VisitCentralFlorida.org; @VisitCentralFL
From golf courses to theme parks, nature parks, and historic sites, Polk County’s offerings are as diverse as the people who visit, says Paul Smiley, director of conventions, meetings, and event sales for Visit Central Florida. “There aren’t many places where you can watch alligators in the wild in the morning, catch a Detroit Tigers Spring Training game in the afternoon, and spend the evening strolling around Frank Lloyd Wright architecture.”
In downtown Lakeland, the RP Funding Center is a multipurpose entertainment and event complex with 100,000 square feet of meeting and exhibit space, a 2,200-seat theater, and an 8,000-seat arena. Adjacent to the center, SpringHill Suites Lakeland features 4,029 square feet of event space. The 128-room Hyatt Place Lakeland Center has 1,000 square feet of function space, and The Terrace Hotel Lakeland, Tapestry by Hilton has 88 guest rooms and 3,185 square feet of function space. Streamsong Resort offers 228 guest rooms, more than 25,000 square feet of indoor meeting space, 60,000 square feet of outdoor venues, three award-winning golf courses and a short course, a full-service spa, and other amenities. Westgate River Ranch Resort & Rodeo is a Western-themed Dude Ranch with 200 lodging options, including a lodge, cabins, and a rail car, and 16,138 square feet of indoor event space.
