Central Oregon tops the list for its ideal Oregon conference centers. With its incomparable natural beauty and a myriad of resorts, hotels and event venues to choose from, this is the place for memorable meetings and conferences, large and small. Where else can you and your attendees brainstorm in breakout sessions and then book a guided tour to explore the Cascade mountains, rivers and lakes? Or tap into the countless breweries that led to Bend, Oregon’s affectionate nickname, ‘Beer City’? Whether it’s a day workshop or a weeklong corporate event, Central Oregon can’t be beat for places to meet.
Great minds think alike! Beyond its hotels and resorts. Central Oregon is also home to college campuses, organizations, start-ups and more that create a diversity of options for meeting spaces and conference rooms to rent. Depending on your event’s format, these venues offer distinct conference climates to fit your needs:
Conveniently located on Bend, Oregon’s central west side, Oregon State University’s Cascades campus features state-of-the-art facility rentals for conferences of up to 100 people. In addition to two main meeting venues, their residence hall gives groups an overnight option for multi-day events, and the campus’ dining services offers catering.
Central Oregon Community College also rents conference rooms and classrooms on its four campuses. A unique conference solution with its closer driving proximity to Portland (a 2 ½-hour drive), COCC’s Madras campus rents out its 50-person Community room and four classrooms. The Redmond campus also has a Community Room, plus 13 classrooms that seat an average of 30 people, and three large and small conference rooms.
Looking for something downtown? The full sized gym at the Boys & Girls Club of Bend is located in a beautiful historic building right in downtown Bend. It’s central location makes it a great choice for private events, parties, sports practices, and more. Availability is on a first-come-first-serve basis for weekends and weekday morning/evenings, so don’t miss out.
Only three to four minutes from the Redmond airport, the Deschutes Fair and Expo Center can host a wide range of conferences and events, and can’t be matched for its ability to accommodate large numbers of attendees. Their massive Three Sisters Conference Center alone comprises three event spaces that add up to 10 breakout rooms, 175 booth spaces and up to 3, 748 people. Add the High Desert Activity Center and First Interstate Bank event venues, and the Expo Center boasts 450 booths. With panoramic views of the Cascades, meticulously manicured grounds and more than 100 acres of parking, they also offer full food and beverage catering.
For a lively, intimate meeting space, consider the 1001 Event Space at the Tech Center on the near west side of Bend, Oregon. For up to 80 people, this business co-op venue rents its multifunctional space that’s ideal for product launch parties, corporate meetings, seminars and workshops. Their partner, Thump Coffee, has a cafe that can offer a full bar, beer, wine, coffee, teas and light food items for a hassle free and friendly experience.
15 minutes south of Bend and just a few minutes north of Sunriver, award-winning High Desert Museum, is another one-of-a-kind conference or event space for up to 100 people. The natural history, cultural and wildlife exhibits are just a few of the reasons this meeting space will inspire guests and generate great ideas.
The Environmental Center (TEC) has a convenient downtown Bend location where up to 85 attendees can walk to some of the great restaurants in Central Oregon, and offers a peaceful sanctuary for workshops and weekend retreats. It has two conference spaces and a lovely garden for lunch breaks and breakout sessions.
And, speaking of beer city…sweeping views from Worthy Brewing’s complex on the east side of Bend, Oregon are just the things you need to get your employees bonding. They offer three rental spaces inside, with the restaurant’s tasty food and beverage catering just around the corner, literally.
Central Oregon Hotel Conference Rooms
With numerous Hotels in Central Oregon to host the area’s near 700,00 annual visitors, we’ve compiled a list of top conference venues that offer inspiring spaces for multi-day to single day events. Many of the hotels with meeting rooms in Bend are just minutes walking distance to some of the finest restaurants in Central Oregon, and many offer on-site dining to make your meeting as savory as the conversations.
A former 1936 elementary school, St. Francis School McMenamins offers an eclectic, downtown Bend setting for meetings, conferences and events. Accommodating up to 120 people, they offer several unique venues for big and small groups, comfy guest rooms and, of course, signature McMenamins fare in its pub restaurant.
The Doubletree Inn by Hilton in Bend’s historic district offers three meeting rooms for up to 117 people, and walking access to downtown restaurants, shopping and peaceful riverside Drake Park.
