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ELEVATING IT'S LEVEL OF HOSPITALITY, 'THE CITY OF ROSES' GENERATES LARGER GROUP MEETINGS BY SOLOMON J. HERBERT II When's the best time to visit Portland? Right now. Tomorrow. Ten days from now. Because every second of every day, something is happening here that isn't happening anywhere else. Set against the backdrop of majestic Mount Hood, Portland combines a sophisticated, cos- mopolitan atmosphere with a refreshingly, friendly, small-town warmth that makes it a natural for tours of all types. Being that there is no sales tax on food and beverage Portland lets you stretch your meeting budget. Your bottom line will thank you, as will your delegates, who'll use the money they save to take full advantage of Portland's acclaimed din- ing, shopping and cultural offerings. In ways both big and small, Portland has long been obsessed with keeping its environs unspoiled. Residents' recycling and bike-commuting rates are among the highest in the nation, while city planners are committed to preventing sprawl and preserving the working farms and natural wonders that ring the metropolitan area. Being the largest convention facility in the Pacific Northwest, The Oregon Convention Center (OCC) offers 255,000 sq. ft. of contiguous exhibit space, 50 meeting rooms, two grand ball- rooms, full-service catering and an 800- space underground parking garage. Visitors can get to and from the down- town hotel core and Portland International Airport with ease via MAX light rail. The Rose Quarter features three fabu- lous facilities on its campus: the Moda Center, Veterans Memorial Coliseum and the Rose Quarter Commons. As the host of major concerts, NBA games, conven- tions and more, the Rose Quarter accom- modates events of all sizes and can meet a wide variety of needs. Portland offers a wide array of hotels and lodging in the downtown and conven- tion center area for conference atten- dees' convenience. Many of these hotels are designed to hold large self-contained events in house. For this reason Portland serves as one of the most conference friendly cities when it comes to hotel service. Despite daunting barriers and discrim- ination, African Americans have made important contributions to Oregon in poli- tics, medicine, the environment, sports and the arts. The historic heart of Portland's African-American community is the Albina district of North and Northeast Portland. This is where you will find civic institutions such as the Urban League of Portland and the Portland Trail Blazers Boys and Girls Club, as well as beauty stores, barbers, African groceries, music and dance clubs. Be sure to reach out to Roy Jay, pres- ident/CEO of the Oregon Convention & Visitor Services Network. He and his team are ready to make your meeting in Portland the best one yet! R e f l e c t i o n s Café and Talking Drum Books is a great place to find out what's going on in Portland. Reflections hosts community events every week. Take a tour of the cities "Walls of Pride," a collection of murals and public art in North and Northeast Portland, created by local painters and sculptors. For those looking to escape the city life and explore the beautiful backdrop of Portland don't hesitate to visit the vineyards and tasting rooms of Oregon's scenic Wine country, famous for its Pinot noir. Some might choose to hike past Multnomah Falls or any of the nearly 100 waterfalls in the Columbia River Gorge. For those that like the snow, ski and snowboard — day or night, nearly year-round — on nearby Mount Hood. The Portland International Airport (PDX) is located nine miles north of downtown Portland and is conveniently connected to the city center via MAX light rail train. The trip between the airport and downtown Portland via MAX light rail takes about 38 minutes. B M & T ••• July/August 2015 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 26 AREA GUIDES P O R T L A N D Oregon Convention Center Photo Credit: OCC • • • STATS • • • HOTEL ROOMS Hilton Portland & Executive Tower 782 Portland Marriott Downtown Waterfront 503 Holiday Inn Portland Airport 284 The Benson Hotel 287 EXHIBITION FACILITIES Oregon Convention Center Total Exhibit Space 375,000 sq. ft. Largest Ballroom 35,000 sq. ft. Meeting Rooms 52 WHO YOU GONNA CALL? Oregon Convention & Visitor Services Network – (800) 909-2882 African American Chamber of Commerce (503) 796-8667 ROY JAY