Meetings: Minnesota's Hospitality Journal

Meeting Venue Spotlight: Mall of America

Last night Mall of America opened its doors for a special peek at the meeting space available inside the massive shopping complex and a taste of the menu from Levy Restaurants, the mall's new catering partner. Levy Restaurants is a food organization with a network of restaurants (Chicago's Bistro 110 and Denver's Welshire Inn), and food service operations at sports and entertainment facilities (Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo, Wrigley Field, and U.S. Cellular Field, plus Wisconsin's Lambeau Field) across the country.

Meet at the Cinema

I don't know about you, but nearly every time I go to the movie theater these days, there's a commercial or advertisement about holding your meeting at the cinema. Maybe we were ahead of the trend, or with the trend, more than two years ago when we wrote a Location Location on area theaters,* but now it seems the idea has become even more widespread

Before Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist last weekend, I saw an ad for CineMeetings. The company works with several theater chains, including AMC and Regal, and offers event services such as catering, live Q & A, and promotions. Movie theaters can be used for events ranging from product launches, live satellite broadcasts, or training seminars.

So tell me, have you held an event at the movies? What type of event was it and how did it go?

--Amanda Fretheim Gates
Mangaing Editor

* Please remember this article was published a few years ago. Crown Theatres at Block E is now called Kerasotes, and you'll have to do some research to see if they still offer rental opportunities. Plus, Mall of America just rebranded its cinema Theatres at Mall of America, and should be checked out as well.

Performance Reviews: What do you think?

Lisa Junker over at Acronym linked to the following Wall Street Journal article: Get Rid of the Performance Review! As someone who has a boss who's fair and honest with me about my performance (and I'm not just saying that because he reads this blog!), I've never had a problem with performance reviews. I like to have a designated time to have a professional conversation about my goals and his goals for me, and how we can work together to achieve those and look our for the best of our department and company.

However, after reading this article, I can see the author's point on a number of issues. What's his solution? Performance previews: instead of looking back at what an employee did or did not do in the previous year, together look ahead at what the team can do to reach their goals and do their best for the company. The boss needs to find out how the employee can help meet these goals and how he or she can help the employee with this. And then trust the employee to take over.

It's a very interesting article, and while I think in most companies performance reviews are here to stay (and I'm not ready to disagree with that), it does make us reflect on our practices, and it never hurts to look at a new way to do things.

Thoughts?

--Amanda Fretheim Gates
Managing Editor

The Target Center's Green Roof and Kudos for Central Library

In the last week or so, there have been a few developments in among talk of the Target Center getting a makeover. Last Wednesday Minnpost reported that Tim Leiweke, CEO of AEG, the company that's been managing the facility for the past 18 months, met with Mayor R.T. Rybak and Timberwolves executives to talk about reviving the space. Then yesterday, Finance & Commerce reported that images of plans for the long-talked-of green roof for the center have been unveiled. The report says that at 113,000 square feet, it will be Minnesota's largest green roof and it will be finished in 2009.

One more downtown Minneapolis tidbit: MSN City Guides has included the Minneapolis Central Library on its list of America's Coolest Public Libraries. We already knew it was cool, but it's nice that other folks are realizing that too!

--Marni Ginther
Assistant Editor

Now Open: Hell's Kitchen

If you didn't already know, Hell's Kitchen moved locations this month. It's now operating in the old Rossi's spot on Ninth Street between Marquette and Nicollet Mall in Minneapolis. This is a suitable spot for the restaurant, as it's in the basement (thus "closer" to its namesake). I loved Rossi's. The atmosphere and the happy hour deals, especially. And who doesn't like a good place to see some jazz? But, it's nice to know that the restaurant to take its place is one so beloved like Hell's Kitchen.

I checked out the new digs this past Saturday for dinner. While the structure of Rossi's is still there, the place looks a bit different: Firey red paint, funny writings on the wall, creepy gothic pictures in the bathroom and around the restaurant, and lots more seating than the old Hell's location (Hell's uses the three different sections Rossi's had). The Minneapolis Hell's never served dinner, but its Duluth location did. I was pleased with the menu, as it had good, confort-food favorites with a touch of a twist. The restaurant is also now offering Hell On Wheels, a grab-n-go counter for lunch, where business-types can get soups, salads and sandwiches to go during the noon hour. Groups of six or more can also get free delivery starting tomorrow (Oct. 28).

Have you been to the new Hell's Kitchen yet? Let me know what you think.

--Amanda Fretheim Gates
Managing Editor

Webinar: Events & the Economy

I took part in a webinar today, Event Dialogs Online produced by the Event Marketing Institute (EMI), called The Economy’s Impact on Events: What to Do. Moderated by EMI Senior Research Editor Rory Thompson, the session’s three guest speakers were Bruce McMillan, CEO and President of Meeting Professionals International (MPI); Steven Hacker, President of International Association of Exhibitions & Events (IAEE); and Dan Hanover, editor of Event Marketer Magazine.

Here are some of the opinions and issues I found the most interesting:

+ Hanover says that he’s found that independent and small- to medium-sized businesses are the ones that are doing better than the big agencies right now.

