The Pacific Northwest is going through a huge number of new builds and expansions. Combining some of the country’s most scenic vistas with its coolest cities, the region is an ideal destination for meeting planners looking to create a variety of event itineraries. And new developments are making the region more alluring than ever for meetings groups.
In Seattle, the Washington State Convention Center is nearing completion of its $20-million transformation, giving the 350,000-square-foot center a new look as well as eco-conscious enhancements this year. These include an additional 71,000 square feet of LEED Silver-certified space.
On the hotel front, the city is seeing a number of new and refurbished options for visiting groups. “The Westin Seattle’s $35-million renovation, completed in 2012, created more than 10,000 square feet of new meeting space spread over six rooms,” says Marc Bloemendaal, senior vice president, convention sales and service, for Visit Seattle. “The Red Lion Hotel on Fifth Avenue will complete a $25-million renovation in 2014 that will increase meeting space by 50 percent.”
Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, which already has a substantial footprint in the region with three properties in Seattle and three in Portland, has announced plans to build a fourth hotel in Seattle this year. Occupying the revamped 100-year-old Palladian Building, the new hotel will offer 97 rooms and 1,100 square feet of elegant meeting space. It is slated to open in late 2014.
“Seattle’s compact downtown allows attendees to easily explore some of the city’s popular attractions, such as the Pike Place Market, the oldest continuously operated farmers market in the nation,” says Bloemendaal.
Outside Seattle
While Seattle has a wealth of culture and entertainment offerings, short drives outside the city will seriously reward groups. The burgeoning Woodinville wine district has brought the state’s wine industry next door to Seattle, where attendees can explore block after block of wineries, ideal for holding events or dropping in for tastings. EverGreen Escapes offers special winery tours of the area, designed around the group’s needs. Just a half hour north of Seattle in Quil Ceda Village on the 83-acre Tulalip Indian Reservation, sits the expansive Tulalip Resort Casino. Its 370 guest rooms combine modern style with an emphasis on the property’s connection to Native American culture, with Northwest Coast Salish artwork and textiles, and vibrant carpet patterns.
The property also offers a total of 30,000 square feet of meeting space, including the 15,000-square-foot Orca Ballroom, 4,800-square-foot Chinook Ballroom, and numerous breakout spaces. Tulalip Resort Casino has recently added to its dining offerings as well, with the addition of three new and distinct eateries this year. These include the Asian-fusion restaurant Journeys East; the stylish and atmospheric Destination Lounge, complete with a fireplace, dark wood, and antique mirrors; and the newest venue on site, the Draft Sports Bar and Grill, a gastropub with a massive wall of HDTVs broadcasting many of the world’s top sporting events.
Just across Lake Washington lies another growing meetings destination: the city of Bellevue, WA. Overlooking the waterfront and fully showcasing the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest, Bellevue has also recently bolstered its hotel and meeting offerings.
Beginning Feb. 1, the Hilton Bellevue, which offers 60,000 square feet of meeting and exhibition space, will be renovating all of its guest rooms, with expected completion in April 2014.
The Courtyard by Marriott in downtown Bellevue recently completed renovations of all its guest rooms, corridors, restaurant, lobby, and 3,888 square feet of meeting space, while a new Marriott is currently under construction, with an estimated completion in the first quarter of 2015. The other big hotel news in the area is The Westin Bellevue, which last year put $4.1 million into renovating all of its guest rooms, the lobby, and its 25,000 square feet of meeting space.
Portland
But when planners think of the Pacific Northwest, Portland has to come up in the conversation. The city continues to draw meeting groups both large and small. Planners have a wide range of new meeting draws in the area as well. Construction has started on the six-story, 223-room Residence Inn by Marriott in Portland’s Pearl District — the first hotel in the shopping and dining district. It will include 2,000 square feet of flexible meeting space when it opens in April 2014.
In downtown Portland, the historic Governor Hotel is undergoing extensive renovations to its rooms and 22,000 square feet of meeting spaces. The Red Lion Hotel near the Oregon Convention Center has been sold and is undergoing an $8-million renovation.
The Oregon Convention Center itself has recently raised the bar on its sustainability, expanding its composting program beyond the kitchen and back of house while retrofitting the meeting room and exhibit hall lighting fixtures with highefficiency and low-wattage lamps.