Saturday, Jan. 12, 2008

GOP debates in Myrtle Beach called a success

EDITOR'S NOTE: Originally published in The Sun News on Jan. 12, 2008.

After months of planning, days of setup and countless hours of conference calls, the Republican debate in Myrtle Beach Thursday seemed to roll smoothly, organizers and attendees said.

The debate was part one of Myrtle Beach's two-part test of whether it can perform in the national spotlight, and organizers crowed that they proved the tourist city could pull off a major political event that required intense logistical preparation.

"We felt like we were prepared," said Paul Edwards, general manager of the Myrtle Beach Convention Center, the site of the debate. "When Thursday came, everything just kind of fell into place. Everybody felt they had what they needed."

The city also got a heaping dose of the attention it sought, said Brad Dean, president of the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce.

"We have not had this much national publicity since Hurricane Hugo," Dean wrote in an e-mail. "It was, without doubt, a Myrtle Beach lovefest. Anyone who wondered whether the Myrtle Beach area could pull this off are now asking whether others can match what we just did."

The S.C. Republican Party, which sponsored the debate, was happy with how the event was pulled off, and a spokesman, Rob Godfrey, said he didn't hear any complaints from members of the media.

"I thought it was great," said John King, chief national correspondent for CNN. "The facility was perfect."

King said he has vacationed in Myrtle Beach before, and he will be here for the Democratic debate on Jan. 21.

Employees of The Palace Theatre were at the convention center to prepare for the Democratic presidential primary debate they will host, Dean said.

Traffic and transportation proved to be the most nagging problem. Tourists, local residents, candidates and supporters all wanted to snap pictures of and in front of Mount Myrtle - a Mount Rushmore-styled sand sculpture of the debate participants.

Midday on Thursday, a man climbed out the sunroof of an SUV and sat atop the roof taking pictures of the sand sculpture as the vehicle crept past. When a police officer told him to sit back down, he said, "I am sitting down."

In response, the chamber is looking for a less-heavily-trafficked place to put Mount Myrtle II - a Democratic version of the sand sculpture.

The six HTC employees who went to the convention center to provide technical support had to go through the same security as everyone else and were sequestered the entire time near the green rooms, Glenn Butler, an account executive, wrote on the company's debate blog.

"Nothing glamorous for us," he wrote.

There was one glitch with a line that transmits radio signals, and the technicians had that fixed in 30 minutes, he wrote.

"I really think we had everything in place to cover the demand that we had," said Nicole Hyman, spokeswoman for HTC. "It was a breeze. We were prepared and ready."

Dean, who is in charge of marketing the area, joked he had one major regret - he did not know in advance that Sen. Ray Cleary, R-Murrells Inlet, would be right behind the moderator.

"I would have insisted he wear a shirt saying, 'Call Now for your Free Vacation Planner,'" he wrote. "I think Sen. Cleary got more camera time than Mayor [Rudy] Giuliani."

Political calendar tracking candidates in the Carolinas: Page 2C

Thompson calls for return to Reagan-style politics: Page 1C

McCain reaches young voters in MB: Page 1C

Convention center threat not a problem: Page 2C

Jan. 21: Democratic candidates debate, The Palace Theatre, 8-10 p.m.