SPS 2008 Sponsors

Diamond
($15,000+)

Emerald
($10,000 to $14,999)

Ruby
($6,000 to $9,999)

Opal
($3,000 to $5,999)

Sapphire
(Up to $2,999)

Lewis B. Kinter & Terry Timberlake-Kinter

City Information

The Monona Terrace Convention Center is a state-of-the-arts Frank Lloyd Wright inspired facility. The Monona Terrace is located in the heart of Madison’s cultural and entertainment district. It is also close to shops, restaurants, Museums, pubs, and hotels. The convention center is minutes from the airport, dozens of great golf courses and of course close to Madison’s five area lakes.

Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center
One John Nolen Drive
Madison, WI 53703
Phone: (608) 261-4000
TTY: (608) 261-4150
Fax: (608) 261-4049
E-mail: info@mononaterrace.com

What to See and Do:

(Courtesy of the Madison Convention & Visitors Bureau)

Dining
Please click here for a list of the numerous dining options in and around Madison! You can search by cuisine type, location and there is even a map available for downtown Madison dining as well as surrounding areas.

Galleries & Museums
The Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, The Madison Children’s Museum, and The Columbus Antique Mall & Christopher Columbus Museum are just a few of the many interesting and unique museum offerings in Madison. Please click here for many more!

Performing Arts
Madison holds up to much larger metropolitan cities when it comes to their performing arts and cultural opportunities. Operas, Ballet, and Theatre are only a few of the performing arts selections available. Please visit this link to view all events.

Nightlife/Bars
Dancing, Comedy, Billboards and More! Please click here to view Madison’s venues.

Personal Services/Spas
Madison ranks among the best of the nation for quality of life! Click here to view their many Spa and health care facilities!

Shopping
For fun and unique shopping, check out State Street, a pedestrian mall lined with eclectic specialty shops, restaurants, and outdoor cafes. State Street links the UW-Madison campus with the Capitol Square, and offers incomparable people watching! Another favorite shopping destination is Monroe Street, located just south of Camp Randall Stadium. Lined with boutiques and galleries, Monroe Street offers unique treasures in a relaxed, neighborhood setting. Click here to view all retail listings!

Sports/Recreation
Golf, Hiking, Biking, Tennis! For more information on Sports and Recreation in Madison please visit this link.

Madison History:

(Courtesy of the Madison Convention & Visitors Bureau)

Formed by retreating glaciers approximately 13,000 years ago, the Madison area has a wide and varied history. The following is just a brief overview of the many changes that have come to the area in the years that passed.

Between 1000 B.C. and 1000 A.D., groups of Native American known simply as "mound builders" occupied the Madison area. Of the many effigy mounds that once surrounded the lakes, only a few remain to remind us of this unique culture. By the time the Yankee settlers began to arrive in the 1800s, the Winnebago Nation called the area home.

In May of 1829, territorial Judge and land speculator James Duane Doty, enthralled by the natural beauty of the area, purchased 1200 acres of land from the federal government for $1.25 an acre. President Andrew Jackson created the territory of Wisconsin on April 20, 1836. Six months later, Wisconsin’s first governor, Henry Dodge, convened the first Legislature in Belmont to discuss the site of the territorial capital. Though several settlements vied for the honor of becoming the capital city, the central location of Madison was ultimately selected. Previously known only as the “Four Lakes Region,” the territorial capital has since grown into the state capital of Madison.

The State of Wisconsin officially became the 30th state on May 29, 1848. The City of Madison, established in 1856 (having been incorporated as a village in 1846), was named for former U.S. President James Madison, and the first streets were named for the other signers of the U.S. Constitution. Dane County, established in 1836, was named for Nathan Dane, a Massachusetts Congressman who was instrumental in passing the ordinance to establish the Northwest Territory.

The state capitol building that looks over Madison today is not the original Wisconsin capitol . . . in fact, it is the fourth capitol building on that site! The first building was demolished due to poor construction, the second was destroyed when one of the wings collapsed, and a fire extensively damaged the third. The current capitol building was completed in 1917. Recently refurbished to its original splendor, it is widely recognized as one of the most beautiful in the United States.

Madison: A Green Destination?
In the City of Madison alone, you can find more than 6,000 acres of parkland, including 260 parks and 14 conservation parks! Dane County’s more than 150 miles of bike trails also keep the area easy to traverse without the creation of fuel emissions.

Learn more about Madison going Green here!

Facts about Madison:

Population
City of Madison: 221,735*
Dane County: 458,297*

*2005 estimate.

Weather
Average High Temperatures:
Summer: 80.8 F
Autumn: 59.2 F

Local Weather Forecast

Madison Thirty-Year Normals: 1971–2000

Annual Maximum: 55.8
Annual Minimum: 36.4
Annual Mean: 46.1
Annual Precip: 32.95

Geography
Average Elevation: 845.6' above sea level
Topography: Rolling
Area of County: 1,240 square miles
Area of City: 64 square miles
Number of County Lakes: 35 (25 with public access)
Area of County Lakes: 26,748 acres
Major Lake Names: Mendota, Monona, Wingra, Waubesa, Kegonsa
Farmland (Dane County): 515,475 acres (2002)

Sources: City of Madison Dept. of Planning and Development, Dane County Regional Planning Commission, Dane County Parks Division, Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce, National Weather Service, US Bureau of the Census and the Wis. Depts. of Administration and Public Instruction.

SPS Travel Safety Tips:

From the American Hotel and Lodging Association

• Don’t answer the door in a hotel or motel room without verifying who it is. If a person claims to be an employee, call the front desk and ask if someone from their staff is supposed to have access to your room and for what purpose.
• When returning to your hotel or motel late in the evening, use the main entrance of the hotel. Be observant and look around before entering parking lots.
• Close the door securely whenever you are in your room and use all of the locking devices provided.
• Don’t needlessly display guest room keys in public or carelessly leave them on restaurant tables, at the swimming pool, or other places where they can be easily stolen.
• Do not draw attention to yourself by displaying large amounts of cash or expensive jewelry.
• Don’t invite strangers to your room.
• Place all valuables in the hotel or motels safe deposit box.
• Do not leave valuables in your vehicle.
• Check to see that any sliding doors or windows and any connecting room doors are locked.
• If you see any suspicious activity, please report your observations to the management.