MEETING NOTES

METRO OREGON CONVENTION CENTER ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Wednesday, November 14, 2001

King Board Room, Oregon Convention Center

Members Present:  Sam Brooks, Joe D’Allesandro, Mary Erickson, Kevin Neary,

Harold Pollin, Chuck Sellers

Members Absent:  George Bell, Shirley Bledsoe, Mike Fisher, Pat LaCrosse, Brian

McCartin, Roy Soards

Council/Staff Present:  David Bragdon, Rex Burkholder, Jeff Blosser, Michael Morrissey,

Karl Schultz, Mark Williams

Others Present:  Larry Harvey

Councilor Rex Burkholder called the meeting to order at 4:10.

1.  Status Check

Councilor Burkholder said the group needs to review funding and other issues. Sam Brooks said a key issue is whether the committee should take on a review of the structure of the Convention Center organizationally? In suggesting that now is not the time to do that, he said the organization now needs flexibility more than ever. Harold Pollin asked for an assessment of whether events at PGE Park would effect the Convention Center. Mark Williams said that in conversations with Sam Adams, he believed that OCC and VDI were accounted for in FY ’01 and ‘02-’03. Beyond that it was too hard to tell at this time, and would depend on the direction of the economy.

2.  Tour of OCC expansion site. Conducted by Karl Schultz, expansion project manager.

3.  POVA board retreat. Joe D’Allesandro gave an overview of the recent board retreat. Of particular interest are the forecast for the economy, and the issue of a headquarters hotel.

The economy has been soft for 6-12 months, and made worse by events of September 11. There has been some improvement recently, but it has leveled off. Bit cities have been hit harder relative to hotel & visitor trade. Recent OCC business OK. ‘03 &’05 looking OK says Blosser, but ’04 looking soft.

D’Allesandro attended a presentation by Jeff Sacks, that presents new ways of analyzing for hotel need. Lots of discussion if another study is needed, at this time, and for what price.

4. Next Meeting: The committee agreed to meet at an unspecified time after the first of the year. Agenda items were suggested to be Ken Rust presentation “bucket management,” and discussion of the headquarters hotel study.