I am a supporter of the proposed Music City Center. I am also hugely supportive of Gaylord, and as a citizen I remain grateful for their continued contributions to our city. This discussion is not about one against the other. I have no doubt that both properties can not only coexist, but both can thrive. I want to share a few thoughts:
Gaylord chose to build properties in Orlando, DFW, and DC within a stone’s throw of existing convention centers, where each facility were substantially larger than the proposed MCC. Why is it, then, that there is so much worry about competition only in Nashville?
I am frustrated when I hear opponents repeat talking points that are supported by one-sided or incomplete data in a clear case of rhetoric versus facts. A case in point is the constant quoting of the Tradeshow Week.
A report by the International Association for Exhibition Management explains that -
• Conclusions drawn based upon this data are notoriously imprecise. Tradeshow Week data is self-reported by event organizers, is not independently audited, and reflects the results of only 200 of the 11,094 events that took place in the U.S. in the year the survey was taken.
• Forecasts which are based upon the reported results of the Tradeshow Week 200 do not reflect the experiences of thousands of other and much smaller events. The dynamics of the TSW 200 events are atypical when compared to the experiences of the 10,894 exhibitions that are not among the nation’s 200 largest.
• Apart from the inaccurate data presented about exhibitions, no data purporting to represent activity of association, government and corporate-sponsored meetings and events is cited even though both represent very significant sources of event attendance
Speaking of meetings, with respect to Mark Twain, reports of the death of the meetings industry are greatly exaggerated. Baloney. The only voices trumpeting the end of the meetings industry as we know it are those that know little about it. I’ve been around long enough to have experienced a number of these “deaths”, most recently, the “dot com” bubble bursting, 9/11, and of course the recent economic downturn. The industry bounced back in each previous instance and will do so again.
Here’s a question for our esteemed Metro Council – just how much business do you think would get done if you could only meet via conference call or webinar? Human connections are a vital need. Face-to-face interaction is the foundation of every important historic decision ever made. The meetings industry will come back. We are already seeing signs of modest yet real recovery.
Even if you accept the notion (which I don't) that we have a center that is adequate, I would argue that adequate is not good enough. We are an exceptional city that deserves better than to remain at a competitive disadvantage when we have had a decade of studies that clearly demonstrate the need to move forward.
Finally, let me remind you that I am a taxpayer that, like most, doesn’t want an increase in my taxes. I am convinced that this project will not – just as the existing center has not – be a burden on taxpayers. If we don’t move forward, who is going to explain why we didn’t make a courageous decision when we had the chance to these taxpayers - the thousands of workers that depend on business travel; retirees who work events and manage transportation, production crews, entertainers, caterers, labor staff, staging and A/V companies, bus and limo companies, destination management and décor companies, florists, parking companies, bartenders, bell hops, housekeeping staff, restaurant servers, banquet staff and more?
Opponents, what you are going to do to support our industry, the second largest business segment in the city? Please explain: if we don’t build MCC, what is your plan B?
