Midwestern update.THE MOMENTUM CONTINUES As a memorable year wraps up in the Midwest, 2005 is shaping up to be equally notable for the region. Several impressive meetings-related facilities are set to debut this year as the Midwest continues its impressive development boom. Louisville, Kentucky  “Louisville” redirects here. For other uses, see Louisville (disambiguation). , will see several projects come to fruition in 2005, including the opening of the new 617-room Louisville Marriott Downtown, the $50 million upgrade of the Galt House The Galt House is a 25-story, 1300-room hotel in Louisville, Kentucky. The original hotel was erected in 1837. The current Galt House is presently the city's only hotel on the Ohio River. Hotel, and renovations to the Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center. The St. Charles Convention Center and adjacent, 300-room Embassy Suites also opens in spring just 30 minutes from downtown St. Louis Downtown St. Louis is the central business district of St. Louis, Missouri, the hub of tourism and entertainment and the anchor of the St. Louis Metropolitan area. The downtown is bounded by Interstate 64 to the south, Jefferson Ave. , which is slated to get a new ballpark and casino in 2006. The Pier Wisconsin museum and aquarium complex opens in late 2005 on the lakefront adjacent to the newly expanded Milwaukee Art Museum The Milwaukee Art Museum (MAM) is located on Lake Michigan in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The museum's history began in 1888 when the Milwaukee Art Association was created by a group of German panorama artists and local businessmen; its first home was the Layton Art Gallery. . Minneapolis also receives new arts facilities when the Walker Art Center expansion opens in spring. Even more substantial projects are on the horizon, with voters approving plans for the $250 million Sprint Center Sprint Center[1] is a large, multi-use indoor arena in downtown Kansas City, Missouri. [1] The building is located at 14th Street & Grand Boulevard, on the east side of the Power & Light District. multipurpose mul·ti·pur·pose adj. Designed or used for several purposes: a multipurpose room; multipurpose software. multipurpose Adjective arena in Kansas City, Missouri Kansas City is the largest city in the state of Missouri. It encompasses parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest in Missouri, which includes counties in both Missouri and Kansas. , and work continuing on the $850 million McCormick Place McCormick Place is an enormous exposition complex located in Chicago, Illinois. expansion in Chicago. Both projects are slated for completion in 2007. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ILLINOIS CHICAGO Ground broken for McCormick Place West expansion. The $850 million West Building expansion of Chicago's McCormick Place convention center officially got under way in May with ceremonial groundbreaking taking place. The project will add 470,000 square feet of exposition space and 250,000 square feet of meeting space, including a 100,000-square-foot ballroom. Other features of the West Building will be a fine dining restaurant and a rooftop garden with a covered terrace that will accommodate 800 people year-round. The expansion will boost the complex's total exhibit space to 2.6 million square feet and its total meeting space to more than 600,000 square feet by its completion in late 2007. Numerous associations already have booked the new facility for future conventions and trade shows. New Amalfi Hotel Chicago opens. The 215-room Amalfi Hotel Chicago opened earlier this year in the city's River North district. The boutique hotel Boutique hotel is a term originating in North America to describe intimate, usually luxurious or quirky hotel environments. Boutique hotels differentiate themselves from larger chain/branded hotels and motels by providing personalized level accommodation and services / facilities. caters to business travelers with a focus on personal touches, such as a CD/DVD library, magazines in each guest room, daily cocktail receptions, and breakfast service on each floor. Chicago now offers more than 28,000 hotel rooms in the central business district and more than 90,000 rooms in the metropolitan area. Swissotel renovates. The elegant Swissotel in downtown Chicago recently renovated its lobby with a completely new design, which includes a double-sided fireplace with accompanying gathering places. The large monumental stair in the center was removed, and an original photomedia bas-relief by noted artist Jan Gilbert entitled "Urban Currents: Chicago Stories" was added to the lobby of the 632-room hotel. Two new specialty suites also debuted at the Swissotel recently, including an executive suite with an attached room designed for children. The Swissotel offers 32 meeting rooms that can accommodate 500 people, including a 60-seat, tiered theater and a 43rd floor penthouse suite that can host up to 275 people for a reception. A health club and spa are located on the 42nd floor. PEORIA Historic hotel transformed into Radisson. The former Jumer's Castle Lodge in Verb 1. lodge in - live (in a certain place); "She resides in Princeton"; "he occupies two rooms on the top floor" occupy, reside move in - occupy a place; "The crowds are moving in" stay at - reside temporarily; "I'm staying at the Hilton" Peoria reopened as a Radisson hotel this past September after finishing a $3.5 million renovation. The 168-room property completely upgraded all 168 of its guest rooms by adding two-line telephones with data ports, high-speed Internet See broadband. access, and all-new hard and soft goods soft goods pl.n. See dry goods. Noun 1. soft goods - textiles or clothing and related merchandise drygoods commodity, trade good, good - articles of commerce . The hotel's restaurant, lounge, and meeting space were renovated and redesigned as well, and wireless Internet access See how to access the Internet. was added. ROSEMONT Rosemont Center expansion opens. The Rosemont Conference Center expansion was completed in August. More than 40,000 square feet of meeting space in 22 new rooms was added, bringing the facility's total meeting space to 92,000 square feet in 50 rooms. Also part of the expansion is a new boardroom and new grand ballroom that holds up to 2,500 people theater style. The conference center is linked via an enclosed skywalk to the Rosemont Convention Center and its 840,000 square feet of exhibit space. Surrounded