October 2007

Plans Move Forward for New Convention Center Headquarters Hotel
On Sep. 24, Mayor Adrian F. Fenty announced that the DC government reached a new agreement with Marriott International to build the 1,150-room Marriott Marquis, which will serve as the headquarters hotel for the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.

The hotel will be located on a two-acre site at 9th and L Streets, NW and will include additional meeting space and approximately 400 parking spaces. The deal also comes with a room block agreement that will allow groups to reserve up to 80 percent of the rooms when booking.

"This hotel is a vital economic development tool for our city. Last year, WCTC generated more than 1.2 million hotel room nights for future conventions and meetings in the convention center and around the city. That represents $1.1 billion in spending. The hotel will magnify that impact and will enable DC to continue hosting high-profile, lucrative conventions," said William A. Hanbury, president & CEO of the Washington, DC Convention & Tourism Corporation.

The Marriott Marquis also promises to make its mark on the local economy by creating new jobs for DC residents, who will make up 51 percent of the hotel's work force. Keeping with DC's "green" building standards, the hotel will be developed with environmental responsibility in mind.

While groundbreaking has not yet taken place, the hotel is currently projected to open in 2011. To view the announcement press release, click here.

Back to top

Mayor Fenty Plans Transition to Meters for City's Taxicabs
In another exciting development for DC's hospitality industry, Mayor Fenty recently announced plans to improve the city's taxicab system by switching from the current zone fare system to standard time-and-distance meters. Fenty made the decision, after a thorough investigation of best practices across the country, considering input from residents, taxi drivers and the hospitality community. The Mayor will work with the DC Taxicab Commission to develop a timeline for the transition. To view the press release, click here.

Back to top

Convention Center to Honor Former Mayor Walter E. Washington
The Washington Convention Center Authority will change the center's name to honor Walter E. Washington, DC's first elected mayor. The Walter E. Washington Convention Center will celebrate the legacy of the former mayor, who pioneered home rule for the District after his 1975 election. A dedication ceremony will take place Nov. 5.

Back to top

DC Convention Clients Save Time with New Services
Meeting planners and delegates can save time and stay better connected, thanks to new services at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. The center recently welcomed "Bags," the Transportation Security Administration (TSA)'s only approved luggage concierge service, enabling delegates to avoid long lines at the airport by checking their luggage and printing boarding passes at the convention center. The check-in services are available for all three DC area airports - Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), Dulles International Airport (IAD) and Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI).

Delegates and planners will also discover new services in the center's Grand Lobby. At the visitor information desk, meeting planners can take advantage of three plasma television screens to broadcast news and event information. The center has also added new Text Telephone (TTY) phone capabilities for the hearing-impaired; a wheelchair storage area for disabled guests; as well as Internet services for Visitor Specialists to assist guests in making restaurant reservations, finding driving directions and other needs. To help delegates stay connected, the center is also offering free WiFi service in the Grand Lobby.

Back to top

Major Corporate Booking Added to DC's Strong 2008 Convention Calendar
DC boasts a strong convention outlook for 2008, with 18 citywide conventions on tap at the Walter E. Washington Center. The latest addition to the lineup represents a major victory for WCTC's corporate sales efforts, as GE Healthcare selected the nation's capital as the destination for its 2008 Users Summit. The event will take place Aug. 18-21, 2008 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center and is expected to attract 3,500 delegates generating nearly 13,000 room nights. Other high-profile groups meeting in DC in 2008 include the American Psychiatric Association, American College of Physicians and National Association of Realtors. Alpha Kappa Alpha has selected DC as the site for a 100th anniversary celebration that's expected to draw 10,000 sorority sisters to the nation's capital this summer. The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) is also marking a significant milestone, celebrating its 50th anniversary by holding its national member event at the convention center in September.

Back to top

Your Ticket to Ride: Save Transportation Dollars with DC Circulator
You can now purchase discounted bulk passes online for DC's hottest new transportation option, the stylish Circulator bus. Since it arrived in DC in 2005, the Circulator has earned rave reviews from the more than 4 million locals and visitors who have used the bus to navigate the nation's capital. With direct Circulator connections between the Washington Convention Center and more than 45 hotels, you can reduce your overall transportation costs and offer your delegates an added perk by supplementing your shuttle service with one-day, three-day and one-week passes.

The DC Circulator conveniently connects the Walter E. Washington Convention Center with Union Station, Georgetown, the Southwest Waterfront, National Mall and dozens of hotels and restaurants. The Circulator also has stops near popular new attractions including the Shakespeare Theatre Company's Sidney Harman Hall, Madame Tussauds and the soon-to-open Newseum, plus favorites like the International Spy Museum, the U.S. Capitol and many others.

