Oct 29, 2020
With the launch of its pre-travel testing program on Oct. 15, the State of Hawaii officially began welcoming visitors back to the islands. According to John Reyes, senior vice president and chief meetings, conventions and incentives (MCI) sales officer for Meet Hawaii, the reopening is positive news for groups looking to book meetings and events — even if, at the moment, allowable gatherings are still small.
Currently, Hawaii has limited social gatherings to 10 people inside and 10 people outside. In an attempt to increase that number, Reyes says the tourism industry is urging political… more
Oct 27, 2020
On Oct. 21, Miami Beach Convention Center hosted The Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau Annual Meeting, the first event to take place at the venue since it reopened in October after closing due to the pandemic in April.
The facility’s 60,000-square-foot Grand Ballroom was well-equipped to accommodate social distancing for 200 in-person guests. MBCC worked with Smart City Networks and Everlast Productions to also create a seamless livestream for an additional 478 virtual participants. All participants attending in-person were subject to a temperature screening, and facial coverings… more
Oct 22, 2020
Hyatt Regency Seattle, which debuted in December 2018 and is currently the largest hotel in the Pacific Northwest, reopened to the public on Oct. 1 for the first time since closing its doors in March when the pandemic began.
Just 15 miles from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and two short blocks from the Washington State Convention Center, Hyatt Regency Seattle and sister properties Grand Hyatt Seattle and the boutique Hyatt Olive 8 are part of what is now called “A Seattle Collection.” Here are the highlights.
Property Highlights
The design elements throughout the property give it a… more
Oct 14, 2020
With ski season fast approaching, Big Sky Resort in Montana is thinking outside the — ahem, gondola — to reimagine how guests will be able to attend meetings and conferences at ski resorts. Thanks to a new program called Hybrid Mountain Meetings, conference organizers will be able to plan virtual events, presentations and speakers broadcasted from within the resort at Yellowstone Conference Center, while attendees remain socially distanced and comfortable inside their resort accommodations.
At 55,000 square feet, the resort’s Yellowstone Conference Center is one of the largest conference… more
Oct 09, 2020
While the California Department of Public Health’s latest guidelines continue to prohibit in-person gatherings, San Diego meeting venues will be ready the moment that changes. “Our tourism industry collectively has instituted best-in-class protocols and procedures so meeting planners and attendees should feel comfortable when it is time to welcome them back,” says Julie Coker, president and CEO of San Diego Tourism Authority.
As part of the new measures, San Diego’s largest venue — the 2.6 million-square-foot San Diego Convention Center — has achieved GBAC STAR accreditation after… more
Oct 06, 2020
The home of the Packers will also be home to an expansive new event venue by January 2021. Resch Expo, a 125,000-square-foot, column-free exposition center, is located in Green Bay, Wisconsin, adjacent Lambeau Field in the city’s entertainment district. Together with the existing Resch Center — which opened in 2002 and hosts events from concerts to trade shows — it will make up the new Resch Complex.
More than 700 hotel rooms and a dozen restaurants are within easy walking distance of the complex, complementing the city’s more than 4,500 total hotel rooms.
Design of the non-union Resch Expo… more
Oct 02, 2020
In a rather bold move amidst a tumultuous year for the tourism industry, Visit Spokane has unveiled a restructuring of its business model that will lead to a short-term reduction in revenue but ultimately open up other avenues of funding and allow the organization to live more fully into its mission of marketing the whole region.
“We found our old model to be antiquated and restrictive,” says Meg Winchester, president and CEO of Visit Spokane. “The hope is that by restructuring the way we do business we will create better partnerships with Spokane’s hospitality community, which will make… more
Sep 29, 2020
Opening a new convention hotel in the middle of a pandemic may sound preposterous to some. Yet things went on as planned in Rockford, Illinois, which opened the brand-new Embassy Suites by Hilton Rockford Riverfront in early July.
The new hotel is the first full-service property in the Rockford area and located in the center of downtown, which has seen a lot of activity over recent years—think new breweries, restaurants, UW Health Sports Factory and the 2013 renovation of BMO Harris Bank Center. “Talk about a gamechanger in terms of making our downtown a destination,” says Nick Povalitis,… more
Sep 28, 2020
As part of Phase 4 of Governor Andrew Cuomo’s New York Forward plan, meeting venues in New York City are now able to host in-person gatherings of up to 50 people at under 33 percent of the venue’s capacity. Planners can add to these numbers by bringing additional attendees in virtually; that’s why a number of New York venues are embracing the hybrid meetings concept.
“Our world-class venues have adapted to meet the current moment with innovative new hybrid models that will help us to safely welcome meeting delegates and event attendees back to the five boroughs,” said Fred Dixon, president… more
Sep 25, 2020
Meetings in Seattle are about to be back in business. Washington State Governor Jay Inslee has modified the state’s Phase 2 and Phase 3 restrictions around business meetings, professional development training and testing, and similar activities, effective Sept. 21. According to the new guidance, the Governor’s Safe Start reopening plan will permit meetings and business events to be held at an indoor capacity of 30 percent or 200 guests, whichever is less (excluding venue staff).
Adherence to strict COVID-19 protocols must be followed, including implementation of social distancing… more
Partner Voices
MGM Resorts is committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse culture, not just among employees and guests but also within its supply chain. The company prioritizes procuring goods and services from businesses owned by minorities, women, veterans, people with disabilities, LGBTQ individuals and those facing economic disadvantages. This commitment is integral to MGM Resorts' global procurement strategy.
Through its voluntary supplier diversity program, MGM Resorts actively identifies and connects certified diverse-owned suppliers to opportunities within its supply chain. The company is more