Colorado Best Of 2007

>>Conference Venue
Winner: Hyatt Regency Denver at the Colorado Convention Center

State-of-the-art takes the cake in this category. Hyatt Regency Denver at the Colorado Convention Center, which opened December 2005, earns kudos from readers for its mix of high-tech and high-touch amenities. There’s conference space galore: 60,600 square feet of meeting and exhibit space, including two ballrooms. The Colorado Convention Center is 40 steps away, with all that downtown Denver offers just beyond.

303.436.1234/

>>Team-Building Facility/Organizer
Winner: Valhalla Shooting Club at Elk Mountain Resort

Guests may be shooting, snowmobiling, clambering on the ropes course or enjoying a variety of other activities, but the emphasis at the Valhalla Shooting Club at Elk Mountain Resort is always on ensuring that events are safe, fun and exciting. At Valhalla, corporate team-building event move beyond shared experiences into the realm of actual leadership development. Located between Montrose and Telluride.

Montrose/970.252.4900/

>>Destination Management Company
Winner: Convention Designs LLC

Convention Designs LLC is known for being in tune with clients’ unique needs and personalities in order to turn out successful, creative, cost-effective events. Whether it’s a cement plant ground breaking, a gala or a mega-event at Red Rocks, the company remains attentive to details large and small.

Greenwood Village/303.650.8858/

>>Florist
Winner: The Perfect Petal

The Perfect Petal bloomed in 1995 to bring elevated, sharp and sophisticated floral design to Denver. Over the years, the business has sought out sources for rare and novelty florals, bringing unusual and hard-to-find cuts to Colorado. The business has been warmly embraced by the meetings and events industry and enjoys the creative challenges that serving this industry provides.

Denver/303.480.0966/

>>Caterer
Winner: Epicurean Catering

“We’re only as good as our last meal served” is emblazoned on the walls of Epicurean Catering’s three kitchens. In addition to working to ensure consistently creative, high-end food and services, Epicurean Catering is proud that its owners and managers are among the top philanthropists and community volunteers in Denver.

Denver/303.770.0877/

>>Entertainment
Winner: Starkey Productions/Pro Entertainment

Starkey Production/Pro Entertainment, known as StarPro, tunes in the wow-factor when it comes to entertainment. The company can provide bands, theatrical productions, comedians, specialty acts and even national talent. StarPro also has the sound and lighting capabilities that add the right touch.

Denver/303.750.6111/

>>Meeting or Event Space without a Hotel
Winner: INVESCO Field at Mile High

A $5 million renovation of the club level has reinvented a large portion of the meeting and event space at INVESCO Field at Mile High. Beyond the sheer drama of being in a world-class sports arena, other advantages are audio-visual services included in room rates, free parking and no food and beverage minimum—in fact, bring your own caterer if you wish.

Denver/720.258.3000/

>>Rental Service
Winner: Event Rents

The right glassware, flatware, china and linens are the polish that makes an event glow. Readers singled out Event Rents for focusing on quality service and providing beautiful party-ware. Event Rents has been in business in the Denver metro area for 13 years, specializing in elegant and distinctive events.

Denver/303.972.0975/

>>Golf Course
Winner: Arrowhead Golf Course

Gorgeous, majestic and more describe the Arrowhead Golf Club in its stunning red-rock foothills setting. The 18-hole course, designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr., earns four stars and other kudos. In addition to Colorado Meetings & Events readers’ “Best Of” designation, Golf Digest has rated the course one of the top ten Best Places to Play in Colorado. Arrowhead Golf Club is also a popular site for weddings and events.

Littleton/303.973.9614/

>>Photographer/Videographer
Winner: WonderWorks Studios

Steve and Debbie Crecelius launched award-winning WonderWorks Studios back in 1993. Since then, the business has offered event photography and commercial photography to some of the state’s largest, highest-profile events. WonderWorks is widely published in national magazines as well as the Denver Metro Convention & Visitors Guide.

Englewood/303.789.5222/

>>Banquet/Reception Venue
Winner: INVESCO Field at Mile High

Whether you’re planning a banquet for 1,000 or a cocktail reception for 50, INCVESCO Field at Mile High’s 1.8 million square feet offers a variety of options and opportunities. Rent a party suite, the entire 67,000-square-foot United Club level or mix and match.

Denver/720.258.3000/

>>Transportation
Winner: Coach USA

Whether it’s chartering a bus, planning a group tour, hiring a shuttle, organizing a casino trip or just moving people around, transportation logistics are often a challenge. Coach USA offers varied transportation services for one or 1,000.

Golden/303.421.2780/

>>Audio-Visual Provider
Winner: J&S Audio Visual INC.

J&S Audio Visual Inc. has a 20-plus-year history of providing outstanding audio-visual operations, rental and staging services in Colorado. At J&S the recipe for success and business growth involves a mix of technical expertise, competitive pricing and professionalism that focuses on customers.

Denver/303.792.5588/

>>Event Décor
Winner: Design Works by Dave and Mike

When they’re hired to decorate, the folks at Design Works by Dave and Mike like best to sculpt a room into a pleasing environment that reflects their clients’ ideals. Handling everything from table décor to the larger room decorations, Design Works has in-house floral, graphic, wood shop, metal and plastics fabrication departments.

Denver/720.941.7440/

>>Attraction
Winner: Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre

It’s as old as the hills. With a birth date some 250 million years ago, Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre ranks as Colorado’s oldest tourist attraction. The natural amphitheater, with its sweeping views of Denver, hosts more than 350,000 concert-goers and 750,000 hikers and sight-seers each year.

Morrison/303.697.6047/

>>Hotel with Meeting or Event Space
Winner: Hyatt Regency at the Colorado Convention Center

Again the big, beautiful new Hyatt Regency at the Colorado Convention Center garners the most reader votes. The Hyatt just celebrated its first birthday and features 1,100 guest rooms, including 72 suites and the 3,000-square-foot Monarch Suite of the most important VIPs.

Denver/303.436.1234/

>>Destination Marketing Organization
Winner: Denver Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau

Founded in 1909, the Denver Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau is succeeding at its mission of increasing the number of conventions and leisure travelers. The CVB expects 2006 to shake out as the best year ever so far for conventions.

Denver/303.892.1112/

>>Convention/Exhibition Center
Winner: Colorado Convention Center

Big and beautiful describes the Colorado Convention Center. Its many amenities include a 584,000-square-foot exhibition level; 63 meeting rooms; 85,000 square feet of ballroom space and a 5,000-seat Wells Fargo Theatre. All of it is punctuated with state-of-the-art infrastructure and located within walking distance of thousands of hotel rooms, hundreds of restaurants, theaters, arts and shopping.

Denver/303.228.8000/

>>Ski Resort
Winner: Vail Resorts

It is the stuff of legends. As the biggest ski resort in the country, Vail spreads across 5,289 acres. For groups of 20 or more, Vail offers special activities—things like getting first tracks on the mountain and skiing with the community’s resident Olympians. On the to-do list for all guests are seven bowls, four terrain parks and 33 lifts serving 193 conventional ski trails. An average annual snowfall of 29 feet coats the whole place in glittering white.

Vail/303.404.1800/