Hotel Online  Special Report



advertisements
,
.
Anaheim City Officials Lobby Republicans and Democrats
for a 2008 Convention; But Whether it�s Worth
the Effort is a Matter of Debate
.
By Sandi Cain,  September, 2004

Anaheim Mayor Curt Pringle and a delegation of city officials will visit the Republican National Convention this month to lobby on behalf of Anaheim for the 2008 convention.

A similar effort took place at the recently concluded Democratic Convention in Boston.

But whether it�s worth the effort is a matter of debate.

Anaheim�s image would get a boost from hosting a political convention, said Charles Ahlers, president of the Anaheim/Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau.

�All that media coverage with a dateline �Anaheim� is good,� he said. �One of the problems Anaheim has is that we�re not a household name to those who make decisions in the corporate board rooms.�

Ahlers and others point to the publicity value Major League Baseball�s World Series and the National Hockey League�s Stanley Cup brought to the city and believe a political convention would do the same.

�You�re getting PR benefit you couldn�t purchase,� he said.

Officials in Los Angeles and Boston might disagree.

When Los Angeles hosted the 2000 Democratic Convention, the entire jewelry district shut down for a week because of street closures in the area, said Jack Kyser, chief economist with the Los Angeles Economic Development Corp.

Boston didn�t see much of an economic benefit in July for its Democratic Convention.

For the upcoming Republican Convention, New York has an operating budget of $60 million, and expects 14,000 delegates, 15,000 journalists and 8,000 volunteers to be in town for the week.

Its security budget is $46 million�$37 million of which is paid for by the federal government.

Though some cities now raise private funding to bid on and host major events like political conventions, Kyser doesn�t think the cost is worth it.

�The city has to put up a lot of money for dubious economic impact,� he said.

No plans for funding the bid have been announced by Anaheim. A request for comment from the mayor�s office wasn�t answered.

Kyser said political delegates don�t behave like normal tourists�they don�t go out to the restaurants or the tourist venues. And media representatives typically show up only for, well, the main show.

In Anaheim, the typical summer timing of the conventions could be especially problematic, as they�re held at the height of tourist season at Disneyland�across the street from the convention center.

�It would knock out several weeks of tourism,� Kyser said.

It might add to the security challenge as well.

While New York has 35,000 police officers, Anaheim has a force of roughly 300. The city called on other law enforcement agencies to assist during the World Series in 2002. But security for an event such as a political convention calls for more than controlling exuberant fans.

In all, Kyser said Anaheim is better off remaining a tourist town.

�If Anaheim wants to be home to the happiest place on earth, I�d tell them not to bid,� Kyser said.

---

Sandi Cain is a freelance writer and contributor to the Orange County Business Journal and meetings industry publications. She specializes in hospitality, tourism and travel. Cain holds bachelor�s and master�s degrees in education from Kent State University in Ohio, where she majored in social studies. A former high school teacher, she has written for niche-market sports publications in the U.S., England and Australia and formerly worked in both the printing and high-tech industries. A Cleveland, Ohio native, Cain hasbeen a resident of Laguna Beach since the late �70s. She enjoys travel, gardening, reading and spoiling her three cats.
.

###

Contact:
Sandi Cain
Laguna Beach CA
949-497-2680
[email protected]

