Indian Wells

When people think of Greater Palm Springs, words like “swimming pools,” “movie stars”, and “vacation” often come to mind. For the City of Indian Wells, there’s even more to consider.

This is because idyllic Indian Wells, perhaps more than any city in the region, has become not only a vacation favorite but also a renowned global gathering spot — a different kind of meeting point where sports and entertainment fans, professional athletes, meeting planners, festival-goers, wedding groups, artists, performers, party planners, corporate leaders, and chairmen of the board assemble each year for an unmatched variety of desert meetings, conferences, and special events.

The reason behind this becomes visible when one arrives in the city, nestled in the heart of the Coachella Valley’s most favored setting. Indian Wells is laid out like no other municipality, with a self-contained footprint, anchored by a stunning resort campus. Within the campus lie extensive meeting and event venues, indoor and outdoor wedding locations, two championship golf courses, and four luxury hotels: Hyatt Regency Indian Wells Resort & Spa, Renaissance Indian Wells Resort & Spa, Miramonte Indian Wells Resort & Spa – Curio Collection by Hilton, and the Indian Wells Resort Hotel. Each of these four hotels features its own acclaimed event services and facilities as well, along with award-winning dining, nightlife, spas, swimming pools, and recreational facilities.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MIRAMONTE INDIAN WELLS RESORT
Outdoor event at the Miramonte Indian Wells Resort & Spa.

The city truly is a standout when it comes to meetings and conferences. More than 270,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor function space await within the perimeter of the campus. Many of these meeting spots offer spectacular vistas of the dramatic Santa Rosa Mountains, vibrantly colorful gardens, authentic desert landscapes, and the lush and scenic terrain of the Indian Wells Golf Resort. At the heart of it lies the city’s own glass-walled Pavilion — a free-standing showpiece situated on a lush event lawn perfect for seasonal weddings, concerts, and social celebrations. Adding to its appeal, on September 1, 2017, the versatile Pavilion debuted a new private bridal suite, presenting the best views in the desert.

As for the acclaimed Indian Wells Golf Resort, it is home to two of the top-ranked 18-hole public golf courses in California. With a stunning 53,000-square-foot clubhouse, dining and retail complex, and on-site banquet facilities, the resort has won accolades that include Top 25 “Best Municipal Courses in the United States” by Golfweek Magazine, and the coveted “Best Playing Conditions” award from greenskeeper.org.

With the city’s abundance of golf, pools, entertainment, and more within just steps of each other, it’s no wonder that event and meeting participants love coming to Indian Wells. Their work can quickly turn to pleasure, and business trips can’t help but become surprise vacations, delivering beautifully visual memories.

There’s also the record-breaking Indian Wells Tennis Garden, owned by Larry Ellison, co-founder of Oracle Corporation.

This 122-acre tennis and event complex attracts more than 460,000 spectators each March to watch the top names in tennis compete in the BNP Paribas Open. Home to the second-largest tennis stadium in the world, the Indian Wells Tennis Garden is a nexus not just for stars of the sport, but also for tennis groups of all sizes and for players of all ages and ability levels. Training camps, group clinics, and even corporate tennis packages are offered year-round at this one-of-a-kind tennis epicenter. The site also features two 19,000-square-foot shade structures, 29 world-class courts, eight acres of outdoor exposition space, and 54 acres of outdoor parking.

The global worlds of art, culture, nature, and public affairs converge in the city as the annual Indian Wells Arts Festival, Spectrum Arts Festival, nearby Living Desert Zoo & Gardens, and Desert Town Hall present sell-out events, which attract visitors and famed presenters from home and abroad. The widely celebrated Indian Wells Arts Festival is a special delight for thousands of art aficionados every April, while Desert Town Hall consistently attracts the most prestigious names in global leadership and politics for annual lectures presented within the Indian Wells campus.

Whatever the event, the city gains frequent praise from the media:

“
Indian Wells truly has become the fifth [tennis] Grand Slam.”
— The Daily Courier

“
One of the most memorable meeting and conference destinations in Southern California…”
— Smart Meetings

“
The venue … provides an unmatched opportunity to conduct sporting events, concerts, trade shows and more in one of the most beautiful resort destinations in the world.”
— TENsBalls.com

This major music “event takes place from 2 to 6 p.m. at a secret Indian Wells location.”
— The Hollywood Reporter

“Desert Dazzle: Indian Wells Arts Festival. 
The 14th annual outing has the sunbeams, 
the sculptures and paintings, and good, 
look-around vibes.”
— NBC Los Angeles

When it comes to site plans that truly are “meeting friendly,” the Indian Wells campus offers unparalleled options for events of all sizes.

Indian Wells by the Numbers

• 
1,438 guest accommodations within walking 
distance of each other

• 
270,000+ square feet of flexible meeting/
event space

• 
5,700-square-foot campus Pavilion, 
complete with private bridal suite

• 40 outdoor meeting venues

• 36 holes of championship golf

• 53 tennis courts

• 
11 swimming pools, many with dining, cabanas, and water features

• 
269 days of sunshine per year, ideal for outdoor events

• 
50 years since Indian Wells was 
incorporated as a group-friendly city

• 
20 minutes to Palm Springs International 
Airport

Whatever the function, and whatever it may require, it’s clear that Indian Wells is a proven and highly convenient option. Combine its stellar track record with great weather, easy airport, freeway access, proximity to major cities and an event-friendly campus, and it has clearly become the destination of choice for increasing numbers of events each year.

Population
Total Population:
5,184

Annual Growth
Rate:
0.94%

Median Age:
65.3

Income
Median
Household:
$76,690

Average
Household:
$127,658

Employment
Accommodation
and Food Services:
11.29%

Healthcare, Social Assistance:
12.59%

Retail:
8.94%

Admin., Support, Waste Management Services:
5.39%

Construction:
5.94%

Services (excluding Public Administration):
6.44%

Educational Services:
5.79%

Arts, Entertainment, Recreation:
2.20%

Real Estate, Rental, Leasing:
10.04%

Professional, Scientific, Tech Services:
9.89%

Transportation and Warehousing:
1.85%

Public Administration:
5.04%

Manufacturing:
5.24%

Finance and Insurance:
5.09%

Wholesale Trade:
2.75%

SOURCE: Esri Business Analyst 2017/Coachella Valley Economic Partnership