MEET WITH HISTORY: Artist Henri Matisse was just one of many
people who visited Nice and stayed. Matisse’s former residence, at right, is now the Musée Matisse, and can be rented for private events. For more about meeting on the French Riviera, see p. 24.
PLENARY Q
HOLES IN THE WORLD: Opening to the public this Sept. 12, the National September 11 Memorial features twin reflecting pools — each nearly an acre in size.
EN YEARS AFTER TERRORISTS KILLED nearly 3,000 people and left a hole where the World Trade Center (WTC) once
News and notes for the meetings and conventions industry
stood, New York is a different city, and Lower Manhattan is a different neighborhood. Despite being home to Wall Street, the downtown area below Chambers Street has never been known as a meetings destination — certainly not in the same sense as Midtown, which hosts the Javits Center and the city’s larger conference hotels. But that’s changing. Anchored by the ongoing rebuilding of the WTC site and this month’s dedication of the National September 11 Memorial at Ground Zero, Lower Manhattan is undergoing a rebirth as a place to
stay, tour, and meet. New hotels, restaurants, and shops have opened — all buttressing a variety of alternative venues and spaces that through the years have made the old Dutch city a fascinating, endlessly walkable jumble. In June, NYC & Company launched “Get
More NYC: Lower Manhattan,” a campaign running through Sept. 6 designed to encourage tourists and business travelers to experience the neighborhood’s renaissance for themselves. “In the months and weeks leading up to the 10th anniversary of Sept. 11 and the opening of the 9/11 Memorial, Lower Manhattan will be a focal point for the world,” said George Fertitta, continued on page 22
pcma convene September 2011 15
MUSEE MATISSE: TOP PHOTO COURTESY ATOUT FRANCE/JEAN FRANÁOIS TRIPELON-JARRY