CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (April 19, 2017) – KENNEDY SPACE CENTER – At Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, meetings, corporate events and trainings take on a new dimension. Imagine dining under the largest rocket ever flown, mingling at cocktail parties among the rockets and under the stars they were meant to explore, and networking with a backdrop of the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame® inductees. These experiences and more are available at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, where inspiration can be found outside every window and around every corner, donning the walls and lining the pathways.
As home to the largest collection of space flown vehicles in the world, Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is a unique and unparalleled event venue for corporate outings, team building, weddings, and after-hours events, and offers myriad opportunities for guests, spouses and families. Utilizing the full scale of its unique offerings – from astronauts to spacecraft, to actual training missions and the learnings of NASA scientists about the best way to train, learn and innovate – the event planners and catering staff at the visitor complex work to create a customized experience for each group they serve.
“Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex pairs great service and decades of event production knowledge with event spaces that are an experience all on their own,” said Therrin Protze, chief operating officer, Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. “This is the only place you can sip cocktails below Space Shuttle Atlantis.”
Located just 45 minutes from Orlando, the recent addition of Heroes & Legends featuring the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame® presented by Boeing in November 2016 has added another element to an already exciting list of event venues that can be configured to host groups ranging from 30 to 3,000 including:
Space Shuttle Atlantis® – This flexible event space is located on the first floor of the 90,000-square-foot Space Shuttle Atlantis attraction, with the shuttle serving as the jaw-dropping centerpiece. The facility can seat up to 280 attendees for dinner or accommodate large receptions for groups of up to 1,200.
Dr. Kurt H. Debus Conference Facility – Located adjacent to the new Heroes & Legends, this space can be used to its full capacity to hold 220, or converted into separate functional rooms, each supported by a multimedia system and full-service kitchen staffed by an award-winning chef. The space is surrounded by the Rocket Garden, and guests can draw inspiration from the pioneering spirit of America’s early space explorers featured in the newest attraction.
The Apollo/Saturn V Center – This 100,000-square-foot facility captures the spirit and historic scope of the moon landing missions. The centerpiece of the space is the enormous Saturn V moon rocket, the largest rocket ever flown. Guests experience a dramatic and moving multi-sensory presentation of the Apollo 8 launch, after which an actual 363-foot, Saturn V rocket is revealed. This multi-use facility offers a conference room, and transforms into a banquet space that can accommodate a 600-person plated dinner or a 3,000-person standing reception after hours.
Journey to Mars: Explorers Wanted – Take guests to the Red Planet where they will discover NASA’s plans to explore deep space and test their knowledge with interactive games and simulators, and mock-ups of Mars rovers. This multi-use space is also perfect for intimate business dinners, cocktail receptions or corporate presentations, after-hours.
Exclusive Experiences
Guests and groups can also take advantage of unique experiences offered at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Each day at the visitor complex, guests can experience the thrill of Lunch With An Astronaut, an exclusive opportunity to hear personal stories from a veteran NASA astronaut while they enjoy a custom buffet featuring specialties prepared by the visitor complex culinary team.
A personal astronaut guided tour is also available for small groups. Fly with an Astronaut takes guests to Space Shuttle Atlantis®, Shuttle Launch Experience®, and iconic sites of Kennedy Space Center by motor coach alongside an astronaut guide who will share stories of his or her own space experiences.
Cosmic Quest®, launched last spring, offers the opportunity to create a team tournament mission. Colleagues can join forces to build Martian habitats, launch rockets, or redirect asteroids in this live-action game experience that is based on NASA’s current and future space science and explorations endeavors.
Custom and personalized tours are also available. Private Special Interest Tours go behind the gates of NASA and include access to see restricted areas like launch pads and the iconic Vehicle Assembly building guided by an expert.
Team Building
Astronauts are the ultimate team players, and Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex draws on their training with team building activities for groups. The Astronaut Training Experience® (ATX) takes visitors through actual astronaut training exercises with mission simulators and real space shuttle mission in a space shuttle and mission control simulation. In 2017 (and available for booking beginning 2018), a new ATX® Center will take guests on a journey of discovery as they learn how astronauts are preparing for the trip to the Red Planet.
Event Planning and Catering
Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex employs a team of experienced meeting and conference staff onsite who provide turnkey planning and execution of events at any level of production or sophistication. Delaware North, which operates Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex for NASA, is a global leader in hospitality and food service. Delaware North operates restaurants at high-profile cultural, sports, entertainment and travel destinations as well as acclaimed street-level restaurants. Its culinarians have catered everything from political conventions to the Super Bowl, World Series galas and private parties for A-list celebrities. At the visitor complex, Certified Executive Chef Gidget Wickham oversees dining and catering operations for Atlantis and several other venues and creates menus to accommodate specific tastes, including dishes reflecting Florida-inspired cuisine, special dietary needs and vegetarian and gluten-free options.
Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex brings to life the epic story of the U.S. space program, offering a full day or more of fun, inspiration and educational activities, including its newest attraction, Heroes & Legends, featuring the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame®, presented by Boeing, which opened November 11, 2016. Other highlights include the Kennedy Space Center Tour featuring the Apollo/Saturn V Center with an actual Saturn V moon rocket, Space Shuttle Atlantis®, Shuttle Launch Experience®, IMAX® A Beautiful Planet 3D and Journey To Space 3D films, Astronaut Encounter, Journey To Mars: Explorers Wanted, Science on a Sphere®, Rocket Garden, Cosmic Quest, and many other exhibits. Only 45 minutes from Orlando, Fla., Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex opens daily at 9 a.m. with closing times varying by season. Admission is $50 + tax for adults and $40 + tax for children ages 3 – 11. Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex offers annual passes starting at $75 + tax for adults and $60 + tax for children ages 3 – 11. For more information, call 877-313-2610 or visit www.KennedySpaceCenter.com.
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Media Contacts:
Rebecca Shireman, [email protected], 321-449-4273 or 321-213-5926
Lauren Eisele Walbert, Sandy Hillman Communications, [email protected], 410-616-8943