< PreviousSince outside AV companies do not work exclusively with one property, their venue knowledge may be lacking depend- ing on where the event is taking place, which means the con- venience of using the in-house team may make it the better choice for some planners. “With an in-house, you do have the familiarity of the venue or hotel and then the space. You’re required to use them for internet and for power drop and rigging as well, so you have a relationship with them already,” said Sean Lynch, president, NHS Global Events, which works with some 100 corporate and association clients. “One of the pluses would also typically be much more access to additional on-demand equipment, where with an external provider, if they didn’t load it on the truck, they don’t have it.” Davis emphasized that planners need to look at the line items hotels or venues require if they bring in outside AV teams, especially for groups on a smaller budget. “A lot of people forget when they’re budgeting that if you bring an out of house company in, they’re having to pay for the power through the house, so you have to make sure that you budget for that. Some hotels don’t let you plug in your own power strips or extension cords.” She recalled a group she worked with last year where the hotel agreed she could bring an AV partner on site, with the stipulation they would charge $10,000 for the internet. “When that happened, my client said, ‘it’s not worth it,’ and we used their in-house AV.” Davis also said that some hotels require that planners pay for a person with the in-house AV company who is going to oversee the out of house AV company to make sure that they are following all the rules and regulations of the hotel. Union hotels are specifically a challenge, according to Davis. She suggested planners always ask in the site selection process whether the property is a union hotel and what that might mean as far as the rules around the production for events. Lynch believes equipment prices are negotiable with ven- ues, but labor costs depend on whether it’s a union or non- union location. He noted that union labor would have to be present for load in, load out and setup, which would add to the cost of bringing in an external AV provider. “If you’re in a union property and you’re going to have an external provider, you have shadow labor, so you are already adding to your cost. That external provider may already be more expensive because of that shadow labor.” Franse at PRG posed that there is an opportunity for meet- ing planners to negotiate some of the extra costs upfront. “For someone who’s just bringing a meeting together and finding a venue, it’s something that you should be thinking about and discussing upfront with the venue and seeing where there may be some wiggle room or where their exceptions may lay. If they really can’t provide what is being asked, then there’s sometimes a little bit of flexibility with what they’re willing to allow for.” Outside Production Company Strengths The benefits of hiring an outside provider are varied, including more flexibility with their pricing, and they can offer access to a larger assortment of equipment and technology. Courtesy of Encore Outside AV companies tend to have a deeper knowledge of a corporation’s needs, especially if they work the event in different locations every year; however, their venue knowledge could be lacking depending on the location. 40 January 2024 | Corporate & Incentive Travel | TheMeetingMagazines.comThe reasons Davis cites for hiring an outside com- pany include pricing. Davis has found that with in-house AV teams, there can be a lot of hid- den costs. “To give you a perfect example, say the client decides last minute that they want a microphone in their meal room to make announcements and it wasn’t contracted with the in-house. They’re charging, even if you have one in your ballroom, they’re charging you for that microphone. Whereas when I bring an AV partner on site, they’re storing all their materials within a storage room that I’ve contracted with the hotel. They just run in and grab one for me because we’ve already paid for it.” Outside AV companies also tend to have a deeper knowl- edge of a corporation’s needs, especially if they have an ongoing relationship of working the same event in different locations year after year. Knowing what pre-production and on-site tech is needed for those events can end up saving a planner time and money. Franse said PRG can bring deep knowledge of an event to multiple locations. “If your event happens year over year, but it’s not in the same location year over year, we can take that experience to a new venue that is new to you, but it’s not going to be a new venue to us. We have both the experience of whatever the event was in the previous year at a different location plus the experience of working in that new venue because we’ve worked inside that venue with other produc- tions and events.” Lynch said one factor is whether a corporation will be replicating a regional or roadshow event in various loca- tions. “Then your show producer is going to continue to build on the best practice from one event to the second to the third or fourth. If you’re dealing with an in house show producer or technical producer, they’re just doing one event and they didn’t learn from the first one on how to make the second one better.” Davis concurred, “When you’re with a preferred part- ner, you’re able to say, ‘Hey, this is very similar to the one that we did last January for another client. Can you give me the same pricing?’ That budgeting tactic has helped her win meeting business. “ Davis offered an example of the benefits of that partner- ship. “I had the same AV company that I love to partner with last year. We pieced together a karaoke night for a group without using a karaoke DJ. The attendees all put on their registration what their favorite Spotify songs were. And then this AV partner at no extra cost, built a Spotify list for us based on that report that I was able to provide them and then came up with a back-end way to create a karaoke experience for the group. We didn’t get charged extra for it. I don’t think an in house ever would have done that.” Another question is whether an in-house team will have multiple meetings and events they are working at the hotel or venue and whether that team will be dedicated to the planner’s event. A professional outsourced team can devote its time and energy exclusively to one meeting or event. McCarthy added, “You don’t have that relationship with the in-house hotel that you can have with a preferred pro- duction partner. I have a partnership with a local produc- tion company that I love, and they give my clients more of a personal touch — more personal attention. They get on calls with them, they get to know them.” For example, when McCarthy worked with Amazon, she used a production company that traveled with her around the world. “I was rinsing and repeating the same show around the world. So, having the producers travel with me and be able to go into a space and recreate something, that was ensuring to that audience and it was having a consistent message and a consistent experience.” There is also the benefit of an outside production com- pany having a relationship with the top executives of a com- pany hosting the event. Lynch said, “It’s really the general session for a trade show. Whether you’re the chief marketing officer or the president or whatever your seat on the panel is, you want to look good on stage. Who’s producing the show that they trust? That’s where the in-house providers have more of a barrier because they don’t know that end user well in advance. An in-house provider does not have a relation- ship with the CEO where the show producers have done three years in a row together with that CEO, so the CEO and the team will look like a million dollars on stage.” Franse advised to partner with an AV team early in the planning process and build the relationship. “Get a partner- ship early on to see what the pros and cons are of the events and the design and the location of the venue. We can do a lit- tle bit more of that front-end and with pre-production hand holding to get to a place where you’re not having a hectic installation. That’s a really big benefit.” There is no clear-cut winner here. And while the edge looks like it goes to the outsourced AV production firm, that’s not always the case. In the end, you need a good AV partner for your event. Someone you can truly count on. Essentially, they become an extension of your staff and enable you to focus your attention on your job. C&IT TheMeetingMagazines.com | Corporate & Incentive Travel | January 2024 41 I have a partnership with a local production company that I love, and they give my clients more of a personal touch — more personal attention. KATE M C CARTHY Director of Global Events, DatadogA s the chill of winter settles over most of the U.S., one state can be counted on to be enjoying milder months and outdoor environments at their peak. An enviable blend of city, desert and mountain settings, Mexican and Native American cultures, and iconic sights ranging from the Grand Canyon to Monument Valley, Arizona offers a surprisingly exotic backdrop for memorable meetings. “There’s the uniqueness of the landscape,” suggested Scott Winegar, president and co-owner of Boise-based cor- porate event planner, TMN Events. “For two thirds of the year, the weather in Arizona is fantastic. Then there’s the natural beauty of the scenery and different types of cacti. If you’re not from the southwest and you haven’t been, it’s pretty cool to see for the first time.” Winegar was recommending locations for Lamb Weston, Idaho’s leading