Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek

Type: Venue Review

Orlando, FL

Overview: Hilton Bonnet Creek has primarily taken over as the go to event venue at Disney. 

Ballrooms: There are two very large ballroom spaces.  The Bonnet Creek Ballroom and the Floridian Ballroom.  Both ballrooms share a side foyer so there needs to be attention given to audience flow if you have the Floridian Ballroom.  When we have worked in the entire Floridian, we have used the side foyer for entrances which works out well.  Some clients have used the connected foyer as an audience lounge area or vendor booths.

Event Space: Multiple breakout rooms are directly below the ballrooms and the dock is workable but is a shared space so coordination is key.  The hotel is connected to the Waldorf Astoria which also has ballroom and breakout space.

Challenge: The walk to the Floridian ballroom is a little far from the attendee elevators and you pass through the Bonnet Creek foyer. 

Solution: We have done some interesting displays (demonstrated above) to brand the Floridian space which we would be happy to share.

Producer’s Notes: Bonnet Creek is definitely a hotel that should be on your site visit list for larger events in Orlando.

Condoleezza Rice

Type: Speaker Review

Pros:  In a word, great.  She is expensive but her presentation was one of the best keynotes I have seen. 

Besides her significant political career, Condoleezza Rice is a concert pianist and served as one of the thirteen inaugural members of the College Football Playoff selection committee.

Her presentation combined interesting stories, a lot of humor and frank comments on current news events.  She did a standard keynote and took questions at the end. 

Numerous attendees left the session commenting that her presentation was great.

Producer’s Notes:  Cost clearly is an issue here, but outside of that concern, Condoleezza Rice would be on the top of my list of keynotes for any conference. 

Canyons Park City

Overview:  Salt Lake City seems to be a growing destination city.  Located in Park City about 40 minutes from the SLC airport the Canyons is an interesting choice for smaller events.

Ballrooms:  There is one main ballroom and four breakout spaces that can be divided.  The ballroom has no rigging so everything has to be ground supported.  While not ideal we have come up with some creative options for stage sets.  The main ballroom can also be divided into three sections.

Mountain Options:  Especially in the spring, summer and fall, there are great options for events on the mountain.  For welcome receptions and parties there is a nice space up the mountain.  A gondola ride is required but that can be an added feature for attendees.

A permanent tent is located at the base of the mountain which can be used for dinner, networking events or even a small trade show.

A small concert stage is also on the mountain.  For larger concerts we have also built a larger concert stage.  The stage is at the base of the mountain and the audience sits on the mountain side which makes for a fun experience.

Con:  A 40 minute drive is required to get to the hotel but that is the same as the travel time in many major cities.  The property is beautiful and often groups have the entire property but the general session space is not very large.

Producer’s Notes:  If Salt Lake is a destination you are considering then Canyons in Park City is worth a consideration.  If you book there make sure to ask for Steve Hall as your CSM. 

President George W Bush

Type: Speaker Review

Pros:  Of all the former Presidents on the speaker circuit, President George W Bush is probably my favorite. 

His keynote is usually an interview style keynote with either a new person or an executive from the company doing the moderating.  He is very frank with his opinions about current events but the real key to the presentation are the stories and history that he provides.

The presentation is interesting and also very humorous.  The context and back story that he provides with regard to 9/11 is powerful and very interesting.

Q&A seems to be dependent on the circumstances as I have seen his presentation with and without Q&A.

 Notes:  If a meet and greet and photo opportunity are part of the event there are very strict protocols that need to be followed.  Selecting the right photographer is important and understanding how to stage the area and drape are also key.

Also there are often drape and stanchion requirements for both the general session space and other areas that are not always communicated until the security detail is on site.  A production company familiar working with keynotes like past presidents can make a difference.

Producer’s Notes:  A great presentation that every attendee will enjoy. 

KI Convention Center

Type: Venue Review

Overview:  There are not a lot of good options in the Green Bay market but the KI convention center is one to consider.

Ballrooms:  The property has a wide variety of ballroom space.  The original footprint includes a couple of good size ballrooms which can be divided into smaller breakout space as well as a large expo hall.  A recent renovation added a large upstairs ballroom with additional breakout space.

AV Staff and Equipment:  In house is currently PSAV and they are exclusive for rigging but we have never had an issue bringing in outside av to the venue

Location:  The convention center has two attached hotels which works well in the colder months.  The onsite restaurant is the basic bar/restaurant however, there are multiple good restaurants very close.  Lambeau Field (the Packers stadium) is a short drive away and is a highlight for attendees to visit.

