Smart Meetings

Like a blind date, the first thing you notice about Reno when you arrive is its appearance. Tucked into the Washoe Valley, the compact city is fringed by Sierra Nevada peaks to the west and Peavine Mountain to the north. Its eye-level terrain is punctuated with tower resorts as iconic as the famous “Biggest Little City in the World” neon arch. Some resorts stand alone, some are clustered along Virginia Street and the Truckee River, which flows right through downtown.

This river and downtown are central to a Reno that’s upped the meetings ante of its hospitality product: more than 12 hotels have significantly remodeled or expanded in the past year—or are currently in the process. And while these upgrades are making the city more attractive, it’s still friendly and approachable. Plus, there’s no sticker shock: With prices that remain 20–30 percent lower than the national average, it provides good value for planners.

Fueled by these hotel changes, Reno is also undergoing an exciting transformation from solely a gaming destination to a truly multidimensional destination. In addition to the lively, walkable downtown—which features boutiques, live music clubs, outdoor entertainment venues and new restaurants—there’s major shopping and a vibrant arts and cultural scene.

Plus, with the Sierras and Lake Tahoe in its backyard, the city has strategically branded itself as Reno-Tahoe, America’s Adventure Place. And, with virtually unlimited outdoor recreation possibilities, so it is.

“If you haven’t been here in two or three years, you’re in for a surprise,” says Ellen Oppenheim, president/CEO of Reno-Tahoe, America’s Adventure Place. “We’re in the middle of an ambitious renaissance, making Reno an even better and more enjoyable experience for meetings and convention groups coming here.”

MEETING VENUES
Surrounded by 20,000 guest rooms, Reno currently offers three central meeting venues (with a fourth to come; see NEWS). With 565,000 sq. ft. of meeting and function space, the Reno-Sparks Convention Center is the engine that drives events such as the 40,000-strong Volleyball Festival, which has contracted annually through 2013, and the Safari Club International, with 18,500 attendees in 2009. It has 381,000 sq. ft. of contiguous exhibit space and 53 breakout meeting rooms. A new glass-enclosed skybridge will link the Atlantis Resort and the north entrance of the expanded center.

The new Reno Events Center, downtown, hosts big-name entertainment, such as Michael Bublé, who kicked off his upcoming world tour at the flexible, 7,000-seat venue (some hotels have skyboxes, perfect for VIP hospitality suites). But the center can just as easily serve as your trade-show venue with 55,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space and 14,000 sq. ft. of pre-function space.

Also downtown is the National Bowling Stadium, a shrine to the sport of 10 pins (called the “Pin Palace” by USA Today) with 73 championship lanes, and a fun, flexible venue with an I-WERKS theater and customized packages for tournaments or group bowling events.

Reno’s hotels also provide ample meeting and function space, with a variety of configurations and capacities (see the Hotel Chart on page 88)—and they’re eager for the business. Kenna Sue Shirley, with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, recently held a workshop for about 100 people from all over the country at the Siena Hotel Spa Casino. She was able to put together a great package that kept a rein on her budget. “The Siena provided airport shuttles so it kept the cost down, and [attendees] didn’t need rental cars,” she says. The hotel gave her group the government lodging rate, and because of the room block, comped the meeting space. “The ballroom was beautiful, it accommodated everyone comfortably,” she continues. “I can’t say enough good things about the hotel.”
    
UNIQUE VENUES AND ATTRACTIONS
If hot rods or classic convertibles get your engines revved, consider holding your event at The National Automobile Museum (The Harrah Collection). The museum can handle groups of 50 up to several hundred among its exhibits for cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, sit-down dinners and buffets; catering is through the Siena Hotel Resort Spa.

The Nevada Museum of Art is another unusual option, providing a sophisticated venue for 30 to 500. And speaking of art, the museum sponsors Artouring, a weekend “open house” in July where artists working in various media invite visitors into their private studios throughout the region. If you’d like a personalized tour for your group, contact Artouring.

Fifty golf courses are within reach of downtown Reno, but none closer than the D’Andrea Golf Club, a 6,849-yard, par 71 layout designed by Keith Foster that meanders through the foothills and high-desert canyons, offering spectacular views of Reno and Lake Tahoe. End your round at the course’s 20,000-square-foot clubhouse.

