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Market Authority: More funds from N.C. coming

By Larry Thomas -- Furniture Today, April 24, 2005

High Point — An upbeat International Home Furnishings Market Authority board last week declared the just-concluded market a success and promised to keep lobbying the North Carolina legislature for more funding for transportation and marketing.

During a meeting near the end of market, board members gave generally positive assessments of the event. Several said it was the best market in years.

"It was probably the smoothest, most positive market we've ever had," said Joanna Easter, chief operating officer of Showplace.

As usual, the Market Authority didn't release attendance figures, but some board members said attendance was higher than in April 2004.

"There is no question in my mind that this was one of the better markets we've had in several years," said Bruce Miller, CEO of the International Home Furnishings Center, the market's largest showroom complex. "I think that bodes well for the next few markets."

The only two concerns raised by board members centered around the need for a unified registration system and complaints about high hotel rates.

When High Point Mayor Becky Smothers raised the issue of a unified registration system, Miller said he would "gladly" let someone else oversee the effort, noting that it costs the IHFC about $250,000 annually to process and mail buyer and exhibitor registrations.

The IHFC's passes are the closest thing the market has to a universal pass to all exhibit buildings, although a few buildings — including Showplace — don't honor them.

The was little further discussion about hotel rates, although Steve DeHaan, an ex-officio board member who is executive director of the National Home Furnishings Assn., said some members of his group told him that a few hotels had actually lowered their rates.

In other business, board members approved a preliminary budget of $2.171 million for the fiscal year beginning July 1, but said the document could change dramatically once the North Carolina legislature finishes the state's budget.

Market Authority President Judy Mendenhall said she is confident the state will, at a minimum, give the group $900,000 — the same amount of state money used to operate the shuttle system in each of the past two years.

She said she believes the final amount could be as high as $1.3 million, and told board members she plans to meet with legislators in Raleigh, N.C., on May 4.

Bills have been filed in the state House and Senate that would award the group $1.3 million for transportation and parking and another $1.2 million for marketing activities.

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Market Authority: More funds from N.C. coming

Apr 25, 2005

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