Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/348155
The city is a rare combination of affordable family-friendly activ- ities and outstanding infrastructure to support both business and leisure time pursuits. In fact, Birmingham consistently ranks among America's most affordable destinations and is one reason for their thriving family reunion business. There are 15,000 hotel rooms in the greater Birmingham area, the largest the 757-room Sheraton Birmingham Hotel. Many of the larger properties have their own meetin g facilities and some come with kitchen facilities perfect for in room cooking options. The airport is a mere seven minutes from downtown with more than 100 non-stop and direct flights daily. The Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex Center (BJCC) can accommodate virtually any kind of event across four separate buildings – Arena, Concert Hall, Theatre and Exhibition Hall. The BJCC has a large central piazza for outdoor events. The Exhibition Hall is over 220,000 sq. f t. The facility has 60 meeting rooms – the largest can accommodate 1,950 people. Birmingham is known for its vibrant nightlife with live entertain- ment and theater throughout the city. In August, it's the annual Birmingham Arts and Music Festival. Nothing evokes culture and history like Birmingham. The city has embraced the legacy of it Civil Rights through the many muse- ums and monuments that capture those history-defining moments. The Birmingham Civil Rights Instit ute, the Sixteenth Baptist Church and Kelly Ingram Park should definitely be on your itiner- ary. ALABAMA The history of this state is undeniably rich and chronicled in Alabama's many wonderful museums. Hollywood has based many a movie on that history. Now Oprah Winfrey and Paramount Pictures have teamed up to produce "Selma." The film based on Selma's civil rights history recently wrapped up production and highlights those icon- ic travel destinations familiar to many. While Alabama's civil rights footprint is indeed one of its top tourist attractions, there is more to this great state starting with the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville. At the opposite end of the state are Mobile's African-American Heritage Trail and the USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park. Montgomery must see attractions include: the Rosa Parks Library and Museum, the Civil Rights Memorial and Dexter King Memorial Baptist Church. No visit to Alabama would be complete without a stop at The National Tuskegee Airmen Museum and the Tuskegee Human and Civil Rights Multicultural Center. BIRMINGHAM Restaurant Week slated for August 15-24, 2014, is a wonderful opportunity to experience the culinary delights that make Birmingham such a special place. Check out bhamrestaurantweek.com for details. This event promises to have a little something for everybody. The Birmingham Zoo, Alabama Adventure, Riverchase Galleria, McWane Science Center, the Barber MotorSports Park and the world famous Talladega Motor Speedway are just some of the places to put on your itinerary. B M & T ••• May/June 2013••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 40 Birmingham's Sixteenth St Baptist Church ARKANSAS After a day of sightseeing there's no better way to relax than a mineral bath at one of Hot Springs' many bathhouses and spas. And speaking of sightseeing, visit the Gangster Museum of America. The city was a one- of-a-kind hangout for some of American's most notorious mobsters. Little Rock is home to The Clinton Presidential Center and Park in the River Market District overlooking the Arkansas River. Exhibits fea- ture a replica of President Clinton's Oval Office, the presidential limou- sine and a time-line with exhibits for each year of Clinton's presidency. One of the most visited landmarks in the state is Central High School, home to the Little Rock Nine. This National Historic Site fea- tures a wonderful visitor center. Photo Credit: Sean Pavone The Second Great Migration occurred between 1940 and 1970 when an additional 5 million African-Americans headed north and west to California. It was an exodus unlike anything seen in American history before or since. Today, a reverse migration has taken hold with African-Americans seeking out Southern locales for myriad reasons from better cost of living to improved quality of life. Those heading Sout h aren't just retirees seeking to reconnect with relatives – they are young, college-educated profession- als. One in four newcomers are college educated. Cities like Atlanta: Jackson, MS; Columbia, SC; Memphis, TN; Raleigh, NC; along with the greater Miami/Ft Lauderdale area and Orlando have robust African-American communities made up of these young professionals. This reverse migration trend will continue for the foreseeable future For meeting planners seeking to connect to Black-owned vendors as part of their event planning, this can only be a win-win. African-American travelers and tourists alike are now more than wel- comed in places just a few decades ago seemed inhospitable. The South is breathtakingly beautiful. From its mountainous trails to sugary-white sandy beaches and pristine waterways , the diversity of geog- raphy is an artist's dream. Combined with the cosmopolitan appeal of big city life and its many cultural and family-friendly attractions, the South has truly become the des- tination of choice for vacations and meetings. African-American influence can be seen everywhere. From Civil Rights to music, food to recreation the Black experience is thriving. But it's more than Civil R ights; it's a renaissance of sorts, a recent discovery for many who have found the lure of the American South difficult to resist.