Baton Rouge
Cajun City Blends The Old & Beloved With The 'Nouveau'
For Geraldine Bordelon, director of destination services at the Baton Rouge Area Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB), Baton Rouge offers a unique experience that touches on all of the great things the state of Louisiana has to offer—from spicy Cajun food to a blend of many cultures from Cajun to French. "With Baton Rouge being the capital city, we have more than our fair share of attractions," Bordelon said. "Our area is so rich with culture and history, and we are able to combine the whole package as a destination," she said. "Many say that they come to Baton Rouge to experience all that Louisiana has to offer—that you get the newness and oldness all in one place."
Joseph Kellum Jr., a meeting professional with the Society of Quality Assurance, said it was this unique variety that made the capital city an excellent choice for his organization's annual meeting. "Baton Rouge is very unique and would certainly be a different place to have the annual meeting than we would normally be used to," he said. "There are a lot of unique entertainment venues, including plantation tours, swamp tours and the
USS Kidd—which is docked right by the convention center—LSU (Louisiana State University), Baton Rouge Zoo, etc. The food is also unbelievable."
Among the "nouveau" elements of this Cajun city, the CVB formed a new partnership with other capital cities in the nation, a union called the Capital Cities Collection that includes four destinations that are similar in size and offer similar amounts of meeting space, according to Paul Arrigo, CDME, Baton Rouge Area CVB president/CEO. The participating cities include Providence, R.I., Raleigh, N.C., and St. Paul, Minn. "We are pleased to be a part of this cooperative marketing effort with these great cities," Arrigo said. "This strategic partnership will allow us to cross market our capital cities in all regions of the country." The organization is planning to tout the program at several meeting planner events and conferences beginning this spring.
The Baton Rouge area will also see the new $250 million Riviere Casino and Hotel project, as voters gave Pinnacle Entertainment approval in February to move one of the company's riverboat gaming licenses from Lake Charles to the capital city. The entertainment complex will be located on 550 acres and will include a 100-room hotel and a 70,000-square-foot casino moored on the Mississippi River, according to local news reports.
In other CVB news, the organization signed closing documents in October 2007 on a new office building that will be renovated and include a reception area, conference room and work spaces. "This location will give us greater visibility to locals and visitors alike," Arrigo said.
The Baton Rouge River Center underwent a major expansion in 2004 and is currently undergoing another renovation that includes plans to expand the current ballroom and add breakout and prefunction space, according to Bordelon. The center features 200,000 square feet of new and renovated space. "The expansion [in 2004] of the Baton Rouge River Center is the culmination of many years of hard work and forethought of our city leaders and past and present Baton Rouge Area CVB board members," Arrigo stated.
Key Info · Sales Tax: 9 percent
· Hotel Tax: 4 percent
· Transportation: The Capital Area Transit System has routes throughout the city. Fare is $1.75 for adults. Monthly, daily and 15-ride passes can also be purchased. LSU, Southern University and BRCC campus routes are free. The Route 16 Capitol Park Trolley is also free. |
Another meeting venue in Baton Rouge is the Shaw Center for the Arts, which opened its doors in 2005. The 125,000-square-foot facility houses the LSU Museum of Art, the LSU School of Art Gallery, the 325-seat Manship Theatre and three restaurants.
In the way of hotels, one of the newest additions to the area is the 126-room Hyatt Place Baton Rouge/I-10, which opened in March and is located a few miles from downtown. The hotel also features 1,200 square feet of meeting space. Hyatt Place is new to the Hyatt's full-service brands. According to hotel officials, Hyatt Place combines "contemporary design" with "innovative services and amenities." Alison Kal, Hyatt Corporation vice president of marketing, said, "Thanks to a combination of technology, service and amenities, Hyatt Place guests can seamlessly shift from home to hotel in a way they couldn't before." The Hyatt Place Baton Rouge is adjacent to the Mall of Louisiana. Hotel amenities include wireless Internet access, a gallery area with self-registration kiosks, a wine café and a bakery.
The 290-room Hilton Baton Rouge Capitol Center, which is adjacent to the River Center, reopened in 2006 after being closed for 25 years with 20,000 square feet of meeting space, according to Tina Rance, vice president of sales and marketing. "Seventy million dollars later we are a beautifully restored and completely rebuilt Hilton," she said. "We are ranked as a top 10 Hilton out of all the Hiltons in North, Central and South America in Hilton's Voice of the Customer and are known for our outstanding customer service and genuine hospitality." Formerly known as the Heidelberg and Capitol House Hotel, the hotel has been named to the National Trust for Historic Preservation's Historic Hotels of America.
Also adjacent to the River Center is the Sheraton Baton Rouge Convention Center Hotel, which offers 300 guest rooms and 15,000 square feet of meeting space, plus an additional 27,000 square feet inside the atrium. Also, the hotel is adjacent to the Belle of Baton Rouge casino—a three-deck riverboat casino that features more than 29,000 square feet of gaming area and includes more than 1,000 slots, video poker, keno machines and table games.
The city's other gaming riverboat, which is located across from the state capitol complex, is the more than 1,000-slot Hollywood Casino, formerly Casino Rouge, which completed an $8.5 million renovation and entertainment venue expansion last February, according to casino officials. "Hollywood Casino Baton Rouge has been a committed and thriving business in downtown Baton Rouge for more than 12 years," said Jon Zimmerman, general manager. "Our recent investment in the property has significantly enhanced our entertainment, gaming, and food and beverage offerings, and we look forward to delivering a great experience to existing and new customers with the highly recognizable Hollywood brand and theme."
The Holiday Inn Select Baton Rouge Executive Center will be re-branded as a Crowne Plaza Hotel by the end of 2008, according to Lisa Schuetz, director of sales and marketing. "Changes that guests can anticipate with this identity change include a flat-screen TV in each room, an updated bathroom, the new Sleep Advantage bedding package, and a fresh new décor in the lobby," she said. "Conference attendees will enjoy the enhanced technology, upgraded amenities and specialized attention that make Crowne Plaza 'The Place to Meet.'" The hotel offers more than 32,000 square feet of meeting space and 294 guest rooms.
Schuetz added that Executive Hotel Management, which has owned and operated the Holiday Inn for 14 years, will open a new 143-room Holiday Inn adjacent to the Crowne Plaza. The hotel is currently under construction and will offer meeting space for smaller groups.
The Embassy Suites Hotel, with more than 5,000 square feet of meeting space, offers 223 rooms and a catering menu for events. According to Lenore Elvir, director of sales, guest suites, the lobby, and the fitness and business centers recently underwent a multimillion-dollar renovation. "We stand out from hotels in the area because we are an all-suite product and we provide excellent service," Elvir said.
The 300-room Baton Rouge Marriott recently completed a total renovation of its guest rooms, according to Sherry Walker, director of sales. "We also have renovated our 20,000 square feet of meeting space," she added.
