Prevue September-October 2017 - 33

Left: Rendering of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art

in Bethesda or paddling along the Star-Spangled Banner and
National Historic Trail in nearby Bladensburg, as tales of the
War of 1812 (immortalized in the US national anthem) are told, the
Capital Region has no shortage of pre- and post-event cultural
experiences for groups.
"College Park is also home to the oldest continuously
operating airport in the world," Hrab adds. "It's where the Wright
Brothers taught the first military pilots how to fly. Groups can host
events at the College Park Aviation Museum, which is just five
minutes from the hotel." The College Park Metro also offers easy
access to noteworthy DC spots such as the National Mall and
other world-class museums, famous national monuments and
memorials and gardens.

MACAO

Finding the Narrative
The force will soon be with California's MICE attendees.
Visual storytelling within a "no walls" mix of high and
popular art will characterize the new Lucas Museum of
Narrative Art when it opens in LA's Exposition Park in
2021. The 290,000-sf non-profit museum will possess
the futuristic ambiance that we have come to expect
from "Star Wars" director George Lucas, along with
his own extensive art collection. Positioned to look
like a space ship on an 11-acre park, the billion-dollar
development will zoom in on the narratives behind and
within paintings, illustrations, comic and digital art,
photography and animation to approach the question:
What constitutes art? Original sketches, storyboards,
sets and costumes from the film industry will also be
on display. Sections of the museum will be available
for buyout and a 4,200-sf library and green rooftop
terrace are sure to be hot spots for cocktails and
creative brainstorming. Attendees will also be able to
experience daily film screenings, lectures by cutting
edge filmmakers, fine dining and workshops on painting
and cinema techniques.
lucasmuseum.org

32 | prevuemeetings.com

Despite being at the center of 20 UNESCO World Heritage sites
and a confluence of East-meets-West Portuguese and Chinese
cultures, Macao's Cotai Strip is often referred to as the "Las Vegas
of the East" with good reason. As an autonomous region of China,
Macao's reputation as a world-class resort city and prime MICE
destination rests on the Strip, a dazzling entertainment mecca.
A big contributor to this vibe is Sands Resorts Macao, which
includes Conrad, Holiday Inn, Sheraton Grand and St. Regis
properties at Sands Cotai Central, with The Venetian, The Parisian
(which opened late last year), Four Seasons and a waterfront
Sands on the Macao peninsula individually positioned along the
Cotai Strip. Combined, the resorts offer more than 12,000 rooms,
850 shopping outlets and 150 restaurants, some Michelin-star, in
the heart of the action.
Across Sands Resorts Macao, cultural MICE programming
is seeing an uptick, explains Stephanie Tanpure, VP of sales.
"Some of the most popular on-site experiences include sunrise
yoga or traditional Chinese tai chi within one of our hotel gardens
or overlooking a panoramic view at daybreak from our observation
deck of The Parisian Macao's Eiffel Tower."
Groups can also partake in cooking classes, master chef
competitions and dine-arounds, spa treatments based on Feng Shui
or their personal birth gemstones, fan dancing lessons and cultural
performances. Fun, customized interactions with DreamWorks
characters from "Shrek," "How to Train Your Dragon" and other
popular films can also be arranged. Off-site, they will definitely want
to visit the iconic ruins of St. Paul, A-Ma Temple (built to honor a
sea goddess), walk the pebbly reflexology path in Camoes Garden,
and people watch in Senado Square to get a feel for Macao's
cultural potpourri.
"Our international MICE visitors are seeking more depth than
ever before," Tanpure adds.
businessevents.australia.com; destinationpanamacity.com;
esmadrid.com; choosechicago.com; visitmaryland.com;
tourismnewzealand.com; meetings.co.nz;
sandsresortsmacao.com
http://businessevents.australia.com http://www.destinationpanamacity.com http://www.esmadrid.com http://www.choosechicago.com http://www.visitmaryland.com http://www.lucasmuseum.org http://www.tourismnewzealand.com http://meetings.co.nz http://www.sandsresortsmacao.com http://www.prevuemeetings.com
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Prevue September-October 2017
