Atlantic Playground
Daytona Beach is 23 miles long and up to 500 feet wide during low tide.
LOCAL UPDATES
Orlando
Universal's Cabana Bay Beach Resort is scheduled to open in 2014. The complex will offer 900 standard hotel guest rooms and 900 family suites. There will be no dedicated meeting space on-site, but amenities will include two pool areas and a 10-lane bowling alley.
The Aloft Orlando Downtown broke ground last year and is expected to open in September. The 118-room property will offer more than 7,000 square feet of function space.
The 720-room Omni Orlando Resort at Championsgate added a 55,000-square-foot conference center in January, which includes a 28,800-square-foot convention space. The resort now offers a total of more than 128,000 square feet of indoor event space, with an additional 52,000 square feet outdoors. Also on-site are two championship golf courses, two outdoor pools and five dining options.
The 300-room Embassy Suites Orlando-Lake Buena Vista South opened last November in nearby Kissimmee with 300 rooms and 40,000 square feet of meeting and event space.
The 2,000-room Orlando World Center Marriott completed a multimillion-dollar renovation in February with enhancements to the North Tower guest rooms, meeting space and outdoor event areas. The resort offers 450,000 square feet of meeting space.
In April, Loews Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Orlando finished a $14 million renovation of its 750 guest rooms, which now sport new Mediterranean-inspired design. The property has three swimming pools, seven restaurants, a spa and more than 42,000 square feet of indoor meeting space, in addition to several outdoor venues.
Last year, the Peabody Orlando unveiled 52 boutique accommodations within three private-access floors of the Mallard Tower, dubbed The Loft. The rooms are appointed with premium comfort items, from blankets to slippers, as well as Keurig coffeemakers. Loft guests also can attend a complimentary nightly wine reception. In all, the hotel has 1,641 guest rooms and 300,000 square feet of flexible meeting space.
The Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts is opening next fall with two theaters, a public performance space and educational facilities. The 330,000-square-foot downtown Orlando facility, named for legendary Florida businessman and philanthropist Dr. Philip Phillips (1874-1959), will have several spaces for private-event use.
The 613-room Wyndham Orlando Resort is undergoing a multimillion-dollar renovation that is expected to finish in October. The resort has approximately 60,000 square feet of upgraded meeting space.
Last May, the 1,406-room Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center, right, completed a $50 million renovation that revamped the guest rooms and added features such as a water park, a 16,000-square-foot sports bar and a 10,000-square-foot event lawn. Two new offices for meeting planners each accommodate up to 22 people and are near the resort's two main ballrooms.
The 238-room Drury Inn & Suites opened last July, offering free Wi-Fi connectivity and more than 4,000 square feet of meeting space.
The 112-room Alfond Inn at Rollins College opened this spring with 8,000 square feet of function space. The hotel also includes a fitness center, a swimming pool and a restaurant serving traditional Southern cooking.
The Villas of Grand Cypress Golf Resort recently completed a $14 million renovation of all 146 guest rooms and opened a new fitness center in February.
A new covered pedestrian bridge will connect the 800-room Rosen Plaza Hotel to the Orange County Convention Center by late fall. The $1.5 million skybridge will be dedicated to the late Visit Orlando president and CEO Gary Sain, who passed away in May 2012.
The Ramada Plaza Resort & Suites Orlando opened a second tower last July with 131 suites. In total, the property offers 295 guest accommodations in addition to a boardroom for up to 25 attendees, an outdoor pool, and a bar and lounge.
The 128-room Homewood Suites by Hilton Orlando Airport opened in March with approximately 760 square feet of meeting space, complimentary Wi-Fi, a fitness center, an outdoor pool and a business center.
The Embassy Suites Orlando-North in Altamonte Springs recently completed a $3.5 million upgrade of its public areas, meeting rooms, restaurant and lobby. Meeting space at the 277-room hotel totals 7,100 square feet.
