largest in the country. Downtown contains more than 12,700 guest rooms within walking distance of the Alamo, River Walk, Market Square, Main Plaza, Mexican restaurants and the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, which has 630,000 square feet of meeting space and almost 440,000 square feet of exhibit space. Three ballrooms are available, as well as the 2,400-seat Lila Cockrell Theatre and 63 breakout rooms.

One prestigious downtown property is The St. Anthony Hotel, a National Historic Landmark that was built in 1909 by cattle barons. Known for its grand history and opulence, The St. Anthony delivers for meeting planners with 352 guest rooms, more than 30,000 square feet of meeting space, 22 meeting rooms, two ballrooms and a rooftop reception area called the Starlight Terrace, providing stellar views of downtown.

For Kristen Cress, it was all about location. The coordinator of member services for United Methodist Association of Health and Welfare Ministries organized the 71st UMA National Convention at the St. Anthony March 2–4. The annual event rotates around the five jurisdictions of the United Methodist Church, and Cress says, “We were looking for something centrally located that would appeal to our members and hopefully encourage them to stay before and after for vacation.”

“We always look for a one-stop place,” she adds. “We’d be lost in a convention center, plus there’s added cost for meeting space. If we do it at a hotel large enough for us and we meet our room blocks, then they throw in meeting space for free.” It also helped that The St. Anthony is located right next to Travis Park United Methodist Church, which served as the only off-site event location by providing a space for worship. “Because Travis Park is right next door, and it actually has history to one of our homes [Methodist Mission Home] in the community we thought it was important to do worship there,” Cress says.

Click here for Texas tips, at-a-glance facts and more venue information.

Convention and Visitors Bureau

Connecting early and often with the CVB in a destination city is probably the most important key to planning a successful citywide event. “Make the CVB your first call,” says Crystal Morris with the Columbia Metropolitan CVB in South Carolina. The staff can put you in touch with hotels, meeting venues, restaurants, transportation companies, security companies, audiovisual suppliers and other organizations needed to pull a citywide event together. Morris advises groups to contact CVBs three to five years in advance to ensure availability and choice of hotels and meeting facilities. Tip: Morris advises groups to contact CVBs three to give years in advance to ensure availability and choice of hotels and meeting facilities.

Hotels

Citywide events require hotels—plural—that are close to one another, and close to other venues and restaurants. They also have to fit the planner’s budget and space requirements. One issue planners run into: a series of separate hotel contracts. Tip: Some CVBs offer planners centralized housing support by finding hotels, getting them aligned on room rates, and providing contracts with similar nomenclature, deadlines and pricing structures.

Convention Center

Hotel meeting space often can’t accommodate large events like citywides. What’s needed, then, is a convention center with exhibit space, breakout meeting rooms, food and beverage services, and audiovisual capabilities—and it all needs to be within close distance to the hotels. Tip: To save on AV costs at convention centers, planners should check with speakers and educators in advance to find out who will need technology for their presentations rather than placing equipment in every room for every session.

Transportation

Getting attendees from the hotel to the event venue or to restaurants and activities is a challenge. “You don’t want a bunch of people all driving different vehicles around, or being left behind,” says Tim Lampkin, director of convention sales and group services at the Asheville CVB. Some cities have low-cost or—better yet—free public transportation if events are located in a relatively small but not walkable area. For transportation to off-site events, CVBs can help planners by sending RFPs out to local motorcoach providers planners can choose from. Tip: If you expect attendees to travel to and from events using public transportation, provide them with an access card (prepaid, if budgets allow) and a schedule in their registration packets.

Restaurants and Entertainment

Most citywide events build in time for attendees to enjoy local restaurants and attractions. Working these plans and logistics into an agenda can go a long way in making attendees happy. Many cities have entertainment districts with a variety of dining options near the convention center and hotels. Tip: Erin Degulis, director of convention services at the Providence-Warwick CVB, says her team can preselect restaurants with planners and work with them to create special menu pricing to meet a group’s per diem. “We then set up a table at the registration area where attendees can make reservations.”

Airport

Large-scale citywides often have attendees arriving from all over the country, so an accessible and convenient airport is a must. Planners should communicate with attendees in advance about transportation options to and from the airport and hotels. Many hotels provide complimentary shuttles. Tip: CVBs often work with planners to create a welcome center at the airport to greet guests as they arrive and make sure they know how to get to their hotel.  “We have welcome banners and give attendees customized flyers and visitor guides,” says Columbia CVB’s Twila Jones.

“We use the major ones,” says Wagner. “I mean you can’t do anything without using Facebook since it’s the size of a small country.” Then he quickly rattles off a handful more: various Twitter sites (Twitterfall, Twitteriffic, Hootsuite), Meetup.com, Stumbleupon and LinkedIn. “And obviously we use YouTube. YouTube and Google go hand-in-hand. They are the No. 1 and 2 search engines in the world, so you have to use them.”

The tools and websites he lists might not be obvious to all planners, but Wagner, CEO of P.H.A.T.B.O.Y. Productions, maneuvers around social media sites as easily as many meeting planners find their way around their go-to convention centers.

His website is evidence enough that his nickname, “Master of Integration,” is more than fitting. Wagner also produces The Ultimate Step Show annually, as well as a monthly Lyricist’s Cafe, and speaks regularly, combining his talents of miming and stepping with a seminary education. He integrates technology into his events, social media into event promotion, and faith, instruction, comedy and skits into his speaking. All this integration leads to events that capture his audience’s attention, engaging them beyond the actual dates.

