MEETINGS AND CONFERENCES SURROUNDED BY FLORIDA'S FABULOUS BEACHES AND NATURAL BEAUTY (Continued)

TAMPA BAY

From luxurious resorts to sparkling waterfront facilities, multipurpose arenas to spacious pavilions, Tampa Bay presents the best of Florida, all in one place. And with over 21,000 rooms stretching from uptown to downtown, Tampa Bay offers the variety, convenience, service and professional event staff to cater to most any type of event. 

It all starts with the distinctive, 600,000-sq. ft. Tampa Convention Center. Located on the downtown waterfront, the Convention Center features a 200,000-sq. ft. exhibit hall, 36,000-sq. ft. ballroom, 84,000 sq. ft. of flexible pre-function space, and an additional 36 breakout rooms providing an added 41,000 sq. ft. of meeting space.

Other downtown waterfront venues include the multi-purpose arena St. Pete Times Forum, the Channelside entertainment complex, The Florida Aquarium, the Yacht Starship dining cruise, and the historic Latin Quarter of Ybor City just a short streetcar ride away.

Westshore, located minutes from “America’s Favorite” Tampa International Airport, is fast becoming an upscale retail center, with first-class hotels and venues, and Tampa’s largest variety of restaurants, entertainment and shopping plazas within blocks of your accommodations and meeting spaces.

North Tampa offers alternative meeting venues for off-site group functions. After attending to business, attendees can enjoy thrilling rides at Busch Gardens, wild animals at Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo, and educational exhibits at MOSI. The University of South Florida offers the amenities of a major metropolitan university, including the on-campus Sun Dome, a popular locale for lectures, sporting events and concerts.

Acclaimed for its diverse attractions and venues, warm weather and equally warm hospitality, Tampa Bay’s choices of where to meet, stay, dine, unwind and play are limitless, comfortably accommodating all tastes, timelines, travel and meeting needs. To find current, comprehensive information about the Tampa Bay area, as well as answers to questions you may have when planning your Tampa Bay meeting or event, contact Michele Pruitt at mpruitt@visittampabay.com, (813) 342-4062 or visit www.VisitTampaBay.com.

FORT LAUDERDALE

The Greater Fort Lauderdale area has a vibrant multicultural scene in close proximity to any meeting place.  Add to that an extensive menu of recreational options, and a crown jewel of a convention center, and it is no wonder that Greater Fort Lauderdale attracts more than 10 million visitors annually.

Outstanding facilities and award-winning culinary services are the hallmarks of the Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center. More than 600,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, facility-wide Wi-Fi access and 3,500 hotel rooms within one mile solidify its reputation as South Florida’s most attractive venue. For one-stop shopping, the GFLCVB offers in-house hotel reservations and the assurance of outstanding quality and consistency.

The right hotel is easy to come by in Greater Fort Lauderdale, whether it’s big-name brands or time-tested local favorites. Handling everything from board retreats to major conventions are such names as St. Regis, Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, Sheraton, Westin and Wyndham.  Lago Mar Hotel Resort and the Riverside Hotel are among those adding stand-alone charm.

The Hilton Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort offers a spirit of elegance with 373 studios and suites and a multitude of amenities – from upscale dining and spa to a children’s concierge. The luxurious St. Regis Resort, Fort Lauderdale, located on Fort Lauderdale Beach, has 166 guestrooms and suites with ocean and Intracoastal Waterway views, and European-style Butler Service.  The Crowne Plaza Hollywood Beach Resort is a stylish condo hotel with 311 rooms – each with large balconies overlooking the Intracoastal – a landscaped infinity pool, tiki bar, and marina.  All have large meeting spaces available.

Fort Lauderdale’s colorful past can be experienced in tours of neighborhoods and the African American Research Library and Cultural Center, which houses rare artifacts and features exhibits reflecting various cultures of the African Diaspora.  Jamaican, Trinidadian, Cuban, and Brazilian restaurants have influenced the world-famous “Floribbean” cuisine of the area.   The Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum showcases Seminole Indian culture, and Young At Art celebrates the diversity of Caribbean and African cultures. 

Leisure activities can be arranged for groups as small as 10-20 or as large as 1,000 or more.  Upscale shopping ranges from funky boutiques along chic Las Olas Boulevard to the luxurious Galleria Mall to the high-end Colonnade Outlets at Sawgrass Mills.  Recreation includes year-round golf, parasailing, windsurfing, sailing, kayaking, and coral reef diving.  An airboat Everglades tour can result in alligator sightings.  But for the more laid back, upscale spas are plentiful – including Florida’s only two Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spas.  Nightlife offers jazz, reggae, and salsa as well as first-run Broadway productions at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, and exhibits at the Museum of Art.   For a quieter time, dining at a celebrity-chef hotspot, or taking a sunset cruise, can be just the right end to a productive meeting day.

For more information or a free Meeting Planners Guide and DVD, contact the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau; (800-356-1662), or visit www.sunny.org/meetingplanners.

JACKSONVILLE

Jacksonville is a city filled with rich culture and historical treasures, visitors can celebrate African-American history in northeast Florida year round.  Experience a vibrant nightlife and fine dining along with numerous performing arts venues and beaches combined into a perfect setting for celebrating heritages from around the world.

The Ritz Theatre & La Villa Museum (www.ritzlavilla.org), located in the historic La Villa neighborhood once known as the “Harlem of the South,” celebrates Jacksonville’s rich African-American heritage.  The museum features a permanent exhibit replicating scenes of everyday life, documenting the past with photographs and artifacts along with a special presentation on native sons James Weldon Johnson and John Rosamond Johnson called “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing.

