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9:11 p.m. Thursday, September 3, 2009

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‘Real Housewives’ not helping city’s image, meeting pros say

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The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Nene, Sheree, Kim, Lisa and Kandi might be the divas of reality TV, but don’t mention “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” to meeting planners.

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Bravo Opening its second season tonight, the Bravo show centers around five 'Housewives' with a knack for materialism.

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The hit Bravo show seeped into the conversation at a Thursday panel discussion on challenges facing the city’s convention business -- and not in a good way.

Some attendees at the meeting of planners and exhibit designers said industry colleagues are beginning to negatively associate the show with Atlanta.

Felicia Newberry, of Magnum Companies, said Atlanta has an identity crisis that is being made worse by what “the media and especially some of the reality shows that are out there that have Atlanta in them” depict. She cited “Housewives” as an offender.

“When you talk about Atlanta, the perception is ‘In Atlanta, they are crazy, so why would we go there,’” she said of event planners she works with.

Mark Sussman, of the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau, said he plays up the city’s southern hospitality and infrastructure.

“We need some flash,” countered Kate Lastinger, chapter president of the Georgia Meeting Professionals International.

“We have ‘The Real Housewives of Atlanta,’” Sussman shot back with a sly grin. The room erupted in a collective groan.

“That’s not the kind of flash that we need,” Lastinger replied.