Today’s faith-based meetings and conventions—whether they are online, face-to-face or, increasingly more common, both—require similar integration. Social media and the rise of Internet-connected devices continue to blur the line between our online and physical lives, and extend the life cycle of events. The latest technology heightens attendee experience and message integration to a level every planner seeks—one of year-round engagement.

Virtual Reality

Hybrid events, which combine online and face-to-face components, are no longer an experiment. In fact, they are being embraced as a close-to-ideal combination of live and remote events, and can include a dedicated virtual space with live event streaming, speaker and attendee interviews, social media chats and video interaction, or a single session streamed on your website. “Hybrid is the new black,” says UBM Studios Executive Vice President Kate Spellman.

“The coolest thing right now is the ability to bring your online and offline, face-to-face and online world, together,” says Samuel J. Smith, managing director of Interactive Meeting Technology LLC. “It shows the true power of communication that you can have an online community and have your face-to-face audience, and they can meet online. They drive each other.”

In the past five years, descriptors for hybrid events have gone from “cannibalizing” and “future” to “necessary” and “now.” Advances in technology have propelled virtual events from a fuzzy video streaming online to an interactive world that is now an integral part of live events. New technologies add another important factor: They offer solutions for sustainable meetings by reducing travel and the need for printed event materials (see “Meeting Gadgets” below).

Wagner capitalizes on the attention span and needs of his demographic with videos and podcasts on all his websites. His audience wants value, so he shows them exactly what to expect at his events. Generation Y is familiar with multiple screens and videos on websites, says Jeff Hurt, director of education and engagement for Velvet Chainsaw Consulting. “The web has been moving so fast, by 2013 it’s going to be video-based instead of text-based.”

Planners’ opinions about hybrid meetings have shifted considerably in a short time. Less than two years ago, defenders of virtual meetings spent most of their energy convincing planners that streaming an event live would not harm their face-to-face events. Now, virtual components are accepted as powerful marketing tools that extend a meeting’s reach, interaction and longevity.

As often happens, attendees are driving the change. As people become more comfortable with technology, they expect events to keep up.

“The fact that we can Skype and video conference from mobile phones is huge,” Hurt says. “The impact of being able to video from smartphones and immediately be able to post it on the web has created a natural response. People want to see that at events.”

Associated costs have come down as well. Being able to stream a session online takes little more than a camera, Internet access and a cord. Many hosting sites are free with premium upgrades available. UBM Studios and similar providers can produce complex virtual trade shows for clients, or planners can mix-and-match the company’s offerings to include live content streaming, chats, exhibit booths or material exchange.

“Start simply,” Spellman advises rookie hybrid event planners. “You don’t have to bite off the whole world. It does take manpower, and you need to have the right content for the right audience.”

Dedicated content development is needed for virtual programming, and it’s important to recognize the remote audience has a different perspective and needs attention of its own. “When planning the face-to-face, you think: ‘How does this impact my attendees? How do I move attendees from passive to participatory?’” Hurt says. “The same is true with virtual/hybrid attendees. Planners need to think, ‘How will the remote audience view this?’”

Two-Way Street

Understanding your audience is instrumental in every aspect of meeting planning, and the social revolution has changed the way you interact. A bottom-up philosophy is not just about getting customer feedback through social media channels; it’s about engaging attendees every step of the way. Online components create an interactive, two-way dialogue with attendees year-round.

“Web 2.0 has created systems of engagement where people engage with each other,” Hurt says. Students and early adopters are leading the way, while large institutions and nonprofits are lagging behind, he says, but events can take advantage of the ground-up mentality by using crowdsourcing, inviting attendees to participate in the planning process and content development, and engaging them with technology at the event, through interactive chats and post-event interaction online.

To accomplish this, you have to know your audience and where they gather. “It’s 100 percent about meeting people where they are, not about being everywhere,” says Maddie Grant, CAE, chief social media strategist at SocialFish. “And the way to find out where they are is by asking them.”

She compares choosing where to host your community to building an expensive soccer stadium for kids who love playing soccer on their neighborhood street. Some kids are willing but not able to come to your shiny, new stadium, while others are able, but not willing. Choose a platform based on where your community is or desires to be.

Wagner knows his audience uses Facebook and texting, so he targets his campaigns to those areas. He also collects email addresses at events and uses programs such as evite.com and constantcontact.com to send invitations, many of which show immediate results of who opened the email, who responded and what is marked as spam.

“Wherever people are, we have to go,” Wagner says. “Not just in social media marketing, but just as Christians. Sometimes we stay at a church and hope they come. Why not get out of the church and go where people are? You might think Facebook is for kids, but you have to go where they are, find people, deliver quality information, capture information and stay in touch with them.”

He uses his personal accounts to join conversations on blogs, social media and on other websites. Commenting on blogs and asking questions to stir up dialog help you become identified as an expert in your field, he says. Once you are recognized on websites, people will look to you and your organization for information.

In today’s social environment, people look to their friends as experts. Word of mouth remains one of the most effective promotions; social media has just altered how it is disseminated. Take advantage by making sure everything on your website is shareable, Grant says. Every piece of content on your website—from individual sessions in your conference schedule to your registration page—should have social share buttons. “You really shoot yourself in the foot when it’s hard for people to share things they are excited about,” she says.

Game On

An easy way to encourage sharing is through gaming and geo-location applications. Wagner offers incentives to attendees who check-in with Foursquare, Facebook Places or other geo-location apps, putting promotion in the hands of attendees.

“It shows credibility—not just having the event but that people are actually going to it,” Wagner says. “Every single person is a leader. They may not be leading many, but everyone has a sphere of influence. People are going to see [event check-ins] and ask questions.”

