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There is a wide
array of appealing cultural, historical, and entertainment attractions in
Oklahoma City, the state capital and heart of the region’s pioneer spirit.
From museums, zoos, and botanical conservatories to nightclubs, unique
shops, and amusement parks, the city has something for everyone.
A striking example of the city’s urban vitality is the conversion of a
blighted warehouse district into one of the most popular entertainment
destinations in the Southwest. In Bricktown, visitors can walk from shop
to shop or club to club for a mile along an urban canal, or relax on a
water-taxi to take in the sights at ease.
The city celebrates Oklahoma’s Western and Native American heritage in
museums and art galleries, and keeps the tradition alive with the world’s
largest stocker/feeder livestock market where real cowboys wrangle cattle
being sold at auction. More “genteel” tastes can be satisfied with visits
to attractions such as the Photography Hall of Fame, the Kirkpatrick
Planetarium, or the spectacular Myriad Gardens Botanical Conservatory
located right downtown.
The National Memorial & Museum, commemorating those who died, those who
survived, and those who were dramatically changed by the 1995 bombing of
the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building remains a popular destination for
visitors from around the world.
The name “Oklahoma” is taken from the Choctaw “okla,” meaning “red,” and “homma,”
meaning “people,” literally, “red people.” The state became the new home
of thousands of displaced Native Americans when tribes from all over the
growing nation were forcibly relocated to “Indian Territory” in the 1880s.
The state still has the second largest population of Native Americans of
all the states.
Oklahoma City was founded during the land run of 1889, and was at the
heart of early rough-and-tumble state history. When Oklahoma became the
46th state in 1907, the capital was located in Guthrie. In keeping with an
Oklahoma pioneer tradition of skirting the rules, it has been said that
proponents of moving the state capital to Oklahoma City spirited away the
state seal from Guthrie in the dark of night, June 11, 1910, and installed
the capital in Oklahoma City.
The veracity of this often repeated story is doubtful, but it would
certainly be in the tradition of the “Boomers” who trespassed into the
“Unassigned Lands” in the 1880s, and the “Sooners” who crept into the area
prior to the official start of the 1889 land run to stake prime claims
ahead of 50,000 homesteaders who made the run legally. Nearly 10,000 of
those people claimed land near the Oklahoma Station—now Oklahoma City.
Oklahoma City now covers 625 square miles with a metro population of more
than a million, coming in as the 47th largest metro area in the 2000 US
census. It is a highly urbanized center rising at the edge of the Great
Plains.
Accommodations
The Renaissance Oklahoma City Convention Center Hotel is within easy
walking distance of “Bricktown,” the former warehouse district reborn as a
tourist destination. The hotel has 311 “Rooms That Work,” and features 33
meeting rooms as well as a full service business center. The NALA
exhibition area is located adjacent to convention meeting rooms to
encourage maximum exposure and traffic flow for exhibitors.
Contact the hotel directly for your guest room
accommodations. You may call the toll-free number at (800) 859-6877 and
advise the hotel that you are with the NALA convention in order to get our
special rates. You may also register through the hotel's web site.
The group reservation code is "nalnala."
If you are calling in, the code is "NAL."
Please use these codes, to ensure the correct
guest room rate is applied for you.
You are encouraged to book your rooms early. Reservations
must be confirmed by June 19, 2008. Reservations received after 5:00 p.m.
local time at the hotel on June 19 will be accepted at the group rate
based on availability.
The following special rates will apply July 25–August 2:
Single/Double Occupancy: $149
Suites: Single or Double: $189
Rates are subject to state and local taxes (approximately 14%)
Deposits: A deposit equal to a one-night stay is required to hold
each individual reservation. Upon check-in, the deposit will be applied to
the first night of the stay. Deposits paid are refundable if notice is
received at least 48 hours prior to arrival. Be sure to obtain a
cancellation number if you must cancel a reservation. The deposit will be
charged for “no shows.”
Early Departure Fee: In the event a guest checks out prior to the
reserved checkout date, an early departure fee of $50 will be assessed. Be
sure to check your arrival and departure dates when confirming your room
reservation and again when checking in. Advise the hotel at or before
check-in of any change in the scheduled length of stay.
Airline
Travel and
Security Information
For airline reservations, you must mention that you are traveling to the
NALA convention, and the contract number or ID code will be required, in
order to receive the discount. If you plan to travel by American Airlines
and have found a great rate on an Internet Web site, be sure to call AA
before you purchase over the Internet. Our agreement with them gives you
an additional five percent off the lowest applicable fare, or 10 percent
off the full coach fare when you reference Discount/promotion Code:
A2678AT. Some
fares are lower than discounted rates and are not eligible for additional
discounts. To book with American Airlines, you may book online at
www.aa.com, and use the promotion code.
You may also call the American Airlines Meeting Service Desk at
800-433-1790. There is a $15 ticket fee for bookings through the American
Airlines Meeting Service Desk.
There are several
internet services offering discounted airfares. These include:
www.bookingbuddy.com,
www.travelocity.com and
www.priceline.com. Booking
buddy offers a service that compares airfares from various sources.
If you want
the latest security advisories and answers to frequently asked questions
about travel security measures, we suggest a visit to the Travel Bulletin
Central Web site at www.tsa.gov.
American Airlines
Contract/File Number: A2678AT
(800) 433-1790
Avis Rent a Car
File number: J659991
Reservations: (800) 331-1600 |
