As anyone who's been through a Phoenix summer knows, it's not the best time for anyone except air conditioning companies and window tint shops. Snowbirds migrate, visitors don't visit, and the new $600M taxpayer-funded Phoenix Convention Center - capable of hosting over 10,000 visitors a day - sits completely empty for almost 4 months.
However, that's about to change if Ben Bethel has his way. Bethel, owner of The Clarendon Hotel in Midtown Phoenix, has an idea that could keep the Phoenix Convention Center full through the entire summer - give the space away for free from June 1st to September 30th to anyone who books a convention from that brings visitors from out of town. "While this might sound a little crazy, taxpayers need to realize that they're already paying for this enormous space to sit empty every day," Bethel says, "so why not fill it up with people who will come to town and spend money?"
He has a point, "By giving away the space, people will book flights, rent cars, stay in hotels, eat at restaurants, shop in local shops, visit museums, and take trips to Arizona's many natural wonders also supporting small-town economies," Bethel said, "and while they're doing this, they'll be paying airport taxes, rental car taxes, hotel taxes, and sales taxes - while keeping people employed who pay employment and income taxes - it's a no-brainer."If giving away convention space during the slow summer months sounds like a great idea, it's an idea that's currently not allowed at City Hall. Pricing is set by city ordinance, as the convention center is a city owned and managed property, and currently summer rates are only discounted 33%.
That's not good enough, according to Bethel. "If we want to create jobs, keep people employed, and keep businesses open, we need to create year-round visitation to Phoenix, and a discount isn't going to cut it. I don't think anyone wants to see the new $400M taxpayer funded Sheraton and $900M taxpayer funded CityScape have the same fate as the Mercado, Arizona Center, and Collier Center - and we've seen what 4 months of dead summer months every year did to the fate of every one of those projects."
What about the heat? Even with free convention space, would people want to come to Phoenix? "When you take the heat index into consideration, Phoenix is actually cooler than most cities during the summer months these days - visit Orlando, Dallas, Atlanta, Chicago, or New York in the summer and I think you'd agree," says Bethel. He has a point. This summer Phoenix has been fortunate - on August 1st, the high in Phoenix was 87 degrees, while many cities in the Southeastern US have been facing temperatures of 125 degrees once the heat-index is figured in.
"Once you factor in the humidity, I believe Phoenix is about as comfortable as Orlando throughout the entire summer, and we have almost no rain - and no major tropical storms or hurricanes to worry about." Adds Bethel, "It still amazes me that Phoenix has over two times the population of Orlando and not a single major theme park, while Orlando has 30 major theme parks and water parks. We could be doing a lot more to support the local economy throughout the entire year, and I think a few simple actions would have a significant impact."
Dear Property Owner, Resident or Neighborhood Association:
