Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1459281
WASHINGTON DC MORE THAN MONUMENTS BY BERNARD MILES 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 capi- tol. Whether one enjoys jazz in the neighborhoods, the multitude of restau- rants, cultural venues or hidden treasures in the city DC is a visitor's paradise. 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 per- fect for smaller 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 monuments, 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 monu- ments and memorials, world-famous museums and impressive federal build- ings 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 October 2017. Phase II broke ground in early 2019 with an estimated delivery of 2022. It will feature an addi- tional 1.15 million sq. ft. of mixed-use development, including office, residential, marina, and retail space, as well as parks and public spaces, across an approxi- mate half mile of the waterfront. Visitors can still enjoy The Anthem, a 150,000-sq. ft. music venue that also serves as a con- vention facility, with flexible capacity up to 6,000. The Wharf currently offers 3.2 mil- lion sq. ft. of hotel and retail space, rentable waterfront piers and a water taxi service to and from Georgetown and Old Town Alexandria. Restaurants currently total over 20, 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. B M & T ••• March/April 2022 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 61 Smithsonian National Museum Of African American History & Culture WA S H I N G T O N , D C AREA GUIDES Photo Credit: Washingtion C.C. • • • STATS • • • HOTEL ROOMS Renaissance Washington, DC Downtown 807 Omni Shoreham Hotel 832 Georgetown University Hotel and Conference Center 146 W Hotel Washington, DC 326 Grand Hyatt Washington 897 The Ritz-Carlton Washington, DC 300 Washington Marriott Georgetown 470 Washington Hilton 1,107 Marriott Marquis Washington, DC 1,175 EXHIBITION FACILITIES Washington Convention Center Exhibit Space 703,000 sq. ft. Meeting Rooms 77 Largest Ballroom 52,000 sq. ft. WHO YOU GONNA CALL? Destination DC – (202) 789-7000 washington.org Elliott Ferguson