Snohomish County businesses can count themselves lucky when it comes to planning a meeting or convention. Not only is this area beautiful to look at and filled with great meeting spots and amenities, but it’s also more affordable.
Although the county line is just 12 miles north of downtown Seattle, hotel rates in this area are approximately 40 percent less. That also extends to meeting rooms. In fact, the down economy means that many hotels and banquet rooms are more eager than ever to beat their neighbors to the south and bring in more meeting groups and conferences. It’s a good time to get great rates.
It’s also possible to get free advice to help plan conferences in this area. A key part of the Snohomish County Tourism Bureau’s duties involve promoting meeting rooms and convention facilities. They know what’s out there and are happy to help local businesses get connected.
The Tourism Bureau’s Web site lists places to meet and stay in the county. But even more valuable is a comprehensive downloadable meeting guide PDF that suggests popular meeting destinations in the area and presents all of the specs and contact information for each .
Organizers also have the option of using the services of the Bureau’s group sales manager. Julie Gangler, media consultant for the Snohomish County Business Bureau explained.
“Planners make just one call to the SCTB’s Heather Carter, Group Sales Manager, and she then researches the best Snohomish venue (and hotel if needed), based on that planner’s needs. She coordinates and facilitates all the arrangements between the venue and the meeting planner – instead of the planner having to contact numerous venues individually. The SCTB saves meeting planners substantial time and finds their groups the best deal for their particular needs.” she said.
If a business prefers to do the groundwork themselves, there are a few things to keep in mind. If the meeting isn’t going to provide a lunch for attendees, make sure that there are enough restaurant choices within easy walking distance and that they can handle everyone coming in at once. Otherwise you may not stay on schedule.
Also, find out what AV materials are available onsite and check for back ups whether you’re bringing your own equipment or renting someone else’s.
Get everything in writing and confirm that everything is on track for your event. Ideally, visit a day or so in advance to make sure the facility is looking spruced up, restrooms are functioning and equipment will be available. It is an unfair but often true fact that if something goes wrong at an event, those bad memories reflect on the company that planned it.
But the most important thing is to select the best venue for the group size. The large conference facilities are probably the best known in the county. It’s unlikely that most businesses would ever need the 10,000-seat Comcast Arena. But that building is also home to the Edward D. Hansen Conference Center.
This state-of-the-art facility can serve groups as small as a dozen. One thing that the Hansen Center is noted for is the ability to offer green meetings. It’s a thoughtful touch for businesses trying to reduce their environmental footprint.
The Hansen Center’s 11,385 square foot ballroom can be used as one large space or can be divided into separate rooms. It has the added bonus of being only three blocks from Everett station with all its transportation opportunities.
Another popular meeting and convention venue near Interstate 5 is the Lynnwood Convention Center. As the ongoing meeting place for “Good Morning, South Snohomish County!” and other chamber events, many business owners are already familiar with the facility.
“We can accommodate groups from six people to 1600 people. It just depends on the type of the event,” said Angie Mykel, director of sales and marketing.
She also pointed out that it is an ideal central location between Seattle and Everett. Parking is free and catering is exceptional.
“Our chef focuses on local ingredients and the menus change according to the season,” Mykel said.
Next in terms of conference capacity is the Tulalip Resort Casino with more than 30,000 square feet of meeting space. This includes the 15,000 square foot Orca Ballroom which is the largest ballroom north of Seattle. There is also a 5,000 square foot Chinook Junior Ballroom, and two executive boardrooms along with several breakout options.
Tulalip Resort Casino was recently the venue for Snohomish County’s Focus on Farming conference hosted by Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon.
“We’re proud of our ability to provide extraordinary value and meeting experiences at Tulalip Resort Casino,” said director of sales Troy Longwith. “With state-of-the-art meeting spaces, a AAA Four Diamond rated hotel, a rejuvenating spa, award winning dining, and exciting gaming action and entertainment, we offer the ideal location for effective meeting experiences.”
The Holiday Inn in downtown Everett is another large capacity venue, accommodating up to 800. There is 11,000 square feet of function space and a 7,000 foot ballroom. In addition, the Holiday Inn offers six more meeting rooms.
An unusual and interesting meeting place option that can accommodate from 10 to 750 is found at the Future of Flight Aviation Center. The facility has complete audio visual services as well as an on-site technician to make sure everything is functioning as it should.
There are some meeting centers that come with a few restrictions but if your group qualifies are well worth booking. Warm Beach Conference Center is possibly the most scenic, perched on the edge of the Sound and with spectacular views. But they only accept non-profits and certain civic and community groups.
“We do more churches and schools than anything else but other non-profits and civic groups may well qualify,” said Guest Services associate Deyanne Koster.
Another large capacity venue with great views is the Edmonds Center for the Arts. While there are no windows to enjoy the view in the 700 seat theatre, the lobby converts into a meeting space for up to 200 and offers great views. There are other meeting room options in the historic fully renovated high school campus. There is also plenty of parking which isn’t always the case in busy little Edmonds.
This touches on just a few of the most notable high capacity meeting rooms in Snohomish County. There are many others. The Medallion Hotel in Arlington, for example, is another favorite meeting site for many county businesses.
Edmonds Conference Center is a facility that can handle meeting groups from 10-400. It also has an added perk — the unique option to bring in food and beverage from an outside source.
“While we encourage our clients to secure the services of a licensed, insured caterer, other options are also permitted including self prepared foods, platters from grocery stores, pizza, boxed lunches, potluck meals, etc. A well equipped kitchen, conveniently located adjacent to our main banquet hall, is available for our clients,” said Client Services & Marketing Representative Diane Toney
Almost every hotel has meeting group facilities. But there are also meeting spaces in public buildings like the Weyerhauser Room at Everett Station or the Waltz building in Snohomish. While they may not offer the plush interiors and amenities of hotels and conference centers, they can prove far more affordable for the business on a budget.
Edmonds Community College recently announced that they are offering their Black Box Theatre for rent as a meeting space. It can seat over 200 and has lighting sound and AV equipment.
For more information about any of these facilities or to get a list of the full range of possibilities within the county, go online to the Snohomish County Tourism Web site www.snohomish.org or call or email Heather Carter, Group Sales Manager 425-348-5802 ext. 16 or toll-free 1-888-338-0976 or heather@snohomish.org
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