Everyone has heard the adage, “Tell me and I’ll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I’ll understand.” But based on the large lectures and seminars that rule conference programming, many planners haven’t embraced the concept yet. Gaming changes that. It ranges from highly technological (iPads, online systems and personal devices) to a moderator with a simulation in which a group participates.

“Games put you in the action,” Smith says. “They force you to make decisions and then think about ‘Why did I make that decision?’ [Attendees] are applying what they’ve been told.” A moderator stops the action periodically to give attendees time to evaluate why they made certain decisions.

Games can direct attendees to certain aspects of a conference or website. The same geo-location social networks Wagner uses for promotion increase participation at events. Planners can incorporate badges or rewards for attending a general session or service project to increase attendance, or encourage participation on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube with a point system.

Gaming is still in its early stages. Experts predict this trend will continue to creep into meetings and events, as well as into business, education and beyond. The competition games encourage lead to the interaction and involvement planners are looking for.

Competition isn’t limited to an event. “The interesting thing about gaming is not just the geo-location and building up of badges and points, but it’s about building community year-round,” Grant says. Planners can encourage members to fill out forms on a website, register or join discussions online with points and rewards. Just like hybrid events, gaming extends the timeline of your ministry and community beyond the physical element of gathering together once a year.

What’s Next

It wasn’t long ago that experts predicted virtual technology would drive out face-to-face meetings. Instead, the move is to a new model that drives the two together. As the marriage between the two worlds grows, the line separating in-person and virtual meetings blurs.

The timeline for events is also changing. “Down the road I see it being more of an evergreen model,” says UBM’s Spellman. “We’re just starting to see more 365-day events and keeping environments open.” Events are moving from a one-time physical experience to an ongoing space in which attendees and presenters can move in and out. With the continued assimilation of technology, social media and gaming, futurists see virtual events—and technology in general—becoming so integrated into live events that they won’t have a separate title.

For Wagner, that means changing mindsets in all areas of planning. He doesn’t create promotions; he creates campaigns. “Campaigns are long-term, and promotions are short-term,” he says. “So everything we do in regards to promotion is leading them down the path to something else later.”

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Maybe it’s because I haven’t been around school-age children much in the past few years, but I was impressed from the moment I walked in the door. Like most meetings and events, a registration table was set up just inside the door. It wasn’t teachers or school administrators at the table; a group of four or five fifth graders checked me in instead. They were friendly, smiling as soon as I entered. One quickly asked if I was there for career day, and as soon as I shared my name, another had an information packet in hand for me. One girl went over my schedule with me, letting me know where I needed to be and when, pointing to the rooms on a highlighted map they’d prepared for me.

Talk about a good registration experience. Like most conferences I attend, I walked in with questions and a little apprehension, but they made me feel at ease. I even had a student escort between my sessions, making sure I made it to the right location. This group of young kids excelled when it came to registration and logistics for this small event. They smiled, spoke clearly and confidently handled my questions and concerns. I went to this school to teach them a few things about what I do for a living, but they taught me a few things about my industry, too. If a few fifth graders can handle an event so well, there’s no reason why this shouldn’t happen at every event.

It’s personal reflection and it’s corporate worship. It’s a component of most faith-based meetings and events—whether it opens a business meeting, is in a dedicated session or room, or is the focus of the entire event—but preparation for time set aside for prayer can be easily overlooked.

Finding a balance between business and inspiration is a challenge for many planners.

How do you incorporate prayer into your events?

Continue to follow us here, on Facebook and Twitter in 2011 for the latest faith-based meetings news.

Branson, Missouri

Most folks have long known this southern Missouri town by its apt moniker, “the live music capital of the world,” thanks to some 50 theaters and the 100 shows that run here from morning ’til late night. But in the past few years Branson’s other persona has emerged: that of a major meetings hub. “We’ve always been a great vacation destination; what we lacked, though, was a great convention center,” says Bill Tirone, CMP, CEM, assistant GM for the Hiltons of Branson and the Branson Convention Center. “Since 2007 we’ve had the marriage of those two elements.”

True enough, along with the marquee performers, three theme parks, several lakes, 10 golf courses and 240 restaurants, Branson now offers groups a sleek glass-and-stone convention hall, awash in earth tones and natural light, with 220,000 square feet of flexible space and connected to a 290-room Hilton. The combination provides an irresistible work-and-play incentive for groups, says Tirone, especially those groups in the religious market.

“Branson’s long been a natural for faith-based events and is very proud of its Christian roots,” he says. “Having the convention center allows us to host those larger religious organizations that have wanted to meet here as well as the smaller groups that have been coming here for years but wanted to grow their attendance.” Branson is also home to a number of family-friendly museums, covering everything from toys and the Titanic to classic cars and Hollywood legends. There’s even a butterfly house and rainforest, perfect for a peaceful time-out away from the shows and celebrities

Kansas City, Missouri

Power and Light District

These days the Show-Me State’s western anchor, Kansas City, remains busy answering a question we’d all like posed to us: If you had $9 billion, what would you spend it on? Plenty, as it turns out. For the better part of a decade the Missouri River port and state’s most populous destination, with about 482,000 residents, has been on a roll with major renovations affecting both the city and its tourism and hospitality industry.

Leading the long list of upgrades is the revamp of downtown. Following a $150 million facelift, the Kansas City Convention Center now sports a renovated Music Hall and the new Grand Ballroom (LEED Silver, 46,400 square feet) to complement its 48 meeting rooms and 388,000 square feet of exhibit space. A short stroll away: the $276 million Sprint Center complex, with seating for up to 18,000, a 30,000-sq.-ft. fan appreciation zone and the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame. The city’s hotels have kept pace with its growth as well, with a series of major renovations and
expansions that have the city’s guest room total approaching 33,000.

