If you are looking for a conference center, convention center, or trade show location that is paradise, inside the building and out – especially out – look no further than the Ramada Plaza on Nag’s Head Beach.

Nag’s Head, North Carolina, is part of the breathtakingly beautiful Outer Banks, home of the planet’s loveliest beaches.  Some of the most famous lighthouses of our time are here, along with much of our country’s pirate history.  That’s right:  I said PIRATE.  Ocracoke Island, also part of Nags Head, was home to the notorous Edward Teach, better known as Blackbeard. 

The Ramada Plaza itself is a place of comfort, convenience, and plenty of room for whatever function you are planning, be it a reunion, party, reception, retreat, wedding, conference, convention, or trade show – of almost any size, too.  Small?  Medium?  Large?  Extra Large?  the Nag’s Head Beach Ramada Plaza can accommodate your every need.

Just look at that view from this conference room!

All of this can be found at the Ramade Plaza Nags Head Beach Hotel, 1701 S. Virginia Dare Trail, Kill Devil HIlls/Nags Head, NC 27948

Contact information: Phone: 252-441-2151    FAX:  252-441-1830

E-mail:  info@ramadainnnagshead.com

After your meetings, dinners, etc. are over, your attendees can step out of the hotel onto the beach, and experience the wonder that is the Outer Banks. There are many historic places within a short drive from the hotel, too. The Lost Colony of Roanoke and Kill Devil Hills (where the Wright Brothers flew that first airplane) are two of many fascinating places to visit.  Drive a little south onto the ferry at the southern tip of the islands, and your car and you will be on your way to Ocracoke Island, where you can eat at the famous Howard’s Pub, visit the British Cemetary, and explore the pirate museum, among other things.

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

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.

Alaska is one of the most beautiful of all our fifty states.  What better place to hold a conference, convention, or trade show?  And just look at that gorgeous venue!  (picture by Ken Graham)

This lovely convention center is located at 600 W. Seventh Ave., Anchorage, AK, 99501.  Phone: (907)264-2850

The Alaska Big Wildlife website has this to say about the  Dena’ina Civic and Convention Center

The Dena’ina Civic and Convention Center is Anchorage’s newest, state-of-the-art convention facility. When the doors opened in October 2008 Anchorage’s civic and convention capacity was increased by more than 300 percent.

With views of the spectacularly beautiful Chugach mountain range, the convention center and its meeting rooms enhance the cultural experience both indoors and out, as well as provide the functionality that is expected from a premier meeting facility.

Visitors are greeted in the grand lobby by 95-foot ceilings and a 65-foot shimmering, cascading sculpture that depicts birds, mammals and sea creatures of the local region.

The 25,332 square foot ballroom has the capacity for 140 booths, 1,800 banquet seats and 2,867 theatre style. The exhibit hall can accommodate 278 trade show booths, 3,300 banquet seating and 5,000 theatre space. The flexible space expands as needed, providing 10,372 square feet of meeting rooms.

Some fun facts about the Dena’ina Civic and Convention Center:

• Idlughet (ee-DLOW-ghut) Exhibit Hall is 50,000 sq. ft. – equivalent to a football field minus the end zones
  
• 1,200 cubic yards of concrete was used to build the Dena’ina Center – the equivalent of a five-foot wide sidewalk from Anchorage to Wasilla (approximately 43 miles)
  
• 2,600 tons of structural steel is included in the Dena’ina Center – the equivalent of 1,200 pick-up trucks
  
• Construction materials used in building the Dena’ina Center include 675 tons of steel rebar, 40,000-square-feet of concrete panels, 20 acres of drywall, 135 miles of wire feeder and branch wire, 80 toilet partitions and 1.25 acres of insulated metal panels
  
• The large-scale size of “Constellation,” the main lobby artwork, required additional sprinkler heads be installed
  
• The Dena’ina Center décor includes $160,000 in plants, most of which are live
  
• $2.7 million in furnishings outfit the Dena’ina Center, including 4,500 banquet chairs
  
• One of the two service elevators is large enough to hold an African elephant; the two public elevators travel at 350-feet per minute
  
• Shimmer Screen Beads cover the upper walls in the ballroom, gently swaying as the air circulates; center executives joked they were installing a “glorified key chain”
  
• The state-of-the-art kitchen includes a flight-type dishwasher that can clean and sanitize up to 15,700 plates per hour; an additional conveyor dishwasher can accommodate up to 8,000 glasses per hour
  
• Two “on demand” kitchen coffee machines are capable of brewing up to 9,576 cups per hour and two “steam-jacket” kettles have a total capacity of 100 gallons of soup or sauce
  
• Refrigeration capacity at the Dena’ina Center will allow for up to 10,000 boxed lunches to be prepared and stored for next day delivery
  
• The kitchen is equipped with two, double-sided, conveyor belt type “dish up” stations. Heated plates move along an assembly line as hot foods are placed on them. A photo-optic activated shut-off system keeps plates from flying off the line.
  
