Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1468083
B M & T ••• May/June 2022 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 40 L ocation, location, location – it's sin- gularly the most important dynam- ic in real estate, yes even more important than cost. Location also plays an integral role in selecting a meeting or convention destination. Perhaps this explains why destinations that feature riverwalks, with all of the excitement and activity they generate, are growing in popularity among planners and other travel professionals. Here is a selection of cities with riverwalks that are sure to satisfy. CITIES WITH RIVERWALKS FOR ACTIVITIES BEYOND THE MEETINGS TAMPA RIVERWALK, TAMPA BAY, FL T ake in the beautiful waterfront views and feel the warm sun along the Tampa Riverwalk. This 2.6-mile walk runs along the Hillsborough River to the Garrison Channel. Start your journey at the bustling Heights Market at Armature Works, stop along at the vibrant Curtis Hixon park, and continue until you reach Sparkman Wharf. Locals and visitors alike can walk, bike, or take a scooter down the Riverwalk where they can stop at one of the many attractions, bars, or restaurants. At night, witness the colorful lights that bring the Riverwalk to life. The Riverwalk connects Tampa's dynamic cultural venues, family oriented parks and the city center's vibrant business community creating connectivity and eclectic synergy. The Riverwalk at Tampa Convention Center is located along the river adjacent to Tampa Convention Center. In the heart of Downtown ... Tampa, the Riverwalk at Tampa Convention Center offers up to 146,000 sq. ft. of flexible event space. From sunrise to sunset ... , Riverwalk at Tampa Convention Center provides a beautiful setting for receptions, dinners, and any other special events that deserve a spectacular view. In January of this year Visit Tampa Bay today launched the Riverwalk Attraction Pass, a new program connecting the gems of the Tampa Riverwalk in one ticket offering discounts to users and raising the profile of Tampa's downtown attrac- tions. Similar to the very successful CityPASS program, which includes some of Tampa Bay's largest attractions on one inclusive ticket for a discounted price, the Riverwalk Attraction Pass brings together many attractions but also enables museums and centers that would have been tradi- tionally excluded to be part of a holistic program. Continuing its evolution into destination management and expanding economic development opportunities, Visit Tampa Bay worked closely with Bandwango and its mobile-friendly tech- nology to introduce the downtown ticket, which has been a long-term goal for many locations and the destination marketing organization. Initial attractions on the Riverwalk Pass are the Florida Museum of Photographic Arts, the Henry B. Plant Museum, The Florida Aquarium, Glazer Children's Museum, Tampa Museum of Art, Tampa Bay History Center, and the Pirate Water Taxi. Users will access a mobile landing page to purchase the Riverwalk Attraction Pass. After providing their information and receiving a link to their pass, users can add the pass to their home screen on their mobile devices to access anytime. There is never anything to download and no bulky apps taking up space on a user's phone. Once at the desired attraction, their pass is scanned for admission. For more information contact Visit Tampa Bay's Sherri Brown, Vice President of Multicultural Sales and Development at (813) 342-4062 or SBrown@VisitTampaBay.com . BY BUCK SAMUELS RIVERWALK, MILWAUKEE, WI I n the heart of downtown, the two-mile long RiverWalk winds along the Milwaukee River with access to some of the city's best restaurants, brew- pubs, shops and waterfront nightlife. Eye-catching public art gives the RiverWalk the feel of an outdoor gallery and colorful, user-friendly direc- tional signs elaborate on the city's history. It's the site of many Milwaukee events, including River Rhythms, the Milwaukee River Challenge and more. Simply put, Milwaukee is a walker's paradise. The Florida Aquarium in Tampa Bay