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•Pg_65-78__BMT_pg86-162 6/22/13 12:47 AM Page 72 AREA GUIDES DENVER MEETING IN THE MILE HIGH CITY BY BARTHOLEMULE SIMPSON Great event facilities are just the beginning to what Denver and the Colorado Convention Center have to offer. The Mile High City is known for its warm hospitality and over 300 days of sunshine a year. Downtown Denver is one of America's liveliest, cleanest and most pedestrian-friendly cities. The heart of downtown Denver is the 16th Street Mall; a mile long pedestrian promenade lined with outdoor cafes, restaurants and retail shops. Shuttle buses provide free transportation on the mall every five minutes and pick up at multiple stops around the mall Located next door is the Denver Performing Arts Complex in the heart of the downtown Denver Theatres District with live entertainment available nightly. LoDo, Denver's downtown hip historic district, has more than 90 brewpubs, sports bars and music clubs. Denver is home to eight downtown professional sports teams. As well as providing meeting planners with the most hospitable vendors and venues in the city, Denver is doing their part in contributing to a greener environment. The Mile High City is dedicated to sustainable development and ecologically friendly practices that will help develop a green Denver as well as green meetings. Hosting more than 250 events annually, the Colorado Convention Center is the perfect fit for events from executive board meetings to large conventions like International Association of Fire Chiefs, the Democratic National Convention and SnowSports Industries America. The Colorado Convention Center provides meeting planners a variety of options and unique venue opportunities. The exhibit level provides six individual halls and outdoor terraces offering extraordinary views of the Rocky Mountains and the Denver skyline. In addition, the Colorado Convention Center is home to the 5,000seat Bellco Theatre, which has quickly established a reputation for being one of the most versatile and attractive theatres in the nation. Check out our event space 72 Colorado Convention Center that they have to offer for your next event. The facility is equipped with 584,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space on one level, as well as 63 meeting rooms providing 100,000 sq. ft. of meeting space on one level. The convention center has a 35,000-sq. ft. Four Seasons Ballroom, a 50,000-sq. ft. Mile High Ballroom and a 5,000 fixed-seat Wells Fargo Theatre. Denver offers some of the largest most-grand hotels with a plethora of meeting space. Each hotel has a different style and energy that gives planners a wide array of selection. The 1,100-room Hyatt Regency Denver at Colorado Convention Center's state-of-the-art meeting facilities feature 35 thoughtfully equipped meeting rooms, over 50,000 sq. ft. of meeting space and the largest hotel ballroom in downtown Denver, as well as a complete range of executive services and amenities. While in Denver, conference attendees can enjoy some of the AfricanAmerican culture the city has to offer at the Black American West Museum. This historic site preserves the history and culture of those African-American men and women who helped settle and develop the American West. This landmark is located in the former home of Dr. Justina Ford, the first Black female doctor in Denver. B M & T ••• May/June 2013 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com Photo Credit: Scott Dressel Martin There's a world of adventure waiting to be discovered in the Rocky Mountains, just a short drive from Denver, including 24-hour casinos, historic mining towns, outdoor recreation and ski resorts. Denver International Airport is a major airline hub, the fifth busiest airport in the United States. Located northeast of downtown Denver, a cab or shuttle ride puts you in the heart of the city in about 25 minutes. • • • STATS • • • HOTEL ROOMS Hyatt Regency Denver at Colorado Convention Center 1,100 Denver Marriott City Center 613 Embassy Suites Denver Downtown Convention Center 403 Crowne Plaza Denver Downtown 364 EXHIBITION FACILITIES The Colorado Convention Center Total Exhibit Space Largest Hall Largest Ballroom Meeting Rooms 584,000 sq. ft. 100,000 sq. ft. 47,700 sq. ft. 63 WHO YOU GONNA CALL? Visit Denver – (303) 892-1112 www.denver.org Colorado Black Chamber of Commerce (303) 831-0720