december 23, 2014-january 19, 2015 section b

Robert A. Smit, CHA, left, vice president ofoperations, YHB Hospitality Group and gen-eral manager of the Holiday Inn Long BeachAirport Hotel & Conference Center, andSteve Goodling, president and CEO of theLong Bech Convention & Visitors Bureau.(Photograph by the Business Journal’s Thomas McConville)

FOCUS ON THE

Hospitality AndTourism Industry

1_LBBJ_DEC_23_SectionB_LBBJ MASTER LAYOUT 12/21/14 9:36 AM

HOSPITALITY & TOURISM INDUSTRYDecember 23, 2014-January 19, 2015 Long Beach Business Journal 3-B

� By SAMANTHA MEHLINGER

Senior Writer

A mong the first local industryclusters to recover from theGreat Recession, the hospital-

ity and tourism industries continue to expe-rience job gains and inject more dollarsinto the regional economy with each pass-ing year. And the future is only brighter,according to Kimberly Ritter-Martinez, aneconomist with the Los Angeles CountyEconomic Development Corporation.

Estimates from the Los Angeles Tourism& Convention Board suggest 43.2 millionpeople will have visited Los AngelesCounty by the end of the year, a recordhigh for a number of annual visitors.Overnight visitors are expected to generatean economic impact of $18.5 billion by theend of December, Ritter-Martinez said.

“The improvements we have seen in theeconomy this year and the acceleratedimprovements we are expecting next yearwould indicate that we’re looking at bettertimes for the tourism and hospitality indus-try,” Ritter-Martinez told the BusinessJournal. Better job growth, increasingincomes and more flexible spending powerthanks to falling gas prices all indicate fur-ther improvements in the Greater LosAngeles tourism and hospitality industries,she explained.

An improving economy should also boostconvention bookings, Ritter-Martinez

pointed out. “On the business side, corpo-rate profits are doing well,” which bodeswell for business travel, she said.Nationwide, corporate profits increased by$43.8 billion in the third quarter of thisyear, the Economics and StatisticsAdministration of U.S. Department ofCommerce reported recently.

“Even with technology, webinars andvideo conferencing, companies still recog-nize that those aren’t the same as [meeting]face to face with a customer, or the flow ofideas that takes place at a conference,”Ritter-Martinez said. “So we are seeing con-vention travel and conventions doing prettywell, plus a lot of growth in smaller meetingsand conferences as well,” she explained.

Overall, Ritter-Martinez said, “Tourismin Los Angeles County is booming, andLong Beach has done a lot to help get someof that share.” By the end of 2014, about 6million visitors will have visited LongBeach for conventions, attractions such asthe Aquarium of the Pacific and the QueenMary, and events such as the Toyota GrandPrix of Long Beach and the Long BeachLesbian & Gay Pride Festival.

Responsible for bringing thousands ofnew visitors – and new dollars – to LongBeach is the Long Beach Convention &Visitors Bureau (CVB), a nonprofit organ-ization that promotes the city as a destina-tion for business meetings and tourism.This year, 1.635 million people came toLong Beach for conventions, tradeshows

and special events, according to the CVB.Just over 300 conventions and meetingstook place in Long Beach this year, repre-senting a 14 percent increase over 2013.Overnight visitors staying for these eventsgenerated $21,264,955 for the city throughthe transient occupancy tax, also known asthe hotel bed tax. The figure represents a$2.48 million increase from last year.

Next year is looking even better, accord-ing to Steve Goodling, president and CEOof the CVB. Currently, the organization’sprojected sales for 2015 are 12.9 percentahead of the number of bookings the grouphad secured for 2014 by this time last year.The bureau has secured 15 key groups –most of which are new to the city – for con-ventions and conferences next year, bring-

ing in 68,850 visitors for 62,232 hotelroom night stays. These groups areexpected to generate $53,358,750 in esti-mated economic impact to Long Beachnext year, the CVB estimated.

Among the new groups coming to LongBeach for conventions next year is theNational Retail Federation, an organizationrepresenting the interests of major retailersnationwide. The group’s conference onsecurity-related issues is expected to attractan estimated 3,500 conference attendeesfor a projected economic impact of about$2.712 million.

According to Goodling, having theNational Retail Federation here representsan opportunity to showcase Long Beach.

“Increasingly, cities and regions are recognizing that tourism is part of an economic development plan and

these tourism boards are now focusing on the economics of the industry – how tourism fits in with other

regional economic strategies. So we’re getting a much more integrated approach to building tourism.”

Economist Kimberly Ritter-Martinez, Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation

Local Tourism And Hospitality Industry Boosted ByImproving Economy And Growing Convention Business

3 Industry Overview

4 Hoteliers Feeling The Love As Occupancy And RoomRates Rise

6 John Jenkins: From OmeletCook To General ManagerOf The Queen Mary

7 Multiple Hotel Renovations Planned

10 How Does Long BeachSpell Success? The Pacific Ballroom

12 Long Beach AttractionsReport Growing RevenuesAnd Visitor Counts

16 Convention & VisitorsBureau’s Online Outreach Puts Spotlight On Long Beach

17 Meeting Sites Guide

(Please Continue To Next Page)

Photograph by the Business Journal’s Thomas McConville

INSIDE


HOSPITALITY & TOURISM INDUSTRY4-B Long Beach Business Journal December 23, 2014-January 19, 2015

“All of the major retailers representing allthe major chains in the United States willbe here,” Goodling said. “We get to show-case to them what our downtown hasgrown into. Our hope is that it will sparksome interest in retailing in DowntownLong Beach,” he added.

Another first-time group is the Virginia-based Irrigation Association coming innext November with 4,000 conventioneers.The group normally holds its conventionsin Southern California since most of itsmembers are based here.

According to CEO Deborah Hamlin, theassociation has regularly used San Diegoand Anaheim and had not explored LongBeach. “When we did the comparison,Long Beach beat out the other two,” shesaid. “We also had L.A. in the mix for thefirst time. Of all of those, we felt LongBeach had the best package for us. When Isay package, I don’t mean the financialpackage as much as the location of thehotels, the local flair and great restaurants .. . and that whole section by the water . . .it’s a nice array of options.”

Goodling and Ritter-Martinez both par-tially attributed growing convention fig-ures to upgrades at the Long BeachConvention & Entertainment Center. Thenew Pacific Ballroom at the Long BeachArena, which recently celebrated its first-year anniversary, has helped draw in newbusiness thanks to its built-in rigging, cur-tains and lights and available conventioncenter staff, all of which offer major costsavings to event planners.

Since it opened in 2013, the $10 million

venue has already secured 22 bookingswith $61.2 million in estimated economicimpact to Long Beach, according to theCVB. “The repositioning of the building isbeing discovered, respected and embracedby the professional meeting planning com-munity, but also importantly by the atten-dees of conventions in our city,” Goodlingsaid of the ballroom.

While traditionally the functions oftourism-related boards and organizationssuch as the CVB were to simply fill up

hotel rooms and get visitors into localretailers to spend their dollars, Ritter-Martinez said they have become morestrategic. “Increasingly, cities and regionsare recognizing that tourism is part of aneconomic development plan and thesetourism boards are now focusing on theeconomics of the industry – how tourismfits in with other regional economic strate-gies,” she said. “So we’re getting a muchmore integrated approach to buildingtourism.” �

HoteliersFeeling TheLove As

Occupancy And RoomRates Rise

� By GEORGE ECONOMIDES

Publisher

A s the region continues torebound from the grips ofthe Great Recession, the

hospitality industry is witnessing growthin occupancy rates. For example, in2009, the occupancy rate for the city’shotels was just 61.9 percent. Next year,in 2015, it is expected to exceed 77 per-cent, representing a 25 percent jump inhalf a decade.

More importantly, this continuedupward trajectory occupancy, combinedwith an increase in conventions bookedand more tourists discovering LongBeach, has convinced many of the city’shotel owners to reinvest in their proper-ties. Several notable renovations areunderway or beginning soon.