Kingsley Plantation (www.nps.gov/timu), is the oldest standing plantation house in Florida. Located in the National Park Service’s Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve, the Kingsley Plantation is named after Zephaniah Kingsley (and his African wife Anna), who owned and operated a 1,000-acre plantation there during the 19th century.

Celebrate the accomplishments of African-Americans from the past two centuries at the Museum of Science and History (MOSH) (www.themosh.org).  Learn about the history of Jacksonville’s most prominent African-Americans and participate in a day filled with cultural programs, art displays, group performances and crafts. Activities also include African folktale storytellers, scavenger hunts and a special planetarium show about the Underground Railroad.

The opportunities are endless for discovering heritage in Jacksonville, as the Florida Black Heritage Trail has over 20 cultural attractions in the Jacksonville area.  Festivals throughout the year like the World of Nations, the Kuumba Festival and Caribbean Fest, keep visitors coming back for more.

Value-size your meetings. During the last half of the year, get great discounts on meeting sites, hotel rooms and more in Jacksonville. Get hotel rooms from $84 to $109 a night in July, August and September. Or, for only $84 to $129 a night during October, November and December. It’s time to get more for your meeting.

To book your next meeting during the value season with rates from $84 to $129, contact Visit Jacksonville at (800) 340-4444 or go to VisitJacksonville.com/offers.

KISSIMMEE

Versatility is a key factor in Kissimmee’s successful meetings equation; the versatility of choice perhaps being the most valuable. 
Meeting professionals booking in Kissimmee choose from among a broad range of adaptable venues and facilities, complemented by abundant off-site shopping, dining, entertainment and recreational choices. The versatility of choice includes expansive meeting space to meeting venues that perform well with groups preferring smaller, more intimate gatherings.

In recent years Kissimmee’s versatility has been boosted by the addition of several more high-end resort properties.  Not to be overlooked are the renovations and upgrades that have occurred at several of Kissimmee’s longstanding mid-priced meeting properties.  The additions and changes are intended to appeal and remain competitive under the scrutiny of meeting professionals who want the best for their groups.

Kissimmee’s facilities excel at meeting flexibility, but perhaps none more so than the multi-purpose Osceola Heritage Park complex, which boasts a divisible 89,000-sq. ft. Exhibition Building and ample pre-function and meeting space. Its Silver Spurs Arena is perfect for large congregations.

Any of Kissimmee’s venues can easily accommodate educational sessions, religious groups, family reunions and associations’ gatherings. You’ll find sites and accommodations that are high-end to affordable and venues that include traditional board rooms, convention hall facilities and performing arts centers. Local attractions accommodate groups of all sizes and kinds, including VIP treatment at local equestrian dinner attractions and a cook-out under the stars featuring airboat excursions.

Advantages gained by choosing Kissimmee include proximity to Orlando International Airport and virtual around-the-corner accessibility to Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando and SeaWorld Orlando. In addition, there are a plethora of shopping, golf, nighttime dinner attractions, nature-based excursions and much more to enjoy.

If shopping is your group’s desire, the Kissimmee area offers many consumer delights. They’ll appreciate the familiarity of stores at the Loop, a 440,000-sq. ft., open air shopping, dining and entertainment center, and soon its sister-complex, the Loop West. Of course, designer bargains and treasures can be found at outlet malls, including nearby Lake Buena Vista Factory Stores and Orlando Premium Outlets.

Those looking to spend time golfing will be thankful for Kissimmee’s many varied championship golf courses dotting the landscape. On the other hand, some time to enjoy spa and full-service salon beauty treatments may be just the thing for attendees.

Beyond matching the meeting professional with appropriate venues or facilities, the Kissimmee CVB Sales Team provides support in other ways, including assistance in preparing a unique, fun event. 

Call (800) 831-1844, ext. 42484 to begin exploring the versatile planning options for an event with a desired success quotient. 

BLUE HERON BEACH RESORT

The Blue Heron Beach Resort is nestled on the banks of Lake Bryan in Lake Buena Vista and less than a mile away from Walt Disney World. This amazing property offers the best location for your clients to experience everything Orlando has to offer!

Spacious one-bedroom Family Suites can sleep up to six guests while two-bedroom Deluxe or Sunrise Suites sleep eight guests.  Every unit has a full kitchen, dining room, living room with a queen-sized sofa sleeper, bunk beds uniquely located in the foyer, a second full bath, washer and dryer and a balcony that overlooks picturesque Lake Bryan.  The master bedroom has a king-size bed and a full bathroom with a jetted tub. The second bedroom has two single beds. Enjoy the breathtaking view of Central Florida and Walt Disney World's Famous Fireworks from the observation landings located on most floors!

Guests will enjoy the variety of pools, two fitness centers, a new restaurant (Mar 2008), walking trails and a boat dock accessible to a variety of watersport activities. The resort is in walking distance to restaurants, mini-golf, a pharmacy and a supermarket.    

With over 2,000 sq. ft. of function space, inside and outdoor, Blue Heron Beach Resort can accommodate your client's meetings and special events of up to 150 guests.

Travel agent rate for the 1BR Family Suite is $97.00 per night plus tax (valid with a minimum 3-night stay). Commission paid 15%. Reservations (407) 387-2910. www.blueheronbeachresort.com