MIDWEST Sites, Cities, and Services Cincinnati Ohio’s most welcoming and pedestrian-friendly convention destination
Flash dance “Culture Splash,” a program created for convention attendees by the Cincinnati USA Convention & Visitors Bureau, tailors convention programming to the cultural characteristics of the specific event.
Walkability and hospitality are two main- stays on every meeting planner’s destination checklist. Cincinnati offers visitors both. According to Prevention magazine and
the American Podiatric Medical Association, Cincinnati ranks as the 10th best walking city in the nation and No. 1 in the state. Getting around is a cinch for visitors, with nearly 3,000 hotel rooms within three blocks of the Duke Energy Convention Center, including seven downtown hotels. An eighth will be added when the contemporary, 160-room 21c Museum Hotel opens late this year. A variety of price points and brand names are found in the area, helping planners and attendees take part in their respective hotel loyalty programs. Because of the city’s compact convention footprint and matchless hospitality, visitors
immediately feel at home in Cincinnati. A comprehensive citywide welcome program is available to greet groups with signage at the airport and throughout downtown, and first-time visitors can easily find their way by following directional stickers on sidewalks. Fountain Square, a public space in the heart of downtown, offers an LED video board that can be programmed with custom messages for visiting conventions. From Food & Wine magazine’s favorite
barbecue (Eli’s Barbeque) to Rachael Ray’s favorite gourmet hot dog (at Senate) and Cincinnati’s world-famous chili, the region is home to a truly local yet broad array of culinary options. For impressive business lunches and dinners, a coterie of nationally recognized chefs grace the kitchens of the city’s multiple AAA Four-Diamond restau-
rants. Orchids at Palm Court, inside the Hil- ton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza, is manned by Chef Todd Kelly, the American Culinary Federation’s 2011 Chef of the Year. In the up- and-coming Over-the-Rhine neighborhood, Chef Joel Molloy leads the talented culinary team at Nicola’s Ristorante Italiano, which features plenty of private dining space and a 3,300-bottle wine vault. In Cincinnati, visitors can enjoy the cul-
tural melting pot of dining and attraction options that make the city a world-class des- tination — many of which are waiting right outside of their hotel doors.
For more information: Cincinnati USA Convention & Visitors Bureau — (513) 621-2142 or (800) 543-2613; cincyusa.com