The Cost of Freedom?

[i_am_the_swammi]

Recieved this email from our asset manager that oversees a hotel we have in Scottsdale....seems there is not much business coming into AZ because of the new immigration law, but hte potential for business going out is huge:

 

As I’m sure you’re well aware of the immigration laws recently passed in Arizona, I’d like to make you aware that it has just claimed one of our groups that were on the books as definite in Sep/Oct. This booking was for the Teamsters Union and since there is a major Hispanic contingent, they asked Hoffa to move the event out of State which he did. This business was 1,400 RN plus an additional $75-80k in F&B, totaling approximately $240k. The cancellation amount was $120k. They have since moved this business to the Hilton Las Vegas and they are going to refuse to pay the cancellation penalty, stating that if we charge them what they owe that they will never book another event at a Hilton branded hotel. We’re going to be pressing Hilton on this issue if they try to follow through on this.

 

I’ll watch as this situation does unfold but I wanted to make you aware of this cancellation, specifically as it relates to the AZ laws that have made headlines. There does not appear to be any considerable business that has cancelled due to the AZ immigration laws outside of this but there is always possibility for groups to move business elsewhere.

 

he also copied me on a Convention & visitors Bureau article from earlier this week:

 

CVBs warned: Laws can cost you

By: Laura Del Rosso June 10, 2010

 

SAN FRANCISCO — Arizona’s travel industry has a message for colleagues across the country: Keep close tabs on proposed legislation.

 

The industry, "blindsided" by Arizona’s tough new immigration law, stands to lose $90 million or more in meetings and conventions business because of it, said Debbie Johnson, CEO of the Arizona Hotel & Lodging Association and the Arizona Tourism Alliance.

 

"We’ve got 40 canceled groups. More than that, our phones are not ringing," she told an audience at the California Travel Industry Association annual conference. "It breaks my heart that a political issue has become all about tourism."

 

Adding to the woes is that the Arizona Office of Tourism budget was cut by 70% this spring and one third of its staff was let go. "There’s no money" for any advertising, said Johnson, who leads an industry task force that will report to Gov. Jan Brewer June 14 on ways to shore up visitor confidence.

 

The impact of the immigration law will be felt far into the future because of the lead time of convention bookings, said Steve Moore, president and CEO of the Phoenix Convention & Visitors Bureau. "When groups cancel or don’t book for this year or next, that means we’re out of their rotation and they may not come back for many years," he said.

 

Moore pleaded with industry members to stay on top of potentially harmful legislation before it is enacted. Johnson and Moore said they believe there isn’t much marketing the industry can do in the next month: The law goes into effect July 29, and they are bracing for intense media coverage, more possible boycotts and reaction from jittery meetings and convention planners.

 

Most of the harm will be in convention and meetings, Johnson said. Because a majority of Americans appear to support the measure, she believes cancellations by leisure travelers disturbed by the law will be offset by those who are not bothered by it.

 

Joe D’Alessandro, president and CEO of the San Francisco Convention & Visitors Bureau, told the audience that he struggled unsuccessfully to convince city leaders not to vote to boycott Arizona (several other major U.S. cities have since followed suit).

 

"Travel boycotts don’t work. What happens is that working people, a lot of whom are Latinos, are the ones who are hurt. As an industry we have to say that boycotts are wrong."

[dmarc117]

i cant wait til all of these unions go broke. f them and their thuggery. the day of reckoning is acomin!

[MikesVikes]

Sometimes Hate doesn't sell.

[bpwallace49]

i cant wait til all of these unions go broke. f them and their thuggery. the day of reckoning is acomin!

 

I am sure it isnt just Union conventions dmarc. It is going to have a ripple effect with other industries as well . . . until the fed gov steps up and does something about immigration (or a LOT of other states pass the same Arizona-style law) then Arizona will continue to be a pariah.

[i_am_the_swammi]

I am sure it isnt just Union conventions dmarc. It is going to have a ripple effect with other industries as well . . . until the fed gov steps up and does something about immigration (or a LOT of other states pass the same Arizona-style law) then Arizona will continue to be a pariah.

 

Pretty much this.

 

In our case, it was a union that had a large contingent of Latinos. What about a big corporate event, where the planners want to ensure they offend no one by scheduling the event in perceived racist state of AZ...there are too many other needy cities, desperate for a rebound, that would take their business. In fact, if I was a convention center salesperson in Las Vegas, Orlando, LA or Chicago, that's exactly what I'd be selling: fear.

