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TOURISM
- February
2000 Feature Article by John Gaver
IDENTIFYING your companies’ goals, conveying them to your staff and being able to concentrate on "core" business activity is vital to any entity – small or large. Traditionally, these strategies are outlined in corporate staff meetings, which, in and of themselves, can be an onus on one’s agenda. But Kentucky’s meeting venues can help to fulfill the needs of such gatherings, while easing the burden on meeting professionals. In broad terms, agendas that are generally covered in corporate meetings fall under the following categories – to educate or inform; to increase market share; to launch a new product; to reach new territory or to reward or recognize staff members. In order to maximize the efficiency of the meeting so that you are able to realize your goals, it is vital to have a well-planned schedule of events, utilizing the myriad of accommodations and service facilities regions have to offer in the most cost-effective manner. Any successful strategist will tell you that planning is hard work. There is an abundance of details that must be considered before organizing a corporate meeting. For example, there is budget preparation and tracking; agenda planning, site research, analysis and selection; budgeting; vendor negotiations; air and ground transportation; printed materials and signage; audiovisual needs; food and beverage planning; and on-site coordination are just some of the considerations corporate meeting planners have to consider in order to achieve the goal of making the corporate gathering both rewarding for the attendees while realizing company objectives. What follows is a broad analysis of the specific regions in Kentucky in terms of what each area has to offer the corporate meeting planner organizing an event in the Commonwealth.
Louisville Louisville has built a national reputation as a tour and travel destination and city leaders have marketed the city as a hub for convention and tourist activity. For example, the $72 million renovation of the Commonwealth Convention Center, is a response from the city for an increased need for state-of-the art meeting facilities. Add to that the $700 million expansion of the Greater Louisville International Airport, which has bolstered flight service (to 100 departures a day) and increased capacity for passengers. In addition to significant renovation plans, Louisville’s strategic accessibility at the heart of three major interstates, I-64, I-71 and I-65, puts the city within a day’s drive of more than half the nation’s population. Furthermore, Greater Louisville offers more than 12,500 hotel rooms in the metro area, more than 2,500 restaurants and 80-plus premium attractions. The Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center offers more than 1 million S.F. of ground level exhibit space and is centrally located amidst the airport and all interstates. The center plays host to Louisville’s major trade shows, including the National Future Farmers of America Organization Convention, which draws 50,000 attendees during the latter part of October each year. Additionally, the Gardens at Louisville offer 50,000 S.F. of flexible arena space in the heart of downtown. Annually, Greater Louisville ranks among the best second-tier cities for meetings, trade shows and conventions. The amenities the city has to offer make planning corporate meetings easier by providing preferable professional service resources.
Northern Kentucky Northern Kentucky, which incorporates the cities of Covington, Florence, Erlanger, Newport and others, is one of the fastest-growing regions in the country, primarily because of first-tier accessibility. Over 60 percent of the U.S. population is within a day’s drive or a one-hour flight to Northern Kentucky, whose airport is a major draw for public and private enterprise of all shapes and sizes. The Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, located in Northern Kentucky, was recently named America’s most convenient airport. The facility is America’s fastest growing hub, having just completed a $375 million expansion, and offers over 525 daily departures to over 100 cities non-stop including London, Paris, Frankfurt, Zurich, Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and Brussels. The Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport is Delta’s largest hub (behind Atlanta) and is home to Comair, the Delta Connection, which recently made vast infrastructure improvements to its Concourse C area at the airport. Speaking of infrastructure, three major interstates – I-75, I-71 and I-74 converge on Northern Kentucky, further adding to the area’s accessibility. The revamped Northern Kentucky Convention and Visitor’s Bureau calls the 193,000-S.F. Northern Kentucky Regional Convention Center the "Center of Attention", and for good reason. The center has first-class meeting facilities ranging from the impressive ballroom to the multi-functional meeting rooms and includes the following features: a fully carpeted 22,800 S.F. ballroom which can be divided into four separate spaces; over 14,000 S.F. of meeting rooms which can be divided into 10 breakouts; over 17,000 S.F. of pre-function space; separately controlled lighting for each room division; individual room thermostatic control and one microphone jack and projector control jack at each potential head table/podium location. Not only does the Northern Kentucky Regional Convention Center offer plenty of space and quality amenities; but also the center offers a quality meeting package that would tempt the most discriminating of meeting planners. The Center is just across the Ohio River, a mere 10 minutes from the airport and a stone’s throw from the metropolis of Cincinnati. Between the airport and the Convention Center are over 4,700 hotel rooms conveniently accessible from the interstate. Furthermore, there are over 500 hotel rooms within walking distance of the center, and there are more to come. Enjoy riverfront dining and entertainment across the street from the center and Cinergy Field, home of the Cincinnati Reds and Bengals, is within walking distance.
Lexington The Lexington area has the accommodations to fit any budget and taste. Ranging from resort hotels with on-site golf courses to interstate motels, the region’s lodging offers extraordinary amenities at exceptional value. Lexington offers 6,500 guestrooms in the city and 3,000 committable guestrooms for citywide reservations, and there are 2,170 committable guestrooms in convention and meeting hotels. Lexington Center, in the heart of downtown, offers 80,000 S.F. of maximum exhibit hall and meeting space and the maximum dedicated exhibit hall space tallies a generous 66,000 S.F. (or 396 10 feet x 10 feet booths). As far as general-meeting sessions, the largest general session at Rupp Arena can accommodate 8,000 (in chair-back seats) and the largest general session at the adjoining Lexington Center can accommodate 7,500 individuals. The largest banquet capacity at Lexington Center is 4,800 people, while the maximum concentrated parking spaces for attendees numbers 2,700. Like the previously
mentioned regions, Lexington thrives on its central location. The city
is at the crossroads of Interstates 64 (east/west) and 75 (north/south),
making the Bluegrass Region highly accessible for business travel. The airport serves as a fixed-based operator (TAC Air), and offers air charter service. The commercial airlines serving Blue Grass Airport are Atlantic Southeast, Comair, Continental Express, Delta, Northwest Airline, TWExpress, United Express and USAirways. The airport recently expanded its parking accommodations, thereby making the already hassle-free journey to and from Blue Grass Airport even easier. In fact, it takes a mere 10 minutes to get from the airport to downtown Lexington.
Somerset Conducting business in Southeastern Kentucky? The Center for Rural Development in Somerset serves rural Kentucky through a variety of development programs including planning, training, cultural events, telecommunications technology and by providing meeting and convention space. The Center for Rural Development is a non-profit organization that covers a 40-county service area in Southern and Eastern Kentucky. The Center has made great strides to improve the quality of life for this traditionally technology-bereft region on the Commonwealth. The Center offers 26,000 S.F. of meeting and exhibit space as well as a 760-seat state-of-the-art theater and can easily accommodate meetings ranging from 10 to 2,300 people. For exhibitions, trade shows and public shows, the Center is capable of handling 130 10 feet x 10 feet booths with easy access to sets and tear-downs. The Center is located
78 miles south of Lexington and 115 miles north of Knoxville, Tennessee
and affords patrons complete multimedia and distance learning facilities;
full Internet access and related capabilities; flexibility in staging
and seating; on-site parking for 650; 120/208 electrical service throughout
the facility; easy loading dock bays and direct drive-on access to the
exhibit hall. John Gaver is editorial director of The Lane Report.
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Copyright 1996-98, by Kentucky Business Online, LLC. All rights reserved. Editorial
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