Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/10149
AREA GUIDES PENNSYLVANIA THE KEYSTONE STATE HAS IT ALL BY SCOTTIE BRICE Pennsylvania is home to everything from bustling metropolitan life, to the wilds and beauty of the Pocono’s and Appalachian mountain ranges. Visitors enjoy strolling along the sandy beaches of Lake Erie, as well as view- ing the many picturesque covered bridges throughout the state. Above all else, Pennsylvania is the most his- torically significant state in the nation. It’s the state where the Declaration of Independence and Constitution were signed and the home of over 56,000 free African-Americans in the pre-civil war era, as its reputation for being anti- slavery, protective of its Black resi- dents from slave-catchers and the first to adopt a gradual emancipation law was well know. PHILADELPHIA Stretched between the Schuylkill and Delaware rivers, Philadelphia is the largest city in Pennsylvania and the sixth largest city in the USA. In this city, his- tory lurks around every corner; it’s the birthplace of the United States and the nation’s original capital. Besides its icon- ic historical sights, ‘Philly’ also has a vibrant arts scene, with a renowned orchestra, world-class museums, art house cinemas and traditional and avant-garde theater. Among Philadelphia’s entertainment venues, The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts is the city’s crown jewel, while the Freedom Center, Philly’s oldest African- American theatre, was recently named “Theatre of the Year” by the Philadelphia Weekly. Over 100 multi-ethnic neighborhoods create a colorful tapestry of Philadelphia’s urban setting; from the bustling Italian market to African- American festivals, blues clubs and jazz 84 Philadelphia Skyline clubs. It’s a great city for walking, with the main sights sprinkled around the compact city center, there’s much to dis- cover just wandering through the old neighborhoods. Downtown is the Old City Cultural District, with Elfreth’s Alley, a picturesque lane that’s also the oldest residential street in America; fur- ther south is the trendy South Street neighborhood with an array of restau- rants, nightlife and shops. Philadelphia is known to be a shopper’s paradise, fea- turing the famous King of Prussia Mall, the largest mall in the world. The city of Philadelphia eagerly awaits completion of its newly expanded Convention Center. Though the expan- sion project won’t be completed until March, 2011, conventions and tradeshows are still taking place in the current center. The Convention Center’s expansion will increase meeting and exhibit space by nearly 60 percent and will then offer 1 million sq. ft. of saleable space; the largest contiguous exhibit space in the Northeast (541,000 sq. ft.); and the largest convention center ball- room on the East Coast (60,000 sq. ft.). As the city anticipates the completion of this project, hotel developments and ren- ovations continue throughout the city, with the addition of an estimated 2,500 Photo Credit: Bonnie Jacobs hotel rooms by 2013. There are current- ly 30,000+ hotel rooms in the city, more than 8,500 within a 15-minute walk of the STATS HOTEL The Rittenhouse Hotel Marriott Philadelphia Airport Park Hyatt Philadelphia At The Bellevue Crowne Plaza Hotel Philadelphia- Center City Loews Philadelphia Hotel Hyatt Regency at Penn’s Landing Hilton Philadelphia Airport EXHIBITION FACILITIES PENNSYANIA coNvENtIoN cENtEr total exhibit space largest hall meeting rooms 1 Million sq. ft. 700,000 sq. ft. 73 WHO YOU GONNA CALL? Philadelphia CVB – (215) 636-3300 www.philadelphiausa.travel Philadelphia African American Chamber of Commerce (215) 751-9501 www.aachamber.org ROOMS 98 419 198 445 581 350 331 Black Meetings & Tourism March/April 2010: www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com