It was sunny day in Orlando on Monday, March 27 when three busloads of event professionals kicked off The Special Event with a venue tour of the city. Throughout the afternoon, attendees stopped at four different venues, each of varying size and type: USTA National Campus, The MEZZ, Regal Winter Park Village, and ICON Park. Here are the highlights of the tour.
USTA National Campus
Photo courtesy WASIO Faces
The official home of the United States Tennis Association, The USTA National Campus is also a rentable venue. There are nearly 100 tennis courts, four pickleball courts, and four padel courts that you can rent, hosting everything from large tournaments, to corporate events, to small outings—as long as events include a racquet sport component. All catering and F&B is through local Orlando caterer Puff 'n Stuff Events and Catering, who can accommodate and deliver on a wide range of events and activations.
Venue tour attendees were offered bison burger sliders and refreshing root beer on arrival.
The MEZZ
Photo courtesy WASIO Faces
Located in the Sanctuary high-rise at Eola Square, this intimate venue provides a vibey atmosphere for a variety of occasions. The 7,000-square-foot space features floor-to-ceiling windows, modern art decor, state-of-the-art audio-visual systems, and customizable LED lighting. Reflective surfaces, including an entire reflective wall and a glass chandelier, are cleverly integrated throughout the venue to play off of the innovative lighting. The entire venue, including a VIP room (the Plum Room), comfortably holds about 300 people in a reception and 240 people in a seated layout. Our friends at Puff ‘n Stuff are also the exclusive caterer of The MEZZ.
At this stop of the tour, attendees were treated to small bites and a mocktail called “The Mezzmerizing Spritzer,” which consisted of muddled cucumber, lemon and lime juice, agave, club soda, and cucumber slice. Attendees also got a chance to view other venues associated with Avenue Event Group, who offers full-service and day-of event coordination on-site, through a VR headset set up in the Plum Room.
Regal Winter Park Village
Photo courtesy WASIO Faces
Since the rise of streaming, movie theaters have been going through a cultural transition. Most create luxury experiences, but Regal Cinemas thinks outside the box: during the times when theaters are unoccupied, why not rent out the space as an event venue? With auditorium seating and a massive screen, meetings and presentations become a much more immersive and entertaining experience.
Venue tour attendees were greeted with soda and popcorn for a full movie experience, but for planners, full concessions, bars, and restaurants are available for events, depending on the location of the Regal theater.
ICON Park
Attendees ended the tour at tourist attraction ICON Park, where they were fed fried macaroni and cheese balls and sliders on colorful buns and offered some refreshing fruit punch. Attractions at ICON Park include Madame Tussauds, Sea Life, and Museum of Illusions, to name a few, as well as The Wheel, a 400-foot-tall observation Ferris wheel that attendees had the chance to ride, which was a fantastic way to see the city of Orlando from above. There are over 40 bars, attractions, shops, and venues, including the lawn and the sky lounge. Venue buyouts are also available, making this a versatile space to host events. Stay tuned for our recap of the Catersource + The Special Event Closing Night Party, which took place at ICON Park!
Click here for a brief recap of Catersource + The Special Event 2023.
