Ventana Canyon Resort
Second in a series of articles about fictional meeting planner Ben Thier from the September 2000 edition of Meeting City Times.
Dear Ben:
I'm in charge of a meeting for 80 British bankers in February 2001. They will be arriving at the Phoenix Sky Harbor airport. We need a nearby location that has excellent golfing options, of course, but they also want to go with the "Wild West" theme. The bankers will be in seminars most of Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, but will then have Thursday and Friday free to explore the area before leaving on Saturday. Any suggestions?
- Clueless in Columbus
Dear Clueless:
Actually, this is a very easy request. Arizona is the epitome of the old west, with plenty of luxury thrown in to impress British bankers!
The Loews Ventana Canyon Resort in Tucson is at the foothills of the Catalina Mountains, in the Sonoran desert. Tucson is more than a two-hour drive from the Phoenix airport on I-10, so you could arrange for shuttle buses to transport them. Or why not check into rates at the Tucson International Airport, which is only 18 miles from the Resort?
As for golf, the Ventana boasts two PGA courses designed by award-winning designer Tom Fazio and is rated one of the top 100 Golf Resorts in the World by Golfer Magazine. The Canyon course winds around natural rock features, saguaro cactus (found only in the Sonoran) and blue paloverde. The Mountain course ascends into the Catalina Mountains. Guests may reserve tee times 30 days prior.
Even the Resort itself reflects the western theme, with accents of native copper and desert amethyst. Ventana means window in Spanish, and the Resort provides a window on the desert, with excellent views from nearly everywhere. The Flying V Bar & Grill features outdoor seating with views of the Canyon golf course. Their menu has a Southwest and Latin American flair, and on Tuesdays they feature "Rib Night." The more upscale Ventana Room boasts tuxedoed waiters, fine china and crystal, again with excellent views. Their menu may feature such western-style dishes as Grilled Buffalo Tenderloin or Rack of Wild Boar.
If your British bankers have a touch of homesickness, maybe a stop at the Cascade Lounge can help. From 3 - 5 PM, Monday through Saturday, the Cascade serves traditional English tea, with live piano and harp music. The two-story glass wall overlooks the mountains and an 80-foot waterfall, and the verdigris copper chandeliers dim automatically as sunset approaches. (One other British connection: Executive Chef Jim Makinson was born and raised in London, served as apprentice at the Dorchester Hotel and studied three years at London's Brooklands Technical College.)
For your meetings, the Ventana's Executive Boardroom can seat 80 theater-style. You could serve lunch alfresco on the adjoining garden patio, overlooking the city of Tucson below. The nearby Grand Ballroom Foyer serves as a pre-function area, with computer-controlled lights to create ever-changing sunset hues.
Want wild west activities? The Old Tucson Studios and Tombstone are two of the very best. Old Tucson Studios was built for the 1939 movie "Arizona" and has been used for over 150 movies and TV shows since then, including movies featuring John Wayne, Clint Eastwood and Kirk Douglas. Now more theme park than movie set (although you may still see commercials and TV shows shooting here), Old Tucson Studios features staged gunfights on Main Street, stagecoach rides and more.
For a more authentic Wild West, Tombstone, "the town too tough to die," is about 90 minutes from the Resort and is home to the famous 1881 shootout at the OK Corral where Wyatt Earp and "Doc" Holliday opposed the Clantons & McLaurys. The Ventana concierge can even arrange a "Tombstone shootout" for your guests.
In addition to the Wild West venues, the Tucson area is also home to several other unique sites, including the San Xavier Mission on the Papago Indian Reservation, Biosphere 2 and the Arizona-Sonoran Desert Museum. Your bankers may choose to take archeology tours, go rock climbing or rent bikes for a tour of the Sabino Canyon. Depending on the dates of your meeting, you may be able to attend part of La Fiesta de los Vaqueros, or "Feast of the Cowboys." This is the largest outdoor midwinter rodeo in the country, and sure to be a novelty to your British bankers.
In order to secure your spot at the Ventana, I recommend you call immediately! The Resort fills up fast, hosting over 250 meetings a year. Rates during February are from $300 - 350.
Meeting every challenge,
Ben Thier
©2000 Marlys K.
Arnold
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