Prevue November-December 2013 - (Page 64)

Santa Fe Soul Artful meetings in America's oldest capital [ON LOCATION] KAREN KUZSEL T he art and architecture of Santa Fe, New Mexico lures a steady ﬂow of mid-sized corporate groups seeking immersion with the city's rich Spanish and Native American roots. Art isn't an aside in Santa Fe. As one of the oldest cities in the U.S. and the oldest capital city, Santa Fe holds the third largest art market in the country. Whether downtown, perusing the 100 galleries that line Canyon Road, exploring one of the city's 14 museums, or sitting in one of the ornate boutique hotel lobbies, you are always immersed in local art. Over the course of a few days, we learned that the city of not quite 70,000 has 250 art galleries, 250 restaurants. It has also been the backdrop for many popular ﬁlms including Young Guns, Crazy Heart and the Lone Ranger. Deﬁnitely explore the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum showcasing the artist's love affair with Santa Fe's landscape, ecosystems and architecture. The city's core is the square plaza, the oldest marketplace in the country. Native Americans sell authentic, handcrafted jewelry outside of the oldest public building in the country, the Palace of the Governors. On a guided geocaching tour led by Santa Fe Mountain Adventures, we saw the cell where Territorial Governor Lew Wallace hid from Billy the Kid. That was followed by a visit to Loretto Chapel's miraculous staircase, built by an unknown carpenter in 1878. 60 | prevue magazine Finding unique meeting destinations is a must for executives who are world travelers, says Shannon George Williams, director of programs for the Society of International Business Fellows. "Santa Fe's vibrant art scene offers something for everyone in my group, from meeting local artists to strolling through the myriad of galleries boasting contemporary, Native American and traditional art. An eclectic cultural center in a beautiful setting ensures a successful meeting. Santa Fe ﬁts the bill perfectly." CONFERENCE FACILITIES "Citywide conferences are possible," says Christine Madden, director of sales for the Santa Fe CVB. "There are 1,400 guest rooms within the downtown historic corridor. The Santa Fe Convention Center hosts up to 2,000, with 40,000 sf of rentable interior meeting space including a 17,900-sf ballroom with 22' high ceilings, an outdoor terrace and courtyard, and furniture and art pieces by well-known local artists." One of the newest areas for group functions is the Gallery District, which neighbors Santa Fe's revitalized 10,000-sf Railyard District. Progressive cocktail receptions for groups up to 100 are popular in the galleries. One of my favorite activities was at the Santa Fe School of Cooking, where Executive Chef Tracy Ritter described Santa Fe's spicy history with chili peppers and

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Prevue November-December 2013

Planner's Pick: Hartford
Fresh Meets: MGM Resorts
Bureau Buzz: Las Vegas
Good Business: Hyatt, Hilton, Fairmont
Sea Shores: Silversea Cruises
Cool, Cultured & Creative
Imex America
Special Section: Asia Pacific
Ireland
On Location: Hard Rock San Diego
Santa Fe
Cincinnati
On Location: InterContinental Costa Rica
On Location: Marriott Orlando
On Location: Hilton Orlando
South Walton, Florida
Check Out: Moon Palace Cancun

Prevue November-December 2013