FLORIDA.

A WARM WELCOME AWAITS YOU

Even though the Sunshine State has some of the most spectacular scenery around, the real beauty of Florida is its array of attractions for association professionals. From Pensacola to Palm Beach, there are sites and settings to suit groups of all sizes, from the thrill of a theme park to the quiet of a quaint fishing town, and everything in between. The state's rich history reflects a coming together of cultures like no other, making it a natural meeting place for the leading thinkers and doers of today.

Spanish settlers first sailed to Pensacola more than 400 years ago, and people have been meeting here ever since. The city has some of the region's larger venues, ranging from the 22,000-square-foot civic center to the rustic Big Lagoon State Recreation Area. There are more than 9,200 guest rooms available at properties such as the Crowne Plaza Pensacola Grand Hotel, the Beachside Resort & Convention Center, Holiday Inn Bay Beach, and Clarion Suites Resort and Convention Center.

There's plenty to do beyond the boardroom, as well, with Pensacola's beautiful beaches, historic attractions, and natural wonders. Your meeting will really take off with a trip to the National Museum of Naval Aviation, one of the world's largest and most spectacular air and space museums.

Heading west you'll find the aptly named Emerald Coast, a gem for small to midsize meetings. With a mix of spaces and places, the area that's home to Destin, Fort Walton Beach, and Okaloosa Island has lots to offer business travelers, and will soon be able to offer even more.

By this time next year, a new 70,000-square-foot conference center will nearly double the area's meeting space capabilities. Among the individual properties, hosts include the 335-room Ramada Plaza Beach Resort, with 14,000 square feet of meeting space, and the 287-room Radisson Beach Resort, with 10,000 square feet.

The Beaches of South Walton feature some of Florida's most beautiful waterfront meeting sites. More than 30,000 square feet of space is available at Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort, the largest of its kind on the Gulf Coast. The resort sits on 2,400 acres and accommodates up to 1,000 for meetings and events. Ballrooms, breakouts, and boardrooms alongside some of the finest golf, tennis, and swimming around make it easy on meeting planners whose participants favor the work hard-play hard approach.

Another option for those looking to blend business with pleasure is Panama City Beach, with more than 90,000 square feet of meeting space and nearly 30 miles of snow-white sand. The area's most popular properties: Boardwalk Beach Resort, which offers 36,000 square feet of meeting space and Panama City's largest ballroom; Marriott Bay Point Resort, with 40,000 square feet; Edgewater Beach Resort, with 13,500 square feet; and Paradise Found Resorts, offering more than 1,300 square feet. With what's been called the world's most beautiful beach as a backdrop, your meeting will surely please mind and soul alike. The region that extends from Gadsden and Wakulla Counties in the west to Alachua County in the east is nothing fancy--just fabulous. North Central Florida is known as the "Nature Coast," where plantations replace palm trees and sandy beaches give way to freshwater springs. Capital city Tallahassee mixes history with high tech as home to two state universities and impressive convention facilities totaling 350,000 square feet.

The Tallahassee-Leon County Civic Center, admired for its first-class facilities and size, seats 14,000 and features nearly 70,000 square feet of convention space. A 40,000-square-foot exhibition hall has six connecting meeting rooms, which can be configured in a variety of floor plans to accommodate gatherings large or small.

Adjacent to the civic center is the Turnbull Conference Center, which is operated by Florida State University. Just steps from the capitol, the center's convenient location and beautifully designed open wood and glass architecture, surrounded by live oaks and magnolias, terraced gardens, and winding decks make it an idyllic site for conferences, meetings, workshops, and special events. It offers 36,000 square feet spanning 10 large meeting rooms, two computer training labs, an executive boardroom, 375-seat auditorium, and large dining room that accommodates up to 300.

Not far from town you'll find the newly renovated Wakulla Springs Lodge and Conference Center, a tranquil alternative for executive gatherings. Other nearby spots for smaller meetings include the Brokaw-McDougall House, a restored downtown antebellum home; Helen Lind Garden, a sculpture park in the heart of Tallahassee's historic district; and Bradfordville Hunt Club, an authentic 1900-era farmhouse surrounded by oaks and pines.

