Washington, D.C., to Greet Members With New Convention Center
Now that 2008 has been rung in, another countdown will begin—that is, counting off the days before the start of APA's 161st Annual Meeting at the Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. The theme of the meeting, which is being held May 3 to 8, is “Our Voice in Action: Advancing Science, Care, and the Profession.”
This year's meeting promises high-quality scientific sessions and cutting-edge posters and exhibits at the spacious new complex.
Yes, the venerable National Mall favorites will beckon, as will such favorite shopping and nightlife haunts in the Georgetown, Adams Morgan, Dupont Circle, and U Street neighborhoods. But look around once you get here. Really look around. You also will find there is much more to experience in D.C. since 1999, when APA members were last in town for an annual meeting.
For example, take the convention center, the very place where APA's meeting will take place this year. What do you really know about this vast-but-elegant imposing complex? Here is a sampling of some interesting facts:
The $850 million, five-level building opened for business in 2003, on time and on budget. | |||||
It's named not for the city where it resides, but in honor of Walter E. Washington, the city's first mayor under home rule and the first black mayor of a major American city. | |||||
It's located at 801 Mount Vernon Place, N.W., only a couple of blocks from where the city's first convention center was built back in 1874. | |||||
Being in the heart of the city, it's fairly close to Capitol Hill and within a mile and a half of countless shopping venues and new restaurants and clubs. | |||||
There are nearly 50 hotels located within eight city blocks of the convention center, according to the D.C. Convention and Tourism Corp. | |||||
This is just for starters, to whet your appetite. Look for continuous advance coverage of APA's 2008 annual meeting in future issues. Featured will be new D.C. attractions and old attractions that offer something new. ▪