Steve Goodling, president and CEO of the Long Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau is pictured adja-cent to Shoreline Village with Robert Smit, general manager of the Holiday Inn Long Beach Airport Hotel& Conference Center. Smit also serves as vice president of operations for YHB Hospitality Group, whichhas owned and managed the hotel since 2006, and is planning a major renovation of the property.(Photograph by the Business Journal’s Thomas McConville)



According to PKF Consulting, a nationalhospitality industry consulting firm, occu-pancy rates for the Long Beach area areestimated to end 2014 at 76.5 percent, afour percent increase over the previousyear. In 2015, a 1 percent increase in occu-pancy rate is forecast. Average daily roomrates are forecast to grow by 4.5 percentnext year to $139.47.

Bruce Baltin, senior vice president atPKF Consulting, told the Business Journalthat an ever-recovering economy is part of

the reason for the increase in occupancy.He added that Los Angeles County hasexperienced low growth in hotel develop-ment over the past two decades – less thanother regions of the country.

“What that’s doing is it’s artificiallyholding down supply [and] driving upoccupancy,” Baltin said. In Long Beach,the only addition to the city’s inventory ofrooms during the past several years wasthe 159-room Courtyard by Marriott LongBeach that opened in March of 2013.

Helping matters, Baltin said, is a recover-ing corporate group market and an increasein conventions. “[This] helps Long Beachbecause the convention center is a big partof the business base,” Baltin said.

Kristi Allen, who for the past four yearshas served as the general manager of the199-room Hotel Maya Double Tree byHilton, is certainly high on the city’s future.Located along the south side of theQueensway Bay, the resort-like hotel hasexperienced a 10 percent increase in over-

all revenue. That, she said, portends a pos-itive outlook for 2015.

“The outlook is so strong,” she said.“We really saw an uptick in business in2014, specifically on the corporate groupside.” Again citing the rebounding econ-omy as a factor, Allen also attributed theimprovement in business to Long Beach’soverall efforts to become more of a desti-nation locale.

“Long Beach as a city is now more of adestination city and placed in higher regardby meeting planners,” Allen said. “We haveall of the exciting growth in downtown plusthe addition of the Pacific Ballroom [at theArena]. I think all of that combined hasaided in bringing conventions and meet-ings to Long Beach.”

John Jenkins, general manager of theQueen Mary, told the Business Journalthat due to a boost in business for theship, the hotel has experienced an esti-mated 5 to 7 percent growth in occupancyrates. He said social media has played arole in keeping the ship’s numbers strong.He notes the web site traveladvisor.com, atravel-related site where people can postreviews, has been particularly helpful.

At the Hilton Long Beach on OceanBoulevard, General Manager Greg Keebleris also positive about the coming year. “Wecan all look for at least the same occupancyin the next year and hopefully being able tonot go to as many discount pricing strate-gies for the future, because it does seemthat the demand is very strong. Long Beach


Some Of The Key Groups Booked For Long Beach In 2015Estimated

Event Attendees Economic Impact Arrival Date Room NightsAmerican Society for Parental & Enteral Nutrition 3,000 $2,325,000 2/11/2015 5,277American Society for Clinical Pathology 2,500 $1,937,500 10/26/2015 5,055Association of Women’s Health,

Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses 2,500 $1,937,500 6/10/2015 4,957International Code Council 1,000 $775,000 9/23/2015 4,933American Correctional Association 1,750 $1,356,250 2/4/2015 4,857Life Impact Ministries 4,400 $3,410,000 5/23/2015 4,525National Association of Elementary School Principals 2,500 $1,937,500 6/25/2015 4,238Society for Personality and Social Psychology 3,500 $2,712,500 2/24/2015 3,800 National Retail Federation 3,500 $2,712,500 6/20/2015 3,768Airports Council international – North America 2,000 $1,550,000 9/30/2015 3,716Association of Air Medical Services 2,000 $1,550,000 10/14/2015 3,637World Championships of Performing Arts 2,000 $1,550,000 7/5/2015 3,628Irrigation Association 5,600 $4,340,000 11/7/2015 3,563Professional Beauty Association 30,000 $23,250,000 1/20/2015 3,525Asian American Hotel Owners Association 2,600 $2,015,000 4/20/2015 2,753Total 68,850 $53,358,750 62,232Source: Long Beach Area Convention & Visitors Bureau



continues to position itself for group aswell as business travel.”

The Hilton is expected to start a completerenovation in the late spring, soon after nextyear’s Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.

In the airport area of Long Beach,

Robert Smit, general manager of the 222-room Holiday Inn Long Beach AirportHotel & Conference Center, also reportedpositive numbers for the hotel.

“2014 has been a very strong year forus,” Smit said. “We’re [up] in both occu-

pancy and average [room] rate over lastyear. Actually, 2014 was the best year [overthe past decade] this hotel has had in termsof occupancy and average rate revenue.”

With strong numbers hinting at a strongnext year, the Holiday Inn, one of the city’s

most recognizable buildings, is about to getmassive upgrade. [See Hotel Renovationsstory in this section.] �(The Business Journal’s Sales & Marketing

Executive Heather Dann and former staff writer,Brandon Ferguson, contributed to this article.)

John Jenkins: From Omelet Cook To General Manager Of The Queen Mary� By SAMANTHA MEHLINGER

Senior Writer

A fter nearly 30 years in thehospitality industry, JohnJenkins’ current office,

located in the executive offices abovethe Queen Mary’s sun deck, differsquite a bit from the workplace where hestarted his career – a Marriott kitchen.

“I started as an omelet cook andended up as general manager for someof Marriott’s properties,” Jenkins,general manager overseeing all of theQueen Mary’s operations, told theBusiness Journal.

Jenkins spent about 24 years at vari-ous Marriott hotel locations before tak-ing on the position of vice presidentand hotel manager at Gaylord NationalResort & Convention Center inMaryland, which gave him the opportu-nity to manage events as well as hoteloperations.

After three years at Gaylord, Jenkinsmade a cross-country move to LongBeach in 2012 when EvolutionHospitality, the management companyoverseeing the Queen Mary, hired him onas the ship’s hotel manager. In addition tofinding the Queen Mary’s year-roundcalendar of events intriguing, Jenkinswas also drawn to the location’s unique-ness, he said. Christened 80 years ago,the vessel isn’t a typical hotel and eventsvenue. Before sailing to Long Beach har-bor and its permanent home in the late1960s, it had a long and storied history asa luxury cruise liner and even as trans-portation for American troops duringWorld War II.

Working for Evolution Hospitalityalso appealed to Jenkins. “It reallystruck me as a company I would wantto work for,” he said, explaining that hewas impressed with the company’spolicies. “One of our guiding princi-ples is to leave it better than it wasbefore. That was something that stuckwith me,” he said.

As general manager, a position hewas promoted to earlier this year,Jenkins’ short and long term goals aredriven by that principle. In the near term, he is focused on improving food and bev-erage operations and updating offices, hotel rooms and the ship’s entryway.Ensuring good customer service and maintaining the cleanliness, presentation andpreservation of the ship are also priorities, he noted.

The main change Jenkins implemented after taking over as general manager wasto create standard operating procedures, he said. “We have created a training pro-gram throughout the ship in all the different areas . . . so they [employees] under-stand the ship as a whole rather than just the part they’re in,” he explained.Depending on the time of the year, there are between 600 to 1,300 employees work-ing on the Queen Mary, he added.

The Queen Mary is beginning to benefit from some of the changes implementedunder Jenkins’ and Evolutions Hospitality’s management.

“When I started, we were [ranked] number 16 out of 57 hotels in Long Beach,”Jenkins said, referring to rankings on the travel website TripAdvisor.com. “We justreached number nine, so we are now in the top 10. I feel very good about the

progress we have made,” he said. Jenkins is not content to simply reston his laurels, however. “The customer is constantly changing, so weare always looking for new ways to do business,” he explained.