• The outdoor terrace, on the ballroom level, can accommodate 900 guests and has a heated floor for year-round use
  
• Heated sidewalks surround three sides of the Dena’ina Center and along F Street providing comfortable connectivity between the Anchorage Convention Centers
  
• The Dena’ina name Tikahtnu (tee-KAHT-new) means “Big Water River” or “saltwater.” There are less than 50 Dena’ina speakers left. Naming this building the Dena’ina Center honors Anchorage’s first inhabitants. It is hoped that the building’s name will inspire more people to learn the language.
  
• The Dena’ina people, the original inhabitants of the Cook Inlet area, settled in the upper Cook Inlet basin at the end of the last Ice Age (500 – 1000 AD). They believe in leaving minimal imprint on the land.
  The Anchorage Convention & Visitors Bureau’s (ACVB) mission is to attract and serve visitors to the Municipality of Anchorage as a Destination Marketing Organization (DMO). ACVB’s marketing functions are funded by one-third of the bed tax collected by lodging associations. One-third goes to the Municipality’s general fund, a contribution established in 1978, and one-third goes to the construction and annual maintenance costs of the Dena’ina Civic and Convention Center and the William A. Egan Civic & Convention Center. ACVB receives no state or federal funds. Explore www.Anchorage.net for more information.

Oh, and just check out these facilities!

For more information visit www.anchorageconventioncenters.com

I’ve been to Johnson City, Tennessee several times, and I can tell you first-hand that it’s a beautiful place for a gathering of any kind. Straight from the Sodexo Properties website, just look at what Tennessee’s Millennium Centre can offer your conference, convention, or trade show!

Experience Tennessee’s Premier Conference Center Five-Star excellence in meeting facilities, service and technology awaits you at the foothills of East Tennessee. Focused on convenience, service and technology, the Millennium Centre is committed to making your function a success from start to finish. It’s the ideal choice for your next event – Meet You in the Mountains!

Property Highlights

Property Type: The Millennium Centre developed at the turn of the Millennium provides exceptional services tailored to the needs of large conference events as well as small corporate executive meetings and continuing education based functions. Open to Public: Yes Conference Center Location: Located in historic Johnson City, minutes from the Tri-Cities Regional Airport. Meeting Facilities: The Millennium Centre with 23,000 square feet of meeting space features 16 conference rooms, an Executive Board Room with an adjoining private lounge, two amphitheatres and numerous break out rooms. Several of the rooms feature built-in presentation technology, and all provide ergonomic chairs for individual comfort and individual climate & lighting controls. Complete Meeting Package (CMP): No Overnight Accommodations: Connected by a walk way to the Carnegie Hotel, the regions finest hotel accommodations with a 5 star rating, providing 141 beautifully appointed guest rooms. Conference Facility Amenities: Beautiful outdoor courtyard with views of the   water features and paved outdoor areas provide the perfect location for team building. Meeting Room Technology: Specialized audio visual equipment with built-in sound amplification, and video and satellite conference capabilities. On site audio visual technicians are available, providing dedicated support. Food & Beverage Service: Serving extraordinary cuisine in upscale dining areas, The Centre’s conference planner and renowned executive chef can assist you in planning luncheons, receptions, and events for up to 600 guests.

Contact Information

According to Tulsa’s 2 Works for You website, Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck, and several others, are coming to the Tulsa Convention Center:

Sarah Palin is scheduled to come to Tulsa to join Glenn Beck for the “Taking Our Country Back” tour.

The announcement was made Tuesday afternoon at the Tulsa Convention Center.

Palin is scheduled to join Glenn Beck, John Rich and Gretchen Wilson on Saturday, March 13th at Noon at the Tulsa Convention Center.

