Meeting News - December 15, 2008 - (Page 38)

Destination Insider: Phoenix Edited by William Ng william.ng@nielsen.com Phoenix Risen: Projects Liven Downtown Convention center expansion, light rail, and Sheraton hotel lead city into 2009 The five-year, $600 million expansion and renovation of the Phoenix Convention Center is expected to wrap up late this month with the unveiling of its North Building.“It’s our new toy,” said Kevin Kamenzind, senior VP of sales and marketing for the Greater Phoenix Convention & Visitors Bureau. The North Building is, in fact, part of a trio of new “toys” for Phoenix’s meetings scene. Coinciding with it are the brand-new 1,000-room Sheraton Downtown Phoenix and the city’s new $1.4 billon light-rail system. Kamenzind said they will give the city’s central core a tourism boost. “Nobody wants to be in a dead downtown, and these projects will add an incredible vibrancy to the city,” he said. “Accessibility is also a big thing for us, and the light rail will help by connecting our retail, museums, and educational and sports facilities, so that you won’t be required to take a cab or rent a car to get around.” The latter, of course, is especially good news for groups looking to save time and money on transportation. The new North Building features a 45,000-sf, street-level ballroom; a food court; and 56 meeting rooms. It sports a design inspired by the Grand Canyon, and it is decorated by some $3.2 million worth of public art. The expanded convention center will encompass 900,000 sf, making Phoenix a player for roughly 80 percent of conventions in the country. “The groups we’re going after are the types that want to take over the entire downtown,” said Kamenzind. “Our largest contiguous hall is 370,000 sf, and then we’ll have another 190,000 separate square feet in the new space. That’s the right group footprint for downtown Phoenix.” If groups can’t find enough space at the convention center, they need only head next door to the Sheraton, which brings an 80,000-sf conference center to the table, including 17 meeting rooms, a pair of ballrooms, and an outdoor terrace. And, with 1,000 guest rooms, the Sheraton, which made its debut in October, now ranks as Arizona’s largest hotel and raises to 2,500 the number of guest rooms within walking distance of the convention center.“We haven’t had a convention center hotel before, and it’s something that groups have been asking for years,” said Kamenzind. The Sheraton’s location and amenities, which include a major fitness center and spa plus a 2,000-sf pool and deck area, should keep attendees content before and after meetings and let them easily soak up downtown Phoenix. Getting in and out of the city’s central corridor should prove considerably easier—if not greener, as well—once the new Metro Light Rail gets under way this month. The initial 20-mile route, linking the city with Tempe and Mesa, features stops at visitor favorites, including the Heard Museum, Phoenix Art Museum, US Airways Center (home of the NBA’s Suns and a popular venue for large group events), and Sky Harbor International Airport. The light rail was designed with big groups in mind, as each station’s platform can accommodate 600 passengers. It will run 20 hours a day, seven days a week. “The new convention center and Arizona State University campus means more students and visitors, and a need for more nightlife, and we’re seeing this happen,” said Kamenzind. “Heritage Square has a lot of dining options, plus in and around the convention center there are a number of bars and restaurants coming on line. We’re undertaking a new signage project, as well, that will help get people in and out of town much more easily.” r —Marc Boisclair www.meetingnews.com 38 MeetingNews December 15, 2008 http://www.sheraton.com/phoenixdowntown http://www.sheraton.com/phoenixdowntown http://www.meetingnews.com

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Meeting News - December 15, 2008

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