To the east is Gainesville, home to the University of Florida and plenty of options when it comes to meeting space. The massive Stephen C. O'Connell Center can seat 12,000; the Martin Luther King Center has 18,000 square feet of space; and the Historic Thomas Center, considered the cultural heart of the city, features five meeting rooms in a beautifully restored Mediterranean Revival-style house, which also serves as an art gallery and historical museum. The Doubletree Hotel and Conference Center on the university's campus is one of Gainesville's premier facilities, with 25,000 square feet of state-of-the-art meeting space and 245 luxury guest rooms, all with high-speed Internet access.

In addition to its university connections, Alachua County's appeal is its collection of quaint towns: Micanopy, the oldest inland town in Florida; Hawthorne, long considered the "Heart of Freshwater Fishing"; and High Springs, a railroad town turned rustic paradise that beckons birdwatchers to bask in its beauty. Meeting participants would enjoy a pre- or post-conference retreat in any of these towns.

Productive by day, peaceful by night--this pleasing pace can be found on Amelia Island, Northeast Florida's oceanfront oasis. Planners will enjoy more than 100,000 square feet of function space, while convention-goers will appreciate the area's natural beauty and charm. The island's many historic B&Bs recall bygone eras and provide wonderful alternatives for small-group gatherings. In all, Amelia Island offers more than 2,400 suites, villas, and guest rooms to suit any preference.

The largest of the island's three resorts, Amelia Island Plantation offers more than 56,000 square feet of meeting space in the Amelia Island Conference Center and the Amelia Island Racquet Park. The Conference Center totals 50,000 square feet including two ballrooms (11,000 and 5,600 square feet) and multiple meeting rooms ranging from 525 square feet to 1,440 square feet. In addition, a large conference room at the Racquet Park can be creatively configured to your needs.

The 449-room Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island features more than 35,000 square feet of conference space including a 13,348-square-foot ballroom, the largest in Northeast Florida. The resort, poised on a bluff overlooking the ocean, is the only Ritz-Carlton property in the mainland United States to feature a golf course on site. Adding to the island's collection of gorgeous greens is The Royal Amelia Links, an 18-hole course that opened last year and offers some of the greatest golf around.

Located just 30 miles down the road, Jacksonville has undergone expansions and renovations that have transformed the city into a premier meeting destination. A $30 million redevelopment of the Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts places it among the finest facilities of its kind in the southeastern United States. The new venue includes 22,000 square feet of meeting space distinguished by three concert halls that seat 600-3,200 people. The Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Coliseum multipurpose facility, which accommodates large trade shows and groups up to 10,000 has also been refurbished. Smaller groups may be drawn to the Florida Theatre, Conference Center at the Avenues, or the Ramada Conference Center, nestled in 19 acres of wooded sanctuary just across the river from downtown.

Where trains once ran on time, meetings run like clockwork: the Prime Osborn Convention Center, a former railway station, is spacious and versatile enough to accommodate just about any gathering. In addition to 265,000 square feet of meeting space, the Grand Lobby wows guests with a soaring 75-foot vaulted ceiling, towering windows, and marble floors.

A new monorail, the Skyway Express, connects the Convention Center to several downtown properties, making it easy on meeting attendees. In recent hotel news, the 250-room Jacksonville Marriott added a 2,800-square-foot banquet and meeting room, and the Embassy Suites Hotel is planning to add 67 rooms to its 210-suite portfolio this fall. But the biggest development of all is the new 966-room Adam's Mark Jacksonville, which opened in February with 110,000 square feet of meeting space, banquet seating for 2,200, and rave reviews.

South of Jacksonville is St. Johns County, home to Ponte Vedra Beach, St. Augustine, and a host of cultural treasures. And there's something new in America's oldest city: Old St. Augustine Village was recently unveiled following an 11-year restoration project to refurbish historic homes and gardens dating from 1790.