Con:  The rigging in the upstairs ballroom has a few holes so any larger set-up needs to take into account the rigging options.  The expo hall on the first floor can get cold.  Load in is also something that needs to be coordinated as the dock is small and the push upstairs is not short.  We often will coordinate a load in using the expo hall and pull our trucks into the hall for load and unload.

Loews Chicago

Hotel:  Loews Chicago

Location: Chicago

Overview:  Great Chicago property for small to mid-sized shows.  This is a very popular property in a great location and it books far in advance. 

Ballroom:  The main ballroom is the Wright ballroom and it is only 109 x 78.  It is well suited for a mid-sized event and can be divided for smaller events.  The Sullivan ballroom Is right across the foyer and is a nice option for meals or breakouts.

The foyer around the Wright ballroom is great and offers opportunities for breaks and attendee networking.  The two ballrooms are next to the lobby but the entrance to the meeting space is built to provide separation from the main lobby.

If you do not have both ballrooms there will often be another event in the Sullivan ballroom which will require some coordination as the Sullivan foyer is not large and attendees will walk through the Wright foyer to get to their space.  This is not a big issue just something that should be addressed.

One important note.  The loading dock is a very long push through many hallways and dock space needs to be reserved and confirmed prior to arrival.

Breakouts:  On the other side of the lobby are the main breakout rooms.  They are on the second floor so there is great separation from the general public.  There are multiple rooms of varying sizes.

One note, many rooms have built in LED screens but the rental cost is fairly high so we often bring in monitors on rolling stands for these rooms.

Outdoor Terrace:  The outdoor terrace on the top floor is a great space with an amazing view.  Clients have used this space for meals, welcome receptions and parties.  If the terrace is a space you would use pay particular attention to any construction on adjacent properties as the noise can be an issue during the day.

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

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.

Palace Hotel

Type: Venue Reveiw

Location: San Francisco

Overview:  It is always fun to produce events in historical great hotels like the Palace.  Older hotels like this one are great for attendees and provide a great backdrop for events. However, they do offer some logistical challenges.

Ballroom:  There are a number of ballrooms on the first floor of the Palace, all of which are the same size. These are good for small to medium meetings. For this event we were in the Grand Ballroom.  The Gold Ballroom is very close the Grand and works great for attendee meals.  The foyer area is also very nice and offers a great location for registration and event support.

The second floor offers numerous ballrooms of various sizes.  In contrast to the historical look of the main ballrooms, the breakout space has a modern look and feel.

AV Staff and Equipment:  PSAV is in house. For this event we continued our trend on smaller events to partner with in house.  Main show leads were provided by Tri-Marq and primary audio and projection was shipped in.  PSAV provided support for the general session and all breakout rooms.

One note, PSAV has a union contract so if you use in house av you need to utilize local union techs.

The loading dock is very small and any trucking needs to be carefully coordinated.

Producer’s Notes:  Great hotel for smaller events in an amazing city.  Room rates can be expensive at this hotel but the attendee experience always seems very positive.

The Passing Zone

Type : Speaker Review

Overview: Whether you like the TV show America’s Got Talent or not, the show has become a good source for researching acts for corporate events. It seems that any act that is a finalist but doesn’t win quickly makes the rounds at corporate shows. The Passing Zone is one of these acts and one that is worthy of consideration for an opening act.

Pros: The act is part juggling and part comedy with a pretty good message on teamwork mixed in along the way. The juggling was impressive but what I liked most was the comradery that the two guys had with each other and the audience.  The act is funny and included audience interaction too—they pulled a few attendees into the act.

I believe they also have a breakout interactive component however, I have not seen this option.

Cons: This is primarily a comedy and entertainment act. The teamwork message was there, and if you are just looking for an act to support a message, but not have it central to the act, then this group could work great. Messaging is not the primary reason for booking this act in my opinion.

Producer’s Notes: Judging by the smiles and laughter from the audience I think the performance was a success.  I think this group would work great as a morning kickoff or in a time slot right after lunch.

Hyatt Regency Hill Country San Antonio

Overview:  This is one of the better Hill Country hotels in my opinion.  Two large ballrooms are joined by numerous breakout rooms and outdoor areas.  The biggest downside is that property is located in the Hill Country area and requires dedicated transportation to any offsite venues.

Ballrooms:  There are two main ballrooms at the property.  The largest one is the Independence ballroom which can be divided into 8 smaller rooms but works best for a large general session.  The Hill Country ballroom is a little smaller, can also be divided into 7 rooms and can work as a medium size general session.

There final ballroom is the Fredericksburg which we have always divided and used for breakouts.

There are another 10 or so small breakout rooms around the property.

Power and Rigging:  Rigging and power are fairly straightforward in the ballrooms.  There are a couple of rigging points that are not useable in the Independence so a detailed site survey and plot is essential.

