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The Shreveport Convention Center has 350,000 sq. ft. The main exhibit hall (three breakout rooms) is 95,000 sq. ft, the Capt. Shreve Ballroom (for breakout rooms) is 18,000 sq. ft., Meeting rooms (10 breakout rooms) are 1,600 sq. ft. and the Red River Boardroom is 2,460 sq. ft. The Hilton Hotel Shreveport, con- nected to the convention center, has 313 rooms and offers convenience for busi- ness travelers and meeting planners. FLYING IN There are two airports: the Shreve- port Downtown Airport and the Shreveport Regional Airport For information: www.shreveport- bossier.org Shreveport Convention Center ices and added value tailored to each event or tour. "This is just onewaywe save the client time and money while offering top-shelf service every time," she said. Affordability and hospitality are just two of the things that attractmeeting and event planners. Other highlights include:Casinos (after all, they are a gaming destination). There are five riverboats and Racinos (horserace track and casino), Sci-Port: Louisiana's Science Center, which has an IMAX Theater;ARTspace and the Robinson Film Center, which plays independent classic films. In Shreveport, pop. 250,000 and Bossier, pop. 40-50,000, there are numer- ous festivals, including Mardi Gras, spring and cultural festivals, as well as Cinco de Mayo,wine tasting and more. LETS EAT When it comes to eating, you'll have a choice of either eating well and eating even better. It is, after all, Louisiana. Food is huge. It's guaranteed you're going to have some good eatin. There is Cajun, Texas flair, a mix of great American Barbecue and more. WHERETO STAY There are 80 hotels, with 10,000 rooms in the area. CONVENTION CENTER 20 Virginia_Beach Aquarium Black Meetings & Tourism March/April 2012: www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com VIRGINIA BEACH,VIRGINIA If you're contemplating where to have your next meeting, there is no shortage of things to do inVirginia Beach. Beaches. Check. Outdoor activities. Check. Shopping. Check. History and museums. Check. Wellness. Check. Fishing.Check. Attractions include the ocean, the Virginia Aquarium, the Museum of Contemporary Art, which is a block away from the Convention Center and can be used for offsite receptions and dinners. The city-owned Sandler Performing Arts Theater (a 1,300 seat theater that sits downtown) is yet another off-site venue. "If they're looking for a mid-size desti- nation that sits on an ocean front with affordable rooms and a Convention Center that is fantastic, there is no better city than Virginia Beach," says Al Hutchinson, VP of Convention Sales and Marketing. "Combine affordability with a state of art Con-vention Center and it becomes a good combination. " Virginia Beach is a meeting locale that has more hotels, entertainment, shopping and dining options than ever. The Virginia Beach Conven-tion Center, the nation's first convention cen- ter to earn LEED® Gold certification1 from the U.S. Green Building Council, can hold any size meeting. There is more than 525,125 gross sq. ft., more than 150,000 sq. ft. of col- u m n - f r e e exhibit space, nearly 29,000 sq. ft. of meet- ing space, a ball- room measur- ing over 31,000 sq. ft. (one of the largest on the east coast), and 2,209 free parking spaces. There are 12,000 hotel rooms city- wide with 4,500 of those rooms located within two miles of the Convention Center. If you want a memorable meeting there are options, including holding your next meeting on a luxury yacht, in an 18th-cen- tury plantation or among exotic fish. GOTTA FLY The Norfolk International Airport has a runway that sits in Virginia Beach. It's a mere 20-minute ride to the ocean. For information: www.visitvirgini- abeach.com AL HUTCHINSON