supplier of frozen potato and other prod- ucts to restaurants and retailers. The world’s second larg- est potato producer was seeking a destination for its annual leadership meeting and Winegar felt it was time for them to take a look at Arizona, with Tucson in mind. “My client has family in Phoenix, and when she got to Tucson she said, ‘I had no idea, I was just expecting a smaller Phoenix,’” said Winegar, who noted that he is personally drawn to how different Tucson is from Phoenix. This would be the fifth meeting Winegar has handled for Lamb Weston, and a majority of the attendees come from the Pacific Northwest. But about a third of the attendees arrive from other U.S. cities and about 25 come in from overseas, so air service was a factor. “There’s not a lot of direct flights, much less from around the world, but overall, the city is good for a mid-sized meet- ing. The fact that not many of the attendees had ever been also had something to do with the selection.” Final deciding point: Loews. “Lamb Weston likes the brand, and cost was definitely a factor — the Loews Ven- tana Canyon is quite affordable,” explained Winegar. The 398-room resort is built to host events, with 37,000 sf of indoor meeting space plus almost 40,000 sf outdoors. The resort also offers a full-service spa, two Tom Fazio-designed PGA golf courses, and lighted tennis and pickleball courts. Winegar said the group has a large executive leader- ship team, so at least 15 suites were required, which Loews could provide. “The client likes to keep people on-property but to provide different experiences and the Loews allows for the feeling that you’re at a remote resort. This group also requires a pretty big footprint for their meeting space,” added Win- egar. “They like to do a huge stage, with seating in crescent rounds, and the 10,800-sf Kiva ballroom gave them the perfect amount of space. A lot of hotels are sensitive to the amount of meeting space they give you based on the room block, but Loews Ventana Can- yon was very flexible on this.” Winegar also noted the F&B team received high marks on a post-convention survey. “This client wants to showcase their product, so they had potato products from Lamb Weston served at every meal, prepared in specific and creative ways.” The group, totaling 240 attendees, stuck mostly to the property for activities and meals, but he leaned on Visit Tucson to vet DMCs, which in turn helped source local tchotchkes, such as light-up cacti used as centerpieces for one evening. Some attendees broke off in smaller groups for dining and TopGolf nearby. “Tucson is a gem,” said Winegar. “It’s unique, and most people haven’t spent time there, so it has a surprise factor — it shows really well.” As the pandemic eased, Tucson saw a fleet of improve- ments and additions of interest to meeting planners, includ- ing a $65 million expansion and renovation project at the Tucson Convention Center, completed in late 2022. The Terex Corp. held a progressive dinner on the golf course at The Boulders during a four-day meeting. 42 January 2024 | Corporate & Incentive Travel | TheMeetingMagazines.com Arizona DESTINATION UPDATE Courtesy of Debbie Pompa BY DAVID SWANSON Perfect Backdrop with Wide Open Spaces project included a face lift for the center’s 89,760-sf exhibit halls, renovation of the 20,164-sf ballroom, updating the Leo Rich Theater and the Linda Ronstadt Music Hall, and adding 32,000 sf of meetings rooms, restrooms and lobbies. Tucson’s tallest downtown skyscraper and most iconic building was transformed into The Leo Kent Hotel, Tucson, a 150-room boutique hotel that opened last May. Located an easy walk from the convention center, the Marriott Tribute Portfolio property spans nine of the tower’s 23 floors and draws upon the unique location in Tucson in its design, culi- nary and group offerings, and offers 1,400 sf of meeting space. The 575-room JW Marriott Tucson Starr Pass Resort is the city’s largest hotel, located in the foothills overlooking Tucson, yet just six miles from downtown, 12 miles from the airport. The property has 80,768 sf of event space, including a 19,836-sf ballroom, while other features include 27 holes of championship golf at the Starr Pass Golf Club and a 20,000- sf full-service spa. Hiking trails lead right from the porte cochere into the spectacular, saguaro cactus-dotted scenery of Tucson Mountain Park. With 54,870 sf of indoor event space, El Conquistador, Tucson, a Hilton Resort offers two 12,000-sf ballrooms, plus breakout rooms and ample outdoor lawn areas for casual gatherings. The resort recently unveiled a multi- million-dollar amenity, SpaWell. The facility features a salt therapy room, pool deck accentuating the resort’s moun- tainous backdrop. The Phoenix-Scottsdale metropolitan area is home to more than two-thirds of Arizona’s population, and holds the bulk of the state’s meeting