by 14 hotels that offer 5,700 guest rooms, the complex is only five minutes from O'Hare International Airport O'Hare International Airport is an airport located in Chicago, Illinois, United States, 17 miles (27 km) northwest of the Chicago Loop. It is the largest hub of United Airlines (whose headquarters is in downtown Chicago) and the second-largest hub of American Airlines (after . INDIANA INDIANAPOLIS Omni to renovate, become Hilton. The Omni Hotel on the northeast side of Indianapolis will become a Hilton in the first quarter of 2005 after a $4.6 million renovation. The project will replace most of the furniture, carpet, and other decor and amenities in the 215 guest rooms. The meeting space, restaurant, and lobby also will be renovated. The Hilton brand has been active in recent months in the Indianapolis market. The former Ramada ra·ma·da n. Southwestern U.S. 1. a. An open or semienclosed shelter roofed with brush or branches, designed especially to provide shade. b. An open porch or breezeway. 2. Inn just off Monument Circle was upgraded and transformed into a Hilton Garden Inn Hilton Garden Inn is the name of a chain of hotels operated by Hilton Hotels Corporation. Hilton Garden Inns are considered to be upscale, mid-priced hotels that are designed for both business and leisure travelers. The hotel brand is similar to that of the Courtyard by Marriott brand. late last year, and the former Adam's Mark Adam's Mark is a chain of five upscale hotels in the United States. The chain was founded in the early 1970s by Fred Kummer and the chain is currently owned by HBE, Inc., which was also founded by Kummer. hotel downtown was rebranded a Hilton and began a $6.5 million renovation this summer. Additionally, a Conrad Hotel (a Hilton property) is being constructed downtown and scheduled to open in 2006. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] IOWA Iowa, state, United States Iowa (ī`əwə), midwestern state in the N central United States. It is bounded by the Mississippi R. DES MOINES Des Moines, city, United States Des Moines (dĭ moin`), city (1990 pop. 193,187), state capital and seat of Polk co., S central Iowa, at the junction of the Des Moines and Raccoon rivers; inc. Hotel to renovate, change flag. The former Quality Suites in West Des Moines West Des Moines (də moin`), city (1990 pop. 31,702), Polk co., S central Iowa, a growing suburb W of Des Moines; inc. 1893 as Valley Junction, renamed 1938. Products manufactured there include cement, metal items, and pumps. is undergoing an approximate $2.7 million renovation that is transforming it into a 97-room SpringHill Suites SpringHill Suites is part of the Marriott International family of hotels. In 1998, Marriott International announced plans to convert Fairfield Suites to SpringHill Suites by Marriott. by Marriott. The project, scheduled for completion in the first quarter of 2005, will create a hotel with SpringHill's signature amenities, such as separate areas for sleeping, working and eating, and relaxing; a pantry with mini-refrigerator, microwave, and coffee service. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Iowa Events Center The Iowa Events Center is a public events complex located in downtown Des Moines, Iowa. Overview The Iowa Events Center consists of the existing Veterans Memorial Auditorium, the existing Polk County Convention Complex, the new Hy-Vee Hall, and the new Wells Fargo Arena. set to open. The new Iowa Events Center is set to open by year's end in downtown Des Moines. The complex will be comprised of three separate but interconnected buildings, including two all-new facilities and the refurbished Veterans Memorial Auditorium Veterans Memorial Auditorium may refer to:
KANSAS OVERLAND PARK Overland Park, city (1990 pop. 111,790), Johnson co., NE Kans., a residential suburb of Kansas City; inc. 1960. There is printing and publishing, and the manufacture of apparel, aircraft parts, cement, prepared foods, salt, chemicals, marine accessories, and signs. DoubleTree Hotel to get $8 million upgrade. The DoubleTree Hotel Overland Park-Corporate Woods is in the midst Adv. 1. in the midst - the middle or central part or point; "in the midst of the forest"; "could he walk out in the midst of his piece?" midmost of an $8 million renovation that is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2005. The hotel is receiving a complete renovation to all 339 guest rooms and public spaces, including the creation of a new restaurant and health club. The 9,000-square-foot ballroom is being redesigned with new chandeliers, sconces, and color scheme. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Doubletree offers high-speed Internet access in all of its guest rooms and wireless access in the public spaces. The hotel provides easy access to the recently opened Overland Park Convention Center that offers 60,000 square feet of exhibit space, a 25,000-square-foot ballroom, and 15,000 square feet of additional meeting space. An enclosed walkway directly connects the center to the new 412-room Overland Park Sheraton Hotel that offers another 20,000 square feet of meeting space. WICHITA Wichita to host bowling convention. Wichita will host the American Bowling Congress 2011 Championship Tournament and Convention, an event that is expected to attract up to 80,000 participants. The massive event is expected to generate up to a $100 million economic impact for the area. This spring, Wichita hosted the Women's International Bowling Congress The Women's International Bowling Congress (WIBC) was an organization for women bowlers formed in 1917 as a counterpart to the American Bowling Congress (ABC). In 2005, the WIBC merged with the ABC and the Young American Bowling Alliance (YABA) to form the United States that included more than 42,500 bowlers and their families. KENTUCKY LEXINGTON Lexington airport Lexington Airport (FAA LID: 9S9), is a public airport located one mile (1.6 km) north of Lexington in Morrow County, Oregon, USA. See also
