The Best of Wisconsin Meetings
By Jamie RhodesReaders recognize industry favorites
It’s that time of year again when meeting planners weigh in on the best of the best in the Wisconsin meetings industry. As in years past, venues and service providers must continue to be innovative and stay on top of the latest technology wave, but the key has remained the same since the inception of the business model: provide the best possible customer service and pay attention to the details.
1. Best Conference Center
Monona Terrace, Madison
Majestically spanning 90 feet out over Lake Monona, located in the heart of downtown Madison, Monona Terrace is a feast for the senses. With its curvilinear design, this 250,000-square-foot facility is an icon of the city’s architecture and is continually recognized by planners for hosting incredible events and experiences.
For planners focused on green facilities, you’ll be happy to know that Monona Terrace was designated a Silver Level LEED-EB (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-Existing Building) green certified building in September of 2007. Monona Terrace is one of the first existing convention centers in the U.S. to receive a certification, and the only silver level certified convention center in the U.S. In addition, it possesses a Travel Green certification as designated by the Wisconsin Department of Tourism.
The 240-room Hilton Monona Terrace is connected to the facility. And within steps, there are dozens of restaurants, unique shops and Madison’s infamous State Street. A bike and walking path wrap around the building, and the rooftop garden allows for sweeping views of Lake Monona, the State Capitol and rest of the city.
Meeting planners holding their events at Monona Terrace will have an Event Coordinator, who will be their personal point of contact for all details and logistics, and will work closely with them from conception through the end of the event to ensure every detail is covered.
2. Best Convention Center
Midwest Airlines Center
Planning a convention takes a lot of work. It helps to book a convention center with top-of-the-line facilities, staff and amenities to make the process run smoothly — to say nothing of its downtown location and architectural beauty, that’s why readers made the Midwest Airlines Center this year’s Best Convention Center.
“Our goal is to present great shows of all types to entertain the community and generate business to fuel the city’s growth,” notes Richard Geyer, president and CEO of the Wisconsin Center District, which owns and operates the Midwest Airlines Center, as well as the U.S. Cellular Arena and The Milwaukee Theatre.
From the start, planners are paired up with an Event Services Manager, who will be your touchstone throughout the planning and execution of your event. Aside from advising you on matters on planning, pricing, and so on, they also provide media contacts, press releases, advertising discounts and other services. They will promote your event on their Web site, in print and online venues.
Midwest Airlines Center has some of the most advanced IT infrastructure anywhere, plus it handles tradeshow setup and formal banquets with ease. Its enormous size handles thousands of people and is an aesthetic treat—as it houses the $1.2-million Burke Family Art Collection.
In addition, attendees will appreciate the 1,500 hotels rooms connected by skywalk to the facility, as well as the numerous attractions, shops and restaurants located within walking distance.
3. Best Golf Resort
Grand Geneva Resort & Spa, Lake Geneva
Grand Geneva is considered the crème de la crème for companies throughout the Midwest and beyond for meetings and events. They have been honored with a bevy of awards, including this year’s Best Golf Resort by Wisconsin Meetings. Grand Geneva has also recently been Travel Green-certified, which is a bonus for those looking to be more eco-friendly.
Grand Geneva’s inclusive on-site amenities are many, but the most notable are their two award-winning 18-hole golf courses, The Brute and The Highlands. The par-72 Brute is considered one of the most challenging courses in the Midwest. The Highlands, a Scottish-style course, was designed by Pete Dye and Jack Nicklaus. These two glorious courses offer sweeping views of the verdant Midwestern landscape.
Their meeting space is world-class, too. Grand Geneva offers 62,000 square feet of function space able to accommodate 10 to 1,500 guests. From their new 12,000-square-foot Conference Center to seasonal patios and chalet parties, you can plan for virtually any size and any type of meeting.
Grand Geneva also has a professional meeting staff to help plan your event, as well as a 24-hour PSAV Presentation Services Business Center, an on-site PSAV Presentation Services and high-speed Internet access. They offer shuttle service to and from Milwaukee’s General Mitchell Airport and Chicago’s O’Hare Airport.
4. Best Lakeshore Resort
The Osthoff Resort, Elkhart Lake
“Close to the office, yet away from it all.” This is The Osthoff Resort’s motto, and it’s why meeting planners voted them the Best Lakeshore Resort.
