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B M & T ••• September/October 2022 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 25 OHIO Akron defines family-friendly with attractions such as; the American Toy Marble Company, Akron Zoo, Invent Now Museum and the MAPS Air Museum. Visit Cincinnati's National Underground Railroad Freedom Center on the banks of the Ohio River. Cincinnati is a thriving meeting and conven- tion destination for African Americans. The 750,000 sq. ft. Duke Energy Center is within three blocks of 3,000 hotel rooms, shopping and the Fountain Square entertainment district. From a sleek, expansive convention center to dozens of new and/or renovated hotels, Cleveland has the meetings and convention infrastructure covered. Columbus, the capital and largest city has the Greater Columbus Convention Center featuring 447.000-sq. ft. of exhibit space, three ballrooms and 754 meeting rooms/ with over 2,000 hotel rooms connected or adjacent to the facility. Dayton, the "Birthplace of Aviation," features the Dayton Aviation Heritage Museum National Historic Park and the National Museum of the United States Air Force at nearby Wright Patterson Air Force Base Sandusky is Ohio's playground. Challenge Park is a collection of four exciting family-friend activities: Challenge Golf, Challenge Racing, RipCord and Skycraper. Toledo, the "Water Recreation Capital of the Midwest" is more than water, with art, architecture, sports, recreation the Hollywood Casino and the world famous Toledo Zoo. WISCONSIN Madison has been on virtually everyone's list of the best places to live for years. The state capital and home to the University of Wisconsin is affordable for residents and visitors alike. Looking for kid-friendly Madison try the Henry Villas Zoo—-one of the only free zoos in the nation. Visit the Cave of the Mounds, a 400 million year-old cavern or take the kids to Madison Children's Museum. The city also has over 200 miles of bike and hiking trails. Madison has two premiere meeting venues, Alliant Energy Center and the Monoma Terrace Convention Center allowing the city to host gatherings up to 10,000 with over 8,000 hotel rooms at low-cost Midwestern prices Wisconsin Dells has been christened "The Waterpark Capital of the World!®" It features the largest concentra- tion of waterparks in the world including America's largest outdoor waterpark, the country's largest indoor/outdoor combination and the state's largest indoor waterpark. Center is conveniently located in the heart of downtown St. Louis close to hotels, dining, attrac- tions, shopping, and public transportation. The America's Center Convention Complex is home to four distinct meeting facilities under one roof: Cervantes Convention Center, The Dome at America's Center, the St. Louis Executive Conference Center and the Ferrara Theatre. The convention center features 502,000 sq. ft. of prime exhibit space in five exhibit halls, a 28,000-sq. ft. ballroom, over 80 meeting rooms, a 67,000-seat Dome, and 1,400-seat Ferrara Theatre. More than 20 of St. Louis top hotels offer more than 10,000 sq. ft. of in-house meeting space, so if you're planning a single-hotel gathering you have the plenty of choice. Staying outside of down- town? Clayton, the Airport area, Westport Plaza and West St. Louis County also offer large blocks of rooms with easy interstate and airport access. Hotel renovations are always giving guests the newest furnishings and latest amenities. Your comfort is the mission at St. Louis' top hotels. From old world elegance to modern design we have the right property for your group.