Darrell Sapp, Post-Gazette Jeffrey Letwin in his Fifth Avenue Place office.

By Joyce Gannon
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Jeffrey Letwin, managing partner of law firm Schnader Harrison Segal & Lewis' Pittsburgh office, was elected chairman of the board of VisitPittsburgh in May. The nonprofit agency recently changed its name from the Greater Pittsburgh Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Q. What do you think of the agency's new name?

Listen In: Audio highlights from Joyce Gannon's interview with Jeffrey Letwin, the chairman of VisitPittsburgh. How VisitPittsburgh got its name The impact of changes at US Airways on the region's tourism

A. I like it. The issue before was a lot of confusion with the old name. The market and people thought we were the group that managed the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. We have absolutely no role in managing the convention center. We market the convention center and that role is 50 percent or less of what we do. Our other significant responsibility is marketing Pittsburgh. We're the primary tourist agency for Pittsburgh and the surrounding counties. So VisitPittsburgh more accurately defines what we do. Admittedly, it's not as official sounding as Greater Pittsburgh Convention and Visitors Bureau ... but the feedback we're getting is very positive.

Q. What do you consider to be the primary attractions here that VisitPittsburgh markets or should market?

A. First-day events, which are something you "must see" when you're in a destination. Examples in Pittsburgh could be The Warhol, which is the largest single artist museum in the world; the Children's Museum; dinosaur exhibits [at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History]; and the Carnegie International art exhibit held every three years.

For history buffs: the Senator John Heinz Pittsburgh Regional History Center. Then you have the countryside: People come here to appreciate Fallingwater and skiing [in the Laurel Highlands]. And the rivers. When I was growing up, the concept of going in the river had us scared to death of falling in. Now I love it. I look out my window and see jet skiers and others really enjoying it. There are the Nationality Rooms at the University of Pittsburgh and Kennywood. I hate to say I haven't been to Kennywood in years because I get motion sickness ... . But these are things that make Pittsburgh a really good family package.

Q. What role did VisitPittsburgh play in promoting the Major League Baseball's All-Star Game at PNC Park on July 11, and what's the impact of holding the event here?

A. VisitPittsburgh did the bid for both the All-Star Game and the U.S. Open in 2007 at Oakmont Country Club. We got together the rooms, the purveyors and all of the elements that went into putting it together. [Pittsburgh Pirates Managing General Partner] Kevin McClatchy has said without [VisitPittsburgh], it wouldn't have happened. The impact is that special events draw national media attention and an opportunity to showcase the region to event planners and tour people.

Q. What's the top draw here for meeting planners considering the city?

A. We offer a pretty good value ... with a wonderful new icon of a convention center. It's really attractive for planners. There is a lot to do within a very close, easily accessible distance: You can shop, dine and in some instances stay within walking distance or a quick ride from the convention center and hotels Downtown. In 2003, there were 74 conventions here and in 2006, there were 157 ... because of the new convention center.

Q. What is the status of a new hotel connected to the convention center?

A. It's not done and that's one of our challenges: the lack of hotel rooms. We're really pushing hard for that convention center hotel. It's our No. 1 priority, but it has to be the right size with the right number of rooms to service conventions, which is not always what a hotel operator wants to do. We need a minimum 500 rooms. A lot of focus around here has shifted to what's going to happen with gaming/slots. That may have an impact on the hotel.

Q. How will proposals for gaming/casinos impact tourism?

A. I presume it will bring more people here. It gives them another form of entertainment ... maybe an attraction for convention business, too, because conventioneers like it. But it's not something VisitPittsburgh is focusing on.

Q. Is there potential here to grow the tourism industry and what will it take?

A. We're getting 10.2 million visitors to Greater Pittsburgh each year. Expenditures by overnight visitors in Allegheny County grew from $1.96 billion in 1995 to $3.18 billion in 2005. I think we do have potential. We're reaching out to different tourists who might want to spend winter [vacations] in Miami Beach, the Caribbean or the Hawaiian Islands. We now have a lot to offer to different groups interested in different things like history, skiing, museums.

Q. Specifically, how are you doing the marketing?

Jeffrey Letwin

Job: Managing partner, Pittsburgh office, Schnader Harrison Segal & Lewis; chairman of the board of VisitPittsburgh Age: 52 Hometown: Squirrel Hill. Education: Bachelor's, history and literature, University of Pittsburgh, 1975; law degree, American University, Washington College of Law, 1979. Career: 1979-80: attorney, U.S. Department of Justice; 1980-81: associate, Kessler Goldman & Unatin; 1981-83: associate, Gillotti Goldberg & Capristo; 1983-85: associate, Finkel Lefkowitz Ostrow & Woolridge; 1985-93: partner, Rosenberg Kirshner; 1993-2002: partner, Doepken Keevican & Weiss; 2002-03: partner, Schnader Harrison Segal & Lewis; 2003-present: managing partner, Schnader Harrison Segal & Lewis.

A. We have nine sales directors and two satellite offices in Washington, D.C., and Chicago. Another thing we're doing is a "reunion" focus that's part of Pittsburgh's 250th [anniversary celebration] in 2008. We're responsible for promoting homecomings and reunions. "Bring it Home" is the tagline ... whether it's family reunions, corporate reunions or meetings. The All-Star Game is in some ways the kickoff to all this. It's a signature event, as is the 2007 U.S. Open.

Q. How has the bankruptcy of US Airways and its subsequent merger with America West Airlines impacted promotion of the region?

A. Though US Airways' downsizing really hurt us in terms of loss of jobs and economic impact, the service impact is not as bad. There is still service to almost every major market in the United States. If anything, there is some value. The sacrifice [you make] as a hub is you pay higher airfares. With competition from Southwest Airlines and JetBlue and some long-term carriers -- Delta, United and American -- their statistics have gone up and airfares have come down. So it's a more economical choice for a visit, especially if you're bringing kids.

Q. What is your favorite attraction or thing to do in Pittsburgh?

A. Besides golf, I'm a real movie buff. My favorite thing to do is to go to movie theaters -- especially the new ones at The Waterfront and SouthSide Works. Also, I work out and I run and this is an attraction: the trails. I run on the trails at Schenley Park primarily, but the riverside trails are wonderful.