special section Innovative Centers and Unique Venues Cincinnati
Meeting planners who are curious about how Cincinnati has become one of the nation’s best convention destinations should know that it all boils down to one word — acces- sibility. It’s about easy accessibility to a Midwest
destination that’s within a one-hour flight of 60 percent of the U.S. population. And once attendees arrive, it’s about accessibility to knowledgeable, friendly people, from the Cin- cinnati USA Convention & Visitors Bureau’s award-winning convention services team to the citizen volunteers who welcome tens of thousands of visitors each year. It’s also about accessibility to a growing list of hotels, attractions, and dining options in a walkable city center. Anchoring Cincinnati’s downtown, the
750,000-square-foot Duke Energy Conven- tion Center has 200,000 square feet of flex-
All the amenities, all within reach
ible meeting space and, at 40,000 square feet, one of the largest ballrooms in the Mid- west. Surrounded by 200 shops, 75 restau- rants, and 3,000 hotel rooms, the center is also flanked by more than $2 billion in new developments. Chief among them are the 18-acre Banks retail and residential develop- ment, 160-room 21c Museum Hotel, Horse- shoe Casino Cincinnati, and newly renovated Washington Park — all of which are open or will open within the next few years. Add it up and it’s obvious why LonelyPlanet.com ranked Cincinnati the No. 3 U.S. travel desti- nation for 2012. Museums and historic venues are just
two of Cincinnati’s numerous options for out-of-the-box, off-site events. The newly built Christian Moerlein Lager House, home to the 159-year-old Christian Moerlein brew- ery, has plenty of space for banquets, and
the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center has more than 6,000 square feet of meeting space in addition to its exhibits and educational programs. It is venues like these, combined with Cincinnati’s warm hospitality, that have attracted some of the world’s most high-profile groups, including the NAACP, the League of United Latin American Citizens, and the National Baptist Convention. This month, Cincinnati is proud to become the first U.S. city to host the 2012 World Choir Games. With its vibrant metropolis full of endless
entertainment options and best-in-class con- vention facilities, Cincinnati offers something for convention attendees of every demo- graphic.
For more information: Cincinnati USA Convention & Visitors Bureau — (513) 621-2142 or (800) 543-2613; cincyusa.com
Standing ovation Cincinnati’s historic venues
— from the old-world ambiance of the Music Hall to the Art Deco–themed dining rooms of the Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal — set the stage for unforgettable group experiences.