In the middle of Bend’s buzzing downtown scene and shop hopping, the four-diamond Oxford Hotel’s downstairs meeting room can host up to 150 seats, and their high-end cuisine translates into a bar-none fully catered event.
Tucked amidst tall ponderosas in Sisters, Oregon, Five Pine Lodge and Conference Center is a straight 30 minute shot from the Redmond airport and 25 minutes from Bend. Two large meeting rooms deliver a 250-guest capacity, with a 14-person executive board room and additional event space for breakout rooms. They also offer comprehensive on-site catering and cool guest amenities, like complimentary cruiser bikes and evening beer and wine receptions.
Also close to Bend’s entertainment and eateries, both the Residence Inn and Red Lion Inn & Suites offer meeting rooms that can accommodate up to about 50 people for smaller business meetings.
Five minutes from downtown Bend on the Deschutes River, Riverhouse Convention Center is Central Oregon’s largest single event space to host a conference. Its massive Cascade Ballroom can accommodate up to 1600 attendees. Adjacent to the Ballroom is their Currents building and Riverhouse Suites, which offers two large meeting spaces that can be divided into breakout rooms. Its onsite restaurant offers full catering services.
Meeting Rooms at Central
Oregon resorts
If your planning process involves making your conference into a multi-day corporate retreat, Central Oregon’s premiere resorts deliver an immersive experience your attendees won’t soon forget.
Just minutes from downtown Bend, Oregon, Tetherow Resort tops the list for golf courses in Central Oregon with its David McLay Kidd championship golf course. It only makes sense their facilities offer an ultimate corporate retreat experience. Their modern, massive Event Pavilion brings the outdoors in with huge walls of windows and retractable glass doors. Or, get the creative juices flowing in one of Tetherow’s state-of-the-art outdoor cabanas; These private spaces circling an inspiring fire pit are wired for workspaces; with comfortable seating, adjustable privacy screens, heaters, adjustable roofs, and power outlets. Newberry-Zaal Banquet Hall and the Event Pavilion hold up to 500 guests, and they also have a 16-person executive board room with customizable AV and seating arrangements.
Black Butte Ranch, 20 minutes north of Western-style Sisters, Oregon, boasts the closest driving access from the west side of the Cascade mountains, and is only 40 minutes from the Redmond airport. In a peaceful, natural setting in the mountains, hosting small group meetings and events is Black Butte Ranch’s forté. Its impressive lodge accommodates up to 150 people, with two meeting rooms, a banquet room, and their Lodge bistro for delicious on-site dining.
With a massive capacity and abundance of conference venues, Sunriver Resort is a coveted location not just as a top golf destination, but also for many global organizations’ annual meetings. 44,600 square feet of premiere, flexible space meeting facilities offer countless conference room configurations that can accommodate up to approximately 4,600 people: The expansive Sage Springs Pavilion can host 1,998, the historic Great Hall 500, and many other large banquet halls, galleries and outdoor spaces accommodate 175- 656. With full service catering at your beck and call, an array of accommodations, four award-winning golf courses plus all of their onsite activities, you’re guaranteed a successful retreat.
Juniper Preserve in Powell Butte, just 35 minutes northeast of Bend can accommodate 120 to 150 participants. With nationally renowned golf courses and unparalleled dining and spa treatments, Juniper Preserve offers a one-of-a-kind experience for smaller retreats near Bend. Smaller executive teams can focus in the austere Chantrelle suite and their Fireside/Sunstone building for intimate, productive and sessions. After bonding in one of Juniper Preserve’s customized team building activities, guests can check off their golf bucket list playing a few rounds on the Jack Nicklaus and Tom Fazio courses and discover why Travel + Leisure voted this the #1 Golf Community in the Country.”
A mere 15 minutes from the Redmond airport, Eagle Crest Resort is another large-capacity conference venue where guests can stay overnight in one of their 100 rooms or 50 vacation rental units. Their Golden Eagle Ballroom and Juniper Hall banquet rooms hold up to 785 people. Plus, they have up to nine breakout sessions and board rooms. Plus, attendees have access to one of Central Oregon’s premiere golf courses for a few rounds after your round-table discussions.
When the venue options are many, the outdoor fun unparalleled and getting here is easy, it’s clear why Central Oregon’s the place to be for successful, rewarding events. Meeting adjourned!
