April 2005 Article                      

Meeting Planner's Challenge: Transforming a Public Space into a Magical Place

Pier Sixty in New York is a perfectly nice setting with a great view of the Statue of Liberty out its expansive windows.  However, Empire Force Events was using the venue for the second year in a row for the same audience.  The challenge was to surprise and impress the elite crowd with a totally new look and feel.

Jaclyn Bernstein, president of Empire Force, says planners may face a similar challenge if using a hotel ballroom both for program sessions and a closing night banquet.  You want the banquet atmosphere to be more elegant and feel like the guests have actually left the property, she says.

In creating the new world at Pier Sixty, Empire Force chose “Light” as the theme. They even considered the guests as part of the décor and requested that they all come dressed in black.  Most complied. 

The reception area was all white and used the vast windows as part of the white, bright décor approach. Ceiling height white drapery enveloped the room, white lounge furnishings provided seating, while bars and buffets were designed in white with illuminated panels and surfaces.

Entering the dining room, guests found themselves in a totally new environment, a black room filled with glowing elements.  When hosting corporate dinners where dancing and major stage shows just aren’t appropriate, the environment itself can be the entertainment, the memorable experience, Jaclyn suggests.

However, the Light-themed dinner combined all three in a brilliant way.

• The center tables were illuminated and covered with silky white organza.
• Lamps on the tables and illuminated orbs suspended over each table changed colors in unison.
• Glass light ice cubes added color to drinks.
• Entertainment included a show by LUMA, a group that specializes in performing in pitch-black with special light effects.
• The pressure sensitive LED-lighted dance floor changed colors with each step.
• The faces and hands of the black-clad guests stood out in the dark, but glowing room

You have 350 people at a banquet where awards will be given.  There is no way that people at the tables on the outskirts of the room are going to see the stage clearly.  What do you do to make your outer guests feel a part of the inner circle?

A.     Put the stage in the center of the room.
B.     Don’t do awards at a dinner. Use auditorium style instead.
C.     Give the outer circle a lift.
D.     Ask them to stand up during the program.

Chose “C” and you’ll have guests clamoring to be in that outer circle.  Empire Force used high rectangular tables on the room’s perimeter with comfortable, backed dining stools. The guests were sitting above the crowd, felt truly special, and had a clear view of the stage.  

Jaclyn admits that the Empire Force Light event required a fairly substantial budget.  However, she says that shouldn’t deter you.  If you see something you love, tell your DMC about it and give them your budget. If they are clever, you’ll get maximum creativity for your money.

The award-winning Empire Force Events is the GEP partner in New York City. Founded in 1982 as a specialized tour operator, the original company was purchased in 1994 by Jaclyn Bernstein and Robert W. Hulsmeyer, CSEP. They renamed it Empire Force Events, which has now grown into a premier organization with professional expertise as both a Destination Management Company and an Event Production and Meeting Planning firm. 

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