Rachel Wimberly

My New York State of Mind
February 14, 2008

I always say I may have been born in a small town in Ohio, but I “grew up” in the Big Apple, having arrived in New York City when I was 19.

So, suffice it to say the now-canceled plan to substantially expand the decrepit Jacob K. Javits Center of New York, which it desperately needed to stay competitive, was, well, personal.

After all, New York is one of the greatest cities in the entire world, one that I and millions of others have, and do, live in. The fact that it has a smaller convention center than 15 other U.S. cities, including Louisville, Ky., and Harrisburg, Pa., is just ludicrous.

At this point, the $1.8 billion that was supposed to be earmarked for a 340,000 square foot expansion, which would have pushed Javits over the 1 million sq. ft. mark, is now officially off, thanks to Gov. Eliot Spitzer.

As soon as news of the canceled expansion broke, a group called the Friends of Javits sent out an open letter lambasting the decision. These friends include Jeff Little, head of George Little Management; Freeman COO John O’Connell; Mark Scheinberg, president of the Greater New York Auto Dealers Assn. (which runs the New York Intl. Auto Show); and Ken McAvoy, senior vice president of Reed Exhibitions.

What’s interesting from the perspective of a journalist covering the tradeshow industry is that, when the whispered rumor became a roar and I confirmed the news that the plan on the table was indeed being scratched, not one Friends of Javits returned my call for comment – ostensibly missing the perfect opportunity to let a lot of people who count know how they feel.

Posted by Rachel Wimberly on February 14, 2008 | Comments (0)