Take Note
In January, the San Francisco Convention & Visitors Bureau changed its name to the San Francisco Travel Association as part of a retooling for the future.
San Francisco
This month, San Francisco International Airport will complete a $383 million renovation of Terminal 2. The 640,000-square-foot facility will be the new home for American Airlines and Virgin America, and the first U.S. terminal to achieve LEED Gold certification.
Last October, work began on a $56 million renovation of the 1.2 million-square-foot Moscone Center. Improvements include a revamped lobby, new carpeting, new digital displays and telecommunication upgrades. The project is slated to be completed by July 2012.
Meeting Hotels
Properties in the Union Square area include the 1,908-room Hilton San Francisco, 1,496-room San Francisco Marriott, 1,195-room Westin St. Francis, 1,010-room Parc 55 Wyndham San Francisco-Union Square, 685-room Grand Hyatt San Francisco, 552-room Palace Hotel, 550-room InterContinental San Francisco and 533-room Hotel Nikko San Francisco.
Other city hotels include the 802-room Hyatt Regency San Francisco, 591-room Fairmont San Francisco, 549-room Hilton San Francisco Financial District and 529-room Sheraton at Fisherman's Wharf. For more properties, visit mcvenues.com.
Convention Centers
Moscone Center; exhibit space, 442,000 square feet in Moscone North/South combined; number of meeting rooms, 68. Moscone West; exhibit space, 3,000 square feet; number of meeting rooms, 38. (415) 974-4000
Fort Mason Center; exhibit space, 130,000 square feet; number of meeting rooms, 11. (415) 441-3400
Concourse Exhibition Center at the San Francisco Design Center; exhibit space, 125,000 square feet; number of meeting rooms, none. (415) 490-5800; sfvenues.com
South San Francisco Conference Center; exhibit space, 20,500 square feet; number of meeting rooms, 12. (650) 877-8787
Group Venue
The Exploratorium is a hands-on museum of science, art and human perception, with exhibits ranging from bicycle-wheel gyroscopes to massive bubble-blowing stations. The facility can seat up to 400 for a dinner or 2,500 for a reception. (415) 561-0311
Contact
San Francisco Travel Association, (415) 974-6900
Fast Facts
• Team San Jose has named Bill Sherry, the city's current airport director, its CEO. Sherry will continue to oversee the airport in addition to his new duties, which include leading the sales, marketing and communications efforts of the destination management organization.
• Last November, the San Francisco Giants brought the city its first World Series title.
• Pier 39 at San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf features more than 110 specialty shops and 14 full-service restaurants along the waterfront.
• For those who love the outdoors, San Jose receives an average of 300 days of sunshine per year and offers 150 parks and gardens, plus 15 golf courses.
San Jose
Mineta San Jose International Airport completed a $1.3 billion modernization project last August. New features include updated TSA security screening technology, expanded waiting lounges and new restaurants.
The Wyndham Hotel San Jose completed a multimillion-dollar renovation of half of its guest rooms, the pool and patio area, and the ninth-floor club lounge late last year. The property features 355 guest rooms and more than 16,000 square feet of flexible meeting space.
The Fairmont San Jose completed a $1.2 million renovation of its lobby space, guest room corridors and ballrooms last December.
Meeting Hotels
Properties include the 805-room Fairmont San Jose, 512-room Holiday Inn San Jose, 512-room San Jose Airport Garden Hotel, 506-room San Jose Marriott, 505-room Doubletree Hotel San Jose, 355-room Wyndham San Jose, 353-room Hilton San Jose, 213-room Hotel Valencia Santana Row and 196-room Radisson San Jose Airport.
Convention Center
San Jose McEnery Convention Center; exhibit space, 143,000 square feet; number of meeting rooms, 31; (408) 792-4194
Airport Transit
Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport, three miles city center. Transfer cost by taxi, $15 to $20
Taxes
Room tax, 10%; sales tax, 9.25%; total tax on hotel rooms, 10%, plus a Convention Center Funding District Tax of 2% to 4% and a $0.75 to $2 per night hotel business and improvement fee (based on location)
Group Venue
The San Jose Museum of Art offers some 2,000 artworks from a wide range of artists and can accommodate up to 1,200 people indoors and an additional 1,800 in its outdoor plaza. (408) 271-6840; sjmusart.org
Contact
Team San Jose, (800) 726-5673