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AMERICAS CENTER Whether your meeting is large, small or somewhere in between, the America's Center convention complex offers a unique combination of flexible facilities and services for any Black Meetings & Tourism October/November 200 : www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 66 It used to be traditional for companies and associ- ations to check into a fancy hotel and use the meeting space to hold conferences and other special events. Planners and their delegates got the luxury of being able to work and take care of work related events just steps away from the hotel room. What more could you ask for, right? Well, these days, convention centers around the country are all gearing up to fulfill the needs of businesses and association groups of all sizes. The goal of the conven- tion and conference centers is to provide the same comfort- ing, hospitable yet professional attention that is offered in the hotel setting. Centers are achieving this by undergoing drastic upgrades and renovations such as larger and more stylish looking facilities, enhanced food and beverage serv- ices, updated cutting-edge technology for meetings and con- ferences as well as the addition of in-house meeting plan- ners to help through the booking process, to name a few. In addition, convention centers are becoming more and more environmentally friendly, resulting in a larger number of green certified facilities. With all the renovations and upgrades many of the convention centers across the coun- try can match top-of-the-line hotels when it comes to fulfill- ing your group event needs. When planning your next meeting please consider one of the following convention centers as options for your event. BY SOLOMON J. HERBERT II BALTIMORE CONVENTION CENTER The Baltimore Convention Center, the Center of it all, is the ultimate symbol of the city's commitment to the meetings and conventions industry. Located in the heart of downtown Baltimore's Inner Harbor District, the Center's location is a tourist's dream and a meeting planner's delight. It is linked by a series of overhead walkways to the Inner Harbor, hotels, fine dining, and a variety of attractions. The Center is one of the most versatile, well-equipped, com- event. In addition the 502,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space, first-class catering options, and easy access, St. Louis offers one stop shop- ping for meeting planners. Our professional staff includes mar- keting, sales, services and convention center staff all under one roof. Literally. The St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission man- ages and operates the America's Center® convention com- plex, which includes six contiguous exhibit halls, 83 meeting rooms, the 66,000-seat Edward Jones Dome, 1,411-seat Ferrara Theatre, 28,000-sq. ft. ballroom and the St. Louis Executive Conference Center. America's Center also employs a full-time labor-relations manager who works to establish a mutually beneficial relationship between the cen- ter's clients and the local trade unions. One building + one staff = fewer problems. Just another way St. Louis brings your next great meeting all within reach. At the St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission, staffers pride themselves on doing anything they can to make your meeting successful. In fact, the readers of Meetings & Conventions, Successful Meetings, and Corporate Meetings & Incentives magazines consistently recognize us for our unparal- leled meeting and convention services. They're there to make you look good and to help facilitate a rewarding and productive meeting for your group. Some of the services offered include Housing, Welcome Program, Off-Site Venue Coordination and Registration Services. STATS Total exhibit space: 502,000 sq. ft. Largest hall: 145,000 sq. ft. Largest ballroom: 28,000 sq. ft. Number of meetng rooms 83 Telephone: (314) 342-5201 Website: www.americascenter.org Sailing in Miami Photo Credit: Miami Beach CVB 9