Convention center
chief quitting

Lynn Thompson had a
disagreement with his employer,
sources say

By Russ Lynch
Star-Bulletin

Lynn Thompson, general manager of the Hawaii Convention Center since mid-1996, has resigned. Sources said that Thompson had a disagreement with his employer, Philadelphia-based Spectacor Management Corp.

Thompson won't leave right away and SMG has an interim management plan so there should be no disruption, the sources said.Thompson and SMG officials were unavailable for comment.

SMG, which manages 22 centers across the United States and Europe, was selected by the Convention Center Authority in February, 1996 to run the isle center.

The authority last May approved SMG's selection of Thompson as on-site manager.

Developed at a land and construction cost of $300 million, the convention center is to be formally opened in July, 1998.

Construction is nearly complete and the design-build team of Nordic-PCL Joint Venture is expected to hand it over to the Convention Center Authority in October, a month ahead of schedule.

The convention center has been developing its management staff. In November, SMG hired Randall Tanaka, who was executive director of the Kauai Visitors Bureau, as director of sales and marketing.

SMG is responsible for short-term bookings, those made within an 18-month period before the convention will be held, and the Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau handles long-term marketing.

Thompson was acting general manager at the Miami Beach Convention Center, another SMG-managed property, before he was moved to the Honolulu position. Word of his resignation came soon before the start of the scheduled monthly board meeting of the Convention Center Authority this morning.