space. Julie Wong, CMP, president and owner of Phoenix-based The Event Con- cierge, which handles corporate meetings, said Phoenix- Scottsdale has carved its niche by catering to a wide range of meeting budgets. “It’s not just high-end expensive hotels,” suggested Wong of the side-by-side cities. “Value-wise, we’re close to Vegas, but you get a little more bang for your buck here.” High season is mid-January through March. But she’s been able to find affordability even at high-end hotels the sec- ond week in January, the third week in April, or in October. A question Wong sometimes receives is to define the dif- ference between Phoenix and Scottsdale. “Only if you’re a local do you know that they’re separate cities,” said Wong. “Scottsdale offers some of the larger resorts — places with a golf course and a spread-out conference center. In Phoenix, the business hotels have a smaller, more compact footprint. Otherwise, there’s not much difference, and there’s not a big gap in pricing.” Meeting planners using Phoenix-Scottsdale can lean into culture and diversity, an increasingly important com- ponent for many companies. “There are a lot of ways to incorporate DEI into a meeting, such as at a dining event,” Wong explained. “The Heard Museum is focused on Native American culture.” The museum’s Spanish Market — Mercado de las Artes — has strolling mariachis and features artwork by 65 His- panic artists from Arizona and New Mexico. “There’s the Musical Instrument Museum, and venues like the Wrigley Mansion connected to the chewing gum magnate, or you can do an event at Taliesin West, architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s winter home.” Meeting planners can tap into the destination’s Frank Lloyd Wright connection at the Arizona Biltmore, a Wal- dorf-Astoria Resort, which reopened in 2021 following a 15-month renovation. The 705-room hotel’s acclaimed, nearly 100-year-old architecture and design — by Wright and Albert Chase McArthur — was left intact, with guest rooms treated to a muted motif of earth tones, stucco walls and wood accents. New F&B options were added, the Paradise Pool area was refreshed, and gold leaf has returned to the historic Gold Room, part of the hotel’s 200,000 sf of indoor and outdoor meeting space, which includes the 24,576-square-foot Frank Lloyd Wright Ballroom. Sheraton Phoenix Downtown is Arizona’s largest hotel. The 1,000-room property, just steps from the Phoenix Convention Center, features over 110,000 sf of flexible meeting space and was at the forefront of the 446-flag Sheraton brand’s $1 billion investment to refresh its guest TheMeetingMagazines.com | Corporate & Incentive Travel | January 2024 43 Courtesy of Julie Wong The Arizona Historical Society in Tempe, AZ, is a great outdoor venue for meetings and events. Value-wise, we’re very close to Vegas, but you get a little more bang for your buck here. JULIE WONG, CMP President and Owner, The Event Conciergeexperience, particularly in public spaces. In the 19,000- sf lobby, a community table encourages guests to mix and mingle as they work and relax. The hotel’s F&B offering was upgraded with grab-and-go options, rooms have been overhauled, the fitness center received an $850,000 remodel, and the Sheraton Club Lounge has been relocated to the lobby area, and updated. Straddling both Phoenix and Scottsdale, The Phoenician, part of Marriott’s Luxury Collection, is another property seeing upgrades to its meeting facilities. The resort com- pleted a renovation, allowing Joanie Seehof, a senior pro- gram manager with Elevate IME, to call The Phoeni- cian a “very shiny penny,” in anticipation of her five-night incentive program. “The quality of The Phoe- nician was a step up from other hotels I looked at,” See- hof explained. “We looked at a lot of different hotels — The Phoenician is luxury, clean, spacious and located a mile or so from Old Town. The group likes getting off property so the location was important.” Seehof was in Arizona scouting locations for a Min- neapolis-based manufactur- ing company, with many of the 100 sales reps coming in from the Middle East, Northern Africa and Europe, meaning inter- national airlift would be essential. “I was looking for sunshine, and the company’s president thought they’d enjoy the U.S. or Caribbean. We felt Scottsdale was a better fit than other cities in Arizona — it’s less city-ish; it feels more southwestern.” The program will include a welcome dinner, an awards dinner and a tasting tour in downtown Scottsdale. “We’ll be doing two days of offsite activities, with options including a hot air balloon, a river float, horseback ride, a jeep tour and a dine-around one night, with another night at leisure.” The Phoenician features more than 160,000 sf of indoor and outdoor meeting space, which are also getting a renova- tion. Last summer, the Camelback Ballroom, foyers