Information for Participants
Conference Venue
The conference will be held at the Hyatt Regency located in Downtown Minneapolis at 1300 Nicollet Mall.
About Minneapolis
Minneapolis is considered to be one of the safest big cities in the country. Ease of transportation, pedestrian and bike friendly access is abundant, and with over 40,000 people living downtown, that is a natural vibrancy within the city throughout regardless of time of year.
That said, as with anywhere you travel, being aware of your surroundings and not being careless with your belongings is suggested. In June, there is typically a baseball game or Minnesota Lynx (WNBA) game taking place in the evening in the warehouse district and most shopping/restaurants are open and active well into the evening. It stays light out until about 9:00pm at that time of year with dusk lasting until near 9:30/10:00pm.
Whether you want to check out nearby Minneapolis entertainment districts or explore fun things to do in the Twin Cities, our convenient location on Nicollet Mall puts you in the heart of it all. Located steps from Target Center, Target Field, and the new US Bank Stadium, we make it easy to see a variety of professional sporting events, including the Vikings, Twins, Timberwolves, and Lynx. While relaxing at the hotel, you can take a refreshing swim in the indoor heated pool or workout in the 32,000 sq. ft. StayFit™ Gym, open 24-hours a day.
You can find various local attractions here to occupy your free time.
Here are some places for Lunch and Dinner.
And, check out the very popular food trucks parked around downtown Minneapolis! They usually set up on Marquette Avenue about 6-7 blocks from the Hyatt Regency, heading towards Nicollet Mall.
Welcome Reception
A Welcome Reception will be held on Sunday, June 2nd from 6:00pm to 8:00pm.
Join us in the Nicollet Ballroom of the Hyatt Regency Hotel (the conference venue) where you can meet and make new friends and catch up with your colleagues. Light food and refreshments will be served.
Social Event
The NAACL 2019 Social Event will be held on Tuesday, June 4th, from 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm at The Minneapolis Institute of Art.
Join us for a cultural event at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. To peak your interest and provide a wonderful experience this evening, we have arranged the following spaces within the Museum to be open to us:
- 1st Floor: Target Park and General Mills Lobby, and Mia Store.
- 2nd Floor: 6 Asian Galleries, 6 African Galleries, 24th Street Entrance, and the traveling Hearts of Our People, artwork by Native women celebrates the achievements of over 115 artists from the United States and Canada spanning over 1,000 years.
- 3rd Floor: European and Contemporary Galleries.
Click on a thumbnail below to see the detailed map of each floor.
Eight “Ask Me Guides” will be available throughout the evening with fun facts to share with guests as well as answering guest questions.
Nearby each set of galleries will be themed food stations (for example, Asian foods by the Asian galleries) to enhance your experience. These food and beverage stations will be scattered throughout the museum so, if there is a long line in one area, visit another area and come back to the first area when less busy.
We have hired DJ NEEKASODOPE, who will begin the evening with a medley of culturally diverse music and, of course, ramp up to dance music as the night goes on.
To get to the event, catch one of the luxury motor coaches outside of the Hyatt Regency (the conference hotel) running continuously between 6:45 pm and 7:15 pm. Buses will be available for the return trip to the Hyatt Regency Hotel from 9:30 pm onward.
One entrance ticket will be included with each main conference registration. We may have a few extra tickets for sale for accompanying persons so, if you are interested, stop by the registration desk when there are no lines.
Registration Hours
The on-site registration counters will only be open during the following hours:
- Sunday, June 2 – Tuesday, June 4 : 7:30am - 6:00pm
- Wednesday, June 5 : 8:00am - 5:30pm
- Thursday, June 6 – Friday, June 7 : 7:30am - 5:30pm
Poster Information
Each poster paper (main conference, industry track, and Student Research Workshop) will be assigned a free-standing poster board with a display surface that is 8 feet long and 4 feet tall. Authors are free to use as much of that space as they would like. There is a FedEx office in the hotel if you need on-site printing – they are sure to be busy during the conference, so plan ahead if you need their services.
WiFi Information
To join the conference wifi:
- Select the Network named “Hyatt Meeting Space”
- A login page will come up for you to enter a code.
- Enter
NAACL2019and hit go.
If you experience any problems, please call Encore at 612-596-4673 for technical support.
Live Captioning
For the main conference talks, you can view automatically generated captions on your personal device, in English and/or the language of your choice. This may help you to follow a talk better. Click here for more details.
Conference App
This year, the conference is using the Whova platform for the official NAACL-HLT 2019 app! The Whova apps can be downloaded from this page. To learn how to use the apps effectively, refer to the Whova tutorials page.
Once you have downloaded the app, search for the “NAACL HLT 2019” event. If you have registered for the conference and/or you are an author of a paper, you should already be able to access the event. If you are unable to access the event but believe you should be able to, please send an access request along with a reason through the Whova app itself.
Although the current version of the app is fairly stable, it will continue to be updated up until and even during the conference with some minor new features and to address any issues that are discovered. If you notice any issue yourself, please send a message to the App Chair (“Nitin Madnani”) from within the app. That’s likely to be the fastest way to get it fixed.
Remote Presentation
This year, NAACL is introducing the option of remote presentations for presenters who cannot otherwise attend the conference. More details are available in this blog post authored by the remote presentation chairs.
To apply for a remote presentation slot at NAACL-2019, please fill out this form and e-mail it to naacl-2019-remote-presentation@googlegroups.com. Decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis.
Transportation
From the Airport
There is light rail service from both airport terminals to within a few blocks of the conference hotel, for $2 each way. Tickets are purchased from vending machines at the stations, and trains run every 10 minutes from 6am-7:30pm, and then 3-4 times an hour 7:30pm to midnight.
