Mainebiz

V O L . X X I I I N O. X V I 94 FA C T BO O K / D O I N G B U S I N E S S I N M A I N E E vent spaces continue to be on an upswing, and they're being off ered in a variety of venues — ranging from large to small, high-tech to rustic, urban centers to rural getaways — as providers lever- age growing demand for everything from weddings to business conferences to family gatherings. For Maine, a website called eventective.com says there are 1,691 event venues that capitalize on local off erings like natural resources and the food-and- beverage industry. Association business on the state, regional and national level, as well as weddings and corporate programming for team-building or retreats remain top users, says Elissa English, director of sales and marketing for the Greater Portland Convention & Visitors Bureau. " e association market is our strongest market in southern Maine," English says. "And we're see- ing an increase in corporate events. at was on a downswing for a long time, but it's becoming strong again. We're getting corporate training, corporate incentive programs, corporate product launches — all of that is coming back." Go big English cites the new Maine Sports Arena, in Saco, as a boon for southern Maine, because it's able to accommodate large events. "Having the larger venues come online is open- ing up what we can accept in the region, which is great because we have all these new hotels coming online, too," she says. e arena's director, Kris Dorer, said the arena is home to the nonprofi t Maine Junior Olympics Volleyball Club. But the arena, which reopened in March, is available for rentals by other interests, including sports groups of all ages as well as trade shows, concerts, corporate meetings, weddings and social events. e 26,000-square-foot facility includes stadium seating, separate meetings rooms, a lounge, locker rooms, and air conditioning and heat. "For sports, conventions, or special events, the open space off ers many options," says Dorer. e area needed a huge space like this, she said. "Especially for youth sports, where everyone is competing for the same gym courts," she says. "With regard to large meeting spaces, there just aren't enough extensive-capacity rooms in Maine where large groups can hold their events. And we have free parking, are just off the highway and are close to two hotels. So there is so much that we can off er to teams, companies, individuals and organizations that might otherwise have to look outside of Maine." Another large space is Brick South at ompson's Point. It positions itself as an alternative to a standard function hall, off ering 25,000 square feet in the ware- house style of exposed interior brick and rough-hewn wood and steel beams. It off ers catering, a mobile bar, commercial kitchen, 12 access points for wifi , an annex for breakout spaces and bride and groom changing suites. e space has been open to one-off events for the past couple of years, says Soleil Dufour, ompson's Point's director of event operations. It went fully oper- ational in March when it was booked for the Sunaana Music Festival, which will return in March 2018, and the Maine Flower Show, which had previously been held at the Portland & Co. site in Portland's Old Port neighborhood. Brick South has upcoming bookings for weddings, trade shows and conferences. "We're pretty much booked up for the rest of the year," says Dufour, who notes the large space fi lls a void in Portland. "Portland was lacking a large event venue," he says. "It also fi lls a need for an alternative type venue." New lodging venues New or revamped spaces at hotels and inns include the Higgins Beach Inn in Scarborough. Purchased by the Migis Hotel Group in December 2016, the inn previously rented space for events on its deck and lawn, but the new owners have done some renovation that included covering the deck with drop-down sides and installing heating and lighting to make it a three- season space. Events — mostly weddings, plus small corporate groups — were already on the books when Migis purchased the inn, and inquiries are coming in for 2018, says Peter Twachtman, one of the group's part- ners. Many users have a connection to the inn, which goes back in the community to the 19th century. " e space is completely updated so it's modern, but the inn has been there 115 years and it's also in the middle of this great, old beach community," says Twatchman. In Kennebunkport, the Cape Arundel Inn & Resort, a luxury hotel that dates to the 1890s, added a new putting green and now off ers yoga on the lawn, in keeping with demands of event participants. "Clients are focused on not just having all-day meetings, but having time for team-building activities," says sales director Nicki Noble Bean. " ey want to do group yoga or gather after dinner around a bonfi re. Over the past couple of years, I hear a lot more from groups trying to integrate activities into their meetings." Among chain hotels, there are a range of new event spaces. At the Residence Inn by Marriott in Bangor, there's now a 529-square-foot boardroom, accommodating up to 14 people. At the Ramada Inn & Conference Center in Lewiston, upgrades are planned for 15,000-square-foot event space. Barn weddings to nightclub space For a more rustic feel, the Duck Puddle Campground in Nobleboro has a newly restored 1800s barn and a new deck that can accommodate P H O T O / C O U R T E S Y JA M I E M E R C U R I O P H O T O G R A P H Y Where to plan business events to weddings Maine has 1,700 event venues M E E T I N G S / E V E N T S Two recent trends, glamping and barn weddings, can be accomplished in one venue: the Duck Puddle Campground in Nobleboro.

• Cover