There also is no good CAD drawing of the room for rigging.  We made one on our last show so reach out to me if you need an accurate drawing of rigging points in the room.

Loading Docks:  There are a number of different docks at the property and they get busy so a detailed load in schedule is a must at this hotel for large events.

Producer’s Notes:  This is a very good property with numerous ballrooms for General Sessions and Breakouts.

Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort and Spa

Type: Venue Review

Overview: For a mid size event this is a great property.  The largest ballroom is only 14,000 square feet.

Ballrooms:  The main ballroom is the Calusa and is a nice ballroom which has been remodeled since the last time I was there.  There is a very nice foyer directly in front of the ballroom and a terrace that works well for meals.  The terrace was tented during our last event which was a nice addition.

There also are quite a few breakout rooms.  Some are located near the main ballroom and others are on the other side of the hotel attached to a smaller ballroom.

The foyer which connects the ballrooms has been set up as conference registration for both of the recent events we have done at the property.  This has worked well.

AV and Rigging:  The inhouse AV at this property is probably best suited for breakout support and the handing of smaller events.  With that said, the PSAV staff at this property were fantastic, clearly the best staff we have experienced at a PSAV property in a long time.

The Calusa ballroom has a balcony/catwalk that runs around the ballroom.  This can provide a convenient location for projection and stage lighting.

Location:  The property is located by a number of nice restaurants and the hotel itself features a couple of nice bars and restaurants. 

There is also a beautiful pool and outdoor courtyard that works great for outdoor events.

Producer’s Notes: This is a strong property and one that should be on everyone’s short list for mid size Florida properties.

Diplomat Beach Resort Hollywood

Type: Venue Review

Location: Hollywood, FL

Overview: This is a very busy hotel with lots of meeting space and a great location.  There are lots of ballrooms with different levels of features and challenges. The hotel is also split into two areas, the convention center with all of the large ballrooms and the main hotel with the majority of the breakout space.

Ballrooms: The main ballroom is the Great Hall on the third floor.   This is a very flexible space that allows for even the largest stage design and production.  Rigging is ample here and the space works great.

The next largest ballroom is the Grand on the second floor.  This room features windows that run the complete length of the east section (a drape can close them off for sessions).  The biggest challenge with this ballroom is that rigging is very limited.  We have done some very creative stage designs in this space but it can be a challenge.

The remaining ballrooms are mostly used for large breakout rooms and they work well.

The Grand ballroom also features a nice registration area and a nice foyer.

Power and Rigging:  This hotel is constantly booked, and their rigging and power rates reflect the demand.  You will want to price out both power and rigging at the beginning of the budget process so as not to get sticker shock.

Power is handled by an outside vendor and needs to be ordered well in advance of the event.

Entrance to the Ballroom:  The Grand ballroom is accessed by taking an escalator that exits directly into the foyer.  We have done a really interesting LED arch unit at the entrance to the space.  See this blog post for more details.

Producer’s Notes: This is a very large property with lots to offer mid to large size meetings.

Doobie Brothers

Type: Speaker Review

Overview: Great band that really connects with the audience.  They play all of their hits and told quite a few interesting stories. 

Producer’s Notes: Sound check was very straightforward and the audience loved the show.

Rick Perry

Type: Speaker Review

Overview: Rick Perry was a very entertaining speaker.  He had lots of energy on stage. His presentation centered around his experience as a governor and he touched on current politics.

The audience was mostly company executives, so part of his speech covered his views on the current business climate and his experience as the executive of a large state.

He took questions and no topic was off limits. The event was in Dallas so he fit nicely into the theme.

Producers Notes: If you are looking for a Texas connection and a speaker with some national political exposure he would be a good option.

Walt Coleman

Type: Speaker Review

Overview: If your audience likes stories about the NFL, then Walt Coleman is a great choice for a presenter.  The message of his presentation was centered on turning boos into cheers.  Drawing on stories from his experience being booed on the football field, Walt presents a positive message about how to turn even the harshest situation into a positive experience.

The real strength of his presentation are the stories from his 20 plus years in the NFL as a referee.  He took questions from the audience and took pictures.  The audience really seemed to enjoy the presentation.

Walt would be a great lunch time speaker or any session with a lighter approach.

Producer’s notes: One note for your audio engineer, Walt Coleman has an incredibly loud voice and uses it.

Polly LaBarre

Type: Speaker Review

Overview: Polly LaBarre is a founding member of Fast Company magazine and author of the book Mavericks at Work: Why the Most Original Minds in Business Win.

Her presentation is primarily about leadership.  She includes many stories about successful CEO’s and large companies.  Her message seemed to resonate with the audience.

