City Officials Trying to Ban Marijuana Convention

Posted on February 11, 2013 by zduncan

Medical Cannabis CupWell, this story was just too interesting to pass up on. City officials in Los Angeles are asking a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge to issue a temporary restraining order against the organizers of a two-day convention supporting marijuana.

The convention is set to last two days and begin on Saturday, February 16, taking place at a sound and film production studio in South Glendale. City council members held an emergency closed session in order to stop organizers from hosting the Medical Cannabis Cup, hosted by High Times magazine. However, the council members are contending that the use of the space does not comply with municipal code.

According to City Atty. Michael Garcia, “We are hoping to get voluntary compliance.” City officials are also concerned that the event and its organizers plan to use the Glendale Studios for live performances, which include rappers The Game and Redman.

According to Garcia, the studio is zoned for broadcast and recording, not for concerts. In addition to that, the event doesn’t comply with the city’s ban on medical marijuana dispensaries, which are prohibited in all zoning districts. According to Garcia, “Obviously, our ordinance defines dispensaries broadly.”

Steve Makhanian, who runs the studio, already stated that he planned on canceling the event regardless of any court injunction due to the fact that the city was “not happy” that the organizers had not pulled the proper permits. “As a studio owner, we can not jeopardize having this event here,” he said.

Local dispensaries, clothing companies, hydroponic businesses and marijuana paraphernalia retailers were all expected to showcase products at the event, according to High Times Associate Publisher Rick Cusick. Actor Tommy Chong was also scheduled to make an appearance and receive a Lifetime Achievement Award. Cusick added that the event is “unusual all over the place.”

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Activists Petition 2015 NRA Convention After Connecticut Shootings

Posted on December 18, 2012 by zduncan

National Rifle AssociationThe horrible events in Newton, Connecticut recently have left our nation mourning and shocked and have put many people up in arms over restrictions and regulations over firearms. No institution is more vocal in favor of the legality of firearms than the National Rifle Association (NRA), which is poised to hold its 2015 convention in Nashville, Tennessee. However, political activists are trying to convince the city to drop the events in light of the recent school shooting.

However, canceling the event could cost the city severely in both cancellation penalties and missed revenues. That isn’t stopping Democratic political consultant Linda McFayden-Ketchum from putting together an online petition to ask Nashville Mayor Karl Dean to retract the the city’s invitation to the NRA. McFayden-Ketchum, who used to be a teacher, said that Nashville should do its part to put a financial stranglehold on the NRA after the events in Newton.

According to McFayden-Ketchum, “It all comes down to money. I just think kids are more important – and teachers…. I don’t think we need that money. Let them go somewhere else.”

Nashville officials announced two years ago that the NRA is expected to bring 48,000 out-of-town visitors to the city, benefiting local hotels, restaurants and bars in April 2015. In addition to that, thousands more are expected to drive in from the region, making this the biggest convention booked so far at the new convention center that is set to open next spring.

Breaking this agreement could force the city to pay penalties to the NRA. The Metro Convention Center Authority recently paid over $650,000 to two different groups because it was unable to get the Music City Center ready in time for their events. City officials are also wary of rejecting a convention on political grounds, which could lead to future lobbying efforts against other controversial groups and hurt the city’s reputation in hospitality circles.

McFayden-Ketchum stated that Nashville is and should be a welcoming place, and that she knows some people will point to the business that the city will lose, though that doesn’t matter to her. “But there is a line – for me,” she said.

Source: NRA opponents want mayor to cancel 2015 convention

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National Association of Counties Conference Headed to Columbus in 2017

Posted on December 7, 2012 by zduncan

National Association of CountiesThe National Association of Counties (NACO) is bringing its national conference to the Columbus, Ohio in 2017, bringing an estimated 3,000 visitors and $9 million in economic impact to the home of the Buckeyes.

The conference will take place from July 21 through July 24, 2017 and will be based at the new Hilton Columbus Downtown and Hyatt Regency hotels, both of which are located near the Greater Columbus Convention Center. The conference is making its way back to Ohio for the first time in nearly 20 years.

The effect of political leaders from around the nation converging on Columbus should be significant, according to Experience Columbus CEO Paul Astleford.  Columbus beat out six other cities in the country for the ability to host the conference, he added. “I’d like for you to ask our competitors how big a coup this is,” Astleford told reporters.

