It's a safe bet that association attendees will be awed by the offerings available in Colorado, a state where nature is the biggest attraction and the meetings industry is built on offering unique and memorable experiences.
It's a place that champions those who want to test their limits, ponder the possibilities or just take some time to reflect on the big picture.
Greater Denver: High Style & Status
There's much to like about meeting in the Mile High City of Denver. The crown jewel of downtown is the Colorado Convention Center, which celebrated its 25th anniversary in June. Center features include 584,000 square feet of exhibit space, 63 meeting rooms, two ballrooms and the 5,000-seat Bellco Theatre. Some 9,400 hotel rooms are an easy walk away.
Kimberly Dominguez, director of conference and facilities management for the National Education Association, organized a meeting in Denver last year for her group and was enthused about both the conference center and Visit Denver, the city's convention and visitors bureau. "The layout of the convention center was perfect for our meeting, and the staff that we worked with were fabulous," she said. "Also, the fact that the CVB and convention center teams seem to work so closely together was great. It was a wonderful experience to have the two teams on the same page and to have them appreciate the big picture of the value of our business, not to just the building but the greater community."
Other large venues include the National Western Complex; the recently improved Civic Center Park; and, north of downtown, the Denver Mart. With seven professional sports teams and five sports stadiums, Denver is a dream city for sports fans. Venues include the Pepsi Center, Sports Authority Field at Mile High, and The Rooftop at Coors Field.
A number of cultural venues can also double as event sites including the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, which a year ago opened a new wing called the Morgridge Family Exploration Center. Other options include the Denver Art Museum, the Clyfford Still Museum, the History Colorado Center and the Denver Performing Arts Complex.
Planners focused on sustainability will appreciate downtown's eco-conscious transportation options, which include a bicycle-sharing program and free, electric shuttle buses. Direct rail service east to Denver International Airport is scheduled to begin in 2016.
Union Station is a historic Beaux Arts site that can also serve as a meeting site, offering The Crawford, which opened July 2014 on its upper levels. The hotel has rooms for small to mid-size meetings or planners can rent out the station's 12,000-square-foot Great Hall for up to 750. On the ground level are 10 new locally owned restaurants and bars, as well as Colorado retailers.
Within walking distance of Union Station and the Colorado Convention Center is the new, 140-room Aloft/Denver Downtown, which opened in December with board space. Other new meeting hotels include the 165-room Art Hotel, with 4,100 square feet of space, and the Hyatt Place & Hyatt House Denver Downtown, expected to open in November with 361 guest rooms and 4,000 square feet of meeting space. The Grand Hyatt/Denver and Hyatt Regency/Denver at Colorado Convention Center both recently announced plans to update their meeting space, while the Brown Palace Hotel & Spa and the Warwick/Denver have completed major renovation projects.
The new Westin/Denver International Airport is scheduled to open November 19 as part of the South Terminal Redevelopment project. Plans include 519 guest rooms, 37,000 square feet of conference space, a restaurant and its own station on the commuter rail-line to downtown Denver, to debut in 2016.
About 15 miles southwest of the airport, in Aurora, a 22-acre development called the Stanley Marketplace is expected to open in early 2016. Plans for the $25 million project include a park, a beer hall, a 10,000-square-foot indoor event space and recreational options.
About 15 miles west of Denver, Golden offers dedicated sites including the Mount Vernon Event Center, Clear Creek History Park and the Golden History Center. The Astor House Museum has space for up to 40 but will close September 8 to undergo renovations. Just south, near Morrison, groups can gather at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre or the Red Rocks Visitor Center.
Boulder & the Northern Front Range: From Tap Rooms to Tech
Nestled in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains and just 30 miles from downtown Denver, Boulder offers endless possibilities for meeting planners.
