BEDROCK COMMUNICATIONS, INC. 152 Madison Ave., Ste. 802, New York, NY 10016 20162016 PrimePrime SiteSite && TopTop DestinationDestination AwardsAwards 3232 2016 FACILITIESFACILITIESTM &DESTINATIONSDESTINATIONSFor Association & Corporate Meeting SuperBook Planners & Tradeshow Professionals PHIladELPHIA NEW CVB LEADER SHARES HER VIISIION FFOR THE CIITy’S MEETIINGS IINDUSTRY 42 7 tipstips forfor planning religious conferences 127 Las Vegas 52 Orlando 46 Cancun 56 Tuscany 59 Julie Coker Graham President and CEO Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau Albuquerque Convention Center Baton Rouge River Center Branson Convention Center Broward County Convention Center Century Center Cobo Center Colorado Convention Center Cox Convention Center David L. Lawrence Enercare Centre Global Center for Greater Columbus Huntington Convention Convention Center Health Innovation 2016 Convention Center Center of Cleveland Irving Convention Center PRIME Meadowlands Jackson Knoxville Long Beach Convention & McCormick Place Convention Complex Kansas Expocentre Convention Center SITE Entertainment Center Exposition Center WINNERS Palm Springs Pennsylvania Mobile Convention Center Montego Bay NRG Center Puerto Rico Convention Centre Convention Center Convention Center Convention Center Rhode Island Shreveport Convention Center Convention Center Salt Palace Convention Center SeaGate Convention Centre Sioux Falls Convention Center Wildwoods Convention Center Wilmington Convention Center CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR THIRTY-THREE 2016 PRIME SITE WINNERS Knoxville Convention Center (Knoxville, TN) Puerto Rico Convention Center (San Juan, Puerto Rico) Albuquerque Convention Center (Albuquerque, NM) David L. Lawrence Convention Center (Pittsburgh, PA) Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center (Long Beach, CA) Rhode Island Convention Center (Providence, RI) Baton Rouge River Center (Baton Rouge, LA) Enercare Centre (Toronto, Ontario) McCormick Place (Chicago, IL) Salt Palace Convention Center (Salt Lake City, UT) Branson Convention Center (Branson, MO) Global Center for Health Innovation (Cleveland, OH) Meadowlands Exposition Center (Secaucus, NJ) SeaGate Convention Centre (Toledo, OH) Broward County Convention Center (Fort Lauderdale, FL) Greater Columbus Convention Center (Columbus, OH) Mobile Convention Center (Mobile, AL) Shreveport Convention Center (Shreveport, LA) Century Center (South Bend, IN) Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland (Cleveland, OH) Montego Bay Convention Centre (Montego Bay, Jamaica) Sioux Falls Convention Center (Sioux Falls, SD) Cobo Center (Detroit, MI) Irving Convention Center (Irving, TX) NRG Center (Houston, TX) Wildwoods Convention Center (Wildwood, NJ) Colorado Convention Center (Denver, CO) Jackson Convention Complex (Jackson, MS) Palm Springs Convention Center (Palm Springs, CA) Wilmington Convention Center (Wilmington, NC) Pennsylvania Convention Center (Philadelphia, PA) To inquire about SMG managed facilities Cox Convention Center (Oklahoma City, OK) Kansas Expocentre (Topeka, KS) call 1.866.BOOK.SMG or visit smgworld.com Albuquerque Convention Center Baton Rouge River Center Branson Convention Center Broward County Convention Center Century Center Cobo Center Colorado Convention Center Cox Convention Center David L. Lawrence Enercare Centre Global Center for Greater Columbus Huntington Convention Convention Center Health Innovation 2016 Convention Center Center of Cleveland Irving Convention Center PRIME Meadowlands Jackson Knoxville Long Beach Convention & McCormick Place Convention Complex Kansas Expocentre Convention Center SITE Entertainment Center Exposition Center WINNERS Palm Springs Pennsylvania Mobile Convention Center Montego Bay NRG Center Puerto Rico Convention Centre Convention Center Convention Center Convention Center Rhode Island Shreveport Convention Center Convention Center Salt Palace Convention Center SeaGate Convention Centre Sioux Falls Convention Center Wildwoods Convention Center Wilmington Convention Center CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR THIRTY-THREE 2016 PRIME SITE WINNERS Knoxville Convention Center (Knoxville, TN) Puerto Rico Convention Center (San Juan, Puerto Rico) Albuquerque Convention Center (Albuquerque, NM) David L. Lawrence Convention Center (Pittsburgh, PA) Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center (Long Beach, CA) Rhode Island Convention Center (Providence, RI) Baton Rouge River Center (Baton Rouge, LA) Enercare Centre (Toronto, Ontario) McCormick Place (Chicago, IL) Salt Palace Convention Center (Salt Lake City, UT) Branson Convention Center (Branson, MO) Global Center for Health Innovation (Cleveland, OH) Meadowlands Exposition Center (Secaucus, NJ) SeaGate Convention Centre (Toledo, OH) Broward County Convention Center (Fort