Colorado Springs

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Leigh Trance, senior sales manager with Destination Services of Colorado, describes the city this way:  "The second largest city in the state, Colorado Springs is a flourishing metropolis that offers all the best of city life along with plenty of wide open spaces where nature can be appreciated. Known for its adventurous and outdoor lifestyle, along with its Western culture and history, Colorado Springs is the perfect centrally-located destination."

Of course, the most striking feature that greets first-time visitors to Colorado Springs is Pikes Peak-"America's mountain."  Towering over the city at 14,110 feet, the purple mountain majesty provided the inspiration for Kathryn Lee Bates's 1893 poem, America the Beautiful. The world's highest cog railroad carries passengers to the summit.

>> The Broadmoor features 185,000 square feet of meeting space and 700 rooms.

>> The Crowne Plaza Hotel has 500 rooms and 47,000 square feet of meeting space.

>> The Cliff House has 55 rooms and 3,500 square feet of meeting space.

>> Cheyenne Mountain Resort adds 316 rooms and 40,000 square feet of meeting space to the mix, along with championship golf, four swimming pools, indoor and outdoor tennis and a 35-acre lake for sailing and fishing.

>> The Antlers Hilton Colorado Springs features 285 rooms and 27,500 feet of meeting space.

>> The Phil Long Expo Center on the north end of town has 92,000 square feet of exhibit space.

Population: About 400,000

Nearest airport: Situated 80 miles south of Denver International Airport (DEN), Colorado Springs has a very accessible regional airport of its own (COS).

Conventions centers/Large event spaces:
Phil Long Expo Center
1515 Auto Mall Loop
Colorado Springs, CO 80920

For more information:

Experience Colorado Springs Convention and Visitors Bureau

This article has been re-edited for the Web. Article originally by Susan Rust.