plenary The Broadmoor + Top Sites CONVENE ON SITE

Mountain History and Hospitality at The Broadmoor

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little (or, at times, a lot) of drizzle didn’t deter most of the activities scheduled on my visit

to The Broadmoor resort in Colorado Springs as part of a media trip in early May. While the inclement weather wasn’t expected at that time of year, it didn’t detract from the majestic beauty of our surroundings. Nestled at the southern edge of the Rockies, at the bottom of Pikes Peak (at an elevation of more than 6,000 feet), the Forbes Five-Star, AAA Five-Diamond Broadmoor resort caters to the upscale visitor but is also home to renowned meeting facilities. Built by gold and copper magnate

Spencer Penrose in 1918, The Broad- moor practically oozes history, with turn-of-the-century décor and views that have barely changed in a hundred years. An on-site archivist, who is avail- able for group property tours, told us about the historical documents that are still being discovered on site, including photos from throughout the resort’s lifetime. The property’s 744 guest rooms soon will increase to 775 in an upcoming $60-million renovation of the West Building, slated for comple- tion in May 2014.

RESEARCH Top Sites for International Meetings in 2012

CITY 1. Vienna 2. Paris 3. Berlin 4. Madrid 5. Barcelona 6. London 6. Singapore

8. Copenhagen 9. Istanbul 10. Amsterdam 11. Prague 12. Stockholm 13. Beijing 14. Brussels

15. Lisbon 16. Bangkok 17. Helsinki 17. Seoul 19. Buenos Aires 20. Budapest 20. Rome

SOURCE: International Congress and Convention Association (convn.org/icca-2012) 20 PCMA CONVENE JULY 2013

COUNTRY 1. United States 2. Germany 3. Spain 4. United Kingdom 5. France 6. Italy 7. Brazil

8. Japan 9. Netherlands 10. China 11. Austria 12. Canada 13. Australia 14. Switzerland

15. Sweden 16. South Korea 17. Portugal 18. Argentina 19. Belgium 20. Denmark

Our first night

at The Broad- moor, we were treated to a round of bowling at the newly opened PLAY. We sampled upscale “alley food” as we waited our turn on the lanes, including New Mex- ico Nachos, crab-cake sliders, and sushi, courtesy of Chef David Patterson. Six lanes of bowling are available to resort guests from 12 p.m. to 1 a.m., and lanes can also be reserved for private events. The morning of our second day, we

loaded into vans for a half-hour drive up the mountain to tour The Broad- moor’s under-construction Ranch at Emerald Valley inside the 100,000 acres of Pike National Forest. Scheduled to open next month, the ranch is an all- inclusive destination that can be used for small groups or retreats, sleeping up to 32. Ten cabins are currently being refurbished along with The Grand Lodge, where guests will take family- style meals provided by a Broadmoor chef. Ranch guests will also enjoy access to The Broadmoor’s facilities and activi- ties, not to mention a host of outdoor activities in a setting that takes your

breath away (and not just because of the 8,100-foot elevation). Our group of 10 was also able to

experience some of the amenities The Broadmoor has to offer, including services at The Spa at The Broadmoor, which features 39 treatment rooms. Group members also partook in indoor tennis drills, although unfortunately options for golf at one of the resort’s three championship-level courses were curtailed by thunderstorms. An indoor and outdoor pool, hot tubs, 25 retail shops, and all manner of outdoor activi- ties are also available. With all these activities and enter-

tainment options, you might think the actual meeting could become an afterthought. Not so — The Broad- moor offers a number of spaces for meetings and breakouts of all sizes throughout the property, including the 18,000-square-foot International Center and the 15,000-square-foot

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