Post-meeting pursuits abound, thanks in great part to downtown’s hopping Power and Light District. This new $850 million neighborhood, formed as a bridge between the convention and Sprint centers, covers eight blocks and contains everything attendees love most about downtown meetings, including a variety of restaurants and nightlife and an enormous outdoor space that can be cordoned off for private events. Kansas City’s arts community has its own excitement brewing, following a $200 million expansion of the prestigious Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and the upcoming $413 million Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. And for history and military buffs, planners need to pencil in two must-see attractions: the National World War I Museum at Liberty Memorial, set on a serene patch of parkland overlooking downtown Kansas City and Union Station, and nearby Independence, Mo., home of Harry Truman and his library and museum.

Omaha, Nebraska

Been to Nebraska’s largest city lately? If not, get ready for some head-turning changes. “People are amazed at all the development that’s taken place here recently — it’s a brand-new city from even what it was five years ago,” says Cathy Keller, director of sales for the Omaha CVB. The big news: TD Ameritrade Park Omaha, the $128 million downtown stadium set for a spring 2011 opening, which will play host to the NCAA Baseball College World Series for the next quarter century. Holding up to 24,000, the new stadium features the requisite bells and whistles (1,000 club seats; 26 luxury boxes; retail stores) as well as parking for 9,000 cars and a 360-degree walk-around concourse.

Meeting attendees will soon have many more overnight options to choose from while in town, led by the recently opened, 132-room Element by Westin, a 102-room Staybridge Suites (debuting in March) and a Residence Inn by Marriott Downtown due in 2012. The 450-room Hilton Omaha, meanwhile, continues its major expansion and renovation, adding 150 guest rooms, a 7,000-sq.-ft. ballroom and another 100 parking spaces for a 2012 completion. Omaha’s new products nicely complement what’s been drawing groups already, including the spiffy Qwest Center (194,000 square feet of exhibit space; 12 meeting rooms) and roughly 13,000 area-wide hotel rooms.

Despite so much new development Omaha remains simple to navigate. “We sell more meeting planners on how easy a city we are logistically,” says Keller. “It’s not like you’re ever lost. The airport is five minutes from the Qwest Center, downtown hotels and the entertainment district (formerly Omaha’s major market).” Omaha also draws a fair share of faith-based meetings. “We do a lot of religious groups because there’s tremendous support here in the community for them,” says Keller, citing the National Catholic Forensic League’s recent trip to town for its 2010 Grand National Tournament.

Rapid City, South Dakota

Mount Rushmore

A gold rush helped establish this Black Hills outpost in the late 19th century, and tourism as well as a hip sensibility have kept people coming back ever since.

Despite its modest population of a little more than 60,000, Rapid City seems larger, courtesy of its easy access (off I-90) and a bustling core. Downtown remains a favorite of locals and visitors, sought out for its dining, which ranges from nouvelle cuisine to lively brew pubs, trendy shops and galleries, and Art Alley, the block-long, downtown alleyway packed with urban murals and graffiti art. Accommodations are comfortable but never snobby, running the gamut from inns, cabins and resorts to extended-stay and major meeting hotels. The Hotel Alex Johnson, a historic, 143-room charmer set in the heart of downtown, is fresh off a $5 million renovation and features five elegant meeting rooms.

Rapid City offers a wealth of activities and special event options worth pursuing as well, either as a group or post-meeting with the spouse and kids. The big draws — Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse and Devils Tower — provide attendees with a scenic drive and memorable day trip just west of town. Closer in, there’s family fun at WaTiki Indoor Waterpark, animal fascination with the Reptile Gardens and Bear Country USA, and art and history, via gold factory tours, the Journey Museum and Dahl Arts Center.

When Lifeway Ministries chose Rapid City and the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center for a recent Living Proof Live Conference, “the city and its core group of churches was very welcoming,” says planner Amy Cato, “and the CVB helped us secure our venue and hotels.”

Wichita, Kansas

In many ways Kansas’ biggest city (360,000) epitomizes all that’s harmonious and productive not just in the Sunflower State but throughout America. “We’re in the center of both Kansas and the U.S.,” says John Rolfe, a native Kansan and president and CEO of Go Wichita. The city’s location and approach to life provides a nice surprise for groups, he says, as does Wichita’s affordability and friendliness. “We’re a big city with nice amenities — a vibrant arts and culture scene, great hotels, over 1,000 restaurants and wonderful meeting facilities — but with Midwestern prices,” he says. “Because of our demographics we’re like a test market for new things: If you can make it here, you can make it almost anywhere in the U.S.”

Indeed, the city sports some snazzy venues, starting with the dynamic Century II Performing Arts and Convention Center, which features more than 200,000 square feet of meeting and exhibit space and connects to the 303-room Hyatt Regency Wichita. Then there’s the new, 15,000-seat Intrust Bank Arena, ideal for faith-based meetings and trade shows; the multipurpose Hartman Arena; and Kansas Pavilions, a 250,000-sq.-ft. favorite for auto and agriculture shows. And for fans of environmentally friendly practices, Wichita sits just an hour’s drive from Greensburg, the central Kansas community destroyed by a tornado in 2007 that has since rebuilt itself as a
thriving example of green-focused living and business.

For Elizabeth Stevenson, conference director for the Society of Decorative Painters, Wichita recently provided the perfect gathering spot for her group’s annual conference of 1,000. “It was the best overall in terms of the five cities we were considering,” she says. “It’s convenient, you can walk downtown and the convention center hotel provides free transportation to the airport, which is just five minutes away.”

