Better planning key to business success, chamber chief says

Many Arlington Heights businesses that recently failed, including the Sheraton Chicago Northwest and CoCo Key water park, still would have gone under if the economy were not in recession, the executive director of the Arlington Heights Chamber of Commerce said Thursday.

Jon Ridler, whose background is in the hotel industry, told the Arlington Heights Rotary that business success these days needs planning.

"When they were building that water park I talked with the general manager," Ridler said of the Sheraton that closed in December. "He said it would still be a company hotel catering to families."

But corporate clients did not like having youngsters in bathing suits running up and down the halls at 11 p.m., or families in the lobby when they were trying to hold business meetings, he said.

The expensive water park was forced to charge admissions that were too high, and management was too slow in offering discounted water park passes to guests at other hotels.

"It's a great property," said Ridler, "But it was a matter of them not understanding the market there."

While Ridler said he is not sure whether recovery is here yet, he thinks consumers are spending a little more, and businesses should see opportunity and bargain rents in empty buildings.

Arlington Heights expects prepared food and beverage sales to total $180 million and retail sales to hit almost $1 billion in the fiscal year that ends April 30, 2011. Taxes on these provide 26 percent of the village's general fund revenue, he said.