The economy is still on its way to recovery after several rough years of decline, however there is still value to be found for meeting planners. No longer just associated with comfortable accommodations and versatile facilities, value now comes with the added bonuses. Meeting planners seeking the most value during the economic downturn should seek personalized service, more convenience and an abundance of high quality benefits and amenities. And all of these things should come at the lowest cost possible (i.e. more “bang for your buck”).

When you are looking for more value in a Reno meeting or convention, consider the added bonuses offered at Eldorado Hotel Casino, Circus Circus Reno, Silver Legacy Resort Casino, the Reno Ballroom and the Reno Events Center. Also consider the advantages to planning a meeting in Nevada, which has much more affordable room rates compared to some neighboring states.

The Added Value to Our Reno Resort Hotels:

• Complimentary entertainment available throughout downtown casinos
• Value pricing and high quality services
• Free shuttle service to and from the Reno Tahoe International airport
• Free valet parking, a valuable alternative to many hotels, where parking can cost up to $50 per day
• Great value on food and drinks
• Banquet gratuity is only 18.5% rather than the 20-22% charged by many hotels
• Access to shows, concerts, and nightlife
• Nearby golfing, river rafting, and skiing in Lake Tahoe

When you plan an event at one of our Reno venues, you get to feel like a big fish in small pond with more personal attention, better service, and ultimately a more memorable event.

Tough economic times have troubled today’s business world, leading to personnel cuts, increased workloads and oftentimes more everyday stress for employees. If your employees’ patience seems to be wearing thin or you just need to raise morale or strengthen workplace connections, team building offers a great way to build relationships, familiarity and trust.

Contrary to popular belief, team building does not necessarily entail outdoor adventures or physical challenges. Instead, today’s corporate team building event and exercises involve a wide range of activities, ranging from exciting to relaxing. From culinary competitions to wine tasting experiences to decision-making mental games, contemporary team building comes in every shape and size.

When planning your company’s next team building excursion, be sure to think ahead and conceptualize what you want to gain from the experience.

Do you want to learn about your employees’ strengths and weaknesses to make office workflow proceed more smoothly? Do you want to build or augment bonds between current employees? Do you want to help a group of new employees grow acclimated to the company’s environment and culture? All of these options and more are on the table when you plan a productive team building event.

Some of the best team building venues in Reno can be found downtown at Circus Circus , Eldorado and Silver Legacy .

From the 8,216-square-foot Mandalay Ballroom to the elegant Crystal Ballroom breakout rooms or executive boardrooms and ballrooms for smaller groups, the trio of Reno venues has ample space in its flexible function rooms to host your next activity. Experienced and friendly staff can help every step of the way as you put together the perfect team building event.

To begin planning your team building activity at our elegant meeting rooms in Reno NV, call (775) 325-7333 or (800) 687-7733 or submit an RFP.

No matter if you are looking for live music, delicious dining or pro sports, you can finish the summer off right by attending an exciting event in Reno! The city has something for visitors of all ages, and the pleasant late-summer weather offers the perfect excuse to escape the everyday for a Reno adventure.

Upcoming Reno Events:

Hot August Nights 25th Anniversary – August 10-13 – Celebrate summer in style where the classic cars rule and rock’n’roll is cool. This event will be held at seven different downtown venues during the week and will feature dozens of concerts, a sock hop, Show-n-Shine, drag racing, and much more! Tickets for the Classic Car Auction are $12 and Hot August Nights Swap Meet is $6 and can be purchased at the gate daily. The drag race event, which costs $10 to attend, puts cars from 1972 or before on display from noon to 10 pm each day.

Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-Off – August 31- September 5 – Labor Day in Reno is a BBQ-lover’s paradise, as more than 100 tons of ribs are served during the Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-Off. Grill masters from across the U.S. come to Reno to battle for the title of “Best in the West” while live bands like Blue Oyster Cult and The Family Stone keep the party going just three miles east of downtown Reno.

Great Reno Balloon Race – September 9-11 – More than 100 balloons will take to the sky this September in the nation’s largest free ballooning event. An average of 150,000 spectators make the short trip north of Reno to attend the race each year, making it one of the top events in the region.

Virginia City Camel Races – September 10-12 – The 51st annual Virginia City International Camel Races kick off just 30 minutes from Reno this September. This one-of-a-kind event is truly unlike any other race in the U.S., as the world’s top camel and ostrich jockeys gravitate to Reno from around the world for three days of races, dining, live entertainment and parades.

Street Vibrations – September 21-25 – Music, Metal and Motorcycles come to downotwn Reno this September as part of the fourth-largest motorcycle event in the nation. Live performers include The Lost Boys and Skynnyn Lynnyrd, entertainment options include a roller derby event and a bike giveaway, and the world’s coolest bikes will take center stage at each of the four venues across the Reno area.

