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June 20-21, 2003 Page 174 <br /> <br /> The Board of Commissioners for the County of Cabarrus traveled to the <br />Embassy Suites Hotel, 5055 International Boulevard, North Charleston, South <br />Carolina on June 20-21, 2003, with members of the Concord City Council and <br />the Cabarrus County Tourism Authority. A bus carrying some of the <br />participants left the Cabarrus County Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) at <br />1:00 p.m. on June 20 for the trip to North Charleston. <br /> <br />Present - Commissioners: <br /> <br />Absent - Chairman: <br /> vice Chairman: <br /> <br />Carolyn Carpenter <br />Robert W. Carruth <br />Coy C. Privette <br />Robert M. Freeman <br />Richard D. Suggs <br /> <br /> Also present were Mr. John Day, Interim County Manager, and Mrs. <br />Frankie F. Bonds, Clerk to the Board. <br /> <br />Others present included the following: <br /> <br />CITY OF CONCORD: <br />Mayor Scott Padgett; Council Members Lamar Barrier, Randy Grimes, <br />James Ramseur and Allen Small; City Manager Brian Hiatt; and City <br />Clerk Vickie Weant. <br /> <br />TOURISM AUTHORITY: <br />Tourism Authority Board members Aubie Cook, Diane Honeycutt, John <br />Cox and Alan Stafford; CVB Executive Director Ann Sternal; and <br />CVB Staff Members Libba Barrineau, Judy Root and Linda Collins <br /> <br />THE INDEPENDENT TRIBUNE: <br />Rick Martin, Publisher; and Beth Feeback, Reporter <br /> <br /> At 5:30 p.m. on June 20, Board members and others in attendance toured <br />the Charleston Convention Center, Exhibit Space and Performing Arts Center. <br />These facilities are located adjacent to the Embassy Suites Hotel. <br /> <br /> There was a reception at Embassy Suites at 6:15 p.m. followed by dinner <br />with representatives of John Q. Hammons Hotels, Embassy Suites and local <br />officials of Charleston County and the City of North Charleston. <br /> <br /> After dinner, Timothy E. Scott (Chairman of the Charleston County <br />Council) presented brief comments regarding the Convention Center and its <br />economic impact on Charleston County. <br /> <br /> The Board and other officials met for breakfast at 8:30 a.m. on <br />Saturday, June 21, at Embassy Suites. <br /> <br /> Immediately following breakfast, a Focus Meeting was held in the Ashley <br />Room at Embassy Suites. A Focus Committee made up of the following <br />individuals presented information and responded to questions: (1) Steve <br />Hilton - Embassy Suites; (2) Bill Mead - Regional Vice President of John Q. <br />Hammons Hotels; (3) Jimmy Wilkinson - Courtyard by Marriott; (4) Judy Parsons <br />- Hilton Garden Inn; (5) Ed Riggs - Charleston Convention Center; (6) John <br />Cawley - City of North Charleston; (7) Charla McDonald - Charleston <br />Convention and visitors Bureau; (8) Mike Hobson - Quality Suites; and (8) <br />Joanie Cole - Embassy Suites. <br /> <br /> Mr. Mead read a statement from John Q. Hammons welcoming everyone to <br />the facility and the North Charleston area <br /> <br /> Via a video presentation, North Charleston Mayor Keith Summey gave an <br />overview of what the convention center and adjacent hotel has meant to North <br />Charleston and its ability to become a part of the "tourism draw" to the <br />Charleston area. He cited a $32 million economic impact to the community, <br />including new hotels, new jobs and increased revenue from hotel/motel tax, <br />food/beverage tax, etc. Mayor Summey praised the work by John Q. Hammons <br />Hotels, stating "their promise is their product." <br /> <br /> Mr. Mead discussed the convention center proposed for construction in <br />Concord, specifically a 75,000 square foot facility with a 30,000 square foot <br />ballroom and 15,000 square feet of additional meeting space. He commented on <br />the difference between the proposed convention center and the Cabarrus Arena <br />and Events Center and stated in his opinion there would not be competition <br />between the two facilities. Mr. Mead explained the convention center would <br />host ballroom events and meetings and would not have exhibit space. <br /> <br />The meeting was then opened for questions and discussion. <br /> <br /> <br />