NCC's reputation will recover, official says BY KATE CHAPPELL ottawa business journal

The backlash against the National Capital Commission's millennium celebrations on Parliament Hill shouldn't do any long-term damage to Ottawa's reputation as a tourism destination, says a top official.

The NCC was doing damage control last week after an outpouring of negative comments about the federal agency's millennium sound and light show on Parliament Hill. Nevertheless, Ottawa Tourism and Convention Authority president Leslie Miller says the city's reputation as an international tourist destination won't suffer.

"I don't think so," said Miller. However, he declined to comment on whether or not the presentation merited the attacks. "We're not in a position to say whether it was the right or wrong show."

The OTCA and the NCC partnered to put on the show and will continue to work together to market Ottawa's Destination 2000 campaign.

"Most people were from the area. We're not going to let this slow down (millennium celebrations.) This is merely the beginning of year-long celebrations," said Miller.

NCC spokesperson Laurie Peters wouldn't speculate on whether Ottawa's reputation will suffer.

"That's something we're definitely trying to manage," she said. "We're hoping that it won't have long-term repercussions. We're really hoping these grumblings are short-lived."

Peters said the NCC has received more than 65 comments about the show; most of them were negative. NCC staff will use these in what Peters called a "post-event evaluation session to see what we can learn from this."

The NCC's presentation, called In Motion- A Story of Time, was attacked last week by residents of Ottawa as well as domestic and international visitors. Despite the criticisms, about 50,000 people attended the show.

Complaints about the botched countdown, barely visible stages and a confusing theme filled the editorial pages of daily newspapers, radio talk shows. The show was even the subject of a column in the National Post.

Peters conceded the show was a risk.

"Maybe the tone wasn't what was expected. In a way, we were victims of international events. People were at home watching these absolutely fabulous celebrations, but (the NCC) didn't feel comfortable spending $3 million."

The Parliament Hill show cost $833,000. It was created based on the results of a survey in 1997.

The show's director, Micheline Chevrier, also acknowledged last week the budget was insufficient.

The Ottawa Business Journal was first to report last August that the NCC's budget was chopped from a target of $1.2 million.

At the time, Peters said: "Costs seemed to be escalating." She said the NCC decided to be "fiscally responsible." The show was originally intended to feature 2,000 performers on 10 stages. Instead, there were only about 150 performers on four stages. Giant screens were also axed due to budget constraints. Peters told the Ottawa Business Journal in August that revellers wouldn't notice the effects of a considerably smaller budget.

Ottawa's other major celebration at the Hull Casino, however, fared much better in terms of public approval. More than 50,000 people attended the $1.5-million presentation, which was called Harmony 2000.

Casino general manager Guy Laflamme said it was a "huge, incredible success." Laflamme projected the economic spin-off of the show to be about $50 million, which is a result of the show being broadcast internationally to an audience of five billion people.

"In terms of TV coverage, it's the equivalent of an ad campaign worth more than $50 million. That's a very conservative estimate. The region benefited more than the casino."

Laflamme also declined to comment on the NCC's celebrations.

"All I can say is that we succeeded and we delivered.""8530,0,"The Ottawa Business Journal