Where Small Town Hospitality Meets Big City Offerings

Windsor, Hamilton and London give groups warm welcome, flexible space options and competitive pricing

As seen in M&IT Magazine

 

Whoever said that you can’t have the best of both worlds probably hasn’t planned an event in Windsor, London or Hamilton. In these mid-sized southwestern Ontario cities, you can expect the best of both worlds: small town hospitality with big city offerings.

 

Each of the cities can be easily accessed by car, rail, and most notably by plane, since all are serviced by a local airport. And for planners who have their eye on the bottom line, the price is right.

 

“What you’re getting,” says Gordon Orr, managing director of Windsor, Essex County & Pelee Island Convention & Visitors Bureau, “is tier one service and facilities at tier two prices.”

 

WINDSOR

 

Orr’s comment couldn’t be truer or better timed. It comes on the heels of a recent announcement by Economic Development and Trade Minister Joe Cordiano advising that Windsor will be receiving an injection of $400 million from the McGuinty government.

The funding is slated for 100,000 sq. ft. of conference space, a 5,000-seat entertainment venue and a 400-unit hotel complex. The project will break ground this spring with an expected completion date of fall 2007.

 

“It moves us to the number two or three spot under Toronto in terms of space options,” Orr says.

 

This is great news for planners like Angela Kirby, administrative assistant, Canadian Union of Public Employees Ontario Division (CUPE Ontario).

 

“Windsor is one of our favourite destinations,” Kirby says of Canada’s most southerly city, which borders Detroit and sits between Lakes Erie and St. Clair.

 

“And this recent announcement is marvelous for Windsor and for meeting planners. It means we can bring even more people into the city.”

 

Karen Eluck, president of Independent Meeting Planners Association of Canada (IMPAC), echoes Kirby’s enthusiasm for the destination, the facilities and the people who helped make her meeting successful.

 

“Every year IMPAC looks at a few different cities and resorts for our annual conference. In October, 2004 we chose Windsor because of the support they promised us,” Eluck says.

The IMPAC conference, which attracted 70 delegates from across the country, was held for four days at the Cleary International Centre.

 

The Cleary has 40,000 sq. ft. of meeting, exhibition and banquet space spread over four levels. It offers the latest video conferencing equipment, ISDN lines and telephone hook up in each of its 25 meeting rooms.

 

“The staff at The Cleary made us feel at home through the whole event. Everyone involved with the conference went out of their way to help us, even off-site groups like Casino Windsor and the university,” Eluck recalls, adding, “We’ve had good support in the past, but this was excellent support.”

 

CUPE Ontario also used The Cleary when they hosted 1,000 delegates from across the province for a three-day annual convention in May 2002. According to Angela Kirby, the group occupied a variety of rooms ranging from a 10-person meeting room to the 1,500-person Canadian Club auditorium.

 

To oversee the event, Kirby set up a temporary office space in The Cleary’s fourth floor Port of Windsor room.

 

“The Port of Windsor has a little balcony attached, which was a fantastic feature for us,” Kirby says happily. “We were able to step out onto the balcony for some fresh air. Otherwise we might have been stuck inside for three days straight, which does happen at other facilities.”

 

Karen Eluck, who had never planned a Windsor-based event prior to the IMPAC conference, and hadn’t visited the city for about 20 years, admits it was a pleasant surprise to reap so many benefits from one destination.

 

“Windsor has great service, competitive pricing and a convenient location right off Highway 401. I will consider Windsor for future conferences.”

 

LONDON

 

“London has a lot to offer and Four Points Sheraton Hotel & Suites is like a small-town hotel. Everyone knows everyone and they look after you,” says Heather Smyth of Union Gas.

The corporate events coordinator plans approximately four events in London every year, and each time she goes back to Four Points.

 

“The facility has improved a great deal in the last couple of years,” she notes, referring to the $15 million expansion, which was completed in 2004 and has helped position the facility as a first-rate corporate meeting and conference centre.

 

In the same year, the terminal building at London International Airport also underwent an $18 million expansion. It more than doubled in size to 76,000 sq. ft., and had 16 new check-in counters added.

At Four Points Smyth books the 1,000-person Grand Bristol Ballroom for the gas company’s large commercial-industrial (LCI) meetings and leadership conferences. She also uses some of the 11 breakout rooms, which boast natural lighting and flexible seating for 10 to 240 persons.

 

Another big bonus of holding an event in London, says Smyth, are the favourable rates and the free parking.

 

“Hotel rooms are extremely reasonably priced and they are good with upgrades. For $109 Four Points will often give us better rooms than the standard.