In June, Delta Connection initiated new nonstop service between Washington's Reagan National Airport and Lexington. On December 1, Delta Connection also began a daily nonstop flight between Orlando, Florida The city of Orlando is a major city in central Florida and is the county seat of Orange County, Florida. According to the 2000 census, the city population was 185,951. A 2006 U.S. , and Lexington. Served by five major airlines, Blue Grass Airport experienced an 18.8 percent increase in passenger traffic in 2003. LOUISVILLE Two Wyndham Hotels to open. Five adjoining 19th-century buildings in downtown Louisville Downtown Louisville is the largest central business district in the state of Kentucky and the urban hub of the Louisville, Kentucky Metropolitan Area. Its boundaries are the Ohio River to the north, Hancock Street to the east, York and Jacob Streets to the south, and 9th Street to are being converted into a 90-room Wyndham Hotel and 5,000-square-foot contemporary art museum. Scheduled to open by September 2005, the Wyndham 21C hotel will feature approximately 5,000 square feet of meeting space. Wyndham also will manage a 225-room hotel connected to the Louisville International Airport Louisville International Airport (IATA: SDF, ICAO: KSDF) is a public airport centrally located in the city of Louisville in Jefferson County, Kentucky, USA. The airport covers 1,200 acres (4.9 km²) and has three runways. . The airport Wyndham will open in early 2006 with more than 12,000 square feet of meeting space. Expo center expansion opens in October. The Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center in Louisville will complete the expansion of its South Wing in October. The expansion will create an additional 237,000 square feet of exhibit, meeting, and public space. The $52 million project will include 57,000 square feet of new meeting and conference space and 558 new parking spaces. Galt House to complete $50 million upgrade in fall. The 1,300-room Galt House Hotel and Suites is scheduled to complete its $50 million renovation in fall 2005. The project involves an extensive upgrade and modernization of each guest room and suite and renovation of its 120,000 square feet of meeting space in 52 rooms, which includes ballrooms of 15,000 and 24,300 square feet. The project also created a pedestrian walkway between the property and the Kentucky International Convention Center The Kentucky International Convention Center (KICC), formerly called the Commonwealth Convention Center , which opened last year. New lobby escalators; renovation of all public spaces; and a new, three-story, glass-encased conservatory connecting the east and west wings are part of the project as well. Some aspects of the renovation already are complete. The Galt House has six restaurants and lounges, including the upscale Flagship, a revolving restaurant A revolving restaurant is a restaurant on a revolving floorplate. The building remains stationary and the diners are carried on the revolving floor. The revolving rate varies between one and three times per hour and enables the visitors of the tower restaurant to enjoy the panorama on the 25th floor. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Downtown Marriott opens in May. The 617-room Louisville Marriott Downtown will open in May 2005 adjacent to the Kentucky International Convention Center. It will offer 50,000 square feet of meeting space in 30 rooms, including the 22,000-square-foot Grand Ballroom and 11,000-square-foot Kentucky Ballroom. NEWPORT Hofbrauhaus expands. The popular Hofbrauhaus in Newport expanded its outdoor beer garden this summer. Included in the expansion were a new outdoor kitchen and bar area, restroom facilities, and additional seating. The outdoor facility now seats 450 people. The Hofbrauhaus Newport is only the second offering worldwide of the original, 400-year-old Hofbrauhaus beer garden in Munich. NORTHERN KENTUCKY New nonstop flights to Europe added. Two daily nonstop flights to Rome and Amsterdam were added at the Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International Airport recently. The new Delta Air Lines flights complement other nonstop flights to Europe from Northern Kentucky, including flights to London, Paris, and Frankfurt. Even more overseas flights could be added at the airport when a 2,000-foot extension of its east-west runway is completed by the end of the year. A third north-south runway is also under construction and is set to open by late 2005. The airport offers more than 640 daily departures to 126 cities and is Delta's second-largest hub. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] MICHIGAN DETROIT Cobo expansion endorsed. A task force comprised of Detroit-area public officials and business leaders has endorsed a plan to expand the Cobo Center. The plan being considered would expand Cobo from 700,000 to 900,000 square feet at a cost of approximately $500-600 million. No time frame for expansion has been announced. New Holocaust Memorial Center The Holocaust Memorial Center (HMC) in Farmington Hills, Michigan (near Detroit) was the first institution of its kind in the United States. About the old Holocaust Memorial Center opens. Michigan's new Holocaust Memorial Center opened recently in Farmington Hills Far·ming·ton Hills A city of southeast Michigan, an industrial suburb of Detroit. Population: 81,400. . The facility is a two-story, 51,000-square-foot building that covers 8.5 acres and includes a comprehensive library on the Holocaust and a 400-seat auditorium for lectures. The center previously was located in a smaller building in West Bloomfield West Bloomfield can refer to several places in the United States:
Sterling Inn expands water park. The Best Western Sterling Inn in Sterling Heights Sterling Heights, city (1990 pop. 117,810), Macomb co., SE Mich., on the Clinton River; platted 1835 as Jefferson Township, renamed 1838, inc. 1968. Largely rural until the mid-20th cent., the city grew as a suburb of Detroit, 19 mi (31 km) to the northeast. recently completed a $1.2 million, 9,100-square-foot addition to its indoor water park, which opened in 2001. The newly expanded park now encompasses more than 30,000 square feet, including a new arcade. Located 15 miles from downtown Detroit, the 250-room Best Western has a 17-room conference center that features a 15,900-square-foot ballroom. