Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1250931
B M & T ••• March/April 2020 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 38 WASHINGTON DC MORE THAN MONUMENTS B Y B e r n a r d M i l e s DC responds to Coronavirus with an eye toward the new normal. While the tourism industry hits the reset button, DC Convention and Visitors Bureau President/CEO Elliott Ferguson and his team prepares for travel and tourism along path of the national monu- ments. Also, the appeal of local neighborhoods is a viable lens through which to see and enjoy the nation's capitol. Whether one enjoys jazz in the neighborhoods, the multitude of restaurants, cultural venues or hidden treasures in the city DC is a visitor's par- adise. Whether you are bringing a board meeting of 20, a family reunion of 200, or a convention of 15,000, DC will meet and exceed your expectations. For larger events, the Walter E. Washington Convention Center is a 2.3 million-sq. ft. facility with 77 meeting rooms that is located between the historic Arts District/U Street/Shaw district and the revitalized Downtown/Penn Quarter/- Chinatown district. Nearby, the Carnegie Library at Mt. Vernon Square combines simple elegance and modern amenities to create a versatile space perfect for small- er events. Located across the street from the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, this historic landmark has awe- inspiring architecture, spacious rooms, and a 150-seat theater. The city features over 30,000 hotel rooms with several thousand more in the surrounding area easily accessible by public transportation. DC's largest prop- erty, the Marriott Marquis Washington, DC, features 1,175 sleeping rooms, 105,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, and is connected to the Walter E. Washington Convention Center via underground con- course. Other meeting hotels include the Grand Hyatt Washington (44,000 sq. ft.), Renaissance Washington, DC Hotel (89,054 sq. ft.), and the Hyatt Place Washington DC/Georgetown/- West End (2,200 sq. ft.). Perhaps no other city has more world-renowned monu- ments, museums and historic points of interest than the nation's capital. And fortunately, they are easily accessible on foot, including the latest two additions, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, and the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Both of these attractions, and many more, can be found on National Mall. Situated on the banks of the Potomac River, the National Mall is a two-mile swath of land bound by the U.S. Capitol to the east and the Washington Monument to the west. Visitors to "the Mall" will find a wide, pedestrian-friendly, tree-lined boulevard with moving monuments and memorials, world-famous museums and impressive federal buildings along Constitution Avenue. Over the past couple of years there have been many upgrades to the city, making it a more equipped destination for meeting planners to explore. Phase I of this $2.5 billion mixed-use development opened in 2017. Visitors can enjoy The Anthem, a 150,000-sq. ft. music venue that also serves as a convention facility, with flexible capacity up to 6,000. The Wharf also offers 3.2 million sq. ft. of hotel and retail space, rentable waterfront piers and a water taxi service to and from Georgetown and Old Town Alexandria. Restaurants will eventually total more than 20, including new offerings from Fabio Trabocchi, Mike Isabella and Nicholas Stefanelli. There are three major airports in the Washington, DC region: Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (airport code: DCA), Washington Dulles International Airport (airport code: IAD) and Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (airport code: BWI). All three offer multiple U.S. and international flights daily. AREA GUIDES WA S H I N G T O N , D C • • • STATS • • • HOTEL ROOMS Renaissance Washington, DC Downtown 807 Omni Shoreham Hotel 834 Georgetown University Hotel and Conference Center 146 W Hotel Washington, DC 317 Grand Hyatt Washington 897 The Ritz-Carlton Washington, DC 300 Washington Hilton 1,070 Marriott Marquis Washington, DC 1,175 EXHIBITION FACILITIES Washington Convention Center Total Exhibit Space: 703,000 sq. ft. Meeting Rooms: 77 WHO YOU GONNA CALL? Destination DC – (202) 789-7000 washington.org Smithsonian African American Museum Photo Credit: Alan Karchmer