(Riverhouse Patio | Photo courtesy of Riverhouse on the Deschutes)
entral Oregon boasts an endless array of places to meet, whether you’re looking for an intimate nook for a company retreat, a romantic setting to accommodate a tasteful wedding or a wide-open space that seats more than 1,000 to host a national conference. No doubt about it, our region is a gathering-together, come-to-meetin’ kind of place.
With abundant recreational opportunities, beautiful scenery, plenty of great restaurants and an average of 160 completely sunny days and another 100 mostly sunny days per year here, it’s no surprise that Central Oregon is now firmly planted as a destination location for private and corporate events alike. In the Central Oregon 2020 Book of Lists published by Cascade Business News, there are 74 facilities listed with conference spaces, ranging in size from individual meeting rooms that hold just a few people to large venues that can accommodate more than 1,000. If you need assistance in planning your event, there are ten companies and individuals listed as event and meeting planners, and there are at least 15 caterers and 20 tour companies in the area. No matter what you are looking for in a meeting space, Bend and surrounds can most likely accommodate.
“The scenic beauty that makes Bend so attractive to visitors and residents also makes it an inspiring place to hold professional gatherings like conferences and team building events,” said Tawna Fenske, PR and communications manager of Visit Bend, an economic development organization dedicated to creating a mix of marketing, sales and service programs to produce a positive economic impact of visitor and convention spending in Bend. “Participants can spend their mornings soaking up information and professional networking opportunities, and their afternoons tending to their overall well-being with a hike along the Deschutes River or a moonlight snowshoe tour.”
The Central Oregon Visitors Association (COVA), a nonprofit tourism destination marketing association, can assist with facilitating a meeting or gathering here. This is helpful to out-of-town companies looking to host an event in the region. The COVA website and team offer resources, vendor suggestions and listings of meeting and event locations. They work with meeting planners locally and out of the area to assist in finding venues for conferences, offer referrals to local lodging and meeting partners and provide complimentary visitor guides and marketing materials to help planners showcase the area.
“Event planners find Central Oregon an attractive destination due to our easy access, beautiful resort venues, abundant outdoor recreation and natural beauty,” said Julia Theisen, CEO of COVA. “The combination of these make for a successful, well-attended event. Nature’s backdrop is the key element for destination weddings as well as the great variety of activities on offer for destination guests. And combined with personalized service, attention to detail and state-of-the-art facilities, it makes the job easier for meeting planners.” She added, “Access is better than ever for both the drive and flight markets; Redmond Airport now offers daily flights from Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Denver, Salt Lake City, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Portland and Seattle, which opens up our accessibility to attract a greater audience.”
Meetings here can range from 15 to 1,000+ attendees, Theisen said. “We are poised to serve groups across differing industries and different types of meetings and events, from corporate gatherings to sporting events, family reunions and destination weddings. The possibilities are endless — meetings can be as creative as the venue and what the group can dream up.” She continued, “There are two properties that are equipped to house and hold onsite conferences of over 250 attendees, the Riverhouse and Sunriver Resort. What’s different here is that our local group lodging partners collaborate. If they do not have room for a group, they often suggest neighboring properties. This type of collaboration is not common outside of Central Oregon; it’s unique in the way it serves our communities and guests.”
The types of events that COVA supports run the gamut. One event it supported was for the International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO), which drew golf tour operators from other countries into the area. “We were able to showcase the region’s golf product,” said Theisen. “We usually work with events that bring in destination visitors from outside of the state to generate overnight lodging in the region. Overnight stays benefit the lodging partners, restaurants and local businesses.”
David Lenke, general manager of Riverhouse on the Deschutes, said that because we live in an area that’s unique with lots of recreational activities, he is seeing a trend in which many people who come in for a business event arrive a couple of days early and stay for a couple of days afterward. “They combine business with pleasure,” he said, adding that the trend has become so common that there is even a new phrase that has been coined to describe it: bleisure travel. “Central Oregon is perfect for that, and so is the Riverhouse. We are the only property that has a river running right through the middle,” he said. “You can host corporate dinners on the patio overlooking the river.”
