ART CREDIT

incentive meetings Kansas City New sights and spaces have this destination front and center

Around Kansas City, it’s anything but busi- ness as usual. And now is the perfect time for groups to experience Kansas City’s newly revitalized downtown. More than $6 billion in new investment has resulted in a new eight-block entertainment district, new meeting spaces, stunning art galleries, and performance venues, all of which are ideal for entertaining incentive groups. With a remarkable slate of cultural institu-

tions and entertainment options, Kansas City might surprise first-time visitors. Shopping is elevated to an art form at the legendary Country Club Plaza, America’s first outdoor shopping district. Groups can follow in the footsteps of Harry S. Truman in nearby Independence, Mo., or of infamous outlaw Jesse James at multiple historic sites in the area. And from the nation’s only World War I museum to more than 200 fountains, this

vibrant Midwestern hub has leisure activities to suit any taste. The centerpiece of downtown’s newest

offerings for meetings, the 46,484-square- foot, LEED Silver–certified Grand Ballroom at the Kansas City Convention Center, is one of America’s largest green ballrooms. Eco-friendly features of the convention center include waterless plumbing, energy- eficient heating and cooling, and one of the most sophisticated lighting systems in the world. Groups that require more space have 800,000 square feet to take over at the con- vention center, which encompasses 388,800 square feet of contiguous column-free exhibit space, another 55,000 square feet of space on two levels, a 2,400-seat theater, and a recently renovated 10,700-seat arena. Kansas City is the most centrally locat- ed major metropolitan area in the country,

making it affordable for groups based almost anywhere. And since Kansas City’s airport is not a hub for any single airline, competition among carriers keeps airfares down. Travel + Leisure has ranked it No. 1 on its list of “Best U.S. Cities for Affordable Getaways” two years running due to its reasonable rates for lodg- ing, airfare, dining, and services. In addition, the Kansas City Convention & Visitors Asso- ciation offers a menu of resources to help in the promotion, planning, and implementa- tion of events, with many services provided free of charge.

For more information: Kansas City Conven- tion & Visitors Association — Denise DeJulio, Executive Director of Convention Sales; (800) 204-0627; ddejulio@visitkc.com; ConveneinKC.com

Well stocked The Kansas City metropolitan area has more than 32,000 hotel rooms, with nearly 2,000 hotel rooms within three blocks of the Kansas City Convention Center.

Beyond the BBQ Nicknamed the City of Fountains, Kansas City has more than 200 sprinkled throughout the metro area. And in 2012, SAVEUR magazine called Kansas City ‘America’s next great culinary destination.’

100 PCMA CONVENE OCTOBER 2013

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