Located on picturesque Elkhart Lake, visitors to the Osthoff Resort will enjoy the peace and tranquility of this waterfront resort. With 500 feet of sand frontage on the 286-acre, crystal-clear lake, the resort takes full advantage of its prime location by offering pontoon, canoe and kayak rentals, as well as picnic areas, a bonfire area, volleyball courts and other fun outdoor activities. In addition, the resort includes an on-site cooking schoool, L’ecole de la Maison, for unique teambuilding activities.
Osthoff’s Director of Sales, Marketing and Conference Services, Chad Buros, CHSP, adds, “Our spacious lakefront offers a great atmosphere for recreational team building activities and provides a breathtaking backdrop for outdoor events. At The Osthoff Resort we strive to offer the accommodations, amenities and services meeting planners expect from a AAA Four Diamond Resort!”
This resort features high-quality meeting and banquet space for groups of 10 to 1,000. Their experienced sales and conference services staff will assist you in planning a successful event.
In addition to what you would normally expect when planning an event at a lakeside resort in Wisconsin—serene waters, lovely gardens—there are also two fine dining restaurants, creative banquet selections and a first-class spa. The Osthoff Resort also offers professional team-building services and group activities when you want to break out of the boardroom.
5. Best Lodge/Retreat
Heartwood Conference Center & Retreat, Trego
It’s the epitome of a northern Wisconsin lodge – with its timber frame construction and location on 700 wooded acres next to two pristine lakes. Even better, the lodge contains all the modern conveniences and technologies meeting planners expect.
Whether you want an intimate retreat for a small staff or mid-sized event for up to 200 people, Heartwood Conference Center & Retreat owned by Thrivent Financial offers unique amenities. There are 10,000 square feet of meeting, dining and exhibit space. Accommodations include a 52 room lodge, in addition to private cottages, duplexes, and a five bedroom house. Groups can enjoy canoe or kayak trips on the neighboring and nationally protected Namekagon River, mountain biking, tennis, horseshoes, fishing and more.
“We feel that we are an absolute undiscovered gem in the state of Wisconsin,” says Chris Gaylord, General Manager. “We offer fantastic meeting and event space that is flexible to a group’s needs and offer spectacular views, and in 2009 we added 20 additional sleeping rooms. We also offer all of our guests a variety of year-round outdoor activities that give meeting planners a tremendous range of options for team-building and general fun. Our staff is devoted to delivering the highest quality experience available. We work extensively with groups and their budgets to optimize their experiences and have as much fun as they can. We stay current with all industry trends and act proactively to keep our facilities current without taking anything away from the charm and solitude that is Heartwood.”
www.heartwoodconferencecenter.com
6. Hotel with Best Service
Radisson Paper Valley Hotel, Appleton
“Visit the Radisson Paper Valley Hotel in Appleton and treat yourself to the best hotel service in town.”
Meeting planners agree. Radisson Paper Valley Hotel was rated the Hotel with the Best Service in our 2010 Wisconsin Meetings survey.
It starts with 38,000 square feet of flexible meeting space that can accommodate up to 200 people, audio/visual services, a professional staff, five in-house restaurants, high-speed Internet and an in-house coffee shop, but that’s not where it ends. If attendees are spending the night, they can also take advantage of the heated pool and whirlpool, a business center, a 24-hour fitness center, complimentary high-speed, wireless Internet and Radisson’s 24-hour airport shuttle.
Radisson Paper Valley Hotel also offers Your Event By Radisson. When you book your event with them, they’ll create a customized Web page for it. Attendees can go online to book their room reservations, check driving directions and review event details.
The hotel’s location is great, too. Situated in downtown Appleton, the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center, recipient of our “Best Reception Facility” award, is just across the street. Other area attractions include the Fox River Mall, Fox Cities Children’s Museum and Houdini Historical Center. If you’re up for a quick trip north, historic Lambeau Field, home of Wisconsin’s beloved Green Bay Packers, is only 30 miles from the hotel.
Whether your event is small or large, the staff at Radisson Paper Valley Hotel are ready to help your event go smoothly with their signature “Yes I Can!” service. The key, they say, is “developing mutually rewarding relationships with meeting planners and delivering a consistently satisfying experience.”