and the first-floor breakout rooms and hallways were refreshed in a style paying tribute to the native Sonoran culture and history. The two-phase project will be completed this summer when the interiors of The Phoenician Grand Ballroom and the Estrella Ballroom, as well as upper-level breakout rooms and hallways, receive their facelift. When considering Phoenix-Scottsdale, planners can look beyond the city core for new and interesting locations. In the neighboring suburb of Tempe, just 10 minutes east of Phoe- nix Sky Harbor International Airport, the $125 million Omni Tempe Hotel at ASU opened last year, bringing some of the largest conference and meeting space to Tempe’s revital- ized downtown area. The ADERO Scottsdale Resort, a member of Marriott’s Autograph Collection, is set high on a ridgeline with sweep- ing views of the Four Peaks and McDowell Mountain Range. The six-story, 177-room property is decidedly off the beaten path, but offers a retreat-like atmosphere, with 20,151 sf of indoor and outdoor meeting space. The resort can be used as a basecamp for adventurous types, with direct access to private trailheads accessing the desert. A certified Arizona classic, The Boulders Resort & Spa is equally remote. Debbie Pompa, executive assis- tant with Genie, a company owned by Terex Corp, a Seattle-based manufacturer of lifting and material- handling equipment, said despite its seclusion the resort is easy to get to. “It’s 31 miles from Phoe- nix Sky Harbor airport, but once there you really don’t need to leave.” Boasting a true desert setting amid a jumble of ancient giant boulders, the resort has two serene golf courses winding between cacti and adobe- style casitas, where the 220 accommodations are found. Last fall, the company invited 117 to attend a four-day meeting at The Boulders. “When I got onto the property, I was sold,” said Pompa. “It is an amazing, beautiful, almost magical, place. The rooms are spacious and elegantly decorated in Southwest furnishing, with a fireplace.” The resort is on 1,300 acres, all beautifully landscaped, added Pompa, who noted that golf was an important com- ponent for the gathering, either on-site or within walking distance. The Boulders features 50,000 sf of indoor and out- door meeting space, including the 5,600-sf Latilla Ballroom. The Caesars Republic Scottsdale is set to debut soon, mark- ing the first non-gaming hotel for Caesars Entertainment Cor- poration in the U.S. The 11-story glass structure will house 265 rooms, a bar and coffee shop, two signature restaurants from Chef Giada De Laurentiis, an elevated pool and restaurant, SEVEN on the seventh floor, and a fitness center. The hotel’s high-end conference center features a 7,000-sf ballroom with customizable LED lighting and cutting-edge sound, internet and AV systems. Sliding glass doors open out onto a 7,000-sf adjacent lawn, suitable for outdoor events for up to 600 people. For event planners looking to provide their attendees with an elevated experience, Arizona is hot. From sights and sounds, archeological wonders, southern hospitality and cross-cultural amazing eats in unassuming places, it is the perfect backdrop with wide open spaces. C&IT See why Tucson’s one-of-a-kind culture creates an experience that extends beyond the ballroom. Book now through 2026 and earn up to $15,000 OFF your Master Account. FIND OUT MORE | TucsonOnUs.com WIDE OPEN SPACES TucsonOnUs.com 44 January 2024 | Corporate & Incentive Travel | TheMeetingMagazines.com Courtesy of Scott Winegar / TMN Events The Loews Ventana Canyon in Tucson, AZ offers two PGA golf courses and plentiful meeting space.See why Tucson’s one-of-a-kind culture creates an experience that extends beyond the ballroom. Book now through 2026 and earn up to $15,000 OFF your Master Account. FIND OUT MORE | TucsonOnUs.com WIDE OPEN SPACES TucsonOnUs.comFlorida New Hotels, Venues, Attractions Increasing the Sunshine State’s Appeal Fishing on Florida’s Sports CoastOmni Fort Lauderdale Downtown Miami 46 January 2024 | Corporate & Incentive Travel | TheMeetingMagazines.com DESTINATIONAttractions Increasing the Sunshine State’s Appeal A t first blush, an event organizer might bring a corporate meeting or incentive program to Florida for its warm weather and variety of destinations to choose from. Whether groups are suited to theme parks in Orlando, nightlife in Miami or sun worshipping on the West Coast, the Sunshine State meets those needs. But now, Florida’s story has been made even more compelling for meetings and incentives. Expanded event venues, new hotel construc- tion and renovation, as well as the introduction of attractions and entertainment options are boosting the state’s event infrastructure and appeal for attendees. BY RAYNA KATZ Miami Beach Convention CenterCaribe Royale Orlando TheMeetingMagazines.com | Corporate & Incentive Travel | January 