Venture into the wilderness for summer hiking and kayaking or winter snowshoeing and
cross-country skiing. Sound too ourdoorsy?
You can also simply enjoy the scenery from
the comfort of the Dakota County Parks
event facilities. Whether you want to get
your boots dirty or not, the unique spaces
and services here will allow you to get away
from it all and still enjoy the amenities of
an urban conference center. The intimate
Retreat Centers with on-site outdoor activities can accommodate groups of five to 40
while the Gathering Room at the Schaar’s
Bluff Gathering Center can host up to 75
and the Dakota Lodge holds 200.
“The main thing that sets us apart from
everyone else is the tranquil, casual setting
we offer folks for their meetings and events,”
says manager of public engagement Kim
Haars. “Everyone is amazed that such facilities exist within the metro area!” Events
hosted in these unique settings range from
daytime business meetings to weddings
to large parties or memorial services. The
“The main thing
that sets us apart from
everyone else is the
tranquil, casual setting we
offer folks for their
meetings and events”
top photo courtesy of dakota county parks; bottom photo courtesy of the shout house
Retreat Centers, which have typically been
used by youth and scout-related groups, are
becoming more popular among corporate
and family clients, Haars says. And although
they serve a variety of clients, Dakota County
Parks facilities try to cater to non-profit organizations with affordable rental rates and
are committed to continually making their
venues greener and more environmentally
friendly, Haars says.
LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL
Anyone who’s been out on the town in
Minneapolis knows The Shout House is
one of the liveliest after-hours joints in the
city. What people may not know is how easily you can put some of that Shout House
flavor—complete with dueling pianos—into
your next party or business event. Offering
in-house catering, a full bar, enough room
for 640 and its signature crowd-pleasing
entertainment, The Shout House has everything you need for a rousing good time.
“We are all about crowd participation,” says
SPECIAL SPONSORED SECTION
Dakota County Parks
The Shout House
sales and marketing manager Joe Wilkie.
“Our audience is as much a part of the show
as our talented musicians.”
Specializing in customized music and
comedy, on-stage roasts and teambuilding through comical sing-alongs, The Shout
House has served a wide range of clients
including Target, the Wisconsin Delegation
for the Republican National Convention and
RBC Dain Rauscher. Microsoft World Partners
even hosted more than 300 non-English
speaking guests at The Shout House. “I
knew we’d achieved our client’s expectations
when their guests were raising the roof and
shaking the walls, singing along to American
hits!” Wilkie says. And if your group can’t
come to The Shout House, let The Shout
House come to you, with off-site entertainment options that let you bring the musical
comedy to the venue of your choice.
FULL-SCALE PLANNING
When it comes to all-in-one event services,
look no further than metroConnections.
Offering conference services, event production and transportation and tours for nearly
25 years, metroConnections has helped a
variety of clients with many elements of event
production, from organizing teambuilding
events, sales meetings and incentive trips to
coordinating mass transportation and venue
selection. Whether it’s a family-owned business, Fortune 500 company or a non-profit,
metroConnections staffers will find the right
event and venue for their clients’ needs.
“It’s so important that the group fits
the venue or the activity,” says event sales
manager Pete Gnoza. “You can hardly have
a rousing casino night with 25 people, but
a Texas Hold ‘em tournament would be the
perfect activity in an intimate setting reminiscent of an old-time saloon.” That high
level of customization is one of metroConnections’ signature services, from incorporating client logos to custom-building event
props. Other interactive, themed events
metroConnections has planned include a
chili cook-off, game shows and ultimate survivor challenges. Events such as these make
teambuilding and training more enjoyable,
effective and interactive. And because they
work so well, metroConnections has invested in audience response technology that
allows guests to use handheld devices to
interact in a game show or team development activity. “Companies are using
the technology for everything from game
shows to team development sessions,”
Gnoza says. “We’re always developing new
interactive events and themes.” ■
