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MEETING IN OREGON MAKES FOR THE BEST OUTDOORS EXPERIENCE: FROM BIG CORPORATE EVENTS TO PRIVATE GATHERINGS B Y C L E T U S R A M S E Y Oregon provides business profes- sionals and leisure travelers alike a beautiful scenic backdrop coupled with top-level hospitality resulting in the most memorable and fulfilling conference or vacation a visitor could imagine. The state has high desert country to the east, balmy coast to the west, and mountains, rivers and forests in between. Meeting in the Beaver State has its perks because planners have the option to coordinate events using unique meeting spaces within the regions gorgeous landscape or they can choose a more traditional confer- ence setting requiring more meeting space within the Portland area. Either way, Oregon has got you covered. • • PORTLAND • • The Oregon Convention Center (OCC) is LEED Platinum with one of the largest solar panel arrays of any convention center in the nation. Every conference is automatically sustain- able at the OCC. It also offers plan- ners 478,000+ square feet of event space, including 255,000 square feet of contiguous exhibit space, 52 meet- ing rooms and two ballrooms. With an enviable collection of bou- tique and big-name hotels, Portland offers over 10,000 rooms in the com- pact city center. The 600-room Hyatt Regency headquarter hotel is next to the Oregon Convention Center, and another 1,400 rooms are within 5 minutes. Downtown hotels are an easy MAX light rail ride away. Portland's user-friendly MAX light rail makes it easy to get from Portland International Airport, voted the nation's best by Travel + Leisure readers 8 out of the last 10 years, to the convention center and downtown. You can explore the compact central city via scooter or eBike, or simply take a walk. Downtown walkability is rated a 96 out of 100 by Walk Score. With no sales tax in sight, Portland is a shopper's paradise. Explore the city's vibrant maker scene and take home a made-in-Portland souvenir; go treasure hunting at vintage cloth- ing shops; or shop specialty stores for iconic local brands. Visit Portland neighborhoods, markets and pop-up shops to find everything you need, want and more. Within city limits, Portland offers many miles of trails, parks full of canopied forest, waterfront beauty and even a dormant volcano. And Portland is the perfect launch pad for adventure, with the rugged Oregon Coast, snow-capped Mount Hood, lush wine country and waterfall-filled Columbia River Gorge all just a short drive away. Portland's rich African-American com- munity reaches beyond its historic roots to create world-class connections and relationships. With a diverse range of organizations and businesses, Portland's African-American community provides vis- itors with resources and a friendly wel- come. So make sure to explore these black -owned busi- ness during your stay. Give Visit Port- land's Chief Sales officer James Jes- sie a call if you are contemplating brin- ing a meeting to Portland. He and his team will provide all of the assistance you need. • • EUGENE • • Whether you're planning an intimate meeting or a citywide conference, this region has it all—great venues and hotels, incredible Pacific Northwest cui- sine, world-renowned wine country and natural beauty beyond compare. The Eugene, Cascades & Coast region offers a mix of large, medium and small indoor meeting spaces. Spacious outdoor venues can also be found across the region. Large convention hotels are centrally located in business districts with easy public transportation and walkable restaurants, shops and parks. Versatile event space is also available through college campuses, performing arts ven- ues, community buildings and local faith centers. A large concentration of con- ference and meeting space is available in the Eugene – Springfield metro area. History, diversity and ingenuity are reflected in dozens of unexpected meeting options, from sophisticated art galleries, hilltop vineyards, wooded retreats and pavilions with scenic ocean views. If you're looking for tradi- tional or adventurous, simple or grand, urban or outdoor, Eugene has the per- fect setting to match your event. Lodges, retreats and camps for smaller meetings are also plentiful just one hour west to the Oregon Coast and one hour east into the Cascade Mountains. WHO YOU GONNA CALL Eugene Cascades And Coast 541) 484-5307 www.eugenecascadescoast. org/meetings B M & T ••• July/August 2023 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 61 AREA GUIDES O R E G O N • • • STATS • • • HOTEL ROOMS Hyatt Regency Portland at the Oregon CC 600 Doubletree by Hilton Portland 477 Courtyard by Marriott Portland Downtown CC 202 EXHIBITION FACILITIES The Oregon Convention Center Total Meeting 478,823 sq. ft. Largest Hall 255,021 sq. ft. Largest Ballroom 34,200 sq. ft. Meeting Room 52 WHO YOU GONNA CALL? Travel Portland – (888) 503-3291 www.travelportland.com