For the ski aficionado, there is no more centrally located, world-class destination than Salt Lake City. More than 150 flights land each day before noon at Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC), and with 11 top-rated ski resorts less than an hour’s drive away, skiers can be unpacked and on the slopes at Snowbird, Alta, Deer Valley, Sundance, The Canyons, or Snowbasin in no time.
Just as centrally located is The Grand America Hotel, the flagship property of Earl Holdings Grand America Hotels & Resorts, which includes The Little America Hotels, The Westgate Hotel in San Diego, Sun Valley (Idaho), and Snowbasin. The 24-story Grand America, in the heart of downtown Salt Lake City, overlooks a beautifully landscaped 10-acre site. Inspired by the craftsmanship of Europe's classic hotels, the Grand America—Salt Lake’s only AAA Five Diamond recipient—boasts 775 luxurious rooms, including 395 suites.
For the meeting professional, The Grand America offers options unparalleled in Salt Lake City, with the hotel’s 75,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, suitable for a variety of events for as many as 2,000 people. Three ballrooms (The Grand Ballroom, The Imperial Ballroom, and The Grand Salon), ranging in size from 4,500 square feet to 23,000 square feet, display 20-foot ceilings, hand-blown Murano glass chandeliers, Richelieu cherry furnishings, Italian Rose Carrara marble, and theater-quality sound systems. The Center Courtyard offers 35,000 square feet of lavish gardens nestled in the heart of the hotel property, providing the ideal setting for an outdoor event. An additional 20 meeting rooms outfitted with English wool carpets and state-of-the-art technology and audiovisual systems are arranged in boutique style and can accommodate 10 to 200 guests each.
The area’s many ski resorts are an easy drive from The Grand America, but the hotel’s own Snowbasin deserves special mention. Known around the world as the venue for the 2002 Olympic Winter Games men’s and women’s downhill, super G, and combined races, Snowbasin is one of the oldest continuously operating ski areas in the nation. Just 35 miles from Salt Lake City, Snowbasin features 3,300 acres of diverse ski terrain, ranging from easy beginner trails to challenging expert runs—high alpine bowls, steep chutes, groomed cruisers, deep-powder glades, and two of the most challenging downhill racecourses ever traced on a mountain. For corporate events, Earl’s Lodge and Needles Lodge offer from 2,000 square feet to 5,000 square feet of space, accommodating from 65 to 350 people. The resort will also schedule half-day, full-day, or multiday teambuilding, communication, and stress management workshops with outdoor activities to reinforce workshop materials.