Media
What's New in Portland, Oregon — 2013
For additional details on lodging properties and culinary stories, please request a hotel or dining sheet from the Travel Portland PR team at journalistsonly@travelportland.com.
Food & Drink
- Oregon Wineries Go Urban
- Downtown Dining Takes Center Stage
- Tapping into the Portland Beer Scene
- Feast Portland Returns in September
Digital Developments
Lodging
- Literary Luminaries Highlighted in Elementary School-Turned-Hotel
- First Pearl District Hotel Underway
Transportation
- New Bridge Highlights Public Transit Initiatives
- Portland Streetcar Central Loop Opens
- Historic Columbia River Highway Reaches New Milestone
Arts
Anniversaries
- McMenamins Celebrates 30th Anniversary in 2013
- Acclaimed Artists Grace Japanese Garden's Golden Anniversary Celebration
Neighborhoods
Attractions
Shopping
Meeting & Conventions
Food & Drink
Oregon Wineries Go Urban
Portland is a hub for just about every type of craft beverage: beer, spirits, wine, coffee, cocktails, soda, tea and more. While wine has always been on that list, it's closer than ever — urban oenophiles can now sample the region's offerings from a dozen wineries operating in the city. The majority of these wineries, like Portland's urban distilleries, are located in Southeast Portland.
Ten wineries located near the city center recently joined forces to form the PDX Urban Wineries association, which offers a shared website and schedule of events. Enso Winery, Hip Chicks Do Wine, Alchemy Winery, Seven Bridges Winery and Grochau Cellars have regular tasting room hours at their winemaking facilities. Division Street Winemaking Company, Helioterra, Vincent and Bow & Arrow wineries collaborate in their operations and tasting bar within the Southeast Wine Collective, which opened a tasting room off of Division Street in August 2012. The newest of the bunch is Clay Pigeon Winery, whose new wine bar, Cyril's opened in the fall of 2012. In addition to the members of the PDX Urban Wineries collective, Boedecker Cellars was one of the first wineries to move their operations from wine country to the city. In the summer of 2012, chef/winemaker Jesse Skiles also moved his Fausse Piste winery to Portland, and opened an adjacent "enopub" called Sauvage — a charming location to taste Fausse Piste and other wines paired with elegant small plates.
The new Urban Winery Passport, from the same people who brought Portland the Distillery Row Passport, is both a guide and access pass to some of these wineries. The $20 passport provides winery information, maps, discounts on bottle sales, deals at local businesses, space for notes, and includes tastings at members of PDX Urban Wineries. For information on the passport and a list of participating wineries, go to www.pdxwinetour.com.
CONTACT
Lila Martin, Travel Portland; 503.275.9794; lila@travelportland.com
Downtown Dining Takes Center Stage
For years, visitors had to venture across the Willamette River to eastside neighborhoods to experience many of the chef-owned eateries that put Portland on the national culinary map. But the latest trend in the city's dynamic dining scene has many of those acclaimed chefs opening new ventures on the west side, just steps from downtown hotels.
John Gorham, chef and owner of the wildly popular Toro Bravo and Tasty n Sons, opened Tasty n Alder in downtown's West End this February. Combining some of the elements of his other two restaurants, Tasty n Alder serves a brunch menu throughout the day and a more sophisticated menu at night, both infused with global flavors. Just down the street, Chef Rick Gencarelli recently opened the second outpost of his famous-food-cart-turned-restaurant, Lardo. Next up will be the highly anticipated opening of Ración, Chef Anthony Cafiero's intimate modern Spanish restaurant and lounge.
Last fall, acclaimed chef Vitaly Paley — winner of a James Beard Award and Iron Chef America winner — opened his long-awaited second and third restaurants downtown inside the Hotel Lucia. Imperial is a 110-seat restaurant helmed by Paley's former sous chef, Ben Bettinger (formerly of Beaker & Flask). Next door is Paley's casual spot, the Portland Penny Diner. This winter, Raven & Rose opened in the historic Ladd Carriage House with Chef David Padberg (formerly of Park Kitchen) at the stove cooking up food inspired by the Irish and English countryside and Dave Shenaut mixing classic cocktails behind the bar. These high-profile openings are just the latest examples of noted chefs making the move downtown. Others from the past few years include Little Bird (the sister restaurant to James Beard Rising Star Award winner Gabriel Rucker's Le Pigeon, located in the Central Eastside Industrial District) and Chris Israel's Alpine-inspired Grüner.
