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B M & T ••• May/June 2013••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 44 Miami also has over 5,000 restaurants. And don't forget world class shopping. If you're looking for something a little different try Thriller Miami Speedboat Adventure. If you have a need for speed, try this sightseeing tour at 50mph. Speed not your thing; try an airboat ride through Everglades Safari Park. Simply put, Miami just might be the most memorable meeting or vacation destination you'll ever experience. ORLANDO This city is America's premiere meeting destination. Why? It's all about affordability and value in Orlando. Compared to other U.S. desti- nations, Orlando's accommodations and dining are among the least expensive in the country. Combined with some of the cheapest airfares among America's top 50 airports and beautiful weather, its no wonder Orlando is the destination of choice for meeting planners. The Orange County Convention Center is the nation's second largest, comprised of two buildings connected by a 1,500-ft. open-air bridge with moving sidewalks. The facility has over 2.1 million sq. ft. of exhibition space plus 480,000 sq. ft. of function space. Four properties provide direct access to the convention center. There are over 5,100 rooms within a half-mile of the convention center and over 7,300 if you expand your radius to one mile. In total, the city and sur- rounding area feature 450 hotels with over 116,000 rooms. The city continues to expand its convention and tourism offerings. Phase I of a $200 million construction project called I-Drive 360 is under- way. When complete, this project will feature a 425-ft. tall Orlando Eye Observation wheel and 75 new shops, restaurants and attractions. Of course there's more to do in Orlando than meetings and conven- tions. Many of the world's top theme parks call the greater Orlando area home – Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, Legoland and SeaWorld is just the beginning. If you prefer a theme park meeting venue, both Universal Orlando and Walt Disney World have multiple resorts on their properties and over one million additional sq. ft. of meeting space. Orlando is one of the world's largest golf destinations. The area is home to numerous PGA professionals and an equal number of golf cours- es of varying skill levels and design to match. And don't forget the Tom Joyner Family Reunion extravaganza over the Labor Day weekend. KISSIMMEE Savvy meeting planners are discovering that when it comes to a distinctive location for a Florida meeting, you can't go wrong with Kissimmee, a refresh- ingly casual and friendly location that gives you small-town charm yet up-town service. The name immediately attracts attention because it is unusual, but the con- venient location in Central Florida – next to Orlando and close to everything – is the primary factor that immediately gets attendees to give notice to your meeting. You'll keep them reading your agenda when you include some of the excep- tional entertainment or team-building experiences only Kissimmee provides. You can get your group out and about with a nature hike or airboat excursion on Lake Tohopekaliga (include a contest to see who can come closest to pro- nouncing this correctly). Or, zip-line adventures give a tree-top perspective to the natural Florida eco systems below. An even higher flying thrill is to get a birds-eye view of Kissimmee and surrounding area from a hot air balloon. In fact, your group can experience flying in the largest hot air balloon in this coun- try. The basket carries 26 people. The exceptional selection of flexible meeting properties for your business group, whether 10 or 10,000, is exceptional. First-class convention hotels include the impressive Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center (400,000 sq. ft.) and the Omni Resort at ChampionsGate (128,000 sq. ft.). For smaller meetings there are superb choices such as: Embassy Suites Orlando- Lake Buena Vista South (40,000 sq. ft.) which has the most meeting space of any Embassy Suites hotel in Florida; and Reunion Resort (25,000 sq. ft.). Radisson Resort Orlando Celebration (10,000 sq. ft.) and the Park Inn by Radisson Resort and Convention Center (32,000 sq. ft.) have both recently been beautifully renovated. Numerous other properties provide meeting space that's perfect for smaller groups such as board meetings, family and military reunions, and add thousands of quality rooms for spillover when needed. Luxurious vacation homes, some with as many as six or seven bedrooms and a media room, add an unusual option for board meetings or sales retreats. First-class facilities are complemented with first-class service. Experience Kissimmee's sales team can help you create an eye-popping itinerary your atten- dees will talk about for years; and the events services team offers free assistance in many ways from brochures and marketing materials, on-site information desk, to a custom landing page specifically for your event. Additionally, when you bring your meeting to Kissimmee we have our own special way of saying "Thank You." Based on total number of room nights, new meetings can earn up to $1,500 reimbursed directly to the organization. You'll find all the details at 1500.MeetInKissimmee.com. Walt Disney World Resort Welcome to Downtown Kissimmee