Bulk rates start at less than a dollar per person per day and are based on the number of passes and the number of days purchased. Your clients can ride the Circulator's downtown routes daily from 7am - 9pm or take advantage of the extended late-night service in Georgetown. The National Mall route's hours change seasonally. Call (202) 962-1423 or visit dccirculator.com to purchase tickets for your next DC event.

Back to top

WCTC Update
Now Available: 2008 Destination DC Planning Guide
Click here to download the just-released 2008 edition of the Official Destination Planning Guide for the nation's capital. Produced annually, the Guide is packed with useful tools and features including a hotel directory complete with floor plans, information about restaurants that cater to groups and private parties, transportation solutions and a comprehensive directory of convention service providers. You can also request a copy by calling 1-800-635-6338 or by emailing [email protected].

WCTC Staff Update
WCTC's convention sales team recently welcomed two new members. Caroline Gardner is WCTC's new national sales manager for association groups with 2,500 or more on peak. An active member of PCMA and International Association for Energy Economics (IAEE), Caroline joins WCTC from Renaissance Hotels where she was a senior account executive for the Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel and Convention Center in Illinois.

Also new to the WCTC convention sales team is Devon Whittaker Passley. Formerly with the Baltimore Area Convention and Visitors Association, Devon handles association groups of 300-2,499 rooms on peak for the Maryland, Virginia and southeast markets.

Back to top

DC Dish
New DC Restaurants Rank Among America's Best
The DC dining scene earned recognition from celebrated restaurant critic John Mariani in Esquire magazine's 23rd annual "Best New Restaurants in America" feature. Two downtown hotspots located within blocks of the convention center earned coveted places on Mariani's annual list of the twenty best new eateries: Robert Wiedmaier's Brasserie Beck and José Andrés and Rob Wilder of THINKfoodGROUP's Oyamel. "When you walk into the 165-seat Brasserie Beck," Mariani writes, "with its twenty-two-foot ceilings and gleaming marble-and-walnut bar lined with spigots of beer and towers of glistening shellfish, you know this is the real deal." Oyamel meets with Mariani's approval for serving "some of the most sophisticated Mexican food you will ever eat."

What's New in the District's Restaurant Scene
Celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck recently opened The Source at the Newseum complex this month- his first fine dining restaurant in DC. On the restaurant's lower level, diners will enjoy a casual menu served in a "bar and grill" setting, and Puck's fine dining cuisine is showcased on the upper level. The Source's below-ground private events space accommodates up to 40 guests seated, or 80 for a standing cocktail party or reception. For details, contact Page Tofghi at (202) 202-637-6100.

Acclaimed three-star Michelin chef, Eric Ripert, will debut his first DC venture this fall at the Ritz-Carlton Washington, D.C. The chic 120-seat eatery,Westend Bistro, will debut Nov. 7 with Leonardo Marino, a former sous chef at Le Bernadin, at the helm, serving a seafood-centric menu. To plan an intimate gathering at Westend Bistro, call (202) 974-4900.

The recent arrival of Restaurant K by Allison Swope means a new mid-town destination for dining events. Adding a twist to contemporary American cuisine, Chef Swope's menu features selections like Pork Osso Buco, simmered with pasilla chiles and red wine, served with braised green cabbage and lemon-thyme popovers. Other mouth-watering items include Leg of Lamb Steak, Pan Seared Wild Salmon Fillet and Marinated Hanger Steak. Restaurant K is also available for meetings and events, with private space for up to 155 guests (seated) and more than 225 (reception). To make reservations, call James McVeigh at (202) 974-6545.

For a true taste of the DC power dining scene, there's no place like The Palm, where media notables, senators and finely-aged steaks are daily features. After a nearly two-month hiatus, The Palm Washington, DC reopened its doors in September to reveal the results of its makeover and its newly enlarged bar. The Palm now features a glass-enclosed veranda and folding glass walls along with an enlarged bar, three new 'Power Booths', 26 additional seats and a complete kitchen upgrade. In addition, The Palm has expanded its private dining accommodations. The first room can seat up to 25 guests, and a larger room seats up to 40 guests. A partition may be removed to expand the space, accommodating 75 total seated guests, or 125 guests for a standing reception. For more information on meetings and events, contact Amy Foster at (202) 222-0500.

Also in DC's West End neighborhood, Chef Greggory Hill closed his namesake restaurant, David Greggory, to make way for a new dining concept. The restaurant reopened this month as Hudson, a showplace for sustainable and locally-procured ingredients. Chef Kyle Schroeder, a protégé of Timothy Dean, has crafted fresh, seasonal menus for breakfast, lunch and dinner options for meetings and events. The private dining room seats 32 and the outdoor patio seats up to 72 guests. The main dining room may also be rented out and seats 50 guests. The restaurant also offers a 50 inch LCD audio visual system available for presentations. For more information, contact Alan Popovsky at (202) 246-1653.

Back to top