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] GRAND RAPIDS Grand Rapids, city (1990 pop. 189,126), seat of Kent co., SW central Mich., on the Grand River; inc. 1850. The second largest city in the state, it is a distribution, wholesale, and industrial center for an area that yields fruit, dairy products, farm produce, DeVos Place celebrates one-year anniversary. Grand Rapids' new riverfront convention center, DeVos Place, celebrates its one-year anniversary this month. The $211 million complex features a 75-foot-high, glass-enclosed lobby that links the center to several buildings, including the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel Amway Grand Plaza Hotel is located in Grand Rapids, Michigan and is named after Amway Corporation, which is based in Grand Rapids. Originally known as The Pantlind (founded in 1913), Amway Grand Plaza Hotel reopened in 1981 after extensive renovations including the addition that offers 682 guest rooms and 42 meeting rooms. The center also offers a 160,000-square-foot exposition hall, a 40,000-square-foot ballroom, 35,000 square feet of meeting space, a 25,000-square-foot catering kitchen, 12 loading docks, and the latest in technology. The complex also has a new glass-enclosed lobby for the 2,446-seat DeVos Hall that is adjacent to the center. A skywalk system connects the new center to the 12,700-seat Van Andel Arena As a concert venue Van Andel Arena seats 12,858 for end-stage shows, 13,184 for center-stage shows. The arena floor measures 85 feet-by-220 feet. The arena features 9,886 permanent seats and 44 luxury suites (the 16 luxury suites in the upper bowl seat 20 each, and 24 of the lower bowl and several restaurants. ST. IGNACE Kewadin building new casino, upgrading others. Work got under way in May on a new Kewadin Casino resort in St. Ignace overlooking Lake Huron's Horseshoe Bay There are various places named Horseshoe Bay:
The new casino is part of a capital renovations project that is taking place at five properties Kewadin Casinos operates in northern Michigan This article is about the region; for the university, see Northern Michigan University Northern Michigan - or more properly Northern Lower Michigan - is a region of the U.S. state of Michigan, popular as a tourist destination. . All properties are being remodeled with the Northern Exposure theme. A phased development plan for the Kewadin's flagship casino in Sault Ste. Marie Sault Sainte Marie — pronounced "Soo Saint Marie" (IPA /su seɪnt məˈɹi/) — is the name of two cities on the Saint Marys River, which forms part of the boundary between the United States and Canada. continues to move forward with an anticipated March completion date. The $4 million project included a complete renovation of the East Wing of its 320-room hotel, which includes 39,000 square feet of meeting space. New rock and water features, new gift shop areas, and a coffee shop were added as well. The final phase of the project includes remodeling remodeling /re·mod·el·ing/ (re-mod´el-ing) reorganization or renovation of an old structure. bone remodeling its Dream Catchers restaurant and the Bawating Art Gallery. TRAVERSE CITY Traverse City, city (1990 pop. 15,155), seat of Grand Traverse co., N Mich., at the head of the West Arm of Grand Traverse Bay, in a resort and cherry-growing region; inc. 1881. Airport completes expansion. A major terminal and facilities expansion at Traverse City's Cherry Capital Airport Cherry Capital Airport (IATA: TVC, ICAO: KTVC) is an airport in Traverse City, Michigan, USA. In the fall of 2004 Cherry Capital opened a new terminal (with the inaugural flight, American Eagle flight 3886, on Thursday, June 92005) Since then, the Cherry Capital opened in October. The new, 109,000-square-foot terminal has 45 percent more room than its predecessor, with more boarding gates, new taxiways, larger parking lots, new emergency and maintenance facilities, and a new entrance. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Park Place Hotel begins five-year renovation. Traverse City's historic Park Place Hotel began a five-year renovation project in November with a top-to-bottom, wall-to-wall refurbishing of the 80 guest rooms in its main tower area. The tower rooms are expected to be completed in time for the hotel's 75th anniversary celebration in summer 2005. The downtown property offers 140 guest rooms and 12,000 square feet of meeting space. MINNESOTA MINNEAPOLIS New arts facilities under development. Minneapolis is scheduled to receive impressive new facilities for the arts starting with the April opening of the Walker Art Center expansion. The expansion will include a reception area for 450 people that overlooks the famous Minneapolis Sculpture Garden The Minneapolis Sculpture Garden is an 11 acre (45,000 m²) park in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in the United States. It is located near the Walker Art Center, which operates it in coordination with the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board. and city skyline. It also will feature a 385-seat theater. The Guthrie Theater The Guthrie Theater is a professional theater company in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It was the result of Sir Tyrone Guthrie's desire for a new kind of theater that would provide an atmosphere which would encourage the production of great works of literature and cultivate actors' also has broken ground on a three-theater complex on the Mississippi riverfront. The complex, scheduled for completion in summer 2006, will offer a reception area with a cantilevered bridge extending out toward the river. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Le Meridien Hotel opens. The upscale Le Meridien Hotel opened recently in the Theater District in downtown Minneapolis. The 21-story, 255-room hotel is the first Le Meridien property to feature the company's Art + Tech design that includes guest room amenities such as a 42-inch plasma TV A flat panel TV that uses the plasma display technology. See flat panel TV, plasma display and LCD vs. plasma. paired with a cutting-edge multimedia system and high-speed Internet access through ISDN ISDN in full Integrated Services Digital Network Digital telecommunications network that operates over standard copper telephone wires or other media. lines. The hotel offers more than 22,000 square feet of meeting space, including a ballroom that can accommodate up to 750 people for a reception or 500 for a banquet. It also offers a business center, fitness club, and translation services. The luxury hotel is part of the Block e retail and entertainment complex that is anchored by GameWorks, a Hard Rock Cafe Hard Rock Cafe is a chain of casual dining restaurants. It was founded in 1971 by Isaac Tigrett and Peter Morton, and their first Hard Rock Cafe opened near Hyde Park Corner in London, in a former Rolls Royce car dealerships showroom close to Hyde Park, where in 1979 they began to , and a 15-screen cinema. Block e is attached via skyway sky·way n. 1. A route regularly used by airplanes; an air lane. 2. An elevated highway. Noun 1. skyway - a designated route followed by airplanes in flying from one airport to another to the Target Center Arena and the City Center shopping mall. ST. PAUL St. Paul as a missionary he fearlessly confronts the “perils of waters, of robbers, in the city, in the wilderness.” [N.T.: II Cor. 11:26] See : Bravery Historic boat club reopens as event facility. The historic Minnesota Boat Club has recently reopened after a renovation that transformed it into a new event complex. Located on Raspberry Island on St. Paul's
