The 1970s pop song "Do you Know the Way to San José?" could have been written for meeting planners … and if they haven't already done so, it's high time they found their way to this diverse, vibrant city which welcomes conventions and meetings with open arms.

A site visit proved to me why planners, such as Joan Eisenstodt, chief strategist for Eisenstodt Associates, LLC, said that those who are familiar with San José - the third largest city in California after Los Angeles and San Diego - as a meeting location, "wish we could have it all to ourselves." Calling it an "ideal destination," Eisenstodt noted the simplicity of the downtown convention district makes it easy to walk from the center to convention hotels and all the "fabulous" arts facilities and restaurants.

Sue Davis, director of special projects for SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering, agreed. "When we started having meetings in San José in 1990, our foreign attendees asked, 'Where is San José? Is it near San Francisco or Los Angeles?' Today they know!" she said. Attendance for SPIE's Photonics West show has grown from 5,600 to 16,500-plus attendees. "The city is so rich in culture, and the compact downtown creates a 'campus atmosphere' that facilitates networking and communication," she said.

Moreover, the city's entire community really "gets it" when it comes to hosting meetings and conventions, she said. "What they are doing to aid those of us who do meetings there is phenomenal," Eisenstodt concurred.

Team San José

"What they are doing" is Team San José: a nonprofit 501 (c)(6) economic development corporation which has brought together all the stakeholders that benefit from meetings - the CVB, the hotel community, the arts community, labor, and the general business community, which holds six seats on the CVB board. "The entire effort is based on customer service. We put packages together that make San José work for planners and their organizations," said Dan Fenton, president/CEO of the San José Convention and Visitors Bureau, and chairman of the board of Team San José. "This is one-stop shopping for meeting planners. There is one contract for a meeting in San José, no matter how many facilities you use. If an inquiry comes in to one of the hotels or to the CVB sales team, any contact can proceed to contract the business. It makes the experience of booking San José unique," he added. "The model is designed to be nimble, to consider the unique characteristics of each event."

Planners give the approach high marks. "It is so much easier for show producers," said Lori Silva, vice president for event operations and services, CMP Technology, who holds annual meetings in San José. "Government employees are limited by the number of days they can work. I would be working with one convention manager, and then, have to switch to someone else with less knowledge about the show. With a private corporation, you don't have that challenge. Your single contact is with you all the way, all the time. In addition, the organization of Team San José allows the city to look at the overall value of the convention to the local economy, when negotiating just one contract," she noted.

"Team San José has streamlined customer service, with the one point of contact for the meeting, exhibits, audiovisual, and catering," Davis said. "In addition, as our shows have grown, we have expanded to several facilities - all of the downtown hotels, the convention center, civic center, Parkside Hall, Performing Arts Center, and Montgomery Theater. When we were outgrowing Parkside Hall, Dan Fenton suggested building South Hall as a 'temporary' structure, to keep our show in San José. Now, South Hall serves as a venue for other events, not just ours. Team San José is creative and innovative in keeping groups in the city. They listen to planners' ideas and respond."

"We were particularly pleased that Team San José involved the union as partners. Everyone worked well together. When the Fairmont, where we held our meeting was full, they found additional union hotels. That made my job easier," said Kamala Srikar, manager, meeting and travel department, American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), AFL-CIO.

San José McEnery Convention Center

In close proximity to other facilities operated by Team San José and in the center of it all is the San José McEnery Convention Center. The design of the center also allows for easy movement of attendees; 95 percent of the meeting and exhibit space is located on the second floor, including 143,000 square feet of contiguous column-free exhibit space in three exhibit halls, a 22,000-square-foot ballroom, and up to 31 additional meeting rooms. The second floor connects directly to both the Marriott and the Hilton. The adjacent South Hall was built to provide an additional 80,000 square feet of exhibit space, totaling 223,000 square feet. Accessible directly from the rear exit of the convention center, the hall features 48-foot ceilings and 14-foot overhead doors.

Groups with 3,500 attendees, using 1,800 rooms on peak night, are a "comfortable fit" for the convention center, although larger groups are welcome. Two or more meetings can be accommodated at one time, since meeting rooms are located at either end of the center, each connecting to a separate hotel.

