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Meeting Focus: Providence
Rhode Island’s capital city of Providence does not come immediately to mind compared with more famous and glamorous meeting sites such as Vegas and Miami, but there are reasons the second-tier city is becoming more attractive.
One is location: It is convenient as a northeast destination with "nearly instant access to virtually all modes of transportation," according to Kristin McGrath, vp of sales and services for the Providence Warwick CVB.
The city is also very walkable. Attendees often walk to experience diverse neighborhoods and attractions.
It boasts one of the oldest libraries in the country, where some would-be meeting attendees find a good source of information about the entire area. Among its most notable attractions is a local Museum of Art that includes among its displays Egyptian mummies.
It might not seem to be an obvious choice for dining such as New Orleans, but the menu for restaurants is something of a surprise.
"Providence is routinely praised as one of the top culinary destinations in the country," said McGrath.
The city also has a variety of spectator sports and various shopping venues.
The city of 80,000 also has almost 40 miles of coastline for visitors to explore, says Meetings Focus West.
Meeting options include the historic, AAA Four Diamond Hotel Providence, with 8,800 square feet of function space; the Marriott Providence downtown, with 11,000-plus square feet of meeting space; the Providence Biltmore, with 38,000 square feet of function space; the Renaissance Providence Hotel, with 18,000 square feet of meeting space; and the Westin Providence, with 20,000 square feet of event space.
"We are a great hub-and-spoke destination," McGrath explains. "Day trips to places like nearby Newport plant the not-so-far-off notion that the entirety of New England is practically at your fingertips."
By David Wilkening
David
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