Welcome to our special section — highlighting notable convention and visitors bureaus, as well as convention centers — containing essential information for association meeting planners.

Many of the highlighted CVBs and centers are also winners, by the vote of our readership, of our coveted Inner Circle Award for 2004 (see listing below). Readers of Association Meetings magazine chose these winners based on their high level of service, flexible function space, and the quality of food and beverage.

Check out pages 33 through 53 for an overview of what's happening with CVBs and convention centers across the country.

CVBs and Tourist Boards

Greater Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Convention & Visitors Bureau
Jamaica Tourist Board
Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority
New Orleans Metropolitan Convention & Visitors Bureau, Inc.
Orlando/Orange County (Fla.) Convention & Visitors Bureau, Inc.
Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau
San Diego Convention & Visitors Bureau
Seattle's Convention and Visitors Bureau
Tourism Toronto/Toronto Convention & Visitors Association
Metropolitan Tucson (Ariz.) Convention & Visitors Bureau

Convention Centers

COBO Conference/Exhibition Center, Detroit
Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, Rosemont, Ill.
George R. Brown Convention Center, Houston
Oncenter Complex: Convention Center, War Memorial, Civic Center Theaters, Syracuse, N.Y.
Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Fla.
Palm Springs Convention Center, Palm Springs, Calif.
Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, Washington, D.C.
Salt Palace Convention Center, Salt Lake City, Utah
Washington Convention Center, Washington, D.C.
Wildwoods Convention Center, Wildwood, N.J.