August 30, 2000
Dear Valued LBACVB Members:
The Long Beach Area Convention & Vicitos Bureau works hard for you everyday. We have a well-earned reputation that works to the benefit of our members and their businesses. We value your partnership and we hope that your confidence in us will sustain this Bureau through its current challenge.
Recently, a person or persons suggested that this Bureau manipulated the bookings and room nights for the year 1998-1999 and that as a result some sales incentives may have been paid inappropriately.
Any time someone challenges the integrity of the work this Bureau performs for you and this City, we must treat it seriously. And I and your Board of Directors are doing just that. We immediately called for an independent bookings and sales incentive audit currently being performed by Ernst & Young. At the conclusion of their work scheduled for late next week, an official report will be issued to and reviewed by the Board of Directors and then made available to the public. You can be assured that the Board will include this Bureau's membership in their primary distribution.
We are confident that the audit will validate the integrity of our bookings and determine the correct sales incentives. We are equally confident that our contributions to the tourism industry and this City are indisputable and highly measurable in a great many ways. We hope you agree and that you will allow us the opportunity to perform the proper due diligence which will bring closure to this issue.
Thank you for your continued support of this Bureau and its hard-working employees.
Best regards,
/s
Linda Howell DiMario