On the one hand, I've had a relatively luxuriant week of being relatively unconnected. Wasn't a vacation, just other priorities. And then Katrina hit.
I happened to be at McCormick Place on Tuesday, which was giving the Coverings team the full red-carpet treatment for selecting Chicago for its odd-year shows. This was a very big deal for Chicago, which had taken some hits recently and does have a bit of a reputation problem concerning labor.
As Coverings is perhaps the most labor-intensive show in the US (possibly only the Builders Show would compete) getting Coverings required a lot of salesmanship and negotiating prowess on the part of the McCormick team. Although the venue change was rumored earlier this Spring, it was all but dead by late April and we were all pretty convinced the show would stay in Orlando for the foreseeable future. But things changed quickly.
At more than a half-million net square feet of exhibits and a substantial educational program, Coverings is one of those events that could only fit in five venues (Orlando, Vegas, Atlanta, McCormick, New Orleans) in the US. There are about 40 others with the same challenge. And now that challenge has become 20% more difficult with Morial out of commission for several months - and probably much longer before anyone would seriously consider NOLA as a destination for a TSW200 event.
Before Tuesday afternoon's ceremonies - this was about 30 hours after Katrina's landfall - I asked a McCormick official (who will remain unnamed) whether McCormick was receiving inquiries about relocating events scheduled for Morial. Indeed they had already fielded several inquiries from large show organizers. He added that these were extremely difficult conversations due to the nature of the inquiries. It wasn't your typical "Chicago's your kind of town" happy sales banter.
There was no elation at the prospect of beating out another city for business. Rather the conversations were subdued and compassionate, with Chicago's representatives giving the inquirers a lot of latitiude to explain their situations and needs. No hard sells, just a lot of listening and seeing what they could do to help.
The conversation was an interesting, if somber, counterpoint to the gleeful reception that Coverings had received. McCormick had brought out all available employees to form a reception line, brought out the Sun-Times and Tribune for photos and even delivered Mayor Dailey for a few words about how getting Coverings was evidence of Chicago's renewed willingness to work with show organizers.
While Coverings had the choice to go to Chicago, other large events scheduled for Morial won't have such a luxury. Most will be limited to Chicago or Atlanta if they plan on remaining large (Vegas dates are almost impossible to get short term and Orlando's calendar is not much better) or they will have to contract somewhat, which brings numerous other first-tier cities into the mix.
While nobody in our industry really wants to take advantage of this situation, there will be beneficiaries. Hopefully all the venues will welcome those events coming from New Orleans with the open arms that Chicago showed Coverings.
We hope that some of the revenues these cities earn from the events coming their way only through fate and misfortune will find their way back to New Orleans (and Biloxi/Gulfport) to help with the rebuilding. The same goes for those organizers who are thinking about "Rebuild the Gulf" expos and conferences.
Comments