Meeting News - November 19, 2007 - (Page 22)

Convention Centers Power to the People in Connecticut Hartford’s convention center workers unionize after years of disputes Hartford, CT — After two years of disputes at the Hartford Marriott Downtown with Unite Here, a national union representing hotel, casino, and other workers that organized a sign-up drive at the property, the hotel’s owner, Waterford Group, has forged an agreement with another union for workers at the Connecticut Convention Center, of which Waterford operates. Waterford Group complied with the vote of 46 of its convention center workers to join the Connecticut Laborers District Council late last month. This comes after the state of Connecticut—which owns the center—directed the Waterford Group to enter into discussions with unions trying to organize the convention facility. Because the Marriott, the convention center hotel, is privately owned, the city has no influence over whether the property should be unionized. The agreement with the Laborers has angered Unite Here, prompting the group’s Connecticut director, Steve Matthews, to accuse Waterford Group of playing favorites by not opposing the Laborers at the convention center but fighting Unite Here at the hotel. Len Wolman, chief executive of the Waterford Group, told the Associated Press that a supervised union drive at the convention center is different from an organizing campaign at the hotel. Charles LeConche, business manager for the Laborers, stated that his group began organizing before Unite Here or any other organization.“We originally approached the workers and the management at the Connecticut Convention Center back in July 2006. However, after signing an agreement to organize, we voluntarily backed away because there were too many external issues involved with the process at the time,” said LeConche. Waterford Group and the Laborers have yet to negotiate any contracts for the convention center workers, but LeConche is confident of the outcome. “As members of Laborers International, all workers can depend upon receiving fair wages, benefits and cost-of-living increases,” he said. Edited by Mariana Lemann mariana.lemann@nielsen.com Pueblo Says No Funding for $10-million CC expansion voted down Pueblo, CO—On the Nov. 6 ballot, residents in this up-and-coming Colorado destination were asked for the second time this year to decide the fate of public funding for a $10million expansion of the Pueblo Convention Center. The vote hinged on whether or not the city would be allowed to keep a portion of the city’s sales tax vendors fees to add 30,000 sf to the convention center and connect it to the city’s Historic Arkansas Riverwalk, creating a more compelling meetings package for planners and delegates. The vendors fee is a portion of the total sales tax collected and refunded to merchants for their efforts. Critics of the plan say that the convention center wasn’t able to attract business since its inception 10 years ago, arguing that the expansion would be a waste of money. Consulting firm Handen Strategic Partners reported that in 2002, the convention center had 18 days of trade shows, nine in 2004, and just one in 2006. Public officials are currently at a standstill over where funding might come from for the expansion—and when. connections. As the insurer paid back $1.2 million, $700,000 could be in dispute. Hilton Ousts Marriott For Convention Center Hotel Broward, FL—With a 6-4 vote by a committee in charge of negotiating a convention center hotel development, Hilton was chosen to build a 1,000-room upscale hotel next to the Broward County Convention Cen- ter, which hosts on average 280 events annually. Tourism officials expect to counter the loss of business that they believe is related to the lack of a convention center headquarters hotel. The Sun Sentinel reported that Hilton’s proposal was $386 million, a lower bid compared with Marriott’s $506.8 million. Hilton plans a 27story structure wtih an infinity-edge pool overlooking the water, outdoor dining, and a 12,000-sf spa. If all goes as planned, the hotel will open by mid-2011. Broward County CC will get a 1,000-room Hilton HQ hotel. Pittsburgh Shores Up CC’s Section that Collapsed in Feb Pittsburgh—Pittsburgh Sports & Exhibition Authority will reinforce the David L. Lawrence Convention Center by propping up 25 support beams in the section that collapsed in February, when an expansion joint broke. To prepare for severe weather conditions that result in contraction and expansion of the structure—which occurred last winter—the city-county authority will invest $442,000 to install beam connections in December, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported. Since February, the authority has tendered $1.9 million in repair costs related to the collapse and $442,000 for the BC Premier Insists Vancouver Building is Worth the Price Vancouver—British Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell came under fire again last month over the latest budget news regarding the expansion of the Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Centre. Audit reports show the cost of the expansion has skyrocketed from $500 million to $883 million—a shock to taxpayers, www.meetingnews.com 22 MeetingNews November 19, 2007 http://www.meetingnews.com

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