Letters

Build and they will come

, Aug 31, 2007, Updated Oct 30, 2009 (23 Reader comments)

COURTESY OF ZIMMER GUNSUL FRASCA PARTNERSHIP

A development team came up with this vision for a headquarters hotel near the Oregon Convention Center. Debate continues over the plan for the possible hotel and its funding.

The debate on building a headquarters hotel is based directly on the comments and input from people in the business of conventions and trade shows (HQ hotel idea's up for more debate, Aug. 10).

The few national shows that have come to the Oregon Convention Center make the same comment at every show: “Portland is a beautiful city, and this is a great facility. We love coming here. If only you had a large central hotel … ”

Businesspeople come to trade shows to make money and make contacts in their field. Most of the money and contacts come from before- and after-show casual meetings. A headquarters hotel provides this opportunity.

It’s true: If you build it, they will come. Show managers love Portland and the surrounding area. A headquarters hotel will make it profitable for them to bring their shows here. And when the shows come to town, the money will follow.

Paul E. Richter

Vancouver, Wash.

Via Web

All will benefit from headquarters hotel

Phil Stanford believes that a Convention Center headquarters hotel is primarily a boondoggle to benefit Lloyd District property owners (Here's the real story on that new hotel, Aug. 17).

He’s correct that the expansion of the convention center didn’t bring about the expected growth in business, but he’s also dismissing the argument that the lack of convenient and plentiful rooms nearby also is a significant factor.

As a professional convention manager, I can tell Stanford from experience that convention attendees don’t like to walk too far from a convention center to their hotel.

Conventions usually start early and end late. Hotels closest to the convention center always fill first, even if they’re more expensive – especially if they have a connecting walkway.

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