The Permian Basin International Oil Show is in town with hotels and restaurants in Odessa and Midland feeling the pressure and excitement.
It’s been three years since the usually biennial technology extravaganza has been held at the Ector County Coliseum, having been postponed during the pandemic, and the hotels weren’t filling up quite as fast Monday as they had in the past.
However, there were still legions of energy industry professionals coming in from all over the world and hoteliers and restaurateurs said that Tuesday was the day when the full impact would be felt.
A total attendance of 30,000 is expected with show hours being from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday and 10-4 Thursday. The show is closed to the public.
MCM Elegante Hotel Front Desk Manager Amanda Gaipl reported at mid-day Monday that 36 vacancies remained in the 191-room hotel at 5200 E. University Blvd., but it was sold out for Tuesday.
“We have 12 left for Wednesday,” Gaipl said. “We’re usually sold out a year in advance for the oil show. With COVID we’re having a slower start, but we’re getting there. It is a good time when all the companies come in from the different areas and states. It’s an exciting week.”
Heaven Ryan, a front desk clerk at the Double Tree by Hilton Hotel at 117 W. Wall St. in Midland, expected “over 100 arrivals for tonight” with 40 rooms still open at mid-day and she said the 262-room hotel was “booked solid” for Tuesday and Wednesday.
“We always look forward to having them,” Ryan said. “They come in from all over and it’s nice to see people here from everywhere.”
This is the first oil show for the Odessa Marriott Hotel & Conference Center downtown, which co-owner Sandra Eoff said had 80 percent of its 215 rooms booked. “We expect to be full tomorrow,” Eoff said, noting that the 305 E. Fifth St., hotel was opened in late 2019.
“My husband Toby and I come from the oil industry, so it is exciting to entertain all the companies that we have dealt with in past years,” she said. “They’re coming in from all over the nation and other countries. We’re glad to see people even if they’re not staying at the hotel. They can come for happy hour and to eat dinner with friends. We are excited to be able to offer that.”
Barn Door co-owner Roy Gillean hadn’t yet seen many oil show people at the restaurant that he could identify as such, but he expected them to show up in force Monday afternoon and night. “We were closed Sunday, but we noticed a little more traffic Saturday,” Gillean said, noting that he and his wife Tami have owned the 2140 Andrews Highway restaurant since 2000.
“It will probably be up by 50 or 60 percent Tuesday and Wednesday and we’ll try to have a full staff. It’s slow a lot of times in the afternoons because the Chuck Wagon Gang serves lunch and the guys are not able to get away till the evenings, when they come over for cocktails and steaks.
“The Barn Door has always been known for this. A lot of business deals get done here. On Thursdays, the guys usually try to pack up and get out.”
Odessa has 4,616 hotel and motel rooms, so the participants stay in surrounding cities like Crane, Monahans and Andrews and often even farther afield.
Show Executive Director Tony Fry said Sept. 20 that 735 vendors had already rented the available 1,129 indoor and outdoor spaces at the coliseum at 4201 Andrews Highway. Fry said 14 companies from Canada and two each from China and India were coming with a host of American-based international corporations to show their latest products.
Admission is restricted to energy industry personnel who have registered and been given ID tags.
The Chuck Wagon Gang will serve lunch on Tuesday for $24 per person, Wednesday for $21 and Thursday for $16 with the prices varying according to the menus.
