The JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa announced a complete refresh throughout all 1,002 guest resort suites, scheduled to be completed by early March 2019. The resort underwent a renovation of its restaurants and lobby spaces last year.

With the lines between consumer and corporate events continually being blurred, attendees are increasingly demanding highly unique, high-touch environments. Following are five innovative experiential event options that borrow from popular culture to completely envelop attendees in the experience.

A center of arts and culture in North Carolina’s booming Triad Region, Greensboro boasts world-class historic and cultural venues such as the International Civil Rights Museum and a thriving theater scene. But while museums and theater may temporarily seize the attention of attendees with their refined offerings, a pint of cold craft brew and some fantastic restaurants are also at the ready.

Meetings industry veteran Sandy Biback, who worked as a planner in a variety of capacities over a 35-year career, has jumped headlong into a new all-consuming endeavor since retiring: battling human trafficking through Meeting Professionals Against Human Trafficking, or MPAHT. Here she shares some top-level tips to fight human trafficking for planners, suppliers and venues.

Meetings Today Senior Contributor Jeff Heilman spoke with Lori Glennon, executive director of sales, Valley Forge Casino Resort, Prussia, Pennsylvania, about the hotel’s capabilities for hosting events.

Hosting the annual Army-Navy football game for the 88th time, partners led by the Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau (PHLCVB) dedicated sports division (PHL Sports) executed the event with customary operational precision. Valley Forge’s leadership, closely identifying with its legacy, prioritizes winning group outcomes. For meetings and events, it’s win-win defined.

Virgin Hotels unveiled its second property, Virgin Hotels San Francisco. The hotel, located in South of Market (SoMa) near Yerba Buena Gardens and the Moscone Center, features 194 guest accommodations, multiple dining and drinking outlets and 7,000 square feet of meeting space. The hotel is also near the new Central Subway Station, which, upon opening later this year will connect South of Market with Union Square and Chinatown.

DoubleTree by Hilton Lisle Naperville opened in the Chicago Metropolitan area. The 309-room hotel, which underwent a multimillion-dollar renovation prior to opening, boasts 19,000 square feet of meeting and event space. The hotel’s food and beverage offerings include Thirty 0 Three Restaurant, which serves three meals a day. There is also a lobby bar and 34-hour lobby pantry.

The unconditional love of a loyal dog can soften the hardest edges—and experiences—of the toughest among us. A new program offered by Pechanga Resort & Casino embodies that concept by pairing service dogs with their veteran and first responder owners who are living with PTSD.

Omni Houston Hotel reopened in November 2018 following a property-wide $30 million renovation. The inspiration drew from an authentic local aesthetic that includes leathers, bronze, brass and lush greens, providing a new take on a “modern Texas.” The urban oasis now has natural light throughout with floor-to-ceiling windows, open communal spaces and the idea of bringing the outdoors inside.