HA401 : The Class : Operations : Meetings : Business

Group Business—Meetings and Catering

The group markets is very important to the success of resort operations. Group business can account for 60-80% of the total business for a resort. This provides a strong financial foundation that enables the resort to offer a wide range of activities and services. Group business is important because of the following reasons:

1. A large number of rooms are booked at one time for a group program.
2. They schedule meetings and banquets that provide additional revenue.
3. They schedule recreational activities like golf tournaments, spa packages or beach Olympics.
4. Group attendees tend to spend more in the resort than pleasure travelers.
5. They provide attendees exposure to the resort and many return on pleasure travel.

Group business at a resort is different from group business at a regular full service hotel. This is because of the leisure setting that resorts provide that is important to many groups holding meetings. They want to take their attendees to a resort destination that provides an outstanding climate, recreational and leisure activities, and unique experiences that will add to their program.

Corporate and associations are the two largest markets for resort group business. While they are different types of organizations, they seek the same features and benefits that resorts offer. The meeting planner will have a process that they use in selecting the resort for their next meeting. Some of this selection criteria can include:

1. Going to the east coast or west coast. Often they will rotate the resort location to provide different experiences and convenient traveling for their attendees that may come from all over the nation.
2. Going to a domestic or international location.
3. Going to a beach, tropical, desert, mountain, or cultural location.
4. Determining the cost and ease of transportation to the resort destination.
5. Choosing to stay at a new resort brand or staying with previous resort brands.
6. Choosing an independent resort or a chain resort.
7. The size of the meeting and the ability of the resort to handle the group.
   • Number of guest rooms
   • size of meeting space
   • flexibility of meeting space
   • number of recreational and cultural activities offered
8. The time of year and the cost of the rooms.

This list will give you an idea of what is discussed between a corporate meeting planner and the sales manager for a resort. Because there is such a wide range of world class resort destinations, it is a very competitive environment.

Group business at a resort takes on a different feeling and ambiance because of the resort destination. Resorts are expected to provide more than good meeting space, good food and beverage and good service. Following are examples:

1. Outdoor meeting locations — Resorts offer great climates that enable them to offer many outdoor meetings and activities that add to meals and breaks. These can be held poolside, on outdoor space overlooking the beach or on the beach, in hospitality suites or meeting rooms with great views, and other creative locations that feature the resort and its culture and climate.
2. Theme events — Meals and receptions in particular can be set up and decorated to highlight a special theme. Decorative props, menus, server uniforms, music, and local memorabilia or décor can be a special addition to a meeting or meal function.
3. Pre-function space — These public spaces also can be enhanced by using the climate and culture of the resort destination to add to the meetings. Instead of a regular entryway or hallway, resorts can offer open atriums with lush vegetation, water, and décor that provides a special atmosphere.
4. Activities and recreation — Perhaps this is the most attractive aspect of having meetings at resort locations. Meetings can be held in the morning and receptions in the evenings. That leaves afternoons open for special recreational activities like golf tournaments, spa programs, cultural tours or just an afternoon to relax and enjoy the resort destination. Many meetings include spouses so activities are scheduled to provide them recreational or cultural activities.

To support this wide range and variety of options, resorts must have a larger employee staff with additional skills and training to perform these functions. This is particularly true for cultural and educational activities. Because groups will schedule meetings and activities, their schedules can be very busy and fast paced. Well trained and reliable employees are very important to the success of these group meetings.

Resort Meeting Rooms and Group Functions

Following are the meeting space floor diagrams and meeting room specifications for two convention resorts located in Orlando, Florida. Marriott's Orlando World Center is one of the largest convention resorts in the United States with approximately 2,000 guest rooms and over 200,000 square feet of meeting space. Highlights of their meeting space:
1. Three huge meeting areas - two ballrooms and an exhibit hall
2. A large number of smaller break out rooms
3. Several large and separate pre-function space areas
4. Separate ballroom entrance
These and other features make their meeting facilities one of the largest and most flexible in the United States.

