By Cole Boehler
As conventions go, it is unlikely any other organization can put one on like a tavern association. Certainly no other convention in Montana compares to the Montana Tavern Association's.
So it's no wonder 322 folks and 21 guests attended the 72-hour event that commenced at noon Monday, September 11 and ran through noon Thursday, Sept. 14. Attendance was the best in years, reported MTA Executive Director Diana Koon.
The designers of these annual confabs seem to possess the required touch for perfectly mixing proportions of business and entertainment.
Golf and poker tournaments, parties, trade shows, luncheons, committee meetings, raffles, parties, addresses from top government officials, banquets, silent auctions, cocktail hours, awards, pub crawls, panel discussions, business meetings, brunches and parties; these characterize an MTA convention.
This year's host city, Butte, America, by acclaim produced a wonderful event.
MTA's Koon said, "I'm very pleased with Butte and the Butte-Silver Bow Tavern Association. I'm always a little nervous going in, but they pulled it off. Everything was beautiful. The food was good, the event venues were good and, of course, all the people in attendance and those we met on our travels around town were just excellent."
State leaders on hand were Governor Brian Schweitzer who inspired licensees with his no-holds talk. Attorney General Mike McGrath was, as usual, on-point with his address that mixed humor and the business of enforcement.
The convention was honored to host Department of Revenue Director Dan Bucks and Liquor Division Administrator Shauna Helfert, both of whom expressed receptiveness to industry concerns. The always straight-shooting Administrator of the Gambling Control Division, Gene Huntington, also talked about the nuts and bolts of gaming issues with MTA members.
MTA Government Affairs Counsel Mark Staples summed up sentiments when he observed: "Montana is unique in that we have one-on-one, personal relationships with our elected and appointed officials. These people take our calls. They work with us directly and in good faith as partners in building our investments and the state's economy. They are firm but fair.
"We are honored that they take time from their very busy schedules to come and meet with us every year; and we hope they are also honored that we continue to invite them."
Convention attendees that we talked to unanimously agreed they had enjoyed themselves thoroughly while getting up to speed on the always plentiful issues they must decided in the coming election and work to shape in the coming Legislature.
Many, too, expressed enthusiasm for the prospect of attending the organization's 52nd annual convention in Kalispell in 2007.
Throughout this post-convention edition of the Montana Tavern Times, you will find numerous articles thoroughly covering every aspect of the convention. If you missed it, read this coverage, then plan to attend next year.
Source: The Montana Tavern Times, Oct., 2006, published monthly by Continental Communications, 125 W. Granite St., Suite 102, Butte, MT 59701.