Black Meetings and Tourism

58 miles southwest of Tulsa. The city itself is known for such attractions as the Philbrook Museum of Art and the Discoveryland amphitheater. With more than 10 ecoregions — including Rocky Mountain foothills, tallgrass prairies and hardwood forests — Oklahoma offers a diversi- ty of outdoor recreation from mountain climb- ing to scuba diving. OREGON Oregon has eagerly jumped on the new "geot- ourism" bandwagon, a term coined to promote trav- el that sustains and enhances an area's geographic character. Oregon has plenty of geographic treas- ures to protect, including more national scenic byways than any other state. Hell's Canyon, North's America's deepest river gorge, and Crater Lake, the deepest lake in the United States, are also part of the Oregon land- scape. The Willamette Valley is a verdant agricultural region that is home to more than 200 wineries. Eugene, nicknamed the "Emerald City," is the largest city in the Willamette Valley. More than a dozen wineries and vineyards are located here, along with such sites as the University of Oregon, the Owen Rose Garden and a replica of an 1846 cabin at Skinner Butte. With its setting near the McKenzie River Valley, the Cascade Mountains and the Oregon Coast, Eugene offers a wide range of recreational and sightseeing opportunities. Black Meetings & Tourism February/March 2009: www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 76 PORTLAND Outside the Oregon Convention Center stands a brass likeness of Martin Luther King, Jr., depicted with statues of a child, a worker and an immigrant. Along with this monument, entitled "The Dream," there are a number of other places in Portland where African-American achievement and her- itage are celebrated. On a tour of the Albina district you'll encounter the former Golden West Hotel, the only place where African-Americans could find lodging before state's public accommodations law was passed in 1953; Gladys Sims McCoy Memorial Park, named for a local African-American community activist; the Matt Dishman Community Center, home to the Northwest Afrikan American Ballet; and the Albina Coffeehouse, where you might catch a performance of the Albina Jazz Quintet. Art lovers might enjoy visiting some of the Alberta Street galleries or touring the Portland Art Museum. Event space is available among the displays of ceramic, glass, metal, fiber, wood, and other art at the Museum of Contemporary Craft. The End of the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center and the Captain William Clark Monument — depicting a Native American with Clark and his slave York — provide a look into the state's pioneer past. Other places for learning and exploring include the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, the World Forestry Center Discovery Museum and the Oregon Zoo. Portland's 5,000-acre Forest Park has been called "American's largest urban wilderness. "Other nature-filled oases in the city include the Audubon Society of Portland's wildlife sanctuary, Leach Botanical Gardens and the Hoyt Arboretum. The Oregon Convention Center features 255,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space, 50 meeting rooms, the 25,200-sq.f t. Oregon Ballroom and the 34,300-sq. ft. Portland Ballroom. There are about 20,000 hotel rooms in the metro area, including 4,300 guestrooms downtown. Free public transportation is available in the downtown area, and the MAX light rail provides service from the airport to downtown. Japanese Garden Photo Credit: Portland CVB Bricktown a restored area of Oklahoma city Photo Credit: Beverly Martin

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