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– ADVERTORIAL – Who'sWho IN CONVENTION BUREAUS NOTES: Reno-Sparks Convention & Visitors Authority 4001 South Virginia St., Suite G Reno, NV 89502 (775) 827-7600 Fax: (775) 827-7781 www.VisitRenoTahoe.com Chris Baum PRESIDENT AND CEO (775) 827-7618 cbaum@rscva.com Highlights of Reno Tahoe Reno Tahoe USA guarantees an excit- ing experience and promises to save you money. Hotel Casino Resorts are in constant competition, which means you can reap the benefits. Planners will appreciate coffee for under $40 a gallon while everyone will love FREE parking and FREE hotel shuttles. The owner-operator model of the RSCVA and its relaxed labor rules keep average meeting costs 20% lower than average. Servicing 17 non-stop destinations with more than 140 daily flights, Reno-Tahoe International Airport was recently named the second-most efficient airport in the U.S. and Canada. Eighteen ski resorts and more than 50 golf courses are all less than 90 minutes away from the airport, while the city boasts 24-hour entertainment. In Reno, everything is within 10 minutes by car, with the shores of Lake Tahoe just 45 minutes away. John Leinen VICE PRESIDENT OF CONVENTION AND TOURISM SALES ( 775) 827-7608 jleinen@rscva.com Exhibit Facilities For technological amenities and extensive capacity, the Reno-Sparks Convention Cen- ter is built to order. With 500,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, the center accommodates a full spectrum of events, featuring 381,000 sq. ft. of contiguous exhibit space, a 30,000 sq. ft. ballroom and 53 meeting rooms. Groups of all sizes will find the Downtown Reno Ballroom more than accommodating with 32,700 sq. ft. of meeting space and six large meeting rooms. The RSCVA also operates the Reno- Joe Kelley VICE PRESIDENT OF FACILITIES ( 775) 335-8803 jkelley@rscva.com Sparks Livestock Events Center, the 118,000 sq. ft. Reno Events Center, the National Bowling Stadium and Wildcreek Golf Course, allowing for limitless event opportunities. Hotel Inventory h Reno Tahoe houses 20,000 hotel rooms, with 15,000 located within five miles of the Reno-Sparks Convention Center h 1,500 hotel rooms within ½ mile h 800 hotel rooms attached to the conven- tion center at Atlantis Casino Resort Spa Taxes h 7.725% Sales Tax h 13.0% – 13.5% Transient Lodging Tax (Depending on District) Responsibility for Bookings Events 12 months and out are booked through the RSCVA sales team, as well as events requiring hotel room reservations. Short-term events are booked through the Reno-Sparks Convention Center sales team. Support Services The experienced and friendly convention services team at the RSCVA possesses a variety of tools to help increase attendance at your event, and also has the resources to connect you with vendors and suppliers. Booking Incentives Explore Reno Tahoe USA free of charge. The "Come See. Fly Free." program offers meeting planners complimentary airfare, hotel accom- modations, ground transportation, meals and customized site inspections. See if your meet- ing qualifies at www.ComeSeeFlyFree.com. On the Horizon Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe and Grand Sierra Resort are both experiencing multi-million dollar projects, and Reno Tahoe properties have recently invested over $500 million, with much of that going toward meetings technol- ogy as well as hotel room renovations and expansions. The Award-winning Reno-Tahoe International Airport has also launched a $40 million project to improve its baggage claim area and add restaurants and retail space. www.TradeShowExecutive.com | March 2012 69