Taking conferences on water.

Nothing is more dreaded than a business meeting met with yawns and somber-looking faces.

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To bring an injection of interest into the venue, two Sudbury businesses offer unique settings for corporate getaways.

The Cortina Cruise Boat, a local business, offers more than just public rides and the conventional gala here and there. In fact, according to the owner Rob Osborne, the not-so-new business trend has been picking up over the 22 years.

While many businesses have taken advantage of the boat for staff parties, there have been an equal numbers of conferences held on it as well.

Passengers can hire a caterer for full-course dinners while the boat motors slowly along Sudbury's Ramsey Lake. The Cortina offers a full beverage and a light snack bar as well. It has enough room for a live band, but if it is more background music the group prefers, a built in stereo system is available.

"The boat sits 70 people, but if you want to make presentations or have large dinners we recommend 50," says Osborne.

The cost for private charters is $325 per hour, and Osborne recommends reservations for chartered cruises be made as far ahead as possible. June and September are the busiest months for private tours, according to Osborne, so reserving a charter guarantees availability.

"We've certainly got our core clientele," Osborne says. "They go pretty much every year, but there are new customers every year too."

Osborne says an increase in business in Sudbury translates into an increase in business for him as well.

"It is always a fun event," he says. "It doesn't matter, rain or shine, we still go on the lake."

Each event is different, says Osborne, a native to Sudbury for over 40 years.

"Science North approached us. Originally it was a business venture that suddenly became enjoyable and easy to do."

People attending annual meetings within the Science North Inco Cavern can obtain package deals to use the Cortina Cruise boat as a leisure scenic tour after the workday is done.

Custom-made packages, including hotel reservations, Imax theatre attractions or Dynamic Earth discoveries followed by a relaxing cruise can leave great memories.

"Generally we try to be as flexible as we can with grouping packages," says Nancy Griffin, the media communications specialist for Science North.

The Inco Cavern can be rented out in conjunction with a package as well, but the role of Science North is to simply sell admission tickets for the Cortina Cruise Boat, Griffin says.

The Cortina can be found on the loading docks at Science North right by the boardwalk and is in plain view from the patio at the Landings restaurant, which is part of Science North.

www.sudburytourism.ca

By HEATHER HODDINOTT

For Northern Ontario Business