By Kathy Bergen |
Some of Chicago’s largest trade show organizers are warning legislative
leaders in Springfield against watering down exhibitor rights as they
craft a bill to overhaul McCormick Place operations.
“We need to stress that simply expanding exhibitor rights incrementally
will not help. This must be offered to all,” representatives of eight
major shows stated in an e-mail sent Wednesday to House Speaker Michael
Madigan (D-Chicago), House Republican Leader Tom Cross (R-Oswego) and
Senate President John Cullerton (D-Chicago).
The e-mail was a response to revisions in a draft bill made after legislative leaders met with union officials for more than four hours Tuesday. The legislative leaders met with union chiefs again Wednesday morning.
The shows want their exhibitors to be able to do some of their own set-up work, regardless of the size of the booth. Right now, such flexibility extends primarily to booths smaller than 300 square feet.
Representatives of the restaurant, housewares and auto shows were among those signing the e-mail.
In a separate e-mail Wednesday, six big trade show customers adamantly opposed another proposal, which would allow a special trustee overseeing the restructuring of McCormick Place to hire an exclusive show contractor for the building, which means trade show organizers would be forced to use that company for setting up their shows.
“This clause must be removed otherwise it negates all potential reform in the other sections
of the legislation,” the e-mail said.
Historically, trade show organizers have chafed at their lack of choice at McCormick Place. In particular they have objected to having to use Focus One, the in-house electrical service, and at being limited to the building’s designated private food-service provider. McPier has used its profits on those businesses to help balance its budget, which led to high prices for customers.
Mayor Daley is right. Get the politicians out of McCormick Place and turn it over to a private operator. It needs to be run as a business, not by politicians with no experience or knowledge in the convention trade. If all of the shows decide to leave Chicago, it will be the “little people,” those who work in hotels, restaurants and elsewhere in the convention/tourist industry, who will lose their jobs suffer, along with their businesses which will be forced to close.
Daley is only interested in his pockets, his friends and family. Privatization DOESN’T lower prices just like outsourcing Doesn’t lower prices. It only lowers prices for the company but the consumers end up paying more. The savings are NEVER passed on to the people it should be given to. In this mess, looks like everyone is just trying to line the pockets with MORE money!
These trade shows would prefer to use “illegal immigrants” for a dollar an hour to set-up their booths vs. pay real wages union workers demand.
Hey Roman
Just keep paying those union wages for no added value and we’ll be happy to keep getting your shows to move here to Orlando
Ya RomanB!
Because paying $400 for 4 cases of Pepsi is the American Price!
Heck, you support illegal workers if you pay $6.99 a case at Jewel or Dominicks!
This is the week the State of Illinois legislature will decide the future of McCormick Place.
This involves so many people and so many dollars.
So, how did we get here?
Was it the price of Pepsi?
Was it the mystery booth at the HiMMS Show?
Was it the SPI-NPE Cost Comparison a few days later?
Was it Christine Heftman’s of the National Restaurant Association, testimony to the legislative committees hearing?
No, it cannot be, because none of these stories were true.
The price for Pepsi is more in Orlando, the electrical pricing is not 10 times more in Chicago, the electrical pricing is not 48% less in Orlando, and Ms. Heftman clearly had her facts wrong.
So, what was it exhibitor rights?
No, none of the proposals addresses more than 4% of exhibitor complaints.
Was it the cost of labor, the number of jurisdictions and the work rules?
No, the work rules in Chicago are very similar to Orlando, Las Vegas and the other convention centers.
The effective labor rate in Chicago must be less than the other convention cities, otherwise Chicago labor would not be sent to work in the other locations, while they are paid Chicago wages.
Is there a systemic problem at McCormick Place?
No, the majority of trade shows and exhibitors are very happy with McCormick Place. That is why they voted McCormick Place as their #1 Convention Center.
Is it because Freeman and GES wanted to compete against McCormick Place’s Focus One and McCormick Place catering services, that had $22,000,000 on profits last year?
At 22,000,000 to 0, this is the odds on favorite.
Chicago 20, go try selling that bridge somewhere else. In order for your conclusions to be accurate all of the various shows and conventions would have to be in on the scam. That is so laughably preposterous that my sides hurt.
So, just who do you work for anyway?
@ dbcgr
Consider this.
The HiMMS Show, the SPI-NPE Plastics Show, the Housewares Show all have something in common.
They are all managed by Freeman.
Ask the Tribune to publish the SPI-NPE Plastics Show comparison and the corrected version. They have had this information since February 22, 2010.
What was Freeman’s only response to the media after the CCTB 40 meeting at O’Hare?
All Freeman wants is to compete against Focus One and McCormick Place catering.
Focus One and catering cleared $22,000,000 in profits last year.
In other cities Freeman makes money on electrical services and catering. Their prices in these cities are often more than at McCormick Place.
Look at how much HiMMS made from its 2006 Annual Meeting.
From HIS talk:
http://histalk.blog-city.com/monday_morning_update_082007.htm
A reader asked about lobbyist spending by HIMSS, leading Adam (“long time fan, first time caller – er, e-mailer”) to send over its federal 990 form (disclaimer: I’m not an accountant, but I’m reading it as best I can, and HIMSS will be due to file a new 990 shortly). It shows $1 million in lobbying expense. Other high points: HIMSS had $31 million in revenue, with $17 million from the annual conference and $4.5 million from publishing. Membership dues are listed as bringing in $4.2 million. Expenses were $32 million. It paid about $10 million in salaries and bonuses, of which CEO Steve Lieber got $485K. The form says HIMSS owns $16.6 million in investments, mostly stocks (it doesn’t say which companies’ shares) and sold $42 million worth during the year (I don’t understand that huge number for sure). HIMSS Analytics took in $5.1 million. HIMSS paid $331,000 in credit card fees (!) and $3.2 million in consulting fees. The form says HIMSS made $317K from professional services and $752K from industry affairs, each line footnoted to say that’s from “representation of the society” in government affairs/health industry events, so I’m not sure who’s paying that. HIMSS owns a chunk of Medtech Publishing that it values at $544K, which brought in $89K of income. If you’re an accountant and want to give a more professional interpretation, I can send the PDF over.
http://histalk.blog-city.com/news_053107.htm
From Miss Bankhead: “Re: HIMSS. In the old AHA conference days, colleagues talked about how they were using technology. And then came HIMSS. They had the same first-hand flavor initially. Now we’re going out with this tarted-out streetwalker called HIMSS. Their value to the vendors paying them big bucks comes from the little guys who don’t pay big bucks. Our information gets bought and sold and our work on committees is sold by HIMSS for a tidy profit. HIMSS executives are paid astronomical salaries. Volunteer to be on a high profile committee and see how far you get unless you have some big dollars to drop their way.” If anyone in the Chicago area wants to drop by and peruse their 990 form to see how much they’re paying executives, you know you’ll find an audience here. I’m not that down on HIMSS, just in case I gave that impression. I’ve been on some committees and felt welcome, so my experience there is not at all bad. In fact, I don’t have much to complain about except HIMSS Analytics and the reliance on heavy vendor revenue and membership. I understand the advocacy thing even though it doesn’t interest (or benefit) me. The conference is great, other than the obvious excesses and the ever-diminishing emphasis on quality education. Otherwise, HIMSS does a super job in my book.
$17,000,000 from one trade show, in one year.
Are you still laughing?
what is the difference between wetbacks and teamsters? the illegals would actually work. **** the teamsters
could it be the that the union work force is a joke at best? matbe if the lazy fucks were to actually work 3 hrs a day it would make a difference. this is all caused by daily being balless and caving in to these useless union fucks