It’s time for meeting planners and travel industry representatives from around the nation to think about attending the next Small Market Meetings Conference (SMMC). The 2015 edition will be held in Little Rock, Arkansas, September 27-29. Little Rock, the state capital, is considered by many locals and travelers to be the cultural hub of Arkansas and a fun Southern city to visit.
The staff of the Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau so enjoyed hosting the 2011 SMMC that they asked to host it again.
“It was a great experience for us and brought in a couple of hundred meeting professionals that fit our profile,” said Alan Sims, vice president of sales for the CVB. “We got some business from that event. It’ll be four years since everyone was here, and it’s time to show them the new things we’re doing in Little Rock.”
Sims said some people around the country don’t know what to expect of Little Rock. They have little perception of the city.
“We want to show them the things that make us different and show them some of our Southern hospitality and charm. We have big plans,” said Sims.
The SMMC’s reverse trade show, meetings, seminars and events will take place primarily in the spacious and recently renovated Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock. The center is attached to the official conference hotel: the Little Rock Marriott. The CVB recently hosted the Boomers in Groups (BiG) Conference using the same facilities.
“The center is only 10 minutes from the airport, right downtown, and next to the River Market Entertainment District where you’re surrounded by restaurants and things to do,” said Sims.
The heart of the conference is the two-day trade show in which 100 or more meeting planners have their appointments with representatives from meetings industry organizations such as hotels, convention centers, CVBs and travel companies. These appointments last just six minutes each, but allow both sides to exchange contact information and see if they might match for potential business.
The SMMC is organized by The Group Travel Family and is presented by Small Market Meetings magazine.
Entertainment and Events
Sims said plans are still being developed for the conference. The CVB is considering staging everything from a pig roast on the banks of the Arkansas River to an event in the city’s distilling and brewing district. Little Rock has a microbrewery and several popular brew pubs, as well as the state’s first legal liquor production plant since Prohibition days. More details about the conference will be reported as they are finalized.
One interesting character who is expected to entertain and amaze the delegates is Kevin Delaney, director of visitor experience at Little Rock’s Museum of Discovery. Last year, Delaney appeared twice on NBC’s “Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” doing zany, fast-paced science experiments with the show host.
“He is extremely entertaining and very funny,” Sims said. “He does some crazy experiments that are a lot of fun. He’ll be one of our presenters at the conference.”
Little Rock is also home to the William J. Clinton Presidential Library and Museum, which has one of the largest archival collections for any president. Clinton is an Arkansas native. The center recounts the Clinton presidency and U.S. history around the start of the 21st century. It’s located on the banks of the Arkansas River and is available for planners to consider for meetings or events.
Sims acknowledged that meeting planners have many other markets to consider for their gatherings but thinks Little Rock fits many of their profiles.
“How many of those other destinations have access to a presidential library?” he asked. “That immediately puts Little Rock on a list of just 13 cities.”
Delegates can hop aboard one of those replica vintage electric streetcars that operate on a 3.4-mile route between Little Rock and North Little Rock. They cross the Arkansas River on the Main Street Bridge.
Huntsville on Deck
The 2016 conference will be staged in Huntsville, Alabama, nicknamed “Rocket City” because of its close association with America’s space program.
“We have a beautiful downtown with Big Spring Park and its lake around it,” said Bob Rogers, vice president of sales for the Huntsville/Madison County Convention and Visitors Bureau. “The Von Braun Center, our main meeting facility, is next door to it. It has 170,000 square feet of space and can be made up in many ways.”
Other major meeting sites include the Agribition Center at Alabama A&M University, with 99,000 square feet, and Merrimack Hall Performing Arts Center, with 25,000 square feet.
But the coolest venue in Huntsville may be the U.S. Space and Rocket Center, with 70,000 square feet of space for use. It includes the Davidson Center, which has a massive Saturn V Apollo moon rocket towering above visitors as they stroll about or dine below.
The largest meeting hotels in Huntsville are the Embassy Suites, with 295 rooms and attached to the Von Braun Center, and the Marriott Huntsville with 290 rooms.
“There are two more hotels that will be built adjacent to the center,” Rogers said. “One of them will open in 2016.
“Our beautiful downtown is filled with restaurants from high-end types to sandwich shops,” he said. “There are entertainment areas with live music. It’s a walkable and safe downtown.”
Future Host Cities
Small Market Meetings staff have been busy booking other interesting cities for future conferences. South Bend, Indiana, home of the venerable University of Notre Dame, will host SMMC in 2017. The city’s Century Center is located in the riverfront park and anchors the South Bend Convention District. In 2018, the SMMC will be held in Ontario, California, located about 35 miles east of Los Angeles. Green Bay, Wisconsin, will host the conference in 2019.