Staying at a downtown Reno hotel will put you in the middle of the action, as Circus Circus, Eldorado and Silver Legacy hotels are all located just minutes from the city’s top August and September events. Each hotel features a wealth of amenities for everyone from couples to corporate travelers attending events to families on summer vacation.

To learn more about Reno or to make a reservation, please visit the Circus Circus, Eldorado, or Silver Legacy websites.

Most modern-day meeting attendees keep their mobile devices at the ready at all times, and for good reason: Smart phones and tablets connect users to their home office, clients, email, and a wealth of information via social media and web browsers.

The emergence of advanced mobile technology has certainly been a positive one for corporate travelers and conference attendees who need to stay connected to the outside world, but it is important that audience members keep a few simple rules in mind when merging mobile with meetings.

1.    Refrain from speaking on the phone during the meeting. Smart phones have text and email capabilities, so use them! Communicate with your contacts by texting, not by talking, when someone is at the podium.

2.    If you absolutely need to take a call, leave the auditorium or conference room to do so. Even in a large meeting room, your voice can be distracting to others around you.

3.    Wait until a lull or break in the meeting to check Twitter, Facebook or Google+. There is a lot to keep track of going on in the world outside the walls of the meeting room, but you should wait until an official break in the meeting before firing up your social media apps or mobile browser. As an exception, if attendees and presenters are using a Twitter hashtag to tweet about the event, feel free to use your mobile device to join the conversation.

4.    Try not to keep your phone out and in use for the duration of a meeting while you are waiting for an email, call or text. Instead, check your phone every 10 or 15 minutes or make sure your phone is set to vibrate so you can be aware of your incoming email without interrupting others.

5.    Make sure no one is aware of your phone’s presence but you. That means completely silencing or turning off your phone if you are planning on leaving it out in the open, or placing it on vibrate if you will be keeping it in your pocket. Never leave your ringtone on – that is the most basic “don’t” in the book.

As more and more professionals make mobile devices an integral part of everyday business, Reno Conventions has taken steps to integrate mobile use into meetings with new Eldorado Reno and Silver Legacy meeting assistant apps. These apps help create a more productive experience for attendees of a Reno conference.

Created with the help of leading app developer MacroView Labs, each multi-platform app allows you to quickly and easily distribute relevant meeting or Reno event information to attendees on the fly. Give the audience schedule information, speaker biographies, programs, materials, convention maps, feedback surveys, attendee lists and more using the apps’ custom capabilities. The apps, which are compatible with iPhone, Blackberry, Android and other devices, allow users to broadcast event information to social media such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Foursquare without opening other clients.

Apple users may download the app at:

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id392018779?mt=8

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id394461393?mt=8

Android users can download the app at:

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.mvl.eldorado

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.mvl.silverlegacy&feature=search_result

July in Reno is home to Artown, a month-long celebration of local and international artists. Over 300 artists participate in more than 400 events in nearly 100 locations across the city.

Honored with the National Endowment for the Arts’ Access to Artistic Excellence Grant for providing world-class free programming, Reno Artown continues to see growth in attendees with 2010’s event bringing in more than 300,000 art enthusiasts. From local musicians to visual artists, performers at Artown are nothing less than captivating and the whole family is sure to enjoy it.

Performances at Artown 2011 include Pink Martini, a small yet sophisticated orchestral production; Doc Severinsen and The San Miguel Five, a distinct collaboration of jazz and Spanish flair; colorful parades and so much more.

Another exciting event taking place during this festival is the Coeur D’Alene Art Auction inside Silver Legacy’s Grande Exposition Hall on July 23 8AM – 5PM. This Auction specializes in art comprised of classical and contemporary western, sporting and wildlife, past masters and established contemporaries, all expected to attract over 700 art dealers, museum directors and private collectors from around the country. For more information, call 208-772-9009.

When you stay at a downtown Reno hotel, you’ll be in the center of all the artsy and action. Circus Circus, Eldorado and Silver Legacy hotels are all located at the heart of Artown, putting you in the middle of one of July’s most vibrant events in Reno.

To learn more or make a reservation, please visit the Circus Circus, Eldorado, or Silver Legacy websites.

It’s been said great minds think alike, but in reality we know that’s hardly ever the case. Brainstorming is a necessary and even fun way to coordinate individual “light-bulbs” into one brilliant and workable plan, but after a while it can wear down even the brightest people’s attention-spans. That is why designing meeting breaks is as important as fulfilling objectives. They contribute to productivity and help attendees with retention.

There comes a point in any conference, meeting, or event where great minds need to stop thinking alike and go back to thinking separately. That’s where a little bit of downtime comes into play. And here at Reno Conventions, we offer easy access to some of the highest-quality, Grade-A downtime any conventioneer could ask for to give attendees a refreshing energy boost between intensive sessions.

