Conference & Workshops

By Jo McCulty The Blackwell (left) is connected at street level to the Pfahl Executive Conference Center (right).

The Blackwell changes the face of conferencing at OSU

By Randy Gammage, onCAMPUS staff

With the June 1 opening of the Blackwell, a new 151-room upscale executive hotel, the Fisher College of Business now has a fully integrated campus within a campus that can serve undergraduate, graduate and executive students.

After enduring approximately eight years of construction and even more time planning, the college is settled into its six state-of-the art, technology-packed buildings that anchor a significant section of land at the corner of Tuttle Park Place and Neil Avenue.

The future of the Fisher College, however, is still unfolding.

"The issue, now that the facilities are in place, is how well we leverage them to serve our clients," said Dean Joseph Alutto.

For starters, he said, the new buildings have created a sense of community for students and a way for them to connect with the college, as evidenced by a series of festivals hosted by Fisher undergraduates in the college's courtyard.

The Blackwell will assist in developing Fisher College's role in the global community, helping the college expand its executive education and training programs that already attract 4,000 executives from all over the world each year. Alutto said he has been contacted by a number of firms delighted about the opening of the Blackwell, some of which had previously deferred from sending executives to Fisher College for training because of a lack of upscale lodging on campus.

And the facilities are escalating the college's recruitment efforts, attracting top-notch students and executives who are looking to recruit OSU graduates. A stay at the Blackwell, Alutto said, coupled with a 20-minute walking tour that takes in such rich University traditions as Ohio Stadium, Orton Hall and the Wexner Center, gives executives a much better sense of what Ohio State is all about.

"Because of the quality of the Blackwell, it sends a clear message as to the aspirations of Ohio State and its ability to function as a world-class leader," Alutto said.

Photo by Al Zanyk Roger and Tina Blackwell descend the main stairway of the new facility during the June 6 dedication of the Blackwell. Fisher College Dean Joseph Alutto walks behind them.

Aside from the external possibilities, Alutto noted that the $7 million gift from Roger Blackwell, a member of the college's marketing faculty for whom the hotel is named, demonstrates the love faculty have for Ohio State.

"There's a lot of symbolism in Roger's gift," Alutto said. "In an era where faculty often talk about picking up and leaving at the promise of a better opportunity, he has committed himself to the University for more than 30 years, and has taught more than 65,000 students in that time. I think the symbolism in that is important to Ohio State, and not just the Fisher College."

Construction on the Blackwell began in August 2000 and was completed June 1, at a cost of $30 million.

One of the few independent hotels in the area, the Blackwell is managed through a special arrangement between the Fisher College of Business and the Hospitality and Conference Services of the Office of Student Affairs.

With high-speed Internet connectivity in all guest rooms, conference rooms on each floor, and fax machines and DVD players in some rooms, the Blackwell is designed to operate seamlessly with Fisher College's executive education programs and the Pfahl Executive Conference Center. The two buildings are connected at the street level along Tuttle Park Place.

The hotel is also taking reservations from the public.

General Manager Doug Koyle said rooms are available for all weekends for the 2002 football season, and added that many parents have booked rooms for the summer orientation sessions.

The Blackwell already has enough bookings to cover more than one-third of the necessary revenue for its first fiscal year, Koyle said, with approximately 20 percent of business related to the Fisher College and its executive education programs, and 80 percent consisting of other University bookings, executive and leisure travelers and the general public. Those percentages are expected to change as the executive education programs grow.

Photo courtesy of Fisher College   The front desk and elegant staircase help create an inviting atmosphere at the Blackwell.

The 2110 restaurant, located in the lower level of the Pfahl Executive Conference Center, is positioned to serve the public as well as conference participants and Blackwell guests. A breakfast buffet will be offered every day, with a lunch buffet on weekdays. Dinner will feature more of a fine dining atmosphere, complete with white tablecloths and an upscale menu, Koyle said.

The name is the same as the address for the Blackwell -- 2110 Tuttle Park Place.

"It gives the restaurant a unique characteristic, and reflects the restaurant's seamless connection with the Blackwell and the executive conference center," Koyle said.

Led by Roger Garland, executive chef, 2110 offers a dining experience that reflects the best from California, Caribbean and Midwest cuisine, along with desserts and the Blackwell Blend coffee. Other dining experiences include High Tea, featuring mini-pastries and traditional teatime sandwiches, a flambe cart for special meals and 24-hour room service for guests at the Blackwell.

Koyle said the Blackwell will help Fisher College serve the Ohio State community in many ways. For example, campus events will be held in the 300-seat ballroom; departments can accommodate guest lecturers or other guests in the hotel; and faculty, staff and students can socialize in the lounge area and bar, with breakfast pastries and coffees available in the morning from 2110. Koyle said rooms are easy to book with a departmental account number.

