Northwest Florida
Bountiful, Natural Beauty & Options Await Groups
By Ashley WrightMarked by natural beauty and numerous new and renovated meeting facilities, Northwest Florida is what destination marketing officials call the "hidden gem of Florida."
Much of the Panhandle's natural beauty comes from its white sand beaches and aqua blue or emerald green waters. In Pensacola, for example, Ed Schroeder, director of the
Pensacola Bay Area Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB), said the city not only offers a walkable, entertaining downtown area, but 50 miles of nearly undeveloped beaches that he says are "breathtaking every time you see them."
Likewise, Ann Gager, director of sales for the Panama City Beach CVB, said, "In other parts of Florida you don't really see the beach and here we're right on 17 miles of beach (Panama City Beach) that are easily accessible, especially with the new airport coming on line."
The Panama City - Bay County International Airport and Industrial District (Airport Authority) is nearing completion of a 10-year process to relocate the airport, according to recent news reports that said construction is planned for this year. Initial plans for the $330 million airport call for a longer runway, making it possible to land larger jets. As of February, the airport was still slated to open mid-2010, according to local news reports.
Throughout the area, new infrastructure and meeting sites have already come online in recent years, and other projects are slated for the future. As a result, the region is becoming increasingly hospitable to meetings. In Pensacola, Schroeder said, "We are becoming a great destination that is a competitive force for a wide variety of new businesses and conventions."
Pensacola
Among the hospitality industry news in Pensacola and Pensacola Beach, the roads connecting Pensacola Beach to Fort Pickens and Navarre are being repaired from previous hurricane damage and are slated to open by the summer, Schroeder said, adding that attendees will have easier access once again to what he considers one of the most visited National Parks in the country. Additionally, regional airliner DayJet is now flying out of Pensacola Regional Airport to several airports in nearby states.
Other new developments in the area, according to Laura Lee, CVB spokeswoman, include two projects in Pensacola Beach. One, a 162-room, boutique hotel called The Indigo, will be built at the old Holiday Inn property. "Room sizes will average 498 square feet, and the hotel will have a restaurant and lounge in addition to 2,000 square feet of meeting space," Lee said. Construction is expected to begin this year. And, a 234-suite Embassy Suites is being developed by Julian MacQueen on a site just east of his existing
Hilton Pensacola Beach Gulf Front that will include a 14,000-square-foot ballroom, said Tom Rasinen, director of sales at the Hilton.
The Hilton, Rasinen said, is a full-service property that converted from a Hilton Garden Inn in July when a new tower with condo-styled rooms and additional meeting space was added. The hotel offers more than 30,000 square feet of meeting space and 272 guest rooms, including 91 tower suites. With its proximity to both the Embassy Suites and the Hampton Inn just west of the hotel, Rasinen said it's an unbeatable location. "It's really great to have so many different products in one location and with one great team," he said, adding that the Hampton Inn Pensacola Beach offers 5,000 square feet of meeting space and 181 rooms.
Other beach properties include the Days Inn Pensacola Beach Front, which offers 123 rooms and 1,000 square feet of meeting space, and the 117-suite SpringHill Suites by Marriott Pensacola Beach, which offers 2,600 square feet of meeting space.
In downtown Pensacola, one of the latest and "hippest" meeting spaces to open is My Spayce, according to CVB officials. "My Spayce offers a cool, urban venue with a spacious 11,000-square-foot loft that is ideally suited for receptions, seminars, seated dinners, fundraisers, film shoots, product launches or any event that needs to stand out," Lee said.
Within walking distance of My Spayce is the Saenger Theatre, which recently broke ground on a renovation and expansion project, said Kathy Summerlin, development director for Friends of the Saenger. The renovations and restoration will include seating for up to 1,600 and an additional 3,000 square feet of flexible meeting space. "We are basically doubling in size," Summerlin said. "And with the additional meeting space being added to the theater, we're offering a combination that is very hard to find in this area without having sleeping rooms attached."
One of the largest meeting spaces downtown is the Pensacola Civic Center, which, according to Summer Jimmerson, marketing and sales director, offers 33,571 square feet of meeting space and 12 meeting rooms. According to news reports, local officials have agreed to explore the sale of the center to free up bed tax dollars for other uses in the area.
Next door to the center is the Crowne Plaza Pensacola Grand Hotel, which offers 7,584 feet of meeting space and 210 guest rooms. According to Linda Craul, director of sales, the hotel reopened in 2006 after a complete renovation. "We are 100 percent renovated from the inside out," she said.
Also in downtown Pensacola is New World Landing. The complex includes a boutique inn with 15 rooms, 10,000 square feet of meeting space, and 600 South, an upscale wine and martini bar that serves tapas-styled food.