A number of independent casual eateries have opened downtown in the past year as well, including Blue Star Donuts (gourmet donuts made by hand with local ingredients), Ruby Jewel (local ice cream and sweet treats), Brunch Box (the food cart's first brick-and-mortar location), Case Study Coffee (coffee roaster and downtown outpost for Bakeshop pastries) and Kure Juice Bar (organic juices and vegan meals). Also new to downtown, Forktown Food Tours will be launching neighborhood and farmers' market tours this summer.
CONTACT
Lila Martin, Travel Portland; 503.275.9794; lila@travelportland.com
Tapping into the Portland Beer Scene
The city that pioneered craft brewing during the industry's infancy in the early 1980s continues to turn heads and tip pint glasses, while boasting more breweries than any other city in the world.
Portland is the indisputable king of craft brewing with 51 breweries within the city limits. The metro area is the nation's largest craft beer market with 68 breweries, while the state of Oregon is home to a whopping 166. But the city, and state, pride themselves on much more than just the quantity of craft breweries — it's the quality and creativity of local beers that keep Portlanders awash in suds. Those in the know seem to agree—Oregon breweries won 24 medals at the 2012 Great American Beer Festival, the country's most prestigious competition.
Recently, several notable new breweries and tasting rooms have opened their doors for visitors. The Commons Brewery, which focuses on European brewing traditions, has already won a bronze medal at the World Beer Cup for their Belgian-style Urban Farmhouse Ale. Basecamp Brewing, nearby in the Central Eastside Industrial District, offers a wide range of beer styles in a pub dedicated to outdoor adventure. Gigantic Brewing, founded by two veterans of the Oregon brewing community, has quickly amassed a huge following. Harvester Brewing is the city's first all-gluten-free brewery, using Oregon chestnuts, sorghum and gluten-free oats. The city's smallest brewery, Humble Brewing, uses just a 1.5-barrel system to make its experimental, often single-hop brews, found at local bars and restaurants. Pints is the most recent addition to downtown, using a 3.5-barrel system in the Old Town neighborhood. Breakside Brewery expanded with a new brewery south of Portland, offering tours and beer seminars in addition to their tap list of imaginative beers. Finally, 2013 marks the rebirth of one of the city's original beer makers, Portland Brewing Company, best known for creating MacTarnahan's Amber Ale.
The Portland beer experience extends beyond its many breweries, beer halls, bottle shops and home-brewing clubs. Hop in the Saddle, a new book by a team of three local women, blends two of the city's favorite pastimes: biking and beer drinking. It's a brilliant guide to many of the city's favorite suds-sellers. Another woman guiding beer lovers to Portland's finest pints is Ashley Rose Salvitti, founder of Brewvana Brewery Tours, which visit a number of Portland breweries in a 14-person bus. Portland's U-Brew, affectionately known as PUB, offers brewing classes where participants make their own beer using professional equipment under a brewer's guidance. And those wishing to truly immerse themselves in the Portland beer experience can book a night at Inn Beervana, a B&B ("bed and beer") whose host, Brian Yaeger, is a local beer writer, currently working on a guide to Oregon breweries.
A list of suggested breweries is available upon request. Please contact a member of our public relations team for additional beer angles or our beer festivals sheet, which lists myriad festivals throughout the year, from Biketobeerfest to Zwickelmania and the longest-running and most-loved beer festival in the U.S., the Oregon Brewers Festival (expanding this year to five full days, July 24-28).
CONTACT
Marcus Hibdon, Travel Portland; 503.275.9769; marcus@travelportland.com
Feast Portland Returns in September
Feast Portland: A Celebration of Oregon Bounty made a splash on the local and national food scene when it debuted last September, and it returns to the city this Sept. 19-22.
Founded in 2012 as Oregon's first-ever international food and drink festival, Feast Portland is a region-defining celebration of the unmatched vibrancy of the Oregon food community. It showcases local culinary talent, from chefs and winemakers to farmers and distillers, paired with nationally-renowned chefs. In its first year, events like the Sandwich Invitational, Oregon Bounty Marketplace in Pioneer Courthouse Square and the Feast Portland Night Market thrilled food-loving festival goers.
The weekend is also filled with intimate sit-down dinners, hands-on classes, live demonstrations and speakers. Portland chefs are joined by visiting chefs from around the world. In 2012, those included Fergus Henderson, April Bloomfield, Sean Brock, Nancy Silverton, Paul Qui, Inaki Aizpitarte and many, many more.
