Black Meetings and Tourism

March / April 2015

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ing planner. The facility has a lot to offer. The staff is friend- ly and accommodating and eager to make a guest's stay a pleasant one. There are 349 guest rooms and 23 suites. Facilities include 12 meeting rooms and 45,000 sq. ft. of total meeting space. The boardrooms, ballrooms and meeting spaces are ideal for elegant weddings, social affairs, tradeshows and confer- ences. The largest meeting room is Olmstead Exhibit Hall with maximum meeting space of 37,791 sq. ft. and a capacity of up to 3,895. There is a maximum of 24 breakout meeting rooms. A fun fact: you can see South Carolina from the hotel. HIGHLIGHTS Riverwalk is a two-tiered park located in downtown Augusta that spans between 6th & 10th streets along the banks of the Savannah River. The Lucy Craft Laney Museum of Black History And Conference Center should be on everyone's itinerary. Laney was an educator who was born during slavery. Having learned to read by the age of four, Laney went on to estab- lish the Haines Normal and Industrial Institute, the first pri- vate school for Black children, the first kindergarten for Black children and the Lamar School of Nursing for Black Women. The mission of the facility, which is a privately fund- ed nonprofit institution, is to promote the legacy of Laney through art and history and the preservation of her home. (www.LucyCraftLaneyMuseum.com)\ The Springfield Village Park is a visitor favorite. This 2.5- acre park is adjacent to the Springfield Baptist Church and is the oldest active African-American church in America. The highlight of the park is the "Tower of Aspiration," a 45- ft. stainless steel sculpture, plus water features, walkways and informational plaques. Augusta Museum of History was founded in 1937 to pre- BY DARLENE DONLOE here is 'friendly' and then there is Augusta, Georgia 'friendly'. And there is nothing like Augusta, GA 'friend- ly.' Everyone is warm, personable and, above all, welcoming! That Southern charm is always on display. Best known for the Masters® Tournament and its popu- lar green jacket, Augusta is Georgia's second oldest and sec- ond largest city. With a population of 200,000 city and 500,000 in the region, it's quaint, engaging and full of history. The city boasts having the second largest street in the nation (Canal Street in New Orleans is larger). MEETING FOR TEE Going out for TEE takes on a whole new meaning in Augusta. TEE is the acronym for the Trade, Exhibit and Event Center, which is connected to the downtown Augusta Marriott. The TEE center, called 'big enough for a conven- tion, flexible enough for a family reunion', has 350 hotel rooms and 100,000 sq. ft. of exhibit and conference space. The TEE recently underwent a 120,000 sq. ft. expansion. And, the good news is that it's all within walking distance of a number of attractions in Augusta's historic downtown area, including fine dining, art galleries, gardens, live music, shop- ping and theater, not to mention the Riverwalk. There are 6,000 hotel rooms throughout Augusta and 300 restaurants. augustateecenter.com St. Paul's River Room – For elegance and style it doesn't get much better than this. If you want to meet in a location a bit different from the norm, check out St. Paul's River Room, a 3,270-sq. ft. meeting room/reception hall with views of Augusta's Riverwalk and the Savannah River. The capacity for reception or theatre seating is 386 and 260 for seated banquet. The room dimensions are 69' x 51'. There is a large, elegant grand stairway and foyer, space and electrical power available for stage and/or dance floor and state of the art audio/visual equipment. Use of the terrace that leads onto Augusta's Riverwalk is included. A commer- cial-grade kitchen is available for use (for an additional fee). There are any number of other possible meeting spots with meeting space ranging from 1,000 sq. ft. to 20,000 sq. ft. and more. STAY HERE The Augusta Marriott at the Convention Center, ideally located in the heart of the downtown business district on the banks of the Savannah River, offers quite a bit to the meet- TALKING NOTICE OF AUGUSTA B M & T ••• March/April 2015 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 14 SITE REVIEW T Located in the Historic Laney-Walker District, you will find the Lucy Craft Laney Museum of Black History

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