Why Scottsdale
What's New on the Meetings Scene
TEAM EXPERIENCE SCOTTSDALE
On November 28, 2022, Michelle Coombs will join Experience Scottsdale's Convention Sales team as the National Sales Manager for the Mid-Atlantic (DC, MD, VA, DE, WV) and Illinois market areas. Coombs comes to Experience Scottsdale with extensive sales experience working for hotels, nonprofits and destination marketing organizations, including Noble House Hotels & Resorts and the San Diego Tourism Authority. Although she will be based in the D.C. area, Coombs will be in Scottsdale regularly for team meetings, site visits, familiarization tours and other in-market activities. She will generate convention sales leads and confirm meetings business for our hotels on behalf of meeting planners in the Washington D.C. market and Illinois area.
RESORT ROUNDUP
A multi-million-dollar design refresh that will touch its meeting spaces and guest rooms is underway at Omni Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Montelucia. The new, lighter and brighter look and feel will maintain the sophisticated Mediterranean ambiance of the resort with new furnishings and finishes.
Construction on Caesars Republic Scottsdale, the brand's first non-gaming hotel in the United States, is well underway. This new lifestyle hotel is slated to debut in early 2024 adjacent to Scottsdale Fashion Square, the Southwest's largest luxury retail destination. The 11-story property will feature 265 guest rooms (including 36 suites), a rooftop pool and bar, two signature restaurants by chef Giada De Laurentiis, and a 7,000-square-foot, column-free ballroom with adjacent lawn for outdoor events.
Sonder is bringing its concept of apartment/hotel accommodations to Old Town Scottsdale. The Monarch by Sonder welcomes guests for stays of one night to one month or longer in a newly refreshed property that was formerly The Saguaro Scottsdale. Customer convenience is key, with most of the guest experience being app-driven. Guests can check in, request fresh towels, get dinner recommendations and more – all from their phone on the Sonder app. Amenities at The Monarch include two pools, spa services, an on-site restaurant, Roku streaming in every room and a fitness center.
GATHERING SPOTS
Scottsdale Private Event Venues will add two exciting new event spaces to their portfolio in late 2022: Mick's Place of Scottsdale and the Elevate Event Hangar. Mick's Place offers 5,000 square feet of unobstructed space, an enviable stable of collector cars, and a centralized location that is easily accessible from all Scottsdale resorts. The Elevate Event Hangar boasts two side-by-side hangars with a combined total of 22,000 square feet of interior space and 10,000 square feet of exterior space. Both of these unique locations are backed by the experienced professionals at Scottsdale Private Event Venues, who offer complete event planning services, from bold, creative décor and top-of-the-line catering to complete A/V production, big-name live entertainment, ground transportation and more.
DOWNTIME DIVERSIONS
Cooler winter weather means sunset hot-air balloon flights are heating up! Celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2023, Rainbow Ryders, Inc. is the largest hot-air balloon business in the country, serving the Southwest since 1983. Rainbow Ryders offers year-round daily flights in Phoenix and Albuquerque, as well as seasonal flights in Colorado Springs. The company's FAA-certified pilots have flown more than 100,000 hours, served 750,000 passengers and counting, and have centuries worth of combined experience. Sunset hot-air balloon flight season runs from November through March annually. Rainbow Ryders also offers low-altitude tethered hot-air balloon flights and balloon glows for corporate events.
Exceptionally Scottsdale first debuted in 2021 with a carefully curated collection of immersive tours and workshops that give groups and individuals unparalleled access to Scottdale's most popular local business and attractions. In January 2023, this program will launch seven exciting new experiences, including terrarium building with Cactus Flower Florists, whiskey tasting at Belle's Nashville Kitchen and Sunsets & Sips at Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin West. Visit the Exceptionally Scottsdale website at the link above for full details on all tours and workshops.
CALA introduced its coastal Mediterranean menu at a prime location within the Senna House Scottsdale hotel in Old Town's Entertainment District. Led by culinary director Beau Macmillan and executive chef Peter McQuaid, the menu draws from coastal regions of Greece, Italy, Morocco and France. That means traditional delights like flaming saganaki, white bean hummus and matbucha (Moroccan tomato and pepper chutney) and lamb kofta skewers abound, as do seasonal specialties such as watermelon salad with passion fruit aguachile and grilled swordfish with chorizo. CALA's 1,200-square-foot patio is ideal for receptions and dinners that make the most of Scottdale's idyllic weather.
Belle's Nashville Kitchen is an Old Town honky tonk that features nightly live music to accompany its menu of Southern-comfort favorites, including Belle's famous Kool-Aid Pickles, craft cocktails and homemade spirit infusions like the Apple Pie Whiskey. Belle's house-made infusions change monthly so there's always something new to savor. The restaurant's cozy interior can host up to 80 guests for receptions and casual dining experiences.
For those with a sweet tooth, Buzzed Bull Creamery on the Scottdale Waterfront rolls nightcaps and dessert into one! Here you'll find both alcohol-infused and non-alcoholic ice cream creations and milkshakes. Build your own or choose from their menu of popular flavor combinations. There are even ice cream "flights," which dish up four 3-ounce servings of the buzziest flavors. Buzzed Bull can host private events for up to 50 guests
The College Football Playoff Semifinal at the VRBO Fiesta Bowl is part of the College Football Playoff (CFP) series. As one of the nation's premier college bowl games, it is an integral part of college football's postseason and provides sports enthusiasts with the opportunity to take part in sports history. Teams will be announced on Selection Sunday, Dec. 4, 2022, and the playoff game will be played at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, AZ, on Dec. 31, 2022.
For more than 30 years, the Celebration of Fine Art has connected art lovers with artists in temporary studios under the event's big white tents. From Jan. 14 through March 26, 2023, some 100 artists will gather, create and showcase their work as part of one of the most unique fine art experiences in the country.
Known as "The Greatest Show on Grass," the WM Phoenix Open is one of the PGA Tour's most exciting stops. The event has gained legendary status for combining great golf, great weather, and a festive atmosphere, unlike any other tournament. The WM Phoenix Open will be held at the TPC Scottsdale Feb. 6-12, 2023.
Super Bowl LVII, the championship game of the National Football League for the 2022 NFL season, is coming to the Scottsdale area on Feb. 12, 2023. One of the most watched events on TV, Super Bowl LVII will take place at State Farm Stadium in nearby Glendale, AZ. Headlining the halftime show is Grammy-winner Rihanna. Kickoff will take place at 4:30 p.m. MST/6:30 p.m. ET.
Since 1955 the annual Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show has set the pace in the Arabian horse world. Today, this premier equestrian event brings more than 2,400 horses and top owners, trainers and breeders from around the world to compete for a chance at winning. The show, which takes place at WestWorld of Scottsdale from Feb. 16-26, 2023, features horses competing in a variety of classes and skills, as well as an expansive retail marketplace.
Click here to view Scottsdale's complete calendar of events!