Georgia

Atlanta
Early this year, the JW Marriott Atlanta Buckhead completed a $12 million renovation of all 371 guest rooms and suites. The project also refreshed the lobby, restaurants and concierge lounge. All rooms now feature new décor and furnishings, marble bathrooms, wireless Internet capabilities and high-definition televisions. The hotel also added 2,300 square feet of meeting space, for a grand total of 23,300 square feet.

Attendees now can use their wireless devices freely at the Georgia World Congress Center. Provided by the facility's telecommunications supplier, CCLD Networks, the wireless Internet access is available in all lobby areas and lounges, and at Starbucks and restaurants throughout the center.

The 502-room Meliã Hotel Atlanta has newly renovated its 25th-floor event venue, Sky Twenty Five. The space offers impressive 360-degree panoramic views of the city. In total, the property has more than 31,000 square feet of meeting and event space, including the 6,120-square-foot Georgia Ballroom.

The Hyatt Regency Atlanta last year completed a $60 million renovation. Improvements were made to the hotel's 1,260 guest rooms, main ballroom and meeting space. The entryways, lobby and lobby bar of the property also were revamped. The hotel has 180,000 square feet of meeting space.

The 403-room Atlanta Airport Marriott Gateway recently was awarded LEED Silver certification by the U.S. Green Building Council for a number of innovative sustainable features. For example, the hotel now uses 30 percent less water and 28 percent less energy than a typical non-LEED-certified hotel. In addition, 20 percent of its supplies are sourced from within a 500-mile radius. New hybrid rental cars are available to guests, and premium parking spaces are offered exclusively for low-emission, fuel-efficient vehicles. The hotel has a total of 21,000 square feet of meeting space and is connected to the 400,000-square-foot Georgia International Convention Center by a covered walkway.

This past May, the 127-room Mandarin Oriental, Atlanta, opened in Buckhead, one of the city's most exclusive neighborhoods. The property features more than 6,500 square feet of meeting space in six rooms holding a total of 200 people, as well as a 15,000-square-foot spa, an indoor lap pool, a fitness center and two restaurants. The hotel is a 35-minute drive from Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport  has completed $5.4 billion construction project that expanded, repaired and upgraded various sections of the facility. The $1.4 billion Maynard H. Jackson Jr. International Terminal opened in May, and Concourse E will see a 900,000-square-foot expansion that will add 10 new gates and 1,100 new parking spaces. With a new total of 40 international gates, airlines will be able to introduce new routes and relieve the congestion in the other five concourses.

In June, the National Center for Civil and Human Rights broke ground on the edge of Centennial Olympic Park. The center, slated to open to the public in 2014, claims it will be first venue in the world where visitors can learn about the tumultuous history of the Civil Rights Movement, as well as contemporary human rights movements and how they are all connected. The building will have an as yet unspecified amount of space for events and seated dinners; stay tuned for details.

Atlanta's popular College Football Hall of Fame will relocate to a new $50 million multilevel facility adjacent to the Georgia World Congress Center. The new 50,000-square-foot hall is expected to open in fall 2013 with a multitude of exhibits and a giant outdoor screen for viewing games.

Meeting Hotels
 Among downtown properties are the 1,663-room Atlanta Marriott Marquis; 1,260-room Hyatt Regency Atlanta; 1,242-room Hilton Atlanta; 1,068-room Westin Peachtree Plaza; 1,067-room Omni Hotel at CNN Center; 760-room Sheraton Atlanta Hotel; 444-room Ritz-Carlton, Atlanta, and 312-room Atlanta Marriott Downtown.

In Midtown, major properties include the 435-room W Atlanta Midtown, 252-room Georgia Tech Hotel and Conference Center, and 191-room Wyndham Midtown Atlanta.

In Buckhead, meeting hotels include the 553-room Ritz-Carlton, Buckhead; 438-room Grand Hyatt Atlanta; 422-room InterContinental Buckhead Atlanta; 367-room JW Marriott Hotel Buckhead Atlanta; 151-room St. Regis Atlanta; and 127-room Mandarin Oriental, Atlanta.

In Perimeter Center are the 495-room Crowne Plaza Ravinia and 400-room Marriott Perimeter Center.

Near Jackson-Hartfield International Airport are the 638-room Atlanta Airport Marriott and 387-room Renaissance Concord Hotel.

For a more complete list of area hotels, visit mcvenues.com.