MISSOURI BRANSON New luxury hotel to open in 2007. A new luxury hotel, the Charlevoix at the Chateau Table Rock Lake Table Rock Lake is a manmade lake in The Ozarks of southern Missouri and northwestern Arkansas. It is impounded by Table Rock Dam constructed in 1954-1958 on the White River by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. , will open in early 2007 near Branson. The 18-story hotel will offer 200 two-bedroom suites, a full-service spa, and meeting space. It will be positioned atop a ridge overlooking Table Rock Lake about five miles from the Branson entertainment center and only 1,000 feet from its sister property, the Chateau on the Lake Resort & Conference Center, which offers 40,000 square feet of meeting space. KANSAS CITY Kansas City, two adjacent cities of the same name, one (1990 pop. 149,767), seat of Wyandotte co., NE Kansas (inc. 1859), the other (1990 pop. 435,146), Clay, Jackson, and Platte counties, NW Mo. (inc. 1850). Harrah's plans $100 million casino expansion. Harrah's North Kansas City casino is undergoing a $100 million expansion that is adding an 11-story, 206-room hotel tower. Each new guest room will encompass 420 square feet. The expansion also will include a new 750-space parking garage, new restaurants, and gambling floor enhancements. Harrah's currently offers 200 hotel guest rooms at the complex. K.C. Airport completes upgrade. The Kansas City International Airport Kansas City International Airport (IATA: MCI, ICAO: KMCI), originally named Mid-Continent International Airport, is a public airport located 15 miles (24 km) northwest of the central business district (CBD) of Kansas City, in Platte County, Missouri, USA. completed a $258 million project last month that upgraded its three terminal buildings with consolidated preflight pre·flight adj. Preparing for or occurring before flight. tr.v. pre·flight·ed, pre·flight·ing, pre·flights To check (an aircraft) for airworthiness before flight. holding areas, new ticketing areas, and other passenger convenience considerations. Phase I of the project was completed in summer 2002 when new gates and retail-restaurant operations opened in the updated portion of Terminal B. Other airport projects have addressed various structural, operational, and aesthetic upgrades. New arena approved. In August, Kansas City voters approved the $250 million Sprint Center. The multipurpose arena will be located only a few blocks from the Kansas City Convention Center that is in the midst of a $135 million expansion and technology upgrade. The Sprint Center, scheduled to open in 2007, will seat up to 20,000 people. SPRINGFIELD Airport gets new flights, plans new facilities. The Springfield-Branson Regional Airport recently got new service from Delta Connection and Northwest Airlines that increased total passenger seats available on daily flights by more than 400. Delta Connection initiated new service between Cincinnati and Springfield, and Northwest added new flights to Minneapolis and Detroit while also offering bigger planes on its daily Memphis flights. A new, $180 million midfield replacement terminal at the airport is in the design phase. Plans are to open the new terminal by 2009. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ST. CHARLES Convention center-hotel complex opens in spring. A $71.3 million convention center and hotel complex in St. Charles will open this spring. The St. Charles Convention Center will feature a 40,000-square-foot exhibit hall, 15 meeting rooms, 1,100 surface parking spaces, business center, cyber cafe, and bandwidth wireless Internet access and videoconferencing capabilities. The new 300-room Embassy Suites Hotel-St. Charles will offer 5,200 square feet of meeting space. The hotel will be adjacent to the convention center. The complex will be located only 15 minutes from the Lambert-St. Louis International Airport
Lambert-St. Louis International Airport (IATA: STL, ICAO: KSTL) is the primary airport for St. Louis, Missouri, United States and the surrounding area. and 30 minutes from downtown St. Louis. ST. LOUIS St. Louis gets new ballpark, casino in 2006. St. Louis will get a new ballpark and adjacent entertainment district in 2006, as well as a new downtown casino. The $380 million baseball project will create a baseball-only complex and redevelop a five-block area on the south end of downtown called Ballpark Village Ballpark Village may refer to,
Located just north of the Eads Bridge on the Mississippi Riverfront, the Landing is a multi-block collection of cobblestone streets and vintage brick-and-cast-iron warehouses dating entertainment district on the Mississippi River Mississippi River River, central U.S. It rises at Lake Itasca in Minnesota and flows south, meeting its major tributaries, the Missouri and the Ohio rivers, about halfway along its journey to the Gulf of Mexico. . Pinnacle also will open a $300 million casino and retail complex in South St. Louis County St. Louis County is the name of multiple counties in the United States:
St. Louis Hilton opens. St. Louis's first downtown Hilton hotel opened last month. The 195-room Hilton St. Louis Downtown opened in the historic Merchants-Laclede Building that was constructed in 1889. The Hilton at Fourth and Olive streets includes a ground-level restaurant and retail space, 4,000 square feet of meeting space, a business center, and high-speed Internet access. Located just six blocks from the America's Center America's Center is a convention center located in downtown St. Louis, Missouri, and is situated next to the Edward Jones Dome, the home of the National Football League's St. Louis Rams. convention complex, the Hilton incorporates the building's original bank vaults into its lobby as a gift shop and Internet cafe The high-tech equivalent of the coffee house. However, instead of playing chess or having heated political discussions, you browse the Internet and discuss the latest technology. CDs, DVDs, games and other "cyber stuff" are also generally available. . Overall, more than 2,400 hotel rooms have been added to the St. Louis downtown core
