Meet the New Ft. Lauderdale

The Greater Ft. Lauderdale area has changed considerably in the last five years — and planners who have not visited recently take note. The recent new luxury developments along A1A, the scenic beachfront road, have completely transformed the area into a casually chic destination, with a selection of Lauderdale Luxe spa resorts. With this significant development, the city is now better poised to be competitive in the conference and incentive market, offering a diverse selection of properties ranging from intimate upscale beach settings to convention destination resorts and everything in between.

Approximately 25%-30% of Ft. Lauderdale’s total visitor base is group business. Of that, there is a mix of about 15% incentives; 25% sports groups and tournaments; and the remaining 60% is a combination of corporate and association programs as well as niche-market groups, such as religious and family reunions. Like other Florida destinations, the area offers beaches — 23 miles of beaches in fact — but what differentiates the city is a canal system reminiscent of Venice, Italy, that gently winds through the heart of Fort Lauderdale, connecting downtown boutiques, galleries and restaurants on stylish Las Olas Boulevard with the museums, theaters and nightspots that line the Riverwalk arts and entertainment district.

The hospitality industry of Greater Ft. Lauderdale works hard to gain the trust of planners, who expect exemplary service. Its “SUNsational Service” program includes training industry employees and executives, a customer service hotline, prizes for exemplary service, and a taxi service improvement plan. Meeting organizers are truly able to supplement their efforts with the SUNsational service team of the CVB, offering a variety of planning and execution services, and take advantage of established connections with their business partners.

“Our diverse types of accommodations, activities and venues combined with being one of the most easily accessible cities by air have put us in an ideal position to offer meetings and incentives planners the flexibility they need to create programs on both a large and limited budget. We are optimistic looking ahead for 2011,” said Christine Tascione, CMP, vice president, Convention & Group Sales.

New Hotels, Updates & Additions

Along with the developments on A1A, a number of new hotels have opened over the last 18 months, including major investments by Starwood, with their Sheraton, Westin and W properties, and a new Marriott Resort.

The new Sheraton Fort Lauderdale Beach Hotel, formerly the Sheraton Yankee Clipper, has completed a $30-million renovation and revival. Now open, the 1950’s frame underwent an extensive renovation to the exterior; its 485 guestrooms include 15 suites, meeting space, public areas, restaurants and bar. The hotel features a new Sheraton Core Fitness Center, Sheraton Kids Club and family-friendly restaurant complete with a homemade ice cream soda fountain. Major upgrades are under way for the property’s 7,000 square feet of indoor meeting space and 5,600 square feet of outdoor space. (www.starwoodhotels.sheraton)

The Harbor Beach Marriott Resort & Spa debuted a new 10,000 square feet of oceanfront ballroom in January 2010. A wall made entirely of glass serves as a virtual window to the ocean and beach. The new ballroom is part of a $50-million renovation including a $25-million floor-to-ceiling rooms’ makeover and ocean terrace enhancements with fire pits, cabana seating and cozy alcoves surrounded by lush tropical landscaping. (www.marriottharborbeach.com)

The Westin Beach Resort, Fort Lauderdale has reopened after completing a multimillion-dollar extensive rebirth. The resort’s 433 guestrooms and suites have been refreshed, the 32,000 square feet of flexible event space has been refurbished, including a 10,192-square-foot ballroom for groups of up to 1,053 people, a second ballroom slightly smaller at 8,376 square feet accommodating 842 people, and the Sunrise Terrace with more than 5,500 square feet of space and inspiring Atlantic views. Also new: an 8,100-square-foot Heavenly Spa by Westin and a Starbucks bistro. (www.starwoodhotels.com/westin)

On April 30, 2009, Starwood Hotels opened the $205 million W Fort Lauderdale, the first W Hotel in Florida. The 486-room hotel is located on a four and a half acre site offering dramatic views of the Atlantic Ocean and Intracoastal Waterway. The 23-story, two-tower building offers Stephen Starr’s Steak 954 restaurant, a luxurious Bliss Spa, W’s signature Whiskey Blue and more than 19,000 square feet of meeting space. (www.starwoodhotels.com/whotels)