Tickets start at $45. For more information and updates go to www.takingourcountrybacktour.com

The Tulsa Convention Center is located at

Tulsa Convention Center
100 Civic Center
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74103-3822                                                               

Phone 918 – 894 – 4350
Toll-Free 800 – 678 – 7177
Fax 918 – 894 – 4229

Here is the full Taking Our Country Back announcement, directly from the Tulsa Convention Center website:

John Rich (Big & Rich) and Holden Productions announced the first date of the Taking Our Country Back Tour, Saturday, March 13 at the Tulsa Convention Center, Tulsa, Oklahoma.  The rally and concert will feature conservative talk radio and television host Glenn Beck, country artists John Rich and Gretchen Wilson performing in concert, best-selling author Dick Morris, a tribute to the armed forces and more. Combining full-scale arena concert performances with patriotic speakers and inspirational messages, the Taking Our Country Back Tour is the rallying event Americans have been waiting for.
“So many Americans are feeling disenfranchised by our government,” said John Rich.  “As voters, we entrusted them with our hopes and dreams and the chance to be good stewards of our money; but we’ve been betrayed.  This is a rally for like-minded Americans who feel we need to take our country back.”
Top rated radio and television host Glenn Beck will speak at the rally, presenting his opinions on bloated government, political disregard for the sacredness of the Constitution, and how ordinary citizens – when united for a cause – can force the government to change.
John Rich will appear with his band playing hits from his work with Big & Rich and his solo career. Gretchen Wilson will also appear in concert with her band performing hits such as Redneck Woman and Here For The Party.
All involved believe the Taking Our Country Back Tour is a non-partisan rally for all Americans:  “The Taking Our Country Back Tour is a unifying event for anyone who feels the government is taking this country in directions the Constitution and the Founding Fathers never intended,” said promoter Tony Holden.  “Doesn’t matter if you voted Republican or a Democrat; we gave these elected officials their jobs and they need to know we can take them away,” added Rich.
Also appearing at the rally, Dick Morris, author of the New York Times best sellers Catastrophe and Outrage.  Morris, a former advisor to President Bill Clinton, predicted the demise of Fannie Mae, the subprime mortgage crisis and Wall Street’s near implosion.  During the Taking Our Country Back Tour he will outline how the President and Congress are conspiring to eliminate individual freedom and prosperity of American citizens.
Tickets for the March 13, Tulsa, Oklahoma, Taking Our Country Back Tour event range from $45 to $125 and are on sale now at Tickets.com or by telephone at 1-866-7BOKCTR.   For more information about the Taking Back Our Country Tour, contact Tony Holden at (918) 299-4120, Brad White at (405) 310-3900, or go to www.takingourcountrybacktour.com.

Indianapolis is a beautiful city, and is often overlooked by businesses seeking a haven for trade shows, conventions, conferences,proms, graduations, and you name it! However, Indianapolis is full of surprises, and one of them might be its convention center!  People are familiar with the Colts’ Lucas Oil Stadium, but many do not realize that the stadium is directly attached to one of the finest convention centers int he world! If you have a large group, a larger group, a VERY large group, or even a group that just needs a room for a meeting, the Indianapolis Convention Center & Lucas Oil Stadium is happy to accommodate you.

Most people associate Lucas Oil Stadium with the Colts, and rightly so!  However, the stadium is also a haven and home for trade shows and conferences:

Known best as the home of the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts, Lucas Oil Stadium also is a major site for conventions, exhibitions, trade shows and NCAA basketball competition. The unique retractable roof makes it exceptionally flexible for both indoor and outdoor events. The roof can be opened or closed in approximately nine minutes.

Lucas Oil Stadium is a seven-level facility that seats 63,000 for football up to 70,000 for basketball, conventions and concerts. It covers 1.8 million square feet, features 137 corporate suites, two club lounges, meeting rooms, and two exhibit halls.

In short, if you’re coming to town for a special occasion at Lucas Oil Stadium, get ready for a breath-taking experience in a state-of-the-art facility that is already drawing rave reviews from critics all across the country.

It will be connected to the Indiana Convention Center via a climate-controlled walkway.

As for the convention center itself, well, let’s just say that if you thought it was fantastic now, just wait untl December, when the NEW convention center is scheduled to be finished and open for business!

I understand something called the “NCAA” will have its headquarters here.  Perhaps some of you may have heard of that. . . .  Also, the Indiana Convention Center is the first of only two convention centers in the country that directly connect to a domed stadium!

