Meet in Utah: whether your company is in Utah or outside of the state, Utah is the place to meet.

• Author: Creager, Janine S.
• Position: Meeting & Event Planning Guide

A picture may be worth a thousand words, but nothing can take the place of actual experience. That's the premise of Meet In Utah, a state-wide organization made up of seven convention and visitor bureaus. From Ogden to St. George and all along the Wasatch Front, these bureaus are working together to spread the word to businesses and professionals that Utah is the place to meet.

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Inviting the World to Utah

Scott Beck, president and CEO of the Salt Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau (SLCVB), credits Barbara Riddle of the Davis CVB with coming up the idea to combine ideas and talent to better leverage available funding and improve visibility for the state as a whole. Taking a cue from the success of the 2002 Winter Olympics, which brought international focus on what Utah had to offer, Riddle and the Davis County bureau worked with other Utah bureaus, to snag the bid to host the prestigious World Education Conference of the annual Meeting Professionals International (MPI). The convention, which is being held in Salt Lake City this month, will include 4,000 meeting planners from companies across the country and around the world.

"Hosting this event for Utah is significant [for the meeting planning industry]," says Beck, comparing it to what hosting the Olympics did for the ski industry.

But comparisons between bringing conventions to the state and the Olympics Games don't stop there. Without the Olympics, and the building and improvements which took place to bring the Games here, especially the Salt Palace expansion, the city and state would not now be equipped to host ever-increasingly larger conventions such as the MPI.

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Collaboration Works

In an era of increasing competition, why would one convention bureau be willing to work together with another bureau at the risk of possibly losing business? Barbara Riddle shares these thoughts.

"We're competitive, but it's respectful, friendly, yet assertive competition," she says. "The better one does, the better we all do. You celebrate the wins, but you never celebrate on the backs of your colleagues."

"I can't get my message out as well as we can collectively," says Joel Racker of the Utah Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau. "This is relationship selling. Another thing I will say is that a 'high tide raises all ships.' Meeting planners don't [stop at the county line]. They'll gladly cross that border."

While each bureau is keenly aware of the need to bring conventions and meetings into its particular area, the main goal of Meet In Utah is to get people to the state. Once people have a reason to come to Utah, whether to attend a conference in Park City, or a business meeting in Heber Valley, they will frequently return and visit other parts of the state.

"Why not sell Utah first as a meeting destination and then get it placed somewhere in the state?" says Riddle. "We all have some diverse products. Mine (Davis County) is very unique, and there is a client out there that wants what I have."

Working together as a group has done much more than bring an increased awareness of the state. It has also benefitted the bottom line.

"It's given us that much more exposure beyond what we would ever be able to afford [individually]," says Riddle. "Wed never be able to pay for that kind of advertising."

The diversity of locations, facilities and amenities is what makes the collaborative effort work. If one bureau is unable to supply the meeting needs of an organization, for instance, perhaps another bureau can. Smaller convention and visitor bureaus can then benefit from the success and notoriety of a larger one.

"We are definitively a smaller meeting location," says Racker of his Utah County location, "but we hope to grow that and take advantage of this state-wide effort to market Utah as a meeting destination."

For those familiar with the work ethic and traditions of the state, this kind of cooperation may not seem unusual. But Meet In Utah, and its willingness to reach across the geographic aisle for the benefit of the whole, is attracting national attention. As an example, the organization was recently featured on the cover of Smart Meetings magazine.

"The strength in numbers and ability to partner has been so key," says Beck. "It's one of the most amazing things I've ever experienced. The ability to go and talk about the success from a group that has the same goals has been incredibly important. Showing this ethos, we all seem to understand and know that Utah tends to play in the same sandbox pretty [well]. That's been a really strong message that has resonated in our industry. [This national recognition] was unintentional, but we'll sure take it."

Why Utah?

With so many places across the country to choose from, why would a corporation pick Utah as a meeting destination? Scott Beck returns to lessons learned from the 2002 Winter Games. Prior to the Olympics, he explains, many people had no idea how close all the events would be to one another, not to mention the proximity to an international airport.

"That's just unheard of," he says. "Those were the kind of things that made the Olympics." This ease of access, combined with a genuine spirit of hospitality and high quality event centers, is what is now causing many companies and businesses to consider Utah as a future meeting destination.

As the thousands of meeting professionals arrive in Utah this month, every effort will be made to ensure that this visit will not be their last.