CONTACT
Carrie Welch, Feast Portland; 503.894.8695; carrie@littlegreenpickle.com
Digital Developments
Tips & Maps Available via Travel Portland's New Mobile App
Visitors to the City of Roses can now use their smartphones to navigate Portland's many neighborhoods and attractions thanks to a new mobile app created by Travel Portland. The free application, available for both iPhone and Android operating systems, highlights many of the city's most popular shops, restaurants and activities as well as hidden local gems, and plots those locations on a map. Categories include Eat, Drink, See and Do, Shop, Get Around, Stay and Be PDX, a curated collection of only-in-Portland places.
Users will also have access to special offers from Travel Portland partner businesses as well as the ability to filter and customize their search results to their individual tastes. Best of all, the app updates its library every time a user launches it on their smartphone, ensuring the information is always the most up-to-date and comprehensive city guide available.
CONTACT
Marcus Hibdon, Travel Portland; 503.275.9769; marcus@travelportland.com
Lodging
Literary Luminaries Highlighted in Elementary School-Turned-Hotel
McMenamins' Kennedy School has added 22 guestrooms to its facility, increasing the total number of rooms in this popular destination to 57. The new "English Wing" has a literary theme, with rooms such as "Ramona" inspired by Portland native Beverly Cleary's books. Each new room features custom artwork based on a different literary work, and vintage lighting fixtures grace the halls.
The Kennedy School was built in 1915 and operated as an elementary school until 1975; brothers Mike and Brian McMenamin reopened the property as a hotel in 1997. A draw for locals as well as visitors, the Kennedy School also features several restaurants and bars, a brewery, event spaces and a movie theater in the old school auditorium. The renovation comes ahead of the distinctly Oregon hospitality group's 30th anniversary, which they are celebrating in 2013 (see Anniversaries section).
CONTACT
Renee Rank, McMenamins Hotels, Pubs & Breweries; 503.492.5457; rrank@mcmenamins.com
First Pearl District Hotel Underway
Construction has begun on a six-story, 223-room Residence Inn by Marriott in Portland's Pearl District. Located at 1150 N.W. Ninth Ave. (and Marshall), it will be the first hotel in this vibrant shopping and dining destination bordering downtown. Local architecture firm SERA is leading the exterior and interior design, which will be inspired by natural materials. A restaurant and bar will offer outdoor seating around fire pits, and a landscaped courtyard will be open for public enjoyment. The 170,000-square-foot hotel project, led by Portland-based developer Williams/Dame & Associates, will include a pool and covered bicycle storage. The hotel is expected to open in early 2014 with LEED Silver certification.
CONTACT
Laura Guimond, Travel Portland; 503.275.9783; laura@travelportland.com
Transportation
New Bridge Highlights Public Transit Initiatives
13-With the popular Portland Streetcar expansion to the city's eastside now operational (see below for full details), more public transportation projects are underway.
Ground has been broken and work is currently underway on the Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail Bridge, a new pedestrian and public transportation bridge that will span the Willamette River near the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) on the east bank to the South Waterfront neighborhood on the west bank in fall of 2015. The bridge will be distinctive in the United States, only carrying light rail trains, buses, cyclists and pedestrians and, in the future, streetcars. The bridge will not accommodate private vehicles, although the structure will allow use by emergency response vehicles when necessary.
The two 14-foot-wide pedestrian and bike paths on the bridge will connect planned greenways as part of the city's Waterfront Loop walking and bicycle trail, and the bridge will close important transportation gaps for bike commuters and mass transit riders along the new Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail line which also begins service in 2015. This 7.3-mile light rail extension through inner Southeast Portland will connect North Clackamas County and the small burg of Milwaukie with downtown Portland and Portland State University. This MAX line is projected to carry an average of more than 22,000 weekday rides.
Portland Streetcar Central Loop Opens: In 2001, Portland built the first modern-day streetcar, which travels through downtown from Portland State University to the Nob Hill neighborhood via the popular shopping and dining neighborhood known as the Pearl District. A project to expand the line to the city's eastside was completed in fall of 2012, adding 3.3 miles and 28 stops to the original line. The extension line crosses the Willamette River at the Broadway Bridge and heads south through the Lloyd District, Rose Quarter (home to the Rose Garden arena), Oregon Convention Center and the dynamic Central Eastside neighborhood before making a stop at OMSI. The line is expecting to start running U.S.-made streetcars this year.
