Planning Tips
If at all possible, it’s best to give yourself a year prior to your conference or meeting to get to work on the planning. Even better, if you know two years in advance, it’s never too early to get started with all of the items - big and small - that are nec- essary in orchestrating a memorable event.
If you’re working with a tight budget, you can start with the meals. The less choices you offer attendees, the more you’ll save. Make sure to talk to the facility’s conference manager, the catering team or the restaurant so they can give you advice on meals and other ways you may save.
Compare conference centers, conventions and hotels to find out the rates and services that are included. Make a list of all the things you’ll need - Internet access, sound systems, tables and chairs, and coffee and snacks between meetings - to ensure that the venues have everything you need. Plus, you’ll be able to keep a running tab to stay within your budget. In addition, find out if the hotel will include complimentary guest rooms for speakers and board members.
After all the work of planning and organizing for a meeting, you don’t want to forget to market the meeting through email, social media and “snail mail.” Whether you have well-known speakers - or individuals from your association or group that will be presenting - make sure to let the attendees know about it. However, be sure the contract is signed before you start sending announcements about the speaker(s).
When you’ve organized all of the details for the meeting, make sure you know how the attendees will navigate the conference or meeting. The ideal way to coordinate the details is to walk through the itinerary as if you were one of the attendees. If you have a mental picture of how they’ll think and act at each point of the meeting, you’ll be able to solve some of the potential problems before the attendees arrive. In the long run, you’ll be able to spare yourself the stress during the hustle and bustle of the event.
28 July z August 2017
Spooky Nook Sports in Manheim, PA serves as the destination of choice for 1,500 SMERF and sports tournament groups each year. Planners find the affordability and convenience of this venue to be a winning combination.
Competitive group pricing with a breakfast-inclusive rate, a restau- rant on premise, and a variety of activity packages are just the beginning of what Spooky Nook Sports has to offer. Its location is central to Lancaster, Hershey, Harrisburg and Philadelphia, and is an easy drive from Washington, DC, as well.
In total, Spooky Nook Sports features 600,000-square feet of flexi- ble function space, 19 meeting rooms, on-site catering options, plus more than 1,500 parking spaces on site. The largest indoor sports complex in North America with the highest quality of turf, hardwood courts and playing surfaces, Spooky Nook Sports offers dozens of courts and plenty of room for hosting thousands of par- ticipants and attendees.
Regional and national sports tournaments of every type convene at Spooky Nook. Another benefit is that, after a day of tournaments and games, attendees and competitors can stay at the Warehouse Hotel at The Nook, which offers 135 guest rooms.
“Spooky Nook Sports is a one-stop shop,” said Brittney Hemperly, sales manager for the property. “Attendees can sleep, play and dine here. We create packages that include overnight stay, food and beverage, and activities all on one master bill.”
In Ocean City, MD, the salt air of the beach, the excitement of the boardwalk and many options for both indoor and outdoor activi- ties, as well as a broad choice of properties, make it an excellent choice for association, SMERF and sports groups.
The Roland E. Powell Convention Center in Ocean City features 25 meeting rooms, the 24,600-square foot Bayfront Ballroom, three exhibit halls ideal for a convention, trade show or event, plus 1,200 free parking spaces. The venue’s Performing Arts Center seats 1,200 guests for presentations, seminars, concerts and more, and offers state-of-the-art sound and lighting equipment, a box office and a concession area, which is perfect for groups hosting cheer- leading, dance and other competitions.
In addition to the convention center, Ocean City offers a combi- nation of activities that serve as a draw for association, SMERF and competitive sports attendees, ranging from free movies on the beach to sundaes in the park.
Fishing on charter boats, golf on 17 championship courses nearby, parasailing, paddle boarding and endless outdoor activities await, as well.
For marathon shoppers, there’s a national outlet mall to go along with one-of-a-kind beach boutiques. Arts and crafts lovers will find
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