 

"Mr. Meeting Planner, do you really want to schedule your trade show in Phoenix, where your attendance could be much lower due to people not wanting to come because of the immigration law? Why even risk it? We'd love to have you in our city."

[bushwacked]

i cant wait til all of these unions go broke. f them and their thuggery. the day of reckoning is acomin!

 

Unions are the next bubble.

[Ursa Majoris]

i cant wait til all of these unions go broke. f them and their thuggery. the day of reckoning is acomin!

So let me get this straight. A union decides to take it's business elsewhere because of a state law and that's thuggery. A business pulls up sticks and moves to a low tax state leaving thousands unemployed and that's just business.

 

Have I got that right?

[Dr. Sacrebleu]

So let me get this straight. A union decides to take it's business elsewhere because of a state law and that's thuggery. A business pulls up sticks and moves to a low tax state leaving thousands unemployed and that's just business.

 

Have I got that right?

 

DUH! Ursa.

Obviously doing something motivated by principle=bad. Doing something motivated by money regardless of the consequences=good.

[Perchoutofwater]

I am sure it isnt just Union conventions dmarc. It is going to have a ripple effect with other industries as well . . . until the fed gov steps up and does something about immigration (or a LOT of other states pass the same Arizona-style law) then Arizona will continue to be a pariah.

 

The Texas legislature only meets every other year, they are not in session this year, but I know a similar bill will be proposed in January of next year, and I fully expect it to pass. If I'm not mistaken Oklahoma already has a similar law that is actually tougher than Arizona's but it doesn't get the attention Arizona has because it isn't a border state and doesn't have the illegal population that Arizona has. I've heard that something similar may be proposed in California, though I question if it will pass there, I think a lot of that will depend on what the unemployment numbers are and where the economy is when it is introduced. I believe Louisiana and New Mexico are also kicking around the idea, though I'm not sure if it will get to the point where legislation is actually introduced.

[Perchoutofwater]

So let me get this straight. A union decides to take it's business elsewhere because of a state law and that's thuggery. A business pulls up sticks and moves to a low tax state leaving thousands unemployed and that's just business.

 

Have I got that right?

 

There is a big difference, and you know it. One is done for economic reasons that make a company more profitable, and that is after all why people get into business, and why they buy stock in companies. The other is a purely political statement, that has nothing to do with economics.

[Ursa Majoris]

There is a big difference, and you know it. One is done for economic reasons that make a company more profitable, and that is after all why people get into business, and why they buy stock in companies. The other is a purely political statement, that has nothing to do with economics.

Bull. Why can't the union's action be principle? You remember principle?

[Perchoutofwater]

Bull. Why can't the union's action be principle? You remember principle?

 

This booking was for the Teamsters Union and since there is a major Hispanic contingent, they asked Hoffa to move the event out of State which he did.

 

If it was based on principle instead of politics, Hoffa would have moved the event prior to the Hispanic contingent of the union asking that it be moved. It is pure politics, and I think you are smart enough to recognize this. If it was principle, they would be holding all their meetings outside of the US as the Arizona law mirrors the US law, the only difference is Arizona is willing to enforce their laws, where as our country only enforces the law when it is convenient.

[bpwallace49]

If it was based on principle instead of politics, Hoffa would have moved the event prior to the Hispanic contingent of the union asking that it be moved. It is pure politics, and I think you are smart enough to recognize this. If it was principle, they would be holding all their meetings outside of the US as the Arizona law mirrors the US law, the only difference is Arizona is willing to enforce their laws, where as our country only enforces the law when it is convenient.

 

Perch that is flat out wrong and you know it. Dont spin this out of control.

 

Take some Republican responsibility for the consequences of the Republican actions. You should know I am not a fan of unions in general by my posts, but to start playing a politics card as opposed to being offended on principle is pure partisanship on your part.

 

Arizona wanted this law, now they get to reap all the positives AND negatices that go along with it. They get to reap what they sowed . . .

[Perchoutofwater]

Perch that is flat out wrong and you know it. Dont spin this out of control.

 

Please list any major differences between the Arizona law and the US law.

[dmarc117]

So let me get this straight. A union decides to take it's business elsewhere because of a state law and that's thuggery. A business pulls up sticks and moves to a low tax state leaving thousands unemployed and that's just business.

 

Have I got that right?

 

i have seen first hand the thuggery of unions.

 

DUH! Ursa.

