The evening kicked off with a selection of savory appetizers, before Blanchard and his musicians mesmerized the audience with powerful jazz renditions of classic movie scores such as Jerry Goldsmith's "Chinatown".  The evening concluded with champagne, a luscious dessert buffet, and the general consensus among guests that the opening of the Telluride Conference Center had brought a new crown jewel to the region.

�The launching of the center in conjunction with the Jazz Festival presented the ideal opportunity to showcase our exceptional performance and production capabilities,� said John Burchmore, Executive Director of the Telluride Conference Center. �I think we demonstrated how this exciting new venue can be used for multiple purposes, and how it can appeal to the type of meetings that corporate, incentive and association groups are conducting nowadays.� 

Set in the heart of the town of Mountain Village, the Telluride Conference Center is
a long-awaited addition to this attractive mountain village resort community.  Nestled amidst luxury accommodations and thriving shops and restaurants, the Telluride Conference Center is just steps away from the ski slopes, a championship 18-hole golf course and the gondola, which connects the modern, European-style town of Mountain Village to the historic Victorian town of Telluride.

The newest conference center of its kind in the Rocky Mountains, the Conference Center was designed for a diversity of uses and will serve community needs that range from the performing arts to meetings and conferences as large as 550 people. This magnificently appointed, 11,000-square-foot facility is a flexible, comfortable and stylish meeting space that offers a grand ballroom, as many as six breakout rooms, 2,000+ square feet of mezzanine and lobby space for displays and exhibits, and an outdoor promenade with stunning views of the mountains that is ideal for dining and receptions.

�Input from meeting planners and technology and industry partners played a key role in the design of the Center,� said Burchmore. �We are particularly proud of the level of service and technical production elements that we are able to provide our clients.� 
 

The Conference Center is equipped with a state-of-the-art audio/visual system, including full-time 16 and 35-mm projection capabilities, high-speed communication access, multiple data port configurations, private group office space and full-service kitchen facilities to accommodate large banquets. An on-site concierge and conference planning services also are available. Burchmore added that he expects the conference center to have a tremendously positive economic impact on both the town of Mountain Village and the region. As the first indoor facility spacious enough to accommodate the needs of large meetings and events year-round, the Conference Center will allow the Mountain Village to tap into larger group travel markets and attract a new segment of clientele to the region.