CAMBRIDGE, Ohio - Repeat meetings customers at Ohio State Park Resorts & Conference Centers have learned to expect the unexpected. In fact, it's one of the reasons they return.
"Each time we plan a meeting, we start with a clean slate and make it a practice to develop ideas that uniquely reflect the needs of our clients," said Mia Bell, regional sales director for Ohio State Park Resorts. "In a way, it's what we live for. Our sales and catering professionals get a real boost when they tackle a challenging meeting and know that they've pulled it off with flair."
Recent examples of meeting innovations at Ohio State Park Resorts include:
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Staging a customized "birds of prey" demonstration at Mohican State Park Resort & Conference Center. Mohican naturalists regularly host the popular demonstration for guests, so when a major bank holding an "Indiana Jones"-themed meeting needed something special, resort staff arranged for a customized birds of prey demonstration for the group.
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Hosting a "Whodunit Weekend" at Punderson Manor State Park Resort & Conference Center for a group focused on team-building. The Ohio State Park Resorts regional sales manager who developed the meeting reported that "back-stabbing" was the obvious manner of death. The event created a light-hearted forum for the group to work through serious internal issues.
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Orchestrating a reception featuring Ohio wines. A representative of the Ohio Wines Association provided attendees with background on Ohio wines and tips on wine-tasting. Participants used their new-found skills to sample and critique a variety of wines during a reception and dinner.
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Providing a remedy for spring fever - and a forum for team-building as well. Often the last thing meeting participants want to do on a beautiful Ohio spring day is sit in a room. Sales managers keep meeting planners and participants happy by providing team-building opportunities on the golf course with best-ball scrambles, which allow players of every skill level to contribute to the success of their teams. Prizes are chosen from the gift shop. A custom Scottish putter - the prize for players who shoot a hole in one - is one of the most coveted of all prizes.
Meeting facilities at Ohio State Park Resorts & Conference Centers can accommodate groups of many sizes and needs. All properties feature on-site professional meeting planners, audio-visual services, fax and copy services and specially priced customized conference packages. Resorts offer public spaces such as lobbies, decks and patios that can be set aside for displays, receptions and some meal functions.
Following is an overview of offerings at each resort:
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Burr Oak State Park Resort & Conference Center, Glouster, (near Athens): Situated on the edge of the scenic Appalachian mountains, this resort can accommodate groups of up to 200 people with six conference rooms.
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Hueston Woods State Park Resort & Conference Center, College Corner, ( Cincinnati , Dayton ): Located in the picturesque woodlands of southwest Ohio , this resort can accommodate groups of up to 200 people with six conference rooms and a variety of breakout rooms.
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Maumee Bay State Park Resort & Conference Center, Oregon, (Toledo ): Located along the Lake Erie shoreline, this resort - the newest state park resort in Ohio - has one of the finest championship golf courses in the area, a feature that keeps groups coming back to the resort. Maumee Bay can accommodate groups of up to 400 people for banquets and receptions and groups of up to 500 people for meetings. The Grand Ballroom provides magnificent views of Lake Erie.
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Mohican State Park Resort & Conference Center, Perrysville, ( Akron, Cleveland, Mansfield, Columbus ): This popular state park is located at the gateway to Ohio Amish country. Conference facilities can accommodate up to 250 people for banquets or receptions. Nine conference centers can be configured in a variety of ways.
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Punderson Manor State Park Resort & Conference Center, Newbury, ( Cleveland ): This year-round playground in northeast Ohio offers a variety of warm- and cold-weather activities. The conference facility can accommodate groups of up to 100 in four conference rooms. Punderson is known for its challenging 18-hole golf course.
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Salt Fork State Park Resort & Conference Center, Cambridge, ( Zanesville ): Salt Fork is known for its wide range of recreational facilities including a renowned 18-hole championship golf course. The conference facility can accommodate groups up to 450 for banquets or receptions in eight flexible conference rooms.
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Shawnee State Park Resort & Conference Center, Friendship, ( Portsmouth ): Located along the Ohio River a short distance from both Columbus and Cincinnati , Shawnee features space for up to 350 people in a variety of conference rooms.
Ohio State Park Resorts & Conference Centers are located throughout the state within an easy drive of many major metropolitan areas in Ohio, Southern Michigan and Western Pennsylvania. Mohican State Park Resort near Loudonville, for example, is an hour from Columbus, Cleveland and Akron. Maumee Bay State Park Resort in Oregon is a half hour from Toledo. Salt Fork State Park Resort is located only two hours from Pittsburgh via Interstate 70. Punderson Manor State Park Resort in Newbury is 30 minutes from Cleveland. Burr Oak State Park in Glouster is just two hours from Columbus. Hueston Woods in College Corner is 45 minutes from Dayton. And Shawnee State Park in Friendship is located two hours from Cincinnati.
To learn more about individual properties or to make reservations, visit www.atapark.com or call 1-800-AT-A-PARK.
Individual Ohio State Park Resorts & Conference Centers
Burr Oak State Park Resort & Conference Center, Glouster (near Athens), www.burroakresort.com, 1-740-767-2112.
Hueston Woods State Park Resort & Conference Center, College Corner (near Cincinnati and Dayton), www.huestonwoodsresort.com, 1-513-523-6381.
Maumee Bay State Park Resort & Conference Center, Oregon (near Toledo), www.maumeebayresort.com, 1-419-836-1466.
Mohican State Park Resort & Conference Center, Perrysville, (near Akron, Mansfield), www.mohicanresort.com, 1-419-938-5411.
Punderson Manor State Park Resort & Conference Center, Newbury, (near Cleveland), www.pundersonmanorresort.com, 1-440-564-9144.
Salt Fork State Park Resort & Conference Center, Cambridge, (near Zanesville), www.saltforkresort.com, 1-740-439-2751.
Shawnee State Park Resort & Conference Center, Friendship, (near Portsmouth), www.shawneelodgeresort.com, 1-740-858-6621.
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Xanterra Parks & Resorts (consisting of Xanterra Parks & Resorts, Inc. and Xanterra South Rim, L.L.C.) operates lodges, restaurants and other concessions at national parks and state parks and resorts. Xanterra Parks & Resorts is the country’s largest national park concessioner. Xanterra operates concessions in the following locations: Yellowstone, the North Rim of Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, Zion, Crater Lake, Death Valley, Petrified Forest and Everglades national parks, and Mount Rushmore National Memorial; and at the Silverado Resort in Napa, Calif.; Gideon Putnam Resort and Spa in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. and eight Ohio State Parks. Its affiliate Xanterra South Rim, L.L. C. operates concessions at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.
Long committed to the preservation and protection of the environment, Ecologix, Xanterra Parks & Resorts’ environmental program, includes a variety of proactive environmental stewardship programs in each location. Xanterra has been repeatedly recognized for its environmental leadership in the hospitality industry and is the recipient of many honors, including major awards from the U.S. Department of the Interior, Environmental Protection Agency, Travel Industry Association, Colorado Department of Public Health, State of Arizona and Utah Department of Environmental Quality.
For more information about Xanterra, links to individual properties and reservations numbers, visit: www.xanterra.com.
Media Contact:
Mona Mesereau
1-720-842-5271
mona_mesereau@msn.com