CITY BEAT 1-1-2002

Meetings & Conventions: Newsline newsline.gif (8042 bytes) CITY BEATDurham, N.C.
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TAXES FOR TOURISM
The state’s General Assembly gave permission to Durham to increase the hotel occupancy tax from 5 to 6 percent. Local officials already have designated the expected millions in revenue for a 5,000-seat concert venue, part of a $200 million redevelopment project that will renovate the old Lucky Strike factory into retail, restaurant and hotel space. Groundbreaking is expected in late 2003. Meanwhile, The Center at Duke Gardens opened in November as an off-site meeting venue, available for receptions of up to 650.

Santa Fe, N.M.
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VENUE AWAITS SPRUCE-UP
Acknowledging that construction of a new convention center is still several years away, city officials voted in December to earmark more than $300,000 to renovate the existing Sweeney Convention Center, a former high school gym that several times has come close to being demolished. Now the facility will get much-needed improvements to its air-conditioning and electrical systems.