wigstheone
Jul 16, 02, 7:20 am
SALT LAKE CITY -- THE Salt Lake Tribune had one of those big bold front-page headlines you sometimes see in movies.
"Record Heat Sizzles State," it cried, and the crowd of about 1,000 people gathered for a reception in a downtown plaza that remained sunny and very hot even at 8 p.m. was plenty thirsty.
This being a festive crowd of travel-industry executives and corporate travel managers in town for the annual convention and trade show of the National Business Travel Association, lemonade was not the beverage of choice. In a state where jokers say it's easier to buy a firearm than a gin and tonic, the booze was flowing impressively behind the guarded perimeter of the plaza.
"This sure is one very happy crowd," said a frazzled young woman tending bar at a drink tent where the lines were 12 deep.
It seemed to be a far merrier crowd, in fact, than the one in attendance last summer during the same organization's trade show in Atlanta. Then, even before the catastrophe of Sept. 11, the business-travel industry was staggered, demoralized and bewildered after a souring economy slammed the brakes on freewheeling spending for business travel.
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/16/business/16ROAD.html
"Record Heat Sizzles State," it cried, and the crowd of about 1,000 people gathered for a reception in a downtown plaza that remained sunny and very hot even at 8 p.m. was plenty thirsty.
This being a festive crowd of travel-industry executives and corporate travel managers in town for the annual convention and trade show of the National Business Travel Association, lemonade was not the beverage of choice. In a state where jokers say it's easier to buy a firearm than a gin and tonic, the booze was flowing impressively behind the guarded perimeter of the plaza.
"This sure is one very happy crowd," said a frazzled young woman tending bar at a drink tent where the lines were 12 deep.
It seemed to be a far merrier crowd, in fact, than the one in attendance last summer during the same organization's trade show in Atlanta. Then, even before the catastrophe of Sept. 11, the business-travel industry was staggered, demoralized and bewildered after a souring economy slammed the brakes on freewheeling spending for business travel.
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/16/business/16ROAD.html