Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/348155
B M & T ••• May/June 2014 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 58 D E N V E R AREA GUIDES TOP LEVEL HOSPITALITY AND ECO-FRIENDLY VENUES WRAPPED UP ALL IN ONE .... IN THE "MILE HIGH CITY" BY SOLOMON J. HERBERT II With 300 days of sunshine, a walkable downtown, thriving arts and culture, an award-winning culinary scene, and the Rocky Mountains as a backdrop, Denver offers an affordable mix of urban sophis- tication and outdoor adventure. When it comes to meeting planning, Denver has it all: A state-of-the-art convention center; a central location; an incredible shopping district packed with dining, nightlife and cultural attractions as well as thousands of hotel rooms. Whether planning an or event for 10 or 10,000, searching for banquet halls, hotel meeting rooms or a convention facility, The Mile High City has the venue for you. Located in the heart of Downtown Denver lays the Colorado Convention Center, which is ideal for any size meet- ing or convention group. Loaded with 584,000 sq. ft. of contiguous exhibit space, a 50,000-sq. ft. Mile High Ballroom and a 35,000-sq. ft. Four Seasons Ballroom, this venue definitely has the space to house a group of just about any size. The convention center is also equipped with 63 meeting rooms and a Bellco Theatre which can accom- modate up to 5,000 people in an auditori- um-style fixed seating format. The Colorado Convention Center is the pre- mier sustainable green meeting facility. In May 2014, the center improved its LEED status to LEED Gold by the U.S. Green Building Council through the recertifica- tion process required every five years. On the banks of Cherry Creek, just four miles from downtown Denver, Four Mile Historic Park is a 12 acre oasis fea- turing Denver's oldest standing struc- ture, pioneer exhibits, special events for all ages, and guided tours that transport visitors to Colorado's frontier past. Whether your event is outside in the Meadow or the Grove or inside in Grant Hall, it will be yet another creative option The mile High City has to offer for holding a smaller more intimate meeting/gathering. More than 8,400 rooms are within walking distance of the Colorado Convention Center with all major brands and price points represented. There are 42,000 hotel, resort and spa rooms in the metro area. One out of three meeting attendees in Denver take a pre- or post-convention vacation – one reason why the city rou- tinely breaks attendance records. Denver is the gateway to outstanding adventure options in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. In a little more than an hour, you can hike or fly fish in Rocky Mountain National Park; climb the world's highest railroad to the top of Pikes Peak; play poker, Black Jack and roulette in Old West mountain mining towns; go river rafting down spectacular Clear Creek Canyon or just relax in luxury at a variety of Denver's acclaimed international ski and summer resorts. Denver is the largest shopping center in a 600-mile radius with everything from Nordstrom's, Neiman Marcus and H&M to one of the nation's largest independent bookstores –the Tattered Cover. The Cherry Creek Shopping District, just three miles from downtown, has nearly 500 department stores, art galleries, shops and boutiques, all in a deluxe ultra upscale mall or on quiet tree-lined streets. The 16th Street Mall is a pedes- trian promenade lined with 50,000 flow- ers that runs for more than a mile through the heart of downtown Denver. Located roughly 23 miles from down- town, Denver International Airport offers non-stop service to more than 180 world- wide destinations, including 23 interna- tional cities. The airport circulates nearly 1,600 daily flights. Colorado Convention Center Photo Credit: Scott Dressel Martin • • • STATS • • • HOTEL ROOMS Hyatt Regency Denver at Colorado Convention Center 1,100 Denver Marriott City Center 613 Embassy Suites Denver – Downtown Convention Center 403 Crowne Plaza Denver Downtown 364 EXHIBITION FACILITIES The Colorado Convention Center total exhibit space 584,000 sq. ft. largest ballroom 106,000 sq. ft. meeting rooms 63 WHO YOU GONNA CALL? Visit Denver (303) 892-1112 www.denver.org Colorado Black Chamber of Commerce (303) 831-0720