Greater Phoenix: the premier meeting destination. (Hospitality).

The flavor of the Old West, the culture of the Southwest, and modern technology and meeting space...that's Greater Phoenix. With nearly 53,000 rooms and millions of square feet of meeting space, Greater Phoenix offers numerous meeting possibilities. Consistently ranked at the top in the annual Zagat Top U.S. Hotels, Resorts, and Spas, Greater Phoenix offers luxury accommodations and indulgent spas for rejuvenation after a day of work or play.

Greater Phoenix averages more than 330 sun-filled days a year, perfect for endless outdoor desert activities, including golfing on one of the 190-plus championship courses, tennis, desert Jeep and Hummer tours, hot-air balloon rides, horseback riding, hiking, biking, and rock climbing. Water adventures, including boating, skiing, fishing, and tours, are offered at all of the six lakes throughout the Phoenix area. Sports aficionados can enjoy watching the World Champion Arizona Diamondbacks baseball team, the NBA Phoenix Suns, the NHL Phoenix Coyotes, and the WNBA Phoenix Mercury, as well as seven major-league baseball teams that call Greater Phoenix home for spring training.

Greater Phoenix also has a museum for every taste. The world-renowned Native American Heard Museum; the Desert Botanical Garden; Taliesin West, home of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation; and the Phoenix Art Museum, the Southwest's largest art museum; to name but a few. Fine arts abound with ballet and opera companies, a symphony orchestra, and more than 20 theater groups. Rock, jazz, country, and other musical performances can be enjoyed at Phoenix's many nightclubs, arenas, and theaters.

The Phoenix Civic Plaza Convention Center offers 375,000 square feet of flexible convention, meeting, and special-event space in Copper Square, the heart of downtown Phoenix.

All meeting and exhibit space is on one level and contiguous. 1,750 hotel rooms are within walking distance from the facility; more than 6,000 rooms within 10 minutes. The convention center is surrounded by cultural and sports venues, restaurants, nightlife, and shopping. Bank One Ballpark, home of the World Champion Arizona Diamondbacks, seats 49,000 and is directly across from the Phoenix Civic Plaza. Also across the street is the America West Arena that seats 17,000 and has a 25,000-square-foot event floor. The new Dodge Theatre is a 165,000 square feet, state-of-the-art facility with a seating capacity that ranges from 2,200-6,000.

The convention center is less than 10 minutes from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, the sixth-busiest airport in the United States and the airline hub of the southwest. Daily nonstop flights serve 108 cities. The airport is served by 23 commercial airlines.

Three new resorts will open in the fall of 2002. J.W. Marriott Resort and Spa, Arizona's largest resort opening November 2002, will boast 950 rooms, two golf courses, 10 distinctive dining experiences, and more than 200,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting space.

Westin Kierland Resort and Spa, also opening November 2002, will feature 750 rooms, two championship golf courses, and is adjacent to the upscale retail center Kierland Commons. Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort and Spa, a luxurious and unique resort that celebrates two local Native American tribes, will open October 2002 and offers 500 rooms and two championship golf courses.

Many other resorts have undergone recent renovations. Formerly John Gardiner's Tennis Ranch, the transformed Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain opened as a boutique resort last year. The 12,000-square-foot spa at Sanctuary made its debut in the first quarter of 2002. Pointe South Mountain, the 640 all-suite resort, completed an $8 million guest room renovation. The Phoenician is finishing its $25 million resort renovation, including refurbished guest rooms and casitas, added amenities, and renovated restaurants. The Arizona Biltmore Resort has just completed a multimillion dollar renovation of its conference center and a lobby renovation. The 15,159-square-foot McArthur Ballroom will be complete October 2002, while the new 25,856-square-foot Frank Lloyd Wright Ballroom will debut December 2003. A 10,300-square-foot luxury spa is under construction at Royal Palms Hotel and Casitas. Slated to open December 2002, the spa will feature seven treatment rooms, a fitness center, and salon.

Convention Services can provide promotional assistance with marketing upcoming conferences and can help meeting planners secure goods, services, and promotion materials. Registration staff are available to assist with your conference needs. Housing via Passkey simplifies booking hotel rooms for convention attendees. You can also establish a hyperlink from your Web site to our Web site.