The picturesque Rocky Mountain backdrop is likely the first thing visitors notice when flying into Salt Lake City, but a sophisticated, culturally inclined ambience isn't likely to be on the list of expectations during a stay in this Western metro.
The Salt Lake CVB is aiming to change that perception among visitors and groups by spotlighting the outdoor beauty, adventure opportunities and blossoming cosmopolitan nature of the city.
"We're branding ourselves as an upscale city in the mountains, with great scenery and year-round recreational opportunities," says Mark White, vice president of convention sales for the Salt Lake CVB.
Combining the mountain appeal with the city's increasingly sophisticated amenities, the bureau is creating innovative promotional campaigns for the group market, including "Rockin' in the Rockies." Under the promotion, planners submitting an RFP are automatically entered into a contest that awards winners with an all-expense-paid trip to Salt Lake City, including a stay at The Grand America Hotel and a limousine transfer to the Delta Center for a concert on par with bands such as the Rolling Stones, who performed in November, or Bon Jovi, who will head to town in early 2006.
"It's fun because it plays on our tagline, 'Experience the Rockies,' while showing that Salt Lake is a cosmopolitan city that attracts a lot of top-notch entertainmentMick Jagger doesn't just play any cow town," White quips, adding that the city also features resident theater, opera, symphony, and ballet companies, in addition to premier attractions such as Temple Square and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
"For a city this size to have that sort of cultural offering is surprising to folks," he says.
Giving planners a first-hand experience of the destination is a priority for the bureau, according to White, who says once planners visit, there's a good chance they will book an event.
"When we talk to convention planners, especially with higher-end groups, their impression of Salt Lake is pretty low, but once we get them out here, what they had perceived to be a tiny outpost in the West is a big surprise," White says. "Their response is the same time after time: 'I had no idea. This is amazing.'"
Planners are most impressed by the scenic setting, the lineup of group facilities and the growing diversity of the city, according to White.
"It's the mountains, the size of the Salt Palace Convention Center, the quantity of first-class rooms within walking distance of the convention center6,000, and we can commit 4,000 to any groupand, indeed, a lot of great restaurants, bars, brewpubs, and jazz clubs," White says.
The sweeping transformations that have taken shape since the city hosted the 2002 Winter Olympic Games have been a boon for group business.
"We still attract the SMERF market, which was the bulk of our business years ago, but we see a lot more higher-end corporate groups, medical groups, pharmaceutical groups, and incentive groups," White says. "Some of this is due to Delta's ever-expanding role at the airport and a lot more hotel rooms, but the biggest thing was the Olympic Games, which squeezed into a four-year period what would have been a 20-year period of development. It elevated the city a couple of notches in a short period of time."
The pre-Olympic building boom resulted in a new light rail system, impressive Olympic venues and a nearly 65 percent increase in the city's hotel room count, while other major developments have debuted over the past few years.
Some of the most notable additions to the city have included upscale properties such as the luxurious Grand America Hotel; the Clark Planetarium; the Utah Cultural Celebration Center; and The Gateway, a 45-acre entertainment district with more than 100 restaurants and stores.
"Prior to the Olympics, we didn't have a central gathering place where there was always activity," White says. "The Gateway has helped us sell the destination, and it's a benefit for groups coming in because they enjoy the city more."
The Gateway continues to add new facilities, with the Children's Museum of Utah slated to relocate to the district next year and plans for a large aquarium on the drawing board.
Meanwhile, another major upcoming development is the $1 billion renovation and expansion of two downtown malls located across from the Salt Palace Convention Center. The project is scheduled for completion in 2008.
The centerpiece of the city's group facility lineup is the Salt Palace Convention Center, which plans to complete a major expansion next year, boosting its total square footage of meeting, exhibit and ballroom space to 685,000.
Another large group venue in Salt Lake County is the South Towne Exposition Center, located in nearby Sandy, Utah.
Aside from the convention venues, Salt Lake City is well represented by major hotels with plenty of high-tech meeting facilities, including options such as The Grand America, boasting 74,000 square feet of function space; its sister property, Little America Hotel; Marriott City Center; Hilton Salt Lake City Center; Wyndham Salt Lake City; and Hotel Monaco.
Unique off-site venues are also easy to come by. Highlights include Olympic Cauldron Park and Rice-Eccles Stadium on the University of Utah campus, featuring dramatic views of the city; the historic Union Pacific Depot at The Gateway, which is slated to be expanded with a small concert venue and restaurant that will feature event space; Red Butte Arboretum, located in the foothills overlooking the city; and La Caille, a French chalet in Sandy, Utah, that features a restaurant, a vineyard and formal gardens with ponds, topiaries, swans, and peacocks.
Just outside the city, outdoor adventure awaits groups at several resorts, seven of which are 35 minutes from downtown, and at a number of national parks. Skiing, snowmobiling, golfing, and hot-air ballooning are among the many activities available.
Alta Ski Area, Brighton Resort, Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort, and Solitude Mountain Resort are some of the most popular resorts.
Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort is an IACC-certified facility with an array of conference venues, and Solitude Mountain Resort, which recently debuted a slopeside village, offers facilities for groups of up to 350.
A bit farther south is Robert Redford's Sundance resort community, featuring a variety of accommodations, meeting venues and recreational activities.
Park CityEast of Salt Lake City, Park City offers its own unique brand of mountain hospitality, with three year-round resorts, a small-town ambience and myriad cultural diversions.
"One of our biggest selling points is accessibility, given that we are only 36 miles from Salt Lake City International Airport, served daily by 16 major airlines, so you can fly in and have a meeting the same day or fly in and ski the same day," says Sarah Myers, meeting and convention sales and marketing manager for the Park City Chamber and Visitors Bureau.
The destination's wealth of activities and attractions also plays a major role in luring groups, according to Myers.
"There are three resorts within five miles of each otherThe Canyons, Park City Resort and Deer Valley Resortand they all offer activities for various levels of abilityfrom a gondola ride with lunch and a walk around the mountain to zipline rides, alpine slides and skiing," Myers says. "But you don't have to be outdoorsy to enjoy Park City. We have historic Main Street, with more than 100 bars and restaurants, and there's a lot of mining history and a lot of art galleries, film festivals and outdoor concerts."
Park City features 23 lodging properties, 3,000 committable rooms and meeting space to comfortably accommodate groups of up to 350 people. Some of the most popular options for gatherings are Grand Summit Resort Hotel and Conference Center, boasting 19,000 square feet of meeting space; Park City Marriott; Hotel Park City; The Lodges at Deer Valley; Red Stag Lodge; Stein Eriksen Lodge; Treasure Mountain Inn and Conference Center; and Yarrow Resort Hotel and Conference Center.
Park City hosted many of the events during the 2002 Winter Olympics, and one of the destination's top off-site venues is Utah Olympic Park, where groups can take advantage of 5,700 square feet of meeting space and participate in high-energy team-building programs such as bobsledding.
Myers says other options for memorable events include Empire Lodge at Deer Valley, a mid-mountain facility offering scenic views of the resort, and Red Pines Cafe at The Canyons Resort. The cafe sits at an altitude of 8,000 feet and is accessible via a gondola.
For More Info
Salt Lake CVB 801.521.2822 www.visitsaltlake.com
Park City COC and Visitors Bureau 435.649.6100 www.parkcitymeetings.com