With the TEE Center losing its first major event because of the commission’s inability to agree on a management agreement for the 38,000-square-foot convention center, you’d think those in charge would be anxious to go ahead and get some events under their belt. But it seems as if it’s now their own foot dragging that’s costing them events.
Insiders say the Soul City Sirens, the area’s popular roller derby team — an organization with a five-year record of good crowds and community involvement — approached the TEE Center about staging two bouts this season and the negotiations went nowhere.
True, placing the weekend bouts on the calendar has the potential of preventing longer running trade shows from renting the facility, but none of the 12 dates already booked are on weekends, which makes you wonder how far the management might be willing to go without blinking in the game of chicken they seem to be playing with their bottom line
Some, of course, would argue that it’s not really their bottom line they’re playing chicken with.
Before the Marriott took over, representatives of the CVB were handling things, and they were enthusiastic about the prospect of getting people in the building. After the Marriott took over, the enthusiasm ran dry. Concerns about what a bout might do to the electrical boxes were raised and met with examples of Southeastern venues that have handled the issue without incident, but still no go.
The local team might not bring in the hotel crowd — which just might be the problem, come to think about it — but they do come with a significant advertising budget and lots of exposure, both things that could go a long way toward smoothing over the ill will generated by the process of the TEE Center’s creation and the details of its management contract.
Those derby girls couldn’t hurt, either.You Might Also Like:
