Building More in 2024 Marty Brooks, President and CEO of the Wisconsin Center District Milwaukee’s Baird Center ExpansionWORLD 2023 Expect More in 2024 Milwaukee’s Baird Center Expansion Reinvents Midwestern Hospitality A perennial favorite among meeting planners, the newly expanding Baird Center (formerly known as the Wisconsin Center), located in the heart of downtown Milwaukee, will double in size to 1.3 million gross square feet in the spring of 2024. Your attendees will thank you for choosing Milwaukee, one of National Geographic’s 25 Best Places in the World to Visit for 2023. Start planning today at visitmilwaukee.org/meet. • Inclusive amenities like gender- neutral restrooms • LEED Silver Certification, thanks to features like a solar roof • 52 state-of-the-art breakout rooms • 300,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space • 22 loading docks • Spectacular rooftop ballroom with sweeping city views from the outdoor terraceTourism Australia A COASTAL COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION PUBLICATION MAY 2023 VOL. 16 NO. 3 $15.00 IN THIS ISSUE FIGHTING FOOD WASTE OHIO COLORADO RESPONSIBLE GENEROSITY ATTRACTING ATTENDEES GLOBAL GATHERINGS The Pros & Cons of Holding Meetings Worldwide PAGE 16 PAGE 35 America’s Premier Meeting & Convention Destinations SPECIAL SECTION Sydney Opera House, Australiaococean.com Where work feels like less work. Trade in the hustle and bustle of big cities and give your team a chance to kick back on the coast, get inspired and get to work. Just a short drive away for most of the Mid-Atlantic Region, over 10,000 accommodations and more than 250,000 square feet of meeting and exhibit space await. Not to mention one of America’s Top 10 Beaches. Plan your next unforgettable event in Ocean City, Maryland – Somewhere to Smile About.DEPARTMENTS VIEWPOINTS FEATURES DESTINATIONS 16 24 20 28 10 “I Want to Help But Should I?” Five Ways Leaders Can Practice Responsible Generosity BY GARY HARPST 12 Renew The Experience Attract the Right Attendees, Regardless of Format BY ERIC HOLMEN 16 Global Gatherings The Pros & Cons of Holding Meetings Worldwide BY DAVID SWANSON 20 Fighting Food Waste More Planners Are Using Plant- Based Menus, Smaller Portions and Local Food Banks BY KEITH LORIA 24 Ohio This Midwest State is a Mecca for Meeting Planners BY MAURA KELLER 28 Colorado Venues Statewide Offer Spaces to Appreciate the Views BY DAVID SWANSON 4 Publisher’s Message 6 News & Notes 50 Career Track ISSN 21628831 | USPS 003500 | A COASTAL COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION PUBLICATION | MAY 2023 | VOLUME 16 | NUMBER 3 MAY 2023 themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIES 3 ISSUECONTENTS AMERICA’S PREMIER MEETING & CONVENTION DESTINATIONS SPECIAL SECTION PAGE 35A COASTAL COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION PUBLICATION PUBLISHER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Harvey Grotsky harvey.grotsky @ themeetingmagazines.com CREATIVE DIRECTOR Kristin Bjornsen kristin.bjornsen @ themeetingmagazines.com EDITORIAL COORDINATOR Rachel Galvin rachel.galvin @ themeetingmagazines.com CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Sophia Bennett Cynthia Dial Marlene Goldman Dan Johnson Maura Keller Christine Loomis Kathy Monte Nancy Mueller David Swanson PRESIDENT & CEO Harvey Grotsky VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS David Middlebrook david.middlebrook @ themeetingmagazines.com ADVERTISING SALES OFFICES 2500 N. 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Provide old and new addresses including zip code. Enclose address label from most recent issue and please allow five weeks for the change to become effective. Printed in U.S.A. ©2023 Harvey Grotsky Publisher MAKING YOUR VISION OUR MISSION Located in the heart of downtown Austin, Texas 150+ nonstop flights to Austin from 95 destinations Austin-Bergstrom International Airport named Top 10 Best Airport in the U.S. by Condé Nast Traveler three years in a row SEE FOR YOURSELF WHY EVERYONE IS TALKING ABOUT AUSTIN, TEXAS. With world-renowned restaurants nearby, 12,000-plus hotel rooms within a two-mile radius of the facility, and iconic music venues just a short walk away, there is no better place to host your next event than the Austin Convention Center. With our cutting edge technology, customized network solutions and complimentary Wi-Fi throughout, we are ideal for many events with de- tailed and substantial technology needs. 