ROM THE SUNSHINE TO ITS SUR- plus of convention space, Anaheim has a lot for meeting planners to rave about. But Southern Califor- nia’s premier convention desti- nation is about to add even more experiences for meeting planners and their attendees, from new theme-park attractions and hotels
to outdoor spaces and transportation options. And with the West Coast’s largest convention center, Anaheim has everything planners need to create memorable meetings with a side of California cool. In January 2013, the Anaheim Convention Cen-
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ter (ACC) will unveil its Grand Plaza, with 100,000 square feet of outdoor space for meetings, recep- tions, and special events. Spreading out east from the ACC to the Hilton Anaheim and Anaheim Mar- riott hotels, the multi-functional plaza will be able to accommodate up to 10,000 people for meetings and 6,500 for sit-down dining functions. The plaza’s palm-studded walkways, fountains, and ambient lighting create a relaxed atmosphere for day or evening events, and the plaza’s dramatic entryway gives guests a powerful sense of arrival. Also arriving in 2013, Great Wolf Resorts’ new 11.5-acre hotel,
water park, and conference center will open in Garden Grove, near Disneyland and the ACC. In fall 2011, the Honda Center in Anaheim will launch its biggest capital-improvement program to date. The renova- tion will include a new 250-seat restaurant, a 12,000-square-foot ter- race, and an expanded Anaheim Ducks team store. When it’s time for attendees to break out of the boardroom, new theme-park attractions
In January 2012, the Anaheim Convention Center will unveil its 100,000-square-foot Grand Plaza.
such as Cars Land, opening at the Disney California Adventure Park in 2012, will bring the town of Radiator Springs from the popular Pixar film “Cars” to life. In addition, the Anaheim GardenWalk offers shop- ping, dining, and entertainment within walking distance of the ACC. Getting to Anaheim will become even easier in the coming years
with the new Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center (ARTIC). Debuting in 2014, ARTIC will serve as a hub for visitors arriving
pcma convene November 2011
SAFETY FIRST: Anaheim offers meeting plan- ners and their attend- ees an activity-packed yet worry-free conven- tion destination. One of only four U.S. cities with a specialized tourist- oriented policing team, Anaheim is the safest city to visit out of 35 American cities with populations between 250,000 and 500,000, according to statistics from the U.S. Depart- ment of Justice.
by car, bus, and rail to Anaheim and Orange County. Finally, four air- ports under an hour away — John Wayne Orange County Airport, Los Angeles International Airport, Ontario International Airport, and Long Beach International Airport — support Anaheim and Orange County. n
AT A GLANCE
Hotel rooms: 20,000 total with 7,000 rooms within a half-mile of the Anaheim Convention Center Meeting facilities: The 1.6-million-square-foot Anaheim Conven- tion Center has 813,000 square feet of exhibit space, a 7,500-seat arena, and 130,000 square feet of meeting space. Attractions: Disneyland Park, Disney California Adventure Park, Downtown Disney, Knott’s Berry Farm theme park, Angels Stadium, Honda Center, Bowers Museum, Muzeo, Crystal Cathedral, Seger- strom Center for the Arts, Discovery Science Center, Battle of the Dance, South Coast Plaza, and Anaheim GardenWalk
For more information: Anaheim/Orange County Visitor & Con- vention Bureau, 800 W. Katella Avenue, P.O. Box 4270, Anaheim, CA 92803; (714) 765-8888; www.anaheimoc.org