At Folsom Field, groups can utilize a handful of special-event spaces, including three that opened this summer: the 13,900-square-foot Rooftop Terrace Club, the 7,590-square-foot Touchdown Club and the 4,500-square-foot Champions Club Lounge. Other venues include the University of Colorado, the Macky Auditorium and the Coors Events Center. The Glenn Miller Ballroom at the University Memorial Center was recently renovated and its catering kitchen modernized. Off-campus options include the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, the Rembrandt Yard Art Gallery & Event Center and the Avery Brewing Company.
For overnight stays, Boulder has more than 2,000 guest rooms set in a variety of lodging types, including the landmark Chautauqua. The Millennium Harvest House recently refreshed 100 guest rooms, upgraded technology capabilities and improved its Coaches Corner sports bar. A newer option is the 150-room Hyatt Place/Boulder-Pearl Street, which opened in April with 5,000 square feet of meeting space and a gallery.
About 35 miles southwest, in Black Hawk, are the Ameristar Casino Resort Spa Black Hawk and the Monarch Casino, which is gearing up for a multimillion-dollar renovation and expansion that is expected to add a 500-room hotel.
North of Boulder, Loveland is known as the Gateway to the Rockies. Meeting spaces include the Fountains of Loveland and the Ranch Events Complex, which includes the Budweiser Events Center and an adjacent Embassy Suites.
In Fort Collins, event sites include the Lincoln Center, the Fort Collins Country Club, the Drake Centre and Colorado State University. Other attractions with event space include the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery and the Gardens on Spring Creek.
To the southeast, in Greeley, the University of Northern Colorado, the Island Grove Events Center and the Clarion Hotel & Conference Center welcome groups. An 85-room Homewood Suites is scheduled to open in September with 1,520 square feet of event space. Additional event venues include the Union Colony Civic Center and the Greeley Country Club.
An excursion to Rocky Mountain National Park is an opportunity not to be missed. In Estes Park, the historic Stanley Hotel has been restored to its original grandeur. It runs the adjacent Lodge at the Stanley, which has been remodeled.
About 60 miles south of the park, near Granby, the C Lazy U Ranch features 40 newly renovated, cabin accommodations and can host groups of up to 120.
Farther southeast, in Tabernash, is the Devil's Thumb Ranch Resort & Spa; its venues include the Broad Axe Barn and the new 50,000-square-foot High Lonesome Lodge, Barn & Pavilion.
Colorado Springs area: Heritage & Hospitality
In the eastern foothills of the Rockies, Colorado Springs has been named one of the National Trust for Historic Preservation's Dozen Distinctive Destinations. Organizations that call the city home include the U.S. Olympic Training Center and the U.S. Air Force Academy. Notable attractions include Pikes Peak and the Garden of the Gods park. For meetings, Colorado Springs offers more than 400,000 square feet of space.
Large facilities include the Broadmoor World Arena, the Pikes Peak Center, the University of Colorado/Colorado Springs and the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center. Groups may also enjoy holding events at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, Security Service Field, the Glen Eyrie Castle & Conference Center in Queen's Canyon, the ProRodeo Hall of Fame & Museum of the American Cowboy or the Pikes Peak International Raceway. Other group favorites include the Cheyenne Mountain Resort & Club and the downtown Mining Exchange.
One of the area's best known historic properties is the 3,000-acre Broadmoor. Its newly redesigned Broadmoor West features 31 additional guest rooms and suites, a new façade and lobby, two new restaurants and the Parker Suite. Other new developments include its growing list of Wilderness Experiences: the year-old Cloud Camp, a retreat site on Cheyenne Mountain that is adding meeting space called "The Overlook"; the Ranch at Emerald Valley (in the heart of the Pike National Forest), where groups can enjoy hiking, fishing and horseback riding; Fishing Camp, which recently opened with a main lodge and five miles of private waters; and Seven Falls, which opens later this month with activities that include the Broadmoor Soaring Adventure and the new Restaurant 1858.
Just west of the city, in Manitou Springs, the Cliff House at Pikes Peak has meeting space for up to 175. Also in town is the Garden of the Gods Trading Post, whose Peak View Conference Center has 2,600 square feet of space.