The Indiana Convention Center is currently undergoing its fourth expansion since opening in 1972.   After the demolition of the RCA Dome, the $275 million project was begun and will be housed on the area that the RCA Dome occupied.  The expansion is anticipated to be completed by late December 2010.

The project will add 254,000 square feet of exhibit space, 63,000 square feet of meeting rooms and 100,000 square feet of pre-function space.  An indoor, street level, climate controlled connector will link the convention center to Lucas Oil Stadium.

Once completed, the Indiana Convention Center will offer:

Exhibit Halls – 566,600 SF of contiguous space, 11 Exhibit Halls ranging from 36,300 SF to 88,900 SF

Meeting Rooms – 71 totaling 113,302 SF

Ballrooms – 3 various sized totaling 62,173 SF; largest is 33,335 SF

Docks – 48

Hotel Rooms – physically connected via skywalks to 12 hotels – 4,700 hotel rooms

Airport – 15-minutes drive to Indianapolis International Airport

Lucas Oil Stadium opened in August 2008 and features 182,500 SF of contiguous exhibit space including the stadium floor and exhibit halls.  It also has a variety of meeting options including  twelve meeting rooms, Lucas Oil Plaza, Quarterback Club and Bud Light Zone.

The Indiana Convention Center and Lucas Oil Stadium are managed by the Capital Improvement  Board.  The Indiana Stadium and Convention Building Authority is managing the project, Ratio Architects are the lead architects and Shiel Sexton/Powers and Sons are the construction managers.

Why not bring your trade show, conference, convention, meeting, ceremony, or seminar to Indianapolis, and experience the city and its awesome convention center? Indy is less than a one-day drive from most other large cities, and its airport is brand-new and easy to navigate.

Whatever your group’s needs might be, the Indiana Convention Center & Lucas Oil Stadium can accommodate you in any way, plus a lot of extras!

I was talking about BYOD and the attachment for the audio visual portion of a slide show, and it made me think of "BYOB" or "Bring Your Own Beer."  In the trade show and convention industry a corkage fee represents the fee paid to the facility where your event is held, for the money that they lose by not being able to sell their own goods. In other words, if you have a sponsor that is providing free beer to your attendees, you must pay a fee for each beer given out "free" to the event facility.  They would normally be able to sell that concession to your attendees and because you are giving away something for nothing that they would make money on, you must compensate them.

This can get pretty ridiculous in my opinion as you get a large number of giveaways.  If you have an event that has a number of exhibitors giving away bottled water or refreshments or samples of their products, you can have a very large corkage bill that is paid to the event facility. 

This is not just limited to drinks given away or bottled water, but free samples of food and snacks as well. If you wanted to give a cookie to each of your visitors at the booth you are working, you would have to pay a percentage of the value of that cookie to the facility.  Yes, the house must get their "cut".  I can certainly see both sides of this issue and it may be a controversial payment to the facility, but when you are stopped from bringing doughnuts to your speakers in the speaker ready room because you have not paid your corkage it can get a little crazy.  Be sure you check to see if a corkage fee is charged before you decide to have a cool giveaway.

Tags: corkage fee, BYOB, conventions, trade shows, giveaways, promotional products, free samples

Guest Post by Peter LoCascio

The old saying “Lead, follow, or get out of the way” resounds dramatically at trade show exhibits more than almost any other business environment when it comes to top management getting positively involved in the daily action of booth duty. There is no better way for management to invigorate, motivate and demonstrate their individual commitment and dedication to fellow employees, prospects and customers then by taking an active role in pulling booth duty at a trade show. Whatever the task, top management should meet the challenges of exhibiting by setting the example in the booth and being available to support every business issue that might develop during the course of the entire trade show.

The appointed “A” team on booth duty should include top management who will dramatically and effectively add to the overall horse power of the exhibit presentation to out distance the competition and provide new prospects and existing customers with a greater sense of security and confidence in doing business with your company. A simple hand shake and agreement between your company President and a new prospect might be all that’s needed to close a new piece of business emanating right there from your trade show exhibit.

The trade show exhibit floor should be viewed by top management as a live proving ground where their leadership, knowledge and corporate culture is on display for all to experience, emulate and support especially , prospects, customers and fellow company team members.

There is also no better business environment than a trade show exhibit for top management to be on the ground with fellow employees learning the finer points of presenting, demonstrating and selling products.

www.tradeshowconsultants.com

Tags: Conventions, trade shows, exhibitors, sales, advertising, marketing, customer development, Trade Show Exhibit