"By definition, any organization using a convention center for meetings is going to spend a lot of money in the destination," said Brian DiMartino, president of 21st Century Group, a site selection firm. "Planners are obligated to their organizations to secure the best possible venue for their meeting and do it in a way that is beneficial to the organization - which means negotiating the best prices for all aspects of their meeting. Destinations are hungry for this business and spend a good deal of money to attract it. It behooves planners and suppliers to get to know each other well during the selection process and it is during this time that suppliers will offer whatever is appropriate to secure a meeting."

Take a Site Visit
There's no better way to get to know a convention center and a destination than to make a site visit, or site inspection. While a number of centers and hotel properties have developed the capability for planners to take virtual tours of their facilities, such tours are not enough. "If the meeting is of the size that requires a convention center, then an actual site inspection is vital and necessary," said Peter Shelly, of site selection company HelmsBriscoe. "The virtual site tour is helpful in preliminary planning but will not substitute for the firsthand look."

"Virtual tours can be extremely useful to predetermine which destinations are viable candidates for a meeting," DiMartino added. "Aside from the nice graphics, hard information can be obtained during these tours, such as convention center square footage, meeting room layouts, hotel rooms available in the destination, and other facts that will enable the planner to make a decision on whether a destination is even a possibility. Also, a good virtual tour may introduce the planner to a destination he or she may not otherwise consider and for that reason alone is worth the planner's time."

After narrowing down various centers through virtual tours and other preliminary research, planners should visit the centers under consideration. Even if you have held a meeting in a certain center in previous years, it's always a good idea to go back. "Convention centers are constantly upgrading their existing space or adding meeting space," DiMartino said. "Destinations are constantly adding new hotels to inventory and renovating and expanding existing properties. Downtown areas are revitalized, as are airports and other infrastructure."

What to Look for
When considering a particular convention center for your meeting, there are a number of important qualities to consider. "Obviously, location is a key ingredient, including proximity to headquarter hotels, transportation infrastructure, and local attractions, such as restaurants," Shelly said. "I make the assumption that the actual facility, ballrooms, exhibit space, and breakout rooms are compatible with the specific program. Also, cost of the facility, labor costs, and AV costs remain paramount; that is why we feel secondary cities have become great values."

While the destination city where the center is located is often of utmost concern, "in some cases, the physical attributes of a center, such as available technology, size, and hotel proximity, could be the driving force and the destination itself could be a secondary consideration," DiMartino added.

While a workable destination and enough nearby sleeping rooms to house your guests are crucial, there are specific criteria planners should look for in the center itself. Most important is technology. "Wireless Internet access throughout a convention center is virtually a prerequisite for any type of serious consideration," DiMartino said. "Attendees in this day and age are busy people and expect to be accessible 24 hours a day. In addition, changes in registration technology, RFID name badges, and trade show lead development are quickly becoming the norm and wireless Internet technology drives most of these activities. Newer centers also have fiber optic cabling throughout the building and this becomes very helpful in terms of program development and delivery of content, live or otherwise, simultaneously delivered throughout the building."

Seeking Outside Help
Meeting planning has always been hectic, but today's planners are busier than ever - and site selections, especially involving numerous site visits, is incredibly time-consuming. For that reason, more and more planners are turning to third-party site selection firms to help them choose the ideal facilities for their events. Not only do these site selection firms save planners time and money, but their services are offered free of charge to planners.

"Site selection firms are paid by hotels and other suppliers for their services," DiMartino said. "They do not show up as a budget item. Some planners might think they are paying for the service in the form of increased rates but that is simply not the case. If a site selection firm is searching for a hotel in a given city and provides identical specs to three properties that compete for business regularly and they know they are competing for this business, it is safe to assume they are more worried about winning the business than about paying commissions.

"Site selection companies are focused exclusively on getting programs booked following the parameters they're given," DiMartino continued. "They book a lot of meetings in a given year. They have extensive industry contacts and are familiar with properties in most destinations. They have no agenda other than to get the best deals for their clients so their clients will keep using them. Planners know how much work is involved in identifying properties, getting the specs out, sorting through the proposals and making sure their needs are addressed up-front. This is the expertise that site selection companies offer and this is where the good ones excel. They can also provide you with referrals to local DMCs, AV companies, transportation agencies, and other suppliers that typically contribute to a program's success."

What You Need to Know … Before Site Selection

Before you begin shopping for a convention center in which to locate your next citywide meeting, it's important to prepare yourself with some valuable research. Come to the site inspection armed with all the information you will need to determine whether a particular center is the right one for your meeting. Start by asking the following questions.

° What are your group's convention center habits? For instance, what are your start and end times and meeting room needs and times? How much square footage do you use in an exhibit hall? How much office space and reception space? What are your group's travel patterns? What types of technology will you and your presenters need?

° What does your history say about your group? If you can present a potential meeting venue's executives with three or more years of your group's history, you can show them exactly what your meeting is worth to them, which is a powerful negotiating tool. Complete history should include direct spending as well as ancillary spending, such as food and beverage, electrical, and business services.

° Can you be flexible on dates and movement patterns? The more flexible you can be, the more likely you'll be able to get the convention center you want at the rates you want.

° What concessions do you want? Be up-front from the beginning and prioritize your list of "wants."

° What will make your event successful? Discuss with potential convention centers how you will measure your return on investment and how they can contribute to your success.

Convene's Meeting Budget series is sponsored by The Metro Toronto Convention Centre. Visit its Web site at www.mtccc.com.