7. Best Reception Facility
Fox Cities Performing Arts Center, Fox Cities
At the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center, they invite you to “Stage your own event,” that’s why they’ve been voted Best Reception Facility.
With five different meeting spaces, they are equipped to handle a variety of event styles and sizes with theatrical flair. A few of those spaces include Thrivent Financial Hall, Kimberly-Clark Theater and The Founders Room. Thrivent Financial Hall, which accommodates more than 2,000 people, can be used for meetings or conferences. Kimberly-Clark Theater is a multi-purpose theater with more than 4,000 square feet of usable space for classes, meetings, banquets, weddings and private receptions. The Founders Room is an intimate, library-type private room just off the dress circle lobby that can accommodate meetings or receptions.
“It is a great honor to be voted Best Reception Facility by Wisconsin Meetings magazine,” enthuses Fox Cities PAC President, Susan Stockton. “As a facility that hosts more than 400 public and private events each year, we understand that our brand is built on the experiences our clients have with the facility.”
“We have a commitment to provide world-class customer service that begins with the initial contact through the execution of the event. We continuously measure our client’s experiences and invest in training of our staff and volunteers to ensure all needs are being exceeded. Our quality customer service resonates with our clients and keeps them coming back year after year.”
8. Best Casino with meeting space
Potawatomi Bingo Casino, Milwaukee
“We don’t just want to fulfill your expectations — we want to exceed them.”
With this credo at the heart of Potawatomi Bingo Casino’s events services, meeting planners know their clients are in for a treat, and that’s why they were rated the Best Casino with Meeting Space by readers.
In addition to the gaming and exciting atmosphere, Potawatomi offers state-of-the-art meeting rooms and banquet spaces that add some flavor to your meetings. The experienced event planning staff is always at the ready to ensure your event is everything you want it to be and more, and is careful not to overlook even the smallest details to impress attendees.
Potawatomi Bingo Casino offers two meeting rooms as well as private and semi-private dining rooms. Their large-capacity Woodland Dreams Ballroom can accommodate up to 550 people for dinner, or be sectioned off for smaller rooms. The Tribal Room, which is circular, has a more intimate setting, with floor-to-ceiling windows offering views of downtown Milwaukee and a warming fireplace.
If you want to include food in your event, Potawatomi Bingo Casino can cater everything from simple hors d’ oeuvres to an elaborate five-course meal. In addition, it offers several restaurants on-site, including the acclaimed Dream Dance, which features a variety of steaks and seafoods, plus a comprehensive wine list of more than 600. Other dining options include the Asian-inspired RuYi, a buffet and the Fire Pit Sports Bar & Grill.
Whether you’re planning something on a more intimate scale or a large corporate conference drinks or a meal, Potawatomi Bingo Casino customizes your event to suit your needs and go beyond your expectations.
9. Most Helpful CVB
VISIT Milwaukee
VISIT Milwaukee is working hard to promote its community. One of the ways the organization does this is by ensuring the positive experiences of meeting planners. Clearly VISIT Milwaukee is succeeding, as it was voted Most Helpful CVB by Wisconsin Meetings readers.
Most meeting planners will start at the CVB’s Web site, which is highly organized, thorough and easy to read with helpful links, categories and recommendations. VISIT Milwaukee also offers an array of services to make planning your next meeting in Milwaukee a positive one, including promotion, scheduling meetings, distributing local information and alerting VISIT Milwaukee members of the impending event.
Debbie Cowen, Director of Conferences for the Associations of Avian Veterinarians, Exotic Small Mammals, and Reptiles/Amphibians, organized a conference in Milwaukee in 2009. She noted that the passion for the city that VISIT Milwaukee’s staff possessed was contagious and “excited me about bringing 800 people in for a full week.”
“We’re very appreciative of this designation,” says David Fantle, Vice President of Public Relations. “We work hard every day to assure that our guests have a memorable experience when visiting Milwaukee. Our staff really wants to make it as easy as possible for the meeting planner. Once a meeting or convention is booked, our convention services department works to assure that the event goes smoothly and that the guests leave with a favorable impression of Milwaukee.
“As any meeting planner will tell you, the success of an event comes down to the smallest logistical details. We’re here to make sure the event goes off without a hitch because we want nothing more than repeat business and a new army of goodwill ambassadors for Milwaukee.”
