Something for everyone. That's the appeal of Scottsdale, AZ, for Joanna Puchalski, meeting planner for New York-based Opal Financial Group. Just last month, she organized an annual educational meeting for 380 attendees at The Fairmont Scottsdale Princess. That same meeting, the Public Funds Summit, has been held in Scottsdale for as long as Puchalski has been working at Opal -- at least seven years -- if not longer.
"You can go to a resort or do something really high-end, or you can go to places that don't charge as much, too," she says. "It's location for everyone, with a lot different activities."
During the educational event, attendees also got an opportunity to experience the award-winning TPC Scottsdale golf course, which is also home to the largest-attended golf tournament in the world, the Waste Management Phoenix Open. TPC has two courses -- the Stadium Course and the Champions Course -- and Puchalski's group played on the Stadium Course. When putting together the meeting, Puchalski credits the Scottsdale Convention & Visitors Bureau as a "great resource. They are like your best friends."
This month, especially, is a busy one for the Scottsdale CVB thanks in part to one of the biggest annual sporting events in the U.S. -- the Super Bowl. When Super Bowl XLIX touches down in Glendale, AZ, on Feb. 1, it marks the end of Scottsdale's "Super Season," a series of events taking place in the lead up to the big game. They include the Waste Management Phoenix Open (Jan. 26-Feb. 1) and The Super Bowl Taste of the NFL - The Party With a Purpose. Held on Jan. 1 at WestWorld of Scottsdale, it features the cuisine of 32 notable chefs from each of the National Football League's cities.
"WestWorld of Scottsdale is a new multi-use event facility that just opened up in Scottsdale in 2014, and can help us host large-scale events," says Kelli Blubaum, vice president of convention sales and services for the Scottsdale CVB. The 386-acre facility located at the base of the McDowell Mountains is home to its own equestrian center, the Tony Nelssen Equestrian Center (TNEC), which has its own climate-controlled, 120,000-square-foot Equidome with 3,400 permanent suites.
Another new venue that just opened in Scottsdale is the new Western Spirit: Scottsdale's Museum of the West. The nonprofit institution, located in the heart of Scottsdale, spans the history of all 19 Western U.S. states over its two-story, 43,000-square-foot building. It also has a 135-seat theater and auditorium. "Planners can use the museum for events," says Blubaum. "There are five different galleries, and the whole spirit of it captures the American West culture."
Scottsdale's hotels are also renovating and debuting new products, and offer a little something for every group, notes Blubaum. "There's a range of accommodations here -- from that 32-room boutique hotel to the huge resorts and everything in between. Groups want to repeat and come back, and having that wide range of accommodations lets you have a unique experience every time."
In October, the 125-room McCormick Scottsdale reopened after completing a major six-month renovation of all of its guest rooms and public spaces. "[It's] lakeside, and has incredible waterfront views, and it's right by the McCormick Ranch Golf Club," says Blubaum. Formerly known as the Millennium Resort and Villas Scottsdale, the resort has 13,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting and event space.
The Scottsdale Resort & Conference Center, Blubaum notes, was recently acquired by Destination Hotels & Resorts and will begin extensive renovation this June that should be completed by October. The 326-room hotel on property will also undergo renovations. The Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Gainey Ranch also just completed a full renovation of its ballrooms, foyer, and garden areas.
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This article appears in the February 2015 issue of Successful Meetings.