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Sunday, November 08, 2009

$144K Spent on Planner Services



          The four-day Santa Fe International Conference on Creative Tourism on Sept. 28-Oct. 2, 2008, tallied around a half-million dollars in expenses. Funding came largely from the city and state, with some private donations.
        Records obtained by the Journal contained a few differing conference budgets, but the Journal was unable to get city officials to confirm the final version. However, dollar amounts on all versions were close to one another. Some of the highlights:
        • Meeting planner services: $144,767.
        • Advertising, marketing and printing: $107,180, including $3,760 for 2, 6-by-20 foot signs and $3,141 for luggage tags. City officials would not say how much of this amount went to Cisneros Design, the primary graphic designer for the conference.
        • Walter Burke Catering: $76,600 for equipment, opening reception, and four days of continental breakfasts, lunches and morning and afternoon snacks.
        • Closing dinner by La Boca: $16,780.
        • Taste of Creative Cities, billed as "a global culinary tasting experience" with samples, appetizers, and tequila and wine tastings: $4,822.
        • Food, service and equipment for barbecue at Las Golondrinas: $16,316.
        • "Other catering," not identified by city officials: $11,064.49.
        • Pre-conference reception at Santa Fe City Councilor Rebecca Wurzburger's house, including food and flowers: at least $815.
        • Audio visual equipment rental and staff, including laptops, DVD players and projectors: $26,831.50. Recursos Executive Director Ellen Bradbury Reid said equipment promised by the Santa Fe Community Convention Center, where the conference was held, wasn't ready in time for the event, making rentals necessary.
        • Travel for conference speakers or for conference promotions: $23,560.76.
        • Fees for 10 speakers: $19,850.00.
        • Travel within Santa Fe for conference events: $5,573.75.
        • Live music: $3,535.00, including $875 for a two-hour performance by the Bert Dalton Quartet.
        • Floral arrangements and decor: $4,300. The job was done by Hoffman Designs. Dawn Hoffman of Hoffman Designs was also an event coordinator for Recursos who worked on the conference.
        — Kiera Hay
       

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