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B M & T ••• September/October 2017 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 44 AREA GUIDES B I R M I N G A H A M CULTURE, RICH HISTORY & TOP LEVEL MEETING VENUES MAKES FOR TOP MEETINGS DESTINATION W R I T T E N A N D C O M P I L E D B Y B U C K S A M U E L S With world-class attractions, lodging and dining fueling its reputation and over 15,000 guest rooms in the greater Birmingham area, the city is a popular, affordable meeting host. Meeting plan- ners enjoy the impressive inventory of convention services offered and have come to expect exceptional service from the CVB Services Staff. Birmingham's unique cultural history gives planners an interesting lineup of venues and sites to hold events ranging from private parties and weddings to larg- er conferences and trade shows. The Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex is Alabama's foremost conven- tion, meeting and entertainment center. The venue is fully equipped with 220,000 plus sq. ft. of exhibition space, 74 meet- ing rooms totaling 100,000 plus sq. ft., a 1,000-seat theatre, a 3,000-seat Concert Hall and two elegant ballrooms seating up to 2,000 guests. One of the most convenient and unique features of the Birmingham- Jefferson Convention Complex is that it adjoins the 757-room Sheraton Birmingham Hotel. The hotel can accom- modate groups from 10 to 1,000. Birmingham is well known for its prominent role in the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. A visit to the many educational institutions and muse- ums throughout city gives visitors an in- depth look at that important era. The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute (BCRI) is a "living institution" which views the lessons of the past as a positive way to chart new directions for the future. BCRI's permanent exhibitions are a self- directed journey through the Birmingham Civil Rights Movement and human rights struggles. Distinguished as "A Place of Revolution and Reconciliation," his- toric Kelly Ingram Park serves as a Birmingham Civil Rights Institute Photo Credit: Greater Birmingham CVB