George R. Brown Convention Center, Houston, Texas
Finding a host city for a key meeting can be a geographic Rubik’s cube of schedules and locations that can seem impossible to solve. This short list of places, spaces and notations compiled by the travel risk management company On Call International can help narrow down the options. These 10 cities offer accessibility, lots of space, affordable accommodations and that little something special.
10. Houston
Meeting space: 4.2 million sq. ft.
Guest rooms: 30,577
Everything really is bigger in Texas, including Houston. It should be no surprise that the destination nicknamed Space City has two convention centers. George R. Brown Convention Center’s red, white and blue nautical theme offers meeting professionals 1.2 million sq. ft. of space. Situated on 350 acres, NRG Park offers 3 million sq. ft. of meeting space and a versatile complex perfect for large or small gatherings.
9. Orlando
Meeting space: 5 million sq. ft.
Guest rooms: 119,000
A meeting in Orlando can combine business and pleasure. The massive amount of meeting space across 150 meetings hotels is a great place for productivity while the many theme parks, such as SeaWorld Orlando and Universal Studios Florida, can provide days of excitement. Don’t worry if you have to stay an extra night to fit in your day of fun; Orlando comes in first in affordable hotel prices.
8. Tampa
Meeting space: 600,000 sq. ft.
Guest rooms: 20,000
The picturesque city is a great place to hold a meeting thanks to affordable hotel prices and excellent 4G LTE coverage. The walkable waterfront is a perfect place to go for a stroll and get fresh air between meetings. Attendees can unwind at the Museum of Art, exploring exhibits from around the globe.
7. Sacramento
Meeting space: 384,000 sq. ft.
Guest rooms: 16,000
Centrally located in Northern California, Sacramento is an idyllic city for meetings because of its affordable hotel prices, low traffic congestion, 4G LTE coverage and variety of things to do. With a meeting in California’s capital your attendees can indulge in Central Valley’s farm-to-fork abundance. Award-winning chefs and restaurants occupy the city centrally located amongst a diverse range of high-quality farms.
6. Dallas
Meeting space: 1 million sq. ft.
Guest rooms: 80,000 total; 13,000 downtown
A work hard, play hard motto fits well in Dallas with more than 12,000 dining options, 200 golf courses and 20 entertainment districts. Dallas rated well in low traffic congestion and offers great 4G LTE coverage. Accessibility within the city makes for stress-free transportation. Journey from either airport to downtown on the DART light rail and take advantage of free rides on D-Link and McKinney Avenue trollies.
5. Denver
Meeting space: 584,000 sq. ft.
Guest rooms: 45,000 total; 10,000 walking distance to convention center
Attendees will feel at-ease meeting in Denver, which boasts a number one ranking in hospital performance. The Colorado Convention Center offers nearly 600,000 sq. ft. of meeting space. As a bonus, when heading from the Mile High Ballroom to one of 63 meeting rooms, you can conveniently charge electronics at charging stations.
4. Minneapolis
Meeting space: 475,000 sq. ft.
Guest rooms: 39,000 total; 5,600 downtown
Minneapolis excels in accessibility; it is less than three hours from most places in the U.S. Getting from place to place during your business trip will be manageable, too, as the city maintains low traffic congestion. The Minneapolis Convention Center offers a 3,400 square-foot, fixed-seat auditorium, 87 meeting rooms and two large ballrooms at 28,000 sq. ft. and 55,000 sq. ft., making it ideal for a large event.
3. Cleveland
Meeting space: 1 million sq. ft.
Guest rooms: 22,000 total; 5,000 downtown
A meeting in Cleveland will leave attendees feeling refreshed and productive simultaneously. Modern venues paired with exciting nightlife and outdoor adventures give Cleveland a top spot in the ranking. They are ranked number one in low traffic congestion and number two for on-time flights; arriving is as easy as a hop, skip and a jump away.
2. Phoenix
Meeting space: 312,000 sq. ft. indoor; 210,000 sq. ft. outdoor
Guest rooms: 63,000
The city of Phoenix is a great meeting place for enjoying warm weather–temperatures average at 75 degrees. Phoenix offers a unique perspective to view the downtown area with their Grid Bike Art Tour that takes riders from parks to gardens throughout downtown. The low-traffic congestion, on-time flights, affordable hotel prices and hospital performance make it an effortless place for business travelers to get together for their next meeting.
1. Detroit
Meeting space: 2.7 million sq. ft.
Guest rooms: 36,000 total; 5,000 downtown
Detroit ranked in the top five in on-time flights, affordable hotel prices, low traffic congestion, 4G LTE coverage and hospital performance. A multi-million dollar entertainment district paired with large meeting venues won it the top spot in On Call International’s list of best places to meet in the U.S.
