Staff, attendees mobilize in wake of fires
Attendees are Encouraged to Come for the Convention, Stay for the Vacation
SAN DIEGO, Oct. 27 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Officials from the San
Diego Convention Center Corporation are mobilizing resources to ensure
attendees, exhibitors and meeting planners are updated on the impact of the
devastating fires in the San Diego County region on events occurring or
planned over the next two weeks at the downtown Convention Center. The more
than 6,000 attendees participating in the American Society of Human
Genetics (ASHG) annual meeting
(http://www.ashg.org/genetics/ashg/menu-annmeet.shtml) at the downtown
convention center will end their meeting today but not before taking extra
efforts to help local citizens hard hit by the fires.
"Our team, many who were forced to evacuate their homes over the last
several days, continues to go above and beyond to ensure guests attending
events at the Convention Center receive all the support and assistance they
need to ensure they have a successful event," said Carol Wallace, President
and CEO of the San Diego Convention Center Corporation. "Our hearts and
thoughts are with those who have suffered emotionally, and in many
instances, those who have suffered great personal loss due to the
devastating fires of the past week. We are incredibly proud and thankful by
the leadership and heroics demonstrated by everyone from our firefighters
and police, to our next door neighbors," she added. The Convention Center
has provided a direct link to local relief efforts coordinated by the
American Red Cross on its web page at http://www.visitsandiego.com.
"We have been deeply touched and appreciative of the incredible efforts
made by ASHG attendees, exhibitors, as well as ASHG meeting organizers who
have gone above and beyond in their efforts to support the relief efforts
currently underway in San Diego," said Wallace. Event attendees freed up
hotel rooms for local evacuees by doubling-up on hotel rooms, volunteered
to provide medical assistance to evacuees, and ASHG has launched a relief
fund to help provide additional resources to local relief efforts.
Information on those efforts can be located at http://www.ashg.org.
"While some have questioned our decision to stay open, it is important
to remember that the conventions held in our building are planned and
contracted four to five years in advance and attract hundreds of thousands
of out-of-town attendees annually. San Diegans who work in local hotels,
restaurants, shops, museums, etc. depend on these events and the tourism
industry, for their livelihood," added Wallace.
Events scheduled to occur in the building over the next 10 days will
generate nearly $2.5 million in tax revenues to the City of San Diego to
support public safety and fire protection. Only one large group, Sharp
Healthcare's annual employee meeting which was expected to attract
12-14,000 local attendees, cancelled their event at the Convention Center
due to the fires.
On Sunday, Oct. 28th, the National Association of Housing &
Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO), with approximately 2000 attendees, will
begin a three day conference in the Convention Center. Following NAHRO, the
Society for Neuroscience, with 32,000 attendees, will begin meetings in the
Convention Center, from November 3-7, 2007. A complete list of upcoming
events can be found at http://www.visitsandiego.com.
The San Diego Convention Center Corporation is a public benefit
corporation created by the City of San Diego. The Corporation is
exclusively responsible for marketing, managing and operating the
Convention Center. In its 18-year history, the Center has generated nearly
$13 billion in economic impact, over $270 million in tax revenues and
continues to serve as San Diego's premier gathering place
SOURCE San Diego Convention Center Corporation
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Related links:
http://www.visitsandiego.com
http://www.ashg.org
http://www.ashg.org/genetics/ashg/menu-annmeet.shtml/
CONTACT:
Steven B. Johnson, San Diego Convention
Center, +1-619-525-5251; +1-619-977-1862 Mobile
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