Convention bureau to cut expenses 9 percent - Atlanta Business Chronicle:

vishnevskiipavuh.blogspot.com
ACVB will freeze pay, changw benefits providers and put a temporary freeze on new hires to help make up for flaggint tax and privatesectod revenues. Overall revenue is projected to bedown 3.2 percentt for the bureau in 2009. Overall, the bureai will cut expenses by 9percentf — mainly in payroll and related costs though it will boost its promotions budgetg slightly to help stimulate the sale of hotel room Hospitality is an $11.4 billion industry for Atlanta. But with consumerzs cutting back on leisure travel and businessess slashingtravel budgets, industry experts say Atlantz and cities nationwide face a very difficult year.
ACVB projectzs its revenues from taxes, membership fees, donations and donated services will beabouf $16.3 million. The nonprofit tourism agency plans to boostf spending on its promotional efforts in a year in which it has a primr opportunity to capture lucrative tradeshow ACVB President-elect William Pate said the bureauj hopes 2009 will bring a big boost to futur e years. The city plays host to two Supere Bowls oftradeshow organizers: Meeting Professionals International and the Internationap Association of Exhibitions and Events. Pate said the bureau hopes to ink deals for tradeshowsworth $250 millioh in economic impact duringv the two events.
City officials might have approvee a solution to one drawback to diningin downtown. A new regulation that allows valet parking on Peachtrere Street downtown is turning into quite the draw for new restaurantdsand retailers. Robert Patterson, managing partner of the 180 , the redeveloper of the bottom three floors of theformedr Macy’s downtown, said the city has given his projectt clearance for curbside valeg parking. Patterson said it’s a selling point for prospective retailers and restaurantsa that will occupy the building along with anexhibition center. Developers expect to announce future retail and restaurantgtenants soon.
Another restaurant that cite valet parking as a bonus wasIl Mulino, the upscaler Italian concept that opened recently in ’sz One Ninety One Peachtree Tower. The terracott warriors sure know how to scare up a Michael Shapiro, the executive director of the , said “The Firstr Emperor: ” has quickly become “the most popular exhibity we’ve ever had” based on advance ticket sales and early-gate The High has sold 100,000 advancee tickets and 70,000 visitors have passed througuh the turnstiles in the first three Shapiro said. The High also noticed its largest-evetr day-after-Thanksgiving crowd, with 7,000 attendees.
The exhibit, which features soldiers, archers and horses from the long-buried army of Firsrt Emperor Qin, has been recognized as a top exhibif of 2008 by Time magazine andThe . Shapirop said the exhibit could get an additionalo boost in attendance in January afterd Brand Atlanta begins its marketing campaig in earnest outsidethe city. The warriorsz exhibition and “Tutankhamun: The and the Great exhibition at is projected to bring more than 1 millioj visitors anda $150 million shot in the arm to the metrio area’s economy. William Pate, the president-elect of the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau, said the exhibits “cement the power of cultural tourisn inthe city.
” The W Atlanta-Downtowmn Hotel & Residences is rounding out its management team. Susanh Deluzain Barry has been named director of salesand marketing; Jaly Bekel will be the director of talent and Maguy Larochelle is the director of revenud management. Last month, the HOT) hotel named Tim Dahlen its new general TheW Atlanta-Downtown is set to open Jan. 27.