The county pension board won't hold an October conference at the Manchester Grand Hyatt after all.
The board voted unanimously Thursday to change the conference venue to the San Diego Convention Center after a board member raised objections earlier this month.
Dave Myers, a sheriff's lieutenant who sits on the board, urged his colleagues at their Aug. 7 meeting to move a planned investors conference out of the Manchester Grand Hyatt because of owner Doug Manchester's $125,000 contribution to the signature-gathering campaign to place Proposition 8 on the Nov. 4 ballot.
The ballot measure would change the state Constitution to define marriage as only between a man and a woman, thus reversing a court ruling that legalized same-sex marriage in California.
The board failed to reach a consensus then, but staff looked for alternative solutions as a few board members said they would be reluctant to attend the conference because employee unions are picketing Manchester over labor practices.
The contract with Manchester calls for a $35,000 penalty if it is canceled without cause. Brian White, chief executive of the San Diego County Employees Retirement Association, said the Manchester Grand Hyatt has been “very amenable” as he has tried to negotiate with the hotel to break the contract. No deal has been finalized.
Under the plan approved Thursday, the county would still keep a large bloc of rooms at the Manchester for its investors, who would pay for their own rooms, while the conference and meals would be held at the convention center. White said he is still finalizing the agreement with the convention center and couldn't comment on cost yet.
The conference, scheduled for Oct. 12-14, would bring more than 100 of the association's investment managers from across the country to mingle and educate the board and its employees on financial issues.
