The old adage about never mixing business with pleasure couldn’t be more unfounded in today’s world. While the Midwest is popularly noted for its residents’ strong work ethic, increasing demands on time have encouraged even this archetypical, hard-working regional breed to blend some fun and relaxation into business hours. From small-town companies to nationwide associations, stakeholders everywhere are seeing the benefits of bringing the family into the business agenda while still accomplishing their goals.

Here, Midwest Meetings gets the word from a few planners of various industries - planners who’ve executed successful, beneficial events at waterpark destinations throughout the region. Take five with Liz Huber, marketing coordinator for the family-owned Prince Corporation, Nancy Kavazanjian, communications director for the Wisconsin Corn Growers Association, and Linda Hale, meeting and event manager for the Wisconsin Credit Union League. 

Midwest Meetings: Why did you decide to hold your event at a waterpark?

Liz Huber: Prince Corporation is a family-friendly business, a wholesale distribution center that sells pet, wild bird, agriculture, and lawn and garden products to independent retailers across the Midwest. Many of these businesses are family-owned and have been passed down for generations. It only makes sense that we would try to include everyone when we host our annual Fall Booking Trade Show. Our event is hosted over the course of a weekend, and our customers appreciate the fact that they can attend the show and spend time with their family. This special event is highly valued by our customers, especially in today’s economy.

Nancy Kavazanjian: We had to do something to attract more people to our annual meeting. The show was dying at our previous convention center location.

Linda Hale: Our prime decision for holding several of our events at a waterpark was actually location-related. Since a number of the waterparks in Wisconsin are centrally located, all of our members can get there easily. We also made the change to include a waterpark for our annual convention due to the size of the convention center and the number of sleeping rooms available.

MM: Did you have any objections to overcome when proposing a waterpark venue with your boss or colleagues? How did you sway them to try it?

Huber: Prince Corporation [has] been holding this trade show at the Kalahari Resort in Wisconsin Dells since 2001. Moving the venue over the last ten years and into the future has not even been a consideration. Our guests love this facility too much to move anytime soon!

Kavazanjian: Definitely, there were many people - our board of directors and many of our exhibitors - who didn’t want to move and thought there would be too many distractions at the waterpark. We even surveyed attendees and a majority said they didn’t want to move, but we agreed to try it one year, and if it didn’t work, we’d go back to the old location. Since then, we’ve managed to grow attendance by 100 people or more every year for the past seven years. We’re at the point now where we’re actually challenging the facility to handle our numbers, but we wouldn’t think of leaving this location because it’s worked out so well.

Hale: When we first considered a waterpark, one of our business members was dead set against it. I put together a survey regarding service, travel, cost, and projected attendance increases. I sent this survey to other meeting professionals in Wisconsin and then presented the findings to our CEO. We now hold our largest event at a waterpark on alternate years.

MM: How did a waterpark facility connect with the goals of your event was trying to accomplish?

Huber: Families will travel from states away, spend the day walking the convention area, and then relax at night by enjoying the waterpark or one of the many restaurants. Everyone is refreshed, having fun, and ready for day two of our trade show. The waterpark helps keep the family members who are not at the trade show occupied and happy. We find that if we offer people the relaxed atmosphere of a family getaway, they can focus better on the new products and ideas featured at the show.

Kavazanjian: We wanted to attract Wisconsin farmers, who are family business owners, and the waterpark offered us a chance for these farmers to go on a business trip with that family. We actively bill this as a combination business meeting [and] family get-away. We have become the premier farm business event in Wisconsin. People talk about it and look forward to attending every year. Our exhibitors love it as much as our attendees and bring their families, too.

Hale: Our events are primarily educational conferences, so there has not been a direct connection with the waterpark. The waterpark atmosphere does, however, lend itself to a more casual event and interactive [environment].

MM: How did you make your agenda work to overcome perceptions that a waterpark might provide distractions?

Huber: It helps that the event is spread out over the course of a few days. This way, there is time for both business and pleasure. Our event typically starts around 8:00 a.m. each day and finishes in the early evening. This allows the rest of the night as free time. We see many of our customers bring spouses and children, so while one adult is walking the trade show and checking out new products and deals, the other one is with the kids in the waterpark. We also have scheduled snack and refreshment times on the show floor to keep people in the convention area during show hours.

Kavazanjian: We really didn’t change the agenda. We find that what happens is our target audience brings along the spouse, kids, grandparents… and while they attend meetings, the rest of the family plays in the waterpark. Those who want to go in the waterpark come early, extend their stay, or go to the waterpark after meeting time.

Hale: Our attendees have several breaks and a lunch hour, providing them with some personal time during the event. Since our events are all educational, this allows them time to check on their families.

MM: Did you encourage your attendees to bring their families along, and did you build in family time? What were the effects?

Huber: We encourage families to come along to the event and enjoy the waterpark and resort while the storeowner of the family can grow their business. Our invitation highlights key points and times of the trade show along with advertising the [waterpark]. The Kalahari’s tagline is “Beyond Expectations…” and we like to leave that same impression on our guests. In regard to more free time, we also promote in our invitation to our guests to come and enjoy Prince Corporation’s Fall Booking Show, but stay an extra night and make sure they take full advantage of all the great things the Kalahari has to offer. Because many of our guests travel from out of state, they like to add an extra night to make sure they can do it all. This way, we do not have to compete so heavily with waterpark time.

Kavazanjian: We actually added kids and spouse sessions to our program one afternoon, and people are taking time out from the waterpark activities to [attend] these. We also allow attendees to buy extra family tickets for our evening reception and final luncheon, which includes a speaker, to accommodate our attendees because some families want to join in these activities but don’t want the expense of a full meeting registration.

Hale: When we host an event at a waterpark, we don’t need to encourage our attendees to bring their families - they simply do. We have not made any changes to our agendas; most times, [attendees’] guests are on their own.

MM: What advice would you offer a planner considering an event at a waterpark?

Huber: I say if they can find a way to make it work for their events, then go for it! Today, any “extras” you can offer will go a long way. Everyone has felt the pinch of this economy, and if you offer the glitz and glam of a waterpark with your event, that will entice people. Waterparks are enjoyable for all ages and relieve stress because it feels like a vacation. When people are on vacation - and happy - they are more likely to be open to new products and ideas.

Kavazanjian: Try it; you’ll like it! Actively promote it as a great business meeting and family getaway.

Hale: My only piece of advice is to take a close look at where your meeting space is in relation to the waterpark.

Shadia Cook is a contributing author for Midwest Meetings. Want to get in touch? Contact Shadia!