Emerald Coast
For 13 years in a row, the area east of Pensacola known as the Emerald Coast—consisting of Destin, Fort Walton Beach and Okaloosa Island—has been named by the readers of
Southern Living as the best beach and family destination. And Darrel C. Jones, president/CEO of the
Emerald Coast CVB, said he knows why. "From hospitality officials to locals," he said, "the people on the Emerald Coast are friendly and helpful, and we maintain the highest standards of service."
Jones, who was recently elected to the position of board secretary for the Florida Commission on Tourism/Visit Florida Corporation Board of Directors, said the area's attributes include, for one, easy access. Jones said that Okaloosa County is the second most "driven" county in the state. The regional airport in Fort Walton is also expanding and offers direct flights to Charlotte, N.C., Cleveland and Chicago.
The Emerald Coast Conference Center, which is located in Fort Walton Beach and offers 35,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, is now offering the "Catered and Connected" service for groups of up to 90 attendees and, according to Tisha Maraj, sales and marketing manager, the center is also in the process of adding a business center that will be staffed during normal business hours. Jones added, "Many different kinds of business groups make their way through here because the facility includes an excellent range of options and services."
Nearby are the Ramada Plaza Beach Resort and Four Points by Sheraton Destin - Fort Walton Beach. The Ramada features 335 guest rooms and 14,000 square feet of meeting space. According to Brad Pollett, director of sales, the hotel completed renovations of its guest rooms and received the 2006 Ramada President's Award for excellence. "We have staff that have been on board with us for 25 to 30 years," he said. "They know the needs of groups that book here regularly and have learned to anticipate and be proactive in helping with the needs of new groups coming in."
The 216-room Four Points offers 2,436 feet of meeting space and recently underwent a renovation that included upgrading guest rooms in June 2007. Director of Sales Peggy Moravec said the renovation gives the rooms a "very classic feel." Also, carpet was replaced in meeting rooms. "We are within easy walking distance to restaurants, shopping and entertainment," Moravec said. "You don't get lost in a sea of condominiums like in other areas of the beach."
Also located in Fort Walton Beach, the Holiday Inn SunSpree Resort offers 195 guest rooms, a conference center featuring 3,500 square feet of flexible meeting space and an on-site restaurant.
East of Fort Walton Beach is the beachside resort city of Destin. New to Destin is HarborWalk Village, an entertainment district along Destin Harbor that is slated for a grand opening this summer. HarborWalk will include 90,000 square feet of shopping, nightlife, water activities and dining options, as well as the condo resort Emerald Grande, which opened its doors last summer, said Peter Bos, president of Legendary Inc. and the project's developer. "We've enjoyed an enormous response in reservations, even exceeding our expectations for this initial release. I think this project will mean something. It's different and it's a project so close to the heart for all of us here in Destin." The 281-condo resort includes an 8,700-square-foot conference center facility, a business center, a catering kitchen, and on-site restaurants and lounges.
East of the HarborWalk is the 340-unit Pelican Beach Resort and Conference Center, which features a 6,000-square-foot-conference center, a choice of three pools, a beach bar, a spa, a fitness center, a deli, tennis courts and a game center. A 6,000-square-foot, gulf-front sundeck for outdoor events was recently added, according to hotel officials.
Holiday Inn Destin on the Beach, which has 233 guest rooms and 2,400 square feet of
meeting space is best suited to smaller groups, according to Jay Boles, director of sales, who said the exterior of the entire property received a fresh coat of paint in March. The full-service dining facility, Destin Café, is getting "a total new look," Boles added. "From the floors to the ceiling, we will offer a unique and relaxing dining opportunity," he said. Also recently added was the Shack Out Back bar.
Adjacent to the Holiday Inn is Sundestin Beach Resort, which offers 2,000 square feet of meeting space as well as an on-site convenience store and 250 guest rooms.
ResortQuest, the largest marketer and management company of vacation rentals in the United States, manages the resort as well as numerous other properties in Northwest Florida, including TOPS'L Beach and Racquet Resort located in Destin and the new Waterscape Resort condominiums on Okaloosa Island that features a LAY-Z-RIVER on site. ResortQuest's
TOPS'L Beach and Racquet Club offers three dedicated meeting rooms with several options for breakout space. TOPS'L has hosted meetings of up to 300 participants.
The Palms of Destin Resort and Conference Center is east of the Sundestin resort and is near Destin Commons, a 56-acre shopping mall that recently added 850 additional parking spaces. The resort opened in March 2007 and offers 416 guest rooms and 12,000 square feet of meeting space. Private dining areas are available on site at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse and Trader Vic's. "The moment you enter The Palms of Destin Resort, relaxation, indulgence and comfort become everyday pleasures," said Jeff Davis, former director of group sales and marketing. "No other condo rentals in Destin offer such spacious accommodations coupled with the latest in contemporary comfort and exemplary resort amenities."
