Without Convention Center business, Philly hotels have plenty of rooms

It has not been a good summer so far for hotels in Philadelphia.

Years of union troubles at the Pennsylvania Convention Center mean no major conventions are coming to Philadelphia this summer, said Ed Grosse of the Philadelphia Hotel Association.

"The number of occupied rooms related to the Pennsylvania Convention Center in May was down 89 percent versus the same month last year," he said.

Even though new union contracts have resolved those problems, since conventions are booked far in advance, Grosse said, there will be a lag before business picks up. That means his members have been scrambling to fill hotel rooms in the meantime.

"I think it's very important to point out that we are very encouraged by the changes that have taken place at the Convention Center," he said. "There's a lot of buzz created across the country that it is a new day at the Convention Center and eventually things will be better."

Grosse and city tourism officials are coordinating efforts to bring in other business to cover for the expected slow times ahead.

Source: NewsWorks