Saint Paul Convention and Visitors Bureau

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Saint Paul to Host USA Figure Skating and Republican Nat'l Convention in 2008
Saint Paul, MN (February 3, 2007) Saint Paul's Xcel Energy Center will host two major events in 2008. The USA Figure Skating Championships will take place from January 20-27, 2008. The country's top skaters will compete in Men's, Women's and Pairs Figure Skating as well as Ice Dancing. For information on tickets and packages call 612-989-5151 or visit www.saintpaul2008.com. Saint Paul will also host the Republican National Convention at the city's Xcel Energy Center from September 1-4, 2008. The convention is expected to bring up to 45,000 visitors to town, including 15,000 media and will be among the largest events the Twin Cities has ever hosted. The Xcel Energy Center, built in 2000 for the NHL Minnesota Wild, has successfully hosted several high-profile events, including the 2002 NCAA Frozen Four, 2001-06 WCHA Final Five Hockey Tournaments, 2003 Stanley Cup Playoffs, 2003-04 TJ Maxx Tour of Gymnastics Champions, 2004 Campbell's International Figure Skating Classic, 2004 NHL All-Star Game, the 2004 World Cup of Hockey and the 2006 USA Gymnastics Visa Championships In 2007, Saint Paul will host the Minnesota Quilters June 13-16, National Trust for Historic Preservation, Oct 1-7 and the Nat'l Conference of Standard Labs Int'l July 27-Aug 2. Conventions for 2008 include Pheasants Forever, Jan 18-20, Family Motorcoach Association July 7-19 and Feile Minnesota Sept 26-27. Saint Paul Area Hotel and Event Venue News · Saint Paul RiverCentre was named Best Convention Center by Minnesota Meetings & Events Magazine. 2007 marks the second consecutive year in which Saint Paul RiverCentre has received this award. The Radisson Riverfront Hotel and Radisson City Center Hotel have been sold to Trinity Hotel Investors Inc. of New York, and are now managed by Crestline Hotels & Resorts. The 479-room Radisson Riverfront Hotel has been rebranded as The Crowne Plaza Hotel St. Paul Riverfront and the 251-room Radisson City Center St. Paul Hotel has been completely renovated and will be rebranded in the spring of 2007. Embassy Suites Hotel-Saint Paul Renovation The 210-suite Embassy Suites Hotel-Saint Paul Downtown completed a $2.2 million renovation of its guest suites and public areas in November, 2005. The renovation in the public space consists of a restored lobby entrance, new exterior awnings, and new carpet in the corridors as well as in the Cork's Pub. All guest suites have also been completely renovated. La Quinta Inn Suites Opens in Saint Paul Saint Paul will open its first La Quinta Inn Suites in February, 2007. This 134 room property will boast 20 suites, a full service restaurant, complimentary continental breakfast, indoor pool and Jacuzzi and 11,000 sq. ft of meeting space. The property, formerly the Travel Lodge, is located just five minutes from downtown Saint Paul along I-94. Saint Paul Special Events and Site Updates Saint Paul Does Dinosaurs - Summer, 2007 Visitors to Saint Paul will be stomping through the streets this summer to see 100 artist-designed dinosaur statues that will be lining the streets of the Capital City to celebrate the Science Museum of Minnesota's 100^t^h anniversary! Join the hunt and don't miss a great family summer event! For more information visit www.diggindinos.org or call the Diggin' Dinos hotline at 651-291-5608. Monty Python's SPAMALOT, Jul 24 - Aug 12, Ordway Center, www.ordway.org · Como Zoo's New Event Center and Tropical Encounters Exhibit The Como Zoo and Marjorie McNeely Conservatory in Saint Paul, MN is the largest free zoo in the country. In addition to unique animals such as polar bears, penguins, timberwolves and sea lions, the zoo hosts lions, zebras, giraffes, monkeys and many popular animal exhibits. The adjacent conservatory, open 365 days a year, is always in bloom with tropical plants and flowers, and the zoo also has a theme park and plenty of picnic space, a lake and golf course. In late 2005, the zoo added a new visitor and event center which can accommodate groups for classroom demonstrations and special tours. The event center can host groups for a variety of different meal functions ranging from box lunches to buffet lunches to sit-down catered dinners. A special visit from a "Como Zoo resident" can also be arranged. Guided tours and programs can be combined with meal functions for a set per person fee. Groups also receive a 10% discount in the gift shop. In November, 2006 the zoo opened the Tropical Encounters exhibit which is a total emersion experience allowing guests to visit an authentic neo-tropical rainforest and explore the relationships between plants and animals. Tropical Encounters takes guests on an adventure through a Central and South American rainforest through the eyes of experienced Minnesotan field researchers and hundreds of plants and animals. Guests will encounter freshwater stingrays, giant river turtles, frogs, toads, fish, free-roaming birds, an anaconda and sloth. They will also view rainforest trees and plants including strangler fig, mahogany, peach palm, balsa, ice cream bean and more. For more information or to make group reservations, call 651-487-8272 or visit www.comozooconservatory.org