When it’s break-time, why not head over to the Sushi Sake Bar at Eldorado which is equipped with iPads that display the menu and browse all the local listings for Reno activities and happenings via Eldorado’s signature app. Or maybe get that blood rushing through your veins again (after all that Powerpoint-watching and folding-chair-sitting) by hitting Silver Legacy’s European-style Health Club & Spa? Or if you’re in the mood for a popular Reno attraction, check out Silver Legacy’s Mining Rig and take in one of their hourly shows held seven days a week inside the dome. And let’s not forget Circus Circus either. Visit their Midway of Fun, which comes fully equipped with 28 carnival and 48 prize-redemption games.

Whatever the case may be, there’s plenty of affordable and efficient ways to let yourself unwind before your next presentation. And since Circus Circus, Eldorado, and Silver Legacy are all connected together via skyway, it’s a cinch to enjoy them one after the next without ever leaving their indoor comfort.

Soak up the sun while you take in the sights and smoky smells of Reno’s biggest summer barbecue. The 16^th Annual Great Eldorado BBQ, Brews and Blues Festival brings finger-licking flavor and the blues to downtown Reno Friday, June 24, and Saturday, June 25.

The two-day event features simultaneous, non-stop music on two stages, as 12 bands will play during the festival, starting at 3 pm Friday and running until 9 pm Saturday. Blues favorites like the Shane Dwight Band, The Stone Foxes and Blues Monsters will provide the perfect backdrop for a weekend full of Reno BBQ.

Vendors dish out all the slow-smoked American standards, tasty tacos and creative Korean barbeque dishes you can eat – and then some. Wash down these delicious dishes with a collection of craft beers brought in fresh from around the region and across the country. Last year’s festival featured beers from diverse microbreweries such as the Alaskan Brewing Company, the Eel River Brewing Company and Leinenkugel’s Brewing Company, along with microbrews crafted on site at The Brew Brothers within the Eldorado.

When you stay at a downtown Reno hotel, you’ll have a front row seat for the music, food and fun. Circus Circus, Eldorado and Silver Legacy hotels are all located at the heart of the party, putting you in the middle of the summer’s biggest celebration.

To learn more or make a reservation, please visit the Circus Circus, Eldorado, or Silver Legacy websites.

Howdy there, friends. Another Reno summer has blazed into town and with it comes all the stampeding, bucking, and charging of one of the biggest rodeo showcases in these United States. The Reno Rodeo, “the Wildest, Richest Rodeo in the West,” will take place only minutes from downtown Reno June 16 – June 25. This nationally-televised event features everything from cattle drives and carnival booths to bull-riding and – of course – bucking broncos that look as though they’ve ridden straight out of a John Wayne Western. If you are traveling to Reno to participate in this exciting PRCA (Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association) sanctioned sporting event, be sure to check out deals at the best Reno hotels downtown: Circus Circus Reno, Eldorado Hotel Casino, and Silver Legacy Resort Casino.

So “round up” your loved ones, slide on your “ten-gallon” hat, and come join the 140,000 people expected to throng Reno’s hotels and casinos come Rodeo time. And don’t feel too “hard-up” if you forgot to bring along your lasso. Reno events this big will be just about impossible to miss.

“Git” along and buy your tickets today by calling toll free: 800-225-2277.

If you have not yet experienced what’s inside at Eldorado Hotel Casino in Reno, now is your chance. For a limited time, Eldorado Reno Hotel Casino is offering great savings on room rates.

Enjoy savings of up to 20% off on prevailing rates for May and June, 30% off for July and August, and 40% off for September and October. This special offer also includes a Fun book valued at $150 which includes great dining, entertainment and casino specials. For more details, visit their website here.

Stay at Eldorado Reno Hotel Casino and you can also easily connect to Silver Legacy Resort Casino and Circus Circus Reno via a covered walkway. This skyway stretches to almost four blocks of connecting casinos, shops, restaurants and renowned Reno entertainment that can all be enjoyed without stepping outside!

The United States Bowling Congress (USBC) Open Championships is an important event for tens of thousands of bowlers annually and this year, the event is taking place at the National Bowling Stadium in Reno, Nevada.

Bowlers from all 50 states and several foreign countries are gathering at this one-of-a-kind, 78-lane bowling stadium through July 3^rd, participating in an event that is older than the Rose Bowl and baseball’s World Series. Competition runs from 7 a.m. until 3 a.m. daily, and more than 63,000 bowlers are involved.

As presenting sponsors and headquarter hotels for the tournament, Circus Circus, Eldorado, and Silver Legacy, are providing special services and complimentaries to all USBC Bowlers during their stay. Open Championship guests will enjoy a number of perks when they stay at the Headquarter Hotels, including discounts on food, commemorative casino chips and more.

Headquarter hotels are all connected by skyway and conveniently located only a short distance from the National Bowling Stadium. Stay at one of our downtown Reno hotels and witness the action for yourself!

To learn more and make a reservation, please visit the Circus Circus, Eldorado, or Silver Legacy websites.