A recent article in Bizbash mentions venues (convention centers and hotels) are investing in more sophisticated site visits using virtual reality. Technology is available that you can use on your computer to walk through a meeting space or hotel.
I had the opportunity to experience a virtual site visit at the Hyatt Regency Milwaukee. They unveiled the new technology to a group attending a Conference Direct meeting at the hotel. It was a very unique experience and it was done by wearing the glasses and you could virtually walk through the meeting space. How many planners would use or have used this technology for conducting site visits at either hotels or centers? I would love to get a dialogue going on your comments. Here is a link to the article According to the Milwaukee Business Journal, Fiserv has purchased the naming rights to the new Bucks Arena. The building will be called Fiserv Forum which opens August 26, 2018. “We are excited to partner with the Milwaukee Bucks to create an unprecedented opportunity to elevate our brand as one of the world’s leading providers of financial technology and payment services,” said Jeff Yabuki, president and CEO of Fiserv. “We also expect this arrangement to further differentiate our brand in support of our purpose of delivering value and excellence to our clients every day.” Financial details of the 25 year agreement were not disclosed. You can read the entire article here.
In a recent article from IACC, they recently conducted a study of venues from around the world about what the future meeting room will look like. Suppliers to the venues also weighed in on what this will look like. Here is what they said:
*Experience creation - According to Jessie States, manage of professional development for MPI, “The role of the venue has changed as it relates to the elements required to create a bespoke set of experiences which will add value to the meeting. We used to call the venue planning team coordinators, but now they are consulting partners and experience creators with responsibilities that get to the heart of the event’s success.” *Flexible spaces - States believes that traditional room set-ups, furnishing and décor often fall short of today’s meeting requirements and objectives. “The ways people learn and engage are shifting, and our design and décor need to reflect that, and indeed support it,” she says. “Venues that provide spaces that help people learn with and from one another, meet the precisely right partner or expert and problem solve together demonstrate a competitive advantage in the marketplace.” *Technology - more bandwidth was cited as something venue operators are looking into. *Sustainable practices and healthy eating choices was also on this list. You can read the entire report here A great day with the Visit Milwaukee and Visit Madison sales teams, we did a joint sales presentation today in Illinois to Gavel International. This is what the team came up with, we served three different flights of beer and had a selection of cheeses from Milwaukee and Madison for the clients to sample. Love the collaboration!
Also attended the Visit Milwaukee/MMAC joint meeting at the new Hyatt Place. This is a photo from the top floor overlooking the new Bucks Arena - definitely inspired about how beautiful the city is from this vantage point. Milwaukee was featured in a recent issue of The Economist magazine. The article was about manufacturing towns in the Midwest and how some cities, like Milwaukee are flourishing and others are struggling. You can read the entire article here.
The Milwaukee Bucks announced today that Punch Bowl Social will be featured within the Entertainment block adjacent to the new Bucks Arena and will open in Spring 2019. According to the article "it will occupy 24,000 square feet across two levels of the block at 320 W. Highland Ave. That footprint includes a 1,249-square-foot upper level deck". The restaurant will offer bowling, ping pong, shuffleboard and a variety of other games. According to Peter Feigin, president of the Milwaukee Bucks and Head of the Herd Real Estate Development LLC, "It will be a major attraction for the Entertainment Block, and will offer visitors an exciting and memorable experience". You can read more about this new venue and see artist renderings here.
Milwaukee was featured in the recent issue of Vogue magazine as the Coolest (and most underrated) Midwest city. The article featured Neighborhoods like: The Third Ward, Walker's Point, East Side and Bay View and many great restaurants/hotels in those areas. The article also mentioned the Friday Fish Fry and Beer Gardens located in many public parks around the area and of course the beautiful Lake Michigan. You can read the entire article here.
A Miami investor, Cambridge Landmark, purchased the Hyatt Regency Milwaukee for $37.3 million and plans to keep the Hyatt Regency brand, but that requires substantial capital to update the property which will happen within the next 18 months. According to Pedro Miranda, managing partner of Cambridge Landmark, "That will include upgrades to the lobby, meeting spaces, rooms and restaurants. We're also looking to make it more of an open space, a more modern design."
Miranda says he sees a lot of potential in Milwaukee and because of the skywalk connecting it to the convention center, when the expansion happens, it will also help the hotel. You can read the entire article here. |
something to think about...We like to share interesting articles and posts that pertain to our industry and the area we serve. Enjoy! archives
January 2023
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