Convention Insider (Conventions.net)

The Kentucky International Convention Center, right in the heart of downtown Louisville, is large, lush, and beautiful to behold.

I’ve never actually seen a convention center with so many rooms, in fact.  The Kentucky International Convention Center has over 300,000 square feet of space, a 30,000 square foot ballroom and 52 meeting rooms, and all under one roof.

WiFi, and plenty of outlets, too.  I know, because I’ve personally been to two education conferences and an electronics trade show here.

The venue’s many and varied world-class facilities may be found if you click here.

Handy parking, too!  And, of the 10,00 hotel and motel rooms in Louisville, 2,00 of them are within walking distance of the convention center. 

Kentucky International Convention Center

221 Fourth Street

Louisville, KY  40202

Phone:  (502) 595-4381 or 1-800-701-5831

Fax:  (502) 595-3675

For ticket office information call:  (502) 595-3555

The Sheraton Denver West Hotel is not only a beautiful and almost perfect venue for any kind of event imaginable, large or small;  this hotel also has one of the most gorgeous views EVER.

Nestled in the Rocky Mountains, the view from my window was breathtaking.

The conference I was attending was three days long and was attended by several hundred people.  However, both rooms used by the conference were large enough for even more; it wasn’t crowded in the least.  All of us could easily fit into each individual room!  The chairs were comfortable and the tables were perfect.

I had only two non perfect items in my memory of this venue:  The Wifi, which was excellent, was NOT free, and the tables in the middle of the room had no access to outlets.  Everything else about this venue was FANTASTIC.

I do love an elegant staircase, and the Sheraton Denver West Hotel did not disappoint.  The elevators were large, roomy, and FAST.

The hotel’s catering service was great, and the several restaurants and pubs within were also good.

The Sheraton Denver West Hotel is located at360 Union Blvd, Lakewood, Colorado 80228.  Phone: (303)987-2000.

If the Westin St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco looks familiar, it might be because this hotel is in more movies than any other American hotel!

While the outside of the Westin St. Francis is pure Hollywood, the inside is pure vintage.  Tall ceilings, huge elevators covered with brass and carved wood, staircases that just stepped out of a Bette Davis movie. . . Walking into the Westin St. Francis Hotel is like walking into a time machine.  Where else can you find a pink marble staircase?

Make no mistake, though; the venue might appear to be a blast from the past, but it’s one of the most technologically up-to-date venues you’ll ever see.

Each meeting room that I saw was HUGE, and fully equipped with enough electrical outlets for the huge masses of conference participants when I was there.  The building’s WiFi was easily connected and the signals were strong and reliable.  This is of vital importance for almost any kind of conference, convention, trade show, meetup, reunion, wedding, etc.

San Francisco’s famous cable cars stop right outside the door of the Westin St. Francis.  Fisherman’s Wharf and Chinatown are within easy walking distance, too.

Reservations: (800) Westin 1 | General Inquiries: (415) 397-7000 | Meetings, Banquets, &Weddings : (415) 774-0126 | General Sales: (415) 774-0112 | Fax: (415) 774-0124

The beautiful Chicago Sheraton Hotel and Towers is the perfect venue for your conference, convention, trade show, or any other collection of people!

I was there only last year at the huge BlogHer conference, and the meeting rooms were large, lovely, and equipped with comfortable chairs and tables.  Most important of all, in this day and age of technology, each room had plenty of outlets!

This venue also has WiFi throughout – both in the conference and restaurant areas AND in the hotel rooms.

This brings me to another point:  A conference venue is always best when the building is also a hotel!  It’s awkward and expensive if your attendees have to hail a cab to get from their hotel to the conference venue.

The Chicago Sheraton Hotel and Towers is right in the middle of downtown Chicago: handy to everything!

301 East North Water Street Chicago, IL 60611
Main 312-464-1000 Fax 312-464-9140

Click here for a virtual tour of the Chicago Sheraton Hotel and Towers.

Nashville, Indiana is a former artists’ colony that has become the autumn haven for conferences, conventions, trade shows, reunions, retreats, meetings, and just plain shopping for people from all over the nation.  It’s open year-round, of course, but the fall is the prime season here.  This picture doesn’t begin to show the beauty of this place; it’s too breath-taking to be captured on film.  Or disc, as the case may be.

Nashville is the county seat of scenic Brown County, Indiana.  It’s nestled in the heart of the majestic Hoosier National Forest, and I defy any other place on earth to lay claim to being more lovely than this place!

Nashville, and Brown County in general, have many inns from which to choose for your conference. Whether you’re planning something for several hundred, several dozen, or just several, Brown County has the perfect venue for your function.  You can count on having the most modern, up-to-date facilities and technology at your disposal, even if you have chosen a venue that appears to be on the rustic side!

In your attendees’ free time, there are shops and sights the likes of which they’ll never find anywhere else: works of art, musical instruments made by hand, pottery, museums, galleries, studios, bakeries, glassware, furniture – even the kitchen (or bathroom) sink – all unique to Brown County.

When your employees or attendees find out that their convention, conference, or trade show, is being held in Brown County, Indiana, you can bet you’ll have fabulous attendance!

The Brown County Indiana Convention and Visitors Bureau, 10 North Van Buren Street, Nashville, IN 47448, can be reached by calling 1-800-753-3255.

For more information about group resources, check out the Brown County CVB website.

Be sure to put your camera in your briefcase before you leave your house.