Many golfers, novices and veterans alike, dream of being sent to a conference at the Sawgrass Marriott Resort in Ponte Vedra Beach, where 99 challenging fairways make the perfect post-meeting escape. The resort's 8,000-square-foot Masters Ballroom, the largest of its function rooms (whose square footage totals 35,000), easily holds 700 reception guests. Championship golf and meeting service can also be found at Ponce de Leon Golf and Conference Resort in St. Augustine; eight meeting rooms and an executive boardroom accommodate 12-480 attendees.

The area certainly solidified its position as an international golf mecca with the expanding World Golf Village, which features the World Golf Hall of Fame and 300-seat MAX theater, as well as two luxurious hotels, a convention center with 40,000 square feet of space, an upscale shopping district, and of course, golf. The Slammer and The Squire, an 18-hole championship course, was joined last year by The King and The Bear, codesigned by golf greats Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer.

Tampa Bay is quickly becoming a hot convention destination. With new and improved hotel properties, an expanding convention center, and developing entertainment districts, bookings for future meetings are on a steep climb.

The city now offers 1,800 guest rooms downtown and 4,000 more within a few miles. Recent hotel happenings include the new 717-room Tampa Marriott Waterside, which opened last year. The resort-style property includes more than 50,000 square feet of flexible meeting and banquet space. Conveniently located downtown, the hotel has inspired its neighbor, the 600,000-square-foot Tampa Convention Center, to make some changes of its own. Current plans call for reconfiguring existing space to double the number of breakout rooms.

In June 2000, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts completed a multi-million-dollar renovation to two Tampa properties. The Wyndham Harbour Island and Wyndham Westshore both refurbished their meeting space (18,000 and 12,000 square feet respectively). Among other new Tampa Bay attractions: The New Centro Ybor Entertainment Complex and waterfront Channelside Entertainment Complex, with stores, restaurants, and theaters, including IMAX.

To go along with the exciting enhancements that make this area an increasingly popular place to meet, Tampa International Airport has begun work on a five-year, $400 million expansion. In addition, the Tampa/Hillsborough Convention and Visitors Association unveiled a new name: Tampa Bay Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Across the Bay, St. Petersburg and Clearwater are known as Florida's Beach, and offer meeting planners just about everything under the sun. From small, intimate settings to space for 50,000, the area is unmatched in sheer variety.

Florida's Beach beckons big groups with the Bayfront Center, the Harborview Center, Ruth Eckerd Hall, The Coliseum, and Tropicana Field, which combine to offer more than 227,000 square feet of convention space. The area is also becoming the state's cultural center, with many of its museums and attractions offering excellent alternatives for receptions and events. These include the Florida International Museum, the Salvador Dali Museum, the Florida Botanical Gardens, Baywalk Entertainment Complex, Museum of Fine Arts, and St. Petersburg Museum of History.

With more than 30,000 guest rooms, the area is also attracting attention for several hotel developments. TradeWinds Island Resorts has unveiled the largest resort complex on the Gulf Coast: The company assumed management of the new Sirata Beach complex, changed the name of the TradeWinds Resort to the TradeWinds Island Grand, and completed a comprehensive $20 million renovation. The TradeWinds Sirata Beach Resort & Conference Center features 13,000 square feet of meeting space with rooms that can hold up to 550 and reception space for 1,000.

The Sheraton Sand Key Resort recently remodeled all 24,000 square feet of its conference space, and is ready to host groups up to 1,200. Developers have also received site-plan approval for a $47 million, four-star hotel in the Gateway area: a full-service, 11-story hotel will feature 300 rooms and ample meeting space, including a ballroom.

Orlando tops the list of the world's leading meeting destinations, with 1.1 million square feet of contiguous exhibit space at a state-of-the-art convention center and more than 2.9 million square feet of meeting space in surrounding hotels and venues.

The Orange County Convention Center is already the area's single largest site, and by late 2003 it will nearly double its size to offer 2.1 million square feet of space. Sizeable groups also gather at the Orlando Expo Centre, which features 70,000 square feet and many uses, as well as the Tupperware Center, with 60,000 square feet of floor space and theater seating for nearly 2,000.