Beaches Of South Walton
According to Pamela Watkins, director of sales and special events for the
Beaches of South Walton Tourist Development Council (TDC), the 14 beach communities that comprise the area offer a temperate year-round climate, pristine environment, and host of activities, accommodations and facilities that make them ideal for conventions.
And Watkins would know. She's lived in the area for 30 years and spent 10 years representing the area with the TDC where she was recently promoted to director of sales. "Pamela enthusiastically and effectively positions Beaches of South Walton as a premier destination," said Kriss Titus, TDC executive director.
Patrick Scarborough of VIP Convention Planning shares Watkins' enthusiasm for the area. "[South Walton Beaches are] almost a home away from home where I can relax and have meetings and still perform everyday activities all in one location; that is a tremendous asset," he said.
Watkins said larger groups gravitate toward the Seascape Resort and Conference Center, the Embassy Suites Hotel Destin at Miramar Beach, the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort, and the Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort and Spa.
The Embassy Suites Hotel Destin at Miramar Beach offers 6,000 square feet of flexible meeting space and 155 suites. According to National Sales Manager Perri Panella, the hotel recently completed a $1.5 million renovation that included new carpet in the meeting areas and a completely redone boardroom. Another perk for groups is the complimentary cook-to-order breakfast, which, Panella said, "really helps to cut down costs."
Just two miles away is the Seascape Resort and Conference Center, which, according to TDC officials, offers a 4,000-square-foot conference center that features banquet facilities and a beach restaurant and bar. The resort also offers 134 guest rooms and an 18-hole golf course.
Key Info · Pensacola:
—Sales Tax: 7.5 percent
—Hotel Tax: 4 percent
· Emerald Coast:
—Sales Tax: 6 percent
—Tourist Development Impact Fee: (levied on
short-term lodging facilities) 5 percent
· Beaches of South Walton:
—Sales Tax: 6 percent
—Hotel Tax: 4 percent
· Panama City Beach:
—Sales Tax: 7 percent
—Hotel Tax: 4 percent |
Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort offers 1,800 accommodations throughout its 2,400-acre property, including more than 200 luxury rooms at The Village of Baytowne Wharf, the 175-room Bayside Sandestin Inn and the 168-unit Grand Sandestin. "Sandestin is a world within itself, offering a multitude of meeting spaces on the beach, along Choctawhatchee Bay and in The Village of Baytowne Wharf, a 28-acre pedestrian village featuring a collection of specialty merchants ranging from quaint boutique shops and charming eateries to lively nightspots," said Colleen Kirsch, resort spokeswoman. One of the newer additions is the 100-unit luxury condominium Elation that opened last April, which is steps away from the newly opened 32,000-square-foot Baytowne Conference Center and, according to Kirsch, "caps the planned accommodations in the mixed-use village space, which now totals approximately 650 units." The resort features 65,000 total square feet of flexible meeting space. Other on-site amenities at the resort include a 98-slip marina, 15 tennis courts, shopping, dining, a fitness center, a salon, a spa and four golf courses, including Raven Golf Course, home of The Boeing Championship at Sandestin. A variety of complimentary amenities include the use of the fitness center, bicycles, and one hour of canoe, kayak and tennis court time daily.
According to Ron Couget, director of sales, the Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort and Spa, which is located on the Sandestin Resort property, includes 598 gulf-front guest rooms. The resort recently completed a $3.4 million renovation project that included the upgrade of guest rooms in the Emerald Tower. Ongoing renovations include an expansion of the deck space to include large spaces for groups. A second phase of renovations will start in November and is slated for completion in March 2009, Couget said. Meeting space at the hotel includes 32,000 square feet.
Sandestin is also home to Grand Boulevard, a new "shop, work, play and stay" mixed-use center that is already home to dozens of stores, restaurants, shops and galleries. It is slated to come online in 2010, the TDC's Watkins said.
Other hotels located near the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort are the 174-suite Courtyard by Marriott and the 120-suite Marriott Residence Inn, both located outside the entrance to Sandestin. The Courtyard can accommodate groups of up to 45, while the Residence Inn includes 385 square feet of meeting space with seating capacity for 35.
For smaller groups, the TDC suggested the "new urbanism traditions" of Rosemary Beach, Seaside and WaterColor. Roughly 20 miles east of Destin, WaterColor is a 500-acre resort and residential community that features the 60-room WaterColor Inn. The award-winning property was named the number one family resort and 36th on the list of the world's top hotels by
Travel + Leisure in 2006. Facilities at WaterColor include 4,000 square feet of executive meeting space that extend outdoors for al fresco functions and a 450-person outdoor amphitheater overlooking Western Lake.
