Meeting News - March 9, 2009 - (Page 46)

Destination Insider: Boston Edited by William Ng william.ng@nielsen.com Event Report tor of catering and convention services, “They are completely organized, more so than some professional meeting planners I have worked Sci-fi convention takes over the Hyatt Regency Cambridge—and with in the past. I joke with them and tell them hotel officials, not just the wizards, are thrilled they’re honorary Hyatt employees.” Meanwhile, Hyatt’s staff learned to adapt. In the middle of winter, nothing warms the heart worry about noise complaints, say, from pilots Unlike a more traditional event, most Arisia of Lorne Edwards, director of sales at the Hyatt looking to get a night’s sleep for a flight the next attendees aren’t on expense accounts and have Regency Cambridge, more than 100-percent day,” said Jill Eastlake, Arisia’s 2009 convention little interest in escaping the hotel to check out occupancy.“For us to have 100-percent occupied chair.“We can feel more ourselves, because there the city. That means they stay and eat all day, rooms, on any given night during the tradition- aren’t many people coming in from outside. We every day, in the hotel. This year, the 24-hour ally soft time in January, is of the lobby concession stand doubled its utmost importance to us,” said business, and the restaurant sold out Edwards. some items by the time the convenFor the last three years, that has tion ended. been the case for the Hyatt properDespite all the mutual affection ty, thanks to the Arisia convention. between the Hyatt and the show, after Billing itself as “New England’s 2010 Arisia may pull up stakes and Largest and Most Diverse Science look for a new home, as it has reached Fiction and Fantasy Convention,” the Hyatt’s capacity. (This year’s show the show draws guests of all ages, booked approximately 30 more done up in royal gowns, wizard rooms at the Boston Marriott Camhats, and even Klingon uniforms. bridge.) But it’s hard to know if they’ll The 2009 function, Jan. 16-19, ever find a more welcoming home attracted between 2,500 and 3,000 than the Hyatt—especially when no guests—fans, merchandisers, and one looks twice at a 10-foot stilt walkeven a 70-person circus. It filled all Freaks and Geeks: A stilt walker and Harry Potter fans at Arisia er taking the glass elevator. of the Hyatt’s 469 guest rooms and “My staff doesn’t care what you’re more than 100 percent of its meeting space. don’t need to worry about how we affect anyone wearing,” said the Hyatt’s Ashley.“Most of us got More than 100 percent of the meeting space? else. We just have to convince [the hotel opera- into the hospitality business so that we could Since the hotel’s 22,000-sf capacity just wasn’t tors] that we will look funny, but we’re harmless work with all different types of people.” enough, the Hyatt converted a coat closet and and we eat a lot of food.” And, she concluded, “Arisia is different.” H even a small storage closet for Arisia’s meetings Confirmed Barbara Ashley, the Hyatt’s direc—Randee Dawn and events. “They pretty much have the run of the land,” said Tina Nevitt, associate director of Prix Fixe Deals, Pub Crawls, and Everyday They Have the Blues catering and convention services for the hotel. Over Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend, atten- Boston’s new $14 million, 53,000-sf House of Blues course prix fixe lunches for $20.09, and threedees made themselves at home in the Hyatt, opened on Feb. 22, with B.B. King playing to the course prix fixe dinners for $33.09. Restaurant crashing out on extra lobby tables, setting up 2,500-capacity crowd at 15 Landsdowne St. (for- Week is scheduled for March 15-20 and March music sessions in the hallways, and throwing merly the site of two of Boston’s biggest clubs,Axis 22-26. numerous parties each night. Signs sprung up all and Avalon), opposite Fenway Park’s Green MonAttendees who will want to walk off the grub over the building indicating new events (a snow- ster. The Dropkick Murphys will perform there will want to know about the self-guided tours of storm led to a snow sculpture contest; Hyatt pro- March 13-15—St. Patrick’s Parade Weekend, Boston’s Irish Heritage Trail, a three-mile, 300-year vided the shovels) or displaying enigmatic state- which also kicks off March Restaurant Week, an history lesson that covers, of course, Irish pubs. ments from 1960s TV show The Prisoner. annual event where more than 185 restaurants will Details are at www.BostonUSA.com. “When we sell out a hotel, we don’t have to offer two-course prix fixe lunches for $15.09, three—Terri Hardin Shiny Happy People 46 MeetingNews March 9, 2009 www.meetingnews.com http://www.BostonUSA.com http://www.meetingnews.com

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Meeting News - March 9, 2009

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