"Our 2006 meeting was the first time we used a convention center and it worked very well for us," said Julia Judd, executive director of the Solar Electric Power Association. "The layout of the center and the adjacent Hilton facilitated an easy flow for attendees. We were fortunate to be in a center instead of a hotel because we experienced huge growth. We had 1,500 attendees the previous year, but registered more than 6,500 in 2006 ... plus welcomed 2,000 to the exhibition for a 'public night.' I attribute much of this growth to the Silicon Valley location, bringing venture capitalists and entrepreneurs to our meeting in full force."

The San José McEnery Convention Center is technologically advanced, offering complete Internet access, including Webcasting and cyber cafés, as well as video streaming and satellite transmission, which connects all other convention facilities to the convention center. Trained personnel are on site to assist from the beginning to the end of each meeting. According to San José CVB Senior National Sales Manager Kelli Donohoe, CMP, this advanced technology can often "seal a deal." She noted, "There is nothing we are not willing to try technologically. And, we don't 'nickel and dime' exhibitors when they need more bandwidth in their booths."

Other Team San José Facilities

The California Theatre - Opera San José and Symphony Silicon Valley's home is also available for events with 1,119 fixed seats and outstanding acoustics. The lobby and mezzanine can also be rented, as can the East Terrace Room, and a beautiful, enclosed courtyard.

The Center for the Performing Arts - when not in use for performances, the arts center provides seating for 2,665 people, full staging facilities, and spacious prefunction and reception areas for events.

The Civic Auditorium - this Spanish mission-style auditorium across from the convention center offers 3,060 seats. The Montgomery Theater is housed in the auditorium, and can host 356 people in fixed seating.

Parkside Hall - 30,000 square feet of unobstructed space and 24-foot ceilings makes this an ideal venue for general sessions, exhibitions, or product launches.

Hotels

The San José CVB has a partnership with 14 convention hotels and 35 total San José hotel properties, working together to provide the best fit for groups. Here are highlights of just a handful:

Fairmont - this AAA-four-diamond property offers 805 guest rooms, including 77 suites, in two connected hotel towers. It features 65,000 square feet of meeting space, including two ballrooms, one with 13,464 square feet, and another of 8,342 square feet, which can be divided into two sections. There are nine breakout rooms on the second floor of the Main Tower. On the lobby level, the Club Regent Room offers 3,800 of space. The adjacent Fairmont Tower offers eight separate meeting rooms, allowing two different groups to meet at one time. The Fairmont also manages the Rotary Summit Center nearby, providing 10,137 square feet of function space.

Hilton San José - connected directly to the convention center, this hotel was designed specifically for convention center overflows and groups. Ten meeting rooms, including the 2,900-square-foot Almaden Ballroom, are directly adjacent to the convention center. The hotel has 353 guest rooms, up to 300 of which can be booked for meetings using the convention center. The Hilton collaborates with the Marriott in the "One Connection" sales strategy. "This enables our clients to book two well-known brands, offering the choice and the strength of each," said Thor Kennedy, director of sales.

Marriott San José - located at the other end of the convention center, this property offers 21,000 square feet of meeting space, including a 9,000-square-foot ballroom, 10 additional function rooms, ample prefunction areas, and is ideal for groups needing up to 800 rooms. "We offer an experience that is seamless," said Clifford Clark, general manager, regarding "One Connection." "We provide one contract with addendums. Planners and attendees can earn Marriott Rewards or Hilton HHonors, too."

Sainte Claire Hotel - this National Historical Landmark offers 170 guest rooms, 10,000 square feet of meeting space, including the 3,425-square-foot Grande Ballroom, adjacent to the 1,656-square-foot Courtyard Atrium. The Conference Wing includes the 1,818-square-foot Sainte Claire Room, and four breakout rooms.

The Doubletree Hotel - near the airport, yet just minutes from downtown, the Doubletree offers 505 guest rooms, 10 executive suites, plus 48,000 square feet of flexible meeting space. Two ballrooms, each with 9,940 square feet of meeting space, break into four separate sections. In addition, there are 12 smaller meeting rooms. Since the ballrooms and various breakouts are located on different floors, two groups can easily be accommodated at one time, without any interference.

Help With Planning Your Meeting

"Because of our unexpected growth, we had many last-minute space requests. But our CVB representatives always found a solution - including working with the advance team and security when we learned that Gov. Schwarz- enegger would speak at our event, with only two days' notice!"Judd said. "The CVB played an active role from day one, always anticipating our needs," Srikar concurred. "If I have the option of going back to San José, I'll do it in a heartbeat."