STORY:
Millennium Conflicts in Philadelphia

What do thousands of Southern Baptist teens, a few thousand Mummers and the Millennium Philadelphia committee have a lot in common - maybe too much.

According to a story appearing in the Philadelphia Daily News, all three groups plan to use the Pennsylvania Convention Center to usher in Year 2000. Whether they'll all fit, and where, is the subject of spirited negotiation.

The article says the Southern Baptists have booked the Convention Center Dec. 29-31 for YouthLink 2000, part of a seven-city satellite-linked event for "praise, singing and ultimately ringing in the New Millennium together." At least 10,000 young people and chaperones are expected in Philadelphia, with a hefty impact in a normally slow tourist season.

The Mummers fancy brigades have been expecting to use the exhibit halls for their third MummersFest between Christmas and New Year, and to climax the parade with performances there on the evening of Jan. 1.

Millennium Philadelphia plans an extravaganza Dec. 26 to Jan. 2, with the Reading Terminal Train Shed's Grand Hall as hub for its "Bridge to the Millennium" retrospective and 24-hour New Year's Eve countdown. That's the shed where Southern Baptists have booked pizza parties and other events Dec. 29-30.

Amy Needle, executive director of Millennium Philadelphia, said her committee has "always known" of potential conflicts and said talks are underway with the Baptists to share space. "We're making sure everything can happen," she said.

Source: Philadelphia Daily News

DATE: 4/30/99

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