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Site Visits | For more Great Plains places, click on the images below.

The Grand Chapel

Corn Palace

Durham Museum

With sweeping desert valleys and cactus-strewn landscapes, the four states of the beautiful and diverse Southwest are scenic and complex. From the hip and urban to the charming and intimate, each city possesses its own distinct flavor, energy and personality. From dynamic metropolises to boutique towns, Southwest cities are meccas for outdoor lovers and adventurous spirits, as well as faith-based planners seeking to add a little spice to their events.

Albuquerque, New Mexico

With 310 days of sunshine per year, the historic capital city of Albuquerque is a prime destination for outdoor-minded groups. It’s also the hot air ballooning capital of the world. Famous for its chili-infused cuisine, the city features plenty of local restaurants serving up New Mexican flavor and culture.

“Albuquerque has always been an enchanting city to me,” says Sylvia Corral, coordinator for the Church of God’s annual North American Women’s Ministry Retreat. “Our church has held various ventures in Albuquerque, and it is centrally located for our membership to attend, but really [I pick it] because I love the city.”

The group of 150 women especially enjoyed shopping and lunching in Old Town Albuquerque, a serene, historic village with more than shops, boutiques, galleries and artists’ studios. Corral hopes to return to the city during the famed Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, held each year during the first week of October. As the largest ballooning event in the world with a mass ascension of more than 600 hot air balloons, this most-photographed event on earth attracts more than 100,000 people.

Besides fun festivals, great shopping, Southwest cuisine and other activities, Albuquerque’s hotels appeal to a variety of groups. Take the new Hotel Parq Central, which sits on historic Route 66 on the site of the city’s old Memorial Hospital. It’s a 1920s-themed, 74-room boutique hotel with a business center and three meeting rooms totaling 2,600 square feet. Within walking distanceof the trendy Edo (east of downtown) district with restaurants and up-and-coming galleries, the hotel works for smaller groups looking for a property with history and personality.

More than 16,000 hotel rooms spread throughout the rest of the city, many of which are in Southwestern-themed hotels, and 900 are within walking distance of the 600,000-sq.-ft. Albuquerque Convention Center. The downtown convention center has 27 meeting rooms, a 31,000-sq.-ft ballroom and 2,300-seat Kiva Auditorium.

Grapevine, Texas

Named for the wild Mustang grapes that blanketed the land when settlers arrived in 1844, Grapevine is an internationally recognized trendsetter in the wine industry and a popular destination for groups that love big-city flavors combined with a small-town, family-friendly atmosphere.

That’s why Leadership Training for Christ makes Grapevine a repeat destination for its annual North Texas Leadership Training for Christ Convention. “Regardless of [where] you’re from, [the people] make you feel like you belong, like you’re family returning home for a holiday visit,” says Danny Holmes, LTFC board member and director.

Located 10 minutes from the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, Grapevine has 19 hotel properties with 800,000 square feet of meeting space, three golf courses, a recreational lake and shopping outlets. A signature attraction is Historic Downtown Grapevine, with its old town-style variety of shops, restaurants, wineries and thriving arts community. Family-friendly attractions set to open soon include the Legoland Discovery Center and the Sea Life Aquarium. They will be part of the sprawling Grapevine Mills Mall, which already has a Bass Pro Shop, 30-screen movie theater, ice skating rink and almost any chain restaurant an attendee could imagine.

Faith-based groups in need of meeting space with a fun environment have a tough decision in Grapevine. The city has the Great Wolf Lodge, which has an indoor waterpark with nine water slides and 20,000 square feet of meeting space. The Gaylord Texan, by comparison, is all about Texas pride. From cowboy-themed carpet in its 400,000 square feet of meeting space to a replica of the Alamo in the atrium, the expansive resort makes it impossible for attendees to forget they’re in Texas. They can find everything they need at Gaylord with shops and multiple restaurants and club areas, each available for private events, all on-site.

Houston, Texas

Houston Discovery Green Park

Besides its rugged pioneering and ranching heritage, Texas is home to a variety of convention cities big and small. And if planning big faith-based meetings is your thing, Houston just might be the right place. Its downtown area alone claims two of the top convention facilities in the country: the George R. Brown Convention Center (GRBCC) and Reliant Park.

Recent economic development makes the area even more of a draw, with newer amenities including the 12-acre Discovery Green park, hotels, restaurants, and the Houston Pavilions multi-use entertainment and retail development. The area continues to expand: The 262-room Embassy Suites Hotel, which includes 6,000 square feet of meeting and event space, opens in 2011, overlooking Discovery Green.

The Auxiliaries in Ministry (AIM) Convention returns to Houston and the GRBCC in July after a five-year absence. AIM draws tens of thousands of attendees to its annual meeting, which features training, worship services, youth activities, missions motivation, community outreach and more. “[Houston is] excellent for us as our people travel from all across the country and from international locations,” says Keith Kershaw, vice-chair of logistics for the AIM Convention. “We had been to the city once prior with positive results and feedback … Hotel prices, the basic hotel package in the immediate area of the convention center and the variety of eatery and shopping choices all aided in our decision [to return].”

Santa Fe, New Mexico

Known for its ancient pueblos, adobe churches, Southwestern cuisine and art galleries, the boutique city of Santa Fe is a friendly, relaxing, artsy town.

Within a short walking distance from downtown action, which includes hotels, restaurants, museums and shopping, is the state-of-the-art Santa Fe Convention Center, a LEED Gold-certified facility that features 40,000 square feet of event space, an 18,000-sq.-ft. ballroom, 11 breakout rooms, building-wide wireless Internet and an outdoor courtyard in the middle of the center.

