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I think Vegas is doing well simply because they own no slaves. High Point is still harboring some, so I hear....What a shame too. Just the title of "Slavemaster" could really hamper a city's success.

You're misinformed. No more slaves in High Point, but I understand people are often seen chained to slot machines in Vegas.

Have to disagree, Doug. Deena Hayes referred to a 12 year old High Point girl in attendance at the last school board meeting as a "slavemaster" and others in her school as "slaves". It's all on tape and being sent to any and all news stations that will have it...including Vegas.

Thanks for explaining the previous comment. If Ms. Hayes said that, I would suggest she's mistaken.

Anyone want to talk about furniture markets?

That's it? You would "just suggest she's mistaken"?? Are you joking? So an elected official, chosen to represent children and their parents, can call children "slavemasters" and call other children "slaves" and we should just politely whisper to her that she's "mistaken"?

Doug, drink a little too much eggnog? Let me clarify, she said this in a televised public forum TO A CHILD'S FACE!!!!!!!!!!

This women needs to be put away. No, I don't feel like discussing furniture when our county's role models are behaving like assinine fools right in front of our kids!

My children were at that board meeting and I am repulsed that I let them go! If this sort of nonsense is tolerated then they should give "PG" and "R" ratings to the meetings to warn parents!

I am embarrassed FOR Deena and for ALL that she "represents".

Furniture? I could care less! If I wanted furniture, I'd go to Vegas!

Only one small eggnog.

Don't ask me what ELSE I drank.

Yes, that's all I have to say about Deena Hayes on this string. If you could (not) care less about furniture, then don't return to this post. We have a blog dedicated to schools called the Chalkboard. Check it out.

The blog dedicated to education is a joke, just as is your attitude about Deena's comments.

I have a Wing-back chair that I'd like reupolstered. Who would you recommend?

To market, to market to buy a fat pig
Deena's at it again, jiggity-jig.

I have a friend who attended the Las Vegas Market last year. He loved it.

The hotel cost 85.00 (versus upwards of 175.00+ in this area) per night, meals were ridiculously cheap, didn't need to rent a car because everything was convenient, including the locations of the exhibit.

Plus, of course, there's the atmosphere of being in Vegas.

It's hard to compete against the bright lights.

Thanks, Jon. Those are huge issues. High Point still offers much more product to look at, but it also has to provide a great market experience.

High Point will never be able to compete with Las Vegas as a vacation destination. So rather than trying, the city and High Point Market needs to play to its own strengths, rather than trying to compete with Vegas.

For example, High Point is the furniture industry's corporate center - they should market that expertise to buyers.

Also, the city should go out of its way to make visitors feel as welcome as possible. The Market is vital to High Point in a way it never will be in Las Vegas - visitors need to feel that. Ending the long-standing practice of price gouging would go a long way to make visitors feel more welcome.

You're right, js. High Point can't play against Vegas' strengths. That's not to say HP shouldn't continue putting on some entertainment events, which have helped created a more visitor-friendly atmosphere. But HP's strengths are business-based. HP is still the marketing and knowledge center of the industry.

Some progress is being made in getting hotel rates down, but I doubt Triad hotels can match the low rates offered in Vegas.

You're right, js. High Point can't play against Vegas' strengths*Doug

Sure they can Doug. It is right under High Point cheap discount sofa sell poster at the Center.

Thirty years ago a small group of Indian parents founded Guilford Native American Association for the purpose of promoting greater academic success among American Indian children in the Greensboro and Guilford County School Systems.

Your own local tribe is ready wheel and deal with a simple land swap across from the Center. Trump properties is already commited to be the subcontractor in the Casio interests for the Tribe. And the Gold Girls Rest Stop Center on west I-40 has agreed to give first class Vegas shows.

What are you waiting on Doug? Get that editoral board to work and start hustling the Casio and the free market way out of debt for High Point citizens and amazing sales for the Center and the industy in the future. By the way, the Vegas tourist board thanks you for promoting their industy.

I only realize how little everyone knows about this issue when I read these posts. I said it about the duke rape case: you all might be left feeling bitter if your worst assumptions don't play out.

What you people are saying is akin to saying that the Poinsettia Bowl is going to replace the Super Bowl. But you can read that metaphor, cause you know something about football. San Diego is a great city, but the Poinsettia bowl isn't going to replace the super bowl any time soon now, is it?

The market is not about cities, it is about money. Businesses need money to survive, and if something is not financially in their interest, they won't do it, no matter how much they like the city, and that includes retailers who question whether they can afford a trip out west (to a gambler's paradise) each year when most of the country still lives in the east. Return on investment of capital.

If cities are the determining factor, why weren't the markets San Francisco vibrant, or Dallas?

High Point got the message, stop screwing people, and they're working on it. This is a market that has been around for 100 years, run by people who know and understand the furniture business. That's more complicated, a whole lot more complicated than acting like "marketing" is the white light determining factor for location.

Doug,

Why can't Triad hotels match low Las Vegas rates? Empty rooms don't produce much revenue, and if Las Vegas takes the furniture business, then they'll have a lot of empty rooms for a very long time. Not many people desire to take a vacation to High Point and pay high hotel rates. This is why High Point is in trouble. It has no imagination in competing with a Las Vegas which is all about imagination.

Stormy, I think the issue is that in Las Vegas, hotel room rates generally are underwritten by gambling profits. A hotel can afford to give away a room at a ridiculously cheap rate if it knows it will recoup those losses (and then some) by the money the guest spends at its casino.

Having said that, the long-standing local practice has been to jack up room rates to New York City levels. That needs to change.

I agree with Zatoichi that the HP market has a huge built-in advantage of being the "incumbent." The furniture industry's nerve center is here and the folks running the HP Market are proven pros at doing so. Las Vegas can't match that experience or expertise.

However, High Point shouldn't be complacent - as Doug said, the people in that city know a little something about throwing a convention for a few thousand guests. HP and the surrounding region should take steps to make visitors feel more welcome, including eliminating price-gouging.

zatoichi, I'm not suggesting that the HP market is going to fold overnight. What I fear in the near future is erosion. High Point depends heavily on the economic impact of market and will hurt if market attendance slips by even 5 percent each year. How well a market markets itself can make the difference between keeping that 5 percent or losing it.

If USAirways helps to discharge Delta out of bankruptcy, unless another airline steps up, the New Delta will probably be scaling back flights with most flights originating out of, ugh, Atlanta, since the plans, if the purchase occurs, are to change Charlotte's status from it's current USAirway hub status. Less flights and higher fares, not good news for potential market goers.

Another potential nail in this area's furniture market.

just saying,

I understand that Las Vegas subsidizes hotel rates to keep them artificially low, but it is probable that High Point hotels don't need to match the rates dollar for dollar. They could set attractive rates which could be sufficient, and forget jacking them skyhigh. Of course, they always did that in the past because they had a monopoly, but the world has changed. They better get with the program or they will be facing a lot of empty nights. As I said, not many people plan a vacation trip to High Point, but many do to Las Vegas. You would think that hotels and restaurants would understand that they are part of the problem and likewise they could be part of the solution. If everyone worked together, it might not require so much government money to make it work.

very interesting!

That is exactly the reason why I don't like to gamble in Vegas. I prefer gambling at online casinos from my private home. Last month I even join the 888 vip club and got $1000 online casino bonus without getting from my chair. This is life! :-)

Interesting comments.. :D