exhibit facility; full-service business center; exceptional pre-function space; complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi in all guest rooms, meeting spaces, exhibition areas and common areas; Internet bandwidth speeds up to 1 GB/s throughout the resort with a capacity to increase to up to 4 GB/s (with advance order); state-of-the-art lighting and audio-visual controls; numerous built in hi-lumen/Hi-Def projectors and moni- tors; proprietary HELP phone providing exceptional service throughout meet- ing and convention space; a surcharge free environment (including in areas of production, drayage and vendors); plus free parking and valet parking are avail- able, as well.


"There’s no time for miscommunication with a short lead time,” Levine cautions. “I recommend planners clearly set and manage expectations with their clients regarding the timeline and the need for compromise, efficiency and decisive- ness in order to execute successful


events whenever there are short lead times."


"When you have a last-minute event,” he continues, “pick a venue partner that can assist with every step of an event, from start to finish. It streamlines the process, communication and coordina- tion needed for a successful event."


Ed O'Boyle, director of marketing for the Loews Hotel in Philadelphia, PA, says, in his experience, "We are very for- tunate to host many last-minute meet- ings each year. It is almost normal these days to plan a meeting for 200 or 300 people within 30 days from arrival. The biggest challenge often can be decision making as it relates to what is important for planning. The positive is that a short turnaround meeting tends to demand quality communications earlier on in the process.”


To handle challenges that naturally arise during events that require a quick turnaround, O’Boyle says that Loews often turns to its roots as a hotel com- pany, putting an emphasis on “The Power of We” and also on “Succeeding through Partnerships.”


“It is really important that the planner and the hotel understand the goals for the meeting in advance,” he notes. “This helps drive decision making for both sides. As partners, we always realize things come up and that both sides need to be willing to change and adapt to while making sure the goal of the meeting is the common goal that we all share between us.”


"We work around challenges by making quick decisions that are a win-win for both planner and hotel,” O’Boyle con- tinues. “If we know what meeting room setups are needed earlier on we can shift our staffing levels appropriately. It is about the details being outlined as the priority, which can reduce the need for last minute changes and allow us all to stay focused on the end goal."


O’Boyle recounts an anecdote to illus- trate the how his hotel can adapt to a group’s needs when a short turnaround is required. “I believe our shortest turn around for a meeting was for 400 guests from around the globe. It included three days of meals, meetings and events across the city, and all had to be arranged within nine days of arrival,” he recalls. “The good news… it went off without a flaw. This example is unique, I would agree, but it showed us every- thing we needed to know about our- selves for quick turnarounds and the importance of knowing what we can or can’t do.”


The success of this meeting was the result of teamwork, he asserts, as both the planners and hotel representatives sat down from the start and immediate- ly established clear lines of communi- cation with each other. Once commu- nication was established, decisions became much easier to make in all areas. “We made sure our most senior team members who could make quick decisions were around the table and we came up with a game plan together as partners so that the days leading up to arrival would be easier for both sides."


4­ 8


January­z


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