OT 2.0 - Places for Conventions

[bomanishus]

A week or so back, I asked the Pack about keynote speakers they had seen in the past that they would recommend going forward - the information provided by the Pack was very helpful. (There were several sports figures in the recommendations, so I forwarded them. Should have known that some Georgetown grads had no interest in hearing Coach K talk...)

Anyway, much appreciated.

Now we have to pick a spot for 2018. The caveat for the venue is that it has to have large convention area, display space - like the size of a couple of football fields. Thus, it's usually bigger cities that get the nod. We've done SF, Las Vegas, San Diego, New York, Chicago, Baltimore (ugh), Boston, Austin, We've hit some of them twice already, so it looks like we're going to be stuck on the same few places going forward.

I had heard Pittsburgh was a good place.

Anybody been to a cool place that meets the criteria? The time of the conference is in late April or early May.

As always, thanks in advance.

 

[AlCoDog]

Lake Tiak O Khata- Louisville, MS. You're welcome.

 

[RingN2012]

Dallas. Why not? We have Dak

 

[missouridawg]

San Antonio on the Riverwalk would be great. They host Oil and Gas type conventions regularly at the Henry B Gonzalez convention center and have all the space in the world. I go there almost once a year for events.

Houston has the NRG park and the Toyota Convention center both capable of hosting huge events too.

 

[ronpolk]

I've been to conventions all over the US and my favorite city for a convention is New Orleans. Nola has great restaurants and nightlife and it's all walking distance, if someone is staying downtown. However, there may not be a venue large enough for what you're talking about. After NOLA, I'd have to say Miami, Chicago and San Diego, in that order.

 

[BigBully]

San Antonio (Hill Country), Orlando, and Scottsdale have been big hits for our company's user conventions.

 

[MarkDallas]

Been to conventions in several cities the past few years. San Antonio is good. New Orleans too (although I've seen it get out of hand there). I've heard good things about Nashville. Chattanooga was pretty good although the hotel capacity seemed thin. Houston was okay, but some of the hotels are blocks away. Also give the Florida cities a look.

One thing I've noticed is you want a city with some nightlife in the vicinity of the convention center. A lot of cities business districts shut down at 6pm. No one wants to drive or ride a shuttle to go get a drink at the end of the day.

 

[aTotal360]

Denver. Solid airport. Not expensive to fly to. Good restaurants. Sports going on year round. And it's a really clean city. In April/May, it can still be chilly.

And you can head up to Fort Collins if you got the urge to twist on dat green spinach. **

 

[Belegal]

I really enjoyed going to the Gaylord south of DC- great facility in good area & loads to do!

 

[Maroon Eagle]

New Orleans would be good but that convention would be during Jazzfest
San Antonio has been mentioned and I was at a conference at Gonzales ten years ago and it was good
Denver - Colorado Convention Center is nice.
Washington DC - Washington Convention Center is also good

Chicago and San Francisco are also good but you've mentioned those cities...

 

[Dogariffic]

If you need to stay in the U.S. For tax reasons I suggest Hawaii..... Stay an extra week!!! Or so.

 

[ShrubDog]

Tampa convention center. Book it

 

[EngDawg]

Lake Tiak O Khata- Louisville, MS. You're welcome.

If your business associates enjoy renting paddle boats, swimming in non-chlorinated lake water, eating home cooking of questionable quality, and playing gin rummy at night this is the place for you.

 

[OleMissLogo]

Since it sounds like a pretty large convention, you could also check out some international places. Barbados I believe is the place I've heard of some large conventions going to.

 

[EngDawg]

There is the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. Not that Atlanta is all that great but I didn't see it on your list.

 

[KentuckyDawg13]

Miami, FL

Great place for conventions.

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

The biggest ones I have been in are San Antonio, Atlanta, New Orleans and Orlando. Orlando and Atlanta are massive.

If I picked one I would want San Antonio. It's right next to the river walk and there's plenty of hotels and entertainment.

 

[missouridawg]

Been to conventions in several cities the past few years. San Antonio is good. New Orleans too (although I've seen it get out of hand there). I've heard good things about Nashville. Chattanooga was pretty good although the hotel capacity seemed thin. Houston was okay, but some of the hotels are blocks away. Also give the Florida cities a look.

One thing I've noticed is you want a city with some nightlife in the vicinity of the convention center. A lot of cities business districts shut down at 6pm. No one wants to drive or ride a shuttle to go get a drink at the end of the day.

Speaking of Florida, don't be shy to get off he beaten path some. I've been to a conference on Amelia Island and it was great.

 

[dogmatic]

I've been to professional conventions, ranging in attendance from 300 to 30,000, in probably 30 or 40 cities in the U.S. The big conventions have been in Las Vegas, Nashville, Orlando, New Orleans, Indianapolis, Louisville (KY), Columbus (OH), Dallas and Atlanta.

The smaller ones have been in places like Shreveport, Knoxville, Point Clear (AL), St. George (UT), Kalispell (MT), Charlotte, Greensboro, Ogden, St. Louis, Tunica, Sioux Falls and Springfield.

If you're looking for a big venue or have a crowd that only wants to travel to a major market, nowhere in my experience comes close to Las Vegas. The city is in the convention-hosting business and not much else. Everything in town caters to people on expense account. The infrastructure and facility for moving non-resident people from hotel to breakfast to convention floor to supper to entertainment and back to hotel has worked considerably better here than anywhere else I've been.

If you're wanting a smaller venue, honestly, Shreveport is hard to beat. They do a really good job.

Are you sending requests for proposals to the CVBs in these places, or are you to anything that formal yet?

 

[coach66]

South Beach.

nm

 

[kired]

I'd throw in another vote for Denver and San Antonio... although that may be a little close to summer for San Antonio if it's in early May. They can start hitting 90 in the afternoons by that time.

 

[BoomBoom.sixpack]

A week or so back, I asked the Pack about keynote speakers they had seen in the past that they would recommend going forward - the information provided by the Pack was very helpful. (There were several sports figures in the recommendations, so I forwarded them. Should have known that some Georgetown grads had no interest in hearing Coach K talk...)

Anyway, much appreciated.

Now we have to pick a spot for 2018. The caveat for the venue is that it has to have large convention area, display space - like the size of a couple of football fields. Thus, it's usually bigger cities that get the nod. We've done SF, Las Vegas, San Diego, New York, Chicago, Baltimore (ugh), Boston, Austin, We've hit some of them twice already, so it looks like we're going to be stuck on the same few places going forward.

I had heard Pittsburgh was a good place.

Anybody been to a cool place that meets the criteria? The time of the conference is in late April or early May.

As always, thanks in advance.

San Diego. plenty of convention options, and anyone who wants can easily stay in the Gaslamp and enjoy the hell out of it. though weekends seem better from my experience, there's so many options that it seems dead on weekdays even with thousands hanging out. It's comparable to New Orleans, without as many freaks.

 

[DerHntr]

Philadelphia is pretty good and I actually enjoyed the hell out of Montreal. Montreal's convention space didn't appear to be as big as others I've been to (similar to the other responses).

 

[CagerMania]

Seattle is a great spot. So is Minny. But I've done both both during summer (may not work for you). NOLA is great in spring. Nashville's not bad.

 

[dickiedawg]

I'd say Nashville is a great option since you've not had it there. They have a great big convention center downtown and obviously plenty of nightlife, though it does appeal to a particular demographic.

 

[birdawg]

Nashville. It's brand new and downtown.

 

[MaroonOldCrow]

Concur, try Nashville, and it's not all country downtown by any means: http://www.nashvilleconventionctr.com/floorPlans.htm