Convention Insider (Conventions.net)

One of the things that I was unaware of until I saw it was the fact that conventions centers and trade show facilities actually need to be upgraded or made better, and as a result are Under construction.  The Pardon Our Dust signs need to be put out and the facility is given an upgrade or a facelift.  This was the case when I was out in Hawaii as well.  In fact one of the things I really wanted to do was visit the Prince.  Not the Prince like the Cinderella guy but the beautiful Princeville Resort.  The problem with visiting the resort was, closed for renovation.  Wow.  I can’t even imagine the amount of money that is being lost to being closed.  Yes, this is a perfect time to be closed for renovations as the economy is down and the visitor rates are down anyway, but this is a setback for a large number of people out there.

The other facility I visited was the Sheraton and I have a more in depth look at the Sheraton on Oahu and will be providing a full on review of that center.  They had the construction going on at the same time as guests and events were occurring.  I was interested in what construction was being done on Princeville but was unable to get out to see them.  I guess I am just going to have to go back and see it after the fact. 

I saw the final result of what happened with the Peppermill in Reno and they did a great job, and I was in the midst of seeing what was going on with the Sheraton.  Each facility is upgrading to newer and better but they have to take a hit in revenue until they get to that next level.  Construction costs are probably high enough but the revenue missed for having that construction take place is even higher. Granted Princeville’s meeting facilities only have room for about 500 people but I’m sure those facilities are often booked months in advance.  make sure you ask about any construction going on when planning your event.  You may not like the idea of a jackhammer going on during your wedding vows.

Tags: Princeville Resort, Hawaii, Reno, Peppermill, Construction, Conventions, Meetings

I have been on the road recently and I have been thinking about the number of places I have seen that had workout facilities.  I was just in Reno and staying at the Reno Peppermill, a write up I have yet to produce of my review of that facility, and they had a great looking workout room with all the latest in technology and equipment.  It just so happens that it was right outside the restaurant I was eating at after that extra dessert. 

There are many hotels with state of the art facilities and I will be soon headed to Hawaii, and yes we guys worry about what we look like in a swimming suit, and am thinking about getting that extra inch or two trimmed down.  There are some great places to stay that have the ability for us to get up in the morning or allows us the nice jog on the treadmill.  I think I may start asking for this feature more.  Do you workout on the road?  What is your favorite place to stay and exercise.  I need to look into this more and report. In the meantime, I think I need to find where I have stored those running shoes.  But first?  Perhaps a little more ice cream with that brownie for an after dinner treat!

Tags: Exercise, Reno, Health and Fitness, Travel

I was just thinking as I sit here working in the Reno Airport, I love the fact that they have free Wifi.  My hometown of Denver also provides this free of charge to travelers. As we begin to get more and more connected via the social web, we seem to need more and more access to the Internet. I can do lots of work while I travel if I had the ability to stay connected.  We are beginning to see this also with our mobile phones.  I can check email, stay connected with friends and family and actually get a few things done while I sit and wait for a plane.  There is a list of airports that provide free Internet services and I keep it in my laptop bag for when I travel.  I’m about to head to Phoenix, then to Denver to get a little bit of sleep and then head to San Francisco for the week.  I wonder if I can stay connected in any of those cities?  Airports, hotels, conventions centers, do you provide a way for people to stay connected?  Perhaps you are a business and provide an allowance for this as a cost of doing business for your employees?  I travel quite a bit and need to be connected,  how do you stay connected while you travel?  If you are like me, we do it any way we can.

I had an opportunity to come to Reno this weekend and as it was my second chance at coming to this city to speak at an event I thought I would do a post today with some info on the city.  I will let you know more about my travel here and where I stayed since I just recently did a review of that location.

Reno is called the Biggest Little City in the World. I found it to be a nice alternative to my own town in Denver.  I felt right at home with the mountains nearby and the weather was nearly identical to what I had left behind.  They describe the city in their site as:

With a population of over 211,000*, Reno is the largest city in Northern Nevada. It is located in the southern part of Washoe County, nestled on the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in an area called the Truckee Meadows.

It is a great alternative to the more well known city of Las Vegas.  They have some great amenities and much to do as a part of their city and it should be added to your short list for places to stay and play.