The Santa Fe Community Convention Center recently upgraded its Wi-Fi hot spots.
When Carolyn Mole, finance director and convention services manager for the New Mexico School Boards Association, was looking for a venue for an incoming board member training meeting this past February, she didn't have to look very far. Although the Santa Fe, NM-based planner generally organizes most school boards association conferences outside of Santa Fe, she decided it was best to meet in her own backyard at the Santa Fe Community Convention Center.
"Our 500 attendees took over the convention center, and everybody really seemed to like the space a lot. It was our first time meeting at the convention center," Mole says. "The center is located right downtown, and it's been completely renovated so the technology is updated and current -- we really like that." The convention center recently updated its Wi-Fi hot spots to accommodate larger groups.
The center's convenient location, right in the heart of downtown, makes Santa Fe an attractive MICE destination for many groups, both near and far, says David Carr, director of sales for the Santa Fe Convention and Visitors Bureau. Because the majority of hotels in downtown Santa Fe are all within walking distance of the center, the entire area can act like a convention center district of its own. "From one end of downtown to the next, it's only about a 15-minute walk," says Carr. "Our downtown consists of 10 to 12 square blocks with tons of amenities."
Because of downtown Santa Fe's compact size, groups can feel like the town is essentially theirs, too, he adds. "For example, we had a group that came in recently with 800 room nights on peak," Carr says. "We had shuttles running, and they filled nine hotels in the downtown area, so the downtown area sort of became theirs. The attendees got to experience Santa Fe together, as a group."
On average, Carr says, "about 50 to 300 attendees is in our wheelhouse. The nice thing is that some of them can stay all under one roof, or they can stay in multiple properties."
Another attractive feature of Santa Fe for groups, Carr notes, is the level of investment -- and reinvestment -- that the city's properties are demonstrating. "A lot of hotels are putting money back into their products," he says. "Santa Fe has invested back into its products to make sure we're more competitive with Austin, San Antonio, Tucson, and other direct target markets."
Last August, downtown Santa Fe welcomed its first large new hotel in 18 years, the 182-room Drury Plaza Hotel in Santa Fe, which has a 3,800-square-foot ballroom and a year-round heated rooftop bar and pool. The Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi and La Fonda on the Plaza have both recently renovated their guest rooms. The AAA Four-Diamond Eldorado Hotel & Spa will be undergoing extensive updates, including the addition of a new 7,000-square-foot ballroom and lobby bar, as well as refreshed room designs for its 219 guest rooms and suites.
The Inn of the Governors and Hotel Santa Fe The Hacienda and Spa are both committed to sustainability, as well. Inn of the Governors implemented a new green initiative to make environmentally friendly improvement property wide. The Hotel Santa Fe's guest rooms are now all solar powered.
WHERE TO…
MEET - Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi
Small groups of up to 12 can meet -- or dine -- in the property's Wine Cellar, an unconventional boardroom of sorts. The cozy Library, complete with fireplace, is another non-traditional meeting space for small groups of up to 30 that want a different kind of setting for their meeting.
STAY - La Fonda on the Plaza
The historic 180-room hotel underwent an extensive eight-month guest-room renovation project that was completed in the fall of 2013. Room amenities include complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi, a choice of down or foam pillows, and some also have fireplaces, separate living and sleeping areas, and balconies.
EAT - Café Pasqual's
This 35-year-old Santa Fe institution is the perfect place to pop in between meetings for a delicious bite of authentic Santa Fe comfort cuisine. The tiny café is an especially popular spot for breakfast, when they serve huevos motuleños, chile relleno and grilled polenta with sautéed chorizo, corn, and red chile.
ESSENTIAL Tool Box
CONVENTION CENTERS & FACILITIES
Albuquerque Convention Center (600,000 sf); Santa Fe Community Convention Center (40,000 sf); Taos Convention Center (20,000 sf)
ROOM TAX
Varies; Albuquerque: 13 percent; Santa Fe: approximately 15.2 percent
READERS RECOMMEND
Pinnacle Awards Go To:
• Albuquerque Convention & Visitors Bureau
• Four Seasons Resort Rancho Encantado Santa Fe
Albuquerque Also Attracts Groups
The city of Albuquerque is also showing a commitment to more group business. In total, the city has invested more than $300 million in recent and planned development. Last summer, the Albuquerque Convention Center completed a major $25-million renovation. The center also boasts free Wi-Fi access and state-of-the-art LED lighting.
This May, the city will also play host to the inaugural Face the Future Conference, a gathering of futurists and forward thinkers from a variety of industries.
Last June, the Albuquerque Convention and Visitors Bureau debuted a new incentive for meeting and incentive planners called "Your Recipe for Success." Playing off of a culinary theme, it allows planners to choose from four different "recipes" (group packages), based on the number of peak room nights.
Questions or comments? Email [email protected]
This article appears in the April 2015 issue of Successful Meetings.