Annual plumbers and pipe fitters event to bring $5 million to Ann Arbor's economy this week
Banners hang on light posts downtown Ann Arbor announcing the annual UA training event at Washtenaw Community College this week.
Amy Biolchini | AnnArbor.com
Representatives from the U.S., Canada and Australia will be attending the week-long event, which began Sunday and runs through Friday. It’s the 60th annual training event for the organization, which has held it in Ann Arbor for more than 20 years.
Ann Arbor Convention Center and Visitor Bureau officials estimate the event will bring about $5 million in to Ann Arbor’s economy and will account for about 11,000 hotel room stays.
Associated festivities begin Monday with a 5K run and pub crawl in downtown Ann Arbor. Proceeds from the two events go towards the Semper Fi Fund.
Wednesday is “Industry Day” at the WCC campus.
A ceremony is planned from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at WCC’s Towsley Auditorium in the Morris Lawrence Building at 4800 E. Huron River Dr.
Among the speakers are UA General President William Hite and WCC President Rose Bellanca.
“We are delighted to recognize the 24th anniversary of the partnership between the United Association and Washtenaw Community College,” Bellanca said in a statement. “We remain committed to providing a state-of-the-art venue that allows UA members to enhance their skills and craftsmanship, which are vitally important to a growing and vibrant economy.”
U.S. Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich., will be in attendance as well, WCC officials confirmed Wednesday.
Following the ceremony, WCC staff will be giving elected officials a tour of the UA training classes and WCC’s training facilities at its Great Lakes Regional Center.
“The United Association Instructor Training Program focuses on training our instructors on becoming better educators,” said Chris Haslinger, director of training for the United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters, in a statement. “Our collaboration with WCC is a true educational partnership that benefits everyone year-round. The program is designed to be forward thinking and the WCC facilities and faculty ensure that participants not only have the skills they need now and but are well prepared with skills for the workplace of the future.”
Amy Biolchini covers Washtenaw County, health and environmental issues for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at (734) 623-2552, amybiolchini@annarbor.com or on Twitter.
Comments
Usual Suspect
Mon, Aug 12, 2013 : 12:29 p.m.
Here's an oldie but goodie for our out-of-town visitors: This lawn supervisor was out on a sprinkler maintenance job and he started working on a Findlay sprinkler head with a Langstrom 7? gangly wrench. Just then, this little apprentice leaned over and said, "You can't work on a Findlay sprinkler head with a Langstrom 7? wrench." Well this infuriated the supervisor, so he went and got Volume 14 of the Kinsley manual, and he reads to him and says, "The Langstrom 7? wrench can be used with the Findlay sprocket." Just then, the little apprentice leaned over and said, "It says sprocket not socket!" (Steve Martin)
Craig Lounsbury
Mon, Aug 12, 2013 : 11:36 a.m.
"Ann Arbor Convention Center and Visitor Bureau officials estimate the event will bring about $5 million in to Ann Arbor's economy" These sorts of numbers always bring out the calculators....heck I broke out mine this morning. But what I'd like to see is the actual break down that the AACCVB uses to reach the total. Is that actually out there somewhere?
a2grateful
Mon, Aug 12, 2013 : 11:30 a.m.
Have a great training event!
a2grateful
Mon, Aug 12, 2013 : 11:29 a.m.
Welcome plumbers and pipefitters. Thank you for visiting our area. Have a training event! @ rukiddingme: 2,000 people. They stay 5 to 6 days, say 5.5. 2,000 x 5.5 = 11,000.
RUKiddingMe
Mon, Aug 12, 2013 : 11:21 a.m.
I'm confused; 2000 people are coming in, but 11,000 hotel rooms are being used? Is it that the 2000 are experts, and they'll be training 9000 students who come in from outside Ann Arbor?
SonnyDog09
Mon, Aug 12, 2013 : 11:30 a.m.
quick: the event is five days. So, what is 2000*5? They evidently count each day as a "stay".