EAD WEST TO FIND CALGARY — a meetings destination with genuine hospitality, pristine surroundings, and an eco-awareness that per- meates the meetings and events that convene there. As a former Winter Olym- pics host city and site of the
famous annual Calgary Stampede, the city offers meeting attendees a vibrant destination full of rich cultural experiences and fabulous accommoda- tions and venues with easy access to one of Can- ada’s greatest natural wonders — the Canadian Rocky Mountains. And the accolades don’t stop there: The fastest-growing city in Canada has also been ranked as one of the safest in the world. Attendees will find getting to and around Calgary
✱ WHITE-HAT CITY:
Calgary, home to one million people, serves as an urban backbone to
Western Canada, but still manages to give off a
warm, quaint, small-town- feel — it was ranked as the cleanest city in the world, according to an environmental exami- nation of 215 different metropolitan areas.
easy and convenient. Calgary International Airport receives more than 200 flights a day with connections to a number of international desti- nations, including Chicago, Los Angeles, London, and Frankfurt. Pas- sengers can ride the light-rail C-Train for free within downtown, as well as use the world’s largest climate-controlled indoor pathway, known as “The Plus 15,” which links more than 100 downtown office build- ings, hotels, venues, and shopping centers. And, since Alberta has no provincial sales tax, shopping is a must-do for any visitor. The Calgary TELUS Convention Centre (CTCC), offering 122,000
square feet of flexible meeting space in the heart of historic down- town Calgary, directly connects to three four-star hotels via indoor walkways. Known as the Calgary Convention Connection, this com- plex offers 180,000 total square feet of convention space and 1,100 total guest rooms — at the Calgary Marriott Downtown, Hyatt Regency Calgary, and The Fairmont Palliser. And Calgary’s famous Western hospitality can be found at the CTCC, too: More than 75 percent of customers return for a second experience at the CTCC — and chief among the reasons are the staff’s dedication to customer service and their friendly, always-here-to-help attitude. Calgary’s smart eco-sensibility extends beyond its clean streets
into its convention halls and meeting rooms. In 2008, the CTCC hosted the International Downtown Association’s “zero-waste” conference,
pcma convene November 2011
during which all waste was recycled or composted. The CTCC was also the first building in Alberta to be certified “BOMA Go Green,” in recognition of the building’s responsible environmental practices. n
AT A GLANCE
Convention facilities: The Calgary TELUS Convention Centre fea- tures 122,000 square feet of meeting space, including 47,000 square feet of exhibit space, a 20,000-square-foot ballroom, five production areas, and 36 meeting rooms Accommodations: More than 11,000 total guest rooms, including 3,600 rooms within downtown Attractions: The Calgary Stampede, Canadian Rocky Mountains, NHL Calgary Flames, Calgary Tower, Canada Olympic Park, TELUS World of Science Calgary, the Glenbow Museum, and Calgary Zoo