Forty-five miles south of Colorado Springs, meeting sites in Pueblo include the Pueblo Convention Center, which is connected to the Courtyard/Pueblo Downtown. A few blocks north is the Sangre de Cristo Arts & Conference Center. The Historic Arkansas Riverwalk and its offerings have played a large role in the city's $14 million downtown revitalization plan.
After a devastating fire in 2013, the Royal Gorge Bridge & Park in Cañon City officially reopened in May with new attractions such as an aerial tramway, a roller coaster and the reconstructed Plaza Theater. The Bridge View Barbecue & Cliff Side Patio offers some 9,000 square feet of special-event space.
Southwestern Colorado: Active By Nature
There's never a dull moment in Durango, which is nestled in the San Juan Mountains. A pavilion at the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad's terminus can be reserved for parties, and the popular railroad's museum has event space for up to 200.
About 110 miles north of Durango, Telluride hosts festivals throughout the year. From town, a gondola ride up the hill drops visitors at Mountain Village. The Fairmont Heritage Place Franz Klammer Lodge, which has function space for up to 40, and the Peaks Resort & Spa are adjacent to the Telluride Conference Center, which offers 22,000 square feet of indoor meeting space, and 55,000 square feet of outdoor space.
From Montrose to Aspen: Magnificent Mountains
In Montrose, several event sites reflect the town's history. Groups can choose from the Turn of the Century Saloon, the Ute Indian Museum, the Museum of the Mountain West and the Montrose Pavilion. From downtown it's just a 15-mile drive to the south rim of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. More remote mountain retreats can be held at the 285-acre Smith Fork Ranch in Crawford, about 60 miles northeast of Montrose. At the base of the Crested Butte Mountain Resort in Crested Butte, groups can gather at the renovated Elevation Hotel & Spa and the Lodge at Mountaineer Square.
The resort town of Aspen needs little introduction. It's home to luxury meeting resorts and conference venues including The Little Nell, which offers newly renovated guest suites. Nearby, the historic Hotel Jerome also features refurbished guest rooms. A few blocks away is the St. Regis Aspen Resort, which can host up to 1,200.
For outdoor activities, groups can turn to the Aspen Outfitting Company, the new Cowboy Academy and the Rocky Mountain Sailing Experience on nearby Ruedi Reservoir.
Also within the historic downtown is The Gant, which recently completed a $5 million renovation of its Molly Gibson Conference Center, which features a rooftop terrace and a new café. Just north of downtown, recent upgrades to the Aspen Meadows Resort include the addition of 42-inch, high-definition televisions and refreshed furnishings.
Off-site venues include Gondola Plaza and the Wheeler Opera House. The year-old, Shigeru Ban-designed Aspen Art Museum offers free admission and event spaces that include a roof deck sculpture garden. To take advantage of the great outdoors, Blazing Adventures offers customized group activities.
Nine miles from Aspen, Snowmass Village offers 70,000 square feet of gathering space. Top-end properties include the Viceroy/Snowmass, the Westin/Snowmass and the Holiday Inn Express/Snowmass Village (formerly the Wildwood Snowmass), which has 1,100 square feet of meeting space. Groups that have held meetings in Snowmass recently include the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology and the Hand Rehabilitation Foundation.
Grand Junction & Glenwood Springs: For Fruitful Functions
As the largest city in western Colorado, Grand Junction has its fair share of meeting space. The downtown Two Rivers Convention Center offers space for upwards of 2,000 people. It recently hosted a summit of the Colorado Advanced Manufacturing Alliance, the 2014 Geospatial Conference in the Rockies and the Colorado Association for Viticulture & Enology's VinCO Conference.
Meetings and receptions may also be held at the historic Avalon Theatre, which recently underwent a $9.6 million renovation and expansion and now boasts a rooftop terrace with views of the Colorado National Monument and Grand Mesa, 1,090 theater seats and an additional meeting room. At Lincoln Park, a hospitality suite within the Stocker Stadium can be used for events.