The Downtown Core is a 266-hectare urban planning area in the south of the city-state of Singapore. in the past four years. Sheratons expand. Two Sheraton hotels in the popular West Port entertainment district recently expanded. The Sheraton West Port added an 18,000-square-foot, 11-room conference center and renovated its 209 guest rooms. The hotel offers 42,000 square feet of meeting space overall. Its sister property, the 300-room Sheraton West Port Lakeside Chalet, added a 9,000-square-foot ballroom and upgraded its guest rooms. NEBRASKA OMAHA Omaha, city, United States Omaha (ō`məhä, –hô), city (1990 pop. 335,795), seat of Douglas co., E Nebr., on the west bank of the Missouri River; inc. 1857. Qwest Center celebrates first anniversary. The Qwest Center Omaha • • [ celebrated its first anniversary this fall. The new convention center features a 194,000-square-foot exhibit hall, 62,000 square feet of meeting space--including a 30,000-square-foot ballroom--a 9,000-square-foot outdoor terrace, and a 17,000-seat arena attached to the exposition center. Directly connected to the Qwest Center by an enclosed skybridge is the Hilton Omaha, which opened in April. The state's largest hotel, the 450-room Hilton Omaha features more than 30,000 square feet of meeting space, including a 10,000-square-foot ballroom and 15 meeting rooms. It also is Nebraska's only AAA AAA: see American Automobile Association. (Triple A) A common single-cell battery used in a myriad of electronic devices of all variety. Like its double A (AA) cousin, it provides 1.5 volts of DC power. When used in series, the voltage is multiplied. four-diamond hotel. NORTH DAKOTA North Dakota, state in the N central United States. It is bordered by Minnesota, across the Red River of the North (E), South Dakota (S), Montana (W), and the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba (N). GRAND FORKS Grand Forks, city (1990 pop. 49,425), seat of Grand Forks co., E N.Dak., at the confluence of the Red and the Red Lake rivers; inc. 1881. In a spring wheat, livestock, and farm area, the city has grain elevators, state-operated flour mills, and plants that process Greater Grand Forks CVB CVB Convention and Visitors Bureau CVB College Van Bestuur (Dutch: Managing Council) CVB Camper Van Beethoven (band) CVB Common Vision Blox CVB Center for Veterinary Biologics unveils new Web site. The Greater Grand Forks Convention and Visitors Bureau unveiled a redesigned Web site (www.visitgrandforks.com) this summer. The new site offers opportunities for visitors to see the discounts offered by bureau members, photos of local hotel accommodations, and links to various attractions and other bureau members. Entertainment complex near Alerus Center The Alerus Center is named after a local financial institution, Alerus Financial, which purchased the building's naming rights. Prior to opening, the facility had been referred to as the Aurora Events Center. planned. A $40 million entertainment complex is planned adjacent to the Alerus Center in Grand Forks. The new complex will include a 192-room hotel, a water park, and a 10-screen cinema. The hotel and entertainment offered at the complex are expected to help secure more meetings and trade show business at the Alerus Center, which features a 22,000-seat arena, a 26,000-square-foot ballroom that divides into five rooms, and 12 meeting rooms. OHIO Ohio, state, United States Ohio, midwestern state in the Great Lakes region of the United States. It is bordered by Pennsylvania (NE) West Virginia (SE), Kentucky (S), Indiana (W), and Michigan and Lake Erie (N). CINCINNATI Renovations begin on convention center. Work is under way on Cincinnati's Cinergy Center renovation and expansion project with some of the renovations already complete. Scheduled for completion in mid-2006, the $160 million project is adding a new decor to the existing center with all-new ceiling tiles, paint, and carpet. New restrooms also have been added, as have new concessions on Concourse C. Upon completion, the center will have increased flexibility and space, with nearly 200,000 square feet of contiguous exhibit space, a 40,000-square-foot ballroom that can be divided, a junior ballroom of 17,500 square feet, 45,000 square feet of additional meeting space in 37 rooms, and expanded loading dock area. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] National museum celebrates grand opening. The National Underground Railroad Underground Railroad, in U.S. history, loosely organized system for helping fugitive slaves escape to Canada or to areas of safety in free states. It was run by local groups of Northern abolitionists, both white and free blacks. Freedom Center opened in August on the Cincinnati riverfront with a gala celebration that included appearances by Oprah Winfrey “Oprah” redirects here. For the show, see The Oprah Winfrey Show. Oprah Gail Winfrey (born January 29, 1954) is the American multiple-Emmy Award winning host of The Oprah Winfrey Show, the highest-rated talk show in television history. and others. The 158,000-square-foot, Smithsonian-affiliated museum showcases the Ohio Valley's key role in helping slaves escape across the Ohio River to freedom via the Underground Railroad during the Civil War era. The striking, three-building complex offers several areas for group events, including a theater that seats up to 375 people cinema-style. Several large, open lobbies and decks overlooking the Ohio River also are available for private receptions for up to 300 people. Downtown hotels get upgrade. The Crowne Plaza Hotel in downtown Cincinnati is being rebranded and transformed into a 135-room boutique hotel through a $30 million project. To be called the Next Hotel when completed in late 2005, the upscale property will be part of a luxury condominium complex that also will include a restaurant, lounge, valet parking, concierge, exercise facility, and spa. The former Holiday Inn-Downtown also is receiving a $1.75 million upgrade that will transform it into a Ramada property. The 243-room hotel will receive new soft goods and a redesigned lobby. CLEVELAND Airport expands. The Cleveland Hopkins International Airport Coordinates: Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (IATA: CLE, ICAO: KCLE, FAA LID: CLE) is a public airport located nine miles (14 km) southwest of the central business