Aurora is a prime destination for groups hosting small- and medium-size meetings with 500 attendees or less, offering easy accessibility, regional flair, and diverse venues. Planners also can go big with Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center, featuring 1,501 guest rooms and suites and more than 500,000 square feet of function space. “Aurora is a city on the verge of major growth,” says Amber Hejduk, director of sales for Visit Aurora. “New hotels, entertainment venues, restaurants, and retail developments continue to emerge, making it a destination that’s evolving rapidly.”
Vibe: Beyond boardrooms and ballrooms, Aurora has 103 picturesque parks, 119 miles of scenic trails, and 10 golf courses for getting outdoors. The city’s dynamic food scene with 400-plus restaurants serving global cuisine can be paired with innovative craft beers and ciders to give attendees a taste of Aurora. “Aurora offers the best of Colorado with wide-open spaces, incredible outdoor experiences, and a genuine sense of place that, combined with a meeting infrastructure, make planning easy,” Hejduk says.
Transportation: There is hardly a time when something new isn’t in the works or being introduced at Denver International Airport, located about 10 miles from Aurora. As the country’s fourth-busiest airport in terms of passenger numbers, Denver International Airport has nonstop flights to 231 destinations worldwide. The airport’s recent Gate Expansion Program that wrapped in 2022 added 39 gates, a new American Airlines club, and more, while the Great Hall Program currently underway aims to update ticketing space and add a new security checkpoint, among other refreshes to be completed next year.
Hotels: Visit Aurora works with 68 hotel properties that have more than 11,500 guest rooms. While Gaylord Rockies is a flagship resort, the city offers additional strong options, including Hyatt Regency Aurora-Denver Conference Center, Denver Airport Marriott at Gateway Park, DoubleTree by Hilton Aurora, and The Benson Hotel & Faculty Club. “Together, these properties offer a range of styles and capacities, providing planners with a variety of options to suit their goals and group profile,” Hejduk shares.
Venues: Stanley Marketplace, a converted aviation factory, serves as a memorable dine-around option and place for internationally themed cooking classes at Create Kitchen & Bar. The Local Drive Hangar within the market features 12 Trackman-powered golf bays, two bars, and more than 10,000 square feet of space spread across two levels, as well as an outdoor patio and adjacent sand volleyball court. Elsewhere, Cerebral Brewing, Cheluna Brewing Co., and Second Dawn Brewing Co. are well-versed in hosting groups, along with the Arapahoe County Fairgrounds Event Center, which provides over 50,000 square feet of indoor gathering space and multiple lawns for outdoor functions.
Must-Sees & -Dos: If getting outside is a priority, Cherry Creek State Park has an 880-acre reservoir for water sports, 35 miles of trails, an amphitheater that holds up to 100 people, and the Smoky Hill and Dixon Grove shelters that each accommodate up to 250. Give attendees a taste of the West by booking 12 Mile Stables for trail rides, horse-drawn hayrides, and Western-style meals for groups of five to 250 at the park.