The Hyatt Grand Cypress is another large convention resort. While not as large as the Marriott, it's 750 guest rooms and over 50,000 square feet of meeting space. Some differences compared to the Marriott:
1. Notice the partitions in the main ballroom provide a service corridor that separates sound much better and allows for better service. However, they give up useful meeting space but are willing to do this because of better customer experiences.
2. Large pre-function space that is very flexible including having meetings and meal functions.
3. Separate area for breakout rooms.
4. A mini-ballroom in the Palm Ballroom.

Both of these convention resorts provide excellent service as well as layout. Look at the different way they present the size and flexibility of their meeting space. Which one in your opinion presents their information clearer and is easier to read? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each? Which one would you choose to hold your company meeting of 500 attendees?

Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress
Lakeside Conference Center	Lobby Level Board Rooms
Floor Plan courtsey of Hyatt Grand Cypress
	Floor Plan courtsey of Hyatt Grand Cypress
Grand Cypress Ballroom and Lower Level Board Rooms
Floor Plan courtsey of Hyatt Grand Cypress
Grand Cypress Ballroom and Lower Level Board Rooms Capacity Chart
ROOM SIZE SQUARE FEET CEILING HEIGHT ROUNDS OF 10 RECEPTION THEATER SCHOOL-ROOM CONFERENCE GRAND CYPRESS 208' X 120' 24,960 16' 1,800 2,700 2,700 1,500 N/A A 44' X 40'' 1,760 16' 120 180 160 90 40 B 44' X 40' 1,760 16' 120 180 160 90 40 C 44' X 40' 1,760 16' 120 180 160 90 40 D 89' X 40' 3,560 16' 250 375 400 200 60 E 89" X 40' 3,560 16' 250 375 400 200 60 F 90" X 40' 3,600 16' 250 375 400 200 60 G 44' X 40' 1,760 16' 120 180 160 90 40 H 44' X 40' 1,760 16' 120 180 160 90 40 I 44' X 40' 1,760 16' 120 180 160 90 40 A,B,C &CORRIDOR 59'6" X 120' 7,080 - 500 750 700 380 N/A G,H,I & (1) CORRIDOR 59'6" X 120' 7,080 - 500 750 700 380 N/A D,E,F &(1) CORRIDOR * 104'6" X 120' 12,480 - 850 1,350 1,500 775 N/A D,E,F &(2) CORRIDOR S 120' X 120' 14,440 - 950 1,600 1,640 875 N/A PALM A-F & CORRIDOR 59' X 43' 2,428 12' 150 225 275 160 60 A 14' X 21' 280 12' 20 30 24 18 16 B 14' X 21' 280 12' 20 30 24 18 16 C 14' X 21' 280 12' 20 30 24 18 16 D 14' X 21' 280 12' 20 30 24 18 16 E 14' X 21' 280 12' 20 30 24 18 16 F 14' X 21' 280 12' 20 30 24 18 16 POINCIANA A-D 63' X 24' 1,638 10' 120 180 175 96 60 A 16' X 26' 416 10' 30 45 40 21 15 B 16' X 26' 416 10' 30 45 40 21 15 C 16' X 26' 416 10' 30 45 40 21 15 D 16' X 26' 416 10' 30 45 40 21 15 MAGNOLIA A-C 64' X 25' 1,575 10' 120 180 150 90 54 A 20' X 25' 500 10' 40 60 50 27 18 B 20' X 25' 500 10' 40 60 50 27 18 C 20' X 25' 500 10' 40 60 50 27 18 HIBISCUS 27' X 15' 405 10' N/A N/A N/A N/A 12 CAMELLIA 27' X 15' 405 10' N/A N/A N/A N/A 12 ORCHID 36' X 16' 576 10' 40 60 40 30 25 GARDENIA 36' X 16' 576 10' 40 60 40 30 25 JACARANDA 28' X 15' 420 10' 30 45 30 18 18 PORTICO AREA 175' X 40' 6,520 16' 450 750 - - - REGENCY HALL 106' X 157' 16,768 12'9" 1,000 1,500 - - - LAKESIDE CONFERENCE CENTER 30' X 31' 930 12' 60 80 72 60 - Table and figures courtsey of Hyatt Grand Cypress