district of Cleveland, a city in Cuyahoga is in the midst of a $1.6 billion expansion program. Current enhancements include terminal expansion, a parking garage, a rental car center, and a new 9,000-foot runway that was completed in August. Continental Air Lines also recently signed a 10-year lease extension that will keep its hub operations at the airport through 2015. Hopkins International accommodates more than 10 million passengers each year. COLUMBUS Downtown building to become Marriott Residence Inn. A development group has announced its intentions to transform the 77-year-old Buckeye Bank Building in downtown Columbus into a 125-room Residence Inn by Marriott Residence Inn by Marriott is a brand of extended stay hotels. The chain was launched in 1977 in Wichita, Kansas by Jack DeBoer, and acquired by Marriott International in 1987. As of April 2005, there were over 450 Residence Inn hotels in the United States, Canada and Mexico. . Located one block from the statehouse state·house also state house n. A building in which a state legislature holds sessions; a state capitol. statehouse Noun NZ a rented house built by the government Noun 1. in Columbus's central business district, the Buckeye Building also will feature an upscale restaurant in the lobby that will showcase the entrance's 40-foot ceiling. Plans are to open the hotel by fall 2005. Adam's Mark becomes Renaissance. Columbus' second-largest hotel is undergoing a multimillion-dollar renovation and rebranding. The 415-room hotel, formerly the Adam's Mark Columbus, is now a Marriott Renaissance Hotel doing business as The Columbus. The hotel is receiving a variety of upgrades to its guest rooms, ballroom, restaurant and lounge, and lobby that should be completed within 12 months. Unique highway "cap" opens. A unique "cap" over Interstate 670 in Columbus opened this fall to connect the city's downtown convention district with its Short North Arts District. The Cap at Union Station includes 26,000 square feet of retail, restaurants, and gallery space, sidewalks, and parking. A steakhouse, coffee house, wine bar, and ice cream parlor Ice cream parlors are places that sell ice cream and frozen yogurt to consumers. Ice cream is normally sold in two varieties in these stores: soft-serve ice cream (normally with just chocolate, vanilla, and "twist", a mix of the two), and hard-packed, which has an assortment of are among the tenants for the $7.6 million project. The Cap is adjacent to the Greater Columbus Convention Center, which was expanded in 2001. The center now has 426,000 square feet of exhibit space, two ballrooms, and 61 meeting rooms. The center is adjacent to the booming Arena District. DAYTON Airport adds service. Service at the Dayton International Airport James M. Cox Dayton International Airport (IATA: DAY, ICAO: KDAY), also referred to as simply Dayton International Airport, is a public airport located nine miles (14 km) north of the city of Dayton in Montgomery County, Ohio, USA. continues to expand. This summer Independence Air began eight daily nonstop flights between Dayton and Washington, D.C. Earlier in the year, Northwest initiated daily nonstop service between Dayton and its Memphis hub. This month, Delta Connection carrier Chautauqua Airlines adds two daily nonstop flights to Dayton and Orlando, Florida. AirTran also begins nonstop Dayton-Tampa flights this month and will begin daily nonstop service to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, in January. More than 100 daily flights now originate from Dayton International Airport. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] SOUTH DAKOTA RAPID CITY Dahl Arts Center expanding. The Dahl Arts Center in the heart of downtown Rapid City is undergoing a major expansion that will be completed in November 2006. Four fine art galleries, a 486-seat theater, meeting rooms, and a fully equipped arts education center are among the additions. SIOUX FALLS New hotel opens. The new Clubhouse Hotel and Suites opened this fall in Sioux Falls. The hotel will feature 100 oversized o·ver·size n. 1. A size that is larger than usual. 2. An oversize article or object. adj. o·ver·size also o·ver·sized Larger in size than usual or necessary. guest rooms, 24-hour business center, wireless Internet access in all public spaces, meeting space for up to 100 people, and more. WISCONSIN MADISON First phase of arts center opens. The first phase of the $205 million Overture Center for the Arts opened in September. The downtown Madison performing arts complex consists of several new and restored facilities, including the 2,251-seat Overture Hall and the 1,000-seat Capitol Theater. Some of the facilities such as the 350-seat Playhouse will not open until early 2006. Airport expanding. Madison's Dane County Regional Airport Dane County Regional Airport (IATA: MSN, ICAO: KMSN), also known as Truax Field, is a commercial airport located five miles (8 km) northeast of the center of Madison, in Dane County, Wisconsin, USA. It has three runways and in 2006 it served over 1. is undergoing a major expansion that will more than double total square footage of the passenger terminal when completed in 2005. In addition to new terminal space, there will be additional baggage claim areas, more ticket counter space, and new shops. MILWAUKEE High-speed ferry debuts in Milwaukee. A high-speed ferry that carries passengers and cars across Lake Michigan in just two hours and 20 minutes began service between Milwaukee and Muskegon, Michigan, this summer. The Lake Express carries 250 passengers and 46 cars between its destinations in less than half the time of traditional slow-speed ferries. Lake Express will operate between May 1 and December 31, with three daily round trips in the peak summer months. