Beyond the Boundaries!

by Danny Summers

This week begins our roll-out of plans for The Fall Event 2022 in Kansas City, Missouri. Let me start by saying I am confident this will rival the very best in The Group's history. Just think about the very best Fall Event you have experienced and know this will be even better!

It's all coming together in Kansas City... the location with so many wonderful things to do, our hotel and its character and location - just a block from dozens of great restaurants and shops, plus amazing Garden Centers to explore on Tour Day. Kansas City has it all and September 19-22 will be a wonderful time for all of us to share, learn and grow!

While St. Louis may be known as the gateway to the west, Kansas City quickly became known as a point of departure in the early to mid 1800's. It was the trailheads for three major trails... the Santa Fe, Oregon, and California Trails. They all began here. If you have family who settled in the west in the 1800's, then most likely they came through Kansas City. This is part of why we created the "Beyond the Boundaries" theme for The Fall Event 2022. I must admit, for me, there is a special connection to Kansas City as it is the place my grandparents first met. Chet Summers was from Callao, Missouri and Ruby Bales was from Fort Scott, Kansas. These two teenagers each boarded a train and headed to the "big city". They met and were married in Kansas City on Jan 10, 1914.

But there is more to the "Beyond the Boundaries" theme. Our Centers have been through a lot over the past two-plus years and Garden Retailing is continuing to evolve. Recognizing and adapting to the evolution in order to maximize each Center's potential will take skill and knowledge. This is why sharing skill and knowledge at The Fall Event and through The Group's everyday systems is so important. Exploring "Beyond the Boundaries" of where we've been and what we know now will help you set your trail for the future.

REGISTRATION NOW OPEN
Starting today, we invite you to register for The Fall Event 2022. Some plans are still being finalized and will be added in the coming weeks. Remember, last year we reached SOLD OUT status so reserve your position early. Simply follow the REGISTER NOW button to see our schedule and program details for The Fall Event 2022.

The InterContinental Hotel at The Plaza
Our Group Hotel Block is Now Open. This will be a special place for The Fall Event 2022 not only for all the special character this hotel features, but its location. It is just across Brush Creek from The Plaza (short for The Country Club Plaza), which was the first planned, suburban shopping center in the United States and was constructed in the early 1920s by Kansas City real estate developer J. C. Nichols (more to share about Nichols in later GROUPtalks). A central figure in Kansas City’s history, Nichols designed The Plaza in a unified, Spanish architectural style and was created to be automobile friendly with wide roads and ample parking. Today, The Plaza is Kansas City's premier shopping area, home to the finest restaurants and shops.

Before you make your hotel reservations, be sure to visit our Best of Kansas City page to explore all the possibilities to see and do if you come early or stay over. There are some amazing museums such as The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art (only a few blocks from the hotel) where you will be face-to-face with Claude Monet's Water Lillies (below) or their world-famous collection of Asian and modern art. Have you ever been face-to-face with a Rembrandt painting? You can at Nelson-Atkins. I'll be sharing more about Nelson-Atkins in an upcoming GROUPtalk.

The National WWI Museum is a few miles away next door to The Money Museum located at the Federal Reserve. Then there's the American Jazz Museum with the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum just next door and the National Airline History Museum at the airport as well. And if trains are of interest, be sure to see the iconic Union Station, completed in 1914 and still very active today. If baseball is on your mind, the KC Royals will be in town starting that Tuesday evening. And, don't forget Kansas City has more unbelievable public fountains than any city in the world except Rome, Italy... over 200. Details can be found on our Best of Kansas City page.

The bottom line...before you make your hotel and travel plans, be sure to check out all the optional things you can explore. Our hotel block rate is offered 2 days before and after The Fall Event, based on availability. At the minimum, Sunday or Thursday afternoon would be a perfect time to explore more of Kansas City!

Watch for more details on The Fall Event 2022 Program in the coming weeks here in GROUPtalk and added to our websystem. Just follow the Register Now button above to see details and get started.

We hope to see you in Kansas City!

Mark Your Calendar - September 19-22, 2022 - You'll be busy and out of town!