Philly gaining better reputation with convention planners

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- In the past, labor disputes damaged Philadelphia's reputation among convention planners leading to many big conventions cancelling, but officials are assuring that times have changed.

"In the past Philly has always gotten bad rap of, 'Oh you can't do that' from the union labor standpoint," said Geoff VanDeusen, National Soccer Coaches of America.

However with this year's new labor pact that left two unions on the outside but others, including John Dougherty's electricians, marching in and pledging new customer friendly attitudes, there is a new view among event directors like VanDeusen.

"It's come together and is now a, 'Yes you can attitude," said VanDeusen.

A promotional time lapse video was released part of a marketing effort to illustrate the new attitude of smoother, less expensive convention set ups.

The message directed towards planners who shied away from Philadelphia: We want you back.

Jack Ferguson, who runs the Convention and Visitors Bureau, says customer service is now a priority with the Convention Center's new private management company.

They are making people excited to greet the customer, they are focusing on customer's needs," said Ferguson.

Tom Pellet is with the American Academy of Family Physicians, due back in 2019. Some of its exhibiters had trouble in 2012, but with the new labor deal things have changed.

"I think the exhibiters will come back, we had several exhibiters who said, 'Gee I don't want to because it is in Philly,' now I think they will change their minds and be with us in 2019," said Pellet.

Another group - True Value Hardware - cancelled its convention planned for next year after a bad time in 2011. The hope is that they will return someday.

"True Value, we were just with in Chicago last week entertaining them. It is going to get on the top of their docket, that's all we can ask for," said Ferguson.

Meanwhile the National Association of Letter Carriers is set to start their convention here on Monday.

Officials say the goal is to keep convention planners and attendees happy and to relay the message that the past is the past, and it's a dawning of a new day.