Next door to WaterColor are the cottages of Seaside, which according to the TDC, are "perfectly suited for corporate gatherings in a luxury resort home setting." The area offers 4,300 square feet of meeting space in a variety of indoor and outdoor settings. More than 300 accommodations are available in the area, including the Inn By the Sea, Vera Bradley, which opened in November.
Rosemary Beach is on the Gulf Coast between Destin and Panama City Beach at the eastern end of Scenic Route 30-A. The area features an interconnected network of pedestrian lanes and blocks that lead to the Town Hall that has 3,804 square feet of meeting space. For outdoor events, the Eastern and Western greens present a beach-front space flanked by cabanas and offering 6,000 square feet of tented or 10,000 square feet of un-tented space. The area also offers 206 rental accommodations.
One of the newest additions to Rosemary Beach is Hotel Saba, a full-service, 55-room hotel slated to open in August with two spa suites, a fine-dining restaurant, conference facilities, event spaces and retail shops.
Panama City/Panama City Beach
Panama City and Panama City Beach are about 100 miles east of Pensacola and approximately 50 miles east of Fort Walton Beach. Along with the news surrounding the airport, the Panama City Beach area is home to the development of Pier Park, a 900,000-square-foot retail and entertainment complex located on 93 acres that covers land spanning from Front Beach Road at the City Pier to U.S. Hwy. 98. A few shops, including Target, The Grand Theatre and Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville restaurant, are now open, with many more planning to open in the coming months, according to destination officials.
Located on Front Beach Road, and within blocks of each other, are the Holiday Inn SunSpree Resort, the Edgewater Beach Resort and the Majestic Beach Towers.
The 340-room Holiday Inn SunSpree Resort recently added the SeaWatch Conference and Entertainment Center, which offers 4,000 square feet of enclosed meeting space equipped with state-of-the-art technology, said resort officials. The three-story conference center also houses the SeaWatch Spa, which opened last summer, and the SeaWatch Martini Bar, according to Panama City Beach CVB officials. The center overlooks the Gulf of Mexico with floor-to-ceiling, sliding glass walls.
The 11-room bed and breakfast The Penisone recently underwent a complete redesign of the interior décor and expanded to offer three more rooms on the fourth floor, according to Jon Ervin, director of public relations and marketing for the Cottage Rental Agency. "We do in fact already have bookings and lots of additional interest in having wedding buyouts and executive retreats in these venues," he said. "They are a great alternative to the standard hotel and conference center."
The 520-unit Edgewater Beach Resort, according to Paul Wohlford, vice president of sales and marketing, recently replaced all the carpet in its meeting rooms and has also completed room renovations. The on-site conference center features more than 32,000 square feet of meeting space. "We really strive to set ourselves apart with customer service," he said. "Throw in the mix an incredible chef who has creative and fresh ideas and is ahead of the curve, and we really work for meetings."
Wohlford also represents The Majestic Beach Towers, which opened two years ago and features 329 guest rooms and more than 10,000 square feet of meeting space as well as a movie theater that can seat 125 attendees. Majestic and Edgewater are only a quarter-mile from each other.
Roughly five miles away is The Boardwalk Beach Resort and Condominiums, which includes 510 units and 40,000 square feet of meeting space, including 20,000 square feet in the conference center. A $4 million renovation of guest rooms was completed in 2007. "We are the only resort on Panama City Beach to offer both budget hotel rooms and luxury condominiums on the same property," said Annie Holcombe, director of business development for Royal American Hospitality, which owns the resort.
The Marriott Bay Point Golf and Spa Resort, a 356-room property that includes 40,000 square feet of meeting space, overlooks St. Andrews Bay and recently underwent a two-year, $23 million renovation and development program that incorporated the renovation of guest rooms. The "Pearl of the Emerald Coast" also added the 12,000-square-foot Spa at Bay Point during this development project. According to Randy Whiteside, vice president of sales and marketing, the hotel recently began a program for meeting planners called "Name Your Own Rate," which will run through the end of 2009.
The Grand Panama Beach Resort is one of the newer properties to hit the beach and is built on 35 acres of property that Robert Warren, marketing director, said is all-inclusive. "When you're here you basically don't have to leave." A 25,000-square-foot conference center is in the preliminary stages, he said, adding that more function space is being considered.
Additional hotel facilities on Panama City Beach include Aqua condominiums, which features meeting space for groups up to 75, a connecting pool terrace, and condominiums with living rooms and kitchens. Other amenities include a poolside café, a whirlpool spa, and a beachside terrace with pools, fountains and water gardens.
A new 86-room La Quinta Inn and Suites with 2,000 square feet of meeting space has also opened.
