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Republican National Convention
Tampa 2012
The August 2012 convention should be a business bonanza for Tampa and Florida.
Steering Committee
 Ambassador Limousines CEO Ken Lucci is adding 21 limos to handle the convention business he's already lined up. [Photo: Mark Wemple] |
The convention's not for a year, but Ken Lucci, CEO and owner of Ambassador Limousines in Clearwater, is already reaping the rewards. Lucci has landed a $528,000 contract to provide ground transportation, security and logistical support for a major corporate sponsor. The same client also has hired his company to provide those services a week later at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C., for another $528,000.
Lucci says he is also negotiating with two major media organizations that will need transportation to cover the convention, six event/meeting planners who represent another 20 to 25 clients attending the convention and several others.
Lucci has already made leasing arrangements to boost his fleet of 54 vehicles up to about 75 and plans to start advertising for additional drivers after the first of the year and training them in the spring. He is consulting with transportation companies in Denver and Minneapolis to learn what went wrong and what went right at the 2008 political conventions in those two cities.
The convention couldn't come at a better time of year for Lucci, who notes that his company normally operates at about 50% to 60% capacity in the August off-season.
