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AREA GUIDES • • SHERVEPORT • • Located in beautiful northwest Louisiana, Shreveport-Bossier is a mixture of spicy Cajun attitude and the wide- open Texas spirit. Experience 24-hour resort-style casinos, riverfront entertain- ment, family-friendly festivals, and mouthwatering food. Shreveport-Bossier offers affordable hotels, and flexible meeting venues including the 350,000-square-foot Shreveport Convention Center, 21 addi- tional unique off-site meeting venues, 10,500 hotel rooms, immersive group experiences, and that famous Louisiana cuisine that visitors love. This region is home to several local, hands-on tours. The group tours have been designed to be unique to Shreveport and Bossier City. Every inter- active tour will surprise visitors with ele- ments such as walking in the footsteps of music legends like Elvis Presley, Hank Williams Jr., and many more who shaped the music we know and love today. Take a ride on a zip line over the alligators at Gators and Friends. These experiences are ideal for motorcoach groups, hobby groups, girlfriend getaways, small meet- ings after-hours, and more. New groups that book in Shreveport and Bossier City can receive up to $3,000 for bringing their meeting here. To qualify as new business, the convention or meet- ing must not have been held in Shreveport and Bossier City in the past two years. The incentive requires a mini- mum of 50 hotel room nights, and the meeting must be held within three years of signing the agreement. WHO YOU GONNA CALL? Discover Shreveport-Bossier (318) 222-9391 www.visitshreveportbossier.org • • LAKE CHARLES • • Southwest Louisiana is your destina- tion for upscale meetings and events. The casino resorts, L'Auberge Lake Charles and Golden Nugget offer over 26,000+ square feet of flexible meeting space. Delta Downs Racetrack Casino & Hotel also offers a large event center if you are looking for something a little unconven- tional. The Horseshoe Casino Lake Charles opened in December 2022 with redesigned meeting space. If you are looking for an off-site event venue either as part of your larger meet- ing or as a stand-alone event such as a wedding or reunion, check out the city's unique options in downtown Lake Charles. There are plenty of historic ven- ues such as the Calcasieu Marine Bank, The Charleston Hotel, The Governor's Mansion or the Cash & Carry Building. Also, nearby you can find the Brickhouse, which is a local favorite for weddings, proms, and Mardi Gras Balls. Wanting something that is more tra- ditional convention space? Be sure to check out the Lake Charles Event Center, which can hold up to 120+ 10x10 booths. On the west side of the river in Sulphur, the West Cal Arena & Event Center is an ideal location for small to mid-size meetings with a variety of avail- able hotels nearby. WHO YOU GONNA CALL? Visit Lake Charles – (337) 436-9588 www.visitlakecharles.org • • BATON ROUGE • • Baton Rouge is Louisiana's Capital City and the best place to have an authentic Louisiana experience during your next meeting or convention. The Raising Cane's River Center offers more than 200,000 square feet of space to be used for hosting sporting events, conventions, meetings, confer- ences and tradeshows to name a few. Located within the walkable down- town district, the convention center is only steps away from luxurious hotels like the Watermark and restaurants like local favorites Capital City Grill and Stroube's Seafood and Steak. Between historic venues such as the Louisiana's Old State Capitol and Red Stick Social, to arts venues like the Louisiana Art & Science Museum, there's a venue to suit every meeting planner's needs. Baton Rouge is the heart and soul of the state's eclectic culture. With over 300 years of history, Baton Rouge has a color- ful story to tell, which can be tasted through its culinary offerings, seen through the picturesque views of the Mississippi River and historical landmarks and experienced through the vibrant arts and culture scene. WHO YOU GONNA CALL? Visit Baton Rouge – (800) LA ROUGE www.visitbatonrouge.com B M & T ••• November/December 2024 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 65 Shreveport Convention Center