Deseret News | 5,000 officials meeting in S.L.

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5,000 officials meeting in S.L.

By Bob Bernick Jr.

Deseret News

Published: Saturday, July 17, 2004 11:16 p.m. MDT

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UTA offered free passes for mass transit.

Delta Airlines gave $10,000 in free or discounted air fares.

The LDS Church gave cash and CDs of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir (which will be gifts by the host committee to convention guests) to the tune of $25,000. (The choir is also providing a free, opening-night concert to conference attendees.)

And any number of large and small businesses and trade associations will be providing legislative entertainment on their own dime to legislators and guests.

Coincidental timing

Pound said NCSL bids out its convention, picking a spot usually five years ahead of time. Salt Lake City was picked before Stephens was elected by NCSL legislative leaders to step into the group's presidency this year.

The host state's legislature must seek the event, and in recent years host states have had to kick in around $1 million, raised either through donations, by a direct appropriation by the local legislature or a combination of private and public monies.

Such government conventions at times also draw media criticism.

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In 1991, a local TV station sent a reporter and cameraman to an NCSL convention in Orlando, Fla., and several Utah legislators were filmed golfing with lobbyists while convention meetings were going on. A quick internal review by then-legislative leaders showed the legislators didn't have assigned meetings at the time so were free to golf or do whatever they wanted.

E-mail: bbjr@desnews.com