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Market Authority to handle hotel reservations

By Larry Thomas -- Furniture Today, March 24, 2002

HIGH POINT — HIGH POINT — On the heels of its overhaul of the April High Point market's transportation system, the International Home Furnishings Market Authority agreed last week to take over the market's housing reservations system as well.

Market Authority Chairman Steve Kincaid said the group will assume responsibility for housing shortly after the April market.

"We feel like having it centralized under one entity will be a big benefit for people who attend market," Kincaid told the authority's board of directors.

Since the mid-1980s, the Triad Housing Bureau, an arm of the High Point Convention and Visitors Bureau, has handled reservations for a large chunk of the area's hotel rooms, although many market attendees make reservations directly with hotels or stay in private homes.

Details of the new reservations system haven't been worked out, but Market Authority President Judy Mendenhall said she will bring a proposal to the board's next meeting on April 23. She said she has had numerous meetings with area hotel executives and has observed how other large events secure accommodations for attendees.

Kincaid said he would like to have the new system operating as soon as possible after the April show because many market veterans make reservations months in advance.

Since the Market Authority began overseeing the High Point market last July, it has focused most of its attention on parking and transportation. This year, the group overhauled the market's shuttle system and contracted with McLaurin Parking of Raleigh, N.C., to operate it.

A number of shuttle routes have been added, and pickup times will be more frequent on many routes.

On a related matter, Mendenhall told board members that McLaurin also will supervise two taxi stands in the downtown area during market. She said cabbies won't be allowed to refuse a fare because the rider only wants to go a short distance, and said city officials have promised to strictly enforce regulations requiring taxi operators to have "for hire" certificates, which cost about $1,500 each.

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