Meeting Hotels
Downtown properties include the 290-room Sheraton Orlando Downtown and 247-room Grand Bohemian Hotel Orlando.
Along International Drive and near the Orange County Convention Center are the 1,641-room Peabody Orlando; 1,334-room Rosen Centre Hotel; 650-room Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Orlando Resort, a Loews Hotel; and 582-room Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes.
Near Orlando International Airport are the 511-room Florida Hotel and Conference Center, 471-room Orlando Airport Marriott, 353-room DoubleTree by Hilton Orlando Airport and 288-room Holiday Inn Orlando-International Airport.
In Lake Buena Vista, near Walt Disney World Resort, are the 2,000-room Orlando World Center Marriott, 1,149-room Wyndham Bonnet Creek Resort, 1,338-room Caribe Royale All-Suite Hotel & Convention Center, 815-room Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress and 490-room Sheraton Lake Buena Vista Resort.
In Kissimmee and Celebration are the 1,406-room Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center, 718-room Radisson Resort Orlando Celebration, 300-room Embassy Suites Orlando-Lake Buena Vista South and 115-room Bohemian Hotel Celebration. In Reunion is the 320-room Reunion, a Salamander Golf and Spa Resort.
To find and compare hotels, and send RFPs, visit mcvenues.com.
Convention Center
Orange County Convention Center; exhibit space, 2.1 million square feet; number of meeting rooms, 74; (407) 685-9800 or (800) 345-9845; occc.net
Airport Transit
Orlando International Airport, about 13 miles southeast of downtown Orlando and 14 miles east of the Orange County Convention Center/International Drive. Transfer cost by taxi, $26 to downtown, $33 to the convention center/International Drive; by shuttle, $16 to downtown, $17 to the convention center/International Drive
Taxes
Orlando/Orange County: room tax, 6%; sales tax, 6.50%; total taxes on hotel rooms, 12.5%
Attractions
Universal Orlando Resort will open the new Transformers, the Ride: 3-D, later this summer. The immersive attraction will combine lifelike HD CGI media with state-of the-art 3-D to place riders right in the action. (888) 266-2121; universalorlando.com
The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is debuting a 90,000-square-foot home for the Space Shuttle Atlantis, right, which saw its last mission in 2011 after 33 voyages to outer space. The new $100 million facility opens at the end of this month with more than 60 interactive exhibits and simulators that will detail the entire space-shuttle program. The space will be available for events. (866) 737-5235; kennedyspacecenter.com
SeaWorld Orlando recently completed its biggest expansion yet with its Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin attraction. The immersive area, which opened in late May, features an adventure ride and a very lively colony of penguins. (888) 800-5447; seaworldparks.com/seaworld-orlando
ContactVisit Orlando, (407) 363-5872 or (800) 972-3304; visitorlando.com
Experience Kissimmee, (407) 742-8200; experiencekissimmee.com
Food Fantasy
At Disney's Magic Kingdom Park, the Be Our Guest Restaurant opened last
December with lavish eats (including the strawberry cream cheese cupcake
at left) in three Beauty and the Beast-themed rooms.
WALT DISNEY WORLD
A new expansion is set to transform Downtown Disney into Disney Springs by 2016. The project will double the amount of shopping, dining and entertainment options, which will be split up among four lakefront "neighborhoods."
The 434-room Four Seasons Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort will open in December with several dining venues, including a rooftop restaurant with views of the Magic Kingdom. In addition, the resort will have a 14,000-square-foot spa, a fitness center, three pools, a sports facility and a golf course. For planners, the property offers a 37,750-square-foot conference center and two event lawns spanning 5,000 and 7,000 square feet, respectively.
?The 394-room B in the Walt Disney World Resort is on target to open this fall after renovations and rebranding of the existing Royal Plaza Hotel are complete. Just a few steps away from Downtown Disney, the resort will include more than 25,000 square feet of function space.
In Downtown Disney, the 50,000-square-foot Splitsville opened last fall with 31 lanes of bowling, plus billiards.
