Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/3108
Black Meetings & Tourism April/May 2009: www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 76 FLORIDA From the Panhandle to the Keys, a gathering in Florida can be filled with all kinds of interesting activities. The capi- tal city of Tallahassee is home to the historically Black Florida A& M University. Florida's western Gulf Coast includes Citrus County, where snorkeling with manatees is a popular pastime; the St. Petersburg/Clearwater area, where the sunsets at Pier 60 put on a show; Sarasota, where you can view the palatial home of John and Mable Ringling; and Fort Myers, site of the neighboring winter estates of Thomas Edison and Henry Ford. Atlantic Coast destinations include Amelia Island, where the state's first resort for African-Americans was estab- lished at American Beach; St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & the Beaches, home to America's oldest continually occupied settlement; and the Space Coast region that includes Cocoa Beach and the Kennedy Space Center. Visitors to the Florida Keys can enjoy a drive along a scenic highway stretching from Key West to Key Largo. DAYTONA BEACH Situated just 400 ft. from the Atlantic Ocean, Daytona's New Ocean Center convention, entertainment and sports complex offers 205,536 sq. ft. of meeting and exhibit space. When the sessions are over, delegates might want to visit some of the city's great African-American cultural and historical sites, including the Jackie Robinson Ballpark and Statue and the Mary McLeod Bethune Home & Gravesite, on the grounds of the university founded by the educator and civil rights leader. The Daytona 500 Experience IMAX Theater lets visitors taste the thrill of speed, while surfing, kayaking and a host of other activities are on tap at the city's famous beach. FORT LAUDERDALE The Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center is located on the Intracoastal Waterway that lends the city its nickname, the "Venice of America." With a total of 600,000 sq. ft. on three levels, the facility con- tains the 1,300-sq. ft. Executive Teleconference Suite, two large ballrooms and nearly 200,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space. Recently, the convention center has implemented a number of green initiatives — focused on recycling, energy efficien- cy , water conservation and other measures — and the Greater Fort Lauderdale CVB has produced a guide for planning green conventions . Lodging is provided by more than 33,000 area gue- strooms, including more than 3,500 rooms within a mile of the convention center. Over 30 local properties have earned the Florida Green Lodging certificate from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. The African American Research Library and Cultural Center, the Old Dillard Museum and the Ashanti Cultural Arts — which showcases dance, music, theater and drum- ming — are three notable local Black heritage attractions. In the Riverwalk Arts & Entertainment District, you'll find the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, the Museum of Discovery & Science, the Florida Grand Opera, Historic Second Street, the Museum of Art Fort Lauderdale and the historic Stanahan House. Favorite shopping haunts include Las Olas Boulevard, Sawgrass Mills Mall, the Swap Shop flea market and the Galleria. Other things to do and places to see include water taxi tours along the Intracoastal Waterway and Millionaire's Row, gaming at several area casinos, visits to the Bonnet House Museum & Gardens, Annie Kolb Nature Center and Young at Art Children's Museum; watching the Baltimore Orioles in spring training at Fort Lauderdale Stadium; golf- ing at one of more than 40 area courses; and excursions to explore the Florida Everglades and view the Seminole her- itage exhibits at the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum. JACKSONVILLE Jacksonville's most spacious setting for meetings is Prime F. Osborn III Convention Center, which contains 160,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, including a room named in honor of civil rights activist A. Philip Randolph. There are more than 1,000 hotel rooms within a mile of the convention center. A Black heritage tour of Jacksonville might feature a choice of sites like Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority House; James T. Small Ball Park, where Hank Aaron played as a member of the Minor League Jacksonville Braves; Edward Family reviewing racing history of Daytona Photo Credit: Daytona Beach CVB Water Taxi tour of Intracoastal Waterway Photo Credit: Ft. Lauderdale CVB