In the long term, Jenkins emphasized he is dedicated to restoringthe authenticity of the Queen Mary. He explained that the ship hasfaced bankruptcy and ownership changes in the past, events whichoften lead to cutting operational costs. “Our goal was, instead ofcutting costs, let’s look at how we can increase the revenues so wecan do the things we want to do,” he said. Under EvolutionHospitality’s management, which began in 2011, special eventsbecame a key component of that strategy, he explained. The com-pany has implemented popular annual events such as Dark Harbor,a Halloween maze, and CHILL, a holiday experience featuring icesculptures, rides, ice skating and more.

One of the ways Jenkins hopes to bring the Queen Mary back to itsroots is by creating a new maritime museum and science center within 65,000square feet of relatively unused space.

“We have so many different items here that people have not seen in many years,and our goal is to find a place for those things to be viewed and cherished formany years to come,” Jenkins said. In addition to highlighting the ship’s history,the center might feature interactive exhibits about science, technology, engineer-ing, arts and mathematics-related technology or projects, he added.

The Queen Mary Heritage Foundation, a separate entity from the Queen Mary, wasrecently formed to spearhead the creation of the center. The organization is seeking501(c)(3) nonprofit status. “We would love to have the first phase open in 2016, whichwould be the 80th anniversary of the maiden voyage of the Queen Mary,” Jenkins saidof the planned maritime museum and science center.

“Our goal is to make sure that people understand the Queen Mary is here to stay,”Jenkins said. “It is going back to its roots of authenticity and really trying to step upin a sense of being the icon that Long Beach has always wanted it to be.” �

John Jenkins, general manager of the Queen Mary, visits the ship’s wheelhouse, whichis available to rent for intimate weddings. According to Jenkins, the ship increased rev-enue, visitors and events attendance in 2014. His future plans for the Queen Maryinclude creating a new maritime museum and science center. (Photograph by theBusiness Journal’s Thomas McConville)



Multiple HotelRenovationsPlanned

Local Hoteliers’ ContinuedReinvestments Indicate That

City Is Strong Destination Market

� By GEORGE ECONOMIDES

Publisher

F or the past several years, numer-ous Long Beach hotel propertieshave been sprucing up their

facilties by remodeling guest rooms, meet-ing rooms, dining and recreational areasand adding more amenities aimed at cus-tomer satisfaction. Hotels have alreadyinvested tens of millions of dollars in theLong Beach market. The good news is,more investment is on the way.

Holiday Inn Long Beach AirportFamed Austin-based architect Leonard J.

Lundgren designed the cylindrical concretetower of the Long Beach Holiday Inn. Thefacility at Lakewood Boulevard and WillowStreet is officially known as the HolidayInn Long Beach Airport Hotel & ConferenceCenter. It was constructed in 1968 and wasone of 30 similarly styled hotels built acrossthe country during that era.

The Long Beach location is one of six

remaining in operation. It’s particularlynoticeable at night when green floodlightspaint the buildings exterior. After 46 years,though, it’s time for a makeover.

According to General Manager RobertSmit, plans are underway for a massiverenovation of the 222-room property.

The new design, which will keep theexisting tower intact, was conceived withthe help of Long Beach-based design firmHFS Concepts 4 and Los Angeles ArchitectGene Fong.

Among the most visible changes will bethe addition of a 4,500-square-footSporting News Grill to the lower level.According to Smit, the small chain, whichhas agreements with Holiday Inn’s parentgroup, Intercontinental Hotels Group(IGH), is an upscale sports-themed restau-rant similar to a BJ’s Restaurant andBrewery or the Yard House.

The current hotel restaurant, locatedon the top floor of the tower, will beconverted to high-end guest suites, eachoutf itted with a bedroom, meetingspace, living room and expanded bath-room, with skyline views of the city.The rest of the hotel’s rooms will be ren-ovated as well, utilizing a mid-centurymodern style evocative of the 1960s and’70s – though with contemporary accou-terments. Each of the guest room win-dows will be replaced by dual-paned,soundproof glass, offering an escapefrom the busyness of the freeway andthe nearby airport. Each room will be




outfitted with a 40-inch flat screen tele-vision as well as increased USB portsand electrical outlets.

“In today’s world you need more electri-cal outlets and easy access to those thingsthat are important to today’s traveler,” Smittold the Business Journal.

Featured in each room, above the head-board, will be an impressionist mosaicimage of the Downtown Long Beach sky-line created by local artist Chad Spencer.

The lobby, meanwhile, will be renovatedto provide a more ‘open’ feel with a higherceiling, larger restrooms, a public seatingarea and a coffee bar. Smit said a decisionhasn’t been made yet on a coffee vendorbut could be a Starbuck’s or Peet’s.

Adjacent to the Holiday Inn’s 13-storytower is a two-story building, constructed in1978, containing 46 rooms. This buildingwill be demolished to make way for a six-story Staybridge Suites hotel with 125 suitesthat are more suitable for extended stays.

“The dual hotel is a very hot thing rightnow, where you have a transient hotel nextto an extended stay,” Smit said.

He explained that the extended-stayrooms, which offer more space as well ashome comforts such as a full kitchen withmicrowave, are a good fit for business pro-fessionals in Long Beach.

“There’s still a lot of corporate reloca-tion in this market. There’s a lot of weekly-monthly type of work,” Smit said, becauseof various industries located in the city,including aviation and international trade.

An existing 10,000-square-foot confer-ence center will be upgraded with breakoutmeeting rooms, increasing the building to12,000 square feet of meeting space. A newsingle-level, 80-car parking deck will alsobe constructed at the rear of the property.

Smit explained that the improvementswill make what is already an accessiblemeeting location even better.

“If you talk to anybody on the East Coastor West Coast and tell them you’re going toLong Beach, and you ask them where tomeet, they immediately talk about thistower because of the uplighting and thelocation. There’s the airport, the 405Freeway and the visibility,” Smit said. “It’san easy meet-and-greet location.”

Tower renovations are scheduled tobegin in February. The total project isexpected to take 28 months to complete.

Pictured in the top and bottom photographs, fromleft to right, are the Holiday Inn Long BeachAirport Hotel & Conference Center’s Joe Lillis,sales manager; Bess Cruz, director of sales; andRobert Smit, general manager. Extensive renova-tions are scheduled to being in February that willinclude turning the current restaurant atop the 13-story hotel tower into high-end guest suites. Allthe tower’s guest rooms will be remodeled and asports-themed restaurant added. The current two-story building adjacent to the tower will bereplaced by a six-story Staybridge Suites hotel(pictured in above rendering). Other changesinclude the existing conference center beingupgraded and expanded. (Photographs by theBusiness Journal’s Thomas McConville; renderingprovided by the Holiday Inn)



Once completed, the dual-branded hotelwill feature 311 rooms and suites as well asa new pool and fitness center.

Hotel Maya’s LagunitaAcross town, the Hotel Maya recently

completed a 6,400-square-foot waterfrontpavilion and is updating its guest rooms.

Attributing the growth in business to animproving economy, specifically citing thecorporate side, General Manager KristiAllen said that Long Beach’s efforts atbecoming a destination have also helped.

The new space, referred to as Lagunita,is booked with holiday parties through theend of the year. Built at a cost of $1.4 mil-lion, the facility can accommodate 600guests for standing receptions, 400 guestswith a dance floor, up to 450 seated and350 classroom style. The room featurescathedral style ceilings, and 13-foot glasswalls opening to panoramic views of thewaterfront and downtown skyline.

In a press release issued by the hotel, itwas noted that to enter Lagunita, guests“pass through Vista del Mar, a 10,000-square-foot, pre-function, outdoor areawith a VIP entranceway lined with eighttowering palm trees and a vibrant red car-pet that opens to a permanent outdoorstage.” The venue can host up to 700 guestsfor a standing reception.

“We’ve had a fantastic year,” Allen said.“Which is part of the reason why we startedbuilding Lagunita. We could really feel thatbusiness was back in full swing.”