If you’ve got some Emeril or Rachael Ray wannabes in your group, arrange a hands-on or demonstration cooking class with Nothing to It!, which presents a fresh, low-key approach to cooking at their 6,000-square-foot Culinary Center.

And if you want a real change of scenery, try Virginia City, a restored mining town from the mid-1800s that’ll take you back to the wild old days of the silver rush—which produced $700 million in silver. Only 30 minutes from downtown Reno, a walking tour (or scavenger hunt in the infamous cemetery) can be paired with a barbecue—or docents skillfully playing the role of “Mark Twain,” miners or other residents of the era (Virginia City Convention and Tourism Authority).

OUTDOOR RECREATION
Outdoor recreation has become an increasingly important part of meeting packages, and Reno provides the kind of year-round activities you’re looking for—plus more than 300 days with sun each year. Just pick a season—which is easier than narrowing down your choices. Take summer, for instance. Buzz around on Lake Tahoe on North Tahoe Aquatic Center’s (530-546-2419) jet skis, either individually or as a group for some team-building games. Or paddle a sleek kayak or canoe on a guided kayak tour, where you’ll discover hidden beaches and rocky coves (Tahoe Paddle & Oar). Sierra Escapades specializes in rafting on the Truckee, guided hikes, mountain trail rides and fishing. For a real adrenaline high, challenge the class III rapids on the Truckee River with Tahoe Whitewater Tours in small, six-person rafts.

In winter, the choices are just as fabulous. Reno is within close proximity of 18 world-class alpine and seven cross-country ski resorts. Mt. Rose (between Reno and Lake Tahoe) is the closest skiing, with an elevation of 7,900 ft. (Tahoe’s highest) and 400 inches—yes, that’s 33 feet—of snow a year. Nonskiers have their choice of dog-sled rides, guided snowshoe hikes, sleigh rides and, for those who like something zippier, snowmobile adventures (Sierra Escapades is also a good resource for these activities; plus, they work with an excellent facilitator for team-building opportunities).

And, like a good blind date, this city’s worth a follow-up.

NEWS

“There’s a huge investment going into this marketplace, and we’re very excited,” says Ellen Oppenheim, president and CEO of Reno-Tahoe, America’s Adventure Place.

Here are some examples:

• The Peppermill Hotel Casino is completing a $300-million expansion this year, adding a new all-suites tower (600 rooms) plus a 62,000-square-foot, clear-span convention center ballroom.
  
  
• Atlantis Casino Resort Spa has broken ground on a $50-million expansion that doubles the size of its current meeting space (for a future total of  about 50,000 sq. ft.) and will include a pedestrian skywalk that connects the hotel with the Reno- Sparks Convention Center.
  
  
• The Grand Sierra Resort and Casino continues the transformation of the former Reno Hilton property. In addition to a complete renovation of all guest rooms (which includes 11 floors of luxury hotel-condominiums), it includes the casino floor and all restaurants. Also planned is the largest indoor waterpark in the country, with a water, laser and multimedia show larger than the Bellagio’s in Las Vegas.
  
  
• Construction is under way on the 28,000-square-foot, $25-million Downtown Reno Ballroom, located across the street from the Reno Events Center and National Bowling Stadium. It will accommodate up to 2,000.
  
  
• Bringing a new flag into Reno is the six-story Hyatt Place (127 rooms), located immediately adjacent to the Reno-Tahoe International Airport, scheduled to open later this year.
  
  
• A $12-million renovation of East Tower guest rooms is in progress at John Ascuaga’s Nugget; the first rooms should be ready late this year.
  
  
• A new Legends project is planned for the Sparks Marina—more than 1 million sq. ft. of retail and dining space, plus a new 1,000-room hotel with 40,000 sq. ft. of meeting space that’s projected for completion in early 2010.
  
  
• Station Casinos is planning to go into south Reno, across from the new Summit Sierra mall, possibly in 2008 or 2009.

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Getting There

Reno-Tahoe International Airport provides one-stop service to almost any major destination in the U.S., plus new nonstop service to Chicago Midway on Southwest. (For example, there are 48 daily unique combinations of one-stop flights you can take from Washington, D.C. to Reno, based on eight different carriers.) Back to Top

Not To Be Missed

• The great outdoors: summer fun on the lake; skiing in winter
• Rafting on the Truckee River
• Downtown’s Riverwalk District
• Bright lights, big-city entertainment 24/7

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