A consultancy offering sound and practical business advice to convention centers and other large facility complexes — Colleges and universities, trade fairs, multi-use buildings.

A Look Inside Myles McGrane’s New Book

Published by Business Expert Press

Improving Convention Center Management Using
Business Analytics and Key Performance Indicators

Volume 1 – Focusing on Fundamentals

Volume 2 – Advanced Practices

I wrote this book because I believe convention centers can perform better. Many in senior management feel likewise and have a sense of their center’s potential for growth. As busy as they are, there’s little time available for thoughtful development of a fulsome management strategy to lift their center’s performance. In their work environment it’s common for management’s attention to be diverted and overwhelmed by the small problems of the day. Meeting agendas where important matters are reviewed are often deferred. Why is this so? While business and operational data are there, they are mostly financial with few if any operational metrics such as labor productivity or net square footage. The data are also not collected and organized in a form that is easy to follow, draw conclusions and acted on. Action is most likely not data – based but rather based on intuition and gut feeling. How can you get past this, where can you turn? The answer is to adopt and embrace business analytics and key performance indicators (KPIs). My book guides you through that process. It ties theory to actual practice. It rolls out sound practical advice from an author who has experienced and succeeded in what was one of the toughest work environments in our industry. Other KPI advice and “how to” books do not touch on performance metrics unique to our industry. The KPIs they describe are very general and only presented in publications such as annual reports. This book is best suited for practitioners who work at convention centers or with companies that services convention centers. These are the individuals who make things work: managers at all levels, from senior leadership to floor supervisors. This book is also a useful resource for those in graduate schools of business, hospitality and hotel administration. Others may find it informative too; political staff, city managers, hotel operators, bond underwriters and investors, citizens groups, and all those businesses that either supply, service, or depend on convention center events.

Early Reviews

“Myles shares his experience by demonstrating a practical and data - driven approach to managing convention centers. His use of analytics provides the basis for identifying strengths, weaknesses and opportunities for growth. Myles makes this a must read for convention management looking to optimize performance and demonstrate results.”

— Skip Cox. Senior VP - Research and Measurement, The Freeman Company

“Finally! A refreshing perspective on convention centre management in North America. These economic engines have long been viewed as loss-leaders, which this book aptly points out. Well done to Myles for bringing clarity and perspective to these undervalued assets.”

— Lorenz Hassenstein, President and CEO, Metro Toronto Convention Centre

“Thank you Myles for filling this critical gap! Having served convention centers across North America and the U.K. for 20 years, it is clear that analytics-based management systems are succeeding at the expense of centers that continue to ‘manage-by-gut’. This book provides an effective, step-by-step guide as to how to administer the right KPIs to deliver success. I highly recommend it to anyone involved in the management of convention centers.”

— Bob Pascal, former Chief Marketing Officer, Centerplate, Inc.

Myles McGrane was formerly the General Manager for the Javits Center in New York .He also held management positions at NBC, Ogden Corp. and Centerplate. Presently he is owner of the convention center consultancy, MTMConsult, LLC. Previous to his business career he was a Navy pilot. He holds degrees from the US Naval Academy and the University of Tennessee.