The nearby Powderhorn Mountain Resort is a popular stop and the Colorado National Monument near Fruita is also a major attraction. For wine tasting-the greater area has 22 tasting rooms-venues that offer meeting space include the Two Rivers Winery & Chateau and, in nearby Palisade, Colorado Cellars Winery and Plum Creek Winery.
Fifty miles southwest of Grand Junction, in Gateway, is the Gateway Canyons Resort & Spa, whose meeting spaces include the Palisade Event Center and the Mission Bell Amphitheater. Amenities include a cyber café business center, an adventure center and the Gateway Colorado Auto Museum.
Ninety miles northeast of Grand Junction, Glenwood Springs, aka "America's Most Fun Small Town," lives up to its name. Especially enticing is the Glenwood Hot Springs. Groups often meet at the Glenwood Canyon Resort, with its 6,000-square-foot Canyon Club Event Center; the Hotel Denver, with more than 4,000 square feet of space; and the Glenwood Springs Community Center, with 3,000 square feet of space.
Attractions include Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park, which offers event space for up to 400. Newly opened is the Iron Mountain Hot Springs on the Colorado River. The area also offers opportunities for biking on 75 miles of paved paths, hiking on 25 trails and river rafting. Additionally, the nearby Sunlight Mountain Resort has space for up to 200 people.
Vail Valley & Summit County: Proving Grounds
The town of Vail is renowned for its world-class ski slopes and European-style villages. For meetings, planners can count on top-notch accommodations, and venues throughout the Vail Valley.
Many of Vail's hotels have undergone renovations of late or announced additions to their in-house offerings. Manor Vail Lodge has completed the last phase of a multiyear, multimillion-dollar renovation. The Four Seasons Resort & Residences Vail has invested more than $2.5 million to transform an arrival lounge into an expansive bar area called The Remedy. Nearby, the Sebastian recently renovated its guest rooms.
Green meetings can be organized at any of the local RockResorts properties: Arrabelle at Vail Square and the Lodge at Vail, and in Beaver Creek, the Osprey at Beaver Creek and the Pines Lodge. In Avon, a neighboring community to Beaver Creek, is the Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa. The Ritz-Carlton/Bachelor Gulch offers renovated guest rooms and public spaces and a new cigar bar.
On Vail Mountain, the Game Creek Restaurant can host up to 150 for dinner or up to 200 for receptions, and The 10th Restaurant is open to groups in the summer. In Vail Village, up to 200 can gather at the recently renovated Elway's Steakhouse at the Lodge at Vail. And the Matsuhisa/Vail in the lobby of Solaris Residences can seat up to 500 indoors or up to 1,200 beneath an outdoor tent. Other event sites include Donovan Pavilion, with 5,205 square feet of space.
Farther east along Interstate 70 is Copper Mountain, another noted resort with meeting space. Breckenridge, 15 miles away, offers its own version of Rocky Mountain splendor. Breckenridge Hospitality offers 40,000 square feet of conference space, and five minutes from historic downtown is the recently renovated Lodge at Breckenridge, with improved guest rooms and a new spa, restaurant and bar. Events can also be held at the Colorado Ski & Snowboard Museum & Hall of Fame.
To the north, in Silverthorne, the Silverthorne Pavilion can seat up to 260, and in nearby Keystone is the Keystone Resort & Conference Center. Signature experiences for groups include dinner at the Ski Top Lodge, gatherings at Keystone Ranch and gondola rides up to the Der Fondue Chessel restaurant. Planners might also be interested in the resort's new Community Impact Team Building program, which invites groups to participate in themed transformational activities or customize their own events.
Colorful Colorado
In more ways than one, Colorado enlivens group experiences, from the flight over snow-capped peaks into cosmopolitan Denver to scenic drives en route to historic mountain towns. Of course, the state is not without all the requisite amenities-high-tech venues, high-style hotels, high-energy adventures-and it all adds up to a colorful context for meetings on higher ground.