Friends and Colleagues, the Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass is filling up quickly, so if you have not booked your room for the CLDA Final Mile Forum and Expo on May 8th to May 10th, you need to book your room now. To help you out, you can book at a discounted rate by clicking here.
Spotlight on the CLDA Expo Venue: Sheraton Wild Horse Pass
On May 8-10, 2019, the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass in Phoenix, AZ will be the home of the CLDA Final Mile Forum and Expo. The resort boasts luxury amenities and highlights the heritage and culture of Arizona. Nestled on the southern edge of Phoenix it provides a glimpse of the peaceful natural desert and a quick UBER ride from the bustle and attractions of Phoenix. Here is what you can expect from the venue as an attendee.
Championship Golf
The hotel is home to the award-winning Troon golf course, Whirlwind, with 36-holes of championship-caliber golfing. The CLDA meeting opens with a morning of golf, and the course is available for tee times throughout your stay. Make sure when you register for the event to sign up for golf. The course encompasses 242 acres, including 150 acres of desert landscape. Each hole is named after a legend or landmark that is significant to the Pima or Maricopa Indians, and only plants that are indigenous to the region are on the course. If you love golf, there is so much to love about this course. Play the game you love and get a taste of the Arizona desert and history of Arizona at the same time. Truly a course to experience, and if you golf like I do you will get to see quite a bit of the natural vegetation. I also recommend to always carry what we refer to in Arizona as a “snake wedge” any time you leave the fairway into the rocks or bushes. I believe the name explains it all.
Kai Restaurant
There are four restaurants on the resort to meet your needs for any meal, but Kai is a particularly remarkable dining experience. It is the only AAA Five-Diamond and Forbes Five-Star restaurant in the state. Kai translates to “seed” in the Pima language, and the restaurant’s menu is inspired by the Pima and Maricopa tribes and the Gila River Indian Community. To avoid any issues if you plan to dine there, Kai maintains a smart business casual dress code. It prohibits hats, denim, T-shirts and shorts for both ladies and gentlemen, including open-toed sandals for men and also strongly suggests that all diners are at least 13 years of age. Additionally, Kai is open Tuesday through Saturday, closed Sunday & Monday and reservations are strongly recommended. Although Kai has a stricter dress code than most Arizona restaurants, it is a must stop while staying at the hotel. The one recommendation I have is to get a reservation just before sunset, which will be around 7:15pm, be the first to request a table outside on the patio and the combination of the impeccable food and the colorful sunset will be unforgettable.
Casino
After the CLDA Final Mile Forum and Expo evening receptions end, you can take a quick shuttle from the hotel and head to the nearby Wild Horse Pass Hotel and Casino. The casino is small, but offers enough to make it a fun night out. The casino itself is just over 100,000 square feet with plenty of slots to choose from, 38 table games including blackjack, and a poker room. For a change of pace from the casino, the Wild Horse Pass Hotel and Casino also has food options, Shula’s Steak House and Ling and Louie’s Asian Bar and Grill, or several bars and nightclubs. Personally, I am a big fan of the poker room, it’s one of the few gambling options where your skill, more so than luck, plays a large part in your success.
Pools
Nothing goes better than a pool and a ice cold beverage in May in Phoenix. The pool at the Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass will not disappoint you. The pool overlooks part of the golf course and will offer a great view for the beautiful Arizona sunsets. The 111-foot water slide at pool is modeled after the ancient Casa Grande Ruins, and offers a wonderful way to cool off in the “dry” heat or keep your kids occupied for hours. Alongside any great pool is a great bar. Try the Prickly Pear Margarita, with juice from the small red “fruit” that grows on a cactus, along with everything else you would expect in a delicious margarita. In my opinion best served on the rocks with salt.
Hiking Path at the Resort
One final activity that has to be on your list to do while at the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass for the CLDA Final Mile Forum is the hike along the Interpretive Trail. The trail is a two and a half mile hike alongside the Resort’s replication of the storied Gila River. The trail is a simple and very natural trail to immerse you in the natural beauty of the region. More than fifty signs detailing the culture, history and plant life of the Gila River Indian Community can be found along the trail. Many of the signs focus on the vegetation that is of historical significance to the Pima and Maricopa People. Each sign, named in both the Pima and English languages, features a picture of each plant and denotes what it was used for and its significance to the Gila River People. Additional signs detail facts about the surrounding area such as the history of Pima Cotton and facts about the Pima and Maricopa languages. The trail is only open during daylight hours and admission to the trail is free, but please bring plenty of water. Those of you that are not used to our dry heat will not realize how much water you are literally sweating away. Any time you are out in the sun you will want to apply sunscreen and bring plenty of water to drink. Personally I think that a walk just before sunset or first thing in the morning would maximize this must see experience.
And some final parting thoughts…
I believe all our parents at one time or another told us to stay on the path while hiking. Please stay on the path when you go on a hike here in Arizona, there are snakes, and what we call jumping cactus. No they do not jump, but even the slightest touch and they hook you. You always know the tourist on a hike.
