At Overland Park Convention Center, we host events of all shapes and sizes. We love what we do because we get to meet different people with different backgrounds and perspectives.
We’re not just in the event business—we’re in the people business. And as a result, we’ve worked hard to help everyone who walks through our doors enjoy their event to the fullest.
At OPCC, we strive to create a welcoming environment for all guests, ensuring that everyone can fully enjoy their event experience. Our sensory room is designed to provide a calm and quiet space for guests who may experience sensory sensitivities, helping ensure they feel comfortable during a wedding, banquet, or conference without interruption. Read on to learn how guests can benefit from our sensory room near Kansas City.
What is a sensory room?
A sensory room is just one of the many additions that made the Overland Park Convention Center a more inclusive place.
This room assists guests who may have conditions like autism, PTSD, and anxiety, as these conditions might make it difficult to spend time in large , busy places.
With so much excitement going on at an event center like ours, events can become overstimulating and overwhelming. If you or one of your guests need a quiet place to relax and and recenter, then our sensory room near Kansas City is the perfect resource. But how can a sensory room relax a guest in need?
What to Expect in the Sensory Room
The sensory room offers a haven away from the loud, busy atmosphere of an event. Guests can take advantage of the silence from soundproofed walls to soothe themselves if they feel overstimulated.
To ensure a calm and private experience, the sensory room is available upon request and not open for general use. This allows guests to use the space without interruptions while they decompress.
We wanted to provide a space where guests could relax on their own without fear of a sudden, discomforting interruption. But our sensory room near Kansas City is more than just a space with noise reduction.
Tactile Activities and Relaxing Resources
When you enter our sensory room, you can take advantage of a number of tactile activities to soothe the mind and redirect guests feeling overstimulated.
The sensory room is equipped with various tools designed to create a calming environment, including:
Bubble Walls – Produces a gentle water sound to help mask external noise.
Custom Tactile Art Piece – Created by an artist with autism, this textured art piece provides a soothing interactive element.
Visual Touch Panels – Soft, color-changing lights help create a visually calming space in our sensory room near Kansas City with visual light panels from Nanoleaf.
Activity Panels – Interactive wall panels offer sensory engagement.
Comfortable Seating – Guests can relax on Yogibo bean bag chairs designed for comfort and sensory relief.
Certified Inclusivity
We’ve taken even more steps to ensure OPCC is a safe and inclusive space for guests with sensory conditions. And that’s not just our opinion—we’ve worked with KultureCity to earn their Sensory Inclusive™ Certification.
We first obtained this certification in 2021, and we take the necessary steps to earn it again every year. KultureCity doesn’t award this certification lightly.
To receive certification, organizations must complete KultureCity’s sensory inclusion training. At OPCC, over 50% of our staff have undergone this training to better assist guests with sensory needs and ensure they have access to appropriate resources.
An Organization That Cares
At Overland Park Convention Center, we proudly partner with KultureCity, a nonprofit organization that helps businesses, venues, and individuals build more inclusive spaces.
The experts at KultureCity understand that 25% of Americans have sensory processing needs, but many people across the country don’t recognize them because they are considered invisible disabilities. As such, many Americans struggle with serious discomfort throughout their daily lives.
KultureCity aims to address this issue by helping educate people on how to accommodate those needs. With the guidance of this organization, we’ve built a better space for our guests.
Inclusivity on the Go
We understand that guests like to plan ahead, especially those with sensory needs. That’s why OPCC is listed on the KultureCity app, providing details about our sensory accommodations before guests arrive.
This app has all the information attendees need about our sensory accommodations and resources. It also includes the incredibly helpful Social Story feature.
The Social Story provides guests with a step-by-step walkthrough of our venue, highlighting quiet rooms, like our sensory room near Kansas City. This ensures they feel safe and comfortable throughout their visit.
In the Bag
We also offer sensory bags to assist guests with sensory concerns.
These pre-packaged kits have resources guests need to feel comfortable throughout their visit to OPCC. We fill each sensory bag with useful items, like:
- Fidget tools
- A weighted lap pad
- Noise-cancelling headphones
- Verbal cue cards
Guests can borrow these sensory bags on request. These are completely free—cost shouldn’t prohibit anyone from enjoying their event to the fullest. After guests return their sensory bags, we sanitize the objects inside, so the next attendee can use them safely.
Keeping Guests Aware
At Overland Park Convention Center, we want to make sure guests can understand and accommodate everyone’s needs. As a result, we’ve posted signage all over the venue to ensure visitors are aware of our more sensitive guests.
Our “quiet area” signs denote locations where we’d prefer guests keep volume to a minimum. The quiet areas are located outside of Ballroom A/A1 and Ballroom C. In the quiet area guests can relax in a calmer, quieter environment. But we also have signs for the other end of the spectrum.
We’ve also designated certain spaces as “headphone zones”—areas where things typically get a little louder. When guests with sensory sensitivities see these signs, that signals to put on soundproofing headphones, so they don’t feel bothered or overwhelmed when the decibels rise.
All About Inclusivity
Our passion for inclusivity doesn’t end with our sensory room near Kansas City. Fostering an inclusive space requires more than sensory accommodations. We want to make sure everyone can attend your event and enjoy the spaces fully.
For instance, we’ve taken steps to make our venue accessible for guests with wheelchairs. Our building’s construction allows anyone to navigate the venue comfortably, no matter their condition.
If a guest ever had complaints about our accessibility, we always take it extremely seriously. For instance, if a guest notices that an ADA-compliant push button is too close to a trash receptacle, we will immediately make an adjustment to ensure everyone can navigate our center with ease. Never hesitate to let us know if there’s any way we can improve our space.
We also have options that highlight all different cultures. If you host a banquet with us, you may want a specific cuisine. Our executive chef can whip up menu options from all over the world, so you can have a taste of your culture right here in Overland Park.
Experience the Difference at OPCC
If you’ve never scheduled an event at Overland Park Convention Center, just know, client satisfaction is our #1 priority. This is why we offer many resources to help you plan the perfect event.
The industry-leading publication, EXHIBITOR Magazine, has recognized our efforts, naming us as the best small convention center for multiple years.
Our team understands the hard work and dedication it takes to host a successful event, so we want to make the process smooth and simple. When you work with us, our team becomes your team.
Read More About What Sets Us Apart
To learn more about our sensory accommodations, visit our blog, where we share insights on accessibility, inclusivity, and event planning at OPCC. .
These blogs don’t just highlight our inclusivity efforts, but also our many services, our sustainability practices, our advanced technology, and past successful events. Past and future clients deserve to stay in the know.
We want you to have all the information you could ever need about OPCC. If you’re on the fence about scheduling your next event at our venue, read our blogs. You’ll see what makes us different from the rest.
Schedule Your Next Event at Our Inclusive Venue
Looking to get started with the event planning process? Reach out to a member of our team. But you don’t even need to speak to one of our event-planning experts to take the first steps.
If you want a preliminary estimate, try our free online tool. This digital resource is the perfect option for any guests looking for more information about our services before they meet with our team. Just answer a few simple questions, and we’ll respond with a free, personalized quote based on your responses.
You shouldn’t have to wonder if all your guests will be safe and comfortable during your event. Whether you’re hosting a wedding, a trade show, or a gala, you want to make sure everyone has the best possible time.
Thanks to our many inclusivity resources, you don’t need to make any compromises during the planning process. Organize an event everybody can enjoy at OPCC.