CONTACT
Marcus Hibdon, Travel Portland; 503.275.9769; marcus@travelportland.com
Historic Columbia River Highway Reaches New Milestone
This summer marks a significant accomplishment in the project that will ultimately reconnect 73 miles of the Historic Columbia River Highway. The Oregon Department of Transportation will complete a 1.6 mile trail extension, allow cyclists and pedestrians to travel more than 30 miles of the old highway's route from Troutdale to Cascade Locks without detours onto Interstate 84, greatly improving the experience and safety. It is the first time this complete route has existed since 1937.
Cyclists will share the road with slow traffic for the first 26 miles of the winding route and finish the final 6.5 miles on a bicycle and pedestrian path. This section of the historic highway takes travelers through some of the state's most beautiful scenery, including Vista House at Crown Point and the popular Multnomah Falls, as well as scores of other waterfalls pouring from adjacent cliff faces. The vision for the Historic Columbia River Highway reconnection project lays out a plan to link the entire route from Troutdale to The Dalles by 2016 – the 100th anniversary of the highway's construction. In 1916, the highway was considered a feat of modern engineering and was the first scenic highway in the U.S. It also passes through the nation's only bi-state National Scenic Area.
CONTACT
Marcus Hibdon, Travel Portland; 503.275.9769; marcus@travelportland.com
Arts
Portland Art Museum Showcases Photography, Design
Portland native and internationally renowned artist Carrie Mae Weems is the subject of a retrospective — Carrie Mae Weems: Thirty Years of Photography and Video — at the Portland Art Museum (PAM) through May 19. Weems, who first used photography to capture the daily life of her family in Portland, is acclaimed for her thought-provoking works dealing with social justice, gender, race and class.
At times humorous, at times heartbreaking, and always profound, her images illuminate the constructs of society — be it the power systems conveyed in the architecture of Rome and Mali or the enduring legacy of discrimination — and how photography has shaped our understanding of history. PAM hosted Weems' first survey show in 1994; this exhibit, organized by the Frist Center for the Visual Arts and continuing on to the Guggenheim, marks the artist's return to her native city. The dialogue continues with Portland Center Stage's production of the Tony-Award-winning play Clybourne Park, which deals with related themes, at the Gerding Theater at the Armory April 6-May 5.
This summer PAM hosts another exhibit well-attuned to the Portland scene. Cyclepedia: A Century of Iconic Bicycle Design (June 8-Sept. 8) showcases the extraordinary bicycle collection of Austrian architect and designer Michael Embacher. Embacher is creating a special installation for a WWII paratrooper bike, a ski bike and other beautifully functional bicycles in the Portland exhibit. It's fitting that "America's Best Bike City" will be the first place the collection has been shown in the U.S. Tours, lectures and workshops with Portland's celebrated bicycle designers and builders will run concurrent to the exhibit.
CONTACT
Beth Heinrich, Portland Art Museum; 503.276.4370; beth.heinrich@pam.org
Anniversaries
McMenamins Celebrates 30th Anniversary in 2013
It's been 30 years since Mike and Brian McMenamin opened the Barley Mill Pub in Portland. Now, with more than 50 establishments operating in the Pacific Northwest, they decided there's no better time to throw a party. The McMenamins' signature blend of whimsical art, quirky historic spaces, live music and quality brewing that defines their properties is unlike any other hospitality group. Beginning this summer through the end of 2013, McMenamins will release signature beer, coffee and spirits (all made in-house) commemorating the occasion, and will soon announce a host of other events, experiences and surprises.
CONTACT
Renee Rank, McMenamins Hotels, Pubs & Breweries; 503.492.5457; rrank@mcmenamins.com
Acclaimed Artists Grace Japanese Garden's Golden Anniversary Celebration
Throughout 2013, a special 50th anniversary Art in the Garden exhibition series at the Portland Japanese Garden focuses on the coming together of East and West — a theme that has been at the heart of the Portland Japanese Garden, one of the most authentic Japanese gardens outside of Japan, for the past 50 years.
The artists chosen to commemorate this golden anniversary (Toko Shinoda, Isamu Noguchi and Sueharu Fukami) are each internationally celebrated in their respective fields: calligraphy and painting, sculpture and design, and ceramic art, and their works can be found in the collections of major museums around the world, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art in New York, as well as the Portland Art Museum. For further information on the dates and artists involved in these exhibitions, as well as photos of the art, please visit www.japanesegarden.com/press-room/50th-anniversary-press-kit.