Meeting Hotels
Properties at Walt Disney World Resort are divided into two categories: Disney-owned and -operated, and third-party properties designated as official Walt Disney World hotels.
Disney-owned and -operated properties include the 1,921-room Disney's Coronado Springs Resort, 876-room Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, 655-room Disney's Contemporary Resort, 631-room Disney's Yacht Club, 576-room Disney's Beach Club, and 428-room Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort.
Third-party properties include the 1,509-room Walt Disney World Dolphin, 1,014-room Buena Vista Palace Hotel & Spa, 814-room Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista, 756-room Walt Disney World Swan, 394-room Royal Plaza in the Walt Disney World Resort and 229-room Doubletree Suites by Hilton Hotel Orlando - Lake Buena Vista.
Airport Transit
Orlando International Airport, about 20 miles northeast of Walt Disney World Resort. Transfer cost by taxi, about $50. Disney's Magical Express provides Walt Disney World Resort hotel guests with free airport shuttles in addition to advance check-in for participating airlines.
Taxes
Walt Disney World Resort properties in Orange County: room tax, 6%; sales tax, 6.5%; total tax on hotel rooms, 12.5%
Disney properties in Osceola County: room tax, 6%; sales tax, 7%; total tax on hotel rooms, 13%
ContactWalt Disney World Resort, (321) 939-7129; disneymeetings.com
TAMPA
The 521-room Hilton Tampa Downtown, formerly the Hyatt Regency Tampa, is undergoing a $13 million renovation and rebranding set to finish in early 2014. The property will include 30,000 square feet of function space.
The Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay has completed a $16 million renovation of all 442 guest rooms as well as Armani's, a restaurant with panoramic views of the bay. The hotel has more than 20,000 square feet of meeting space.
The highly anticipated 137-room Epicurean Hotel is on target to open in November with a state-of-the-art culinary classroom, a high-end bistro, a wine shop and a bakery, along with a full-service spa and a rooftop lounge. The hotel will be a member of Marriott's Autograph Collection.
The Aloft Tampa Downtown is scheduled to open in early 2014 along the Tampa Riverwalk. With 130 guest rooms, the hotel will be the first Aloft in Tampa. On-site will be a bar, a pool, a 24-hour fitness center and a 4,000-square-foot rooftop that can be used for functions.
A 130-room Le Méridien hotel is being built in the landmark Classic Federal Courthouse in Tampa's downtown district. The property will open next year, with much of the vintage 1905 architecture intact.
The Mainsail Suites Hotel & Conference Center in Tampa is converting its guest accommodations from 360 rooms to 120 one- and two-bedroom suites. The work, which will include lobby updates, is scheduled to be completed in August. The hotel has more than 18,000 square feet of flexible indoor and outdoor function space.
Meeting Hotels
Downtown properties include the 719-room Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel & Marina, 520-room Hilton Tampa Downtown and 277-room Sheraton Tampa Riverwalk.
Harbour Island, across the Garrison Channel from Tampa, has the 299-room Westin Tampa Harbour Island.
In the Westshore neighborhood, hotels include the 442-room Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay and 310-room Tampa Marriott Westshore.
Welsey Chapel has the 800-room Saddlebrook Resort. In Palm Harbor is the 544-room Innisbrook, a Salamander Golf & Spa Resort.
To find and compare hotels, and send RFPs, go to mcvenues.com.