The Conference Center at NorthPointe is located just 10 minutes from Columbus, Ohio. Nestled in a village-like setting of Georgian architecture and cobblestone streets, our full service IACC approved meeting center features 40 meeting and breakout rooms, an elegant 6,000 square foot ballroom, 120 hotel rooms, the latest in advanced audiovisual technology and professional conference services, a private conference dining room and an on-site pub. Purpose designed and constructed, The Conference Center at NorthPointe was built based on extensive input from meeting professionals and conforms to the high standards of the International Association of Conference Centers.

Our meeting and breakout rooms will suit your every need from business meetings, to corporate training sessions, to board retreats. NorthPointe Conference Center dining options are as diverse as they are outstanding in taste and presentation. Each of our hotel guest rooms and suites feature pillow-top beds and high speed Internet access. For the active set, guests may enjoy our fitness center, full size gymnasium and outdoor swimming pool, all located on meticulously landscaped grounds overlooking a picturesque two-acre pond.

9243 Columbus Pike
Lewis Center, Oh 43035

TEL: 866.233.9393
FAX: 614.880.4167
Email
Directions

Directly from the Sodexo website:

Pocatello, Idaho is one of the best-kept secrets in the nation.  It’s one of the most beautiful areas anyone could hope for: right in the mountains, but without the hustle and bustle and crowds most college towns seem to have.

It’s a beautiful place to hold a conference, convention, or trade show!

Visitors Bureau
324 S. Main – Suite B
Pocatello, Idaho  83204
1-877-922-7659
1-208-235-7659
Email Us

Click here to request a free meeting planner from the Pocatello Convention and Visitor’s Bureau!

Whether it’s a dinner in a setting away from the hotel, a ceremony requiring a different atmosphere, or a large gathering such as a trade show with space and logistical requirements not met by the hotel convention centers, Pocatello has the facilities to meet your needs.

Just look at all of your convention, conference, and trade show options in Pocatello!

And here are your convention services!

The Greater Richmond Convention Center, located at 403 N. 3rd St, Richmond, VA 23219, is only minutes away from the airport, and right in the heart of downtown.

Event planners, click here for information.

And, from the convention center’s website, here is what it has to say about what you might find at the Greater Richmond Convention Center:

The Greater Richmond Convention Center is Virginia’s largest exposition and meeting facility. The Center brings hundreds of thousands of visitors into the metropolitan area each year.

Whether it’s large or small – simple or multi-faceted, our customer service and attention to detail will ensure that your event will surpass your every expectation.

Today (Friday) through Sunday, in fact, if you go to the Greater Richmond Convention Center, you will find a wine-tasting convention with wine tasting from 65 state wineries, food and cheese sampling, free crystal wine glass, chef demonstrations, and more!

Chicago’s Navy Pier is a fabulous convention center, mall, carnival, theater, riverfront, and you name it.  One thing it is not is a hotel, but there are many fine hotels within walking distance of the Pier.

From the Navy Pier website, here are its handy FAQ:

Frequently Asked Questions about Event Planning

6. Where do buses stage at Navy Pier?
There is no staging at Navy Pier. Our marshalling yard is located 31st Parking Lot (one block west of Lake Shore Drive. As an alternative, buses can stage on Elston Avenue between Potomac Avenue and LeMoyne Street.
Additional locations:

• 1200 South Canal Street (except Sundays) – parking available only on the east side of
  Canal Street, south of Roosevelt Road
• 420 South Franklin Street
• Clybourn Avenue at Division Street
• McCormick Place Marshalling Yard
  Click here for Motorcoach information.
  
  7. What are the height restrictions for the East and West Garages?
  The West garage is 6ft. 3 in., and East garage is 7ft. 9in.

  8. Where can I park when I drive to Navy Pier?
  Navy Pier’s on-site parking garages accommodate 1,740 vehicles. Please click here Parking, for detailed information on Navy Pier garages and prices.

  9. Where can I get a taxi?
  There is a taxi line formed throughout the day at the front of the Pier. There are cab phones available at Entrance 1 and 2.
  
  10. How do I get to Navy Pier?
  Click here for information about “Getting Here!”

  11. I have an event in Festival Hall or the Grand Ballroom, where should I be dropped off?
  Once you have arrived to Navy Pier, there is only one road leading you toward the East End, proceed down the North Dock to Entrance 2, which is the farthest drop off point at Navy Pier.
  
  12. If I wanted to buy Pier Park tickets in conjunction with my event, who do I need to speak to?
  Your Sales or Event Manager will gladly assist you in securing group tickets for Pier Park.

  13. Does the trolley service run all year long?
  Yes. Trolley hours vary based on time of year or events held at Navy Pier. Please click here to view current hours.

  14. How do I report or claim lost property?
  Click here to complete the claim form. We will contact you within 48 hours during the standard business work week (Monday through Friday).

  15. Is there a general information number for Navy Pier?
  Our general number is 312-595-PIER or 1-800-595-PIER.
  
  16. Where is the food court?
  Located at the front of the Pier in the Family Pavilion.

There are many different venues within the Navy Pier.

The beautiful Walter E. Washington Convention Center is brand new as far as the usual D.C. building is concerned, but its history is long and interesting.

The city’s first convention center was built in 1874, and a second floor was added in 1893.  This conference hall served D.C. for a little over fifty years!  The present Washington Convention Center opened in 2003.

Click here to see the center’s interactive map.