Start your Engines!

CHALLENGE: A major insurance company requested that ACCESS Destination Services create an out-of-the-box, start to finish, team building event for 250 attendees to complement their NASCAR sponsorship with an "ACCELERATE TO WIN" theme. A “karting” adventure seemed to be the perfect choice, but in the absence of an existing karting course in the Palm Springs locale, the team at ACCESS was faced with creating a custom-designed course, ultimately in a hotel parking lot, which posed logistical challenges because of speed bumps, parking curbs, trees, and other “parking lot” features and nuances that needed to be considered in the logistics planning.

SOLUTION: The parking lot at La Quinta Resort & Club was set up to simulate the real thing – a first for the property. In addition to the track itself, our race environment featured a pit area with crew; customized team pit passes; trailer area with shop and mechanics; instructional area for safety rules; an area for the client’s NASCAR driver with an exact replica of the client-sponsored race car for team and individual pictures; dressing rooms for guests to be fitted with their racing suits, safety head and neck gear for all the drivers; EMT; racing officials; and the same Race Announcer who calls the Long Beach Grand Prix every year. Bleacher seating authenticated the setting. The track itself was specially designed to accommodate structural obstacles and ACCESS coordinated with the key hotel staff, the karting crew, and city fire marshals to effectively secure the lot and ensure a timely, smooth and safe load-in and set up within a specifically planned time schedule.

On race day, our amateur race car drivers, in full authentic race regalia, competed on the track in 5 minute heats, to the cheers of their team-mates and accompanied by energetic rock ‘n roll tunes. A winning “celebrity” touch was the special guest, our client’s sponsored NASCAR driver, who interacted with guests and was available for photos at the photo checkpoint. At the end of the heats, he actually raced against the team’s winners as an added “ACCELERATE TO WIN” bonus! Additional event enhancements included authentic NASCAR races on the big screen and waiter passed “race track” foods like popcorn, licorice twists and hors d’oeuvres, all planned to allow guests to have fun and socialize while enjoying the beautiful southern California climate and surroundings.

The carefully orchestrated race schedule culminated in the “Main Event” to determine the top placing teams and in an exciting final heat, the top qualifiers participated in a “race off” for the top prizes provided by our client. Guests were heard saying that the race event was one of the most exhilarating experiences they had ever undertaken!

Around the World - with 10,000 guests!

CHALLENGE: For the past 9 years, the world leader in GIS (Geographic Information System) modeling and mapping software and technology has relied on ACCESS Destination Services to produce an internationally appealing final night event at their annual Users’ Conference. What does one do with 10,000 guests, year after year, at the same venue – Embarcadero Marina Park in San Diego? “Many of the guests are repeat attendees and while the venue remains the same year to year, the scope of the event needs to reflect a different experience each year and allow for hands-on family interactivity considering the large number of children in attendance” says Jennifer Miller, DMCP, General Manager of the ACCESS San Diego Office.

SOLUTION: The answer lies in taking guests on a trip “around the world” without ever leaving the picturesque San Diego waterfront location. The year that Jane Goodall was featured as keynote speaker at the Conference, 10,000 guests (including over 1,000 children under the age of 10), visited Africa at an “Out of Africa” experience featuring themed décor and food items as well as unique African style entertainment. Other globe-hopping experiences, to name a few, have taken the guests to Brazil for Carnivale, China for Chinese New Year and Bavaria for Oktoberfest.

This summer the challenges revved up a few notches as the anticipated number of guests approached 13,000 in a space already functionally maximized at 10,000 and our client desired seating for an additional 1,000 guests. With the luck of the Irish and some careful planning, Jennifer and her team created a Celebration of Irish Culture and Folklore with 5 main stages showcasing Irish step dancers, a minstrel band, an Irish-American Band, and Celtic musicians, as well as Irish-themed hands-on activities including puppet shows, shamrock face painters, cookie decorators and more for the children. Additional seating was accommodated through creative boundary expansion into some non-traditional areas as well as by absorbing the areas used previously for reception. The function plan shifted from a “flow progression” event to an all-inclusive event where all components such as food, entertainment, games and activities, and décor were incorporated into all areas eliminating the need for guests to travel from one area to the next for a unique experience.

The 5 ½ hour event culminated with a spectacular aerial Fireworks Show on San Diego Bay, the symbolic rainbow to the evening’s pot o’ gold! In the words of our client, “Another great year has come and gone and we wanted to thank you and your staff for a wonderful conference! We sincerely appreciate your efforts and support throughout the year. ACCESS has pulled off another fantastic event.”