CONTACT
Ingrid Arnett, Portland Japanese Garden; 503.542.0288; iarnett@japanesegarden.com
Neighborhoods
Downtown's West End Comes into Its Own
Portland's historic West End, home to a growing number of local and international design shops, fashion boutiques, restaurants, cafés and hotels, now offers a traveler's aide: WEPDX.com. With an interactive map, business listings and social media feeds, visitors can explore this booming neighborhood with ease. A printed walking map is also available from businesses throughout the area.
Tucked between Powell's City of Books and the downtown retail core, the West End's redevelopment was spurred by the arrival of the Ace Hotel, Stumptown Coffee and Clyde Common (home of the world's first barrel-aged cocktails). The new McMenamins Crystal Hotel has enlivened the lodging scene and nearby boutiques such as Frances May, Tender Loving Empire and Radish Underground feature local designers and artisans, while Alder & Co., Canoe and Woonwinkel offer curated selections of housewares and jewelry from around the world.
Dayna Pinkham, an internationally recognized couture hatmaker, has moved her Pinkham Millinery into the neighborhood, and Solestruck, the largest online shoe retailer in the nation, entered the mix with on-trend shoes in its only retail location. Tanner Goods offers Portland-made belts, bags and footwear while Sweden's Dunderdon showcases men's fashions along with Northwest tree stamp sets and hardy Portland-made Poler gear. Meanwhile, Grüner (named one of 2010's Top 10 Best New Restaurants in America by GQ magazine) sustains shoppers with Alpine-inspired fare while its sexy sibling Kask showcases local cocktails. Around the corner, the lauded drinking chocolate of Cacao gives visitors plenty of energy for the next adventure.
New attractions continue to bring vitality to the neighborhood, with recent arrivals including Animal Traffic's quintessential Western wear (a second location of the popular North Mississippi Avenue boutique) and the gallery/performance space of the Portland Institute for Contemporary Art (PICA). To further sweeten the scene, sister-owned local favorite Ruby Jewel Scoop Shop has opened a second location at Southwest 12th and Stark, offering small-batch ice cream, a vintage soda fountain and candy-making on view.
CONTACT
Laura Guimond, Travel Portland; 503.799.4672; laura@travelportland.com
Central Eastside Continues to Thrive
With the new Portland Streetcar Central Loop connecting this neighborhood to downtown in September 2012 (see Transportation section), the Central Eastside Industrial District continues to be one of the city's most dynamic up-and-coming neighborhoods. The district is about a 15-minute walk from most of downtown Portland and is accessible by crossing the Hawthorne, Morrison or Burnside bridges. The south end of the neighborhood is anchored by the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) and the new Oregon Rail Heritage Center (see Attractions section). Nearby, you'll find Alder Creek Kayak, Canoe, Raft & SUP, which offers rentals as well as guided trips on the Willamette River (among others) just steps from its front door. Both of these are located along the Eastbank Esplanade, part of Portland's riverfront walking and cycling path.
The Central Eastside has become a hopping hub for food and drink, with restaurants and bars tucked in beside warehouses in this working industrial district. Long-revered restaurant clarklewis has been joined by Bunk Bar, which features the inspired sandwiches of Tommy Habetz (a Mario Batali and Bobby Flay restaurant alum) and Nick Wood in a laid-back lounge setting that's also an indie rock music venue. Next door at Boke Bowl, the passionate owner/chefs make everything, including their ramen noodles, from scratch. Around the corner, Water Avenue Coffee roasts beans on-site and also operates the attached American Barista and Coffee School. Next door's Clive Coffee sells high-end home espresso machines and related wares from their showroom and online.
Just north along Water Avenue, Hair of the Dog Brewing Company serves its critically acclaimed beers. Produce Row Café, a longtime hangout for locals, has been reinvented with a sleek remodel and a menu featuring creative beer and whiskey pairings. Further north, in the shadow of the Morrison Bridge, sits the renovated Olympic Mills Commerce Center and Olympic Provisions, where house-cured meats and delectable lunch, brunch and dinner offerings are served inside Portland's first USDA-approved salumeria.
On Grand Avenue, along the new streetcar line, Coava Coffee —which took top honors in the Northwest Regional Barista Competition and Brewers Cup the last three years in a row — shares a showroom with woodworking company Bamboo Revolution. Dig A Pony and Rum Club are two of the newest local bars, joining Green Dragon Pub, Beaker and Flask and Cascade Brewing Barrel House in this popular nightlife area. The district is also home to Distillery Row (an association of five local distilleries in the area) and in recent years has seen the opening of numerous urban wineries as well (see Food & Drink section).