In addition, several new hotels conveniently located just minutes from the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, Port Everglades cruise port and the Broward County Convention Center have opened in 2009-2010. Hotels include the 157-room Fairfield Inn & Suites Fort Lauderdale Airport & Cruise Port, opened November 2009; and Choice Hotels’ 119-room Cambria Suites Fort Lauderdale/Dania Beach, opened in January 2010. Crowne Plaza Fort Lauderdale Airport/Cruise Port opened February 2010 with 150 rooms. Hyatt recently opened two new properties: The 149-room Hyatt Place Fort Lauderdale Airport-South opened in January 2010 and the 143-room Hyatt Summerfield Suites Fort Lauderdale Airport-South opened in March 2010.

Off-Site Activities

For special off-site meeting venues and event possibilities, groups can do anything from an evening of barefoot elegance on the pool deck of one of the area’s beachfront hotels, to a waterway cruise along the scenic Intracoastal boasting views of mansions and mega yachts. Or they can experience an Everglades swamp safari and some of the history of the native Seminole Indian Tribe of Florida. Many groups enjoy dine-arounds along Las Olas Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale’s chic upscale thoroughfare dotted with alfresco dining options, Hollywood’s famous Broadwalk or the Himmarshee district in the heart of the Arts & Entertainment District.

Some incentive groups look for individual or group activities that allow them to experience something different or truly special to the destination. Along with beach parties, there are catamaran regattas, deepsea fishing tournaments and high-speed boat racing. Other possibilities unique to the locale include:

Land and Swamp Adventure: Deep in the interior of the exotic Everglades where the sawgrass prairies give way to the Big Cypress lies the proud heartland of the Seminole Indian Reservation. Participants can explore the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Heritage Museum, which showcases rare artifacts that tell the story of the Seminole tribe’s ancestors and how they lived in the Florida swamps and Everglades during the late 1880s. Then they can enjoy both an airboat and swamp-buggy ride in search of wild hogs, hawks, alligators, and Florida panthers.

Art & Culture: An Iron Chef Competition can be held at the Fort Lauderdale History Center, where participants join a team of colleagues aboard a water taxi through the historic New River in Ft. Lauderdale and explore the roots of Ft. Lauderdale. Following a cooking demonstration, teams are put to the test and each delegate can create his or her own culinary masterpiece.

Xtreme Indoor Karting: This indoor facility can be rented for up to 1,000 people to hold an event, concert or reception on the track, or to set up an endurance race with teams of “competitive” incentive winners to compete against one another, complete with pit stops and the final team victory lap. (www.xtremeindoorkarting.com)

Wannado City: This unique and complete indoor 140,000-square-foot “city” was created from a kid’s perspective. Bringing out the “kid” in everyone, delegates can visit the theater, the circus, the hospital and much more and relive their childhood. (www.wannadocity.com)

Greater Fort Lauderdale is a year-round tourism destination, with a high-season in the winter/spring from November through May, and a lower or shoulder season from June through October. Groups with get more meeting for less in Greater Fort Lauderdale during the low/shoulder season, especially if they take advantage of the SUNsational Summer Savings program (some conditions apply), which offers:

• Free rental on space at the Broward County Convention Center from June 15 to October 15, 2010-2013 (using 750 rooms minimum for more than two nights)

• Free one-hour welcome reception with displayed and passed hors d’oeuvres and open bar for registered attendees

• 10% discount on services contracted through the center’s exclusive providers

• 2.5% additional commission or credit to hotel master account based on hotel revenues consumed.

The hospitality industry in Greater Fort Lauderdale welcomes meeting planners. Special hotel value offers are available on www.sunny.org/Meetings/Deals. Plus the CVB says that planners who submit an RFP at www.sunny.org/flyfree will not only receive top service from the CVB sales staff, they will also fly free to the destination for a preview.