Rhode Island Convention Center

Hotel:  Rhode Island Convention Center

Location: Providence

Overview:  We had the opportunity to produce a conference at the RI Convention Center last month.  The audience size was approximately 300.  The conference was a combination of general session and multiple breakouts.  While the property is best suited for a large convention, it worked well for this mid sized conference.

Ballroom:  The main ballroom is 100’ x 200’ and can be broken into 5 sections.  We held the general session in the center largest ballroom which was 100’ x 100’ and used the other ballrooms for breakouts.  The main ballroom features 23 foot ceilings which is an advantage.  There also are 15 plus smaller rooms ideal for smaller breakouts.  We did not utilize the exhibit hall but it is 100,000 square feet and would be great for a trade show component of an event.

AV Staff and Equipment:  We provided the main audio and projection and utilized in house AV for the remainder of the equipment.  Breakout equipment was all handed by in house.  For show leads we provided the main General Session leads and supervised breakouts which were staffed by in house.

We have been partnering with in house av at a number of properties recently and it has worked well.  The key is to identify the strength of the in house department and utilize them to the best of their abilities.

Producer’s Notes:  If Rhode Island is a destination for your event then the RI Convention Center should be considered.  There is a nice hotel attached to the center and the city has great restaurants and options for off site events.

Disneyland

Anaheim, CA

Overview:  Who doesn’t love Disney? We have produced multiple meetings at the Disneyland hotel in all of the ballrooms. The event staff is responsive, the ballrooms are a good size and the attendees always seem to respond well to the property.

Ballrooms: The Magic Kingdom and Disneyland ballrooms (as well as the Disneyland Exhibit Hall) all work well for general sessions. The Exhibit Hall requires some creative stage design, as there are a couple of pillars that need to be worked around.

The Center Disneyland Ballroom has an existing stage and AV and works great for dinner functions.

In-house AV is handled by PSAV for video, and Disney Engineering handle lights and sound. PSAV seems to have a lot of turnover at the property. Many of the Disney Engineering staff have been on-site for many years and work well with outside production companies.

Internet is something to pay attention to, as it is expensive. We have had some issue with bandwidth as well. The on-site team is willing to work with you but you have to address this early and test immediately.

Loading docks: Disney has very particular loading dock requirements so careful attention to detail on load-in and load-out is required.

Breakout Rooms: There are a lot of breakout rooms but they differ greatly in location and size. There also are a number of rooms located in adjacent buildings which require attendees to walk outside. A thorough review of breakout rooms on the site visit is recommended and good show signage has proved valuable.

There are breakout rooms next to the Exhibit Hall, which can work well when moving back and forth between sessions, but not all rooms have air walls that go to the ceiling. This has not been an issue for us in the past but is something to look at.

Location: Downtown Disney is located next to the hotel so attendees have many options for dinner and entertainment.

Producer’s Notes: Great property with lots to offer. Some past experience working at the property definitely pays dividends and improves the overall working experience.

Hilton Anatole

Dallas, TX

Overview: I have heard that this is one of the busiest conference hotels in the Hilton chain, and after working here I believe it. This is a very large property so it has some quirks that can definitely influence the success of an event, but that size also makes it a great hotel for events.

Ballrooms: There are a lot of ballrooms on this property.

The Chantily Ballroom is my favorite at the property. It is large with great rigging, and the loading area is directly outside the ballroom

The Grand Ballroom is also nice and has the same good rigging.

The Imperial Ballroom is on an upper floor (the third I believe) and is my least favorite ballroom on property. The room, registration area and hallway leading into the room are great but there are a few challenges:

• The floor vibrates a little bit so you have to be careful with placement of the projection and screens.

• There is an elevator that leads directly to the room, but it is right next to the loading dock, which you usually can’t use. The push from the loading area travels through the busy dock area which can slow down the load-in and out.

• The elevator needs to be locked off or controlled carefully during the show because it is loud and would be a disturbance.

• Note: We have always asked for and gotten control of the elevator, but I have heard this is sometimes an issue on other shows.

There also is a Trinity Ballroom next to the exhibit hall, but this is more of a tradeshow area than a ballroom. If you are using this room for a general session, pay attention to the house lighting in the room.

Breakout Rooms:

• The best breakout rooms: above the Chantily Ballroom.

• The West Wing of the hotel has good breakout rooms as well but it is a little off the beaten path, so signage is a must.

• The breakout rooms in the Atrium are small and definitely require signage for attendees to find as well.

Note: The dock at this property is very busy with food delivery and use of it is very restricted.  The main loading area does not have a dock, so trucks need a lift gate or forklift to load and unload. We have used the dock in the past, but it was negotiated in advance and was not easy.

Producer’s Notes: Great property in a great location with tons of general session and breakout rooms. Especially with a little experience, this is a property we like to work at.

Loews Chicago O'Hare Hotel

Rosemont, IL

Overview:  This is a very nice property that has been recently totally remodeled. Its management is very event friendly and understands what it takes to put on a good show. There are four medium sized ballrooms and plenty of breakout rooms.

Ballroom: Ballrooms and breakout rooms are divided into two sections on either side of the hotel, which is a plus if you only require enough space to be on one side. You will definitely own that side of the property. If your breakout room requires you to use both sides of the hotel, then signage is helpful for the attendees who will have to pass the lobby and walk to the other side of the property. We have worked more than one event that was large enough to require both sides and the attendees handled the walk without complaint.

One important note: The loading dock is very event friendly but it is a long push through narrow hallways to get to the other side of the property. There is a pull up street level loading door next to the Avadon Ballroom that can be used if you pre-arrange with the hotel and limit the amount of time you have the door open.

There are many branding opportunities at the property and the hotel is open to working with clients to maximize branding opportunities.

Producer’s Notes:  Great property in a great location.