Convention Centers
Georgia World Congress Center; exhibit space, approximately 1.4 million square feet; number of meeting rooms, 106; (404) 223-4200

AmericasMart Atlanta; exhibit space, 800,000 square feet; number of meeting rooms, 41; (404) 220-2686

Georgia International Convention Center; exhibit space, 150,000 square feet; number of meeting rooms, 10; (770) 997-3566

Taxes
Room tax, 7%; sales tax, 8%; total tax on hotel rooms, 15%

Group Venue
The High Museum of Art on Peachtree Street, renowned for its collection of classic and contemporary art, has several venues available for meeting and events. Among these are the Renzo Piano-designed Margaretta Taylor Lobby, which was built in 2005 as part of the museum's expansion. It can hold 650 guests for a standing reception and 400 for a seated meal. The museum's signature Richard Meier-designed Robinson Atrium also is available for private events for up to 350 attendees. The outdoor Sifly Piazza can accommodate 500 attendees for a standing reception or 150 seated banquet-style. (404) 733-4924

Contact 
The Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau, (404) 521-6600

Savannah
The Massie Heritage Center reopened this April after closing for extensive renovations. New exhibits focus on the colorful history of Savannah and include the compass Gen. James Oglethorpe first used to lay out the city, as well as an impressive 3-D model of contemporary Savannah. Originally Georgia's first public school, the facility closed in 1974 and reopened as a museum. Guided tours are available for groups of 10 or more.

In March, historic Ellis Square, an 18th-century landmark that once was paved over by the city, reopened as a public attraction. Set in the heart of Savannah's Historic District, the square has interactive fountains and a life-size chessboard, as well as a visitor's center.

Forsyth Fort, an outdoor park complex and visitor's center, reopened in the spring of 2010 following a $4.7 million renovation. The site now offers 7,500 square feet of event space, a café and a performing arts band shell with a retractable canopy.

The 138-room Hampton Inn and Suites Jekyll Island opened on Jekyll Island, some 75 miles south of Savannah, in 2010. The ground level offers approximately 4,900 square feet of flexible space along with a second-story mezzanine spanning 900 square feet. Less than a mile from the Morgan Center, a former indoor tennis court that now serves as a conference facility, the property is the first new hotel to open on the island in almost 30 years.

A brand-new Westin hotel also is in the works on Jekyll Island. The 200-room Westin Jekyll Island Center will feature 5,700 square feet of meeting space and will sit within the Jekyll Island Convention Center Complex, a new mixed-use development that includes a 128,000-square-foot convention center, a 45,000-square-foot ballroom and an additional 11 breakout meeting rooms. The center was built using green design standards and is expected to achieve LEED Silver certification.

Meeting Hotels
Major properties with meeting space in downtown include the 403-room Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa, 387-room Savannah Marriott Riverfront, 350-room Hyatt Regency Savannah, 253-room Inn at Ellis Square, 246-room Hilton Savannah DeSoto, 240-room Ocean Plaza Beach Resort, 174-room Quality Inn Midtown Savannah, 170-room Quail Run Lodge, 154-room Hampton Inn & Suites Savannah Downtown, 150-room Doubletree Hotel Historic Savannah and 145-room Mulberry Inn.

Among meeting properties in Savannah's Historic District are the 160-room SpringHill Suites Savannah Downtown/Historic District, 156-room Courtyard by Marriott Savannah Historic District, 151-room Avia Savannah, 144-room Hampton Inn & Suites Savannah Historic District, 127-room Four Points by Sheraton Historic Savannah and 126-room Mansion on Forsyth Park.

Hotels near Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport include the 162-room Embassy Suites Savannah Airport, 155-room Savannah Conference Hotel and 105-room Hilton Gardens Inn Savannah Airport.

For a complete list of area properties, visit mcvenues.com.

Convention Centers
Savannah International Trade & Convention Center; exhibit space, 100,000 square feet; number of meeting rooms, 13; (912) 447-4000

Jekyll Island Convention Center; exhibit space, 78,000 square feet; number of meeting rooms, 12; (912) 635-4157

Airport Transit
Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport, about 10 miles from the Historic District. Transfer cost by taxi to the Historic District, $28; many downtown hotels offer complimentary shuttle service

Taxes
Room tax, 6%; sales tax, 6%; total tax on hotel rooms, 12%

Group Venue
Belford's Savannah Seafood and Steaks is a fine-dining restaurant smack in the middle of City Market. Noted dishes include crab cakes and smoked salmon, and Belford's unique white-chocolate cheesecake is a must. The restaurant has an extensive wine list, and the director of catering is happy to work on special group dining menus. Belford's is available for buyouts for groups of up to 150 people, and also has a private dining room that can seat up to 50. (912) 233-2626

Contact
Visit Savannah, (912) 944-0455