Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/875687
B M & T ••• March/April 2017 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 35 MEETING & TRAVELING IN "THE PEACHTREE STATE " BY RUFUS MCKINNEY Planners organizing meetings in the Peach State's group-friendly locales can sweeten itineraries with functions at one of the state's many culturally diverse sites, which wonderfully represent a var- ied and seemingly endless list of options. With a major transportation hub in Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, you'll have easy access to the Atlanta Metro area and throughout Georgia. ••ATLANTA•• It's easy to fly into Atlanta and within that same hour, journey into the city's walkable convention and entertainment district without renting a car. World-class attractions, award-winning restaurants and a variety of hotels at every price point are just steps away from Atlanta's numer- ous convention facilities. And top-notch transportation makes it effortless to explore the charming neighborhoods that surround them. Here in Atlanta, the compact conven- tion and entertainment district is at the center of it all. Surrounding Georgia World Congress Center and Centennial Olympic Park are unique event spaces and great hotels. The facility is equipped with 150,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space, 90,000 sq. ft. of pre-function space and 16,000 sq. ft. of meeting space. The nearby and larger Georgia World Congress Center boasts 1.4 million sq. ft. of prime exhibit space, 12 exhibit halls, 106 meeting rooms and 2 grand ballrooms. In the early 1960s, Atlanta became the cultural catalyst for the civil rights move- ment. Activists quickly found their spiritu- al center within the Sweet Auburn district, making it home to much of the civil rights history. Today, Atlanta is the only city in the nation where you can view two Nobel Peace Prizes – one located in the King Center and the other in the Carter Center. The Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau (ACVB) continues to lead the way in the meeting industry with the intro- duction of its new suite of virtual reality site tour products for meeting and event planners. The enhancements to ACVB's existing virtual reality applications, which launched August 2016, now include three new itineraries to appeal to both atten- dees and planners. Each itinerary follows a storyline for different experiences and types of events. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Internati- onal Airport, just eight miles from the downtown district, is the busiest and most efficient airport in the world and, offering nonstop service to more than 150 domestic and nearly 70 international destinations. WHO YOU GONNA CALL? Atlanta CVB – (877) ATLANTA www.atlantameetings.com Atlanta Metropolitan Black Chamber of Commerce – (770) 374-6226 ••MACON BIBB•• In "The Heart of Georgia" conference attendees can meet with a little more soul! With over 5,000 hotel rooms in five distinct areas, Macon, Georgia offers a central location and budget friendly accommodations along with unique spaces for meetings, receptions, trade shows, and athletic events. The Edgar H. Wilson Convention Center features 102,000 sq. ft. of mod- ern, light infused space. Stretch out a lit- tle into the Macon Coliseum with a 9,252- seat capacity adjacent to the Convention Center or take advantage of an additional 5,000 sq. ft. at the 220-room Marriott hotel connected by a glass-enclosed cor- ridor. Beyond the Center you will find a won- derful variety of unique spaces through- out the city of Macon. Choose one of the five distinct clusters designed for planning a meeting with spaces, hotel rooms, attractions, and restaurants within close proximity. Macon boasts 5,500 National Register historic structures in 11 historic districts. Cotton Avenue is a "main street" of African-American business; Pleasant Hill Historic District is one of the first Black neighborhoods listed on the National Register of Historic Places; the Rodney Davis Memorial pays homage to Macon's only Medal of Honor winner. The area attractions feature rich and diverse cultures from 10,000 year-old Native American Indian mounds and the largest collection of ancient African arti- facts, to the top 40 musical hits of Little Richard and REM and the 3,000 hits by Hank Aaron. To get to Macon, there are three air- ports to choose from – Downtown Macon Airport, Atlanta/Hartsfield- Jackson International Airport and Middle Georgia Regional Airport. WHO YOU GONNA CALL? Macon-Bibb County CVB (800) 768-3401 www.maconga.org AREA GUIDES G E O R G I A Georgia World Congress Center Photo Credit Atlanta CVB