Storm forces postponement of economic conference
Bad weather forced the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce
to reschedule its annual Economic Outlook Conference from
today to Feb. 16.
The ice storm that crippled San Antonio on Tuesday was
not expected to end soon enough to let the conference be
held as scheduled.
Chamber spokeswoman Patti Larsen said the location of the
36th annual, half-day workshop on economic trends and initiatives
also will change, from the Convention Center to the Marriott
Rivercenter Hotel. But the times, keynote speakers and focus
session will stay the same.
And Larsen said some business leaders who were not available
for today's conference could be added as panelists for the
breakout sessions, which are held between keynote speeches.
"There may be an enhanced lineup," she said.
The keynote speakers will remain the same. Mark Fields,
president of Ford Motor Co.'s Americas unit, is scheduled
to return to speak at the conference's breakfast. Valero
Energy Corp. Chairman Bill Greehey will deliver the luncheon
address.
Fields made it to San Antonio on Tuesday, working from
his room at the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort. An event
scheduled in Kerrville for the media to test-drive the newest
versions of the Ford Super Duty pickup were moved to Corpus
Christi because of the storm.
A reception Tuesday night for conference speakers was canceled.
The conference, which is presented by the San Antonio Express-News
and other corporate sponsors, spotlights the area's economic
prospects. This year's conference will have a general session
on overall economic trends in San Antonio and breakout sessions
on sports entertainment, real estate, technology and capital
formation, the military and health care, and investment
opportunities.
2%
economic growth seen in '07