Obviously doing something motivated by principle=bad. Doing something motivated by money regardless of the consequences=good.

 

are you and ursa trying to tell me that unions today are based on principle? lol. they are based on one thing, money.

Edited June 12, 2010 by dmarc117

[dmarc117]

Please list any major differences between the Arizona law and the US law.

 

 

we are waiting

[dmarc117]

Unions are the next bubble.

 

 

i agree. and its going to be an ugly popping. strikes, blue flu, riots. but people keep trying to tell me that unions are full of good people.

[SEC=UGA]

So it is more important to US labor unions to support undocumented cheap labor than to support a US state?

 

They do realize that this cheap labor is costing the union business/jobs, right? Or, do they p[lan on using hispanic labor in the future< at the cost of american employees and are trying to gain favor among their future work force.

[bpwallace49]

Please list any major differences between the Arizona law and the US law.

 

Perch you are right. It isnt what is restated in the Arizona law, it is the broad-based powers that are being constitutionally challenged that were awarded to police powers that go beyond the norm. As is the lawsuits that can be extended to police officers (which is why a lot of Arizona cops are AGAINST this).

 

The major differences lie in the granting of additional powers to the cops and gives them free rein to "profile".

[Perchoutofwater]

Perch you are right. It isnt what is restated in the Arizona law, it is the broad-based powers that are being constitutionally challenged that were awarded to police powers that go beyond the norm. As is the lawsuits that can be extended to police officers (which is why a lot of Arizona cops are AGAINST this).

 

The major differences lie in the granting of additional powers to the cops and gives them free rein to "profile".

 

Again if the federal government would do one of the few things it is actually mandated to do instead of all the countless things it has no business doing, the states wouldn't have to do this. Don't blame the people of Arizona or several more states that plan to follow suit for trying to protect their people, and their property, as well as eliminate the social costs associated with illegals.

[Azazello1313]

So it is more important to US labor unions to support undocumented cheap labor than to support a US state?

 

the labor unions are present are about one thing: the economic interests of their current membership. and it seems they have gotten more and more shortsighted about that, to the point that their only concern is winning government handouts to keep them afloat. and that means hitching their fate completely to that of the right kind of democratic party politicians; any other concern is a distant second place, at best.

[bpwallace49]

Again if the federal government would do one of the few things it is actually mandated to do instead of all the countless things it has no business doing, the states wouldn't have to do this. Don't blame the people of Arizona or several more states that plan to follow suit for trying to protect their people, and their property, as well as eliminate the social costs associated with illegals.

 

Perch it is well within their rights to determine where their conventions are, and by passing a purely political bill like this, Arizona gets to reap what they sowed. The good (hopefully more national attention) and the bad (shortsighted on how it will affect the people of Arizona). Besides, I am sure that some of these are thinly veiled attempts to get a better deal with another city that needs the revenue . . .

[Perchoutofwater]

Perch it is well within their rights to determine where their conventions are, and by passing a purely political bill like this, Arizona gets to reap what they sowed. The good (hopefully more national attention) and the bad (shortsighted on how it will affect the people of Arizona). Besides, I am sure that some of these are thinly veiled attempts to get a better deal with another city that needs the revenue . . .

 

It might seem like a purely political bill up there in the land of Obama, but in border states it is about the cost of illegals. They are a burden on our health system, our education system, and our economy as a whole.

[SEC=UGA]

It might seem like a purely political bill up there in the land of Obama, but in border states it is about the cost of illegals. They are a burden on our health system, our education system, and our economy as a whole.

 

Amen!

They're costing GA out the ass.

[bpwallace49]

It might seem like a purely political bill up there in the land of Obama, but in border states it is about the cost of illegals. They are a burden on our health system, our education system, and our economy as a whole.

 

Good thing that the amount of illegals has dropped signifiacntly in the last 2 years! Oh wait . . that doesnt support your theory.

 

Perch, you are bitching about a union cancelling its convention. THAT is you being all political again.

 

Arizona cant deport, so by passing a political bill like this that they cant enforce to the final conclusion (deportation) is pissing in the wind.

 

If you havent noticed, I agree with you on border control and the need for reform. You complain about a union cancelling as a specific talking point. If Arizona is too dumb to know that its biggest industry is TOURISM and they either didnt think or didnt care that they might see decreased bookings as a result of this bill, then they are dumb as a box of rocks.

 

I wish it was about the NRA cancelling a convention . . . your head might have exploded trying to complain and justify it all at the same time.