The Peabody Orlando, conveniently Located across from the convention center, has major expansion plans that include a new 1,000-room tower, bringing its total guest-room count to 1,891 by 2004. The enhanced property will feature 182,000 square feet of meeting space, including a new 50,000-square-foot ballroom and 35,000-square-foot all-purpose room.

Local hotelier Harris Rosen has announced plans to create a hotel company called Rosen Hotels & Resorts, which will continue to operate his six existing properties that offer a combined 5,000 rooms. Rosen's two convention hotels--the 800-room Clarion Plaza Hotel and the 1,334-room Omni Rosen Hotel--will be known as The Rosen Plaza and The Rosen Centre, respectively.

The Wyndham Orlando Resort completed a $40 million refurbishment that included its 1,052 guest rooms and overhaul of its 30,000-square-foot meeting facility, including a dramatic outdoor pavilion and 4,000-square-foot Grand Lawn. The company's other area property, the Wyndham Palace Resort and Spa in the Walt Disney World Resort just finished a $12 million renovation that transformed the resort's 90,000 square feet of meeting space with state-of-the-art technology in lighting, sound, video, and networking capabilities.

Walt Disney World puts the "Oh!" in Orlando, with the largest dedicated group facility ever created inside a theme park. Set to open this summer, the 40,000-square-foot World ShowPlace will be located in the middle of Epcot where countries come together--the perfect place for a meeting of the minds. The space comfortably accommodates 4,000 for receptions, or more than 3,000 for a sit-down banquet. And the Disney on-site event team can help meeting professionals create events that capture the cultural excitement of the environment.

Planners may want to build some time into the schedule for attendees to enjoy the unparalleled learning opportunities at the Disney Institute, which features a wide range of custom-made programs, from people management and quality service to creativity, leadership, and operational excellence. Programs showcase the same strategies and philosophies that have made the Walt Disney World Resort a success.

Another star attraction is Universal Studios, which has opened two of its three on-site hotels: The 750-room Portofino Bay Hotel, a Loews property, and the brand-new, 650-room Hard Rock Hotel. Still to come, the 1,000-room Royal Pacific Resort, which is gearing up to greet adventurers in 2002.

Just minutes from Orlando, you'll find Kissimmee-St. Cloud, generating lots of excitement of its own. Leading the charge is the Opryland Hotel, well on its way to a grand opening in February 2002. The property will offer 400,000 square feet of meeting and exhibition space, 1,400 guest rooms, and several restaurants and entertainment venues, all in the spirit of the Sunshine State. The Florida resort is Opryland's first hotel construction project in the tradition of the acclaimed Opryland Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee.

The area is also the future home of the massive World Expo Park that, when completed, will feature a 3.6 million-square-foot World Expo Center, a 143,000-Square-foot Osceola County Convention Center, 9,000 hotel rooms, two championship golf courses, and more. The first phase of development is slated for 2004.

Close enough to be convenient, but perhaps more affordable than its big-city neighbors, Lakeland has special things in store for meeting planners. The newly renovated Lakeland Center provides more than 90,000 square feet of exhibit space, a banquet hall to seat 2,500, and an impressive conference center.

Daytona Beach is growing as fast as the cars that zoom around its famous speedway, with new meeting facilities, hotels, and group-oriented attractions. By design, Ocean Walk Village is the center of activity. Upon its completion this fall, it will offer 1,000 first-quality rooms and more than 126,000 square feet of flexible meeting space. The expected expansion of the Ocean Center will nearly double this number to 250,000 square feet by the spring of 2002; the center is currently equipped to handle groups and events of all types with 18 separate meeting rooms, banquet seating for 2,000, and general assembly seating for 10,000.

The $200 million addition to Daytona Beach's resort area includes Adventure Landing, a water park and entertainment center with event and meeting space for groups up to 5,000. This, combined with nearby hotel expansions and other area enhancements, gives planners more possibilities and visitors a much improved place to play.

