Photo by Tom Alexander

High numbers for High Country Conference Center

The High Country Conference Center at Flagstaff reached some high plateaus since it opened its shiny doors last spring.

"The conference center is doing better than expected," said Jane Kuhn, associate vice president for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs. "We expected to pay a $110,249 management subsidy as the conference center got rolling, but instead we profited beyond the payback by more than $45,000."

Notable events at the center included the Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra's gala with the Glenn Miller Orchestra, Flagstaff Medical Center's Turquoise Ball and the 35th Western Regional Honors Council Conference.

"Its large size and great food sets it apart," Kuhn said. "Plus it is right next to the Drury Inn, which is convenient for conference goers."

More than 83 events and 18,674 guests experienced the center's 22-foot-wide fireplace built from native stone and its 25,000 square feet of space featuring a grand ballroom that divides into five separate, sound-protected rooms. The second floor also accommodates a boardroom and breakout meeting space. Glass walls provide conference goers a view of nearby mountains.

An 80-foot covered bridge connects the conference center to a 158-room Drury Inn & Suites. The hotel features an indoor pool and workout room, complimentary breakfast and evening reception. It also has five meeting rooms that can accommodate nearly 300 people.

Besides providing a place "Where Work Meets Wonderful," as its slogan touts, the center also provides a hefty impact to the local economy, Kuhn said.