"We're planning a conference in Atlanta," he tells me, "so get right on it." When is this conference for, Boss? A week from Friday (this being Wednesday)? NO problem. I work miracles (that you get the glory for) all the time! How many people?! What, only a hundred and fifty, flying in from all over the country? No problem! I've heard all about how you pulled off the feeding of five thousand people with just a couple loaves of bread and a few fish, so I should be able to handle this. I'll get right on finding Atlanta Meeting Facilities.
There are a number of worthy venues in Atlanta for meetings and conferences. How you select the right one depends, in part, upon the nature and duration of that conference. If it's just a one-day event that needs a Marietta Banquet Rooms for a hours long event, then proximity to the airport may be your only real concern (assuming people are flying in. But if the attendees are going to be there a while, then proximity to the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport may not be as important as qualities of the convention environment.
The focus of the group may be business, but they're expecting to enjoy the stay in other ways as well. For some, that may be the opportunity to enjoy a bit of luxury away from home. For others, it may be the chance to play 18 holes of golf. Is it summer or winter? That can be a consideration as well, especially if some of the attendees live in areas of extreme temperatures. In the winter, visitors from colder climates may want to bask in the relative warmth and take some time for the aforementioned golf or other activities. If it's the height of summer, many may be looking for relief from that heat. Atlanta may not be as exhausting as Phoenix, but you may still be looking for a complex that has everything under one roof, so they don't have to go out. What will the quality of the catering be? Will the attendees want to take in some local nightlife? What about availability? Longstanding reservations for other gatherings may preclude a particular venue. It's crucial to find out about that before investing a lot of time planning for a convention based upon a particular location.
If you do a great job, he'll look great and get the bulk of the credit for having been smart enough to hire you. That might tempt you to do less than your best. A bit of self-preservation is in ordeer here. Remember, if there are hitches in the giddyup, hiccups or problems, he's going to step back and graciously let you be broiled, so even though he may take the lion's share of the credit, you'll still want to make the best choices possible.
How do you know about the quality of a facility? Start off with previous experiences, independent testimonials and verifiable reviews. You may not be able to trust everything their public relations department puts forward, no matter how often they may swear it's the Gospel truth. To some extent, you're going to have to go by Star ratings, but it's a safe rule of thumb to deduct one star from all but the most reliable of hotel chains with ratings under 4 stars. Then when Murphy's Law applies, you'll still come out of it alright.
Planning a conference really can be a lot of fun. You'll know you're talking to the right venues when they're making an effort to make your job easier, offering to handle details and arrange for catering, assuring you that adding an extra 10 people will not be a problem, that sort of thing. If you encounter a very rigid establishment, it may be wise to keep on moving on down the list.
Make a point of putting on your best Happy face before you pick up the phone to contact the venues, take a minute to relax with your favorite non-alcoholic beverage, make a list of essential requirements, no-nos, and options. Be sure, for example, to provide vegetarian, Muslim and kosher meal choices and to ask the attendees their preferences. Do a little homework and find out what well-respected public golf courses maybe in the area, if the attendees are interested in the game. Make sure the conference center has AV equipment available. If they don't, you'll want to arrange for equipment rental and a backup supplier in case that one proves unreliable. But with a little planning, some investigation and a few days' footwork, you'll have your boss walking on water in no time! Atlanta has plenty of facilities to choose from. Now all you have to do is consult that list and find out which of them is best for you!
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