Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/875690
B M & T ••• July/August 2017 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 18 BIRMINGHAM, AL W ith world-class attractions, lodging and dining fueling its reputa- tion and 15,000 guest rooms in the greater Birmingham area, the city is a popular, affordable meeting host for delegates traveling with families. Meeting planners enjoy the impressive inventory of convention services offered while family members of all ages will discover many excit- ing things to see and do. If you are in to African-American history and culture, Birmingham is the place to be. Richly detailed exhibits in the Civil Rights Institute reveal slices of black and white life in Alabama from the late 1800s to the present. A series of galleries tells the stories of daily life for African-Americans in the state and the nation and how dramatically different it was from the lives white people of that era took for granted. The powerful Movement Gallery presents the Civil Rights Movement for 1955 to 1963. Here a picture emerges of the bad old days of "Bombingham," a reference to the relentless violence that rocked the city in the late 1950s and early '60s. In the final exhibits, the Processional Gallery uses life-size figures representing all ages and races to portray the "walk to freedom." Other family-oriented attractions include the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame (from the boogie-woogie beginnings of Clarence "Pinetop" Smith to the vel- vet crooning of Nat King Cole, legendary jazz greats are immortalized here); American Village (a unique attraction where costumed historical interpreters guide visitors back in history to participate in the drama of America's journey for independence); McWane Science Center (four floors of hands-on exhibits and an IMAX Dome Theatre); Birmingham Zoo (blazing new trails in elephant conservation with the opening of Trails of Africa); and Splash Adventure Park (visitors cool down in the Wave Pool and on daring water rides like Acapulco Drop, Neptune's Plunge, Splashdown and Upsurge). Meeting planners will be happy to hear that the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex (BJCC) is Alabama's largest convention address, with meeting facilities all on one campus. The BJCC complex campus has 350,000 sq. ft. of convention and exhibition space. The complex includes an 18,000-seat arena and 4,000 seats in two theaters. One of the most conven- ient and unique features of the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex is that it adjoins the 757-room Sheraton Birmingham Hotel. The hotel can accommodate groups from 10 to 1,000. Other area properties include the 295-room Birmingham Marriott, 298- room DoubleTree by Hilton Birmingham, and the 242-room Embassy Suites Birmingham, to name a few. For more information contact the Greater Birmingham CVB at (800) 458- 8085 or birminghamal.org. Meeting planners will be happy to happy to happy hear that hear that hear the that the that Birmingham-Jefferson CINCINNATI, OH O hio River, Cincinnati USA spreads from the southwestern corner of Ohio into Northern Kentucky and southeastern Indiana. The city is located about mid-point on the shoreline of the 981-mile long Ohio River. Cincinnati USA is in the midst of an exciting renaissance. There's a conver- gence of new developments, projects and convention wins taking shape that collectively makes this one of the most progressive, game-changing eras in the region's history. It also makes the city the perfect destination for family friendly gatherings. When the meetings end in Cincinnati, the fun just begins. Cincinnati has undergone a dramatic transformation in recent years with more than $2 bil- lion in downtown and Riverfront development. The region boasts an out- standing lineup of arts and cultural attractions. Attendees can take in a Reds or Bengals game, visit art museums or put a couple bucks down on a roulette wheel. And foodies will be in heaven too, with more than 4,000 restaurants ranging from four-star French to Cincinnati-style chili. There are so many things to do, places to go, stores to shop, and restau- rants to sample that no visit seems long enough. Make certain you block out enough time to visit the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, dedicated to revealing stories of freedom's heroes, from the era of the Underground Railroad to contemporary times, while challenging and inspir- ing everyone to take courageous steps of freedom today. A history museum with more than 100,000 visitors annually, it serves to inspire modern aboli- tion through connecting the lessons of the Underground Railroad with today's freedom fighters. The center is also a convener of dialogue on free- dom and human rights. Other options include the Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal, Newport Aquarium & Newport on the Levee, Riverboat Cruises, an array of tours (American Legacy Tours and Gangster Tours, to name a few), as well as catching a Broadway show at the Arnoff Center for the Arts or being mesmer- ized by a Grammy-nominated ensemble at the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and Cincinnati Pops. Cincinnati USA's 750,000-sq. ft. Duke Energy Center recently underwent a $135 million expansion and renovation to become the Midwest's best-in- class center. The expansion means Cincinnati can accommodate 75 percent of the existing convention, conference and meetings market in the United States. The facility offers 200,000 sq. ft. of contiguous exhibit space, a 40,000-sq. ft. grand ballroom, 17,400-sq. ft., junior ballroom, and 30 deluxe breakout rooms. There are nearly 3,200 hotel rooms within three blocks right of the Duke Energy Convention Center, with 11 downtown altogether. Thousands more rooms are a few minutes away throughout Cincinnati USA and on the Kentucky riverfront. For more information contact Cincinnati USA CVB at (800) 543-2613 or http://www.cincyusa.com When the meetings end in Cincinnati, the fun just begins. just begins. just Cincinnati has National Underground Railroad Freedom Center Birmingham Civil Rights Institute Exhibit