High Point eyes $1M for market
By Ray Allegrezza -- Furniture Today, October 10, 2005
High Point — High Point Mayor Becky Smothers told furniture makers and retailers at a premarket breakfast meeting here last week she expects the city will allocate an additional $1 million to improve the International Home Furnishings Market.
If the High Point City Council approves the request, the funds would become part of the budget for fiscal 2006, which begins next July 1.
Speaking to more than 50 furniture executives, Smothers said, "My main message today is that your High Point market experience is changing for the better and will change more."
She cited many improvements that already have been made, mainly transportation enhancements spearheaded by the International Home Furnishings Market Authority, of which she is a board member.
"The city has certified more taxis for local transportation.
Free shuttles will be provided from Charlotte and Ral-eigh/Durham (airports). The airport express bus from PTI will come to the new transportation terminal without making two stops as it did previously," she said.
Smothers said the city is working on making more free parking available for exhibitors and buyers.
"Those lots that charged you $20 a day — we expect to see that number change or disappear altogether," she said.
Smothers added that market-time hotel rates, "the biggest source of irritation and a major example of gouging, continue to be addressed by the Market Authority." Of the 110 hotels that typically serve market attendees, she said, 60 have agreed to consider changing their rates during market.
She offered no timetable or specifics on hotel pricing and free or reduced-rate buyer parking initiatives.
Smothers also said officials are looking at other issues.
"We are asking retailers how long each market should last," she said. "We've also gotten feedback that attendees would prefer a one-pass registration system, and we intend to address that."
A source close to the matter indicated the Market Authority is expected to announce one-pass registration for next April.
Smothers said a major marketing program aimed at retailers would unfold beginning in January. "We want to bring back people that have not come to High Point in a while," she said. "We are also reaching out to the top retailers to learn how we can help them."
After the meeting, Keith Koenig, president of City Furniture, a Florida-based Top 100 store chain, verbally shared his wish list with the mayor.
"For starters, you can help identify more private housing," Koenig said. "While most people probably would prefer to stay in a nearby hotel, I realize High Point can't build hotels just for use during market.
"I would like to see more local housing made available. You could post digital pictures of the interiors so marketgoers can see the house. Rate each home, the same way hotels are rated, and make it easy to book them," he said. "That would solve a lot of your housing issues and give you leverage in terms of hotels that don't want to lower their rates during market.
"You could also make the experience better and more enjoyable by providing dinner for the retailers," Koenig continued. "You hear a lot about Southern hospitality but don't always see it here. Imagine the good will if, at the end of a long day shopping market, someone puts a cold drink in the retailer's hand and serves him a nice meal."
Koenig also stressed the need for extensive buyer parking. "Trust me, at the end of the day we don't want to sit on a shuttle for 20 minutes," he said.
He told Smothers that High Point still offers the broadest and deepest assortment of goods and, by extension, the best environment for business.
"However, Las Vegas is on the move, and when they hit critical mass, that story could change," Koenig warned.
Bill Child, chairman of Salt Lake City-based R.C. Willey, agreed. "I think High Point is listening and trying to improve," he said. "But without a doubt, Las Vegas was a wake-up call."
