Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/926592
and more than 140,000 sq. ft. of meeting and event space, including: a 32,000-sq. ft. grand ballroom and 35 meeting rooms. The facility's central location is within walking distance of 14 downtown hotels and most restaurants and nightlife. The center is connected to the Global Center Center for Health Innovation and the 600- room Hilton Cleveland Downtown, which opened in 2016. Cleveland's Warehouse District, Gateway District, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, and Playhouse Square are all close by. Once you've checked The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum off the to-do list, what's next? Plenty. There's every- thing from Cedar Point Amusement Park, the Cleveland Aquarium, Cleveland Botanical Gardens, and the Cleveland Museum of Art, to lively casino action, as well as great golfing and an array of other outdoor activities. Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE) serves as a hub for United Airlines and offers 250 daily flight depar- tures to 74 markets. ••COLUMBUS•• Everything you need for a successful meeting is available in this vibrant Midwest city. Columbus is an easy, walk- able convention destination with hip gal- leries, shops,dining, nightlife, sports and hotels just steps from the convention center in the Short North Arts District and the Arena District. Other downtown dis- tricts – German Village the Brewery District and the Theatre District – are within 10 blocks or a short CBUS ride. The Greater Cloumbus Convention Center has 1.8 million sq. ft., with 373,000 sq. ft. of contiguous exhibit space, 3 ballrooms and 75 meeting rooms. Plus, there are 4,250 hotel rooms downtown and 2,250 rooms connected/adjacent to the convention center. It's easy to get to Columbus. Port Columbus International Airport is just 10 minutes from downtown and offers 34 non-stop destinations. And Columbus is within 550 miles of half of the nation's population. WHO YOU GONNA CALL? Experience Columbus – (614) 222-6151 http://meet.experiencecolumbus.com Columbus African American Chamber of Commerce (614) 340-4890 ••AKRON•• With a wonderful array of sites and attractions, accommodations and restau- rants, meeting and convention facilities and countless recreational activities, Akron/Summit County should be your next destination for fun and excitement. At the John S. Knight Center, Akron's primary meeting facility, you'll find all the usual amenities you'd expect from a con- vention center - 28,000 sq. ft. of exhibit hall space, large ballrooms, a green room for your speakers, and breakout rooms. You'll also find unique and interesting spaces, like a two-story, 3,000-sq. ft. glass rotunda and a rooftop patio perfect for mixers and cocktails. Many of the spaces can be opened into each other or sectioned into halves, making for flexible and accommodating room setups depending on your vision. While in Akron make sure and explore the cities African-American influence by visiting the Dr. Shirla R. McClain Gallery of Akron Black History & Culture. Get an in-depth look at the history and experi- ences of African Americans who have helped develop and shape Akron. The gallery serves as a showplace for the research activities of The University of Akron Pan African Center for Community Studies. The Akron-Canton Airport (CAK), about 15 minutes south of downtown Akron, is one of the nation's fastest-grow- ing airports, but it also boasts Ohio's low- est average fare. WHO YOU GONNA CALL? Akron/Summit CVB (800) 245.4254 www.vivitakron-summit.org Akron Black Chamber of Commerce (330) 434-1222 B M & T ••• November/December 2017 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 38 AREA GUIDES A view of Downtown Cleveland Skyline, from the Cuyahoga River. • • • STATS • • • HOTEL ROOMS Kalahari Resort 756 Renaissance Cleveland Hotel 491 The Doubletree by Hilton Cleveland East Beachwood 404 EXHIBITION FACILITIES Cleveland Convention Center total exhibit space 375,000 sq. ft. meeting rooms 37 WHO YOU GONNA CALL? Positively Cleveland and Cleveland Plus Visitors Center (800) 321-1001 www.positivelycleveland.com Greater Cleveland African American Chamber of Commerce (216) 624-5119