Artistic and historic amenities are plentiful in Santa Fe, so groups have no problem keeping themselves occupied outside the meeting room. Featuring permanent and temporary exhibitions spanning the early history of indigenous people, the 2-year-old New Mexico History Museum is the centerpiece of a diverse campus dedicated to New Mexico historical education and research. Another must-see is the new Santa Fe Railyard, a 50-acre, multipurpose gathering place with a farmers market, 10-acre park with a kid’s play area, restaurants, shops and galleries. And guests will have no trouble getting around Santa Fe, thanks to the city’s public transportation system.

Tucson, Arizona

Mission San Xavier

Nestled in a scenic valley adorned with groves of saguaro cacti, the Sonoran Desert city of Tucson is one of Southern Arizona’s best meeting destinations. Due to its range of hotels, resorts and meetings venues, and added affordability in the summer, Tucson is a repeat destination for many religious groups.

Wanting to try a new destination for its annual Feast of Tabernacles, the Philadelphia Church of God chose Tucson for its 2010 meeting in September. The group of more than 500 had such a great experience, it plans to return for the next two years. PCG Convention Planner Jason Cocomise says the professional service and warm reception the group received from the Hilton El Conquistador Golf and Tennis Resort and the Metropolitan Tucson Convention and Visitors Bureau clinched its decision to return.

“For our group, something new made [Tucson] very appealing,” says Cocomise. “We wanted a change of scenery from … where we had been for the previous five years. The MTCVB and their fine staff was a huge asset to our group. Our group raved about the Hilton El Con Resort and surrounding area and can’t wait to go back for 2011 and 2012.”

Whether returning to the city or enjoying it for the first time, groups can choose from a host of venues within Tucson’s steadily growing hospitality community. One of the city’s newest hotel properties is The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain, located at the foothills of the Tortolita Mountains. This beautiful resort features 250 guest rooms and suites, three ballrooms (9,000, 5,000 and 2,100 square feet), five meeting rooms, four restaurants, 27-hole Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course, and 17,000-sq.-ft. spa and fitness center. Adventure-seekers can take advantage of the resort’s outdoor activities including horseback riding, hiking, cattle penning, biking, bird-watching and stargazing.

Tulsa, Oklahoma

ONEOK Field

Oklahoma inspired the famed Rodgers and Hammerstein musical bearing its name, and though the state’s Old West spirit remains alive, it’s a modern meeting destination. That’s obvious in the comfortably cosmopolitan city of Tulsa. Affordable and easy to navigate, Tulsa is a friendly, personable town with plenty to do during off-site hours.

Tulsa has become a repeat destination for Christ In Youth’s three youth-oriented events. “Tulsa has been incredible cost-wise, and every year when looking for new locations, it is always at the top of our list for returning,” says Tommy Nobis, junior high operations director for Know Sweat, the annual service event for junior and senior high schoolers. “It’s large enough to have the resources we need but is a size that parents feel good about sending their students to.”

Tulsa has an appealing mix of big-city amenities and small-town friendliness and atmosphere. Thanks to a multimillion dollar investment in the city’s downtown area, there are more meetings, hotel and entertainment choices for groups, including the recently completed $50.5 million renovation and expansion of the Tulsa Convention Center that now has the state’s largest ballroom at 30,000 square feet. In addition, a new $39.2 million ONEOK Field ballpark is prime for group events. In the Greenwood District, it’s home to the Tulsa Drillers baseball team, and it’s a not-to-miss for sport-loving groups.

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Site Visits | For more Southwest places, click on the images below.

Las Cruces, New Mexico

Mini-Time Machine Museum of Miniatures

Baltimore, Maryland

Baltimore's Inner Harbor

Sports venues cozy up with artist studios and crab shacks on the streets of Baltimore near the Patapsco River. That river — which flows into Chesapeake Bay — helped establish the city as a major seaport town, and its location continues to draw visitors to Maryland’s largest city. “Baltimore is one of the most accessible cities in the country,” says Tom Noonan, president and CEO of Visit Baltimore. It’s a city that’s easy to get to and easy to get around.

Baltimore is also one of the oldest towns in the nation, and some of its 400 churches date back to the mid-1800s. Archbishop John Carroll, the first bishop of Baltimore and America’s first Roman Catholic bishop, helped begin construction of the nation’s first cathedral in 1806. Designed by Benjamin Henry Latrobe, who also designed the United States Capitol building, the cathedral was dedicated in 1821. Today it’s the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and it serves as the co-cathedral of the Archdiocese of Baltimore, which was America’s first. The city’s rich history can be found at a number of other churces and attractions such as Fort McHenry, the Star-Spangled Banner Flag House and the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture.

“Baltimore has a lot going for it,” says Arthur Farnsley, executive officer of the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion (SSSR). He ushered a group into Baltimore at the end of October for an annual meeting, and he said the city is more or less an ideal fit for his organization. “Our group likes to try different cities. We are a little sensitive to hotel prices, plus we like to pretty much use the entire hotel, so we tend to pick nice hotels in mid-sized cities. Baltimore fits this bill nicely,” he says. The three-day event took place at the Sheraton Baltimore City Center Hotel, which is two blocks from the convention center and three blocks away from the historic Inner Harbor entertainment district. With 706 updated rooms and a group of functional meeting spaces, the hotel worked for all of SSSR’s functions. “It is pretty much the perfect size for us because it has all the breakout rooms we need and a large ballroom, but it’s small enough that we [aren’t] competing against other large groups,” says Farnsley.

