Only hotel in Springfield allowed to use Abe Lincoln's name
An interview with Dan Techman, director of sales and marketing at President Abraham Lincoln Springfield - A DoubleTree by Hilton.
Q: Tell us about the property.
A: Set in the heart of historic downtown, our Springfield hotel is the closest hotel to the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum and Library. We're also just minutes from the current State Capitol and the historic Old State Capitol. This hotel is connected to the Prairie Capital Convention Center and situated just a few blocks from the Amtrak station and the Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport.
Q: Explain the history.
A: The hotel opened in 1985 as the Ramada Renaissance President Abraham Lincoln Hotel. Between 1985 and 2013 the hotel changed names 4 times. In 2013 it became the President Abraham Lincoln Springfield - A DoubleTree by Hilton.
Q: How does the theme of Abe Lincoln tie in?
A: We are the only hotel in Springfield officially approved to use the name of our 16th president in our hotel name. We also have meeting rooms named the "Mary Todd" room and the "Lincoln" room and our hotel bar "The Globe Tavern" is named for the first place Abraham and Mary Todd lived after they got married.
Q: What does the venue have to offer when it comes to corporate meetings?
A: 15,000 square feet of meeting and pre-function space, full service catering, event services, and event technology to meet the needs of groups and meetings as small as 10 people and as large as 600.
Q: What are people in your industry talking about?
A: Planners are holding more meetings with smaller budgets, government meetings are down due to the budget impasse and no one expects a resolution until after the November elections, attentive service and hotel staff that understand and align with the meeting planners goals will be the most successful at earning future business.
Q: Tell us one interesting fact about the property that most people may not know.
A: The Globe Tavern in our hotel is named for the first place Abraham and Mary Lincoln lived after they were married. They had their first child, Robert Lincoln while living in a room above the tavern. The original Globe Tavern was located at 315 East Adams Street which is three blocks from the current Globe Tavern. Years before Lincoln lived at the Globe there was a shooting. Lincoln represented the defendant in the murder trial and Stephen Douglas represented the family of the victim. This was the first time that Lincoln and Douglas opposed each other in public. The current location of the original Globe Tavern is now a parking lot.
Q: Two people we should follow on Twitter and why?
A: Mark Cooper with IACC. If you want to see what new trends will be affecting the meetings industry over the next 3 years, Mark has his finger on the pulse of this industry not only in the United States, but around the globe!
Jeff Loether with Electro Media Design. Jeff is an event technology futurist. Jeff is active in the development of new products and design approaches that incorporate different technologies to enhance functionality, reduce system complexity and cost, and improve reliability.
Address: 701 East Adams St., Springfield, IL 62701
Owner: Al Habtoor Group
Number of employees: 150
Business opened: 1985
Web address: dtspringfieldil.com