Conference centers have been around for a long time, yet there remains some confusion about them in the meetings marketplace. Perhaps it is because of their specialized nature, or because the term "conference center" is used liberally by traditional hospitality venues to describe their own group facilities.
Joan Eisenstodt, a noted meetings industry guru and chief strategist of consultancy Eisenstodt Associates, is a proponent of "true" conference centers certified by the International Association of Conference Centers (IACC). They adhere to a 40-point list of standards said to maximize meeting productivity, covering facilities, equipment, food and beverage, and services. Most IACC conference centers are secluded campuses near metropolitan areas and have guest accommodations and recreational facilities like hotels. Bonnie Wallsh, CMP, CMM, chief strategist of Bonnie Wallsh Associates, a meetings consultant who teaches site selection and program development, says conference centers are specially designed to facilitate learning and getting down to business. Although IACC venue standards go into complex detail, here are their essential features.
Meeting Rooms
All IACC conference centers have acoustically treated meeting facilities separated from other areas of the property. Rooms have fully upholstered, ergonomic chairs with armrests; tables with non-reflective and writing-friendly surfaces; wall surfaces that allow tacking of flip charts; climate controls; and Internet connectivity.
Rooms are also "24-hour meeting rooms," meaning once a space is finalized and booked, it belongs to the group for the program's duration and is accessible 24 hours a day. Conference centers are thus designed for evening meetings, and participants can store their belongings and materials overnight.
Meeting Breaks
A signature feature among IACC venues is the continuous refreshment service that includes soft drinks, juices, coffee, tea, fruits, and baked goods. Having a constantly stocked snack area near the meeting room offers tremendous program flexibility for trainers and speakers and greater convenience for attendees of long, intensive training meetings, say Wallsh.
"People can have something whenever they want and not worry about when the next break is," notes Eisenstodt.
Food and Beverage
Conference centers have separate dining rooms and flexibly scheduled daily three-meal plans. Breakfast and lunch are buffet-style with a wide variety of foods that meet modern dietary needs. Traditionally at conference centers, all meals are eaten on site, but more and more properties work with off-site dining needs.
Wallsh commends conference centers for their flexible F&B. She explains, "IACC venues will give you [an F&B] plan that accommodates special requirements." She adds that conference centers will do lunch service outdoors on property so attendees get a change of pace and feel rejuvenated. Also, planners can arrange for quick-service dinners if evening meetings are scheduled.
Technology and Equipment
Properties adhering to IACC standards inclusively provide standard audiovisual equipment and have on-site technicians who can immediately troubleshoot problems. They handle all the AV, and the equipment they provide include an LCD projector and screen—often built into the meeting room—microphones, a set of flip charts with tackable backs, markers, and tape.
"I like to have an AV person on call at all times, just in case. Constant AV support at hotels can be expensive," says Wallsh.
All-Inclusive Package Pricing
Every IACC conference center offers a Complete Meeting Package (CMP), a package plan that includes 24-hour meeting rooms, guest rooms, three daily meals, continuous refreshment service, conference services, and AV and technical support. Rates are given in per-person format. Eisenstodt says that with budget concerns and meeting planning becoming a responsibility for those who don't specialize in it, the CMP can simplify the budgeting process.
Wallsh tells planners to look for two different types of CMPs offered by conference centers: the standard one and "non-residential" packages, which also may be called "day" packages and do not include guest rooms and, depending on schedules, breakfast and dinner. "The day package is for local attendees who come in for the meeting but are not sleeping over," she says. This will save planners some per-person costs.
"Call a conference center and hear a rate of $200, remember it has everything else, like F&B, AV, and space," reminds Eisenstodt. She also notes CMPs differ slightly from property to property.
Contrary to popular notion, properties are willing to negotiate components and customize their CMPs to group needs. "It's a myth. They might've been rigid [in the past], but they've had to change because the market changed," she says.
Originally published Oct. 1, 2010