St. Petersburg/Clearwater Area, Florida: beachy-keen for meetings. (Hospitality).

Many of the qualities that make the St. Petersburg/Clearwater area the leading leisure destination on Florida's Gulf Coast are facilitating the rise in meeting business for the area. "First and foremost, there are not many destinations that can offer three of the top beaches in the United States with the variety of other amenities the St. Petersburg/Clearwater area has," says Carole Ketterhagen, executive director of the St. Petersburg/Clearwater Area CVB. "There is wonderful weather; just about every water activity imaginable; fine dining; shopping; championship golf and tennis; terrific sites for off-property functions, including a number of world-class museums and other attractions; and a hospitality industry that makes delegates feel welcome and appreciated. In addition to professional hockey and football in nearby Tampa, Major League Baseball's Tampa Bay Devil Rays play in St. Petersburg, taking on traditional powers like the New York Yankees, the Boston Red Sox, and the Chicago White Sox, giving planner s another wonderful event to work into an itinerary."

Opened in 1996, the Harborview Center sits on a beautiful bluff overlooking Clearwater Bay and offers a 30,000 square-foot-exhibit hall on the first floor and 35,000 square feet of meeting space on the upper level. Other area facilities include Tropicana Field, Bayfront Center, St. Petersburg Coliseum, Ruth Eckerd Hall, and 46 hotel properties offering meeting space and professional staffing assistance. To assist with the growing demand, the St. Petersburg/Clearwater Area Convention and Visitors Bureau has a full-service meetings services department that can assist the meeting planner with almost every aspect of staging a conference.

Several meeting properties have recently undergone renovations, with upgrades to technical equipment and improvements to comforts for delegates.

The Pinellas Expo Center opened last September. This 127,000-square-foot center for trade and consumer shows accommodates nearly 600 booths and features a 4,000-square-foot food court. The building, a former Sam's Club, includes two meeting rooms.

The Radisson Hotel and Conference Center opened last November in Pinellas Park, serving the Gateway area. This $20 million, full-service property features 100 suites and 11,000 square feet of banquet space. Radisson Hotels and Resorts presented its 2001 President's Award to the Radisson Suite Resort on Sand Key. Winners represent the best of Radisson hotels that have demonstrated exceptional commitment to guest service.

In March, the Don CeSar Beach Resort and Spa completed renovations of the pool area, revealing an open view of the Gulf and including an expanded bar and grill and children's play area. The "Pink Palace" resort was named one of the nation's premier lodgings in Zagat's Top U.S. Hotels, Resorts and Spas 2002 and received AAA's Four-Diamond Award for the 22nd year in a row.

The 244-room Belleview Biltmore Resort and Spa completely refurbished all its rooms in January. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the resort also completed a restoration of its vintage 1925 Donald Ross golf course.

The Safety Harbor Resort & Spa has partnered with TeamBuilders to expand its team building and performance development programs for group/business meetings. The TeamBuilders Executive Outdoor Learning Center is on five acres, overlooking Tampa Bay.

The 172-room Bilmar Beach Resort just finished renovating its 6,500 square feet of conference space, and landscaping and room renovations are ongoing.

TradeWinds Island Resorts is in the midst of a multimillion dollar renovation. Ninety one-bedroom suites at the TradeWinds Sirata were renovated in April. All 585 guest rooms at the TradeWinds Island Grand will be refurbished later this year.

Grayl's Executive Suites Seminar Center recently opened in downtown St. Petersburg. This converted historic home seats 50 theatre style and 25-30 banquet style. The building is ADA-compliant and features electronic equipment for videoconferencing. It operates in association with Grayl's Lantern Lane Waterfront Hotel.

Museums in the area include the Salvador Dali Museum, the Florida International Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts, the Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art and a Native American Learning Center (opening in November).

The St. Petersburg/Clearwater area has two major airports--the St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport and Tampa International Airport, consistently rated one of the finest in the world. And there is easy access by the Interstate Highway System. Being 90 minutes from Walt Disney World Resort and the other Central Florida theme parks and only 30 minutes from Busch Gardens, spouse and family daytrips are convenient.

A St. Petersburg/Clearwater resource guide is available, including detailed information, a supplier directory, a request for proposal form, and site checklist.

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