When shopping for a convention center, what’s
outside the facility’s doors can be just as critical as what’s
inside. If the surrounding blocks are filled with shops,
restaurants and attractions, the job of finding off-site venues,
arranging leisure activities and even providing security is
considerably easier.
And, chances are, the attendance numbers will be more
impressive if the place has strong appeal. In fact, M&C’s 2003
Meeting Attendee Survey, released in August, found that 31 percent
of corporate meeting-goers and 55 percent of association meeting
attendees say location influences their decision to attend.
What sites will draw enthusiastic crowds? Following is a
sampling of cities with convention centers in happening
neighborhoods, complete with insider advice on where to eat, play,
stroll and people-watch.
Miami Beach
www.gmcvb.com
In chichi Miami Beach, the town that made lavender blazers
fashionable, new trends keep cropping up like summer oranges.
Convention-goers in search of a burgeoning fad need not stray far
from the Miami Beach Convention Center (www.miamibeachconvention.com).
The venue, with 500,000 square feet of exhibit space and 68
meeting rooms, has been part of the Miami Beach community since
1957. A bit north and west of the main South Beach drag of Ocean
Drive, the facility doubled in size in 1990. A quick walk across
the street puts visitors in the heart of one of Miami Beach’s
hottest districts, Lincoln Road. Art galleries,
small shops and cafés with tables that spill out onto the
pedestrian walkway are what lure tourists and locals alike to this
stroller’s paradise.
The adventurous should check out a local joint, David’s
Cafe (305-672-8707) on Meridian Avenue, for hearty,
comforting Cuban cuisine. A popular breakfast spot, David’s also
has a 24-hour cafeteria and a full-service restaurant.
Convention-goers might want just a caffeine jolt (and we hear it’s
quite a jolt), which can be ordered from an express window.
Another favorite is the Van Dyke Cafe (www.thevandyke.com), housed in a 1920s Greek Revival
building designed by Miami developer Carl Fisher. Light salads,
sandwiches and desserts are among the menu items along with free
jazz at night but this prime real estate is really about being the
perfect spot to people-watch.
Free time away from the convention facility could be pleasantly
spent at
the South Florida Art Center (www.artcentersf.org), where 45 art studios are open to
the public. As long as the artist is working, guests are welcome to
walk in, interrupt, ask questions and yes, even buy something.
Cozy cobblestones:
The Old Market in Omaha, Neb.
Omaha, Neb.
www.visitomaha.com
While steaks and stock market wizard Warren Buffett are Omaha’s
claims to fame, this Nebraska city has far more to offer than meat
and millionaires. Like so many Midwest destinations, Omaha is
rediscovering its past through downtown revitalization projects.
The Old Market (www.omahaoldmarket.com), formerly a
turn-of-the-century trading center for shipping along the Missouri
River, has become a trade center once again. This time the trade is
in art, espresso and produce along the nine square blocks of brick
and cobblestone.
Best of all, the new Qwest Center Omaha (www.omahameca.com) is just across the street. Omaha
topped off the $290 million convention facility this past
September. The riverfront venue offers 194,000 square feet of
exhibit space and 16 meeting rooms, all within walking distance of
a new anchor property, the 450-room Hilton Omaha,
which debuts in the spring.
More importantly, where can you get a good cup of coffee?
Delice Bakery, on Howard Street near the
intersection of South 12th Street, is a popular morning pit stop
for lattes, espressos and an enticing selection of pastries. Also
on Howard is the French Café (www.frenchcafe.com), perfect for a midday bite with an
important client or dinner on
the boss.
Parched from walking the trade show floor? Hit The
Upstream (www.upstreambrewing.com) for a cool brew inside a
renovated firehouse. If shopping is on the agenda, the surrounding
Old Market is dotted with antique shops, art galleries and small
boutiques.
Philadelphia’s convention center
abuts
Chinatown and other unique neighborhoods.
Philadelphia
www.pcvb.org
The Pennsylvania Convention Center (www.paconvention.com), adjacent to City Hall, is truly
at the center of all things Philadelphia. The building itself,
which offers 440,000 square feet of exhibit space and 52 meeting
rooms, is an integral part of this city’s long history. The
facility’s focal point the Reading Terminal train shed is the sole
surviving single-span train shed in the country.
The venue sits at the crossroads of several unique
neighborhoods and their respective cuisines. (Don’t miss
Chinatown, with its authentic eateries and all the
cheap lo mein you could possibly want.) The center also is
connected to the Reading Terminal Market (www.readingterminalmarket.org). Great for a quick
bite, the terminal houses a variety of foods at diner-style
counters. Try some apple cobbler at an Amish stand, or the real
cheese steak at Rick’s Philly Steaks, which
recently was opened by the nephew of Pat, of Pat’s Steaks fame.
Architecture buffs should wander over to the Loews
Philadelphia, on Market Street, housed in what was the
first skyscraper in the United States, the PSFS building. The art
deco lobby and bar area are worth the visit. Another first, and
only a few blocks from the center on Market Street, is the former
Wanamaker’s, now Lord and Taylor, which was the
first department store in the country.
