Extraordinary Meetings
Bringing History and Culture Into the Meeting
extraordinary meetings
Bringing History and Culture
Into the Meeting
Oftentimes, attendees spend so much of their time inside a convention center that they never get a sense of the city in which the meeting is being held. Here's how one medical group with limited free time found ways around that.
For attendees to the American College of Physicians (ACP) Annual Session, downtime is at a premium. A city can add to the draw of the meeting, certainly, but within limits: Nearly every minute of daylight will likely be spent in educational sessions. The attendees are typically in session from 7 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. So every minute counts when it comes to personal time, and attendees want to spend as little time as possible in transit.
That makes Philadelphia's walkable layout an ideal fit. The medical meeting has held three meetings in Philadelphia in the last seven years, with 11,000 attendees in 2006.
"The city really works [for us] because of the proximity of the hotel package, restaurants, and historic sites," said Bobbie Turner, ACP's director of convention and meeting services. "Everything's maybe six blocks from the convention center and hotels. It makes it easier for the attendee to have a great experience."
ACP further narrows the distance between attendees and all the city has to offer by bringing Philly history and culture into the meeting space. For the first time in 2006, ACP used the Philadelphia Convention Center's Grand Hall, which connects the Marriott to the center, as a gathering space. Once the Reading Railroad Terminal train shed, the hall - set apart by its distinctive arched roof, iron trusses, marble floors, and train-themed murals - is the oldest structure of its kind in the United States. "It's an amazing structure," Turner said. "It's dramatic and sets a different type of tone." The Grand Hall served to house ACP's registration and message center.
For the opening ceremonies and opening of the exhibit hall, ACP used the Mummers, a local group of string bands known for annual parades since 1901. Ben Franklin mingled with guests. A fife and drum played in the background. Lunches provided in the exhibit hall showcased the city's food history. (The theme's focus was taste, not health.) Attendees sampled soft pretzels, cheesesteaks, mini-hoagies, Tasty Kakes, and Italian water ice.
With education such a strong focus, "there aren't a lot of after-hours events," Turner said. "They're on their own for the most part. And it's easy for them to find whatever they want in Philadelphia. In a small window of time, you can walk down the street to go see the Liberty Bell or the Constitution Center or try the unbelievable restaurants."
One industry partner held an event at The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, the oldest art museum and school of fine arts in the United States. Another industry-sponsored symposia held an after-hours event at Reading Terminal Market, a historic farmers market adjacent to the convention center, "something other cities don't have," Turner noted.
For Turner, the central location of the convention center meant the city was that much easier to bring to attendees … and vice versa. "In a lot of cities - and I mean good cities - convention centers are located in a remote part of town, maybe just because of their size. But this center is in the middle of everything, so you don't even have to get a taxi."
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