Preparations are complete, and the party is underway as the 2009 Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Expo takes over the Reno-Sparks Convention Center and a large outdoor showcase area at the adjoining Atlantis Casino Resorts Spa. HPBExpo is one of Tradeshow Week’s Top 200 North American Shows.

More than 6,000 HPBExpo attendees and exhibitors in the hearth, patio and barbecue industries are expected to attend Thursday-Saturday from all points of the globe, including Japan, China, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Switzerland.

The show uses most of the 500,000-plus square feet of the Reno-Sparks Convention Center, which has been fitted with gas and exhaust lines to accommodate the convention. When all is said and done, attendees and exhibitors will have booked approximately 12,000 room nights (20,000 rooms are available in the region), many in deluxe hotel-casinos. Dozens of properties are within walking distance or a short drive to the convention center.

To kick of the week of activities, attendees were greeted at Reno-Tahoe International Airport on March 18 with live music, concierge service and barbecued tri-tip courtesy of Washoe Flats steakhouse.

To read about the hearth, patio and barbecue’s leading trade show, visit them online at HPBExpo.com. To learn more about meetings and conventions in Reno-Tahoe, log on to MeetRenoTahoe.com.

- Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority Staff

Many are not aware of the possibilities in Reno-Tahoe when it comes to pulling off the perfect meeting or convention.

We at the Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority have heard meeting planners and executive directors from various organizations tell us about perceptions; how they have thought of our area as a small town with casinos and maybe a few hotel rooms with limited meeting space.

This perception could not be further from the truth; in fact Reno-Tahoe boasts the following meeting capabilities and activities for delegates:

• 20,000 hotel rooms with peak blocks up to 8,000 in as few as five hotels
• An international airport with one-stop access from most worldwide hubs and affordable rates with major airlines (Southwest, Delta, American, United…to name a few)
• Over 1 million GSF of meeting space including a 565,000 GSF Convention Center and a major convention hotel with 200,000 GSF
• All major convention hotels in Reno proper are within 5 miles of the airport and offer complimentary shuttle transportation
• Lake Tahoe is 45 minutes from the airport with very reasonable shuttle costs
• The Truckee River runs through the middle of downtown Reno and through Sparks, and features two kayak parks, a performing arts amphitheater, nightclubs, restaurants, shopping, casinos and much more
• The Legends at Sparks Marina destination retail center includes shopping and recreation, while visitors can also take advantage of beach activities, fishing, scuba diving and much more
• Mountain views from just about every room in town
• A thriving arts and culture scene; one legacy event, Artown, includes more than 300 events during the month of July
• Twenty-four hour nightlife, including music, nightclubs, casino action and live performance art
• Affordable food and beverage – about 35 percent lower – offering affordability from a cost standpoint
• A new Triple A baseball team the Reno Aces begins its first season in April in a brand new 10,000-seat baseball stadium in the heart of downtown Reno

This is a sample of what you can expect to find in our community and we look forward to providing you a full proposal to showcase what we have to offer. Those same meeting planners and executive directors selected Reno-Tahoe when they took the time to visit our destination…we hope you will be next!

- Tanna McTee, RSCVA National Sales Manager