Craving a brew? Tir Na Nog (267-514-1700)
recently opened in the upscale Phoenix condo building on Arch
Street and has become a hot after-work hangout. And, one of
Philly’s best bars for live music is Zanzibar Blue
(www.zanzibarblue.com) on Broad Street and home to some
excellent blues bands.
Say high: The Tower of the Americas rises over San Antonio, near
the Gonzalez Center.
San Antonio
www.SanAntonioVisit.com
The Henry B. Gonzalez Center, with more than
400,000 square feet of exhibit space, is a legacy of the 1968
World’s Fair and stands among other venues built for the occasion,
including the Institute of Texas Cultures and the
Tower of the Americas. Stroll the area to
experience echoes of the expo, or just relax on a bench in
HemisFair Park.
The center doubled in size in 2001 and now neighbors another
downtown icon, the San Antonio River. Here, many of the city’s
restaurants and bars look out on the man-made waterway and are
accessible via river taxis.
The convention facility also is within easy walking distance
of Southtown (www.southtown.net), a mix of eclectic
neighborhoods like the King William district and dotted with
Tex-Mex restaurants like Rosarios Mexican Cafe Y
Cantina (210-223-1806) and El Mirador
(210-225-9444).
For Mexican knickknacks, check out Tienda
Guadaloupe (210-226-5873) on South Alamo or San
Angel Folk Art (www.sanangelfolkart.com) inside the
Blue Star Art Complex (www.bluestarcomplex.com), which is home to a number of
galleries.
Buying time: Shopping in Seattle
Seattle
www.seeseattle.org
The ambience of this Pacific Northwest city is somewhere between
a cozy town and a thriving metropolis. It’s walkable, friendly and
unassuming, yet has all the vibrancy of a major urban nexus.
The Washington State Convention & Trade
Center (www.wsctc.com) offers 205,700 square feet of exhibit
space and 54 meeting rooms. A landmark in the downtown district for
more than a decade, the venue has watched its surrounding
neighborhood steadily flourish to become the quintessential
shopping district. With major department stores like Nordstrom’s,
high-end boutiques like Tiffany and chain stores like the Gap and
Banana Republic, downtown Seattle offers plenty of places to spend
money.
If you’re feeling the urge to escape the trade show floor in
time for cocktail hour, a few hot spots are a quick stroll away. B
(206-621-8667), a Seattle institution, is famous for its martinis
and Manhattans. Inside the Grand Hyatt Seattle is 727
Pine (www.727pine.com), a restaurant/bar that’s a favorite
among the local working crowd.
Too early for martinis? You won’t have to look far for a
serious cup of joe. Seattlites are proud of their caffeine culture.
Along with a Starbucks on every corner, countless espresso bars
serve up caffeine any way you like (even without the
caffeine).
The convention center is adjacent to Freeway Park, a pleasant
escape from traffic and bustle. Six or so blocks away from the
center is the tourist mecca, Pike Place Market (www.pikeplacemarket.org), which, to watch the grocers
handle the goods, gives new meaning to the term “flying fish.”
St. Paul, Minn.
www.stpaulcvb.org
It’s pretty rare to find a convention center smack dab in a
city’s most happening neighborhood, but that’s the case in this
twin town. RiverCentre (www.rivercentre.org) can thank its new neighbor for
the honor. The 18,800-seat Xcel Energy Center (www.xcelenergycenter.com), a concert and hockey venue
that opened in 2000 for the Minnesota Wild team, has sparked an
equally wild growth in restaurants and shops here.
Another popular neighbor is the Ordway Center for the
Performing Arts (www.ordway.org), which hosts touring Broadway shows.
RiverCentre itself offers 102,000 square feet of exhibit space in
two connected buildings and 16 meeting rooms.
The West Seventh Street district, among the
city’s oldest, is now a burgeoning entertainment strip. For trade
show after hours, one can’t get much more authentic than the Irish
pub, the Liffey (651-556-1420), inside the Holiday
Inn St. Paul RiverCentre; most of its interior was imported from
the mother country. Tom Reid’s (651-292-9916),
another popular watering hole on West Seventh, fills up with the
hockey crowds on game nights (especially since owner Reid himself
is an ex-hockey player).
Those with loftier pursuits in mind can head to a number of
museums and historical homes that surround the convention center
and the Rice Park area, which locals call
downtown’s front yard. For a peek at St. Paul’s criminal past,
check out the Landmark Center (www.landmarkcenter.org), which opened as a federal
courts building in 1902 and was the site of many gangster trials.
Almost razed in 1978, the building now houses several arts
organizations and is definitely worth at least a stroll-through for
its old photographs and stunning interiors.
Science buffs should hit the Minnesota Science
Museum (www.smm.org), topped off in 1998 and with a mini-golf
course opening on its grounds next summer.