Making Top Facilities Accessible for All Budgets
Kathy Reak is an experienced hospitality professional of more than 40 years. After spending much of her career in various hotel roles, from catering director to sales manager, she joined Visit Colorado Springs (Colo.) in 1997 as sales manager. Now, as vice president of sales, she oversees Visit Colorado Springs’ team of sales executives in promoting Colorado Springs as a meetings destination. In addition to leading her sales team, Reak attends conferences nationwide to share about the city’s many possibilities. She enjoys hosting site visits—a key to booking business—and providing a personal experience to each planner while showcasing the beauty and versatility of the area.
Here, Reak shares what makes Colorado Springs an appealing mid-market destination, hosting more than 500 events annually.
What sets Colorado Springs apart from other destinations to provide a one-of-a-kind event experience available only in Colorado Springs?
Colorado Springs is uniquely situated on the front range of the Rockies, blending stunning natural landscapes with the convenience of city amenities. We are known for our 300 days of sunshine, and attendees love getting a taste of our great outdoors during their time in our destination. Our award-winning sales staff offers complimentary service for planners, ensuring they have what they need every step of the way.
How does Colorado Springs appeal to meeting planners interested in a mid-market destination, offering state-of-the-art meeting venues, full-service resorts, and top tourist attractions at a more accessible entry?
Our destination is mid-market, but we are unique in that we are the second-largest city in Colorado. We have plentiful resources, but with a small-town, personal touch to everything we do. Colorado Springs Airport is located just 11 miles from downtown; it is small, easy to navigate, and accessible, making it simple for attendees to reach their destination quickly. Colorado Springs offers a robust mixture of venues, ranging from historic luxury resort properties, like The Broadmoor, to places with a Western flair, like Flying W Ranch. We have more than 55 nearby attractions, many of which are low-cost or free.
How can groups take advantage of Colorado Springs’ world-class sports training facilities, U.S. military facilities, and other unique offerings as part of their events?
Colorado Springs is “Olympic City USA,” known for our culture of achieving excellence. We have championship embedded into our history, being home to the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee headquarters, 26 national governing bodies, more than 60 national and international sports organizations, U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Center, and U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Museum.
U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Center offers multiple meeting rooms of various capacities and numerous setup options. Group tours provide attendees with an up-close experience of some of the high-tech, innovative facilities and the opportunity to see elite athletes in training. U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Museum provides an immersive journey of Team USA’s greatest athletes. With interactive exhibits, innovative displays, and a vast artifact collection, this 60,000-square-foot attraction embodies the Olympic values of excellence, friendship, and respect, as well as the Paralympic values of determination, equality, inspiration, and courage. The museum is an ideal location to hold meetings, receptions, and special events where attendees can draw inspiration from the rich history and accomplishments of Olympic and Paralympic athletes.
Depending on security conditions, the Visit Colorado Springs team can assist in incorporating U.S. military facilities into your event. This can include leadership training programs, guest speakers, or even special tours highlighting the themes of discipline, strategy, and resilience.
What are some creative ways event planners can use Colorado Springs’ natural landscapes and local attractions in teambuilding activities for attendees?
Planners are encouraged to showcase the beauty of Colorado Springs to their attendees. Group hikes, paddleboarding, flyfishing, Jeep tours, and horseback riding are just some of the many options. Unique attractions found only in Colorado Springs include Garden of the Gods Park, The Broadmoor Manitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railway, Cave of the Winds Mountain Park, and Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. Planners can hold events at Flying W Ranch, where attendees can enjoy the beautiful ranch grounds and animals, a chuckwagon supper, and performance by one of the oldest Western singing groups, the Flying W Wranglers. Groups can also embark on a Rocky Mountain Food Tour to learn about the area’s cuisine or sign up for a cooking class with The French Kitchen.
What tips or takeaways from your event experience might be useful with other events?
We have hosted the Space Symposium for the past 39 years, and, as one can imagine, it has grown over those years. Whereas it was once held under the roof of The Broadmoor, it has since expanded to more than 20 overflow properties. This event specifically taught us the challenge of coordinating hotel rooms and overflow bussing. This has been key knowledge for us as we are beginning to book larger groups into the area.