100% CLIENT SATISFACTION Our service-first culture, with an all in-house staff, takes ownership of the guest’s entire experience. As a result, 100% of our clients would like to return for their next event based on survey results. TECHNOLOGY ACC_GBTB_AC&F_8.125x10.875.indd 17/18/22 12:05 PM linkedin.com/company/ ACFacilities @ACFacilities @ACFacilities facebook.com/ ACFacilities linkedin.com/company/ ACFacilities @ACFacilities @ACFacilities facebook.com/ ACFacilities FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIESMAY 2023 PUBLISHER’SMESSAGE 4 Retrenchment: What Can You Do About It? A mid meeting planners, there is sometimes loud debate over the huge Federal deficit and spending impinging on all of us. Meeting planners are quietly, but just as intensely, going through their own unsettling period. To polish over the unpleasant current situation, leadership in some associations are calling the process “retrenchment.” Name it what you will, but you, the association meeting planner, recognize that leadership has mandated cutting costs and streamlining budgets. Unfortunately, such downsizing efforts usually focus on varied events that do not add directly to the bottom line and are considered “cost cen- ters” rather than membership benefits. Does this scenario affect you? Enter the inde- pendent planner. In the past, most independent planners were hired as a cost cutting measure to plan or run a specific program or series of meet- ings as needed. Now, they are being asked to provide broader services on a continuing basis. Obviously, all of the above bodes little good for the in-house planner and staff. To put it frankly: It behooves every association meeting planner to review their organization’s meeting needs and goals and align them with the re-drawn budget modifications. You should be able to answer all and every question relating to costs that are under your control and make appropriate recommendations. Have facts and figures at your fingertips. Whether you are a novice or pro- fessional planner, draw on the knowledge of your peers when needed. Contact helpful associations such as ASAE, PCMA or MPI. These associations have an abundance of material that will enable you to be a better and more cost efficient meeting planner. By joining the aforementioned associations, you are increasing your profes- sionalism. After all, if you do not make the decisions, you can believe that the decisions will be made for you. MAKING YOUR VISION OUR MISSION Located in the heart of downtown Austin, Texas 150+ nonstop flights to Austin from 95 destinations Austin-Bergstrom International Airport named Top 10 Best Airport in the U.S. by Condé Nast Traveler three years in a row SEE FOR YOURSELF WHY EVERYONE IS TALKING ABOUT AUSTIN, TEXAS. With world-renowned restaurants nearby, 12,000-plus hotel rooms within a two-mile radius of the facility, and iconic music venues just a short walk away, there is no better place to host your next event than the Austin Convention Center. With our cutting edge technology, customized network solutions and complimentary Wi-Fi throughout, we are ideal for many events with de- tailed and substantial technology needs. 100% CLIENT SATISFACTION Our service-first culture, with an all in-house staff, takes ownership of the guest’s entire experience. As a result, 100% of our clients would like to return for their next event based on survey results. TECHNOLOGYNEWS & NOTES themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIESMAY 2023 Visit Atlantic City Appoints Gary Musich As Vice President Of Sales ATLANTIC CITY, NJ — Visit Atlantic City has announced that Gary Musich has been appointed to serve as the vice president of sales, once again leading the sales team for the organization. Among his responsibilities, Musich will be responsible for productivity reporting, ensuring the sales team has the resources they need to meet their goals, and managing the synergy between the Atlantic City Convention Center and prop- erty partners. Musich previously held executive positions within the sales departments at Visit Atlantic City (formerly Meet AC), the Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority (ACCVA) and at casino resorts for more than 25 years. Before Musich, the position was held by Sandi Harvey for 25 years. Orlando Announces 74 Million Visitors In 2022, Ranking As No. 1 U.S. Travel Destination ORLANDO, FL — Visit Orlando announced 74 million annual visitors last year. With a 25% increase in visitors over 2021, Orlando maintains its leader- ship position as America’s most-visited destination. By reaching this milestone, Orlando achieved 98% of pre-pandemic (2019) levels. Visit Orlando shared the news as part of National Travel & Tourism Week, the annual celebration of the contributions of the U.S. travel industry, to a gather- ing of more than 900 tourism and com- munity leaders. The visitation uptick comes off the back of Visit Orlando’s new “Unbeliev- ably Real” brand launch, first introduced last spring domestically followed by an international marketing