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 Loraine
LaRock,
CCPD Field Training Officer
"More "Do unto others..." would help defray a lot of frustration for people: a
garbage collector who doesn"t throw your can in the street, or a driver trying
to avoid the gutter water that soils pedestrians, mosquito spray in all neighborhoods
- even a shaded bus stop to help with the heat. A lot of little things build frustration
and lead into bigger problems."
 Ann-Michele
Morales,
artist
"Revitalization of downtown is essential. By making its real estate and rental
fees more affordable, the potential for culturally creative venues would increase,
such as a repertoire film theater, coffee/cyber bars, boutiques and galleries."
 Dominic
Mondragon,
CEO, Equal Eyez Entertainment
"Dropping property taxes or waiving or lowering rent fees would help incoming
businesses. ... It doesn"t seem like the city and the community are getting together
to lower rents for startups to come in."
 Cinda
LeBus,
education coordinator, Planned Parenthood of South Texas
"... I strongly believe we need to offer an alternative for students who are not
on the college track. A sixth high school with a broad technical/vocational program
would offer a whole new level of opportunities for more children. And our local
businesses should invest in our schools (and our children) by offering apprenticeships
and training programs."
 Annette
Villalobos,
South Texas Youth Development Council director, Kingsville
"We see a lot of parents who are not involved in the lives of their children."
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Expanded convention center expected to win big crowds
Groups are already booked for 2004, when renovation should
be complete; expected to bring in $16.2 million
February 1, 2003
By Neal Falgoust
Caller-Times
Construction workers have only recently started the expansion of the Bayfront
Plaza Convention Center, but tourism officials already have booked enough meetings
for the new center to outpace last year’s business.
Marketers at the Corpus Christi Convention and Visitors Bureau have scheduled
20 groups for 31,740 nights in hotel rooms during 2004, when the renovation of
the center should be complete. The bureau expects those groups to generate more
than $16.2 million in business and tax revenue.
During 2002, the bureau booked 26 groups for 27,881 nights in hotels. Those 26
groups generated slightly more than $16 million. So before the completion of the
center’s expansion, tourism officials have shown that the project will generate
more money and attract a new segment of the convention market.
"Many of the groups we are going after have never been to Corpus Christi before,"
said Wayne Bennett, president and chief executive of the visitors bureau.
Paying for the renovation
City officials said the 2004 numbers are a reflection of a changing attitude toward
tourism and a new emphasis targeted at larger conventions.
During the next two years, city officials will spend $25 million to expand and
renovate the center. Conventions and visitors will pay for the renovation. The
Legislature in 1999 passed a bill allowing Corpus Christi to levy an additional
2 percent hotel occupancy tax. The additional tax, which generates some $1.7 million
annually, provides money for the maintenance, rehabilitation and expansion of
the convention center.
Improvements to the building will include a new grand entrance, a new ballroom,
additional break rooms and an upgrade of electronics throughout the center. Officials
said the improvements will help the city to attract larger conferences and conventions
and thereby boost hotel occupancy, restaurant business and attendance at recognized
tourist attractions — including the Lexington Museum by the Bay, the Texas State
Aquarium and, possibly, the minor league baseball stadium planned for Corpus Christi.
Attraction will benefit
Increasing tourism through convention sales would certainly help the aquarium,
said Executive Director Tom Schmid. But since many of the aquarium’s visitors
are leisure travelers, it probably won’t have that much of an effect.
Between 85 and 90 percent of the aquarium’s 500,000 annual visitors are families
who spend shorter stays in town, such as residents of San Antonio who drive to
the area and visit for two or three days. Although there’s no way to tell exactly
how many visitors were in town for a convention, aquarium officials said about
0.5 percent of the aquarium’s visitors used coupons handed out at conventions
to get into the exhibits. More people might have visited but not used a coupon,
officials said.
But any time more people are coming to the city, no matter their reason, there’s
an opportunity for attractions to lure more visitors.
"Once more people come here, we can capture a part of that," Schmid said.
Expansion of the convention center also does not play a huge role in the marketing
strategy for the Lexington Museum on the Bay, but museum officials also said that
more visitors to the city would mean a boost for the ship in the overall tourism
scheme.
Conventions that bring youth or military groups to town would be especially beneficial,
said the museum’s executive director, Rocco Montesano.
"We benefit greatly when convention bookings are up," he said. "It’s not a large
part of our tourist base, but every piece counts."
Contact Neal Falgoust at 886-4334 or falgoustn@caller.com |
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