OH cities troubled over convention dollars

from the Columbus Dispatch (5/24):

Visitors bureau says it's strapped
Shortfall could put convention dollars at risk, group says
Saturday, May 24, 2008 3:03 AM
By Marla Matzer Rose
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

"The group that tries to lure conventions and visitors to Columbus says dwindling coffers have hampered its ability to do its job in the face of growing competition.

Experience Columbus outlined plans this week to lobby political leaders to dedicate more funding to attracting convention business. The group is making a case that it has been shortchanged on hotel bed-tax revenue since 2001, and it is enlisting the support of big convention groups to convince city representatives of the need to back a new convention-center hotel.

The group expects a shortfall of hundreds of thousands of dollars this year because of lagging bed-tax receipts as well as an expected decline in city and county funding." ...

"Among the concerns: losing state-association business to Cleveland, which appears to be moving toward building a new convention center, and being overlooked by big national events because of inadequate hotel space." ...

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