Mayor Jeff Longbine, vice mayor Jim Kessler, city manager Matt Zimmerman and Regional Development Association president Kent Heermann were in Las Vegas for three days to meet with retailers and developers at the International Council of Shopping Centers Global Real Estate Convention. This is the second year in a row Emporia was represented at the convention.
Despite a much lower attendance than last year, Zimmerman said the trip went well. He estimated the attendance at the event to be about 40 percent lower than last year.
“This year there are about 20,000 people instead of 50,000 people,” Zimmerman said, “which we knew would happen, but we really felt like we needed to be out here to keep the momentum going from last year.”
“I think we spent a productive three days out there,” Longbine said. “... I do think we had a very productive show, we made a lot of contacts, and hopefully we moved Emporia up on the radar screens.”
For more, see tonight's print or online pdf editions.
madpoet (anonymous) says...
Our tax dollars at work...
May 21, 2009 at 9:30 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
Oh come on, give the guys a break. I hope at least the city sprang for a pretty swimsuit model, to "man" the Emporia booth as I don't think the 4 from Emporia would command the attention of convention goers.
May 21, 2009 at 9:57 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
seriouslyfolks (anonymous) says...
Um......? What the................? Vegas? Seriously? Um? OK, whatever I guess.
May 21, 2009 at 10:26 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
YY4U:
You may be on to something there. I don't know if they make a weather proof slot machine though :)
May 21, 2009 at 11:54 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
justthinkin (anonymous) says...
I wonder - was there smoking inside in Vegas? HHHMMM - What a concept. Hope the "good old boys" had a good time!
May 21, 2009 at noon ( permalink | suggest removal )
seriouslyfolks (anonymous) says...
I'm sure that there is no smoking in Vegas. They are very progressive and forward thinking.
May 21, 2009 at 12:42 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
slvrnblck (anonymous) says...
rbow--
Just out of curiosity, how has business been since the ban? Up? Down? About the same?
Not trying to start a whole debate or anything my curiosity is just getting to me.
May 21, 2009 at 1:18 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
There is no smoking in Hotel lobbies or resturants in Vegas. Unless you serve food and have a certain amount of slots, or if you don't serve food and have slots, but people can bring their own food in to eat while they smoke, or if its ventilation system isn't shared, hell, they still don't know about how their ban works and it passed in 2006. You can smoke in the convention center hall only if you are a tobacco convention, but not in the hallways or bathrooms of the convention center. I for one REALLY miss that smoking room right off of Allegiant Airlines gate at the airport. From the offers We've been getting mailed to us, business is sucking in Vegas.
Let's all book a flight and go do some 1st hand research?
May 21, 2009 at 1:19 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
slvrnblck;
As I stated earlier business is down, but my bar normally has a drop in April as people get outside to work in their yards, etc.
I have noticed the regulars/ smokers are not staying as long or coming in as much, and a very slight increase in non-smoking customers. Whether it will ultimately affect the bottom line will be known after a couple of months of sales can be compared with last year. The Sales for April and May so far are down compared to last year. Smoking ban, or the economy, still to early to tell for me, but there is a rumour out there that 1 bar will close at the end of this month.
May 21, 2009 at 1:47 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
I'm still thinking a trip to Vegas might be worthwhile!
May 21, 2009 at 1:49 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
dhcc66 (anonymous) says...
my question is...what does the city get out of it and have the past trips ever brought anything back other than 4 tired commissioners??
i see this as ranking right up there with the league of municipalities trips to washington dc in the past where most of our commissioners attended.
also, is our government transparent enough to post the detailed bills for these trips on the gazette so that we can see what we paid for?
May 21, 2009 at 3:10 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
emporialifer (anonymous) says...
Okay I just couldn't resist:
"Zimmerman ...He estimated the attendance at the event to be about 40 percent lower than last year"
AND
"This year there are about 20,000 people instead of 50,000 people"
Did anybody else catch this? Who screwed up the math here - Zimmerman or The Gazette? 40% lower would mean there were 30,000 people there. 20,000 people being there means there were only 40% of last year's numbers.
Must be close to a 3 day weekend as I am obviously easily entertained today with the small stuff.
May 21, 2009 at 3:39 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
slvrnblck (anonymous) says...
rbow--
Thanks for your response. I hope business picks up for you.
May 21, 2009 at 4:25 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
Overheard at a companies finance office.
Why would anybody charge a trip to a chicken ranch on the companies credit card when they are conventioning in Las Vegas?
Just a joke I AM NOT INSINUATING ANYTHING.
May 21, 2009 at 4:50 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )