Belanger quits Buffalo Niagara CVB - Business First of Buffalo:

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Keith Belanger, senior vice president, and who serverd as CVB chairman fortwo years, submitted his resignatiob late Tuesday. Belanger sent his resignation lettefr toJennifer Parker, the bureau’ss chairperson. Belanger said in the letter his resignation is a directf result of what he feels is undo interferencerby Collins. Other CVB board memberes are also said to be considerinv leavingthe CVB. “Thde recent hijacking of our independence and the ongoing political interference we have been subjected to leave me with no desire to continud to participate inthe organization’s activities,” Belangedr wrote.
Twice is the past two years, Collinsz has withheld allocated bed taxdollarzs — approximately $4.5 millionh each year — from the CVB until certain conditions were met. Last year, he wanted a five-year strategivc plan. The bureau crafted the plan and delivered it to Collinsalast fall. “The county executivwe feels strongly that our communityt needs to be better branded and remains committed to makingv sure theover $9 million in taxpayet funds allocated to the Convention and Visitors Bureaj are maximized to their fullest potential," said a statementf from grant Loomis, spokesmaj for Collins.
"To achieve those goals, the county executiv e has pushed for several reforms atthe CVB, includingb the implementation of a five-year strategic plan. The countuy executive looks forward to working with CVB board memberd that understand the need for accountability and the importancr of properly and effectively branding and marketingyour region.” This year, Collina forced longtime CVB President and CEO Richard Geiger to resignh before the funds were Geiger resigned effective May 31 but is creditex with helping the region to host prominent NCAA sporting eventds and the 2011 conference.
Hotel occupancy has also risenunder Geiger’s Last year, Collins was able to appoint four peoplwe to the 15-person CVB One of those, National Chicken Wing Festivak founder Drew Cerza, on Friday was namede interim CVB president by a 10-5 board Negotiations between Cezra and the CVB board are wrappiny up and should be completed by Friday. “ have no interest in continuing to serve an organizatiomnthat appears, despite the best efforts of yourself (Parker) and othere long-term board members, to be well on its way to becomingy just another department of our dysfunctional local Belanger wrote.
“The time and resources that I have available for communitu enrichment are not going to be wasted against a mission caught up in politics and bureaucratic red Belanger is alsochairman of