In addition to the new meeting space, theMaya also began a multi-million dollar ren-ovation of its 199 guest rooms inNovember. According to Allen, the renova-tion is being done one building at a time tolimit disturbances to guests. Improvementsinclude new paint, vents and a new air con-ditioning system throughout the Maya’sfour guest room buildings. The carpet inthe rooms will be swapped with hardwoodfloors and new windows will be installed.She explained that several rooms that hadbeen originally outfitted with smaller win-dows, will have larger windows installed.

“We had some rooms with windows thatwere half the size of the walls. Now they’refloor to ceiling,” Allen said.

Other windows in balcony-equippedrooms will be replaced with large “slid-ers,” opening up the views of the down-town skyline.

She also noted that all guest rooms aregetting new, hand-carved doors. “They’rereally stunning,” she said. “We have thesehand-carved doors throughout the mainbuilding, into our new event space, and[we’re changing] all the guest rooms soeverything ties together. I think it’s aunique feature that makes it the Maya.

Allen said an improving business climatemade the decision to upgrade easy.

“We think it’s great, which is why we’reinvesting all of this money into the Maya,”Allen said, noting that this is the hotel’ssecond update since 2009. Renovations areexpected to be completed by April 2015.“This certainly is a game changer for LongBeach and its meetings and events busi-ness,” she concluded.

Hilton Long BeachThe Hilton Long Beach & Executive

Meeting Center, adjacent to the WorldTrade Center, is in the planning stages ofa major renovation that will begin after

the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beachrace in April.

According to General Manager GregKeebler, the 398-room hotel is in the finaldesign stage.

“It will be full-scope – all guest rooms,all meeting space, transitioning and trans-forming the public space lobby, food andbeverage outlets – so just about everythinga guest sees will be reimagined,” Keeblertold the Business Journal. “It’s the first

time in the last two decades the hotel willhave a complete top-to-bottom renovationinstead of just small amounts here andthere, so we’re excited about that.”

Keebler said they have a “very aggres-sive timeline” and expect the work totake between four and five months. “Wehave a local Long Beach design firmwhich has worked on this with us for thepast eight months, Hospitality FocusedSolutions (HFS) Concepts 4,” he said. It’s

the same firm working with the HolidayInn Airport.

Keebler indicated the design theme is“centered around the beach and LongBeach history. We’re tying in to LongBeach as it was at the turn of the century,kind of a resort destination. It’s a theme weare keeping throughout the hotel.” �(The Business Journal’s Sales & Marketing

Executive Heather Dann and former staff writer,Brandon Ferguson, contributed to this article.)

Kristi Allen, general manager of theHotel Maya, overlooks Vista Del Mar,the hotel’s new 10,000-square-foot out-door events space with room for 350 to700 guests. The venue leads to a new6,400-square-foot canopied pavilioncalled Lagunita, pictured below, whichfeatures two 13-foot glass walls forocean views and five oversized chan-deliers, and is able to accommodate350 to 600 guests. (Photograph at leftby the Business Journal’s ThomasMcConville; photograph below pro-vided by the Hotel Maya)

The Hilton Long Beach &Executive Meeting Center,located on OceanBoulevard adjacent to theWorld Trade Center, willundergo a major renova-tion right after the annualrunning of the ToyotaGrand Prix in April 2015.“Just about everything aguest sees will be reimag-ined,” according toGeneral Manager GregKeebler. A model of theguest rooms is pictured atleft. (Photograph providedby the Hilton).



� By GEORGE ECONOMIDES, Publisher andformer Staff Writer BRANDON FERGUSON

A s 2014 draws to a close, theLong Beach Convention andVisitors Bureau (CVB) is

dropping the curtain on a prosperous firstyear for the Pacific Ballroom. Housed inthe 46,000-square-foot convention center,the ballroom turned an aging facility,where the likes of Led Zeppelin and theDoors once played, into a state-of-the-artmeeting and entertainment space.

The transformation, which includessound and lighting systems, an adjustabletruss system and more, was completed tothe tune of $10 million and, as CVBPresident and CEO Steve Goodling said,“This is a space of unlimited possibilitiesand where you can create anything yourmind might imagine.”

According to CVB figures, since open-ing its doors on November 20, 2013, thePacific Ballroom has confirmed 22 groupbookings with an estimated economicimpact to the city of $61.2 million.Another 29 tentative bookings have beenscheduled, representing an impact ofapproximately $82.4 million.

Goodling stressed that these numbers“constitute new business – groups that couldnot have booked Long Beach without thesize and versatility of the Pacific Ballroom.”He quickly added the “above numbers alonerepresent a substantial return on investmentfor the total $10 million spent to create thespace . . . We’ve been able to bring somelarger events into the city that in the past weweren’t able to get.”

In addition to conventions hosted bygroups such as the Irrigation Associationand Public Risk Management Association,the ballroom has also hosted communityevents for major companies such as LongBeach-based Molina Healthcare and for

the employees of the Tesoro refinery, aCarson-based business that had not previ-ously held an event in Long Beach.

Large events translate into revenue forlocal hotels, too. PKF consulting, a firmwhich tracks and forecasts trends aboutthe hotel industry, found that, for 2013,Long Beach achieved a 6.1 percentincrease in revenue per available room(RevPAR), exceeding PKF’s originalforecast of 4.7 percent. For 2014, LongBeach is expected to post a 6.6 percentincrease in RevPAR.

Goodling explained to the BusinessJournal that the surpassing of expectationsresulted from a combination of factors, notthe least of which included a recoveringeconomy.

“The economy gave the headwinds toencourage higher attendance at conven-tions this year,” he said. “Because a lot ofplanners had booked their conventions insofter years and didn’t want to be encum-bered with cancellations or attrition agree-ments, they blocked fewer rooms. So thosecoming in paid a higher rate.”

But even a strong economy can’t takeall the credit for the good work beingdone by the staffs of the CVB and con-vention center at the Pacific Ballroom.During a recent visit to the facility by theBusiness Journal, the massive floor wassurrounded by shimmering curtainsbathed in deep purple light. Reggaemusic piped in through the building’ssound system sounded even and consis-tent from anywhere in the room. Thematerial of the curtains allowed stagehands to project images like on a moviescreen. If so desired, the room could be litto simulate an underwater world.

Charles Beirne, general manager of theLong Beach Convention & EntertainmentCenter, explained that, by using massivecurtains attached to an adjustable truss

How Does Long Beach Spell Suc

“This is a space of un possibilities and where you anything your mind might

Steve Goodling, President and Long Beach Convention & Visitors

The Pacific Ballroom, also pictured above, accommodates 3,288 banquet style seating, 5,500 for areception and 4,890 in theater-style seating. (Photographs provided by the Convention & Visitors Bureau)



system suspended from the ceiling, theroom can be compartmentalized and con-figured quickly based on a planner’sdesire, which can come in handy if atten-dance is expected to increase or drop.

“I can put [curtains] on any one ofthese trusses,” Beirne said. “Say yournumbers are coming down a little bit oryou need the back of the house for some-thing else, we’ll drop the curtain in. I’lllower the grid to five feet, the guys willput it all together in 20 minutes and takeit back up.”

It’s this adaptability and versatility,Goodling said, that allows the CVB toremain competitive in a market full of bignames: Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Anaheim.

An example of the facility’s versatility,Goodling and Beirne explained, was thejoint event held by Goldman Sachs andLong Beach City College. “They dividedthe room in half. They did a general ses-sion on one side, then they served lunchon the other side of the curtain, and theyhad another speaker, so they kept every-one at the same site,” Goodling said.

They also pointed out that the Arenastill has 13,000 seats. “Some groupshave come in and raised the curtain inthe foreground, put their people in theseats, and used the stage for thespeaker, and it becomes a HollywoodBowl type of venue,” Goodling said.“So there are a variety of ways thisroom can be used now.”

Beirne noted that the JuniorGymnastics “blocked off the whole backand used the seats up top because thefloor was for the apparatus, and the cur-tain behind was all shut down.”