A combination of a lot of different factors contributed to Columbus landing the conference. Franklin County Commissioner John O’Grady worked with NACO’s Large Urban County Caucus to bring its 2013 conference to Columbus to show that the city could handle conferences of this magnitude. Franklin County Commissioners President Paula Brooks helped lead an effort to bid on the convention, and Athens County Commissioner Lenny Eliason sat as president of NACO in 2011.

Eliason stated that the bid got Columbus “on the dance floor”, and that he sealed the deal. He underscored that Columbus needs to serve as a good host if it hopes to keep drawing conventions and return trips from visitors. “It’s not the first 10,000 bed nights – it’s the next 10,000,” Eliason stated. The convention has chosen first-tier cities in the past, Astleford stated, like Denver, Chicago and Atlanta. “National meetings like NACO don’t just find their way to Columbus,” he said.

Source: Columbus Business First – NACO bringing 2017 convention to Columbus, with $9M estimated impact

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Atlantic City Convention Center Manager Caught Up in Lawsuit

Posted on December 3, 2012 by zduncan

Atlatnitc City Convention CenterThe firm that has managed the Boardwalk Hall and Atlantic City Convention Center for almost 20 years recently filed a lawsuit against the Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority claiming that the agency used faulty procurement practices.

The firm, SMG, filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court on November 30 with claims centered on a request for proposals issued in August seeking a firm to manage the two Atlantic City facilities. SMG currently has a contract for the job, which is set to expire on December 31, 2012.

SMG’s suit claims that the proposal violates state law, saying that arbitration is the only way to resolve a disagreement about the process instead of the legal process. A letter that was sent to the Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority President Jeffery Vasser disputes the makeup of the ACCVA’s selection committee. This includes Casino Reinvestment Development Authority Executive Director John Palimeri and Atlantic City Alliance CEO Liza Cartmell.

The letter is claiming that the committee is legally flawed due to the fact that it included individuals who have no authority over the operations of the Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority. Legislation that was passed over a year and a half ago mandated that the ACCVA merge into CRDA, though that merger has yet to take place.

According to SMG Attorney Christopher Hartwyk, “The CRDA and Alliance simply have no legal authority – indeed no business – being involved in, much less scoring and influencing the outcome of a public procurement carried out pursuant to ACCVA’s enabling legislation.”

The inclusion of Cartmell on the committee is laid out specifically in the letter, which points out that as the head of the Alliance, a nonprofit marketing entity, she is not subject to financial disclosure requirements and public official ethic rules. The attorney for ACCVA, John Donnelly, stated that the proposal process was handled properly, noting that arbitration is an accepted form of dispute resolution that is generally faster and more economical than going through the court system.

The Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority board is still planning on meeting via teleconference to award the contract, Donnelly stated.

Source: Manager of Boardwalk Hall and Atlantic City Convention Center sues tourism panel

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Tucson Convention Center Fined Heavily for Double-Booking

Posted on November 23, 2012 by zduncan

Tucson Convention CenterThings are not looking good for the Tucson Convention Center or the city taxpayers. Recent reports have confirmed that the residents of Tucson have had to pay out hundreds of thousands of dollars in settlements for events that were double-booked at the convention center.

Nobody knows the exact amount that taxpayers have to pay considering the fact that the city is still sorting through all the books. However, records have shown that at least $300,000 in settlements for two events that needed to be rescheduled due to double booking is already owed. In addition to that, the records show at least five other shows that were double-booked, though any financial settlements or costs for those are not available.

The Pima County Sheriff’s Department recently launched an investigation that focused on possible conflict-of-interest violations by longtime Tucson Convention Center Deputy Director Tommy Obermaier for acting as promoter and Tucson Convention Center booker for an event. The investigation was unable to turn up any criminal violation, though it did reveal at least seven instances of double-booking which the city was ultimately responsible for.

Obermaier has been on paid administrative leave since August while the city investigates his job performance while Tucson Convention Center Sales and Marketing Manager Kate Calhoun described Obermaier’s handling of contacts to investigators as “loosey-goosey”. In addition to that, Calhoun stated that many of the contracts were not signed or properly filed until after the event took place and that things like this have been going on for years.