campaign. Last year, domestic leisure visitation completely recovered and reached a new record at 61 million, while U.S. busi- ness visitation is still in recovery mode at 7,940,000. International visitation recovered to 75% of pre-pandemic, reaching 4.9 million in 2022. For more information, visit VisitOrlando.com. 6 LAS VEGAS, NV — The Las Vegas Con- vention Center (LVCC) kicked off a $600 million renovation of the facility’s legacy campus. The renovation will extend the contemporary design, architecture and customer experience of the 1.4 million sf West Hall. Work will continue through 2025, with construction designed to accommodate and minimize disruption to scheduled tradeshows. The renovation includes a continu- ation of the West Hall roof, an outdoor plaza and indoor lobby in the South Hall, a climate controlled interior concourse between the North and South Hall, an expansive Grand Lobby between the North and Central Halls, a newly designed parking lot outside of the Central Hall fea- turing a Vegas Loop station to transport to Wynn and Encore, innovative technol- ogy and upgraded electrical access for tradeshow organizers and exhibitors, as well as increased connectivity. With nearly 15 million sf of meeting and event space throughout the des- tination, the LVCC is one of the largest convention centers in North America. Last year, the facility hosted 56 conven- tions with a combined attendance of nearly 900,000. To learn more about the LVCC, visit LVCVA.com or VegasMeansBusiness.com. (L to R): LVCVA CEO and President Steve Hill and LVCVA board members Cedric Crear, Mary Beth Sewald, Michelle Romero, Scott DeAngelo, Jim Gibson, Steve Thompson and Steve Walton pose during a ceremonial ground breaking for the recent remodeling of the Las Vegas Convention Center at the South Hall. Las Vegas Convention Center Commences $600M Renovation PHOTO BY SAM MORRIS / LVCVA MusichMAY 2023 themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIES Final Beam Placed in Wisconsin Center Expansion Project MILWAUKEE, WI — The final beam has been lifted for the exterior of the Wis- consin Center expansion project. With the exterior complete, they can begin focusing on the construction on the inte- rior. The expansion will bring the exposi- tion hall to 300,000 contiguous sf, add 24 new meeting rooms, include no fewer than 400 indoor parking spaces, add six loading docks and an executive kitchen, as well as feature a spec- tacular fourth-floor ballroom with space for a minimum of 2,000 for a seated dinner. The center is pursuing LEED Sil- ver certification and is adding a solar roof, use of recycled building mate- rials, a food processing system to divert food waste, and other sustain- ability measures. Construction is expected to be complete by spring next year. For more information, visit buildingmore.com. 7 CENTRE’D AROUND YOU. Make an impact with your next event at Boise Centre. Our versatile meeting and event spaces, modern amenities, and expert event planning team is at your service to ensure an unforgettable event experience. Located in the middle of the city’s energetic, walkable downtown Boise Centre is surrounded by local breweries, restaurants, shops, hotels and is minutes from outdoor adventures. boisecentre.com • Convenient downtown location • Numerous direct flights and seven minutes from the airport • Surrounded by restaurants, breweries, and nightlife • Over 1,300 hotel rooms within walking distance • Outdoor activities close by hiking, rafting, biking, and more Fontainebleau Las Vegas Welcomes New Sales Team LAS VEGAS, NV — Fontainebleau Las Vegas, the globally anticipated luxury resort destination set to open in the fourth quarter of 2023, has welcomed its newly appointed sales leadership team, a veteran group of accomplished and award-winning executives that are showcasing the resort’s world-class offerings and elevating the standard for luxury hospitality on the Strip. The sales team is comprised of Kurt Wueb- benhorst, senior vice president of sales, catering and convention services; Carmen M. Rubino Jr., vice president of sales; Erin Naeve, vice president of distribution and social sales, and Nicole Schmitz, director of sales. The sales team is supported by Fon- tainebleau Development vice president of industry relations and business develop- ment Austin Bagwell. Fontainebleau Las Vegas resides on approximately 25 acres adjacent to the Las Vegas Convention Center District and brings full circle Fontainebleau Develop- ment’s long-held dream of hosting its iconic brand on the Strip. Upon opening, Fontainebleau Las Vegas will boast 3,644 rooms and suites, as well as 550,000 sf of customizable, indoor-outdoor meeting space. For more information, visit fontaineb- leaulasvegas.com. COURTESY PHOTONext >