Page 19 - PCCA-Year-In-Review

MAKING HEADLINES IN 2014

The Philadelphia Inquirer

August 21, 2014

Changes at Convention Center luring groups back to Philadelphia

The National Black MBA Association is one of a half-dozen shows that have agreed, either orally or by contract, to return to the Convention
Center.
These gatherings, some of which also had dropped Philadelphia from their roster of convention cities, will spend a combined total of 114,314
nights in local hotels and generate $147.6 million in economic impact, according to the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Several key events occurred. The Convention Center Authority Board decided to hire SMG, a West Conshohocken company with national
experience operating convention centers, to manage the site, starting in December.
Then, in May, four of the six unions that had been working there signed a Customer Satisfaction Agreement that changed work rules. Two
unions did not sign by the board-imposed deadline and lost jurisdiction in the building. Their work was divided among the other unions and
management staff.

Greenbiz.com Philadelphia Inquirer

January 2, 2014 November 26, 2014

Top 10 U.S. cities for green Bookings are up at the
meetings in 2014 Convention Center

Since earning LEED Gold certification for its 2011 There has been a 20 percent increase in convention-
expansion, the Pennsylvania Convention Center has made a related hotel bookings over last year, according to
name for itself as a leading green venue. Existing measures Julie Coker Graham, executive vice president of
include energy-efficient lighting; F&B cutlery, plates, cups the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau
and napkins made from 100 percent decompostable and (PHLCVB), the center’s marketing arm. The percentage
biodegradable products; and Green Seal-certified cleaning of conventions returning to the city has increased from
products. 17 percent in recent years to 38 percent. And by the end
of the year, the PHLCVB expects to have booked 13
Philadelphia Magazine major new shows for coming years, with an estimated
$535 million in economic impact. This comes after
May 16, 2014 several years of declining interest in Philadelphia by
convention planners.
Unions Offer to Hit the Road to
Drum Up Convention Business Philadelphia Tribune

The four unions still under contract at the Pennsylvania Convention December 1, 2014
Center have pledged not to file any labor grievances for six months
— and to help lure business to the center by traveling to other Philadelphia’s convention
cities and industry events to chat up potential clients. “If there is business on the upswing
an opportunity for us to win new business, we want to be a part of
that effort and win over potential customers with a renewed focus “Out of all the market segments, meetings and
on hospitality and customer service,” the leaders of those unions conventions continue to be a number one driver
— IBEW Local 98, Iron Workers Local 405, Laborers Local 332 for hotels, which is why this building must remain
and Stagehands Local 8 — wrote in a letter to the various state and successful. The changes here at the center are real and
local governing bodies that oversee the center. customers and our competition know it,” said Mayor
Michael Nutter.

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