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] New downtown developments debut next year. A 65,000-square-foot museum and aquarium complex will open in late 2005 on Milwaukee's lakefront. Pier Wisconsin will house both the relocated Discovery World Museum and a freshwater education center with more than 22,000 square feet of aquariums, interactive experiences, and laboratories highlighting marine life. Pier Wisconsin will be situated between the Henry W. Maier Festival Park and the Milwaukee Art Museum, which recently opened a $100 million expansion. Pier Wisconsin will feature a 360-degree, glassed-in reception area that also will house two high-definition digital theaters. Also opening in 2005 will be the Milwaukee Public Market. The $11.3 million project will be located in the historic Third Ward District and provide downtown visitors with a place to buy a wide variety of locally produced goods. WISCONSIN DELLS Kalahari Resort completes expansion. The Kalahari Resort and Convention Center  The Kalahari Resort & Convention Center completed an expansion this summer that more than doubled the size of its convention center. The project added 80,000 square feet of meeting and exhibit space, bringing total square feet to 125,000. The expanded center features a 21,000-square-foot ballroom and 42 total meeting rooms. The African-themed resort also has 378 guest rooms, spa, cinema, shops, restaurants, and the largest indoor water park in the country. CONTACT INFORMATION ILLINOIS Chicago Convention & Tourism Bureau 2301 S. Lake Shore Dr. Chicago, IL 60616 312-567-8500 www.choosechicago.com Rosemont Convention Bureau 9301 Bryn Mawr Ave. Rosemont, IL 60018 847-823-2100; fax: 847-696-9700 www.rosemont.com INDIANA Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association One RCA Dome, Suite 100 Indianapolis, IN 46225 800-958-INDY; fax: 317-639-4282 www.indy.org IOWA Council Bluffs Convention & Visitors Bureau 7 N. Sixth St. Council Bluffs, IA 51503 800-228-6878 or 712-325-1000; fax: 712-322-5698 www.councilbluffsiowa.com Greater Des Moines Convention & Visitors Bureau 405 Sixth Ave., Suite 201 Des Moines, IA 50309 515-286-4960; fax: 515-244-9757 KANSAS Overland Park Convention & Visitors Bureau 9001 W. 110th St., Suite 100 Overland Park, KS 66210 800-262-PARK www.opcvb.org Topeka Convention & Visitors Bureau 1275 S.W. Topeka Blvd. Topeka, KS 66612-1852 800-235-1030; fax: 785-234-8282 tcvb.accesstopeka.com Greater Wichita Convention & Visitors Bureau 100 S. Main St., Suite 100 Wichita, KS 67202 800-288-9424 or 316-265-2800; fax: 316-265-0162 www.visitwitchita.com KENTUCKY Lexington Convention & Visitors Bureau 301 E. Vine St. Lexington, KY 40507 800-848-1224; fax: 859-254-4555 www.visitlex.com Greater Louisville Convention & Visitors Bureau One Riverfront Plaza 401 W. Main St., Suite 2300 Louisville, KY 40202 800-626-5646; fax: 502-584-6697 www.gotolouisville.com Northern Kentucky Convention & Visitors Bureau 50 E. River Center Blvd., Suite 100 Covington, KY 41011 800-447-8489 or 859-261-4677; fax: 859-261-5135 www.staynky.com MICHIGAN Metro Detroit Convention & Visitors Bureau 211 W. Fort St., Suite 1000 Detroit, MI 48226 888-CALL-DTW or 313-202-1800; fax: 313-202-1834 www.visitdetroit.com Grand Rapids/Kent County Convention & Visitors Bureau 140 Monroe Center, N.W., Suite 300 Grand Rapids, MI 49503-2893 800-678-9859 or 616-459-8287; fax: 616-459-7291 www.visitgrandrapids.org Kalamazoo County Convention & Visitors Bureau The Chamber Building 346 W. Michigan Ave. Kalamazoo, MI 49007-3737 269-381-2977; fax: 269-343-0430 www.kazoochamber.com Sault Ste. Marie Convention & Visitors Bureau 2650 I-75 Business Spur Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783-3511 800-MI-Sault or 906-632-3366; fax: 906-632-2331 www.saultstemarie.com Traverse City Convention & Visitors Bureau 101 W. Grandview Pkwy. Traverse City, MI 49684-2252 800-940-1120; fax: 231-947-2624 www.mytraversecity.com MINNESOTA Bloomington Convention & Visitors Bureau 7900 International Dr., Suite 990 Bloomington, MN 55425 800-346-4289 or 952-858-8500; fax: 952-858-8854 www.bloomingtonmn.org Greater Minneapolis Convention & Visitors Bureau 250 Marquette Ave. South, Suite 1300 Minneapolis, MN 55401 800-445-7412 or 612-661-4700; fax: 612-767-8043 www.minneapolismeetings.com St. Paul Convention & Visitors Bureau 175 Kellogg Blvd., Suite 502 St. Paul, MN 55102 800-627-6101 or 651-265-4900 www.visitsaintpaul.com MISSOURI Convention & Visitors Bureau of Greater Kansas City 1100 Main St., Suite 2200 Kansas City, MO 64105 800-767-7700; fax: 816-691-3855 www.visitkc.com Springfield, Missouri, Convention & Visitors Bureau 3315 E. Battlefield Springfield, MO 65804-4048 800-678-8767 or 417-881-5300; fax: 417-881-7201 www.meet-me-in-springfield.com Greater St. Charles Convention & Visitors Bureau 230 S. Main St. St. Charles, MO 63301 800-366-2427 or 636-946-7776; fax: 636-949-3217 www.historicstcharles.com St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission One Metropolitan Sq., Suite 1100 St. Louis, MO 63102 800-325-7962 or 314-992-0649; fax: 314-621-7729 www.explorestlouis.com NEBRASKA Greater Omaha Convention & Visitors Bureau 1001 Farnam on the Mall, Suite 200 Omaha, NE 68102 866-YES-OMAHA; 402-444-7758 www.visitomaha.com NORTH DAKOTA Fargo/Moorhead Convention & Visitors Bureau 2001 44th St., S.W. Fargo, ND 58103 800-235-7654 or 701-282-3653; fax: 701-282-4366 www.fargomoorhead.org Greater Grand Forks Convention & Visitors Bureau 4251 Gateway Dr. Grand Forks, ND 58203 800-866-4566 or 701-746-0444 www.grandforkscvb.org OHIO Greater Cincinnati Convention & Visitors Bureau 300 W. Sixth St. Cincinnati, OH 45202 800-543-2613 or 513-621-2142; fax: 513-621-5020 www.cincyusa.com Convention & Visitors Bureau of Greater Cleveland 50 Public Sq., Terminal Tower Cleveland, OH 44113-2290 216-621-4110; fax: 216-621-5967 www.travelcleveland.com Dayton/Montgomery County Convention & Visitors Bureau 1 Chamber Plz., Suite A Dayton, OH 45402 800-221-8235 or 937-226-8226; fax: 837-226-8294 www.daytoncvb.com Experience Columbus (formerly Greater Columbus Convention & Visitors Bureau) 90 N. High St. Columbus, OH 43215 800-354-2657 or 614-221-6623; fax: 614-222-5618 www.experiencecolumbus.com Toledo Convention & Visitors Bureau 401 Jefferson Ave. Toledo, OH 43604-1067 800-243-4667; fax: 419-255-7731 www.dotoledo.org SOUTH DAKOTA Rapid City Convention & Visitors Bureau P.O. Box 747 Rapid City, SD 57709 800-487-3223 or 605-343-1744; fax: 605-348-9217 www.rapidcitycvb.com Sioux Falls Convention & Visitors Bureau Commerce Center 200 N. Phillips Ave., Suite 102 Sioux Falls, SD 57101 605-336-1620; fax: 605-336-6499 www.siouxfallscvb.com WISCONSIN Greater Madison Convention & Visitors Bureau 615 E. Washington Ave. Madison, WI 53703 800-373-6376 or 608-255-2537; fax: 608-258-4950 www.visitmadison.com Greater Milwaukee Convention & Visitors Bureau 101 W. Wisconsin Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53203-2501 800-231-0903 or 414-273-7222; fax: 414-273-9707 www.milwaukee.org Wisconsin Dells Visitor & Convention Bureau 701 Superior St. Wisconsin Dells, WI 53965 800-223-3557; fax: 608-254-4293 www.wisdells.com |
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