Moreover, Calhoun also said that the Tucson Convention Center would co-promote some events, despite the fact that it was prohibited from doing so because it would place the city at financial risk should problems arise. Overall, Calhoun told investigators that Obermaier operated “in chaos and pandemonium.”

Source: Arizona Daily Star – Booking missteps at Tucson Convention Center are costly

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Central Florida Auto Show Happening Thanksgiving Weekend

Posted on November 20, 2012 by zduncan

Central Florida International Auto Show 2012Some people like to spend Thanksgiving with their families, others with their friends, and some even like to spend it helping those less fortunate. And then there are some who prefer to spend Thanksgiving at a convention center looking at a bunch of cars and car-related paraphernalia. Such is the case for people heading to the Central Florida International Auto Show, which opens on Thanksgiving Day at the Orange County Convention Center and ends on Sunday.

The show, which is hosted annually, features hundreds of the latest and greatest automobiles, including exotic models and even electric cars. In addition to that, the show features over 45 models from a dozen different manufacturers that will be available for test drives by attendees.

Admission to the event is $9 for adults, $5 for military personnel (with ID), senior citizens aged 62 or older and students under the age of 21 (with ID). Children ages 7 to 12 are charged $3 per ticket with children 6 and under getting in free when accompanied by an adult, though I find it hard to believe there is an influx of small children trying to get into this thing by themselves.

The show, which is presented by the Central Florida Auto Dealers Association and produced by Motor Trend Auto Shows LLC, is open in the West Concourse at noon and closes at 9:00 p.m. on Thursday. Hours for Friday and Saturday are 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. with Sunday running from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.

Thanksgiving weekend seems like a strange time to hold an automotive convention, but who knows, maybe the show has some killer Black Friday deals? I wonder what the discount is on a new Mustang? Regardless, the show is being held this weekend, just in case you can’t handle being with your family for extended periods of time.

Source: Orlando Sentinel – Central Florida auto show in convention center over Thanksgiving weekend

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Two New Hotels Planned for Boston Convention Center

Posted on November 14, 2012 by zduncan

Boston Convention CenterThe Massachusetts Convention Center Authority recently put out a request for proposals to develop two 400 to 500 room hotels near the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. Both hotels would be privately financed and mid-priced and would be built directly next to each other on D Street. In addition to that, each one would share facilities like kitchens and fitness rooms. The ground floor of each hotel would be designated retail or restaurant space available for lease.

According to the Authority, construction is expected to begin sometime in late 2013 with completion predicted in 2015. These two hotels are among seven other lodging facilities that have been approved by state Legislature to be built around the convention center. The Legislation recently removed the prohibition on hotel construction south of Summer Street near the convention center. The restriction was put into place back in 1997 to ensure that new hotel development didn’t have an adverse effect on South Boston neighborhoods.

It was also made known that the Seaport District is in need of an additional 2,300 hotel rooms to met the current demand. If the planned $2 billion expansion of the facility is approved  then the need for hotel rooms will grow to as many as 6,000 new rooms. In addition to these two new hotels, two additional ones are scheduled to open near the convention center by 2014. One is a 120-room Marriott Residence Inn, which is under construction on Congress Street. The other is a 135-room boutique hotel in Seaport Square.

Source: Boston.com – Convention center seeking two new hotels

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WonderCon Heads Back to Anaheim

Posted on November 9, 2012 by zduncan

WonderCon logoCons are a marvelous thing. Not the cons that are sitting in the prisons and penitentiaries around the country, of course, but the conventions that mark annual gatherings of people who share a common interest and joy in video games, comic books, fantasy, science-fiction and other things of that sort. WonderCon, which is an annual gathering of fantasy, sci-fi and comic book fans, is slated to be held in Anaheim, California for its next installment, despite plans for the 2013 convention to return to its original home in San Francisco.

WonderCon, which is widely considered to be the little brother to the larger, more popular Comic-Con International, has held at the Anaheim Convention Center this year due to major renovations that were taking place at San Francisco’s Moscone Center. The Moscone center had been the location of WonderCon for the past six years and originated in Oakland. Heading into its 27th year, the convention was expected to return to the Bay Area in 2013.

Unfortunately, WonderCon officials recently announced that, even though renovations are complete, the dates offered by the Moscone Center are for the fall and coincide with another major event, resulting in “unavoidable conflicts” and expensive hotel room blocks starting at $300 per night.

