Eau Claire, WI may not be your first thought when considering locations in the Midwest for a meeting. But this hamlet just over an hour east of Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport is on the move when it comes to selling itself to conferences, conventions and group events.
“It’s beautiful here in the Chippewa Valley. There’s no shortage of amazing things to see and do here,” says Benny Anderson, executive director of Visit Eau Claire. “It’s an incredible opportunity for anyone bringing a group here, because of our smaller size paired with our great infrastructure.”
Indeed, within the span of a few downtown blocks is the city’s main convention venue, the Pablo Center at the Confluence—with a main theater seating 1,200 and a variety of meeting and breakout rooms—and a number of convention hotels, including the Lismore Hotel Eau Claire-a Doubletree by Hilton Hotel, with 112 rooms and 14,000 sf of meeting and event space. The Lismore also boasts a fitness center and onsite restaurant.
A block away is the Oxbow, offering studios and two-room suites along with a restaurant/bar and a flexible event/meeting room. Also part of downtown Eau Claire are restaurants and eateries so close in proximity, dine-arounds are a breeze.
Newly opened a short drive away is the sprawling, country-themed Eau Claire Event District, offering two expansive indoor event halls—with space for 2,400 and 650 respectively—and an outdoor stage with outdoor seating for thousands more. State-of-the-art A/V equipment, a dedicated event coordinator and full catering services expedite the process for planners.
For more information: visiteauclaire.com
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