While Wichita, Kan., is celebrated as the ‘Air Capital of the World’ for its aviation history, the largest city in the state recently went galactic.
"People that are interested in aviation, aerospace and airlines all gravitate here, and we just had the head of Virgin Galactic speaking at a luncheon," says Maureen Hofrenning, vice president of the Go Wichita CVB, adding that the Hyatt Regency Wichita was positively buzzing after the presentation.
Wichita’s aviation history is legendary, with a virtual airplane hall of fame full of industry innovators having set up shop here. Names such as Clyde Cessna, Walter Beech and Bill Lear began their operations in Wichita, and in the early days of aviation, every flight crossing the country used to stop in Wichita, according to Hofrenning.
Cessna, Learjet and Hawker Beechcraft are still headquartered in the city, and both Airbus and Boeing maintain a workforce here.
In fact, many groups use the Kansas Aviation Museum for off-site events.
The city also counts Western heritage among its key group drivers. The Old West is decidedly on display at the Old Cowtown Museum—available for group buyouts of up to 100 attendees—which used to be the railhead for cattle driven from Texas. One popular group option is to hire the Diamond W Wranglers cowboy singing group for a chuckwagon supper event.
Wichita also counts modern amenities—and much more of them recently—among its attributes, with a 200,000-square-foot convention center and the just-opened Intrust Bank Arena.
"Obviously, that is really adding a lot of energy downtown—to an already vibrant downtown," Hofrenning says.
Many groups gravitate to Old Town, an entertainment and dining district located about nine blocks from the Wichita Convention Center via Q-Line light rail. Within walking distance of the convention center is the Hyatt Regency Wichita, and ground was just broken on a Fairfield Hotel and Suites, due to open next year. The historic Broadview hotel is undergoing a renovation and will emerge as a Drury Plaza property next spring.
"One of the big things is that we have big city amenities and Midwestern prices," Hofrenning says.