Opening this spring, the Ocean Walk Resort offers a 5,000-square-foot conference facility and luxury accommodations, 176 guest suites in all. The nearby Adam's Mark is undergoing an expansion that will add 306 rooms and 35,000 square feet of meeting space, including an 18,000-square-foot ballroom. When the expansion is completed in February 2002, the Adam's Mark total room inventory will increase to 742 and meeting space will nearly double.

Heading south is the Space Coast, covering 72 miles of sun-bronzed shore from Titusville and Cocoa Beach down to Melbourne and Palm Bay. Vast wildlife refuges and saltwater estuaries harmonize with high-tech attractions to make this area of Florida out of this world, with down-to-earth prices.

Florida's Space Coast features a total of 160,000 square feet of meeting space and more than 8,600 guest rooms, not to mention some of the most unique venues around. Among them is, of course, the Kennedy Space Center, where the pioneering spirit of America's early space explorers greets guests in the complex's new conference facility overlooking the historic Rocket Garden. What better way to inspire your group to new heights?

Amazingly, 6.2-million-pound space shuttles coexist peacefully with hundreds of species of shore birds, nesting loggerhead sea turtles, and a variety of other protected native wildlife. In fact, the 220-square-mile Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge is home to more federally endangered species than any other refuge in the United States. The stunning surroundings make a great day trip or team-building adventure.

Southwest Florida's finest offerings begin in the Bradenton area, home to the luxurious Longboat Key Club, which offers elegant conference facilities for small groups up to 150, and 232 newly renovated suites. The nearby Holiday Inn Hotel and Suites can handle slightly larger groups, with a ballroom ready to accommodate as many as 400.

There's a reason neighboring Sarasota is called the "Cultural Coast": The area's longstanding tradition of world-class arts organizations inspires planners to get creative when it comes to meetings. The community boasts its own ballet, opera, and symphony, as well as more than 30 galleries and museums. Groups will enjoy the new Museum of Asian Art, the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, and the seashell-shaped Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, which is better than ever following recent renovations. Meanwhile, the Ritz-Carlton began construction on a new property to be located near the Hyatt Sarasota, the city's largest meeting hotel. The Hyatt is in the process of renovating its ballroom and 15,000 square feet of meeting space following a complete overhaul of its 309 guest rooms and suites.

For those looking for a little quiet after the conference, Sarasota's seaside communities make perfect getaways: Casey Key, Englewood, Osprey, Venice, and Siesta Key are among those that offer unparalleled serenity and scenery.

Business need not be boring on the Lee Island Coast, where the practical and the tropical come together in quaint coastal communities. In Fort Myers, meeting planners will find spaces to suit up to 8,000 people. The Harborside Convention Complex in downtown Fort Myers offers 50,000 square feet of meeting area, including a 2,990-seat theater and conference rooms that seat 300. Plans are now underway to expand the complex to meet the growing demand for convention space. Other than Harborside, most of the area's premier meeting facilities may be found at area resorts and hotels.

The islands of Sanibel and Captiva are home to a variety of superior properties, both large and small. One of the best known is Captiva Island's South Seas Resort, located on 330 acres and featuring more than 32,000 square feet of remodeled reception areas and meeting rooms for groups up to 500. Work and play come together quite nicely at Sanibel's Sundial Beach Resort, which offers meeting space totaling 13,000 square feet as well as golf, tennis, swimming, sailing, and more. Several other beachfront inns on the island are ideal for much smaller gatherings that require a more intimate setting with all the amenities.

The mainland features additional waterfront resorts that cater to groups of all sizes. Sanibel Harbour Resort & Spa is the largest and most luxurious, with more than 400 guest rooms; its spacious meeting facilities total 45,000 square feet and include a brand new waterfront conference center. By fall 2001, the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point is scheduled to open in Bonita Springs. In addition to 450 guest rooms, the resort will feature two ballrooms totaling 21,000 square feet, as well as meeting rooms and boardrooms.

