To that end, he says that his goal for Tropicana Atlantic City in 2018 is “to continue to improve our property through the eyes of our convention customer. We’re heading in the right direction with the company’s acquisition of the adjacent Chelsea Hotel. We are link- ing the former boutique hotel to Tropicana Atlantic City’s operations via a sky bridge that is under con- struction, and we are transforming it into the Chelsea Tower - adding some 330 guestrooms, more meeting space, and - in the spring and summer - access to an incredible outdoor swimming pool area."


Creative Catering


Michele Leff, principal of 12th Street Catering in Philadelphia, PA, says, "The catering industry shines bright for 2018! We are getting a lot of requests for events that are Instagram-worthy with multiple visual elements. This is really our wheel house, as we have a 30,000-square foot commissary where we add décor and props to enhance our events. Our clients expect us to be creative and inventive. They love our willing- ness to think about their event in a unique way.”


Recently, 12th Street catered an event that was based on an experience their client had in Utah. “He wished to share this with his guests,” explains Leff, “so we designed an event that featured Canyonlands stations and sensory food bars. We brought in southwestern artifacts that recreated the feel of the Colorado Plateau for their guests."


She adds that 12th Street Catering also is receiving numerous requests for branded events, saying, “Every client wants their event to be their singular signature, and we are delivering this with branding on a variety of food and dessert displays. We see this trend contin- uing and growing."


In addition, Leff notes her company is doing more and more team building events at their commissary where guests are able to experience the full life of the cater- ing kitchen. “We allow the groups to participate in everything, including prepping, assembling and gar- nishing.”


“We recently had an event where the client divided the groups into teams and each team prepared a portion of the meal,” she adds. “They started with making appe- tizers and were encouraged to do everything from rolling dough for flat bread pizzettes to roasting vegeta- bles and making sauces, and they were even trained in ‘plate up’ techniques. We see the experiential trend continuing in 2018."


Outlook 2018: What Lies Ahead


These are but a few predic- tions for what might come to pass within the meetings and events industry in 2018. With the new year just underway, there is great opportunity to get the most out of each and every function.


For planners, every effort will be made in 2018 to come up with new and innovative experiences that will attract and motivate attendees, while meeting sites and service providers seek to reach new heights by constantly “upping their game.”


Whether it’s new technologies, new venues, new cuisine or new experiences, the future is bright in hospitality, and there is much excitement and great anticipation for all that 2018 will bring with it.


Mid-Atlantic­EvEnts Magazine 61


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