“What’s really fun,” Goodling added,“is this is a space clients never looked at.Nobody wanted to be here. Now peoplewant to be in this space – it’s alive, it’sactivated.” �

Success? The Pacific Ballroom“The Long Beach Convention

Center is going to revolutionizethe way convention centers do

business. The Arena with its builtin rigging, lighting and curtain

system offers a huge cost savingsand convenience factor that

is unique to Long Beach.”

Joshua R. DunnDirector of Sales, LiveVantage

“I do conferences in most convention centers in the

United States. Long Beach is the only convention center thathas this much versatility within the center already built in. I canuse it in ten different ways and

I’m not spending an extra$30,000 in decor.”

Daniel Clancy Vice President, Sales & Event Services

Vision Global Event Services

a space of unlimited and where you can create

ur mind might imagine.” oodling, President and CEO

h Convention & Visitors Bureau

Charles Beirne, left, is the gen-eral manager of the Long BeachConvention & EntertainmentCenter, and Steve Goodling is thepresident/CEO of the Long BeachConvention & Visitors Bureau.(Photograph by the Business Journal’sThomas McConville)

The Pacific Ballroom can be usedby itself or in conjunction with itscompanion venues, the PacificGallery & Patio pictured here, andBogart & Co., a specially designedbanquet and reception facility.(Photograph provided by the Convention& Visitors Bureau)

The Team: Two architects worked onthe design for the renovation of theArena: John Fisher, AIA, of JSFA Inc.,is the architect of record; and JerrySherman, AIA is the associate archi-tect. Between them, they have 73years of architectural experience. Toensure that the new theatrical light-ing and sound systems meets theneeds of meeting planners, MichaelFerguson, director of the LosAngeles office of Theatre ProjectsConsultants, was engaged as thetheater design consultant.



Long BeachAttractions

Report GrowingRevenues AndVisitor Counts


Senior Writer

A s 2014 draws to a close, theexecutive leadership andmanagement of Long Beach’s

biggest attractions and water travel compa-nies are reporting visitor growth andincreasing revenues.

Long Beach’s two largest attractions, theAquarium of the Pacific and the QueenMary, both grew attendance this year toabout 1.5 million visitors each. For theAquarium, the figure represents 2 percentgrowth over visitor figures from last year,according to Jerry Schubel, Aquariumpresident and CEO. John Jenkins, generalmanager of the Queen Mary, reported anincrease of about 80,000 people visitingthe ship this year over 2013.

Last year, the Aquarium earned $27.7million in revenue. This year’s revenues areexpected to reach $36 million, Schubelsaid. He attributed the growth to the appealof the Aquarium’s value. “We have a won-derful Aquarium. It’s a good experience ata good price,” he said. With thousands ofsea creatures and an array of educationalprogramming, the Aquarium has some-thing for all ages, he noted. “Even thoughwe are 16 years old, some [locals] have stillnever been here. The more people discoverus, they understand it’s a great place to goand bring their families. And it’s a greatplace to come if you’re adults to go to lec-tures and other programs,” he said.

The Aquarium introduced four newexhibits this year: a touch tank of horse-shoe crabs; a sea sponge and coral tank;the Southern California Steelhead Storyexhibit; and an exhibit featuring a pair ofGuam kingfisher birds. “We have had avery good response,” Schubel said of theexhibits.

Next year, the Aquarium is launching anew sea jellies exhibit on May 22. “Thoseare always popular,” Schubel said, addingthat the Aquarium is going to address thetheme of sea jellies with educational pro-gramming and other experiences through-out the year. Two new lecture series are alsoplanned for 2015. “One is the Future ofFood, a four-part series coordinated andmoderated by Russ Parsons, food editor ofthe L.A. Times,” Schubel said. The other isa four-part series in collaboration withLong Beach-based fiduciary investmentmanagement firm Halbert Hargrove. “Thatis going to be about preparing for a healthy,happy, prosperous and fulfilling retire-ment,” Schubel said.

The Queen Mary had a positive 2014 aswell, and is also looking forward to newevents in 2015, according to Jenkins.“Room revenue is up. Events are up.Banquets and catering are up. We are reallyhaving a good year. It is probably doubledigit growth, or close to it,” he said.

Jenkins attributed much of the QueenMary’s “outstanding” revenue in 2014 to

special events. “The biggest one is defi-nitely Dark Harbor,” he said, referring to amonth-long Halloween maze the ship hostsevery October. “It was very big this year.We grew it more than 20 percent over lastyear,” he said.

CHILL, the Queen Mary’s holiday expe-rience featuring a kingdom of ice sculp-tures, ice skating, ice tubing, a holiday vil-lage and more, has also been successful,Jenkins said. Now in its third year, CHILLis expected to attract 180,000 people by thetime it closes in mid-January, he estimated.“We have sold almost half those ticketsalready,” he noted. In 2015, the QueenMary is adding three new events, butJenkins said he has to keep the detailsunder wraps for now.

The ship’s Bob Hope: An AmericanTreasure exhibit, which is about the life ofthe entertainer, has brought in about100,000 visitors since it opened in August,Jenkins said. The exhibit was supposed toend in January, but has been extended untilMay. Another popular exhibit, Diana:Legacy Of A Princess, is going to be

refreshed in 2015 with new dresses wornby the famed Princess Diana as well someworn by other members of the royal family,Jenkins said.

Retail onboard the Queen Mary is alsogetting a facelift in 2015. Event Network,a company that manages gift shops forattractions nationwide, is partnering withthe Queen Mary to refurbish existingretail spaces and create new shops,Jenkins said. “They are coming in with upto several hundred thousand dollars torenovate all of our retail outlets and rede-fine them back to what was originally inthose shops at the time [the ship was sail-ing],” he explained.

Across Queensway Bay and RainbowHarbor, Shoreline Village, a boardwalkwith a variety of shops, restaurants andactivities, also proved to be a busy desti-nation in 2014. Businesses at the villagefared well this year, according to theshopping center’s property manager,Debra Fixen.

“Our sales are up over 11 percent fromlast year,” Fixen said, explaining that the

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Debra Fixen, property manager for Shoreline Village, takes a stroll through the village’s boardwalk of shops and restaurants. Behind her are Wheel FunRentals and Louisiana Charlie’s BBQ & Cajun Cuisine, which specializes in New Orleans specialties such as alligator baby back ribs, Po-boy sandwichesand gumbo. From its recently expanded location at Shoreline Village, Wheel Fun Rentals offers a variety of fun equipment for touring the waterfront, includingseveral kinds of specialty bicycles, Segways and more. Shoreline Village is located adjacent to Rainbow Harbor and across from The Queen Mary.(Photograph by the Business Journal’s Thomas McConville)



increase represents an average of salesfigures from all the businesses atShoreline Village. Four businesses,Wheel Fun Rentals, Louisiana Charlie’s,Cafe Dia and Purple House, expandedtheir locations. New businesses includeSoapy Delites, and Pearl House andJewelry. Two shops, Queen Mary Coutureand Transatlantic Style, are soon relocat-ing to Shoreline Village from the QueenMary. After they move in, all the retailspaces at the village will be fully leased,Fixen said.

In addition to an improving economy,Fixen said good weather and better mar-keting strategies might have somethingto do with in the boost in sales and fulloccupancy at Shoreline Village. “Ourevents have also pulled in more peo-ple,” she added, explaining that sincetaking over as property manager about ayear ago she has focused on refining

and expanding eventsat Shoreline Village.“They were wellattended . . . OurPirate Festival, NativeAmerican festival andHalloween [events]were great,” sheadded.

Next year, Fixen saidshe is focusing onadding more events andattracting more localsin addition to tourists.

In addition to attrac-tions, Long Beach isalso home to art muse-ums – the Long BeachMuseum of Art and theMuseum of LatinAmerican Art – thatdraw more than150,000 visitors eachyear combined.

On The WaterTourists and locals

wanting to sail away fora few days, take a trip toCatalina, or spend anafternoon watchingwildlife at sea haveplenty of options inLong Beach, withCarnival Cruise Lines,Catalina Express andHarbor Breeze Cruises.