Farnsley also agrees that Baltimore is easy to reach for his attendees. “We like a place where many people can fly inexpensively and, if possible, without stops. BWI is a hub for Southwest Airlines and others, plus it has inexpensive light rail service in from the airport,” he says.

For larger events, planners need to look no further than the Baltimore Convention Center. Located in the heart of downtown, the center has 300,000 square feet of contiguous exhibit space, and it’s “just two feet away” from hotels, restaurants and sports venues, says Noonan. It’s also linked by overhead walkways to Inner Harbor. More than 8,500 hotel rooms are within walking distance of the convention center, including the new 757-room Hilton Baltimore Convention Center Hotel. Another great option for large-scale faith-based meetings is the 1st Mariner Arena.

No trip to Baltimore is complete without sampling tasty crab and exploring the city’s long history. Noonan recommends big groups get their hands dirty picking crabs at Bo Brooks or Captain James Crabhouse and Restaurant on the waterfront or Obrycki’s Crab House and Seafood Restaurant. There’s always something going on in Charm City, from the Preakness Stakes horse race in May to Baltimore Orioles baseball throughout the summer and Baltimore Ravens football during winter. The city also hosts a variety of festivals throughout the year, including the African American Heritage Festival and Artscape, America’s largest free arts festival, during the summer.

Charleston, West Virginia

Biking the trails near Charleston, W.V.

Where the Elk and Kanawha rivers meet in West Virginia sits Charleston, the state’s capital. Despite being the largest city in the state, Charleston maintains a small, family-friendly feeling, with arts, parks and meeting venues downtown. But it’s Charleston’s focus on hospitality that makes it a good meetings destination, says Patricia Bradley-Pitrolo, president and CEO of the Charleston Convention and Visitors Bureau.

“We chose Charleston, W.Va., for its proximity to our constituency, the CVB’s recognition that we do not come to ‘a hotel’ or ‘a civic center,’ but we come to ‘a city,’ and because of the commitment of the CVB to really learn our event and their demonstrative commitment to serve our guests,” says Pamela Dow, event registrar for the Aldersgate Renewal Ministries National Conference on Spirit-filled Living. The conference has taken place for more than 30 years and has moved throughout the country. This year’s event took place in July and brought almost 1,400 attendees to Charleston. Programming included worship celebrations, workshops and a community impact outreach. “Attendance was up 26 percent from the previous year,” says Dow.

The conference used a number of venues: Charleston Civic Center, Marriott-Charleston Town Center, Holiday Inn Express Civic Center and Charleston House Holiday Inn. The Civic Center has more than 50,000 square feet of exhibit space, as well as on-site catering, audio and visual equipment, and in-house pipe-and-drape services. Seven hotels sit within walking distance of the center, totaling more than 1,400 rooms. Dining and shopping spots can be reached by foot from the convention center, too. Bradley-Pitrolo recommends Tidewater Grill, Laury’s, Chop House and Joe Fazio’s for lunch or dinner, and for shopping, she says the open-air Capitol Market with fresh fruit, vegetables, coffee and cheese is a can’t miss.

Attractions in and around Charleston include the renovated West Virginia State Museum, the governor’s mansion, and the Clay Center for the Arts and Sciences, which includes an art museum, science museum and a performing arts center. Located in the Appalachian Mountains, Charleston also has plenty of outdoor pursuits to accommodate any group size. Whitewater rafting, ATV trail riding, hiking and mountain biking appeal to the more adventurous, while modest group members can take a Bridge Walk tour of the New River Gorge or go horseback riding in the 9,302-acre Kanawha State Forest near the city.

Charleston is an accessible town in the center of West Virginia, easy to get to from any direction. Its reputation for hospitality and safety make it a popular destination for faith-based meetings, such as the Aldersgate conference, as well as the 85th annual session of the American Baptist Association (ABA), which took place there in July. Read more about the ABA event in “Family Meetings” on page 22.

Roanoke, Virginia

Taubman Museum of Art

No matter what museums, restaurants and shops are added to Virginia’s Roanoke Valley, its natural landscape always will be its most popular attraction. From afar, Roanoke looks like a patch of city lights hugged by the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains. Its peaceful location, affordable prices and varied meeting venues make the area an up-and-coming spot for faith-based meetings and events. “We wanted to take a shot on something new,” says Dr. Leonard N. Smith, president of the Virginia Baptist State Convention Inc. The organization moves its annual session to different destinations in Virginia. “Roanoke is a city we’ve not been to in a very long time but this was a new year to do something different,” he says. Smith is more than happy he chose Roanoke for the convention’s 143rd Annual Session in May. “It took everything that I had not to go back to Roanoke [next year]. They really rolled out the red carpet to make the event great.”

More than 700 people attended the session, which took place at the Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center. “It was perfect for what we needed,” Smith says of the hotel. “The facility was great. The hotel accommodations are wonderful.” The 1882 hotel with marble floors and vaulted ceilings looks like it was plucked from a bygone era, yet it has modern amenities in its 296 guest rooms and 35 meeting rooms, which total 63,000 square feet of space. “It was really a great place to be,” Smith says.

The hotel property is near a walking trail that leads visitors to Historic Roanoke City Market, also called the Farmer’s Market, where tables are filled with fresh fruits, flowers and vegetables. The city also has a number of attractions, including the Virginia Museum of Transportation, Taubman Museum of Art, Dixie Caverns, Valhalla Vineyards, scenic Mill Mountain and Smith Mountain Lake. “The area in general is very scenic, so it provided a good atmosphere and community for us to have our convention,” says Smith.