+ McMillan talked about how strategic events – those that are planned very well and accomplish the right objectives – are the parts of business that provide the best ROI. To pull out of downturn like we’re in right now, McMillan suggests a company look at all their best tools, and events are going to be one of those.

+ Hacker agreed with this notion and stated that meeting professionals and marketers need to find the hard data that shows the value of what they’re doing and show it to their CEOs. The data needs to be good though, to offset all the negativity that the media broadcasts every day.

Facts & Figures: International Tourism

The latest press release from the International Trade Administration (ITA) offers a glimmer of hope in these tough times: International tourism is up - by a lot. Here are the facts, announced by the U.S. Department of Commerce, found in the ITA press release:

+ 5.4 million international visitors traveled to the United States in the month of July 2008, an increase of 2 percent over July 2007, and spent a record $12.7 billion, marking a 21 percent increase over July 2007.

+ Combining the first seven months of 2008, visitation was up an impressive 10 percent compared to 2007.

+ Overseas arrivals (excluding Canada and Mexico) increased 10 percent for the month compared to July 2007 and 10 percent YTD.

+ Visitation from Canada was up 2 percent for the month and 14 percent YTD, and visitation from Western Europe increased 19 percent in July and 17 percent YTD.

+ Arrivals from the United Kingdom were up 8 percent in July and 8 percent YTD.

+ In July, large growth rates were recorded from: Denmark, up 25 percent; France, up 31 percent; Germany, up 13 percent; Ireland, up 15 percent; Italy, up 29 percent; the Netherlands up 26 percent; Spain, up 42 percent; and Switzerland, up 28 percent. Eastern Europe generated a 12 percent increase in arrivals for July 2008.

+ Arrivals from South America were up 8 percent in July and 14 percent YTD.

+ Overall visitation from Asia is up 30 percent YTD.

While I know it's probably because the dollar is weak and buying clothes and shoes on the cheap is worth the price of a plane ticket to these folks, I do think this is a positive development. If locals are pinching pennies, at least international visitors are putting money back into our economy. What do you think? Good news?

--Amanda Fretheim Gates
Managing Editor

Cover Story Update: Even More on Cultural Heritage Travelers

Further proof that Associate Editor Ellie Bayrd picked up on the right trends when writing our fall cover story, “The Value of History.” In it, she writes about how historic properties and attractions can capitalize on the growing numbers of cultural heritage travelers. I blogged a while back when TripAdvisor found this trend in their research and Ellie has also followed up on the story. Well, not to beat a dead horse, but I think this is kind of exciting:

On Oct. 4, the U.S. Cultural and Heritage Tourism Marketing Council (USCHT)—of which Explore Minnesota Tourism is listed as a member—announced a new partnership with the American Association of Museums (AAM) and the Museum Store Association (MSA). According to the press release, “the three organizations aim to increase visitation to cultural and historic sites through targeted travel marketing avenues.” AND, MSA and USCHT also announced plans to launch The Cultural Traveler, a publication and Web site some time in the first quarter of 2009. It will be distributed to “thousands of consumers, tour operators, travel agents and travel media.”

Neat, huh? I’d be interested to see if any owners or employees of historic properties, attractions or museums have seen any kind of uptick in visits from this new species of cultural heritage traveler.

--Marni Ginther
Assistant Editor

MobiShow: Project your presentation right from your phone

I just came across this pretty amazing product on Engadget. It's called MobiShow from AWIND Inc, a company based in Taiwan. What MobiShow does is eliminate the need for a PC, a projector and all those cords that go with them. Instead, you wirelessly transmit your presentation from your phone to the MobiShow box and it will project it up on the screen. Then your phone becomes your remote, allowing you to easily click through your PowerPoint slides. Besides work, you can also play and stream video stored on your phone up on the screen.

Check out the five minute presentation from AWIND at the DEMO Conference this past September. Besides explaining their product pretty well, these two guys offer a bit a humor, too.

--Amanda Fretheim Gates
Managing Editor

Scrutinizing Security at MSP Airport

The Star Tribune reported today on an article in the November issue of The Atlantic magazine in which the writer, Jeffrey Goldberg, was able to board a plane to Washington D.C. from the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport with a fake boarding pass and no photo I.D.

“Airport security in America is a sham—'security theater' designed to make travelers feel better and catch stupid terrorists,” The Atlantic’s intro reads. “Smart ones can get through security with fake boarding passes and all manner of prohibited items—as our correspondent did with ease.”

Goldberg says he’s also successfully carried other items—pocketknives, a Hezbollah flag, lengths of rope, cigarette lighters and box cutters—through U.S. airports.

I can’t deny the article grabbed my attention and certainly is a compelling read. But as one comment on the Star Tribune Web site pointed out, there haven’t been any more attacks in our airports or airplanes since Sept. 11. I’d be curious to hear your thoughts if you're one of those folks who travels frequently and puts up with TSA hassles that are supposed to be keeping us safe. 

--Marni Ginther
Assistant Editor

UPDATE: For anyone wondering what the TSA said in response to the article, the Star Tribune has updated its report with comments from Ellen Howe, a TSA spokeswoman who said The Atlantic's piece was "more of an entertainment piece than a treatment of security."