Room rates run up to $199 per night, but stand at $139 per night for Ohio State faculty or staff.

Photo courtesy of Fisher College   The elegant furnishings in the lounge help create an inviting atmosphere at the Blackwell.

Accommodations at the Blackwell include:

• 151 guestrooms, including one presidential suite, six conference suites and nine executive lofts;

• multiple Ethernet (Internet) connections and multiple phone lines with conference call features in all guestrooms;

• a fitness room with cardiovascular equipment;

• a terrace that can be tented for outdoor seating of up to 500;

• a gift shop, featuring Fisher College and Ohio State memorabilia;

• portable language translation equipment; and

• valet parking, using 91 rented spaces in the Tuttle garage.

"Parking is probably the first hurdle we have to clear with our meeting planners," Koyle said.

He said measures have been taken to maintain a courteous, professional atmosphere at the Blackwell, starting with a contract with University Security Services for security during evening hours and special events. A uniformed doorman and bell captain will be on duty at the main entrance, which is the only access for the general public. The hotel also will have a concierge, providing traditional reservation services in addition to more University-specific services, such as assisting with directions around campus, helping donors set up meetings, and providing athletic game times and ticket information.

For further information about the Blackwell, visit the Web at theblackwell.com. For reservations, call 247-4000 or (866) 247-4003 (toll free).

file photo The Fawcett Center is planning renovations to attract more conference and meeting business.

Committing to conferences

Fawcett Center to pack technology into old and new meeting spaces

The closing of the Fawcett Center's hotel operation in favor of an expanded, high-tech conference facility and services also marks a return to its roots.

"The mission of the Fawcett Center has always been to support the University's role as a facilitator of lifelong learning, which was the vision of our namesake, former OSU President Novice Fawcett," said Diane Whitbeck, assistant vice president for conference and hospitality services in the Office of Student Affairs. "He wanted to provide a center and an environment where continued learning could occur."

Jane Fawcett Hoover, Fawcett's daughter, has expressed interest in spearheading a fund-raising effort to help generate $2 million to $3 million in funds needed for the renovation, Whitbeck said.

Improvements currently being conceptualized by architects include significant technology enhancements, renovation of an east wing from office space into new conference rooms, and an overall cosmetic facelift to the entire facility.

"Ultimately, in a couple of years when you walk in the front door of the Fawcett Center, everything will look new to you," Whitbeck said.

Oxley's restaurant and the catering operation will continue to offer a wide range of food service options. The existing 500-seat auditorium and ballroom, current meeting space, and several new board room-style meeting spaces for groups of 15 to 25 will further expand the Fawcett Center's conference capabilities.

"By consolidating meeting rooms on one floor and expanding the square footage available for conferences, we expect to be able to accommodate a larger number and range of conferences and special events," Whitbeck said.

The hotel will close in September. Seventy guest rooms on floors 6-10 will be converted to office space, with the Fawcett Center's current tenants -- University Development, Conference and Hospitality Services, and WOSU radio and television stations -- all benefiting from a shuffling of additional work space.

Whitbeck said the reconfiguration comes at a time when the 70-room hotel was doing quite well: A 69 percent occupancy rate and an average room rate of $75 a night are considered very good numbers in the hotel business.

"If we would have been a 200- or 300-room hotel we would have been a booming business," Whitbeck said.

Instead, daily operating expenses were being covered but capital reserves for improvements were scarce.

While the conference business was doing fairly well, adding the technology needed to address the conferencing needs of the 21st century will certainly elevate business, Whitbeck said. Meeting rooms will have furniture with built-in Internet connections, modern videoconferencing and projection equipment, and smart podiums that allow presenters to control lighting, microphones and audiovisual equipment with the touch of a button.

"The technology will give conference groups a great deal of flexibility," Whitbeck said. "Last- minute changes in technology demands can be accommodated at the touch of a button."

Currently, the Fawcett Center is more suited for the traditional overhead projector and chalkboard meetings of the 1980s.

"A microphone and a podium were about all you needed to conduct a meeting," Whitbeck said.

But then, as the 1990s unfolded, conference participants began showing up with laptop computers, and PowerPoint presentations, videoconferencing and teleconferencing became the trend. Later, conference participants demanded high-speed Internet connections.

"We're finding that we're having to go out and rent equipment to accommodate these high-technology needs, and sometimes that gets awkward," Whitbeck said, referring to less than desirable connections and wiring.

Most of the new audiovisual equipment will be built right into the meeting room. In the long run, the technology upgrades will save money, because staff will not be needed to move the equipment around.

Whitbeck said the renovated Fawcett Center would be a welcome addition.

"I think we will be in much better financial condition and will be of much greater use to the University," she said.

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