By MATT CHANDLER
mchandler@bizjournals.com | 716-541-1654

Las Vegas may be the convention capital of the United States, but for companies looking to entertain employees, clients and guests after a long day of meetings, Niagara Falls holds its own with Sin City.

The New York side often is overlooked for its more glitzy sister city across the border. But the folks who operate some of the many meeting and convention sites stateside say the slight is off the mark. Tourists might favor the Canadian side of the border for entertainment purposes, but Niagara Falls, N.Y., has plenty of corporate appeal.

It's Tuesday afternoon, and inside the Seneca Niagara Casino, far removed from the bells and whistles of the slot machines and the crowded card tables, is a group of leaders from the New York State Collections Association. They've gathered in a portion of the main events center on the casino's second floor. In three days, the room will host former "Everybody Loves Raymond" actor Brad Garrett performing stand-up comedy, but today it is partitioned off for part of the casino's growing meeting business.

Karen Nordaby, director of catering and special events, says despite "significant drop-off" in business in 2009, the 2010 meeting season is going strong.

"We served 4,000 people last week, which was our biggest week ever," she says. "Typically, we might do 20 to 30 events per month here."

Nordaby said she and her staff incorporate all the city has to offer in promotional materials to out-of-town clients. While everyone seems to know about the falls, other attractions such as Cave of the Winds, sightseeing helicopter rides and Maid of the Mist provide an after-hours draw - especially for those planning multi-day meetings.

"We specialize in medium-sized conferences, mostly regional from groups within New York state," Nordaby says. "We also offer eight smaller conference/meeting rooms. And the main events center can be divided into four different rooms."

With the capacity to host 2,400 people in one room for classroom-style meeting, Seneca Niagara Casino offers one of the largest meeting spaces in Niagara Falls. Nordaby says, however, that two amenities that make the casino unique to the area - gambling and the ability to smoke indoors - tend to keep some groups away.

"The American Cancer Society holds a big black-tie affair every year and we know they won't come here," she says.

"We know we aren't going to get everybody, but the other thing that people forget is that because we are tax-free, we are going to save people some money, as well."

A creative spark

Other businesses highlight unique features of their respective facilities, including Hard Rock Cafe. Sales Manager Susan Swiatkowski says a challenges she faces is the lack of public awareness that there is meeting space on-site. She says most people think of the rock-and-roll-themed restaurant primarily as an eatery and tourist attraction.

"We've got the meeting room that holds 50 people comfortably," she says. "Then we have the Legends of Rock room as an additional meeting space. Both are equipped with the audiovisual equipment comparable to a typical meeting location."

Swiatkowski added that she can shut down the restaurant entirely for larger meetings, if needed.

"Another thing companies may not think of is that we are a perfect spot for breakfast meetings," she says. "We don't open for lunch until 11:30, so people looking to have an early-morning meeting will have the place all to themselves."

The biggest draw, in addition to its proximity to the Falls, is a unique atmosphere.

"If you feel that people could be a lot more creative and you could get more out of the day if your meeting was held in a room surrounded by legendary performers, I think the Hard Rock is perfect," she says. "People are trying to do a lot more with less these days, and I think our atmosphere is part of the appeal to offer your employees more than just a standard meeting room."

Spaces both large and traditional

With bookings for meeting space starting to rise across the board, Niagara Falls facilities seem to be carving out a niche in the local market. The Conference Center Niagara Falls, for example, says that niche is a more traditional conference and meeting center atmosphere.

Jill Scicchitano, general manager, says she focuses on the service aspect as much as the physical space.

"A lot of it has to do with the type of people we are, the service we offer and the environment we create," she says.

That environment, spread over 116,000 square feet, includes an amphitheater, 15 individual meeting rooms and an executive boardroom.

"We also have something that not too many people know about, which is our beautiful grand ballroom," Scicchitano says. "We can accommodate a banquet-style meeting for as many as 1,500 (people) and a classroom-style event for 2,000."

Add places such as Crowne Plaza Hotel and the newly remodeled Rapids Theater and business owners and meeting planners have plenty of options in the Cataract City.

John Hutchins, who spent nearly $2 million to purchase and renovate the theater, says he he is banking on there being enough business to go around.

"We have had a tremendous response since we opened, including hosting a number of business meetings and events," Hutchins says, "What sets us apart is the ambiance of the place. It is one-of-a-kind, second-to-none."