Destin, Florida

Destin, FL

Meetings

Florida's Emerald Coast -- famous for 24 miles of dazzling sugar white sands and brilliant emerald green waters -- is gaining recognition as an attractive meeting place for all types of meetings. From local and regional events to conferences of Fortune 500 companies, the Southern sea towns of Destin o Fort Walton Beach o Okaloosa Island announces the GRAND OPENING of the new 70,000 square foot Emerald Coast Conference Center scheduled to open, April 2003, adding an additional 35,000 square feet to the area's current 77,000 square feet of meeting space.

Located on Okaloosa Island, Fla., the 70,000 square foot Emerald Coast Conference Center is within a short stroll of the Gulf of Mexico and directly overlooks the Choctawhatchee Bay.

The Conference Center showcases 35,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, boasting 13 meeting rooms ranging in size from 450 square feet to 1,800 square feet including the 21,500 square foot Emerald Grand Ballroom. Architectural design features theater, banquet, classroom and reception hall style seating, accommodating up to 1,550 people. In addition, the Emerald Coast Conference Center features full in-house catering and a convention services staff that works directly with meeting planners to ease stress and promote perfectly planned functions.

From a full time business center and surround sound speaker system to wireless connections and teleconferencing capabilities located throughout the facility, the Emerald Coast Conference Center guarantees to meet every communication need.

For ease of booking, the Emerald Coast Web site -- www.destin-fwb.com -- offers meeting planners "at-their-fingertips" information including fast facts, floor plans, pricing and capacity charts, center guidelines, event calendars and an online request for proposal.

Throughout the county, other meeting places include the 335-room Ramada Plaza Beach Resort -- boasting 14,000 square feet of space -- and the 388-room Radisson Beach Resort, with 10,000 square feet of space. Also providing additional meeting capacities are the 233-room Holiday Inn of Destin, the Sheraton Four Points, Sundestin Beach Resort and the Henderson Park Inn with an executive conference center. The Holiday Surf & Racquet Club recently renovated its meeting facilities to include 2,200 square feet, accommodating up to 150 people. Audio/visual equipment and catering is available and organizations renting from the clubs may use the Surf Room free of charge. The Terrace conference center at the Pelican Beach Resort offers approximately 1,000 square feet of additional meeting space.

Accessible by Okaloosa Regional Airport and nearby Pensacola Regional Airport and ground travel made easy along primary feeders: U.S. 98, Highways 331 and 85, and Interstate 10, the Emerald Coast is surrounded by more than 18,000 reasonably priced, Gulf-edged accommodations. Dining diversions spotlight some of the freshest seafood in Florida, which can be found at more than 450 culinary characters, most overlooking views of the Gulf of Mexico.

For after meeting activities, Destin o Fort Walton Beach o Okaloosa Island offers an array of diversions including 1,080 holes of golf, 104 tennis courts, tempting water sports, deep sea fishing in the "World's Luckiest Fishing Village" and more.

Content Courtesy Emerald Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau