Meeting-goers moseying into tiny Elko
Tiny Elko, Nev., already known for having some of the largest ranches in the US, is not as well-recognized as a meeting arena. But that is changing.
Two or three new hotels are coming in, including a Marriott and a Candlewood Suites with convention space. The area already has 2,000 hotel rooms.
“I think we’re cost effective,” said Tom Lester, convention and tourism manager for the Elko Convention & Visitors Authority, citing one reason for the city’s growing popularity.
The small city is sometimes called a “diamond in the rough” for meeting-goers.
Once the terminus for the first commercial airmail flights in 1926, Elko today has a historic “Old West” downtown and is surrounded by the Ruby Mountains. That helps promote a variety of outdoor activities.
“We also have dude ranches nearby and wild canyon scenic byways and shopping in historic Elko and museums,” Lester said.
A major tourist attraction is the Western Folklife Center, which is the home of the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering every January. Participants range from Florida “crackers” to Creoles from Louisiana.
By David Wilkening
David
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