In addition to Hotel Roanoke’s facilities, the city has plenty of additional meeting space, both indoor and outdoor. The Roanoke Civic Center has 110,000 square feet of exhibit space and includes a performing arts theater that seats 2,000. Boxtree Lodge’s Braeloch building has views of the lake, valley and mountains.

But convention space and attractions can only go so far to get meetings to town. It’s the people who often seal the deal for planners. “One of the things that really stood out for me in the planning process was the flexibility of the people at Hotel Roanoke, and not only that but their convention bureau. They are really, really great,” says Smith. “They bent over backwards, and I really mean that, to make it great. I’ve not had that experience with any other convention and conference bureau. They were phenomenal,” he adds.

Virginia Beach, Virginia

Pre-function area in the Virginia Beach Convention Center

Blue and green. In many ways, those two colors define the city of Virginia Beach. It’s blue because of the Atlantic waters that hug more than 35 miles of oceanfront property, and it’s green because of its 100 certified eco-friendly hospitality businesses, leading the state’s green destination movement. In fact, the Virginia Beach Convention Center, which has 500,000 square feet of space, is a LEED Gold-certified building and has a LEED Accredited Professional on staff to coordinate events.

Virginia Beach has become a popular destination for faith-based meetings in recent years. In 2008, it hosted the second annual Rejuvenate Marketplace event. Earlier this year, it welcomed the International Bible Way Church of Jesus Christ’s Annual Bishops Council and Workers Conference in March at the Founders Inn, and Student Ministries of Virginia chose Virginia Beach to host October’s 2010 Youth Event at the historic Cavalier Hotel. Later this month, the Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation (CCEF) holds its national conference in town, with most sessions taking place at the convention center. “It’s very spacious, very cutting edge,” says Wayne Houk, conference planner for CCEF, about the center.

The convention center isn’t the only space suitable for large meetings. The new Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center can accommodate approximately 2,000 people, and the 1,300-seat Sandler Center for the Performing Arts has indoor and outdoor space. Convention hotels provide planners with plenty of options for meetings. The Cavalier Hotel has 18 meeting rooms, the largest of which has more than 16,000 square feet of space, and The Oceanfront Inn has meeting space and group tour packages like dolphin- and whale-watching trips, historic tours and “Taste of Virginia Beach” culinary excursions.

When the day’s meetings are over, Virginia Beach begs you to get outside, even in late fall. With more than 18,000 acres of state parks and miles of waterways, you can kayak, bike and hike your way through town. Or, just stroll along the 3-mile-long boardwalk, where live bands play on oceanfront stages from May to September.

Virginia Beach is that ideal location where old and new attractions coexist. Gather in downtown’s newest area, Town Center, a 17-block collection of shops, restaurants and music clubs, or stop by one of the nation’s oldest points of interest at First Landing State Park, the most visited park in Virginia, where John Smith landed in America in 1607 before he headed north to Jamestown. Beaches, historic sites and churches, and big meeting spaces make Virginia Beach an easy pick for some faith-based planners.

Washington, D.C.

Inside the Capitol dome in D.C.

One of the great things about Washington, D.C., as a meetings destination is that it can handle events big and small. Large-scale conferences find the space they need at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center with 703,000 square feet for exhibits or the D.C. Armory National Guard Building with 118,000 square feet of exhibit space. More intimate events can take advantage of convention hotels, such as the Marriott Wardman Park with more than 1,200 guest rooms and 195,000 square feet. Other hotels with convention space include the Washington Hilton, Grand Hyatt Washington and Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill.

But for some groups, it’s not convention space that brings them to Washington — it’s the attractions. That’s why the Church and Synagogue Library Association (CSLA) heads to Washington next July for its 44th annual conference. The nonprofit association serves librarians of religious libraries and provides training and support at its conferences and workshops. “We feel that not only is it the nation’s capital, but for us church librarians it has some of the best libraries in the United States,” says J. Theodore “Jim” Anderson, CSLA’s conference chairman and director of the Library and Archives Department of the National Presbyterian Church and Center.

Library visits are an important part of the CSLA events and are built into conference programming, and Washington offers more than enough to fill up the agenda. After morning general sessions, the 250 conference attendees will be taken by bus to different church libraries, spending up to a few hours at each place. They will also visit the Library of Congress, the National Archives and local theological seminaries.

CSLA moves its annual conference around the country to cities including Philadelphia, Houston, Denver, Boston and Atlanta. “We try to connect up with each geographic region of the country in a timely fashion,” says Anderson, and when it was time to return to the Mid-Atlantic, he was excited to pencil in D.C. for the event. Attendees will spend some time visiting off-site attractions, but on-site events including breakout educational sessions and evening banquets will take place at Hilton Washington Embassy Row. Located in the Dupont Circle area, the hotel is just a half-block from the D.C. METRO train system and a few minutes from the White House, Washington Monument and the National Mall.

Other attractions faith-based groups might enjoy include Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, which has 7 million visitors come through its doors each year; the National Museum of American History, which celebrates its 100th birthday this year; and the National Air and Space Museum. For groups that don’t have tours scheduled into programming like the CSLA, more than 50 private companies offer dozens of regularly scheduled tours including historic tours and illuminated monument tours. Dining shouldn’t be a problem, either, with more than 90 restaurants in the metro area that offer private dining space, including 10 within walking distance of the convention center.

Sometimes, planners spend a lot of time trying to convince members that attending a conference is worth the trip. Washington, D.C., makes that part of a planner’s job much easier, says Anderson. He’s betting that attendees will come to Washington to attend the conference Tuesday through Friday and stay through the weekend to enjoy a built-in mini vacation.