Lauderdale, FL) Greater Columbus Convention Center (Columbus, OH) Mobile Convention Center (Mobile, AL) Shreveport Convention Center (Shreveport, LA) Century Center (South Bend, IN) Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland (Cleveland, OH) Montego Bay Convention Centre (Montego Bay, Jamaica) Sioux Falls Convention Center (Sioux Falls, SD) Cobo Center (Detroit, MI) Irving Convention Center (Irving, TX) NRG Center (Houston, TX) Wildwoods Convention Center (Wildwood, NJ) Colorado Convention Center (Denver, CO) Jackson Convention Complex (Jackson, MS) Palm Springs Convention Center (Palm Springs, CA) Wilmington Convention Center (Wilmington, NC) Pennsylvania Convention Center (Philadelphia, PA) To inquire about SMG managed facilities Cox Convention Center (Oklahoma City, OK) Kansas Expocentre (Topeka, KS) call 1.866.BOOK.SMG or visit smgworld.com 2016 Facilities & Destinations Awards of Excellence CITIES AND CONVENTION CENTERS THAT Are “WorTH MEETING In” n June 1, the Meetings Mean Business meeting about” in person. And when stakeholders Coalition (MMBC) launched its Worth must travel to convene, it’s also important to find a OMeeting About campaign. The aim is site that’s “worth meeting in.” Each year, Facilities & to send a message to elected officials Destinations recognizes cities and venues that are and policymakers that “when it’s ideal environments for stakeholders to engage important, it’s worth meeting in dialogue, brainstorming, learning and about,” by emphasizing the networking. Convenient air accessibility, key role of face-to-face a CVB versed in group service, a meetings throughout the LEED-certified convention center, election cycle. and a diverse and convenient hotel package are examples of the features “The campaign will that our readers highlight in making highlight that while these nominations for the Awards of events only happen Excellence. Winning an award thus every four years, meetings signals client satisfaction on many levels, take place and positively and is a boon for these suppliers as they impact people, businesses and work to stand out in a competitive meetings communities every single day. marketplace. The election cycle is just one example of how the most important decisions, Ballots for the Awards of moments and milestones are Worth Excellence are available Meeting About,” explains Michael in F&D’s quarterly print Dominguez, MMBC Co-chair and publications, including Chief Sales Officer,MGM Resorts the SuperBook, Summer, International. Fall and Winter issues, and at Facilitiesonline. The campaign’s first paid advertising com. Ballots are will debut at the Republican National received throughout Convention, July 18-21, with signage the year, and the list of in the Cleveland Hopkins International award winners appears Airport. At the Democratic National in the F&D SuperBook. The Convention, July 25-28, MMBC will have Prime Site Award is given out in signage in the Philadelphia International Airport as three categories: Convention Centers, well as billboards along I-95 (see the Philadelphia Conference Centers, and Hotels & Resorts. The feature on page 42 for more on the DNC). Top Destination Award is given to convention and visitors bureaus and other DMOs. When a matter is vital to an organization, whether a political party, government body, trade We look forward to honoring more cities and facilities association or corporation, it’s usually “worth that are “worth meeting in” next year. 32 FACILITIES & DESTINATIONS 2016 SUPERBOOK MEET IN A PLACE WHERE YOU MATTER. GINA GALLI COBO CENTER | CENTERED AROUND YOU COBO CENTER EVENT MANAGER Amazing and so gracious, Welcome to a place where you can be part of something. Where a city happy and positive. She never and center are humming with energy. A place where you can actually said no but always offered feel good about a meeting. Where people go out of their way for you a work around if needed. because that’s what we do. Because here, you matter. The guest/client service What matters to you? Value? Service? Sustainability? A positive voice experience was unlike any guiding you, every step of the way? We get it. We have reinvented this other center I have been at. city and center for you. LADONNA PETTIT COBOCENTER.COM 313.877.8214 DOWNTOWN DETROIT DIRECTOR OF CONFERENCES STONE FORT GROUP (NACE CARS) an managed facility COBO_YouMatter_2016_F+D.indd 1 5/3/16 11:58 AM 2016 Facilities & Destinations Awards of Excellence Prime Site Award-winning New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Top Destination Award Winners Convention Center (page 80) Greater Ft. Lauderdale CVB, Ft. Lauderdale, FL Jackson CVB, Jackson, MS Little Rock CVB, Little Rock, AR Louisville CVB, Louisville, KY Nashville CVB, Nashville, TN New Orleans CVB, New Orleans, LA Visit Knoxville, Knoxville, TN Visit Savannah, Savannah, GA Midwest Georgia