CarrAmerica Conference Center Hosts Meetings and Events at Hacienda

By George Walsh, Hacienda Network Staff Writer

Companies seek meeting places outside their own facilities for a number of reasons. They may not have the appropriate amount of space for attendees, they may not have the necessary equipment for presentations, or they may just want a change of scenery removed from their day-to-day operations. For other types of events, such as conferences and trade shows that require rooms for presentations and enough space to accommodate demonstration booths, a large venue can be an absolute necessity. For meetings large and small, the CarrAmerica Conference Center, at 4400 Rosewood Drive, offers a range of facilities to suit your needs.

"We're sort of a secret within the community," says Elyse Cartmell, the conference center coordinator for CarrAmerica Conference Center. "Many people don't realize that our facilities are available, but once they come in visit, they're often pleasantly surprised by what they see. We really care about the success of our clients' gatherings when they use our facilities and services. We strive to cater to all their needs and make the event a positive experience for both the people planning it and those attending it."

The CarrAmerica Conference Center is owned by CarrAmerica, one of the largest developers of office properties in the U.S. The company and its affiliates own, directly or through joint ventures, interests in a portfolio of 294 operating office properties, totaling approximately 27 million square feet.

The CarrAmerica Conference Center offers a total of six different meeting rooms ranging in size from 450 to 2,852 square feet to accommodate groups of from 18 to 275 people. To feed attendees, the Center's on-site caterer (Classic Fare Catering) is available, as is an on-site cafeteria, which is open for business from 6:30 am to 2:30 pm each day. The cafeteria also serves as a gathering place for corporate and social functions, and seats up to 600 people.

In addition to meeting space, the CarrAmerica Conference Center offers a number of different types of equipment; needed for business gatherings and conferences. These include phone and high-speed internet service; wireless handheld microphones; overhead, LCD, and slide projectors; TVs and VCRs; video projection systems; and video conferencing equipment. The conference center also can also arrange services for setting up the necessary equipment and can work with clients to find independent conference support services, including foreign language interpreters.

"Hacienda is very centrally located," Cartmell says. "It's easy to access for groups that are having a meeting where people are coming from different parts of the Bay Area. For those outside the area, there are a number of hotels nearby. In their off time, event attendees can take advantage of our proximity to nearby restaurants, entertainment, shopping, and the sights of downtown Pleasanton. We have many clients within the park who regularly use the Convention Center for their quarterly and biannual meetings. Anyone who is looking for a facility in which they can hold an event is welcome to visit us and see what we have to offer."

Photo: Elyse Cartmell oversees the meeting rooms and other facilities of the CarrAmerica Conference Center, including this auditorium.

Also in this issue...