The project would include a new, 5,000-set auditorium.
"My best comparison is to the Gulf War," Eugene Dilbeck, president and CEO of the Colorado president of the Denver Metro Conventions & Visitors Bureau, tells GlobeSt.com. "When the war broke out, business travel ground to a halt for three or four months. I expect we'll see a decrease in travel in this country until people feel comfortable and secure in travel again. I don't know how long that will be. It will be up to the federal government."
Long-term, he says, he expects that business and convention travel will be a growth industry.
"Short-term, there is no doubt that there will be some fall out," he says.
John Montgomery, president of Denver-based Horwath Hospitality Consulting/Montgomery Associates, agrees.
"In the convention center big picture, I see no long-term negatives from the tragedy," Montgomery tells GlobeSt.com. "If it were opening next week, or next month, it would have some impact. But the convention center's opening is still three or more years away. My basic belief is that we will learn how to travel again. People are squeamish about flying today, but six months or nine months from today -- or at some point -- it will be different, assuming the situation is somewhat under control. I think eventually, Denver will garner more than its fair share of business travel."
Want to continue reading?
Become a Free ALM Digital Reader.
Once you are an ALM Digital Member, you’ll receive:
- Breaking commercial real estate news and analysis, on-site and via our newsletters and custom alerts
- Educational webcasts, white papers, and ebooks from industry thought leaders
- Critical coverage of the property casualty insurance and financial advisory markets on our other ALM sites, PropertyCasualty360 and ThinkAdvisor
Already have an account? Sign In Now
*May exclude premium content© 2024 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.
