HOFFMAN ESTATES
Village bowing out of convention bureau
Hoffman Estates will end its membership in the Woodfield Chicago Northwest Convention Bureau and likely use the money earmarked for 2008 dues to hire its own tourism coordinator.
Officials said hotel managers reported receiving little direct benefit in referrals from the Schaumburg-based bureau, whose membership included 12 west and northwest suburbs.
“We have limited resources. We can make better use of the money,” said Village President William McLeod after trustees at a special Planning, Building and Zoning Committee meeting Monday voted to discontinue membership.
Dues this year would have been $77,800, officials said.
Hoffman Estates questioned the value of the convention bureau about eight years ago when the membership fee was changed, but opted to remain.
Dues had been $4,000 a year. The fee now is a percentage of the village’s hotel and motel tax revenues.
Village Manager James Norris said hotel officials did not realize what the village was paying in membership fees.
“We asked if they felt they were getting $77,000 worth,” he said.
Trustees plan to add a full-time employee to coordinate tourism efforts and work to retain businesses at an estimated annual cost of $88,187 in salary and benefits
The coordinator would work with hotels, restaurants and retailers, McLeod said.
Fran Bolson, convention bureau president, told trustees that Hoffman Estates was benefiting from membership. The bureau prints a visitors guide and publishes two annual event guides.
“We have really been working hard over the last several years,” Bolson said.
— Ken Manson
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MT. PROSPECT
Historical executive headed to East Coast
Gavin Kleespies, executive director of the Mt. Prospect Historical Society since 1999, has resigned to take a similar position in Cambridge, Mass.
Among his projects, Kleespies headed an effort to raise money to preserve and move Central School, a 19th Century building.
He also developed Web sites for the society and wrote two books on the history of Mt. Prospect.
“He truly has made a difference,” said Marilyn Genther, historical society president.
