Welcome to Magellan

Tour Center | Facilitation | Directions

The most creative meeting space in the Southeast – in the heart of Charlotte but feels like Manhattan!

Sparks Creativity. People say they have their best ideas in unexpected places – definitely not at the office. The importance of holding meetings off-site, at least occasionally, cannot be overestimated. Idea-generation sessions held at venues conducive to energizing and freeing the minds of participants are proven to be more productive.

Unique. The Magellan Idea Center is located in a restored circa 1893 textile mill in the heart of SouthEnd, Charlotte’s design district. It’s the ideal setting for a unique experience and a refreshing alternative to typical meeting facilities.

Inspiring. The space inspires new thinking. The open loft boasts features important in a creative space – high ceilings, lots of natural light, comfortable furnishings and stimulating textures. The Center is also home to original artwork – exclusively by North Carolina artists, including Moni Hill (monihill.com), Kristen Gibson (fineartandfabric.com), Lorri Hunnycutt (bigworldphoto.com), Hope Frasier (vesselvixen.com), Jordan Grace Owens (jordangrace.com), Laird Lanier (movingsculpture.com), Wendy Painter (wendypainter.com), MONA! (monapaints.com), Sandy Buffie (sandybuffie.com), Frank Russell (theartmaker.com), Christine VanCott (postcardsonthefridge.com) , Sabrina Buchanan, Ken Gasch, and Andrew Merrick. The space works to energize meeting participants, encourage conversation, and stimulate creative thinking.

The Magellan Idea Center has all this and more, with no hidden charges:

	2,000 sq. ft. of space includes 1,000 sq. ft. main meeting room and 2 break-out areas
	Kitchen stocked with complimentary beverages (premium coffee, soft drinks) and snacks (nuts, popcorn, cereal bars, candy)
	Easels and lots of branded self-stick flip charts positioned throughout
	Two huge 4’ x 8’ white boards
	Wireless internet throughout
	LCD projector
	Desktop computer and printer
	Karaoke system with fun props

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Fees

At the Magellan Idea Center we believe that making people feel at home results in a much freer exchange of ideas and therefore much more productive meetings. In fact, the main room is set up in a living-room-like configuration – although you are free to request that we move stuff around to better suit your needs. And unlike most meeting facilities, there’s a lot included in the basic facility rental fee.

Comparison to Hotel Fees
(based on 20 guests)

	Average Hotel (400 sq. ft.)	Magellan Idea Center (2,000+ sq. ft.)
Room rental fee	$550/day	$675/day
Electronics LCD projector Stereo/CD/DVD player Internet access (WiFi) In-room computer In-room color printer, scanner Karaoke machine, props	$300 $100 $50 (if available) Unavailable Unavailable Unavailable	Included Included Included Included Included Included
Supplies Giant whiteboard, color markers 3 self-stick flip charts, color markers Notepads, pens, post-it notes, index cards Photocopies	$80 (if available) $120 $100 $1/page	Included Included Included Included
Refreshments Premium coffee Bottled water, colas Snacks (nuts, candy, pretzels, energy bars)	$55 $125 $150	Included Included Included

Total per day	$1,605 plus	$675 max

Catering

Another unique aspect of the Magellan Idea Center experience is that we do not consider food a revenue source so you are free to bring your own, order from area restaurants, or dine out at one of many nearby restaurants. Still, we are happy to provide you with dining options, help you select the best menu for your group, and arrange for catering at no extra cost.

Facilitation

Although some people assume that you are either born creative or you’re not – that creativity cannot be taught – our experience tells us otherwise. The Magellan Idea Center has professional meeting facilitators on staff, trained in creative problem solving techniques, available to moderate your meeting for an additional fee. Our facilitators bring out the creative person in everyone using powerful techniques that encourage individuals to think differently – without the constraints they might feel if someone internally were leading the sessions to generate groundbreaking ideas that would not be obtained in the regular workday environment or during conventional brainstorming sessions. Read More...

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Directions

The Magellan Idea Center is just minutes from downtown and within walking distance of unique shops, popular restaurants, and art galleries and the light rail line. For directions to the Magellan Idea Center, click here or you can get directions from anywhere to our facility by clicking here. [MAP]

Parking

We have plenty of free parking so there’s no need to stress about availability or the fees associated with parking at most hotels and other meeting facilities. The Magellan Idea Center is an easy walk from the nearby East Blvd./West Blvd. light rail stop, which is a short ride from many locations in Charlotte. Along the way, check out Charlotte’s vast array of public art installations. click here for rail locations and schedule.

Uses

Our clients have rented the Magellan Idea Center for a variety of purposes, including:

Strategy/planning sessions
Client meetings/presentations
Ideation sessions
Informal focus groups
Shooting a commercial video
Executive retreats
Art shows
Shareholder meetings
Leadership training

But don’t limit yourself to this list!

One client rented the space for what they called an 'unfocus group', an evening event designed to encourage a free flow of conversation between them and their customers.

Besides, let's face it, consumers are extremely savvy these days. Everyone knows what's happening on the other side of the one-way mirror in traditional focus group facilities. It's been our experience that in the casual, comfortable environment of the Magellan Idea Center, focus group participants open up more quickly than in traditional settings and feedback gushes.

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