(Pictured) Milwaukee serves as a host city for major meetings, with a number of new properties on the horizon
Though known for its cheese, Wisconsin has an expanding culinary scene of local wineries and breweries, as well as farmers markets and award-winning restaurants. That makes it a natural choice for the World Dairy Expo, which holds its annual gathering in Madison, WI's Alliant Energy Center every year. Last year's event brought more than 77,000 people from all over the world to the capital city for a massive cattle show and trade expo spotlighting the major companies and up-and-comers in the dairy business.
But just because the Dairy Expo has been held there for decades, the city is taking nothing for granted, and recently revamped the Alliant Energy Center's 164-acre campus, enhancing the New Holland Pavilions and making other improvements. Last year, the city also made changes to the Frank Lloyd Wright designed Monona Terrace convention center, adding a museum gallery that showcases the 60-year history of the building, adding plug-and-play workstations at former pay phone stalls, and enhancing the artwork with photography of sites and spaces in and around the Madison area.
"We had a great experience in Madison," says Lori Strong, meetings director for the Health Physics Society, which held an event there recently. "The city is very walkable. The convention services staff was a delight to work with."
The city's hotel inventory continues to grow. The historic Edgewater re-opened in October 2014 after a $100-million renovation. Among the offerings at the updated property are casual and fine-dining eateries, a waterfront bar, and spa-wellness center.
The Inn on the Park is embarking on $10-million renovation, offering 214 guest rooms, an indoor pool, and fitness center. The Radisson Hotel also recently underwent renovations to its public and meeting spaces, as well as its on-site restaurant, Twist Bar and Grill.
WHERE TO…
PLAY - Geneva National Golf Club -- Lake Geneva
On June 1, this destination opened its 4,900-square-foot, transformed Legends Room. Overlooking the Geneva National Resort's rolling hills and the stunning Lake Como, it's a great place for off-site meetings, or for a reception before or after a round of golf.
MEET - Osthoff Resort -- Elkhart Lake
Late last year, this property opened the new Grand Libelle Ballroom, offering 10,000 square feet of space and 5,500 square feet of pre-function space, bringing the AAA-Four-Diamond resort's total function space to 38,000 square feet.
STAY - Kalahari Resorts -- Wisconsin Dells
This property has groups covered, whether they are looking for work or play. For the former, it has 100,000 square feet of meeting space for gatherings of all sizes. For the latter, there are waterslides like the Flowrider, Master Blaster, and Tanzanian Twister.
ESSENTIAL Tool Box
CONVENTION CENTERS & FACILITIES
Alliant Energy Center (100,000 sf of exhibition space); Wisconsin Center (189,000 sf); Wisconsin Exposition Center (200,000 sf); KI Convention Center (80,000 sf of event space after expansion)
ROOM TAX
Maximum of 8 percent (with a few exceptions between 9 and 10 percent)
READERS RECOMMEND
Pinnacle Awards Go To:
• Visit Milwaukee
• Grand Geneva Resort & Spa
• Kalahari Resorts Wisconsin Dells
Milwaukee
Less than an hour and a half east of Madison, the vibrant city of Milwaukee is proving to be a major draw for meetings groups of all sizes. Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company has held its annual meeting in Milwaukee for the past 126 years, bringing in more than 10,000 people each year to the city for the four-day event. The Kalmback Publishing Bead & Button Show attracts nearly 13,000 attendees to Milwaukee for its annual event, which has been held in the city for more than 20 years.
A new 158-room Kimpton boutique hotel is slated for a 2016 opening, and is expected to feature an eight-story building with more than 7,000 square feet of meeting space. The hotel will sit in the center of the city's bustling Third Ward District, where warehouses and industrial buildings have been replaced by art galleries, fashion boutiques, and the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design, as well as the scenic Milwaukee Riverwalk.
The historic Pfister Hotel wrapped up a complete renovation of its 176 tower guestrooms. Originally built in 1893, the property is keeping up with the times thanks to offerings like a WELL Spa and Salon, Mason Street Grill restaurant, high-speed Wi-Fi, and impressive views of Lake Michigan.
Adding some extra fun to the city's meetings offerings is the new Potawatomi Hotel & Casino (opened in September 2014), offering 13,000 square feet of meeting space as well as 381 guest rooms and a wealth of gaming and entertainment offerings. LEED Gold certified, the property is not only fun but also environmentally responsible.
Green Bay and Beyond
Green Bay will soon be rising to the top of lists for meeting planners looking to host large-scale meetings. This August, the KI Convention Center is expected to complete its $19-million expansion, doubling the amount of meeting and event space available to groups, to 80,000 square feet. Besides the larger space, the convention center will boast cutting-edge technology such as mapping and branding boards, new video screens, and digital way-finding tools.
Connected to this revamped, downtown convention center will be the renovated A Hampton Inn (formerly the Clarion Hotel), also opening in August. The boutique Hotel Northland, listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places, will be reopening early next year with modern amenities while showcasing the property's deep history.
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This article appears in the July 2015 issue of Successful Meetings.