Meeting News - March 24, 2008 - (Page 37)

Destination Insider: Wisconsin continued from page 36 Another new lodging, dining, and entertainment option is set to get under way in downtown Milwaukee this spring: the $120-million hotel, entertainment, and condo project called Catalyst. The developer will plant a 13-story hotel with 160 guest rooms and a 9,000-sf outdoor urban plaza directly across the Midwest Airlines Convention Center. The developer, North Carolina-based Ghazi Co., is building a similar complex in Charlotte. The company said six restaurants, nightclubs, and other entertainment-oriented businesses already have made commitments to the Milwaukee project. “Ny-Um-Ba” suites on New Year’s Eve—each with five bedrooms, home theater systems, billiard tables, and kitchens—to augment its 740 guest rooms. Further, in May, Kalahari will open a remodeled Trappers Turn Golf Club clubhouse, redesigned to handle larger banquet functions for attendees playing the 27-hole course. “The Ny-Um-Ba suites have been selling like crazy,” said Helen Wick, group marketing manager with the Wisconsin Dells Visitor & Convention Bureau. “They’ve been very popular with management retreats.” Wilderness Hotel & Golf Resort, meanwhile, will debut its 18-hole Wild Rock Golf Club this spring, adding to its existing nine-hole course. Also, this summer, the resort’s Glacier Canyon Lodge and Conference Center will open an additional 20,000 sf of versatile banquet space and outdoor space accommodating more than 1,000 attendees. Finally, the 600-room Chula Vista Resort, with 200,000 sf of meeting space, has added a new water park, upgraded its Spa Del Sol, and revamped its 18-hole golf course. Madison Gets Very, Very Green For planners interested in eco-friendly meetings, Madison’s Monona Terrace has become the first convention center to receive silver-level certiﬁcation under the LEED rating system. The U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design rating gave Monona Terrace high marks in sustainable site development, water and energy savings, materials and resources, and indoor environmental quality. Madison’s other major convention facility, Alliant Energy Center, has become a green-certiﬁed business as awarded by the Wisconsin Department of Tourism. Meanwhile, the city of Madison has received one of 13 Solar America Cities Awards from the U.S. Department of Energy for its efforts, and Madison’s Dane County Regional Airport nabbed one of only four environmental achievement awards to airports from Airports Council International - North America. The airport was lauded for restoring nearby wetlands and Starkweather Creek. r —Section written by Christopher Hosford Wisconsin Dells Gets New Tide of Facility and Golf Enhancements Wisconsin Dells, known as the “Waterpark Capital of the World” with 21 aqueous resort attractions, is enjoying several expansions to its facilities throughout 2008. The Kalahari resort, which has a 100,000sf convention center offering flexible meeting space and 42 meeting rooms, debuted 10 luxury www.meetingnews.com March 24, 2008 MeetingNews 37 http://www.kalahariresorts.com http://www.kalahariresorts.com http://www.meetingnews.com

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Meeting News - March 24, 2008

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