Publisher search delays tourism guide

Tariq Malik

HUNTINGTON BEACH -- The Huntington Beach Conference & Visitors Bureau

has pushed back the release of its 2001 visitors guide to March -- three

months later than usual -- because it is still searching for a publisher.

Prospective publishers “have until [Monday] to respond to our search,

and then we’ll proceed with the selection process,” said Diane Baker, the

bureau’s executive director. “We’ll be looking for creativity and

quality, and something that’s fair to advertisers in the proposals.”

The visitors guide was expected to be published by Dec. 31. Last

month, after following the advice of the City Council and City Atty. Gail

Hutton, the bureau’s board of directors voted to terminate the publishing

contract with Coatings Resource Corp. because of a potential conflict of

interest involving Mayor Dave Garofalo, who published the guide for

several years and may have profited from the contract.

The guide is produced with advertising revenue.

“It’s hard to say how the delay will affect tourism and advertisers,”

said John Gilbert, the visitors bureau’s chairman and senior vice

president, as well as general manager of the Waterfront Hilton Beach

Resort. “But will it postpone the time that people receive the guide and

see the city? . . . Yes.”

The bureau’s board of directors will meet Tuesday to discuss the

deadline for choosing a publisher. They expect to have one in place by

November.