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TheWest
SPOKANE S
City Seems Small, Delivers Large
POKANEMAY BEA SECOND-TIER city, but it delivers a first-class meeting experience. Not only does
Spokane have more to offer than many first-tier cities; it has more unique offerings for meeting attendees. In Spokane, groups can stay at some of
the best hotels—including a property named one of the top 100 hotels in the United States by Condé Nast Traveler maga- zine—for a lower rate than they would pay at a limited-service property in a first-tier destination…and with a discount, to boot! And unlike many first-tier cities, Spokane features a “real” downtown area in which a total of $3.5 billion has been invested over the past 11 years. There, delegates can enjoy post-business forays through a wide variety of high-end shops, boutique stores, and major department stores, includingMacy’s and Nordstrom, as well as brick-and-mortar branches of such renowned catalog retailers as Pottery Barn and Restoration Hardware. Even better, it’s all within a five-minute walk of the Spokane Convention Center. A series of vibrant urban pathways lead
not only to Spokane’s hip, happening urban core, but to green spaces, funky bohemian retail areas, and cultural and historic dis- tricts. In fact, Spokane has 18 historic dis- tricts—more than any other metropolis in the state of Washington. In the 100-acre Riverfront Park, a paved hiking and biking path, Centennial Trail, follows the Spokane River to Idaho and beyond. Riverfront Park also houses the Spokane Falls Skyride, a gondola that travels across the Spokane River and back; an IMAX theater; a historic hand-carved Looff carousel; and an outdoor ice-skating rink that USA Today called one of the country’s “10 Best Places to Cut a Figure Eight.” For entertainment of another kind,
72 pcmaconvene March 2010 Spokane at a Glance
Meeting Facilities The Spokane Convention Center offers a collective 372,000 square feet of meeting and convention space, including 23 meeting rooms.The cen- ter also features a 25,310-square-foot ballroom and a 2,700-seat perform- ing-arts theater.
Number of Rooms More than 3,000 downtown; an addi- tional 3,700 within a 15-minute drive
Attractions Riverfront Park, Gardens at Manito Park, river-rafting, golf, Davenport Arts District,The MartinWoldson Theater atThe Fox, historic Daven- port Hotel, Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture, Spokane wineries, Mount Spokane, CentennialTrail, Cat Tales, Green Bluff, Rockin’ B Ranch Cowboy Supper Club, antique district on Monroe, Spokane Symphony, live theater
For More Information Keith Backsen,Vice President & Director of Sales, Spokane Regional Convention &Visitors Bureau; PHONE: (888) SPOKANE; E-MAIL: kbacksen@visitspokane.com; WEB SITE: www.visitspokane.com
THE BEST OF BOTHWORLDS: Spokane has a thriving downtown (top) with 18 historic districts. CentennialTrail (above), a paved hiking and biking path, follows the Spokane River to Idaho and beyond.
there’s the nationally recognized Spokane Symphony, which performs at the recently renovatedMartin Woldson Theater at The Fox.Up-and-coming bands performat The Knitting Factory, a famousmusic club and concert house which originated in New York City and Los Angeles. On the heels of hosting the highest-
attended United States Figure Skating Championships ever, and on the verge of hosting the first and second rounds of the NCAA Division I men’s basketball playoffs, Spokane is indeed primed to host major events with national audiences—includ- ing association meetings. Come see for yourself why the world’s largest 3-on-3 basketball tournament and largest timed footrace, along with many other premier events, are already held in Spokane. It’s a city that may seem small, but it delivers big —and thinks huge.