MID-ATLANTIC Sites, Cities, and Services Destination DC
While always a convention hotspot, Washing- ton, D.C., is undergoing a transformation that will make it an even more desirable locale for event professionals. With developments under way totaling $8 billion, D.C. is adding new retail, restaurants, theaters, and hotels to its 12 distinctive neighborhoods, as well as its waterfront and downtown. “New venues, like the reborn Howard Theatre and the Hamilton, are changing the face of entertainment in the District,” said Mayor Vincent C. Gray. The city makes for an affordable stay
with tons of free attractions, including 15 Smithsonian museums, soon to be 16 with the addition of the National Museum of Afri- can American History and Culture in 2015; renowned monuments, including the brand- new Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial; and the National Zoo. In addition, CityCenterDC is a current 10-acre project adding 290,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space, 350 to 400 hotel rooms, and 1.5 acres of parks and plazas to downtown D.C. The project, which will begin opening in phases in 2013, spans five high-profile blocks within walking distance of the 2.3-million-square-foot Walter E. Washington Convention Center, one of the
Discover a new D.C.
largest in the country. The convention center’s 19,000-square-
foot ballroom seats up to 5,000 people com- fortably and includes a 2,600-square-foot balcony. The center remains a sustainable site via censored, energy-saving lights, and walls composed of clear, low-emission glass. The city, now housing nearly 30,000 hotel rooms, is soon to expand with the addition of CityMarket at O, one block north of the convention center, a one-million-square-foot development consisting of a 182-room Cam- bria Suites hotel and 87,000 square feet of retail space. Venue options have increased with the recently reopened Carnegie Library at Mount Vernon Square, offering seven ornately decorated meeting rooms, a 150- seat theater, and a grand exterior plaza. In 2014, the Washington Marriott Marquis will open with 1,175 rooms and more than 100,000 square feet of meeting space, all directly connected to the convention center. Destination DC (DDC) is now making it
even easier to explore the city. The Show Your Badge program is designed to pro- mote exclusive deals to meeting attendees at DDC member restaurants, attractions, tours,
theaters, and retail. (Visit washington.org/ showyourbadge to see the participating businesses.) DDC is also offering a VIP pro- gram at the convention center to all meeting planners. Select VIPs will receive a pin grant- ing them access to special services during their event. DDC works with the hospitality commu-
nity to help inform the taxi industry about convention dates and peak travel times. These efforts help ensure that taxis are read- ily available at the convention center when needed to help transport meeting attendees. Taxicab-appreciation events will be held quar- terly to share convention schedules and visi- tor information with the taxi industry. It’s not too late to book D.C. for the short
term. There is availability now through 2015, according to Ronnie Burt, DDC’s vice presi- dent of convention sales and services. So whether you’ve seen the city years ago, or only just yesterday, at your next convention in the nation’s capital, you’re sure to discover a whole new Washington, D.C.
Giddy up Hill Country Barbeque is just one of many local businesses participating in Destination DC’s new Show Your Badge program, offering deals all around the city to meeting planners.