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13 B M & T ••• January/February 2014 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com the Needs of Your Meeting Meeting It's time to decide which destination and venue to book for your next event, conference, convention or board meeting. Back in the day, organizing those occasions was more of a routine task - make some phone calls, prepare an agenda, assemble the min- utes, reports and documents and put them all in a neat little binder. That was then, this is now. Meetings have taken on a life of their own. A lot more details are involved in making them a success. Bells and whistles aside, what meeting planners need to be armed with is information, information and more information. This column aids meeting planners in their decision-making process by providing vital information on specific destinations. Highlighted in this column are Portland, OR; Fort Worth, TX; Wichita, KS and Santa Monica, Calif. By DARLENE DONLOE PORTLAND "Portland offers just the right balance of modern, sizable meeting space with quality offerings for delegates to create memorable experiences outside of their meetings," said Jeff Miller, president and CEO, Travel Portland. "From tax- free shopping and culinary experiences to one of the few African-American- owned wineries in the country and an acclaimed jazz scene that has been influ- enced by local bandleader and drummer Mel Brown since the 1970s, Portland welcomes delegates with a little some- thing for everyone." Miller certainly makes the city sound enticing. Portland, which welcomed 8.1 million vis- itors in 2012, is known as a friendly and pro- gressive city. Time to Convene Boasting the largest convention center in the Pacific Northwest (255,000 sq. ft. of con- tiguous exhibit space, 50 meeting rooms and two grand ballrooms), Portland can host large groups or create more intimate set- tings at venues throughout the city's unique neighborhoods, such as the June Key Delta Center, http://www.key-delta-living-build- ing.com, which serves as a meeting space, as well as a community center. Activities It's not all about meeting in Portland, which is known as 'The CityThatWorks'.The city, with a population of 583,776 (6.3 % is African American), offers many activities for delegates including world-class food, wine, beer and spirits, live music, performing arts, museums and gardens. Portland has a strong and active African American Chamber of Commerce that is highly involved in economic empowerment and education. Portland, reportedly, is the only city that is proud to have the "Minority Evaluator Program" www.minorityevaluator- program.com crafted by Roy Jay and the African American Chamber and passed as a citywide resolution four years ago that requires that "people of color" will serve on evaluation panels for any professional or technical RFP over $29,000. Jay's Oregon Convention and Visitor Services Network works in tandem with the CVB and goes far beyond a complimentary dinner and greeting you. In Portland, you become "a relative." Check out the natural beauty of Forest Park, the Columbia River Gorge, Mt. Hood and the Oregon Coast – all located within about an hour from Portland. There is also a Portland Walking Tour (Portland Walking Tours) and a Forktown Food Tour (Forktown Food Tours). For a cultural experience, The Albina District is the historic heart of Portland's African-American community. NE Portland has the highest concentration of African- Americans at 30%. A 17-block stretch of Northeast Fremont Street from Northeast 33rd to 47th avenues, BeaumontVillage brings residents together at coffee houses, restaurants, bars and shops. Getting around the city is easy. Portland's nationally-renowned transportation system provides affordable and convenient access to the city from the airport and to the city's diverse neighborhoods. When it comes to food and drink, there are any number of establishments from which to choose, including a number of dis- •pg_12-21__BMT_pg3-58 2/27/14 4:37 PM Page 13