Silicon Valley Central.

Fueled by the robust Silicon Valley economy, Santa Clara continues to expand and evolve in the new millennium. The city, just an hour's drive south of San Francisco, attracts more than three million visitors each year. It's no wonder, with more than 3,400 hotel rooms and 300 days of sunshine a year, not to mention star attractions such as Paramount's Great America and the Intel Museum. And in keeping with the region's reputation for the hottest technology around, Santa Clara's facilities have been upgraded to include the latest computer capabilities, and the CVB's Web site makes it easy to research attractions and accommodations for just about any meeting need.

$30 million Hilton

A brand new 280-room Hilton will open in November 2000, next to the Santa Clara Convention Center. The eight-story hotel is designed to meet the large demand from Silicon Valley companies and the convention center for business-class rooms, emphasizing the services and facilities required of a leading-edge, full-service hotel. Guest rooms will feature state-of-the art technology including super high-speed Internet access. A fully equipped business center and conference space will complement the adjacent convention center.

Accommodation News

The Biltmore Hotel & Suites just got a whole new look for the year 2000: the 262-room hotel recently completed a $5 million exterior renovation project, giving the hotel a brand new classic look. A new 122-room Candlewood Suites opened earlier this year, conveniently located next to the Santa Clara CalTrain station and Santa Clara University; the three-story hotel is Candlewood's third in the area. The 754-room Santa Clara Marriott began a multimillion dollar renovation of all guest rooms, including new furnishings and features such as work stations equipped with ergonomic chairs, and lamps with a power and data port.

Convention Center Upgrades

With the installation of its new communication infrastructure, the Santa Clara Convention Center is now wired to accommodate any association's high-tech needs. A fiber backbone of multimode and single-mode fiber optics connects the entire facility and building to a complete voice/data network. The center now has the capability to support broad bandwidth. The infrastructure will connect to the Internet and route analog and digital circuits--including PRI, BRI, and ISDN--to any location in the building.

The 262,000-square-foot convention center, which has a distinctive glass pyramid marking the entrance, includes a 100,000-square-foot, clear-span exhibit hail, a 607-seat theater, 25 breakout rooms, and more than 2,000 free parking spaces. Fully equipped kitchen and banquet facilities can prepare up to 5,000 meals for service in the meeting rooms, grand ballroom, or exhibit hall.

Within steps of the convention center are an 18-hole championship golf course and seven lighted tennis courts, giving your members a respite from meeting activities.

High-tech Happenings

The Network Meeting Center at TECHMART, adjacent to the convention center, was built exclusively for day meetings for up to 250 people. Each room has controlled lighting, integrated sound systems, and ergonomic chairs to make your meeting as comfortable as possible. And Northern California's largest theme park, Paramount's Great America, offers a 12,000-square-foot meeting facility--and an IMAX theater for your really big presentations.

Intel Corporation recently expanded its unique Intel Museum. The new 10,000-square-foot museum will introduce your meeting delegates to the micro-miniature world of computer chips, where millions of electronic components are packed onto quarter-inch squares and time is measured in billionths of seconds. Although the museum is designed as a self-guided experience, tours are also available. Good news for the busy executive: The museum has extended its operating schedule to Saturdays.

Meeting planning just got a little easier thanks to a new Web site with comprehensive information about the region--www.santaclara.org features everything from attractions to dining and accommodations, and offers a virtual tour of the convention center.

"We began the millennium with a solid commitment to quality over quantity," says Steve Van Dorn, Santa Clara CVB director of convention sales and marketing. "The region's hotels and hospitality community are answering the evolving demands of today's association travelers with unique upgrades that reflect our more sophisticated market."

"This is Silicon Valley Central," says Van Dorn. "You can expect easy access, user friendliness, and maximum productivity every step of the way."