'Distractions' claims sound a little desperate
Larry Thomas, Business Editor -- Furniture Today, February 11, 2007
During the Las Vegas Market, my day typically starts with a 7:30 a.m. breakfast meeting of the Furniture/Today editorial staff. But on one such morning at last month's market, my seat was uncharacteristically empty at the appointed time.
I strolled into the Golden Nugget's buffet restaurant about 20 minutes late, hoping no one would notice that I had overslept.
Yeah, right.
After catching some well-deserved flak from my co-workers, I came up with the best excuse I could contrive on short notice.
"I stayed up late last night because there are so many distractions in Vegas," I said with a straight face. "There are so many distractions here that I just can't get any work done."
Everybody got a good laugh, and no one at the table took me seriously.
Thankfully, no one connected with the High Point Market overheard me, because they would have taken me seriously. Heck, they probably would have asked me to appear in a testimonial advertisement.
Personally, I'm tired of High Point supporters saying that High Point is the best market because there are too many "distractions" in Las Vegas. The implication is that furniture industry executives, sales representatives and buyers mainly go to Vegas to gamble, drink and see star-studded entertainment.
I think that's an insult to the 99.99% of industry people who work 10 to 12 hours a day at the Vegas market. It's just ludicrous to think these industry professionals are simply using the market as an excuse to write off a gambling junket as a legitimate business expense.
I'm sure many of them do gamble, drink and attend shows while they're in Las Vegas, but it's done after-hours, and it doesn't interfere with the business at hand — buying and selling furniture.
And I'm sure these same people work just as hard at the High Point Market, not because High Point is a more "serious" market but because High Point is still the world's largest furniture market and many critical business decisions have to be made there.
So here's a bit of unsolicited advice to High Point organizers and supporters. Go ahead and brag about the new transportation terminal. Remind people that you have more exhibitors than any other market. Tout your efforts to eliminate price-gouging by hotels, restaurants and rental car agencies. Show the steps you've taken to make the market more user-friendly.
But don't insult thousands of industry professionals by implying they only attend the Las Vegas Market to gamble in a casino or spend an evening with Danny Gans or Lance Burton.
It makes you look desperate.
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