Mobile-based ship manufacturer Austal USA hosts ceremonial ship christening events before each newly constructed ship sets sail. Traditionally, the company has held these events at a waterside hotel. But last spring, Jessica Wofford, manager of events and protocol at Austal USA, moved the company’s ship christening event to the National Maritime Museum of the Gulf of Mexico, located in Mobile across the river from Austal headquarters.
“The museum not only offers an immersive and educational experience, focused on the area’s maritime heritage, but also you could look across the water and see the Austal logo and all the ships lit up,” Wofford says. “It made for a really special and unique event.”
Professional event planners agree that selecting the right venue for a business event can be crucial for accomplishing the intended goals.
“The venue is foundational to the success of any corporate meeting or event,” says Jill Harris, global accounts manager at HelmsBriscoe, a site selection and meeting placement provider. “A carefully chosen venue not only aligns with the purpose of the gathering but enhances its outcomes. For instance, the setting for a sales award celebration will differ significantly from that of a software training session or a board meeting. Selecting the right venue is about more than just the space — it’s about setting the tone for achieving your goals.”
Why the Venue Matters
The location can have an outsized impact on the outcome of a business gathering, experts say.
If the venue is not easily accessible or doesn’t have available parking or transportation, for example, attendees may not even get there. If the venue doesn’t offer needed technology, attendees may not be able to see or hear important presentations. And if the appropriate food and beverage offerings aren’t available, attendees are likely to be distracted and unhappy — or leave early.
For example, Harris worked with a professional association that had been holding its annual conference at a facility with limited dining options. Association leadership noticed that attendees often skipped afternoon sessions because of inconvenient lunch arrangements. To solve the problem, Harris worked with the group to move its conference to a venue connected to a mall with a food court. “This change solved the issue of attendees skipping afternoon sessions, keeping participants engaged throughout the day,” she says.
Beyond the practical aspects of providing for the group’s needs, a venue can also significantly affect the event’s intangible outcomes. The right views, the right furniture and the right ambiance can inspire attendees to feel what organizers want them to feel or do what leaders want them to do. “Getting people together in a venue that will help provide them with a new perspective or an opportunity to think outside the box can make a big difference in the outcome of your event,” Wofford says.
How to Choose the Right Venue
To select the right location for any upcoming corporate meeting or event, the first step is to determine the goals of the gathering. Think about how many people will be attending and what you want to accomplish by holding the event. Harris recommends asking questions such as:
- What are the goals of the gathering?
- Who are the attendees, and what are their priorities? Will they bring guests or children?
- Is there a preferred location — such as proximity to a major airport or within driving distance for participants?
- Are there specific agenda or logistical requirements, such as hotel rooms, audiovisual support, catering or parking?
- What is the budget? Will attendees or the organization cover expenses?
- Will there be free time? If so, what activities or attractions might the group enjoy?
After clearly establishing these factors, an event planner can more efficiently focus on identifying venues that will fit the group’s needs and goals. With the specific event requirements in mind, Wofford recommends considering a variety of different types of venues that may make your event sparkle.
“In corporate America, we often spend a lot of time in hotel ballrooms, but there are so many other unique and interesting places to bring people together,” Wofford says. She has often hosted events in suites at sporting venues, co-working spaces, rooftops and vacant floors of buildings.
Local convention and visitor bureaus can often provide ideas for potential venues, but Wofford has had success by getting even more creative. When planning events in unfamiliar destinations, she recommends going to social media and reviewing city hashtags in the destination city. “See what places people are posting about or where they’re posting from,” Wofford says. “I’ve contacted strangers through social media to ask about the spaces in their photos, and that often opens doors to new venues and experiences.”
For example, Wofford once used the vacant 34th floor of the RSA Tower in downtown Mobile for a nonprofit organization’s event to gather investors in a planned downtown redevelopment project. “It was perfect because you could see the property through the windows, and we brought in an artist who used the window scape to create a rendering of what the group wanted the development to look like,” she says. “The venue allowed the gathering to bring the whole project to life.”
When you’ve narrowed down the venue options, Harris recommends going in person to preview the site. It’s difficult to have a true understanding of a venue, its surroundings and its opportunities without actually visiting. Making a site visit “will ensure you are making best use of all of the opportunities available and you’ll also have confidence during continued planning,” Harris says.
Those who are new to event planning or need to create an event in a short time frame may benefit from the services of an outsourced firm, such as HelmsBriscoe. “Partnering with a professional like me can be the most efficient way to find the right venue,” Harris says. “My services come at no cost to the end user, and I have access to an extensive network and resources that allow me to source multiple options quickly, complete with availability, features and pricing.”
Nancy Mann Jackson is a Madison-based freelance contributor to Business Alabama.
This article appears in the March 2025 issue of Business Alabama.
