You may not think of tax preparers as a very lively bunch, but Liberty Tax Service, a retail income tax preparation firm serving the United States and Canada, recently held a convention that would prove you wrong.  Liberty has been holding its annual convention in Virginia Beach for the past 10 years, making full use of the destination's 38 miles of shoreline and its particular spot on the map. Held May 31-June 2 this year, the group enjoyed a golf tournament at Virginia Beach National, a deep sea fishing trip for 90 complete with DJ entertainment, and a trip to Jamestown, celebrating its 400th anniversary.

As the 1,500-attendee group outgrew the biggest hotel meeting room in Virginia Beach, it moved to the new Virginia Beach Convention Center, utilizing the ballroom and 30 breakout rooms for business meetings during the day. The center became a hub of activity of a different kind in the evening, for the group's cocktail party and a variety show that included a hypnotist and a "Deal or No Deal"-inspired game which gave away two Harley Davidson motorcycles as prizes.

Shelley Frost, director of conventions for the Association of Old Crows (AOC), a non-profit, international professional association with more than 13,500 members engaged in the science and practice of electronic warfare information operations, threw an all-out beach party for her group one evening. The ballroom of the Sheraton Virginia Beach Oceanfront Hotel was transformed into a boardwalk complete with games of chance, strolling magicians, and cotton candy, taffy, and popcorn.

The American Helicopter Society (AHS) International, the world's premier professional vertical flight society, also drew on the appeal of the beach in its program, "Riding the Wave of New Vertical Flight Technology." A beach-themed reception at the center featured servers dressed in Caribbean shirts and a steel drum band.

An entirely different draw for many groups is the astounding number of military bases in the Virginia Beach area, clearly a fit for AOC. Roughly 1,000 members came from all over the country with 20 percent traveling from international locations to attend AOC's 2005 convention. Gen. Ronald Keyes, commander of the Air Combat Command, was able to drive over to the conference to give the keynote address.

AHS's annual meeting was held in Virginia Beach in 2000 but unfortunately all of its breakout meetings couldn't be accommodated under one roof. A decision was made not to return until the group's meetings could be accommodated in one facility.

AHS brought its meeting back to Virginia Beach - and for the first time at the new center - in May of this year. "We were very pleased with this new facility. We utilized all of the center's breakout rooms for a technical program that at times produced 20-plus concurrent sessions," said David Renzi, CMP, director of meetings and advertising for AHS International. Approximately 1,500 attended the convention from all over the world. According to Renzi, "A lot has been done to make this destination upscale. It is also extremely affordable."

Strategically, the Virginia Beach-Hamptons Roads area is ideal for AHS. "There is an audience built in here. Many of our attendees work for nearby U.S. government and military installations. Virginia Beach is also in close proximity to the D.C. military and Pentagon market," said Renzi.

° Andrea Doyle is Convene's senior writer. This Extraordinary Meetings column was sponsored by the Virginia Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau, www.vbfun.com.