Specifically, you want the BLUE line Northbound toward downtown (the other direction will take you to the Mall of America). Take it to the Nicollet Mall Station stop (30min ride), which is at 5th & Nicollet. From there, you can walk the half mile along Nicollet to the hotel (12th & Nicollet), or take any of the 10,11,17 or 18 bus lines (the 10 and 18 are free along this route).
In the Area
Bus fares range from $2.00 to $3.25, depending on time of day. To ride a few blocks in the Downtown Zone, the fare is $.50. “Free Ride” buses will take you along Nicollet Mall.
Catch the train on the Blue or Green line. Light-rail transit (LRT) connects downtown Minneapolis with the airport, Mall of America, Saint Paul and 43 other stations.
Visit the Metro Transit website for information on routes, schedule and ticket prices.
Car Sharing
Book a Zipcar online or via the mobile app for a couple of hours or the whole day. Gas and insurance included.
Amtrak
The Union Depot is part of the Amtrak national train system. Amtrak Ticket Office Hours: 6:30 am to 11:30 pm. Self service kiosks are available 24 hours.
Biking & Walking
Nice Ride is a non-profit bike sharing system. Simply take a bike, and return it to any station in the system when you arrive at your destination.
Built around several lakes and the Mississippi River, Minneapolis’s urban cityscape surrounds a lush green park system providing the ideal landscape for walking.
Maps
A variety of maps of the areas around the conference venue as well as outer Minneapolis areas can be found here.
Here is map of the the area around the conference (Hyatt Regency and the Doubletree Inn and Suites, student housing).
And, for those who like to shop or are just curious, this map shows the famous Nicollet Mall.
Accommodation
We have secured accommodation for participants at NAACL-HLT 2019 discounted rates at the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis which is also the conference venue. You can learn more about the hotel here.
- Located 12 miles from MSP International Airport.
- Complimentary Wi-fi in all guest rooms.
- Single/Double Room: $199, Triple Room: $224, Quad Room: $249.
Quoted rates will be possible up to 3 days pre- and post-conference, based on hotel availability. ACL discounted rates are available through Saturday, May 11, 2019 Sunday, May 19, 2019. Reservation requests received after the cut-off date will be based on standard room type availability at the contracted group rate.
The rooms may be reserved online here.
Students
SOLD OUT
We have also booked a small number of rooms specifically for students at the Doubletree Suites by Hilton Minneapolis at the super-discounted rates of $119 per night (1-2 people), $139 (3 people) and $159 (4 people). We strongly encourage students to share rooms to the extent possible.
The ACL Office will accept your reservation request and make the reservations on your behalf. Room sharing is recommended since only a limited number of rooms are available at the discounted rates. If you would like to share, you will need to specify the total number of people who will be sharing the room including yourself (i.e., yourself plus 1 to 3 others). Please be aware that rooms typically come with two beds so any more than two people may have to share a bed.
Please complete the Student Accommodation Request Form (SOLD OUT) to make your reservation request. We will do our best to honor your request on a first-come first-served basis. All requests must be received no later than Wednesday, May 1, 2019 by the ACL Office.
The Doubletree Suites by Hilton Minneapolis is located just minutes from the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis (the conference venue).
Visa Information
The following questions will help you in determining whether and how to apply for a U.S. visa to attend the conference.
Can I travel to the U.S. without a visa?
Please see this page to determine whether you are eligible to apply for an Electronic System Travel Authorization (ESTA) instead, which might be cheaper and easier. This is usually allowed if you hold a passport from a country that participates in the Visa Waiver Program, but there are some exceptions. Be sure to apply for the ESTA at least 72 hours in advance. Do not purchase your ESTA from any website other than the one linked above.
What kind of visa do I need?
To attend the conference, you should apply for a nonimmigrant B-1 visa. (This also permits you to engage in tourism during your trip.)
How do I apply for a visa?
Please apply well in advance. Visa applications can take from 1–4 months to be approved and normally require an interview at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate. For details, begin here and navigate to the website for the embassy or consulate nearest you for further visa instructions.
How much will it cost?
The non-refundable visa application fee is approximately $160 in local currency. Depending on your nationality, you may also have to pay a visa issuance fee.
Why should I request a visa invitation letter?
A letter is not specifically required. However, you are supposed to bring documentation to your visa interview. Bringing a letter from the conference organizers can help to establish the purpose of your trip: for example, we can document that you are coming to present a paper. You can request such a letter here.
In addition, if you have already paid for your registration, bringing your receipt can help to establish your ability to pay. In some countries, it may also be wise to bring a letter from your own institution that authorizes you to attend the conference.
What other documents may be needed in the visa interview?
The answer to this question varies by the country where the interview is conducted, and perhaps also by your nationality. Typically you will be asked to bring:
- your visa interview appointment letter
- suitable photos or digital images
- your passport, valid for at least 6 months beyond the period of stay in the U.S.
- DS-160 application confirmation page
- application fee payment receipt
You may also bring other documentation that will help you answer the interviewer’s questions. The interviewer is particularly interested to establish:
- The purpose of your trip. See the previous question. You may also be asked to bring your CV.
- Your intent to depart the United States after your trip. You may wish to show your return ticket, and evidence of your work and family responsibilities outside the U.S.
- Your ability to pay all costs of the trip. You may wish to show your bank statement, or evidence of travel grants or sponsorships, etc.
- Your U.S. stay address. You may wish to bring your hotel booking information.
Is it safe to go ahead and register for the conference before I have a visa?
Yes. If your visa application is denied, you are entitled to request a full refund of your conference registration fees.