Convention Center
Tampa Convention Center; exhibit space, 200,000 square feet; number of meeting rooms, 36; (813) 274-8511; tampaconventioncenter.com
Airport TransitTampa International Airport, about nine miles west of downtown. Taxi to downtown Tampa, about $25
TaxesIn Tampa, room tax, 5%; sales tax, 7%; total tax on hotel rooms, 12%
Group Venues
The Italian Club once served the vibrant Italian immigrant community in Tampa. Now, this elegant neoclassical facility in Ybor City is available for group functions. The Club's Cantina can host up to 360 people, while the ballroom offers alabaster chandeliers and space for up to 450. (813) 248-3316; italian-club.org
In Tampa's Downtown Arts District, The Vault was built in 1923 as the Exchange National Bank and now can accommodate up to 600 guests under a soaring ornamental ceiling. (813) 225-3450; thevaulttampa.com
ContactVisit Tampe Bay, (813) 223-1111; visittampabay.com
Record Year
St. Pete/Clearwater saw 5.4 million overnight visitors in 2012, a 3.8 percent increase over 2011.
ST. PETERSBURG/CLEARWATER
The TradeWinds Island Grand Resort on St. Pete Beach recently completed a $20 million restoration of its 584 guest rooms and suites, adding custom-made dark wood furniture and British West Indies-style décor. The property has 84,000 square feet of function space.
Meeting Hotels
In St. Petersburg and St. Pete Beach are the 588-room TradeWinds Island Grand Resort, 380-room Sirata Beach Resort & Conference Center, 361-room Vinoy Renaissance St. Petersburg Resort & Golf Club and 333-room Hilton St. Petersburg Bayfront.
In the Clearwater area, hotels include the 416-room Hilton Clearwater Beach , 390-room Sheraton Sand Key Resort and 220-room Clearwater Beach Marriott Suites on Sand Key.
In Safety Harbor is the 175-room Safety Harbor Resort & Spa.
To find and compare hotels, and send RFPs, visit mcvenues.com.
Convention Center
Tampa Convention Center, 23 miles northwest of St. Petersburg; exhibit space, 200,000 square feet; number of meeting rooms, 36; (813) 274-8511; tampaconventioncenter.com
Airport Transit
St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport, 10 miles southeast of Clearwater, 12 miles north of St. Petersburg. Transfer cost by taxi to Clearwater, $18-$20; to St. Petersburg, $26-$28
Taxes
Room tax, 4%; sales tax, 7%; total tax on hotel rooms, 11%
Group Venue
Let attendees wander through the surreal glasswork of Dale Chihuly at the 10,000-square-foot Chihuly Collection. Docents are available for private tours of the colorful exhibits, and the space can accommodate up to 150 people for receptions. (727) 822-7872; moreanartscenter.org
Contact
Visit St. Petersburg/Clearwater, (727) 464-7200 or (877) 352-3224; visitstpeteclearwater.comSARASOTA COUNTY
The Bradenton Area Convention Center completed a $6.5 million renovation last fall that gave the 60,000-square-foot facility new furnishings and lighting.
The 146-room Ramada Venice Resort, 9 miles south of downtown Sarasota, recently opened with more than 10,000 square feet of meeting space.
The new 97-room Comfort Suites Sarasota has opened with 600 square feet of meeting space, a fitness center and free Wi-Fi connectivity.
Meeting Hotels
In Bradenton, Longboat Key and Ana Maria Island are the 221-room Resort at Longboat Key Club, 153-room Holiday Inn-Riverfront and 102-room Hilton Longboat Key Beachfront Resort.
In Sarasota and the surrounding islands are the 294-room Hyatt Regency Sarasota, 153-room Courtyard Bradenton Sarasota/Riverfront and 95-room Hotel Indigo Sarasota.
To find and compare hotels, and send RFPs, visit mcvenues.com.
Convention Center
Bradenton Area Convention Center; exhibit space, approximately 32,400 square feet; number of meeting rooms, 4; (941) 729-9177; bradentongulfislands.com
Airport Transit
Sarasota Bradenton International Airport, about five miles northwest of downtown Sarasota. Transfer cost by taxi, $13
Taxes
Room tax, 4%; sales tax, 7%; total tax on hotel rooms, 11%
Contact
Sarasota Convention & Visitors Bureau, (941) 955-0991; visitsarasota.org
Visit Bradenton Gulf Islands, (941) 729-9177; bradentongulfislands.com