Tobacco Documents Online

York Coztvention and Visitors Btarcau, Imc. 9a East 42nd Street, New York,,,N.Y. roo r 7i . 6g 7 n3r,o MAYORIffDY11ARD'1. KOCHJ,NfonoraryrCha/rmen Executive Committee Chairman PRESTON ROBERTTIISCH PRESIDENT LOEWS CORPORATION President CHARLES GILLETT yrice Presidents MICHAEL B11RK'E' PRESIOENTMRDlSON SQNARE.DARDEN, CENTERI FRANK G. VYANGEB7AN SENIOR VICE',PRES9DENT' HILTON HOTELS CORPORATN)N 4 Secretary-Treasurer EDwARD LOEB VICE PRESIDENT CUE PUBLISHINO COMPANY' FRANCIS JL BARRY' PRESIDENT CIRCLE'LINES JERRY BERNS VICE PRESIDENT. ••2'L••.CLUB;, INC. G,S.EYSSELL REAL ESTATE COHSULTANT DANdELC. HICKEY' MARSCHALL ASSOCIATES,.INC: /KLLAN R. JIOHNSON' CHAIRMAN SAKSFIFTH IAYENUE' WC1'NR ENCE'LACH WIAN' CHAIRMAN BLOOMINGDALE'S'. . ROSEM'ARY'MGlNURTRY VICE PRESIDENT MCCALL COMPANY April 3, 197'8 Hono'rable Alan G. Hevesi New York State Assembly Albany, New York 12224 Re: A. 8565-B, A'N ACT ' to amenid the public health law, in relation, to, protectingg the public health', comfort and environ- ment by prohibiting smoking in public pliaces and at meetings of the public except in, designiaited smoking areas. Dear Assemblyman Hevesi: _ We are deeply concerned at the economic penalties which A. 8565-B, an act to amend the public health law by prohibiting smoking in public places andd at meettings of the public except in designatedd smoking areas„ would have on the visitor industry. To'urisrn is now established as New York City"s lead- ing growth ind'ustry,, in large part thanks to the marketing programs of the New York Convention and Visitors B'ureau. However, ours is a'n extremely competitive industry a'nd this proposed leg;islatio'n' would handicap, our sales efforts. Moirethan one hundred cities,throughoutthenaticn° have organizations similar to the New York Convention andiuisitors Bureau,. These bureaus spend millions of dollars toltell potential visitors the virtues of their particular locales. In addition, hurrdreds' of resorts are spending untold millions trying to attract these same people to their location's. In such a competitive atmosphere, legislation which would prohibit smoking in public places, such as, restaurants, hotel lobbies, arenas, audito'ri'wns, Madison Square Garden, needlessly places NewYork at a disadvantage with our competitors whoido not have'such restrictions. Undoubtedly, suclilinfring,e- ments within our state fly in the face of the very

NiRw York Convention andWisitors I3u eau, Inc. Honorable Alan G. Hevesi Page 2. April 3, 1978 purpose of'the tourism,promotion program which the New York State Legislature has funded to attractt visitor business to our state. Provisions of'the legislation requiring the hospitality industry in the state to, act as the arm of'the law, by enforcing smoking and no smoking zones are not feasible. Owners and managers oif facilities would' find it impossiible to jeopardize customer relations by insisting upon strict compliance. The Department of Healthlim New York City tried to enforce a resoilutioniof' July 19'74„ restricting smoking, to certain pubilic pl'aces, and that effort proved un- successful. To require an industry which is sensitive to the desires of its guests to control social-habits is:undesirableand unwarranted. Local managers of hospitality establishments should_ not be denied the flexibility to establish procedures which they feel adapt to the preferences of their customers. The Now York Convention and'Visitors Bureauiregards this legislation as impractical, infeasible and un- enforceable and urges the Legislature to consider these negative ramifications in assessing this pro- posed legislation,. Sincerely, Charles'~ Gililett President bcc: Mr. Preston Robert Tisch. b .