According to a statement on WonderCon’s website, “This, along with the expected difficulty of exhibitors and attendees in securing airfare for those outside of driving distance of San Francisco for that weekend, has resulted in us not being able to secure San Francisco as a location for WonderCon in 2013. Hopefully we will be able to return WonderCon to San Francisco sometime soon.”

The Anaheim event is scheduled to run from March 29 through March 31 with guests including Dean Koontz, Marjorie Liu, Doug Mahnke, Ann Nocenti, Jason Palmer, Dan Slott, Jeff Smith, Steranko, Sergio Argonés and Mark Evanier. WonderCon has yet to release the entire 2013 schedule, though the event last year included panels with creators and actors, a children’s film festival, gaming, an autograph area, a huge merchant floor and a masquerade event.

Source: Los Angeles Times – WonderCon is returning to Anaheim, not San Francisco, in 2013

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New Upscale Hotel to Go Up Across from the Los Angeles Convention Center

Posted on November 6, 2012 by zduncan

Los Angeles Convention CenterThe City of Los Angeles is looking into proposals from developers for a new, large-scale hotel that will be located across the street from the Los Angeles Convention Center, which is currently scheduled for a massive expansion and redesign.

Councilman Jose Huizar announced recently the release of a Request for Proposals by the city for three plots of city-owned land located on the corner of Figueroa and Pico Boulevard. Mayor Villaraigosa recently stated, “The City is working to drive hotel development near the Convention Center to stimulate our local economy and attract large citywide conventions to Los Angeles. These developments mean more tourism, more jobs and more revenue that will go straight to providing the services Angelenos rely on.”

Huizar has stated that the ideal project for the intended area is a four-star boutique hotel with LEED Silver Certification, which means it would be a green building with energy conservation and waste reduction in mind. “A new convention hotel on this site will help us get closer to the 5,000 rooms we need downtown in order for L.A. to be a competitive convention city.”

The city currently has approximately 1,685 hotel rooms located within a half-mile of the convention center. That is significantly less than nearby areas, like San Francisco and San Diego, which have nearly 19,000 and 8,000 rooms near their convention centers, respectively.

Some of the major upscale hotels that currently reside in close proximity to the convention center include the J.W. Marriott, the Ritz-Carlton and the Luxe. In addition to that, there are two new Marriott hotels, a Courtyard and a Residence Inn planned for Olympic Boulevard, across from the Ritz. Developers broke ground on the $172-million Marriott project back in June and say that it will add nearly 400 new hotel rooms along with 11,754 square feet of meeting room space.

Source: blogdowntown – City seeks developers to build upscale hotel near DTLA convention center

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Dallas Convention Center Hosting MLG Fall Championship

Posted on October 31, 2012 by zduncan

MLG Fall ChampionshipWhen most people think of fanatical fans, they think of people who religiously follow their favorite sports teams around, painting their bodies, standing in long lines for a chance to watch them play or even get a chance to meet them. However, there is a slightly less known industry that has the same amount of devotion and one that brings in crowds that are as big, if not bigger, than some professional sporting events. I’m talking about Major League Gaming.

Better known as the MLG, Major League Gaming has grown tremendously in recent years, especially with the increasing popularity of next-gen consoles like the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. The Dallas Convention Center was packed wall to wall with gamers, pros, fans, commentators and games for the MLG’s Fall Championship that brought in players from all over the entire world.

Over $180,000 was up for grabs with some of the best video game players in the world competing in a plethora of different games, including League of Legends, StarCraft II and Mortal Kombat. One of the highlights of the tournament was a StarCraft II match between Grubby and Flash, gamertags of two of the best SCII players in the world. Grubby is a 26-year-old player from the Netherlands while Flash is a storied Korean champion of Brood War, the expansion to the original StarCraft, though he is fairly new to StarCraft II. It’s almost like hearing about the Ali vs. Frazier fight.

Convention centers around the country are fighting for the chance to hold an MLG tournament and the ones that aren’t are clearly missing out. Professional athletes are no longer jacked guys beating each other into submission, hitting home runs or running in a touchdown and convention centers are no longer solely for trade shows and conferences.

Source: GuideLive – Dallas hosts Mahor League Gaming’s Fall Championship and brings in huge crowds, huge games

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