11 Fresh Options for Meeting in the Western U.S.
The Western region of the U.S has always been known for its innovation, and these new and newly renovated properties include a just-introduced culinary concept hotel and the only hotel in the U.S. with on-site flight simulators.
Skift Meetings' collection of new/newly renovated venues for meetings and incentive trips is as diverse and the region, with a mix of classics like the newly renovated Hotel del Coronado in San Diego; massive convention properties like the Gaylord Pacific Resort and Convention Center in Chula Vista, CA; and desert resorts including Utah's Black Desert Resort, set among the black lava fields and red rock cliffs of Zion National Park.
Explore 135 exceptional new properties hand-picked for meeting and incentive planners
Also included are the first member of the new Appellation brand, designed around culinary artistry and the first carbon-positive hotel in the U.S., Denver's Populous.
Here's what's new in the Western U.S., and take a look at our just-released report on 135 hotels for meetings and incentive travel here.
1. Appellation Lodi
Lodi, CA
The Wine & Roses Hotel in Lodi will soon become Appellation Lodi – Wine & Roses Resort and Spa, the brand's first operating property. It offers 7,000 square feet of event space across six venues, including a ballroom with capacity for up to 350 guests, and 6,000+ square feet of lawn turf. The property's two signature Charlie Palmer dining concepts bring it in line with the brand's vision of infusing culinary artistry into every aspect of the guest experience.
2. Asher Adams
Salt Lake City, UT
Opened in October 2024, the train-travel-themed Asher Adams hotel was inspired by Salt Lake City's Union Pacific Depot. It offers 225 guest rooms and 10,000 square feet of flexible event space across eight rooms for up to 300 guests. Centrally located, it offers direct access to The Delta Center and quick airport access, as well as four dining options.
3. Black Desert Resort
Ivins, UT
Set to be completed in spring 2025, Black Desert Resort is located among the black lava fields and red rock cliffs of Greater Zion in Southern Utah. The 600-acre resort will offer almost 800 guest rooms and suites, as well as 13 separate event spaces and four terraces. Amenities include seven dining options and a unique 19-hole golf course, the first to host a PGA Tour and LPGA Tour tournaments in the state of Utah since 1963.
4. Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center
Chula Vista, CA
Scheduled to open in May 2025, the Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center, is a 1,600-room waterfront resort with almost half a million square feet of meeting space. It features four divisible ballrooms, the largest of which can host almost 10,000 guests and doubles as an exhibit hall. Also available are 47 meeting rooms, 135,000 square feet of event lawns and terraces, 10 dining options, a spa, and views of the Pacific Ocean.
5. Grand Hyatt Scottsdale Resort (Conversion)
Scottsdale, AZ
Following a $115 million renovation, the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Gainey Ranch reopened in November 2024 as the Grand Hyatt Scottsdale Resort. The resort offers 90,000 square feet of meeting and event space, including the newly expanded 24,000-square-foot Arizona Ballroom, and 48 meeting rooms. The 496-room resort includes casitas and suites, updated F&B by Chef Richard Blais, a 2.5-acre pool area, and refreshed Spa Avania.
6. Hotel del Coronado (Renovation)
San Diego, CA
Hotel del Coronado, originally opened in 1888, will soon complete the last phase of its $550 million renovation. The property offers 757 guest rooms and more than 96,000 square feet of event space. The hotel's largest indoor meeting space is the 15,130-square-foot Southpointe Ballroom, with capacity for 1,500, theater-style. The hotel also offers multiple outdoor event spaces, including one of the only private beaches in Southern California, and nine dining options.
7. Hotel Polaris
Colorado Springs, CO
Hotel Polaris is located at the North Entrance of the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs in the popular Pikes Peak region. It is the only hotel in the U.S. to offer on-site F-16 and 737 flight simulator experiences, making it popular for teambuilding. The hotel features 375 guest rooms and offers 40,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor space, including a large ballroom with capacity for 1,250, theater-style. The hotel also offers six dining options, a pool, a spa, and a fitness center.
8. Kali Hotel and Rooftop, Autograph Collection
Inglewood, CA
Expected to open in 2026 in Hollywood Park, Kali Hotel and Rooftop, Autograph Collection will be located next to the SoFi Stadium and YouTube Theater, and close to Intuit Dome and Kia Forum. The $300 million development will have an estimated 20,000 square feet of event space, along with multiple dining options, fitness and wellness facilities, a spa, pools, a yoga deck, and on-site parking for more than 300 vehicles.
9. Meritage Collection Phoenix
Phoenix, AZ
Scheduled to open in 2026, the 236-room Meritage Collection Phoenix will be located in downtown Phoenix, close to major transport hubs. It will feature an estimated 22,250 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space, with the largest ballroom holding up to 450 guests, theater-style. The hotel will also offer a full-service restaurant, a large spa, a fitness center, and a rooftop bar and pool deck.
10. Populous
Denver, CO
Reported to be the first carbon-positive hotel in the U.S., the 265-room property offers two culinary options and five flexible meeting spaces for up to 60 guests. Populous aims to go beyond net-zero to focus on regeneration. The building itself features biophilic architecture and was constructed using low-carbon materials. The property plants one tree for every night a guest stays, it sources food from regenerative, organic farmers, and composts 100% of food waste on site.
11. The Venetian Resort Las Vegas Convention Center (Renovation)
Las Vegas, NV
The Venetian Resort Las Vegas is undergoing a $1.5 billion renovation. This includes a $188 million refresh to its meeting and events space, which is scheduled to open in stages through 2026. The refresh will include an evolution of the current catering program, including using organic ingredients, sustainable practices, and a food rescue program. A new 10,000-square-foot speakeasy-style lounge will be added to the resort's already ample collection of event spaces.
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