Successful Meetings - April 2009 - (Page 80)

COLORADO > ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGH FUN IN THE SUN By Kinley Levack enver? The Sunshine State? Gorgeous!” Turns out, Luke Wilson’s character was right when he made this seemingly off-base comment in the movie Old School. With more than 300 days of sun each year, Denver will keep attendees smiling and in sunglasses, even in the midst of winter. For those itching to hit the slopes, the Ski Train is a must. Departing from historic Union Station, the train whisks passengers through the mountains to Winter Park. Enjoy breakfast on board in the morning and a beer in the evening—private cars are available for groups. If you’re staying at the popculture-themed Curtis Hotel, start your day with a wake-up call from Hannibal Lecter (“Good morning, Clarice. Time to wake up. Would you like some breakfast? Maybe some fava beans and a nice Chianti?”), Forrest Gump (“My mama always said the early bird gets the worm. I don’t much care for worms, but I do like to get up on time. That’s all I have to say about that.”), or another character sure to get your day off to a fun start. And for guests staying at the Oxford Hotel, conveniently located across the street from Union Station, be sure to take advantage of the complimentary bath butler service and soothe your aching muscles in a professionally drawn bath along with a glass of wine, after your day of outdoor adventure. D Rocky Mountain HigH COLORADO’S PEAKS CLEAR HEADS AND LIFT SPIRITS olorado is a magical place, and it’s not just the altitude that makes your golf ball fly 10 percent farther. There’s an overwhelming sense of laid-back optimism in the mountains that lifts you out of the dumps and into a sunny state of mind. Economy got you down? There are hotels here that will cut you a deal, guarantee satisfaction, or offer amenities to help you justify events. Denver’s hotel inventory has grown by more than 25 percent over the last three years, with more than 45,000 rooms citywide. The rooms, plus the $340 million expansion in 2004 that doubled the size of the Colorado C Convention Center push the city up into first-tier convention city status. The center is now a 2.2-million-sf behemoth, with 584,000 sf of exhibit space, 100,000 sf of meeting rooms, and 85,000 sf of ballroom space, and capable of hosting the largest events, such as the Democratic National Convention in 2008. The historic Brown Palace Hotel, with 241 rooms and 13,000 sf of event space, is Denver’s only four-star, fourdiamond hotel. The property has not once been closed since its opening in 1892, and every U.S. president has visited since Teddy Roosevelt (1905), with the exception of Calvin Coolidge. The meeting space is as modern as planners would expect, however, with webcast and videoconferencing abilities and highspeed Internet connectivity. To help guests pinch pennies, the renowned Palace Arms restaurant on property has created value packages and tasting menus, and regular menu items have also been altered to offer more economical options, such as chicken and monkfish instead of Wagyu beef and abalone. Pinnacle Award winner The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs last month took an unusual step to reassure planners. The 700-room 80 I SM I April 2009 I SuccessfulMeetings.com A skier takes in the views before plunging down a run at Keystone http://www.SuccessfulMeetings.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Successful Meetings - April 2009

Successful Meetings - April 2009
Contents
Editor's Letter
News Update
The Industry Fights Back
Gaming Meetings
The Coolers
Vegas Big, Vegas Small
Golf Meetings
Places + Spaces
Colorado
Central Florida
Missouri
Puerto Rico
U.K.
Cape Town

Successful Meetings - April 2009

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