Carnival CruiseLines added another ship, the CarnivalImagination, to its Long Beach opera-tions earlier this year in addition to itscruise liners the Miracle and Inspiration.“Carnival carries upwards of 500,000guests a year from Long Beach – themost of any cruise operator,” VanceGulliksen, Carnival spokesperson, wrotein an e-mail to the Business Journal.“Southern California is an importantmarket for Carnival and we’re the onlycruise line to deploy three ships in theregion,” he noted.

“Guests truly enjoy our wide variety ofitinerary options from Long Beach,which range from value packed three-daygetaways, three different seven-dayMexican Riviera Cruises and even con-venient 15-day round-trip Hawaii voy-ages,” Gulliksen said.


The Aquarium of the Pacific introduced four new exhibits during 2014and anticipates both attendance and revenue to increase during the com-ing year. Another new exhibit – sea jellies – is scheduled to open nextMay. (Photograph by the Business Journal’s Thomas McConville)



Beginning in 2015, Carnival is offeringyear round cruises to the Mexican Rivieraand Hawaii aboard the Carnival Miracle,rather than just seasonal trips, Gulliksensaid. The year round services shouldboost the total number of passengers sail-ing out of Long Beach each year to about600,000, he added.For those seeking shorter jaunts across

the ocean, Catalina Express offers round-trip water travel to Santa Catalina Island,which is just an hour away from the coastof Long Beach. According to ElaineVaughan, vice president of marketing andsales for Catalina Express, 2014 was agood year for the company. Ridershipincreased by about 6 percent over 2013,she said. Marketing campaigns such as Catalina

Express’s Free Ride On Your Birthdaypromotion continue to drive sales andboost interest in trips to Catalina,Vaughan said. “Also, we really likewhat’s happening on the island. The busi-nesses over there continue to makeimprovements, which is impacting every-one’s appreciation for the island and itsamenities,” she said. For example, theSanta Catalina Island Company recentlyopened the Island Spa Catalina, “thefirst-ever destination resort spa” on theisland, Vaughan said. The IslandCompany also just opened a “sorelyneeded” 2,000-square-foot meetingspace, the St. Catherine’s Ballroom, sheadded.Harbor Breeze Cruises, which offers

cruises around the Long Beach harbor aswell as whale watching and sea life tours,also saw an increase in ridership thisyear, according to owner Dan Salas. “Incomparison to last year, we are up about7 or 8 percent this year,” totaling about180,000 passengers, he said. Revenueincreased at least 5 percent from 2013, heestimated.

Conde Nast Traveler magazine released its list of “The Best and Worst Airports: Readers Choice Awards 2014” late last month. Long Beach Airport was rated 4th Best in the country by travelers, right behindIndianapolis International Airport, Tampa International Airport and Portland International Airport in Oregon. Orange County’s John Wayne Airport came in 5th. The magazine described the Long Beach Airportas follows: “The classic 1940s-era terminal in Long Beach reminds people of the glamour of flying, but it's the new concourse that really makes the airport shine. Lined with palm trees (that shade an outdoorwine bar), the airport makes you really feel like you're in Southern California. An added bonus: Reader-favorite JetBlue dominates the airport. (Photograph by the Business Journal’s Thomas McConville)

With a fleet of eight boats, Catalina Express pro-vides about 30 daily trips to Catalina Island fromLong Beach, San Pedro and Dana Point. The tripto Avalon takes about an hour, as does the trip toTwo Harbors, which sails only from San Pedro.The early boat to Avalon departs from Long Beachat 6:15 a.m. For more information, includingschedule, rates and other items, visit www.catali-naexpress.com.(Photograph by the BusinessJournal’s Thomas McConville)

The Queen Mary and the adjacent CarnivalCruise Terminal served a combined 2 millionvisitors this year, with about 1.5 million head-ing to The Queen Mary and 500,000 travelingon one of three cruise ships sailing from LongBeach. Special events are credited by QueenMary officials for drawing large crowds during2014. In 2015, Carnival is offering year roundcruises to the Mexican Riviera and Hawaiiaboard the Carnival Miracle. (Photograph bythe Business Journal’s Thomas McConville)




“One of the big reasons we’re startingto see passengers increasing year afteryear is that Long Beach is starting to – asfar as we’re concerned – become some-what of a destination in the Los Angelesand Orange County areas,” Salas said.“When the weather gets hot inland, peo-ple now are starting to say, ‘Hey, let’s godown to Long Beach.’ . . . That is exactlywhat we wanted to happen. We’re mov-

ing in the right direction. It’s fantastic.”Harbor Breeze’s most popular cruises

this year were its whale watching and sealife observation trips. “There seems to bemore life right outside the Long Beachharbor,” Salas said. “The whales havebeen incredible. Just last week we hadtwo days where we had killer whales. Wehave also had humpback whales and bluewhales along with the gray whale migra-

tion,” he explained. He speculatedincreased interest in the tours may bebecause fewer people are interested ingoing to SeaWorld to see marine animalsin captivity and are instead opting to seethem in the wild.

In 2015, Salas said, he is going tofocus on promoting Harbor Breezethrough advertising and marketingdirected at visitors coming through the

Los Angeles International Airport toattract them to Long Beach. Chinesetourists in particular may become a targetaudience for Harbor Breeze, as the com-pany was recently one out of 10 localbusinesses certified by the Los AngelesTourism and Convention Board as“China Ready,” he added. “We are theonly tour company on the water that hasthat designation,” he emphasized. �

Long Beach-based restaurants are featured at the Long Beach Airport concourse, including George’s Greek Cafe, Taco Beach Cantina, McKenna’s Burger Bar, Polly's Coffee & Sweet Jill's Bakery and 4th StreetVine Wine & Beer Bar in the North Concourse, which features JetBlue flights. The South Concourse – with flights from Alaska Airlines, Delta Air Lines and US Airways – features McKennas On The Fly and Polly'sCoffee & Sweet Jill's Bakery. The restaurants charge the same prices customers would pay at the actual restaurant location. (Photograph by the Business Journal’s Thomas McConville)




Senior Writer

W hen the Long BeachConvention & VisitorsBureau’s (CVB) digital

communications team launched an onlinesweepstakes with the goal of boostingLong Beach’s visibility as a tourist destina-tion, originally the hope was to get 3,000entries, Patricia Paige, vice president ofdigital communications, recalled. But theresults of the Beach with Benefits cam-paign far exceeded those expectations –more than double that number of entriescame in, and the overall online impressionsmade by the campaign topped 56 million.

“It was over 6,500 entries,” Paige told theBusiness Journal in an interview with thedigital communications team at the CVB’soffices in Downtown Long Beach.

The Beach with Benefits campaign waslaunched in May this year as an online sum-mer sweepstakes. For the first phase of thecampaign, the CVB partnered with localbusinesses, attractions, hotels and JetBlueAirways to put together travel packageswith airfare to Long Beach, behind-the-scenes experiences at venues like theAquarium and high-end restaurants, andVisa gift cards worth about $1,000 each.

“It originally started with a couple of ourpartners in the city wanting to come togetherto really promote summer as a time forleisure visitation to Long Beach,” Nicole

Zylstra, CVB digital communications man-ager, said of the genesis of Beach withBenefits. “We threw around different ideasabout what really captured the essence ofLong Beach, and Beach with Benefits kindof said a little bit of everything. We have lotsto see and do while you’re here, not just forvisitors but for locals as well. We have thearts scene, the waterfront, all of the differentshopping options, restaurants and a lot ofdiversity. There are so many differentaspects to the City of Long Beach, and that’swhat makes it special,” she said.

With 11 hotels, 11 attractions and eventscompanies, and 15 restaurants participat-ing in Beach with Benefits, the sweep-stakes became a collaborative partnershipwith a common goal: “To put Long Beachon the map as a premiere travel destina-tion,” Loren Alexis Simpson, CVB digitalcommunications manager, said.

