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North Carolina Meetings Uniquely Growing

In 2012, North Carolina will host one of the two most newsworthy conventions of the year when the Democratic Party holds its national convention in Charlotte in early September. The presidential election year convention of one of the two major political parties is obviously a remarkable get for any destination, but the achievement seems a culmination of meeting and convention interest in the Tar Heel State that has been grown significantly in the past few years.

“There has been a lot of meeting activity in North Carolina,” confirmed Margo Knight Metzger, Public Relations Manager, NC Division of Tourism, Film & Sports Development, Department of Commerce, State of North Carolina. “Hosting the Democratic Party convention will give North Carolina a lot of national and international attention.”

Metzger was at "Uniquely North Carolina", an event sponsored by the NC Division of Tourism and held in New York City where

Jonathan Pishney, Communications Director, the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences with Ryan Smith, Director of Communications, Visit Raleigh. The Raleigh based museum, the largest one of its kind in the Southeast, is opening a new wing in April.

representatives from throughout the state met with a wide range of media and travel journalists to promote the wide range of unique attractions of North Carolina. The event featured personnel representing what must be every Convention & Visitors Bureau state as well as specialty cuisine, local wines and craft beers, making available for the sampling all of North Carolina’s enticing flavors. Some highlights included signature crab cakes by Chef Keith Rhodes of Phun Seafood Bar in Wilmington, rice cakes by Chef Ashley Christensen, whose

Molly McFerran, Senior Account Manager for The Reynolds Group, Inc. , was representing the Umstead Hotel & Spa located in the Cary, approximately six minutes from the Raleigh-Durham International Airport, and just a short drive from downtown Raleigh, as well as Chapel Hill, Durham and Research Triangle Park. In addition to 150 guest rooms and suites, onsite signature restaurants and a luxurious two-story, 14,000 square-foot spa, the Umstead features more than 10,200 square feet of meeting space.

Raleigh restaurants include Pooles, Beasley Chicken + Honey, Chuck's and Fox Liquor Bar of Poole Diner.

As with many destinations, their popularity among vacationers and other leisure travelers is a foundation upon which a meetings and convention hospitality infrastructure is built. What is “unique” among North Carolina is both the number of cities expanding their hospitality to better accommodate meetings, conventions, tradeshows and

“Wilmington has always been a popular vacation spot, because of our beaches,” said Connie Nelson, Communications/Public Relations Director, Wilmington N.C. Convention & Visitors Bureau. “We were getting a lot of military families, and now we are getting military and regional meetings, which has given us a base from where our meeting business is expanding with our new convention center.”

other events and the fact that so much of the development and upgrades are so recent. “We’re are very accessible and affordable, and we have a lot of unique culture offerings,” said Metzger. “We are constantly making best of lists, so people are curious and they’re coming and now we have more facilities to accommodate their meetings.”

“Durham is able to host 85 percent of the conventions in United States,” said Sam Poley, Director of Marketing & Communications, Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau.

With the past few years, meeting developments have included the opening of the Wilmington Convention Center in 2011, the Raleigh Convention Center in 2008, and a recently completed renovation of the Durham Convention Center. “We are competitive as a meetings destination and are attracting more larger conventions and trade shows,” said Metzger. “Affordability is key.”

Of course, the showcase event will take place towards the end of the Summer as the

“We’re excited about the Democratic Convention coming to town,” said Rachel Walker, Communications Coordinator, Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority, who pointed out that large scale, citywide events are not new to Charlotte. This major political event is expected to put the Tar Heel state’s meeting industry in the national spotlight this election year.

Presidential race will presumably begin its fever pitch. “We’re excited about the Democratic Convention coming to town,” said Rachel Walker, Communications Coordinator, Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority, who pointed out that large scale, citywide events are not new to Charlotte. “We recently hosted

Chef Keith Rhodes of Phun Seafood Bar in Wilmington, with his wife, Angela.

the national meeting of the National Rifle Association, which had an attendance of 17,000.”

The NASCAR Hall of Fame, which opened in 2010 in Charlotte, is attached to the adjacent Charlotte Convention Center’s 40,000-square-foot Crown Grand Ballroom. “We have a downtown filled with nightlife and unique restaurants,” said Walker. “As a convention destination, we have family oriented attractions, like NASCAR and that has made Meeting Planners more interested in Charlotte.”

With so many key attributes – affordability, accessibility and memorable attractions – it’s no wonder destination personnel express a new-found confidence as they compete in today’s meeting marketplace. “Durham is able to host 85 percent of the conventions in United States,” said Sam Poley, Director of Marketing & Communications, Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau. “We have two major airports within minutes of our convention center, which has just been renovated. Meeting Planners are looking for affordability and our costs are competitive.”

The Raleigh Convention Center opened in 2008, during what is now considered the height of the recession. “The meeting business has gotten better since then,” said Ryan Smith, Director of Communications, Visit Raleigh. “Part of that is the economy has improved, but also having the facility open and the thriving downtown around. We have gotten a lot of regional and state meetings, but also with Research Triangle Park, speakers available for conventions are in our own backyard, making Raleigh very cost-effective.”

Smith also promoted the city’s new Natural Research Center, a new 80,000-square-foot wing of the city’s acclaimed North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, which opens in April in downtown Raleigh.

In addition to destinations, a few select – and keeping with the Unique theme – hotel facilities were present at the event. Frieda K. Huskey, Group Sales Coordinator, Marketing & Promotions, for theEastern Band of Cherokee Indians, represented Harrah's Cherokee, in Cherokee, N.C., which can accommodate groups and meetings of 3,000. The facility’s Conference Center features 21,000 square feet of meeting space, which can also be broken down into 7 smaller configurations. In addition to the Conference Center, the casino’s Event Center provides amphitheater seating on 3 levels for 3,000 people+ and a main floor that accommodates dinner for 800, or a trade show of 150 booths.

Molly McFerran, Senior Account Manager for The Reynolds Group, Inc. , was representing the Umstead Hotel & Spa, located in the Cary, approximately six minutes from the Raleigh-Durham International Airport, and just a short drive from downtown Raleigh, as well as Chapel Hill, Durham and Research Triangle Park. In addition to 150 guest rooms and suites, onsite signature restaurants and a luxurious two-story, 14,000 square-foot spa, the Umstead features more than 10,200 square feet of meeting space.

Wilmington a popular vacation destination and as well as a setting for films – Iron Man III is expected to begin filming there in 2012 – a noteworthy spot on the East Coast meetings

Frieda K. Huskey, Group Sales Coordinator, Marketing & Promotions, for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, represented Harrah's Cherokee, in Cherokee, N.C., which can accommodate groups and meetings of 3,00. The facility’s Conference Center features 21,000 square feet of meeting space, which can also be broken down into 7 smaller configurations. In addition to the Conference Center, the casino’s Event Center provides amphitheater seating on 3 levels for 3,000 people+ and a main floor that accommodates dinner for 800, or a trade show of 150 booths.

destination spot with its new, state-of –the-art, convention center. “Wilmington has always been a popular vacation spot, because of our beaches,” said Connie Nelson, Communications/Public Relations Director, Wilmington N.C. Convention & Visitors Bureau. “We were getting a lot of military families, and with the Wilmington Convention Center, we’re now getting military and regional meetings, which has given us a base from where our meeting business is expanding.”

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