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THE CITY THAT HAS MASTERED THE "ART OF CONVENTIONEERING" GIVES MEETING PLANNERS SOMETHING TO LOOK AT BY CYNTHIA MOLUSK Discover venues, accommodations and entertainment, in a city filled with surprises. Conveniently located at the crossroads of the country, Omaha is in the center of America making fly- ing or driving easy. Omaha is a mod- ern, thriving city that is savvy in busi- ness and rich in culture. Set in the beautiful Missouri River Valley, Omaha is comfortably easy yet burst- ing with activity. Omaha offers a seamless pack- age, developed to lighten the plan- ning burden while providing unique activities and a welcoming atmos- phere for atten-dees. Discovering a fresh destination that will delight and surprise your attendees is part of the Art of Conventioneering, because you don't find hidden gems by mining obvious places. CenturyLink Center Omaha is the city's 250,000-sq. ft. convention cen- ter and arena. Located in the heart of downtown, CenturyLink Center Omaha is close to the airport and more than 2,000 hotel rooms. A glass-enclosed skywalk links the convention center to the 600-room Hilton Omaha, creating a convenient enhancement to the city's convention facilities. Additionally, CenturyLink Center Omaha is one of the few con- vention centers connected to a top- selling arena, which seats more than 18,000 and holds sellout shows for the world's top touring artists. Conference attendees should explore the wide array of cultural museums and festivals showcasing the city's African-American influence. North Omaha is the location of dozens of historically and currently important cultural institutions. They include the Fair Deal Cafe, which was called the "Black City Hall" for more than 50 years. John Beasley Theater is located in the Lake Point Building at 2401 Lake St. Suite 130. It is named after native Omaha actor John Beasley. The Theater's mission is, "To provide new educational opportunities for residents to experience and develop their inter- ests and talents in theater, dance, music, poetry and writing." North Omaha is proud of its histo- ry as an important jazz community. Dreamland Plaza is located at 24th and Lizzie Robinson Streets, adjacent to the Dreamland Ballroom. Dreamland was the premier nightclub for jazz, blues and big band music in Omaha from the 1920s through the 1960s. The site of a recent $2 million investment by the city, it is now home to cultural activities throughout the year. The Dreamland Historical Project is set on restoring North Omaha as a jazz center. The Love's Jazz and Art Center, located at 2510 North 24th Street, is a non-profit ded- icated to showcasing, collection, doc- umentation, preservation, study and the dissemination of the history and culture of African Americans in the arts. It is named after Omaha jazz leg- end Preston Love, a bandleader and one-time saxophonist with Count Basie. Business and leisure travelers can visit the world's largest indoor desert and nocturnal exhibits along with one of North America's largest indoor rainforests at Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium. Other world-class exhibits include the Scott Aquarium, Hubbard Orangutan Forest and Gorilla Valley, Lozier IMAX® Theater, Durham's Bear Canyon, Berniece Grewcock Butterfly and Insect Pavilion and more. Explore Kingdoms of the Night featuring the world's largest indoor swamp, a canyon and massive caves. Experience Skyfari, the aerial tram that transports guests to a new view of Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium. Omaha's Eppley Airfield serves more than 4 million passengers every year and is the largest airport in Nebraska. Eppley offers non-stop service to 20 of the largest cities in the country and has more than 200 arrivals and departures daily. B M & T ••• January/February 2016 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 43 • • • STATS • • • HOTEL ROOMS Hilton Omaha 600 Residence Inn Omaha Downtown 151 Hyatt Place Omaha Downtown 159 EXHIBITION FACILITIES CenturyLink Center Omaha Total Exhibit Space 63,000 sq. ft. Meeting Rooms 16 WHO YOU GONNA CALL? Omaha CVB (866) 937-6624 http://www.visitomaha.com AREA GUIDES O M A H A CenturyLink Center Photo Credit: Omaha CVB