Between the CVB and its 37 partners inthe sweepstakes, CVB staff knew theycould reach at least 10.1 million peoplethrough e-mail blasts and social mediaoutlets such as Facebook, Instagram andTwitter, Paige said. To track the actualreach of the campaign, the CVB investedin a program called TalkWalker, whichprovides real time analysis of socialmedia, online impressions and reach.Through TalkWalker, CVB staff learnedthat the reach of the Beach with Benefitscampaign totaled 56.3 million. Oneonline news site that posted updates on

Beach with Benefits generated about 22million impressions on its own, Paigenoted. The campaign also generated4,400 new Facebook fans and 815 newTwitter followers for the CVB. “We wereblown away,” she recalled.

The CVB geared initial marketing effortsto JetBlue’s primary markets, includingNorthern California, Seattle, Portland,Austin, Anchorage and Las Vegas, Paigesaid. “We targeted each of those locationsand we did sweepstakes for each of them.We also did a general sweepstakes so any-body who wasn’t in those target marketswould also have an opportunity,” sheexplained. There were seven sweepstakeswinners for the first phase of Beach withBenefits, Simpson noted.

When the campaign succeeded in attract-ing more entries and having a much furtherreach than anyone involved had dreamedof, the CVB decided to make Beach withBenefits a year-round program. After thelarger travel sweepstakes ended, the organ-ization launched smaller weekly contests,which had 23 winners. Contests includedpoetry competitions, photo submissionsand more, Paige said.

Those who didn’t win in 2014 have morechances next year. “What we’re doing isexpanding for a year-round campaign andwe’re kicking off with the video contest,”Paige said. Launched December 15 andending January 31, the What Excites YouAbout Long Beach contest asks entrants to

create a 15- to 180-second video featuringwhat they consider to be Long Beach’smost interesting and fun locations. Thecontest has a $1,000 grand prize.

“On the video front we’re also trying toshow a slice of life in Long Beach,”Eduardo Vasconcellos, public relations anddigital content manager for the CVB, said.The idea was inspired by a commonly citedfactoid that travelers typically searchonline for videos of the destinations they’reinterested in, he explained.

“We have all booked travel in the past,and you go somewhere and you’re expect-ing one thing and then you get there andyou [say], ‘Oh, this wasn’t everything I hadthought it was going to be.’ So, throughobtaining more user-generated content anddeveloping videos in-house as well, it kindof gives potential visitors an authentic lookinto what Long Beach is really like,”Simpson said. Other Beach with Benefitscampaigns to follow the video contest arestill in development, she added.

In addition to Beach with Benefits, theCVB is developing other digital platforms toshowcase Long Beach. “We’re going to besetting up meeting planner-focused channelsto speak to meeting planners who are possi-bly interested in bringing their events toLong Beach and to put out content that is rel-evant to them about venues and what there isfor their attendees to see and do. That’s some-thing on the horizon after we get past all ofour new initiatives,” Simpson noted. �

The Long Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau’s digital communications team is armed and ready with the tools of their trade: tablets, smartphones and a computer. The team launched a successful socialmedia campaign and sweepstakes called Beach with Benefits last year. Pictured, from left to right, are Digital Communications Managers Loren Alexis Simpson and Nicole Zylstra, and Vice President ofDigital Communications Patricia Paige. (Photograph by the Business Journal’s Thomas McConville)

Convention & Visitors Bureau’s Online Outreach Puts Spotlight On Long Beach


MEETING SITESDecember 23, 2014-January 19, 2015 Long Beach Business Journal 17-B

Events of any sort, from grand affairs to inti-mate gatherings, are a great opportunity toentertain friends or colleagues while show-casing unique aspects of your organization.While wearing your event-planning hat, besure to think big . . . and then get workingon those details that tie it all together.

Be CreativeIt’s usually most effective and enjoyable to

start with creative brainstorming. Discussingthe big picture, like vision and theme, with

your event team will give team members themotivation and framework they need to carrythrough with important details.

Make your event memorable: Eventsthat people remember fondly tend to haveat least one distinctive quality to them.Whether it’s grandiose, such as a costumetheme party; small, like using sculpturesfor centerpieces; or personal, like havingyour niece sing at your wedding, creativetouches are greatly appreciated by event-

250 W. Ocean Boulevard, Long Beach 90802Celebrating 41 years

Can accommodate up to 300 peopleAmenities: Outdoor meeting facilities;

off-site catering; on-site meeting facilitatorContact:

Frank Buono, OwnerPh: 562/427-8665Fax: 562/427-4049

www.buonospizza.com

Buono’s Authentic Pizzeria

801 E. Carson Street, Carson 90745Adjacent to the 225-Room DoubleTree Hotel

20 meeting rooms; 40,000 sq ftMax seating: 800 banquet; 1,200 theater; 700 classroomAmenities: Outdoor meeting facilities; free parking;on-site audio visual equipment; on-site meeting facilitator, on-site catering by Choura Events

Contact: Sales CoordinatorsPh: 310/835-0212 • Fax: 310/835-0160

www.carsoncenter.come-mail: [email protected]

Carson Center

701 W. Ocean Boulevard, Long Beach 90831398 Guest Rooms • 32 meeting rooms

largest meeting room: 3,220 sq ftlargest ballroom: 9,730 sq ftMax seating: 850 banquet;

1,200 theater; 600 classroomAmenities: 24/7 on-site executive business center,high-speed Internet access, hi-tech AV equipment

rental and on-site supportContact: Ph: 562/983-3400 ext 3700e-mail: [email protected]

Hilton Long Beach & Executive Meeting Center

2640 N. Lakewood Boulevard, Long Beach 90815222 Guest Rooms

6 separated/9 combined meeting rooms; largest: 5,000 sq ft

Max seating: 300 banquet; 360 theater; 240 classroomAmenities: Outdoor meeting facilities; free parking; on-site business center; on-site meeting facilitator

Contact: Essie Boyd, Director of CateringPh: 562/498-5410 • Fax: 562/498-1010

www.hilongbeach.come-mail: [email protected]

Holiday Inn Long Beach Airport Hotel & Conference Center

200 S. Pine Avenue, Long Beach 90802528 Newly Renovated Guest Rooms

18 meeting rooms; largest: 10,050 sq ftMax seating: 1,000 banquet; 1,400 theater; 600 classroom

Amenities: Off-site catering; on-site business center; on-site audio visual equipment; on-site meeting facilitator

Contact: Director of Sales & MarketingPh: 562/624-6100 • Fax: 562/624-6115

www.longbeach.hyatt.com e-mail: [email protected]

Hyatt Regency Long Beach

300 E. Ocean Boulevard, Long Beach 9080234 meeting rooms; largest: 224,000 sq ft

Max seating: 13,700 banquets; 15,000 theater; 8,000 classroom

Amenities: Outdoor meeting facilities; on-site catering; on-site

audio-visual equipment; on-site meeting facilitatorContact: Kandy Grzebyk, Director of SalesPh: 562/499-7574 • Fax: 562/436-9491

www.longbeachcc.com e-mail: [email protected]

Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center

2300 E. Ocean Boulevard, Long Beach 908032 meeting rooms; largest: 900 sq ft

Max seating: banquet – 100 inside; 300 outside; theater – 60 inside; 300 outside

Amenities: Outdoor meeting facilities; on-siteaudio visual equipment; on-site venue coordinator

free parking for up to 70 guests; Contact:

Sarajeva VasquezPh: 562/439-2119 ext. 234

www.lbma.org • e-mail: [email protected]

Long Beach Museum of Art

5800 E. 2nd Street, Long Beach 908021 meeting room; largest: 480 sq ft

Max seating: 50 banquet, theater or classroom styleAmenities: Free parking; off-site catering;

on-site audio visual equipment; Contact:

Dave Ursini, ProprietorPh: 562/439-7427Fax: 562/433-2758

www.ribcompany.come-mail: [email protected]

Naples Rib Co.