 

“Most hotels in London offer free parking,” she continues. “It’s great, especially when you compare it to Toronto, where you always have to pay.”

 

Smyth’s co-worker, corporate events coordinator Erin McLellan, planned a meeting of 200 Union Gas delegates at London’s Convention Centre in October 2004. A second event, also to be held at the convention centre and currently in the planning stage, will be a two-day leadership conference for 70 senior executives.

 

“It’s going to be a very select group of people who know what they want and have high standards,” McLellan explains.

 

But based on her first experience at the 70,000 sq. ft. facility, conveniently located in downtown London, McLellan isn’t worried. “It’s an excellent facility and perfect for what I need,” she says.

 

The Theatre, which has a capacity of 318, is well designed for presentations with a fixed stage and AV equipment, while the Salons, starting at 1,566 sq. ft., are well suited for more intimate breakout sessions.

 

Although the centre is quite large, McLellan says it’s easy to navigate thanks in large part to programmable boards, which are placed in the halls to ensure attendees don’t get lost.

Susan Teslak, Ontario Medical Association’s senior administrator, conference planning, has also used the London Convention Centre.

 

“For our two-day AGM in 2000, we chose London because of the convention centre. It was perfect for our group, which numbered 1,000,” she says.

 

The group used the ballroom, which can be divided into eight sections, for both their 320-classroom meetings and for their exhibitors.

 

Another nice feature, according to Teslak, is having the Hilton, a Four-Diamond property, attached to the Convention Centre by a walkway.

 

“Windsor is not a challenging place to hold a meeting. They know what they are doing. They are very professional – just as much as anyone in Toronto,” she says. “And they are very friendly.”

 

Erin McLellan adds, “The Cleary is excellent but what makes it top-notch is the customer service. This is what made me choose them again, and will keep me coming back in the future.”

 

HAMILTON

 

Ron Dewar, president of Burlington-based Meeting Management Services Inc., has been involved in the Hamilton market for special events and conferences for the last 30 years.

“As a company, we work with almost every major convention centre in cities across Canada,” Dewar says. “From a comparison perspective, Hamilton has some of the best staff and facilities for a city of its size (population 503,000).”

 

David Adames, Tourism Hamilton executive director, agrees. “Between the city’s three main facilities – Hamilton Convention Centre (60,000 sq. ft.), Hamilton Place (seating for 2,200 plus another 350 seats in the studio theatre) and Copps Coliseum (117,000 sq. ft.) – planners are sure to find a facility to meet their needs,” he says.

 

For groups of 1,000 and more, Dewar uses Hamilton Convention Centre. The Convention Centre’s Wentworth Room and Chedoke/Webster Room can each accommodate over 1,500 people theatre-style. They are also suitable for banquets and exhibits.

 

If you’re looking for an even larger venue, walk across the road to Copps Coliseum, where up to19, 000 people can be accommodated for a variety of events including trade shows and conventions.

 

Randy Hooper, president of Source For Sports, a nation-wide buying and marketing group for independent sporting goods retailers, has hosted the company’s annual convention and buying show in Hamilton for the past 20 years.

 

The four-day event is held at the Hamilton Convention Centre and attracts approximately 700 retailers and suppliers from coast to coast.

 

Hooper books a selection of rooms for their AGM, business meetings and presentations as well as the show itself, where suppliers and manufacturers set up booths and meet with retailers who place orders.

 

“The facility couldn’t be better for what we need, and they have a fabulous staff who look after us really well,” Hooper says.

 

“Plus, Hamilton is priced right,” he continues. “We probably wouldn’t do it anywhere else except Hamilton.”

 

Ron Dewar agrees. “One of the reasons you’d look very seriously at Hamilton is the cost of the facilities. You’re saving approximately 30% over Toronto. Another factor is space availability. Often one of our biggest challenges in Toronto is simply just securing space.”

Hamilton also offers some exciting off-site venues. A few years ago, Dewar planned a M*A*S*H night at The Canadian War Plane Heritage Museum, located on the mountain, just a 20 minute drive from downtown.

 

As a backdrop he used the museum’s vintage aircraft plus some tents, flags and even old sign posts that read, “6,000 miles to Los Angeles.” The local army medical team also pitched in, providing Dewar with manned army jeeps and ambulances for the 80,000 sq. ft. venue.

“Showing up in costume was the ticket to get in,” he recalls of the event, which was held for the Canadian Orthopedic Association. “We had four Klingers in the group,” he chuckles.

 

Dewar’s commitment to Hamilton over the last three decades is based on three consistent factors: good people and good facilities at the right price.

 

“Hamilton delivers every time,” Dewar says, proving that you can indeed have the best of both worlds.