Things are moving fast in Reno, and that’s elevating every aspect of the city’s brand in the meetings market, including off-site venues and teambuilding options. Construction on the Tesla Motors Gigafactory is well underway, and the facility expects to begin production of lithium ion battery cells in 2017. The University of Nevada, Reno continues to expand, and it is recognized nationally as a research hub. The city is in the midst of a major tech boom.
“The energy here is ambitious, positively electric,” said John Leinen, vice president of convention and tourism sales at Reno Tahoe USA. “We’re the next Austin. We’re like Tesla, going from zero to 60 in 2.8 seconds. That economic growth is changing our whole landscape in terms of the food scene, the cultural scene, the infrastructure.”
Apart from major investments in hotel and resort upgrades, the city itself is laying out plans for a more beautiful, walkable future.
“When we talk to groups about conventions in 2020, we’re telling them how different the city is going to look tomorrow,” Leinen said. “There are concepts of streetcars, new landscaping, being more pedestrian-friendly. Energy is the best word I can use to describe it.”
Independent Hotels
One of Reno’s unique characteristics is that the lion’s share of its hotel properties are not owned by large chains. While planners might miss out on the chance to accrue points, they gain one-of-a-kind opportunities for groups. At several Reno resorts, there are off-site venues and teambuilding opportunities located right under the same roof as the guest rooms and ballrooms.
The two-year-old Whitney Peak Hotel offers access to its climbing gym, BaseCamp, as a meeting amenity. BaseCamp is a 7,000-square-foot bouldering park featuring one of the world’s tallest climbing walls, at 16 stories. The active-lifestyle boutique hotel also offers the 1,100-person Cargo concert hall as an off-site with cutting-edge audiovisual technology. In the evenings, Cargo presents national and internationally touring live music acts. The 310-room property recently completed work on its 20,000 square feet of meeting space.
Many of Reno’s casino hotels offer on-site poker tournaments and slot parties for groups. For those who want to learn the basics or improve their game, Peppermill Resort Hotel offers private group poker lessons.
As part of its reflagging as the Renaissance Reno Downtown Hotel & Spa, the Siena Hotel is replacing its 17,000-square-foot gaming floor with bocce ball courts along the Truckee River. Plans call for seven indoor courts and a 9,000-square-foot garden with two outdoor courts. The bocce area, scheduled for completion in August, will also include riverside dining and private event space.
The Midway of Fun at Circus Circus can host groups as large as 50 for breakfast with a carnival theme. Attendees can test their skills and win prizes playing Skee-Ball and 27 other games.
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Atlantis Casino Resort Spa offers customized teambuilding adventures designed to appeal to the taste buds, the adrenaline receptors and the frontal lobe, respectively. One of the resort’s master chefs teams up with the sommelier to create wine-pairing classes customized for groups of 12 to 50. Classes, which can include a full meal, leave participants with the basic skills in choosing wine to go with each course.
For higher-octane groups, Atlantis can coordinate thrilling Jeep adventure races on a dirt track in the desert just east of Reno. Maximum group size is around 20, divided into teams of two—one driver and one navigator.
The resort can also work with Breakthrough Reno, located just across the street, to personalize its locked-room escape games for teams. Each team of three to six people gets 60 minutes to figure out how to escape.
Out of the Box
Reno’s attractions are upping the ante as the city’s explosive growth continues, resulting in improved off-site venues.
In early 2016, the Nevada Museum of Art unveiled a $6.2 million renovation of its rooftop space. The 4,800-square-foot Nightingale Sky Room boasts retractable floor-to-ceiling glass walls, while the adjacent 5,000-square-foot Sky Plaza patio features improved views and more protection from the wind. The rooftop space is proving a popular site for special events. Other rental spaces in the museum include a 180-seat theater and a grand hall capable of accommodating 350 for receptions. Guided tours are available for groups of 10 to 30.
Greater Nevada Field, home of the Reno Aces Triple-A baseball team, invested $1.2 million into a new high-definition videoboard and sound system to enhance the game-day experience. Special events as large as 2,000 can be accommodated in outdoor pavilions.
Groups of 1,500 can gather in the rotunda entrance and concourse beneath the iconic baseball sculpture. The 250 Lounge can welcome groups of 156 indoors with views of downtown Reno. The infield can host groups of 1,000, while the clubhouse and batting cages are suitable for 200. True baseball fans will jump at the chance for some fantasy batting practice right on the field.
In 2017, Reno will add another exciting sports experience. The new Reno 1868 Football Club, an American soccer team, will kick off its first season at Greater Nevada Field in March.
The National Automobile Museum is one of Reno’s top attractions, and rightly so. It is consistently ranked as one of the top auto museums in the U.S. The museum preserves more than 200 antique, classic, rare and one-of-a-kind vehicles from the collection of the late Bill Harrah of Harrah’s casinos. Capacious enough to host receptions of 1,200, the auto museum educates visitors about the history of vehicles as they stroll down “streets” and through galleries that represent various eras.
The National Bowling Stadium is a temple dedicated to the art of the strike. With 78 lanes, it’s the perfect venue for a bowling tournament. Private rental spaces include a 172-seat theater and the Kingpin Club, which features 10 lanes and a full bar.
Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts brings Broadway musicals and dance recitals to Reno. With 1,500 seats, Pioneer Center is the largest performing arts venue in the region. Group discounts on tickets are available for groups of 10 or more.
As another side effect of the city’s burgeoning growth, Reno is easier to get to than ever before.
“Economic development is also increasing our air service,” Leinen said. “Southwest, JetBlue, Delta, Alaska Airlines and Volaris are all adding nonstop Reno routes, and there are rumors of more to come.”
