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Show H6 Imperial Treasures: Mobile Renovates For Nicholas & Alexandra Exhibit BY GARRY MITCHELI @ Goin’ Mobile THEAS SOCIATED PRESS MOBILE, zling imperial treasi ing south forafiv Mobile's hotels and restaurants The Mobile Convention Bureau can 2000 or 1-800-56¢ 3 6 ticket inform ‘he Web site be reached at 33 www.mobile.org. i: For are gearing up for thousands of expected tourists The Mobile € ic Center's expo hall will be crowned the Grand Exhibition Hall following full scale renovation to accommodate the Nicholas & Alexandra exhibit opening June 12 The Romanov Dynasty collec tion features nearly 700 objects from the State Hermitage Mu seumin St. Petersburg and other Russian museums. The objects will be displayed through a series of 14 galleries set up in the expo hall, Each gallery will replicate the palace parlors and staterooms of the imperial family Planners expect 3,500-4,000 peo: ple a day will visit the exhibit during its run through Nov. 14 judging fromthe exhibition's suc cess in Wilmington, Del., where it closed Feb. 14 Sonny Mares, executive vice president of the Mobile Conyen tion Bureau, says advertising on billboards, in newspapers and on TV will target tourists from throughout the United States and Canada He hopes the exhibition will this nearly 300: sar-old city’s cultural landscape. The Civic Center has had much of Mobile's cost is lots of concer show p graduation and family shows such as and Power Rangers. But the Nichol. Alexandra event will be first in size and scope for the center, which has parking for 1.200 immediately be hind the complex and extra space under Interstate 10. The city, donors and the con vention bureau are putting up $3.5 million to bring the exhibit to Mobile. The convention bureau is borrowing $1.5 million to advance ton International Inc. of SL Petersburg, Fla., which is put ting on the exhibit Mayor Mike Dowsays the con: vention bureau expects to recover money from gate receipts. He says other contributions came from corporate and foundation donors, mainly Comeast, the TV firm. which contribute vertising spots worth $525.000; JL. Bedsole Foundation, $500,000: Mobile County, $100,000; Region: Bank, $100,000; Adams Mark Ho: tel, $100,000; and smaller contri butions from the private sector $700.0 ft Citing research e civic center facexpenses. res from economic at the University of South Alabama, Mares said the city have cipates the exhibition will a $40 million economic im. pact on the area Long. owner of Smoke-N. necue across the street from expo hall, says he’s planning vspecial menu with someRussian dishes possibly somecaviar asa bs. “We're newat this, ng a cultural cui he expo hall ready de ift changes new w air-conditioning ing. A hugegift shop and a court ird cafeteria are be. ing built We needed staging area for »ple 150 people every Mares says. Greg Nelson/‘The Associated Press Tamara Korshounova, curator of costumesfor the Hermitage Museum,inspects a dress worn by oneof the daughters of Czar Nicholas |! at the Nicholas and Alexandraexhibition in Wilmington, Del. The exhibit is moving on to Mobile,Ala., where it will open June 12 andwill run through Nov.14. If successful, the exhibition would easily outpace the city’s other major attractions Battle. Mares hopesthe exhibition will give Mobile’s tourism market a about 260,000 people a year, and Bellingrath Gardens, about a notch” in the cultural arena ship Memorial Park, which draws 150.000 annu lasting boost and e Mobile up Based on the Wilmingto ence, with tremendous draw from In T says. “Wedon't want to losesight of the fact that this is a tremen dous educational opportunity for terstate 10 and Interstate 65,” ourschools.” 100,000 visitors It could Mares says itcould draw Trips Are Becoming a Reward for a Job Well Done BY BARBARA SHEA of rewarding ini ees for a job well done (andper. haps spurring even greater NEWSDAY Could yournext job bonus be < trip instead of cash? It's very possible Among the usual wristwatches production). There are three motivations cash. merchand. 1 tro. and nothing has desk sets and other promotional phy value’ of bre items being showcased at the re cation,” cent annual Premium Incer Show in New York City, jal employ different sort also was being tou ed: travel Incentive getaways ha’ been used as a means of fostering executive teamwork (usually on the golf course). But now more companies apparently Peter V. executive publisher « an in creasingly popular product of said g about a va Edm € they're y to see why. from American Airlines to the Down-sizing. sribbean eekend costs special bulk the boss can cruise or a resort the company whet ne from as: right-sizing ‘ors. Eve Egyptian Tourist Authority and acquisitions they're having a tremendous ef fect on business,” he continued ‘Companies are asking employees to do more. but they’re not them more. 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