"I think they'll be very surprised of the quality of what is available in Utah," says Beck. "[We want them to] come and taste and feel and experience. We want to take the opportunity to just immerse them in it."

Venues by Region

NORTHERN

Best Western Sherwood Hills Resort & Spa

7877 S. Hwy 89-91

PO Box 311

Wellsville, UT 84339

800-532-5066

www.sherwoodhills.com

Total Meeting Space: 8,500 square feet

Sherwood Hills Resort & Spa offers four different styles of meeting rooms to fit any size group from eight to 400. Guests can enjoy steam rooms, full-service spa, a golf course and sand volleyball courts.

Davis Conference Center

1651 N. 700 West

Layton, UT 84041

801-416-8888

www.davisconferencecenter.com

Total Meeting Space: 32,000 square feet

The Davis Conference Center offers wireless high speed internet, XM radio and LCD projectors as well as extensive catering and banquet facilities. Landmark weather towers are illuminated during dark to designate the weather for the coming day.

Hilton Garden Inn

762 W. Heritage Park Blvd.

Layton, UT 84041

801 -416-8899 / 877-STAY-HGI

www.hiltongardeninn.hilton.com

Total Meeting Space: 32,000 square feet

The Davis Conference Center and Hilton Garden Inn offer incredible catering and banquet facilities, unparalleled service, extreme technology and the convenience of having a hotel adjacent to the conference center.

Golden Spike Event Center

1000 N. 1200 West

Ogden, UT 84404

801-399-8798

www1.co.weber.ut.us/gsec

Total Meeting Space: 150,000 square feet

The Golden Spike Event Center boasts a state-of-the-art horse facility as well as a competitive convention and exhibit facility. The 55,000-square-foot Golden Spike Arena features a 100- by 180-foot open arena, conference rooms and concession stands.

Ogden Eccles Conference Center & Peery's Egyptian Theater

2415 Washington Blvd.

Ogden, UT 84401

801-395-3200

oecenter.com

Total Meeting Space: More than 150,000 square feet

The Ogden Eccles Conference & Peery's Egyptian Theater's executive chef will prepare your breakfast, lunch or dinner fresh on-site. The center is located in the heart of downtown Ogden, adjacent to a 137-room hotel and within walking distance of the Ogden Marriott Hotel, transportation, Historic 25th Street restaurants and novelty shops.

Ogden Marriott

247 24th St.

Ogden, UT 84401

801-627-1190

www.marriott.com

Total Meeting Space: 16,000 square feet

This full-service hotel offers 13 conference rooms. Catering and audio-visual materials are available upon request.

Pineview Lodge at Wolf Creek Resort

3923 North Wolf Creek Drive

Eden, UT 84310

801-781-4130

www.wolfcreekresort.com

Total Meeting Space: 4,490 square feet

Pineview Lodge is Wolf Creek Resort and Club's new corporate gathering venue. Designed to accommodate functions any time of the year, the facility is equipped with state-of-the-art technology and amenities, with abundant lodging accommodations and world-class recreation right out the back door.

Weber State University

2108 University Circle

Ogden, UT 84408

801-626-8539

www.weber.edu

Total Meeting Space: 26,000 square feet

Located in Ogden, Weber State has hosted many high-profile events. Catering and audio-visual equipment are available.

SALT LAKE AREA

Airport Comfort Inn

200 N. Admiral Byrd Road

Salt Lake City, UT 84116

801-746-5200

www.slccomfortinn.com

Total Meeting Space: More than 2,500 square feet

The Airport Comfort Inn, located one mile from the Salt Lake Airport, offers an outdoor pool, fitness room and two meeting facilities. In addition, a complimentary full breakfast is served daily.

Alta Ski Area

PO Box 8007

Alta, UT 84092

801-521-2930

www.alta.com

Total Meeting Space: 10,800 square feet

Featuring five lodges, Alta Ski Area offers many choices for its guests and event attendees. During the winter, ski lifts are available just steps from the lodges, and in the summer and fall space is available for conferences, weddings or other special events.

Best Western Garden Inn

154 W. 600 South

Salt Lake City, UT 84101

801-521-2930

www.bwgardeninn.com

Total Meeting Space: 6,500 square feet

The Best Western Garden Inn can handle conferences of up to 300 people in its newly renovated 6,500- square-foot conference center. Other features include an Olympic-sized outdoor pool, fitness facility and free Internet access throughout the property.

Crystal Inn Downtown

230 W. 500 South

Salt Lake City, UT 84101

801-328-4466 x 667

www.crystalinns.com

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