1126 Queens Highway, Long Beach 90802Art Deco Rooms and Suites

14 meeting rooms; largest: 9,000 sq ftMax seating: 800 banquet; 500 theater; 250 classroom

Amenities: Outdoor event space; on-site audio visual equipment;

on-site business center; on-site meeting facilitatorContact: Kelly Fogarty, Director of SalesPh: 562/499-1751 • Fax: 562/435-3511

www.queenmary.come-mail: [email protected]

The Queen Mary

1530 E. Wardlow Road, Long Beach 90807Fully Integrated Audio-Video Showroomwith Full-Service Executive Boardroom

Max seating: 60Amenities: lobby, workstations, boardroom, kitchen and patio area with all audio video integration for use with presentations and

comparable services as well as entertainment. Multiple areas to watch, listen and enjoy.

Ph: 562/426-5538 e-mail: [email protected] • distudios.com

Digital Installers

A Quick Guide To Event Planning Essentials


For your next meeting or event, look no furtherthan Catalina Island. Just an hour away on a sleekCatalina Express high speed catamaran. Catalina

Express offers year round service and up to 30 daily departures from Long Beach,

San Pedro and Dana Point. Group prices are available as are private charters.

Reservations: 1-800/914-4562Group Reservations: (Mon-Fri 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.)1-800/914-4562 ext. 4 • www.catalinaexpress.com

e-mail: [email protected]

Catalina Express


MEETING SITES18-B Long Beach Business Journal December 23, 2014-January 19, 2015

goers. Even serious business meetingscan incorporate creativity by hiringengaging speakers, beginning a meetingwith an element of humor or servingadventurous food and drinks.

Consider a unique location: Choosing tohold your event at a museum, art gallery orhistoric building gives your event culturalflavor and ambiance from the get-go.

Give back: Demonstrate your commit-ment to a charitable cause by incorporat-ing an element of giving into your event.You might consider donating all proceedsto charity, arranging for leftover food tobe donated to a food bank or holding yourevent at a cultural institution that youwant to support – or all of the above.Publicize this in your promotional materi-als, for both your sake and the charity’s.

‘Green’ Your EventUnfortunately, events can create a lot of

waste and harm to our environment. Thisis due, in part, to the sheer volume of sup-plies and materials needed. Luckily, thereare easy and cost-neutral ways to incor-porate environmental care into yourevent, while setting a good example.Following are a few ideas:

• Think ‘green’ from the get-go. Bringall vendors, sponsors and presenters onboard at the beginning to help make theevent as sustainable as possible;

• Hire a caterer who buys seasonal,organic produce from local farmers andsustainable meat;

• Limit car commuting by holding yourevent close to public transportation, offer-ing shuttle service, and providing a bikevalet through the BikeStation;

• Print materials on environmentallysound paper, such as 100 percent recy-cled. Most major paper companies offeraffordable options;

• Create less waste by making sure allrecyclables are indeed recycled, askingguests to leave nametag holders at thedoor on their way out and using largecontainers for beverages and food insteadof individual cans and bottles. Post speak-ers’ notes and slides on your Web siteinstead of distributing print copies; and

• Make sure you announce your sus-tainability efforts to event attendees dur-ing your speakers’ program and in yourprint materials. This conveys your envi-ronmental commitment while planting aseed in their heads as to how they canduplicate your efforts. Remember, evensmall steps can make a big difference.

The Devil Is In The DetailsWhether you find details delightful or

nerve-racking, a successful event dependson their successful implementation. Thekey is to plan early and stay organized.

Create a checklist: Planning an eventinvolves more than deciding on a date andmenu. Some things to consider includeparking, check-in, seating, audiovisualneeds, permits, lighting, decorations and theprogram agenda. Stay organized by keepingevent details together in one place, such as athree-ring binder, for easy and quick access.Don’t forget to keep a copy of importantpaperwork, from check copies to the menu.

Know your budget: Come up with adollar figure for your event, and have anidea of how it should be allocated. Thisgets tricky with such factors as fluctuat-ing attendee counts and an open bar, soleave room in your budget for surprises.

Choose a date: Come up with a date thatdoesn’t conflict with a holiday or local orindustry events. Keep in mind that someseasons and days are more affordable thanothers. For example, Saturday night wed-dings in June are the most popular andtherefore usually the most expensive.

Pick a location: Event venues, especiallypopular ones, fill up quickly, so it’s impor-tant to reserve them early. After narrowingdown your top choices, visit the facilities,and pay close attention to how you aretreated – from the receptionist to the ban-quet manager. Don’t hesitate to ask for ref-erences. It’s helpful to visit the locationduring the same time of day your event willtake place to gauge the noise level, parkingsituation and lighting. You may find that abeautiful room during the day featuresmood-detracting florescent lights at night,or that the sun glares through the shadesduring the morning or sundown hours.

Hire vendors with a proven trackrecord: When hiring vendors, choosecompanies that come highly recom-mended for their quality and reliability.

Contact them early and ask for references.Make sure you sample the catering, pre-view the entertainment (via a videorecording or demo tape) and receive agraphic rendering of the planned décor.

Do a walkthrough: Ask all vendors tomeet you for one walkthrough at the eventsite. This gets everyone on the same pagein terms of room setup and logistics. Italso lets you take care of several eventdetails in one fell swoop, like choosinglinens that match the room.

Ask questions: Never hesitate to askquestions. One of the biggest mistakesyou can make is to assume that your ven-dors know what you want. They’re profes-sionals, but they’re not mind readers.

Ensure an easy commute: Think aboutthe route your guests will take to get toyour event. Make sure that transit anddriving directions are clear, parking isaccessible and safe and the event is easyto find. In some instances, greeters maybe needed to direct guests.

Design appropriate publicity pieces:Your publicity materials should convey theformality of the event so attendees knowwhat to wear and what to expect. For exam-ple, a Hawaiian theme party should have acolorful and casual invitation, whereas ablack tie gala requires one that is formal.

Sweat the small stuff: Did you order pens

and notepads for the conference settings?Flowers for the bar? Candles for the diningtables? Small touches make a big difference.

Plan for the worst: No matter how wellprepared you are, it’s impossible to con-trol the unexpected – whether it’s akeynote speaker canceling, last-minuteRSVPs or inclement weather. Havingback-up plans will ensure a smooth eventand give you peace of mind.

Hiring An Event PlannerIf you don’t have the time or desire to

plan your event in-house, you may considerhiring an event planner. Sometimes this isthe best way to ensure your event receivessufficient attention and expertise. Choose aplanner by doing a little research and askingcolleagues for recommendations. Interviewpotential candidates and check references.Double-check that the planner handles per-mit and license acquisition, including sitepermits, food permits, liquor licensing andlighting and sound licenses. Upon hiringsomeone, create a detailed contract.

Contract TipsNo matter how trustworthy a vendor or

event planner may seem, it’s crucial to signa comprehensive contract. Here are someof the points a contract should include:

• The vendor’s specific responsibilities;• The scope of the event (for contracts

with event planners);• An itemized list of what will be pro-

vided and the agreed-upon costs;• Any extra charges, such as taxes, tips,

parking and audiovisual equipment;• All dates, times and other important

details;• That your money can be refunded if

you have to cancel in a timely fashion; and• Contingency plans for crisis situa-

tions, such as emergencies, rain or naturaldisasters.

Review everything in the contract, andmake sure everyone understands theterms. Ask questions until you receivesatisfactory answers. It’s useful to findout what kind of insurance your eventplanner and your own company carry incase of unforeseen damages.

When working with an event planner,you have a right to know who the subcon-tractors are and get answers to anythingyou may have questions about. Do theybuy sustainable seafood? Do they havecomplaints against them through theBetter Business Bureau? After all, youare the one paying them to provide aproduct or service.

Written agreements with caterersinclude a “final guarantee,” which is yourfinalized guest count. This tells them howmuch food, beverages and place settingsto order. A typical guarantee date is twoor three days before the event.

RelaxIf you feel yourself ‘going bridal,’ take

a break and remind yourself of the bigpicture – the vision, the creativity and thepurpose. If you get an early start on eventorganizing and recruit helpers, you’ll beable to enjoy the process and the eventitself. Happy planning! �


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december 23, 2014-january 19, 2015 section b

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