After a few hundred conferences you learn the difference between a venue that looks right and one that runs right. These twelve questions sort them fast.
The room
- Is the plenary purpose-built (tiered, sightlines, acoustics) or a flat ballroom with a stage?
- How many breakout rooms — and are they under the same roof? (SMC: up to eleven, three levels, one lift ride)
- What's the real turnaround time between layouts?
The tech
- What projection and sound are built into the room? (Grand Lodge: broadcast-grade AV; Banquet Hall: Panasonic 12,000-lumen laser)
- Bandwidth: dedicated or shared? Ours is up to 1 Gbps, dedicated
- Is there in-room tech support on the day — or a phone number?
The people
- Is catering in-house, and can breaks flex when sessions overrun?
- Are all spaces genuinely accessible — stage included?
- One event coordinator across venue, catering and AV — or three suppliers to juggle?
- Can delegates get hotel rates nearby? (SMC partners offer 10–15% off)
- What's the transport story for 550 people at 5:30pm?
Work through it now
Or answer three questions in the Event Builder and see your whole conference laid out room by room.
