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FULL OF CHARM, BEAUTIFUL AMBIANCES AND UNIQUE MEETING SPACES, 'ROSE CITY' IS A PLANNERS DREAM B Y R U F U S M C K I N N E Y Portland is known for the vibrancy and uniqueness of its many neighborhoods, each with a distinct sense of place, and — in quirky Portland fashion — spread across six so-called "quadrants." Planning an event of just about any size will be easy with all the city's venues and unique meeting spaces available. The Oregon Convention Center (OCC) is LEED Platinum with one of the largest solar panel arrays of any convention cen- ter in the nation. Every conference is auto- matically sustainable at the OCC. It also offers planners 478,000+ square feet of event space, including 255,000 square feet of contiguous exhibit space, 52 meet- ing rooms and two ballrooms. Secure exclusive incentives for citywide business booked at the Oregon Convention Center from 2025 to 2030, elevating your event to new heights. With an enviable collection of bou- tique and big-name hotels, Portland offers over 10,000 rooms in the compact 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. People from all walks of life can find themselves in the independent and wel- coming Rose City. Every inch of Portland has its own unique history, and every Portlander has their own story. From BIPOC-owned businesses to museums, gardens to festivals, you'll find many ways to connect with Portland's cultural com- munities during your visit. Within city limits, Portland offers many miles of trails, parks full of canopied for- est, waterfront beauty and even a dor- mant volcano. And Portland is the perfect launchpad 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 rela- tionships. With a diverse range of organi- zations and businesses, Portland's African American community provides visitors with resources and a friendly welcome. Inspired by Black Business Month and the Bay Area's Black Restaurant Week, local organizations like Mercatus PDX and Support Black-Owned Restaurants have brought focus to the city's diverse and delicious Black-owned food carts, restau- rants and markets in Portland. While con- ference attendees are in town make sure to explore these African-American com- munities and support their businesses. Constructed in 1926 when Portland's Black population numbered less than 2,000 people, the Colonial Revival Style building at Tillamook Street and Williams Avenue was originally home to the segre- gated, African American branch of Portland's YWCA. It served as an impor- tant community space for Black women's groups and for numerous civil rights groups including the NAACP and the Urban League of Portland. Mt. Olivet Baptist Church was built in 1923 for one of Portland's first Black con- gregations and today stands as the oldest extant African American worship space in Lower Albina. Since the time of its con- struction, the church building has served as a venue for numerous cultural, social, and political events of importance to the local Black community. During its early years, Mt. Olivet's renowned music min- istry program fostered Black artistic expression and cultural pride through its public performances of traditional African American spirituals and gospel music. Perhaps most importantly, the church pro- vided critical meeting space for local civil rights organizations and hosted leading civil rights leaders, labor activists, politicians, and other activists. Make sure you ring up Travel Portland's Chief Sales Officer James Jessie fir any assis- tance you need in planning your group event in Portland. 64 B M & T ••• July/August 2024 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com AREA GUIDES Oregon Convention Center, Portland photo credit: San Diego CC P O R T L A N D • • • STATS • • • HOTEL ROOMS Hyatt Regency Portland 600 AC Hotel Portland Downtown 204 The Bidwell Marriott Portland 258 EXHIBITION FACILITIES Oregon Convention Centers Total MeetingSpace 478,000 sq. ft. Largest Hall 255,000 sq. ft. Largest Ballroom 35,000 sq. ft. Meeting Rooms 52 WHO YOU GONNA CALL? Travel Portland – (888) 503-3291 www.travelportland.com