The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-09-18
TO FORM BUREAU FOR SOLICITATION OF CONVENTIONS Will Function As Inde- pendent City-Wide Or
 ganiZation
 TO ASSURE SUCCESS OF NEW AUDITORIUM Details Of Plan To Be Ready For Publication
 Within Few Days

Birmingham is to have a high-powered convention bu- reau that will function as an independent organization and embrace in it's membership the hotels, industrial plants and practically every business firm in the city. It will put on a far-reaching campaign to book conventions for the new audi torium, and in various other ways advertise the Magic City in every corner of the United States.
 This was announced Wednes- day by City Commissioner William L. Harrison. who re- vealed that plans for the bu- reau already are well under way. He predicted that the movement will insure the sue cess of the auditorium and ma terially aid the progress of the city as a whole.
 Harrison said the Chamber of Com merce and all civic organizations would be asked to take memberships in the bureau and assist in its establishment. After the organ ;zation is formed, the city commission will itself buy n eIn' bership. and leave it's future operation to it's own officials, who will De ex. perfs in their line. sss =. City To Help Finance
 Prices of memberships, under the plan proposed, will vary according to the financial status of the members. The hotels and large business firms, naturally, will pay more than the smaller concerns. The city will appro- priate a liberal sum annually to the organization.
 Execution of this plan, Commissioner Harrison said, will give Birmingham the kind of convention bureau that other large cities have. He expects details of the plan to be ready in a short time for publication
 Harrison explained that the prOvis- ion in the auditorium rental schedule which assesses conventions f15 a day would be cared for by city appropria- tions or by resolutions waiving the charge.
 We intend to do everything possible to help bring conventions to Birming- ham, he said. We are unwilling to do anything that may tend to send them will bring thousands of visitors to the nsk ov.1 Ahn+ Akn kA4nIe, h,,ofx,aOe, fiusVao and the city generally. will be bene- fitted in many ways. The commission, of course, will cooperate in every pos sible manner with the convention bu- reau."
 Many Bookings Made
 o. Gordon Erickson, whom the com mission elected as auditorium man. ager several days ago, had actively en- tered on his work Wednesday. He said the prospects for the auditorium loked rosy, and predicted that the book ings in sight will practically cover the operating expenses. The commissions edict that the building shall not be op- erated for profit will be followed to the letter, he promised.
 A number of private clubs already have asked for use of the auditorium for dances during the coming holidays, and Erickson believes that the build ing will be used almost every night for several months after it is opened Oc- tober 19.
 It is known that Browne Parkes, manager of the Jefferson theater, is ne- gOtiating with Erickson to use the audi torium for the numerous road shows that are coming here this winter. By transferring them to the auditorium, the Jefferson Players could be kept at the Jefferson theater the year round. At satisfactory arrangement will soon be worked out, according to indica-