“Get out of Your Comfort Zone and Get a Front-Row Seat to Life” and “Playing It Safe is Risky” are not only the subject matters of some terrific keynote speakers, they are good philosophies to keep in mind when planning for your next event. While we are all aware of the major and most popular cities to hold conventions and conferences, thinking outside of the box can pay big dividends. There are plenty of “off-the-beaten-path” communities that have a lot to offer conference goers that may enhance their experience. Here is a look at 5 Underestimated Cities to Hold a Conference.

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

While many may consider Oklahoma a “Flyover State”, OKC is building its reputation as a growing, youthful community with plenty of things to do and major city amenities. Bricktown, located just a block from the Chesapeake Energy Arena, is Oklahoma City’s hottest entertainment district with plenty of places to grab a drink and enjoy live music. It is hip, trendy, and one of the centerpieces of the community’s rebirth. The community offers a wide range of facilities to accommodate just about any size meeting or conference. Choose from large, modern facilities or select from historic, smaller hotels and venues. The city boasts of downtown parking that is easy and affordable. It is also home to enjoying side-trips like the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, and a highly-touted Zoo and Botanical Gardens. The city always has special events planned, so check out their calendar to see what’s happening over your conference dates.

Cleveland, Ohio

The home of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, this Northeastern Ohio community has a lot to offer. A light rail system makes it easy to travel from the airport to downtown and even connects to area attractions and entertainment districts. The new Cleveland Convention Center has 225,000 square feet of Class A exhibit space that is divisible into three exhibition halls, 35 state-of-the-art meeting rooms, and a 32,000-square-foot, column-free ballroom with amazing views of Cleveland’s lakefront. Attached to the Convention Center is the Global Center for Health Innovation. This is the only facility in the world that displays the future of health and healthcare on four themed floors. Also downtown, is a relatively new casino that has a walkway to nearby Quicken Loans Arena, home of the NBA Cavaliers, and Progressive Field, where the Indians play baseball.  This diverse city has a world-class or orchestra, some terrific museums, and a remarkable science center. It is also offers something some major convention cities don’t…affordability.

Austin, Texas

Austin bills itself as “The Live Music Capital of the World” and its eclectic atmosphere will immediately add a positive vibe to your event. The Austin Convention Center not only features 900,000 square feet of high-tech meeting space, it is also LEED® Gold certified. There is 246,000 sq. ft. of column free space, two large ballrooms and 54 meetings rooms. The Center sits right in the heart of downtown Austin and is a perfect facility for hosting tech-related meetings and conferences.  With a popular of slogan of “Keep Austin Weird”, the city’s quirky personality can add some edgy fun to your event. The city’s Visitors and Convention website has a variety of useful tools to help promote your event. Even after your event is completed, Austin will certainly give your attendees something to talk about.

Portland, Oregon

With impressive Mount Hood serving as a backdrop, visitors love Portland’s walkable downtown with access to a wide choice of places to eat and drink. The area has green spaces, cultural features, and perhaps best of all, it offers tax-free shopping. That’s right, there is no sales tax or food and beverage tax in Portland. Getting around is easy with modern public transportation (free within downtown!). The Oregon Convention Center has 255,000 square feet of contiguous exhibit space along with 50 meeting rooms and two grand ballrooms. The OCC has full-service catering and is the largest facility of its type in the Pacific Northwest. If energy consciousness is a part of your decision making process, the OCC has been a LEED® certified facility since 2004. In 2014 it reached Platinum level certification, making it just one of two centers in the country to earn this highest level.  If your attendees are looking for amazing food and beverage, tax-free shopping, and the most environmentally friendly event spaces in the country, Portland is for you!

Stowe, Vermont

While this quaint community doesn’t have its own civic or convention  center, several of this beautiful area’s hotels have a variety of meeting spaces that make it worth considering for smaller events of up to 400 people. If the name Stowe sounds familiar it may be because it is home to Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream, always worth a visit. Don’t be fooled by the laid back atmosphere of Stowe. The community makes use of cutting edge technology making getting things done easier. The city has over 50 restaurants, many of which have won Wine Spectator Awards for Excellence. Vermont is the only state with a state-wide convention and visitor’s bureau so if Stowe is less-than perfect for your next event, they can help you find another location…ANYWHERE in Vermont. If “atmosphere” is a critical component in your choice of meeting spaces, consider an out-of-the-box choice like Stowe, Vermont.

Combining a terrific location with a compelling speaker can be powerful components of a successful event. There are plenty of resources to assist you in choosing an amazing location. At Speak Inc., we can help you find the perfect speaker to address your attendees. Contact us today to learn more.

Source

www.visitokc.com/

www.austintexas.org/

http://www.clevelandconventions.com/about-us

http://meetings.travelportland.com/venue/oregon-convention-center/

http://www.gostowe.com/meetings-a-conferences