I am pleased to report another year of record earnings. We have been challenged with a difficult interest rate environment over the last few years; however, we continue to produce shareholder value by remaining disciplined on executing our business plan. During this difficult operating environment, we focused intensely on preserving shareholder equity by not stretching for profits through strategies that are bets on interest rates, which later are unwound at a great cost of capital. |
There is a lot of demand to fill hotels and the convention center in a market bound by outdated labor jurisdictions. |
This makes it increasingly difficult to compete with 'right to work' facilities that have caught up in size to Chicago. |