Also See Tarsadia Boosting Upscale Hotel Holdings With Sutton Place Hotel in Newport Beach Buy / Sandi Cain / August 2004
Anaheim Convention Center Occupancy at Post-renovation High of 81.8%, Future Bookings Solid / Sandi Cain / August 2004
Hotel, Upscale Gym Planned at Summit Complex in Aliso Viejo, California; a 175-room Renaissance ClubSport / Sandi Cain / July 2004
Hotel Design Has Come a Long Way from the Cookie-cutter Days of the 1980s; Designers Aim for Warm, Nurturing Feel Post-Sept. 11 / Sandi Cain / July 2004
Hotel Development in Orange County, California All But Dries Up; Handful of Small Hotels Opens, Little Construction Under Way / Sandi Cain / June 2004
The 6-year-old Orange County (California) Tourism Council May be Victim of Budget Cutbacks / Sandi Cain / June 2004
Long before Walt Disney Bought Land for Disneyland Park in the Early 1950s, Walter Knott Planted the Seeds of the Amusement Industry in Orange County, California / Sandi Cain / May 2004
Cities from Anaheim to Laguna Beach, Rife with New Resorts, Look to Grab Summer Business; Sunnier Outlook Ahead for Summer Travel Season / Sandi Cain / May 2004
Tony Bruno, VP and General Manager of Disneyland Resort Hotels, Maps Out 2004 Changes / Sandi Cain / March 2004
Disney Planning for Big Year in Anaheim Amid Board Drama / Sandi Cain / March 2004
Tourism Industry Rethinks Promotion on Security Issues Data / Sandi Cain / February 2004
Orange County�s 50 Largest Hotels with Meeting Rooms Report 3% Jump in Space in 2003 / Sandi Cain / January 2004
Tale of Two Converntions; Las Vegas Versus Anaheim: Trade Groups Take Opposite Tack in Convention Plans / Sandi Cain / January 2004
Meeting Bookers Optimistic 2004 Will Mark Rebound Despite Potential Hurdles; Attendance Boosts at Recent Conventions Have Made Orange County California Hoteliers Hopeful / Sandi Cain / January 2004
Hotels, Theme Parks in Orange County, California Start Aggressive Push for In-State Visitors During Holidays / Sandi Cain / November 2003
An Oranges to Oranges Comparison; Anaheim and Orlando Share Tourism and Meeting Destination Bent, Differ in Some Areas / Sandi Cain / August 2003
New Coastal Resorts Helped Orange County, California Post Gain in Hotel Rooms / Sandi Cain / August 2003
Orange County California Hotel Building Remains Sluggish; Bright Spot: the Burgeoning Resort Market along OC�s Pacific Coast / Sandi Cain / July 2003
Sunstone Hotel Investors LLC and Tarsadia Hotels Expanding by Going After Weaker Hotels in Key Markets / Sandi Cain / June 2003
Orange County's Travel Agencies Continue to Suffer from a Downturn in Travel / Sandi Cain / May 2003
Hoteliers Worry as War, Economy Hit Bookings; A Weak Tourism Industry Threatens to Get Weaker / Sandi Cain / April 2003
Budget Ax Threatens Orange County's Tourism Comeback / Sandi Cain / February 2003
Pacific Islandia California Inc., Owner of the 489-room Sheraton Anaheim Hotel, Files for Bankruptcy Protection; Bankruptcy Over Dispute, Not Results / Sandi Cain / February 2003
Security Detail; High-Profile Meetings Have Police on Special Alert / Sandi Cain / January 2003
New Hotels, Remodelings Spur Growth in Orange County Meeting Space Amid Slow Recovery / Sandi Cain / January 2003
Security Detail; High-Profile Meetings Have Police on Special Alert / Sandi Cain - January 2003
Tarsadia Hotels Building Residence Inns in Garden Grove, San Diego, Buys the 201-room Crowne Plaza in Las Vegas / Sandi Cain / Dec 2002
Bucking Convention - Anaheim Center Expansion Seems to Pay Off as Other Cities Struggle / Sandi Cain / Nov 2002
Ayres Breaks Ground on L.A. Hotel, Expanding Two Others / Sandi Cain / Oct 2002
Orange County California's Hotels, Convention Center Upbeat Despite New Competition and Weak Economy / Sandi Cain / Aug 2002
Ritz, Surf & Sand, Vie With Beach Resort Newcomers Along California's Orange County Coast; Almost 1,000 rooms Set to be Added / Sandi Cain / Aug 2002
Orange County California's Hotels, Convention Center Upbeat Despite New Competition and Weak Economy / Sandi Cain / Aug 2002
Montage Founder, Alan J. Fuerstman Sees Big Things for Laguna Colony Luxury Hotel, Acquired from Marriott International for $190 million / Sandi Cain / July 2002
Orange County�s $6 billion Annual Tourism Industry Shaking off the Downturn / Sandi Cain / May 2002
The Orange Riviera - New Luxury Hotels and Renovation Projects Transforming OC�s Coast / Sandi Cain / May 2001 
Orange County Hoteliers Hope for a Solid Summer Season to Regain Momentum / May 2002 / Sandi Cain
Hotel Brokers: From Sales to Consultants / Sandi Cain / Jan 2002 
Tourism Officials Focus on Security of Events and Sites as Key to Attracting Visitors / Sandi Cain / Jan 2002 
Orange County Travel Agencies Bear Brunt Last Week, Waiting For Fallout / Sandi Cain / Sept 2001 
St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort & Spa Opening Adds to Competition in South Orange County California / Sandi Cain / Aug 2001 
The Orange Riviera - New Luxury Hotels and Renovation Projects Transforming OC�s Coast / Sandi Cain / May 2001 
Ayres Hotel Group Expands, Rebrands / Sandi Cain / March 2001
Orange County�s Hoteliers Relieved as Anaheim Convention Center Expansion Boosted Occupancy and Rates During Past Year / Sandi Cain / May 2001
Indomitable Disney / Bad News Doesn�t Tarnish the Mouse; Slowing Economy Another Matter /  / Feb 2001 
Orange County Hotels Poised for Meetings Growth; Newcomers Help Bolster Total Space; Disneyland Hotel Still No. 1 / Sandi Cain / Jan 2001 


To search Hotel Online data base of News and Trends Go to Hotel.Online Search


Home | Welcome! | Hospitality News | Classifieds | Catalogs & Pricing | Viewpoint Forum | Ideas/Trends
Please contact Hotel.Online with your comments and suggestions.