The Central Eastside Industrial District also includes the portion of East Burnside Street commonly called Lower Burnside. The 811 Building is home to a number of tiny design studios and boutiques like Sword and Fern, Haunt Studio, Idom, Bombshell Vintage, Redux and Nationale. Visitors to this area will find plenty of restaurants, including longtime foodie favorites like Le Pigeon, home to 2011 James Beard Rising Star Winner Gabriel Rucker, Biwa, Noble Rot and Simpatica Dining Hall. Newer spots include rock-and-roll late-night pizza place Sizzle Pie, Burnside Brewing Company, Kir Wine Bar and Mirakutei. The Jupiter Hotel provides hip and modern lodging, complete with the Doug Fir — a restaurant, lounge and live music venue.
CONTACT
Marcus Hibdon, Travel Portland; 503.275.9769; marcus@travelportland.com
Attractions
The Oregon Rail Heritage Center Steams into Town
In 1958, two steam locomotives were donated to the city of Portland. More than 50 years later, those two engines have been restored to working order and are on public display at the new Oregon Rail Heritage Center. This makes Portland home to more working steam locomotives than any other city in the country, all thanks to the work and dedication of volunteers. The enormous and immaculately restored steam locomotives tower above visitors, bringing a bygone era to life. The Oregon Rail Heritage Center's location in the Central Eastside Industrial District couldn't be more perfect: It's at the confluence of three different rail lines (freight, passenger and streetcar), and just a couple of blocks away from OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science and Industry). It even has a dedicated stop on the new Portland Streetcar line.
The Oregon Rail Heritage Center is run entirely by volunteers. Admission to see the trains and visit the gift shop in the engine house is currently on a donation basis. Hours are Thursday through Sunday from 1-5 p.m.
CONTACT
Lila Martin, Travel Portland; 503.275.9794; lila@travelportland.com
Shopping
Tax-free Shopping with Northwest and National Flair
To the delight of shoppers on the go, Pendleton Woolen Mills now has an expansive retail store at the Portland International Airport. With an industrial-chic interior showcasing the iconic brand's history in the Northwest, the shop offers styles for men and women, Pendleton's legendary Indian trade blankets and throws, and a range of souvenirs perfect for last-minute gifts. Fashion-forward travelers will flock to The Portland Collection, Pendleton's collaboration with three independent local designers; this location is the only Pendleton store to feature the line, which was wildly successful in boutiques in the U.S., Europe and Asia during its inaugural season in fall 2011.
National retailer Jonathan Adler recently brought its cheerful, pop-style home décor to the City of Roses, and the Northwest's first Jack Spade shop, featuring Kate's husband's line of luggage, accessories and outerwear and a collection of Americana, has landed in a gallery-like space. Both boutiques are right at home in the arts- and design-heavy Pearl District.
Meanwhile, luxury lifestyle brand Tory Burch has opened its first Oregon boutique in downtown's Pioneer Place. The interior's residential feel showcases the brand's classic American sportswear style; Tory Burch's full collection of ready-to-wear, shoes and accessories in bold colors and graphic patterns are available.
Downtown's retail expansion continues with Bettie Page bringing pinup styles to Southwest Broadway, downtown's first Target store arriving in July and Microsoft opening its first Portland store this spring. Boy's Fort, a favorite local pop-up, brings its theatrical displays, salvaged wood furniture and manly accoutrements to a permanent space downtown in April.
CONTACT
Laura Guimond, Travel Portland; 503.799.4672; laura@travelportland.com
Meetings & Conventions
New Dedicated Website for Meeting Planners
Travel Portland has launched a new website (meetings.travelportland.com) designed to explicitly address the needs of meeting planners.
The site's re-engineered hotel/venue search tool enables planners to easily filter potential meeting locations, hotels and off-site venues based on their criteria, see results on a Google map, view full venue details, and even save a tentative list of locations which they can bookmark or share with colleagues.
The site has radically improved the look, feel and accessibility of information useful to planners through showcasing the unique advantages of Portland as a meeting location, and streamlined the interface so planners can quickly hone in on the facts they need to make their decision and sell the venue to their own audiences. Now planners can quickly and easily see how Portland compares to other meetings destinations, submit an RFP, contact a Travel Portland staff member and perform in-depth research on individual properties in a new and easy-to-use format engineered specifically for them.
CONTACT
Marcus Hibdon, Travel Portland; 503.275.9769; marcus@travelportland.com