Riverhouse on the Deschutes can accommodate and feed as many as 1,600 people, Lenke said, although 1,200 is a better fit. “We have more than 40,000 square feet of flexible meeting space. We are by far the largest space in town, and one of the largest in the state that is privately held. We do a lot of local-only events and catering as well as big events.” Lenke said that at Riverhouse, many of the companies that book are repeat customers, with as many as 60 percent coming back after successful previous events. His advice when scheduling at Riverhouse is to book well in advance to ensure that you can get the dates you want. “Book early, book often,” he said with a laugh. “The earlier you book, the better. Bend is a popular destination. You are much more likely to get the dates you want if you book way ahead, ideally six months to a year out. Associations book two to three years in advance.”
In addition to the Riverhouse and Sunriver Resort, fairgrounds and lodges provide other options for larger gatherings. The Deschutes Fair & Expo Center can host 1,600 attendees and the Crook County fairground facilities can hold 350 people, while the Bend Elks Lodge can host 700.
The golf resorts here offer more options for gatherings: Bend Golf & Country Club can host 250 people in its facilities, and for more out-in-the-country or high-desert experiences, Brasada Ranch, which can accommodate 200 people, Eagle Crest Resort, which can host up to 1,300 people and Pronghorn, which has spaces that hold from four to 125 people, are all viable and beautiful spots.
The list goes on: High Desert Museum has a meeting room that can hold 500, and Eagle Mountain casino offers a space that can hold 429 people. For something off the beaten path, check out the House on Metolius, a rustic meeting space that can hold up to 100 people situated on the river’s edge in the middle of the forest. For a slice of historic Bend, McMenamins Old St. Francis School in downtown can hold groups of up to 100. Bend Park & Recreation District offers many other venue options, with a variety of spaces ranging from The Pavilion, which can accommodate more than 800 guests in indoor, outdoor and covered spaces to Hollinshead Barn, a renovated barn featuring two levels of indoor space and an outside meeting area.
Then there are the many hotels in town. The 2019-2020 Visit Bend Visitor Guide reports that there are more than 3,000 hotel rooms in Bend, and the number is growing constantly with new hotels being built each year. Most of these hotels offer group accommodations and can create a nice headquarters in which to host an event, reunion or corporate retreat. The Oxford Hotel, which offers a lovely setting in the heart of downtown, holds up to 175 in its meeting room, and in Sisters, the Best Western Ponderosa Lodge offers a woodsy setting with a meeting room that holds 100 and the FivePine Lodge has 4,800 square feet of flexible indoor meeting and event space that can accommodate up to 250 guests. Even the budget hotels generally have small meeting rooms that are economically priced, such as the Super 8 Motel in Bend that has a room that holds 20.
For smaller, more informal meetings or gatherings, restaurants and breweries offer possibilities. Five Fusion & Sushi Bar and Chan’s of Bend have rooms that can hold from 15 to 40 people; and Worthy Brewing Company can host 100 people in indoor and outdoor spaces. This is a tiny taste of eateries and watering holes to explore for potential gatherings; there are dozens more in the offering.
If a corporate setting is desired, there’s the newly exploding phenomenon of co-working spaces that has erupted in Central Oregon. Facilities such as The Haven, The Collective NWX and BendTECH have conference rooms of various sizes that are typically available for rental to both members and non-members.
Perhaps you want to turn your staff meeting or company retreat into a corporate adventure? Yep. We’ve got that here too. Wanderlust Tours offers group activities, from kayaking expeditions to Brew Bus tours, and Outriders Northwest creates custom team-building outings with off-road vehicles. Mt. Bachelor is another adventure destination option for companies. From simple one-day gatherings to multi-day retreats, Mt. Bachelor provides activities for all sizes of groups and can customize banquet and meeting needs.
This is but a sampling of what’s available here to help create the ideal venue for your next event or meeting. For more detailed information, please check out our Meeting Guide 2020 inside this edition of Cascade Business News. You can also refer to our Central Oregon 2020 Book of Lists, which contains detailed listings of facilities with meeting spaces and event planners. Just be careful not to make your event TOO fun; if you do, you may find attendees ghosting sessions in favor of hitting the slopes, trails, golf course or an afternoon of window shopping downtown.
Fenske’s advice to those planning an event here is to factor in time for attendees to enjoy the area. “Leave time in the schedule for participants to experience Bend’s natural and cultural attractions. It could be as simple as a group walk through Drake Park or some downtime for a solo run along the Deschutes, or something more organized like a group canoe tour or a show at the Tower Theatre,” she said. “Over and over, we hear from visitors that it’s Bend’s magical vibe that makes it such a special place to be. Give employees a chance to experience that for themselves.”