2024 47Orlando The massive Orange County Convention Center is getting bigger. Funding of $560 million for a 140,000-sf expansion was approved by the County in 2023. Still being designed, the new space at the North-South building will include an 80,000-sf ballroom and another 60,000 sf of meeting space. Construction is expected to take three years. Meanwhile, building officials are pursuing capital for another expansion that would add a 200,000-sf multi-pur- pose venue to the North-South building. No timeline is in place for that project but when the two developments are completed, the North-South building will have 1.15 million sf of exhibit space. At Universal Orlando’s Loews Hotels complex — which is comprised of eight properties — two new production stages debuted this year: one offers 17,500 sf of usable space while the other has 12,500. Situated between Univer- sal Studios Florida and Universal Islands of Adventure, the stages give planners options for a unique dining space and after-hours events. Plus, Universal’s Great Movie Escape at Universal City- Walk offers two adventures inspired by the Jurassic World and Back to the Future films — each providing eight immer- sive environments with state-of-the-art challenges and detailed sets, allowing groups to step into blockbuster mov- ies for fun experiences or team building. Planner Marc Farrugia, chief administrative officer, Sun Communities & Sun Outdoors, brought a group of 750 attendees to Loews Sapphire Falls Resort (one of the Univer- sal properties) for a leadership conference last year, and has used Loews Universal properties before. He had nothing but praise for the hotel, noting the staff’s great service and the property’s cleanliness. Overall, he said, “It is one of the best conference hotels we’ve ever used.” Loews Sapphire Falls Resort’s meeting space is easy to navigate and designed to support the latest meeting technol- ogy, and the event management staff is “second to none,” Far- rugia noted. Department heads consistently checked in with him to ensure that everything ran smoothly. Food wise, Farrugia was similarly impressed. Banquet menus are designed by experienced chefs and dishes feature locally-sourced ingredients. Additionally, the staff was on top of accommodating dietary restrictions and focused on meet- ing guests’ food quality expectations. Elements of the venue’s structure were a benefit too. “With more rigging points than most venues have, we’re able to execute an event that leverages large-scale LED walls to create visually stunning general sessions,” he added. In short, Farrugia said, Sun Communities & Sun Out- doors chose Loews Sapphire Falls Resort because the com- pany has built a relationship with the Universal Orlando team. That connection has helped the organization’s bud- get. “We work well together and having repeat events at the venue has made execution of our event more efficient. We’ve saved some expense, and the quality of our event increases each year.” Event attendees seemed to agree with Farrugia’s glowing praise, rating their satisfaction with conference facilities at last year’s event 4.85 out of 5. Said Farrugia, “This is the high- est rating we’ve received from our attendees across all venues we’ve used in prior years.” At the Caribe Royale Orlando, a $140 million renovation is underway, while other upgrades recently were completed. This month, the 1,337-room property will open Stadium Club, a 9,000- sf, two-floor entertainment destination featur- ing eight pro-level sports simulators by Full Swing Golf, two 165-inch XHD projector displays, two bars and four venue buy-out areas for groups, including the SkyBox with a vir- tual reality suite. The complex, which can host up to 500 people for a pri- vate buy out, delivers Caribe Royal’s eighth dining concept, being developed with celebrity chefs Janine Booth and Jeff McInnis. The culinary duo previously created Root & Bone, which has an outpost in Miami and other locations in the Courtesy of Marc Farrugia / Sun Communities & Sun Outdoors at Elevate Loews Sapphire Falls Resort offers meeting space that is easy to navigate and designed to support the latest meeting technology. 48 January 2024 | Corporate & Incentive Travel | TheMeetingMagazines.com With more rigging points than most venues have, we’re able to execute an event that leverages large-scale LED walls to create visually stunning general sessions. MARC FARRUGIA Chief Administrative Officer, Sun Communities & Sun OutdoorsTake center stage on your next event and escape the everyday in a truly extraordinary getaway with limitless possibilities. Contact our Sales Team today to learn more and book your group. 800.937.0156 | HardRockHolly.com | #GuitarHotel DISCOVER YOUR RHYTHM. © 2023 . If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, please call 1-888-ADMIT.IT. FINE-TUNE YOUR NEXT MEETING.Next >