The E-Sylum:  Volume 10, Number 5, February 4, 2007, Article 35

FUN CONVENTION SITE SUGGESTION

Alan V. Weinberg writes: "With respect to the Orange County Convention
Center treating FUN with "a condescending attitude" due to its smaller
size:

"I took the shuttle from the Orlando airport to the OCCC and we stopped
at the huge, newly constructed Marriott Hotel nearby. If I'm not mistaken,
I saw a huge Marriott convention center, with adjacent multi-level parking,
being built adjacent to the Marriott Hotel,  appearing to be ready by
mid-year.

"Perhaps FUN should look into this for future conventions. True, the
Marriott is more isolated than International Drive (although not the
North Concourse) but may be worth consideration."

FUN issued a press release on Monday, January 29th, noting 'The robbery
of a coin dealer after he left the recent FUN convention was preventable,'
said Robert Brueggeman, President of Positive Protection, Inc. (PPI) of
Fallbrook, California.

"PPI provides on-site security for the annual Florida United Numismatists
and American Numismatic Association conventions, as well as security for
gem and jewelry trade shows for the past 31 years.

"Security on premises at FUN was 'tight'. But in all the years my teams
have worked at shows with valuable merchandise I've learned that you
can't protect dealers against themselves. You can't load or unload your
merchandise in plain view in the front of a building and not create a
potentially vulnerable situation," said Brueggeman.

"Wibker said a vast majority of dealers surveyed after the 2005
convention in Fort Lauderdale said they wanted to keep the show in
Orlando.

"I received quite a few positive comments from dealers who followed
FUN's guidelines for exiting the building at January's show in Orlando.
Those dealers reported that they felt safe and secure, and thanked FUN
for making these security options available to them," said Wibker.
For additional information, contact Cindy Wibker, Convention Coordinator,
Florida United Numismatists. Phone: (407) 321-8747..."

A second press release the same day addressed many of the topics brought
up by Alan Weinberg in his previous E-Sylum post.

"The robbery of a coin dealer outside the Peabody Hotel in Orlando,
Florida on January 6, 2007 generated national headlines.  It also
produced inaccurate information regarding the annual Florida United
Numismatists (FUN) convention.

"“Some of the subsequent news stories, letters to the editor and hobby
grapevine comments contain incorrect statements, false assumptions and
erroneous speculation about safety and security at the convention.  FUN
wants to set the record straight, and separate facts from rumors,” said
Cindy Wibker, convention coordinator for FUN."

To read the complete FUN press releases, see:
Full Story

  Wayne Homren, Editor

	coinbooks.org Web

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