Marriott Orlando World Center
Ballrooms, Conventions & Exhibits Area
Floor Plan courtsey of Marriott's Orlando World Center
Ballrooms, Conventions & Exhibits Area Capacity Chart
CAPACITY         DIMENSIONS WxLxH USABLE SQ. FEET THEATER SCHOOLROOM CONFERENCE HOLLOW SQUARE U-SHAPED RECEPTION BANQUET CRYSTAL BALLROOM 279x144x20 38,500 4,260 2,400 N/A N/A 4,685 3,220 Salons G,H & J (each) 71x140 10,118 1,120 625 N/A N/A 1,100 830 Salons G & H or H & J (combined) 140x144 20,252 2,265 1,250 N/A N/A 2,200 1,650 Salons G, H, & J, (combined) 216x140 30,430 3,420 1,900 N/A N/A 3,300 2,280 Salons A-F & K-Q (each) 31x23 739 70 50 24 25 80 50 Salons A-F & K-Q (combined) 31x144 4,504 490 290 N/A N/A 500 360 Salons A & B (combined) (or any 2 side sections) 31x47 1,495 165 120 35 40 160 100 * Ceiling height in each of the above side sections is 15.6'. GRAND BALLROOM 275x139x21 37,369 4,260 2,500 N/A N/A 4,500 2,830 Salons VII & VIII (each) 85x135 11,585 1,330 840 N/A N/A 1,200 840 Salons VII & VIII (combined) 186x135 25,459 2,900 1,500 N/A N/A 2,200 1,890 Salons I-VI & XIV (each) 44x23 1,015 105 70 35 35 100 70 Salons I-VI & XIV (combined) 44x139 6,148 700 375 N/A N/A 600 420 Salons I & II (combined) (or any 2 side sections) 44x44 2,044 200 120 45 45 230 100 Salons I ,II III (combined) (or any 3 side sections) 43x69 3,071 325 180 60 70 360 220 * Ceiling height in each of the above side sections is 15.3'. HALL OF CITIES                 New York & New Orleans (combined) 53x43x8 2,011 230 125 45 40 200 140 New York & New Orleans (each) 26x41x8 1,002 110 60 30 30 100 60 Miami 37x37x8 1,310 140 85 30 30 150 80 Denver & Chicago (combined) 53x32x8 1,562 160 110 45 45 225 90 Denver & Chicago (each) 26x28x8 779 75 50 24 25 100 50 Boston, Atlanta, Anaheim (combined) 85x37x8 2,854 295 190 75 80 350 190 Boston & Atlanta (each) 26x33x8 871 85 60 25 25 100 60 Anaheim 31x37x8 1,104 110 75 25 30 100 70 Washington 25x34x8 786 75 50 25 24 90 50 Tampa, St. Louis, San Antonio, & San Franciso (each) 26x34x8 793 80 50 25 24 90 50 Los Angeles 26x38x8 927 95 60 25 30 100 50 Boardrooms - 3 (each) (Permanent Conference Table)   806 N/A N/A 15 N/A N/A N/A PALMS BALLROOM 349x145x18 49,215 5,245 3,600 N/A N/A 6,200 3,370 Canary 84x145x18 11,954 1,365 800 N/A N/A 1,500 770 Royal 89x145x18 12,651 1,480 880 N/A N/A 1,600 880 Sabal 89x145x18 12,636 1,480 880 N/A N/A 1,600 880 Sago 84x145x18 11,974 1,365 800 N/A N/A 1,500 770 Canary/Royal (combined) 174x145x18 24,605 2,645 1,750 N/A N/A 3,100 1,860 Sabal/Sago (combined) 174x145x18 24,600 2,645 1,750 N/A N/A 3,100 1,860 Royal/Sabal (combined) 179x145x18 25,287 2,730 1,810 N/A N/A 3,200 1,940 Pre-function Area/Foyer   61,000             Table and Data curtesy of Marriott's Orlando World Center

Once you have completed this module you should:

Go on to Topic 4: Recreation Activities
or
Go back to Topic 3: Meetings and Group Business

E-mail Lloyd Shelton at Lloyd.Shelton@nau.edu
or call (928) 527-7518

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