Overheard on the Showfloor

Staff -- Tradeshow Week, 3/6/2006

"I want a guarantee that after this project, we'll have the finest, the best convention center in the world. If that's not going to be the case, then let's just knock it down and start over."

—Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman, to Las Vegas Convention & Vistors Authority head Rossi Ralenkotter, following Ralenkotter's presentation on a proposed $737 million renovation of the Las Vegas Convention Center (Feb. 14)

"Mr. Musgrave? Do you guarantee it? OK, if it's not (the best convention center in the world), let's whack Mr. Musgrave."

—Goodman, redirecting the question to project manager Michael Musgrave of MWH Americas, then addressing the board at the LVCC revamp presentation

"Mr. Chair, let's now turn to item No. 15 (on LVCVA board meeting agenda), which we're going to start calling the 'Whack Musgrave Agreement.'"

—LVCVA Senior Vice President of Operations Jim Gans, presenting the board with a proposal to pay MWH Americas $45,985,000 for its work on the LVCC revamp

"It doesn't happen by accident."

—Louisiana Lt. Gov. Mitch Landrieu, about the reopening of the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center

"Thank you for your prayers, your kind words and coming to spend your money."

—New Orleans Councilwoman Renee Gill Pratt, during the reopening ceremony for the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center (New Orleans, Feb. 16)

"They're like gold."

—Bonnie Helmker, general manager of Freeman's New Orleans operations, on attendee badges to the New Orleans Gift & Jewelry Show (New Orleans, Feb. 16–18)

"They're a little scary."

—An anonymous male attendee, about the predominantly female crowd at the cash-and-carry gift show in New Orleans

"The eight people that run the center stayed, and we made it happen."

—Warren Reuther Jr., president of the New Orleans Exhibition Hall Authority, about how the center was operated when thousands of Katrina evacuees unexpectedly showed up

"If you want to know if people are back in New Orleans, try to get a parking spot downtown."

—Greg Lane, assistant general manager of Freeman's New Orleans office, during a facility site visit

"An electronic bible? That's nice, very nice."

—Carol Baltimore of CAB Outreach Ministries, on a prize she won in a raffle at the Religious Conference Management Assn. World Conference & Exposition (San Jose, Calif., Jan. 31–Feb. 3)

"Isn't this what they invented Vegas for ... this kind of thing?"

—Joel H. Harres, of Harres Appliances & Furniture, on the overwhelming size and rapid growth of the World Market Center, at the Las Vegas Market (Jan. 30–Feb. 3)

"We're going to launch the equivalent of carpet-bombing communication."

—Steven Hacker, president of the Intl. Assn. for Exhibition Management, at Southwest IAEM chapter meeting (Los Angeles, Feb. 2)

"This is no MPI (Meeting Professionals Intl. annual meeting). People come here to do business."

—Jim Wineberg, director of business development for regonline, on exhibiting at RCMA

"We're still the easiest (furniture) show to shop in the United States."

—Bill Cleveland, of the Tupelo (Miss.) Furniture Market, at the Las Vegas Market

"It is laughable that a city like this is outdrawn by Des Moines."

—Michael Roth, spokesman for AEG, co-developer of the 50-story L.A. headquarters hotel, at the Southwest IAEM chapter meeting

"Over the years, I've had some pretty awkward mixes of Free Will Baptists and ... whatever."

—Dean Jones, Natl. Assn. of Free Will Baptists convention manager, on sharing hotel and convention center space with other groups at RCMA

"For the first time in the modern history of this business, we are facing challenges and threats from places that are uncommon to us."

—Hacker, at IAEM Southwest chapter meeting

"In the SMERF (social, military, educational, religious and fraternal) market, you often get the newest salesperson on the staff. Sometimes the last thing she planned was the prom."

—Jackie Walker, Church of God convention and meeting planner, on dealing with CVBs at RCMA

"We're not going to make you a bunch of money drinking alcohol, but we Christians eat. We eat a lot."

—Judy K. Lamborn, Joyce Meyer Ministries conference department manager, at RCMA

"You can expect all your towels to still be there when we leave."

—George O. Stewart, Zion Chapel Baptist Church Pastor's Council president, at RCMA