San Francisco is known as a center of innovation as well as a top meeting destination. Combine those two outstanding qualities and you get an idea of what to expect for the 2015 Meeting Professionals International World Education Congress (MPI WEC).
To be held from Aug. 1-4 at Moscone Center, WEC will also have associated networking events throughout the City by the Bay. Some 2,000 people are expected to attend the MPI WEC in San Francisco.
MPI is the largest global meeting and event industry association with approximately 18,500 members belonging to 70 chapters and clubs worldwide. WEC is MPI’s signature event through which it delivers premier education, business and networking opportunities.
The Opening Night Celebration on Saturday, Aug. 1 will be held at PIER 48, located just across McCovey Cove from AT&T Park, home of the 2014 World Champion San Francisco Giants.
“With its spectacular views of the waterfront, Bay Bridge and the city skyline, PIER 48 is truly the perfect venue to welcome our global attendees and get them excited about being in San Francisco,” said Stephen Revetria, vice president and general manager, Giants Enterprises; co-chair of the 2015 MPI WEC Host Committee; chairman elect of the MPI Foundation and current chair of the San Francisco Travel Association board of directors.
“Our goal is to host a jaw-dropping event that showcases everything our world-renowned city is known for,” he added.
Hosted by the MPI Foundation, The Big Deal poker party will be held at City View, a gorgeous indoor/outdoor venue overlooking Yerba Buena Gardens. The winner of this fundraising poker competition will proceed to the 2015 World Series of Poker Main Event.
The MPI Foundation’s popular Rendezvous fundraiser and networking event will be held at the historic Fillmore, where greats like James Brown, Ike and Tina Turner, Jefferson Airplane, the Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix and The Who were just the first of generations to rock the house.
The Closing Night Celebration on Tuesday, Aug. 4 is sure to leave a lasting impression on attendees as only San Francisco can. Held in and around San Francisco’s elegant and historic City Hall, the evening will include multiple live entertainment and dancing venues, a full-size Ferris wheel and more.
“I don’t want to give it away, but the closing event will have a real ‘wow’ factor,” said Joe D’Alessandro, president and CEO, San Francisco Travel Association and 2015 MPI WEC co-chair.
All of the committees and chairs are hard at work, preparing to make 2015 the best year yet for MPI’s WEC. Hundreds of volunteers are being recruited to help welcome attendees and fine tune all the details.
San Francisco last hosted MPI’s WEC in August 2003 when it was one of the inaugural groups to meet in Moscone West.
Event and hotel registration is now open at www.mpiweb.org/wec.
The MPI room block includes hotels all with different price points, all within walking distance of Moscone Center. Attendees can enjoy a short, healthy walk while supporting the local green lifestyle.
Held annually, WEC attracts the most phenomenal people in the global meeting and event community – including corporate, third party, and association planners, suppliers, students, hospitality faculty and more. In fact, event data shows that after WEC, 75 percent of attending planners were more likely to book an event in the WEC destination.
