The ANN Conference Committee is ple
ased to announce that the 2017 conference will be held in Minneapolis, MN at the Crowne Plaza Minneapolis Northstar Downtown, on July 28-30, 2017. In addition to the polls conducted online (and thank you for all of you who participated!) many factors contributed to the selection of this city. Listed below are factors considered in the selection process, with a goal of seeing as many of you at 2017 Conference as possible!
- Hotel Cost. We were able to negotiate room rates at $99/night, which includes internet access and parking (1st car).
- Airfare Cost. Minneapolis-St. Paul airport (MSP) is about 15 miles away from the hotel. MSP is a hub for Delta and Sun Country airlines. Additionally, the low cost carrier Southwest offers many flights per day from the east and west coasts and from points south.
- Transportation from airport to hotel – availability and cost. Conference attendees can catch the Blue Line light rail from Minneapolis-St. Paul airport that will take them downtown to one block from the hotel. Cost is $1.75 one-way; the ride will take about 23 minutes.
- Location of hotel – downtown with attractions within walking distance and easy public transportation. A Blue Line light rail (METRO) stop is a block away from the hotel.
- Polls results – member and Facebook. Minneapolis placed 6th of 27 on the member poll and 15th of 31 on the FB poll. Although Minneapolis was not the top city on either poll, it had enough interest that it was not ruled out.
- Tourist city – Minneapolis is ranked 19th among the top big cities for tourism by Travel and Leisure in 2016.
- Weather – In the summer months, average high temperatures are in the low to mid 80s and low temperatures are in the mid 60s. Temperatures are comparable to other nearby metropolitan areas like Chicago.
We are very excited about this location, and feel it will be a great site for the 2017 conference! A bit of history: our second highest attended conference was in Minneapolis in 2001 (the highest was last year in New Orleans!). We look forward to seeing you there!