Nearby Naples and its neighboring communities of Immokalee and Golden Gate

offer more than 5,000 guest rooms in addition to the 20,000 along the Lee Island Coast. And links lovers will appreciate knowing that some of the world's best golf can be found here, as Southwest Florida features more than 95 courses. By far the biggest news in Palm Beach County is the building of a new convention center. By May 2003, downtown West Palm Beach will have a world-class center with 300,000 square feet of state-of-the-art space. The facility will feature a 100,000-square-foot exhibit hall, 25,000-square-foot ballroom, and breakout space encompassing some 23,000 square feet. Across from the new center is the extraordinary $600 million CityPlace, with a mix of retail shopping, dining and nightlife, performing arts center, opera house, and museums. And talk about convenient: Palm Beach International Airport is just a traffic light away.

Palm Beach County's unique meeting sites range from the 85,000-square-foot South Florida Entertainment Center and the 27,600-square-foot West Palm Beach Auditorium to the 1,000-seat outdoor amphitheater at the Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts and the 700-passenger Viking Princess cruise ship. In addition, some of the area's premier luxury resorts are able to host events for up to 2,000 people.

Greater Fort Lauderdale is becoming even greater with an extraordinary number of developments in the works. Over the next couple of years, more than $2 billion will be pumped into area tourism and recreation-related projects. Among them, the $30 million expansion of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention Center, which will be completed this fall; the 230,000-square-foot addition will bring the center's total meeting and exhibit space to 500,000 square feet. A new on-site hotel targeted for completion by October 2002 will offer 500 guest rooms, as well as additional conference facilities.

When it comes to hotels, Greater Fort Lauderdale has more than 30,000 guest rooms across 600 properties. Over the next few years, the area will introduce 12 new hotels, including the following:

* The Diplomat Resort, scheduled to open in January 2002, will feature 39 stories, 1,000 guest rooms, and a 50,000-square-foot great hall and adjacent 215,000-square-foot conference center.

* The St. Regis Hotel, which began construction earlier this year, will feature 234 guest rooms along with 22,000 square feet of meeting space.

* The Riverside Hotel, a landmark in downtown Fort Lauderdale since 1936, will add guest rooms and an additional 7,400 square feet of meeting space by early 2002.

* Marriott, Hilton, and Embassy Suites all plan new properties in the next few years, as well.

And to keep pace with the progress, the Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport is currently undergoing an expansion that will more than double its capacity to 25 million passengers by 2015.

Things are looking up in Miami--and not just because the city's preparing to welcome the tallest building south of Atlanta when its first-ever Four Seasons Hotel and Tower opens next year. It seems people can't get enough of what's hip, hot, and happening. The area is experiencing the biggest hotel boom since the 19805, and the Miami Convention Center, with more than 1 million square feet of function space, is at the heart of it all.

The Roney Palace Beach Resort and Spa is a recent addition to Miami's famed South Beach area, and offers 11 individually designed meeting rooms totaling more than 30,000 square feet. Each room has the fiber optic infrastructure for teleconferencing, high-speed Internet access, and more. In other developments, the $100 million, 329-room Mandarin Oriental just celebrated its grand opening, adding another 12,000 square feet of function space to Miami's inventory. And the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables introduced the Conference Center of the Americas in June 2000; the 40,000-square-foot center features 11 new meeting rooms and a pair of amphitheaters accommodating up to 90 people.

Unlock the secret to a magical meeting in the Florida Keys, and treat your executive team to some well-deserved R&R. A perfect choice for smaller groups, the five areas of Key Largo, Islamorada, Marathon, Big Pine Key, and Key West each offer unique gathering spots and getaways.

Marathon's 176-room Hawk's Cay Resort now features 25,000 square feet of meeting space that masquerades as paradise. The waterfront facilities include two distinctive conference centers, and offer the largest single meeting space in the Keys, with room for more than 600.

The Wyndham Casa Marina Resort, located on Key West's largest private beach, offers more than 15,000 square feet of function space, including three ballrooms, eight breakouts, and an ocean-view terrace--just perfect for the spectacular sunsets for which this part of Florida is famous.

Getting to the Keys is easy--and actually enjoyable! The two-hour drive from Miami to Key West is one of the most scenic around. Key West International Airport is also served by several airlines.