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B M & T ••• January/February 2018 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 28 AREA GUIDES ties that serve as the backdrop for this unique art form. If you are contemplating a meeting in Philly, be sure to reach out to Greg DeShields, executive director of PHL- Diversity. a division of the Philadelphia CVB. He and his team will provide all the support you need to make your event there a huge success. At Philadelphia International Airport, 28 airlines (3 of which are low-fare carri- ers) operate nearly 600 daily nonstop flights from 120 cities, including 60 daily and seasonal flights from 36 international destinations. ••PITTSBURG•• Pittsburgh's sparkling clean rivers and beautiful bridges provide the perfect backdrop to the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, the world's first gold LEED-certified convention center. The Leadership in Energy and Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings. Come sample the city's award-winning customer service, tour the green Convention Center and discover all that can be done to make your meeting "green." Conference attendees can stroll the walkable Downtown and see how very easy it is to get from the hotels to the meeting spaces to the endless entertainment and dining options. In Downtown Pittsburgh, you'll find a wide variety of hotel options to suit every taste and budget. From elegant to accessible, Victorian-era charm to contemporary, you're sure to find the right room right where you need it. Though the different properties may all set unique moods, all include state-of- the-art features like high-speed inter- net. Connected to the Convention Center via an enclosed skywalk, Westin Convention Center, Pittsburgh is in the heart of Downtown. Guest rooms offer city views and feature Westin's signature Heavenly Bed and Heavenly Bath. The hotel is equipped with 616 rooms and 34,000 sq. ft. of meeting space. When the workday is done, there are so many ways to tour and sightsee around the city of Pittsburgh. You can take a tour by bike, trolley, boat, bus or Segway, or go old fashioned and explore on your own two feet. Learn about the culture of Pittsburgh though food, shop- ping, and exploring the 90+ neighbor- hoods that make up this city. Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) is only 25 minutes from Downtown Pittsburgh and supports about 155 non- stop flights per day to 37 destinations. ••VALLEY FORGE•• Valley Forge is an unincorporated set- tlement located on the west side of Valley Forge National Historical Park at the con- fluence of Valley Creek and the Schuylkill River in Pennsylvania. The city has a great location, just 30 minutes from Philadelphia and the Philadelphia International Airport. The city's meeting facilities are flexible to accommodate everything from one- box events at 200 rooms to area-wides at 900 rooms, expos up to 3,800 rooms and sporting events pulling 8,000 rooms. The Valley Forge area is home to one of the greatest concentrations of meeting and conference centers in the country, includ- ing five that are IACC-approved. The Tourism & Convention Board works with 12 area conference hotels - well-known brands like Crowne Plaza, Marriott and Doubletree, as well as several unique, independent properties that you will only find in Valley Forge & Montgomery County, PA. Additional venues include smaller hotels, bed and breakfasts and inns, theaters and playhouses, historic homes, museums and more unique meet- ing spaces. WHO YOU GONNA CALL? Valley Forge Tourism & Convention Board (610) 834-1550 www.valleyforge.org • • • STATS • • • HOTEL ROOMS Westin Convention Center, Pittsburgh 616 Omni William Penn Hotel 596 Pittsburgh Marriott City Center 402 EXHIBITION FACILITIES David L. Lawrence Convention Center total meeting space 313,400 sq. ft. meeting rooms 51 WHO YOU GONNA CALL? Greater Pittsburgh CVB (800) 359-0758 www.planpittsburgh.com African-American Chamber Of Commerce Of Western Pennsylvania (412) 392-0610 Photo Credit The Zach Morris Experience David L. Lawrence Convention Center - Credit The Zach Morris Experience