Convention Business

The Schaefer administration has come up with a relatively painless and sensible way to finance the much-needed expansion of the Baltimore Convention Center without increasing the state's overall debt load. It demonstrates once again why this proposal is such a winner for the state.To accommodate the state's $100 million share of the convention center expansion within Annapolis' debt affordability limit of $350 million, officials had to shift a key airport project to another account, seek approval to revamp the way counties float bonds for their highway projects, refinance old transportation bond issues at lower interest rates, and cut some $35 million out of the capital budget submitted by the governor last month.

Now that Gov. William Donald Schaefer has made a conciliatory gesture, it is time for Mayor Kurt L. Schmoke to reciprocate by lining up solidly behind a proposal to double the size of the Baltimore Convention Center. Otherwise, the city could lose millions of dollars each year in desperately needed tax revenue as conventioneers take their business elsewhere. Expanding the facility has become an economic necessity.In the past three years, 33 groups have opted not to come to Baltimore because there's: 1)

Unless the Baltimore Convention Center is dramatically enlarged, it stands little chance of gaining new business, or repeat business, later in this decade. Yet the Maryland General Assembly refuses to accept this conclusion, instead lamely asserting that the facility is fine just the way it is.Perhaps lawmakers ought to spend time talking with officials from groups that once frequented the convention center who now say the facility no longer meets its exhibition space demands. Or perhaps lawmakers should talk to groups that won't even consider Baltimore as a convention site because there's not enough meeting room.

Would-be tourists might opt to stay home and sip lemonade on their back porches. Businesses might cut travel budgets.But economic hard times are not expected to discourage the convention and trade show business.So a panel appointed by the governor earlier this year has recommended that the state proceed with plans to double the size of Baltimore's 11-year-old convention center.In many industries, businesses rely on trade shows and conventions to make contacts and peddle their wares, said Robert Hillman, who headed the Baltimore Convention Center Authority.