Her presentation was a strong 60 minutes.  She took Q&A after her presentation and had many questions from the audience.

Producer’s Notes: Her presentation combined both insight and humor.  She was the first speaker in the morning and did a good job of maintaining the audience.

Erik Qualman

Type: Keynote Speaker

Overview: Eric Qualman speaks about digital leadership and innovation.  We have worked with Erik many times over the years.  The client has always been happy with the message and the audiences’ have been engaged and entertained.  The audience size has ranged from 150 to 900.

Pros: His presentation is a combination of information, entertaining media and stories.  He does not lack energy and tells the back story about his signature green glasses.    

His style: He generally takes Q&A about 2/3 of the way through his presentation instead of at the end.

Michael Phelps

Type: Keynote

It has been a while since my last post. I have been on the road constantly the last month or so going from one event to the next. Lots of reviews and posts will follow.

I am excited about today’s post because it is a review of an exciting and very new person to the keynote stage: Michael Phelps. I had the pleasure to work with Phelps on what was one of his first keynote presentations.

Pros: The excitement and energy in the audience was obvious as soon as Michael entered the room. A prior VIP meet and greet where Michael took pictures (with a gold medal if the attendee wanted) was a great way to start the evening.

The keynote was done in an interview style.  The president of the company holding the event served as the moderator. A Q&A section followed.

The conversation covered Michaels rise to success with an emphasis on his work ethic. They also covered preparation for each Olympics, stories from the Olympics and background on the Not-For-Profit organization that Michael runs (Michael Phelps Foundation).

Cons:  The only thing to note is that Michael is not a polished presenter yet.  The interview style worked great for this event and I would expect that eventually a standard keynote will be something Michael offers. 

Producer’s Notes:  I would strongly recommend Michael Phelps: a very timely, energetic and fun keynote.  The meet and greet was a great feature and should be part of every booking with Phelps. 

My Preference vs. Venue Preference

Search Google for in-house AV versus outside production company and you get a long list of articles and blog posts complaining about venues requiring the use of their preferred in-house AV company. Our opinion is a little different from many of those writing these articles and posts because we don’t own AV equipment. As event producers and directors we contract the AV equipment (at no mark-up) from the vendor that best fits the requirements and needs of an event.

I have no financial motivation for a client to use outside AV versus the in-house provider. While most of our work is done with outside equipment vendors, there are jobs where it makes sense to use the in-house AV provider. There are also many events where we partner with both an outside equipment vendor for the general session and in-house for breakouts. The decision on AV providers should be based on the best fit for the event and should always be focused on the client’s preference, not the venue’s preference.

When communicating with a venue during their property search, we always encourage our clients to include language that provides them the opportunity to bring in outside AV with no penalty. This is important even though the selection of an AV provider is historically far down the to-do list when planning an event. 

What Language to Include

Include language such as “we reserve the right to bring in our preferred vendor for AV with no penalty or additional fees” as part of your first contact with prospective venues. If the venue pushes back we sometimes encourage clients to include language that says that they will secure a bid from in-house AV firm but still reserve the right to bring in their preferred vendor with no penalty or additional charges.   

One thing I have never understood about venues forcing planners to use the in-house ‘preferred’ AV company is why the preference of the hotel trumps the preference of the event planner. Why should I as a producer or the event planner I work with care about the relationship the hotel may or may not have with their ‘preferred’ vendor? When a producer or planner has their own relationship with an AV company isn’t that the preference that should be important?

Johnny Cash Museum

Nashville, TN

Overview: Nashville is a great city. There are a lot of interesting venues to stage events here, but this is one of our favorites and one that you may not think of right away.

The Johnny Cash Museum is right in the heart of Nashville (3rd and Broadway). The main event space is directly next to the museum with a separate entrance for guests. Drinks and catering are available on site and the food for our event was fantastic. 

Ballroom: The event space has a great look with exposed brick and wood floors and beams. There is a small stage area for intimate performances where we had Joanne Cash talk about Johnny Cash and perform a few songs. This is not a large venue, but for a cocktail event or small dinner it would work very well.

Museum and Store: The museum is very interesting and the right size for attendees to take a quick walk through during the event. A private door from the event area can lead into the museum. 

There also is a museum store if attendees are interested, but it is separate from the event entrance so it is completely optional.

Con: The biggest problem we faced was the lack of bathrooms. The staff said this was something they were going to address but I don’t know if it has improved. This is something to take into consideration if you are looking at the venue. 

There is also not a lot of space for storage so a pre-arranged coat rack is something to look into.

Producer’s Notes:  A great venue that is not yet very well known. Attendees really enjoyed the experience and the staff was very easy to work with.