Perennial Party
Considered the oldest annual carnival in America, Mobile's Mardi Gras has been celebrated every year since 1703. For more information:
mobilemardigras.comMobile
Downtown, in Mobile's Historic District, the antebellum Hall-Ford Home has been restored and turned into the city's newest boutique hotel and events venue, the 10-room Fort Conde Inn. Originally built in 1836, the property welcomes group functions of up to 75 people.
The $52 million GulfQuest Maritime Museum currently is under construction and is expected to open next year, becoming the first museum dedicated to preserving the Gulf Coast's maritime culture. The building will be shaped like a sea-bound vessel and will feature 90,000 square feet of exhibition space.
Meeting Hotels
Properties in Mobile include the 405-room Grand Hotel Marriott Resort, Golf Club and Spa; 373-room Renaissance Mobile Riverview Plaza Hotel; 251-room Marriott Mobile; 238-room Battle House Renaissance Mobile Hotel & Spa; 202-room Holiday Inn Downtown/Historic District; 170-room Admiral Semmes Hotel; 150-room Hampton Inn & Suites Mobile/Downtown Historic District; 131-room Mobile Bay Adventure Inn, and 100-room Wingate by Wyndham Mobile-Bellingrath Gardens.
For a more complete listing of area properties, visit mcvenues.com.
Convention Center
Arthur R. Outlaw Mobile Convention Center; exhibit space, approximately 317,000 square feet; meeting space, 52,000 square feet indoors, 45,000 square feet outdoors; (251) 208-2100
Airport Transit
Mobile Regional Airport, 14 miles west of downtown. Transfer cost by taxi, $35
Taxes
Room tax, 14%; sales tax, 10%; total tax on hotel rooms, 24%
Group Venues
The Mobile Botanical Gardens provides a beautiful floral backdrop for events. An outdoor pavilion offers 2,100 square feet of reception space and can seat up to 200 guests. The facility's 1,800-square-foot Larkins Learning Center can accommodate up to 200 and features picture-window views of the gardens. (251) 342-0555
The Mobile Museum of Art features a permanent collection of more than 9,000 works, ranging from regional painting to pottery from China. The venue has several spaces for private receptions, including an outdoor gazebo that seats 50 and the lobby, which can accommodate receptions of up to 400. (251) 208-5200
Contact
Mobile Bay Convention and Visitors Bureau, (251) 208-2000
Statue Seating
Birmingham's Vulcan Park and Museum offers a unique banquet room that seats 200 in the base of a landmark cast-iron statue of Vulcan, legendary Roman god of the forge. (205) 933-1409
Birmingham
The $46 million Birmingham Metro CrossPlex, a new venue for track and field and water sports, opened last month. The facility features a 200-meter indoor track, a 50-meter pool and an event space that seats up to 500 people.
In downtown, a new $70 million, 300-room Westin Hotel and 50,000-square-foot entertainment district are under construction. The hotel, set to open in fall 2012, will offer 4,500 square feet of meeting space and will be connected to the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex by an enclosed walkway. The entertainment district, with nightclubs and restaurants, will open soon after the Westin.
Meeting Hotels
Among area properties are the 770-room Sheraton Birmingham, 329-room Wynfrey Hotel at the Riverchase Galleria, 298-room DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Birmingham, 295-room Birmingham Marriott, 258-room Renaissance Ross Bridge Golf Resort & Spa, 205-room Hilton Birmingham Perimeter Park and 147-room Hyatt Place Birmingham Downtown. For a more complete listing of area hotels, visit mcvenues.com.
Convention Center
Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex; exhibition space, 220,000 square feet; number of meeting rooms, 74; (205) 458-8400
Airport Transfer
Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport, about five miles east of downtown Birmingham. Transfer cost by taxi, $16
Taxes
Room tax, 7.5%; sales tax, 10%; total tax on hotel rooms, 17.5%
Group Venues
The elegant Birmingham Museum of Art offers a variety of event spaces surrounded by an extensive collection of artworks from all periods and countries. The Members Room can be rented for small functions, while Oscar's at the Museum Café hosts receptions of up to 600. (205) 254-2565
The McWane Science Center offers its entire 60,000-square-foot facility and IMAX Dome Theater for group rentals, along with a dedicated 4,000-square-foot events center. Interactive exhibits include dinosaur fossils found in Alabama and a striking LED jellyfish tank. (205) 714-8300