Meeting News - December 3, 2007 - (Page 12)

Transportation & Services Arrow Directs New Vegas Buses Sarasota, FL—One of the most arcane, yet hottest teambuilding companies out there is Team Sandtastic, the Florida-based but globetrotting sand sculpting company that creates evocative sand sculptures of corporate logos, portraits, themes, and yes, even castles. The company’s sculptors instruct attendees in teambuilding events and competitions and also build their own elaborate creations for special events. “Just today, I’ve got two sculptors/ instructors hosting a corporate teambuilding event at the Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach for 40 guests,” said Mark Mason, owner of Team Sandtastic, last month. “Then, I fly to Dubai to work our corporate teambuilding programs there.” The company also just completed an event at the Resort at Longboat Key Club, near Sarasota, for Kraft Foods and will oversee a sandsculpting fundraiser for the Pediatric Cancer Foundation, in Florida (Mercedes-Benz is a sponsor). The company’s work with General Electric, Mason said, has been particularly successful. “GE has turned out to be a bunch of prolific sand sculptors,” he said. “We just closed Edited by Elizabeth West elizabeth.west@nielsen.com Sand Sculptures that are Absolutely Sandtastic Globe-trotting teambuilding service takes beach on the road another program of 100 guests, but it’s in a long list of GE events that have been happening for more than two years now.” A nearby beach is not required; Team Sandtastic recently dumped a huge pile of sand across from New York City’s Grand Central Terminal to sculpt a promotion for Starbucks. Team Sandtastic’s global and hemispheric reach also makes it readily adaptable to snow sculptures as well, Mason added. Howard Lefkowitz, president of Vegas.com, with one of the new buses. Las Vegas—Getting around Vegas, as visitors know, entails massive treks up and down the lengthy Strip and to the downtown area. Enter Vegas.com Arrow, a new fleet of buses and trolleys that pull up to hotels and attractions around town. More than mere transportation, the Vegas.com Arrow vehicles are tricked out with video screens featuring updates on parts of the city being traveled through, and touch screens for purchasing show tickets, front-of-line club passes, and tours. “Visitors are often shocked at how vast the Strip is, even if something is said to be ‘next door,’” said Howard Lefkowitz, president of Vegas.com. The Arrow service “gives visitors more options to conveniently explore, buy, and see attractions.” The Vegas.com Arrow follows routes through downtown and Fremont Street, the Las Vegas Convention Center, and the northern, central, and southern parts of the Strip. It complements the Las Vegas Monorail, as well as the Deuce doubledecker bus service introduced in late 2005. Single-ride tickets for the Vegas.com Arrow cost $2.50, with a $10 unlimited daily ride option, both available at www.Vegas.com /vegascomarrow and at the concierges of a number of resorts. Team Sandtastic’s creation for Starbucks in New York City Cruise Meeting Planners Get Celebrity Treatment Miami—Cruise lines continue to boost their meetings capabilities to lure groups away from shore. The latest mover is Celebrity Cruises, which rolled out a series of planners tools to ease the booking of meetings. At www.celebritycorporatekit.com, the tools include cruise-versus-land program analyses; videos about Celebrity Cruises and its sailing packages in the Galapagos Islands; a slide 12 MeetingNews presentation on “Why Celebrity?”; PDF files about amenities, charters, Celebrity awards, and ConciergeClass; newsletters (which also can be subscribed to); and itineraries and deck plans. “We are confident our new materials will help corporate clients see the incredible value and venue our brand offers,” said Ron Gulaskey, director of corporate sales and charters for the cruise line. In addition to the online planner tools, a new communications kit from Celebrity can be used to boost incentive goals or attendee meeting registration. The kit includes a fleet guide, fliers specific to each ship, an amenities list, and a corporate fullship charter program overview. Kalahari to Double its Size, Meaning Twice the Water Fun Sandusky, OH—The Kalahari Waterpark Resort is nearing completion of its 93,000-sf expansion, intended to double the size of what already is Ohio’s largest indoor water park. When completed later this month, the attraction will be the nation’s largest such facility. Indoor water parks have become a phenomenon. In 2000, there were 18 indoor water park hotels in America, a number that had grown to 50 by 2002—half in Wisconsin Dells, WI. By year end, there will be 184, with dozens more scheduled. H —Section by Christopher Hosford www.meetingnews.com December 3, 2007 http://www.Vegas.com http://www.Vegas.com http://www.Vegas.com http://www.Vegas.com http://www.Vegas.com http://www.Vegas.com http://www.meetingnews.com

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Meeting News - December 3, 2007

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