EXPO: Gaylord Hotels is undergoing expansion with the new Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center on the Potomac in Prince George County near Washington, DC, scheduled to open in 2008, and the new hotel planned for Chula Vista, CA, outside of San Diego. Is this in response to demand in a particular market, or are you responding to a bigger trend toward show organizers wanting an all-inclusive place to hold events?
Mason: It’s a bit of both. Our original hotel, Opryland in Nashville, has been successful because of the all-inclusive model it offers. Then we opened the Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center in Kissimmee, FL, and the Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center on Lake Grapevine near Dallas. These are all good markets for our hotel and convention center properties, but we didn’t have one on the West Coast. Many of our clients like to rotate their events around the country. Our research and other industry research indicated that San Diego is one of the hottest destinations in the country. So yes, there’s demand for what we offer in this market. But at the same time, yes, we see a healthy demand for the sort of all-inclusive, one-stop shop that we offer.
EXPO: Are there some shows that work better at Gaylord properties than at traditional convention centers?
Mason: There’s not really a certain type of show that works better in our venue than in a convention center. Our clients are extremely varied and range from large events to smaller ones. Sometimes people think we only do very large conventions, but in reality most of the business that comes through our doors has about 250 room nights at peak. We can serve a vast array of events because we’re a one-stop shop. That gives us flexibility that other venues might not have. We have a large resort that can accommodate huge groups, yet we also have a hotel within a hotel at all of our resorts, which has its own meeting space, so groups can be more contained if they like.
EXPO: What benefits do your facilities offer over traditional convention centers with hotel rooms connected or nearby?
Mason: Perhaps one of the biggest benefits we offer is increased flexibility because we’re all-inclusive. Our business model is geared exclusively toward the convention, exhibition and corporate meeting market. We can be all things to this market segment because we aren’t trying to appease another type of visitor. In addition, we can offer show organizers flexibility with sponsorships. Because there’s no one else who has to agree to an idea besides us, we’ve let shows pretty much do everything except rename the hotel. For example, our hotels have large glass atriums, and we’ve had shows sell sponsorships that practically covered all the glass. We’ve hung enormous banners right there in the middle. We had a show sell a sponsorship of stickers with an exhibitor’s logo on the ground leading to the meeting space. In addition, we can help show organizers save money in some areas because everything is under one roof. For example, you don’t need to hire shuttle buses or your own security.
EXPO: What trends are you seeing at Gaylord hotels?
Mason: Shows want to create healthier events and healthier menu options. We’ve also noticed that shows are growing, and as they do, it seems like the freight gets heavier. At the same time, shows are more eager than ever to make move-in and move-out as efficient as possible. Another trend we’ve noticed is that attendees want to network more than ever, and they need places to sit and talk. There’s more interest in things like spa services. Because our clientele is event-based, our spa is open early in the morning and late in the evening so attendees can go and not miss the show.
