Signing Up for Duty

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Bidder: Duty Free Americas Inc.

Headquarters: Hollywood, Fla.

2010 Global Travel-Retail Sales: $900 million

Current Airport Operations: Miami, Salt Lake City, Phoenix

City Lobbyists: Former LAWA board Chairman Alan Rothenberg, former Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante, Dakota Communications

Local Partners: Not named.

Details: The only U.S.-based firm bidding for the concession, company said it knows more than other bidders about travelers to U.S. Company claims to have boosted duty-free sales at other U.S. airports.

Bidder: Dufry AG

Headquarters: Basel, Switzerland

2010 Global Travel-Retail Sales: $2.8 billion

Current Airport Operations: Mexico City, Hong Kong, Moscow

City Lobbyists: SNR Denton LLP

Local Partners: No comment.

Details: Dufry owns Hudson Group, which already operates regular concessions at LAX. Company officials would not confirm Dufry is bidding, but company has retained a local law firm for lobbying.

Bidder: Gebr. Heinemann SE & Co. KG

Headquarters: Hamburg, Germany

2010 Global Travel-Retail Sales: $1.3 billion

Current Airport Operations: Istanbul, Turkey; Copenhagen, Denmark; Oslo, Norway

City Lobbyists: Urban Solutions Inc., Afriat Consulting Group Inc. Also has hired former LAWA Executive Director Jack Driscoll to in-house position.

Local Partners: Not named.

Details: Family-owned company only operates duty-free stores. Had operated in United States but sold operations and now wants back in the market. Plans to open a U.S. office and distribution center in Los Angeles regardless of bid outcome.

Bidder: World Duty Group UK Ltd.

Headquarters: Feltham, England

2010 Global Travel-Retail Sales: $2.2 billion

Current Airport Operations: London-Heathrow; Vancouver, Canada; Madrid, Spain

City Lobbyists: Holland & Knight, Rose & Kindel

Local Partners: Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, Homeboy Industries

Details: Part of U.K. retail giant Autogrill, company plans to bring fashion shows, music and other entertainment to duty-free stores to help drive sales. Pledges to recruit employees through U.S. Vets, which helps military veterans find jobs.

Bidder: Joint venture Lotte Duty Free-USFI

Headquarters: Seoul, South Korea; Gardena

2010 Global Travel-Retail Sales: $2 billion (Lotte)

Current Airport Operations: Incheon, South Korea; Jakarta, Indonesia; Singapore

City Lobbyists: Santa Maria Group

Local Partners: Shangri-La Entertainment LLC; U.S. Foods International Inc., a Gardena company that holds U.S. military contract to provide food for American troops in Korea

Details: Part of Korean retailing giant, company dominates that country’s duty-free market. Recently expanded with duty-free shops in Singapore and Jakarta. Plans to use Shangri-La, owned by Hollywood investor Stephen Bing, to produce celebrity-based marketing for its shops.

Bidder: Joint venture Shilla Duty Free-Aer Rianta International

Headquarters: Seoul, South Korea; Dublin, Ireland

2010 Global Travel-Retail Sales: $2.4 billion (combined)

Current Airport Operations: Incheon and Cheongju, South Korea; Dublin

City Lobbyists: Mike Roos and Co., Kotra LA

Local Partners: Caruso Affiliated, Telacu

Details: Plans to promote duty-free shops at Caruso properties, including Grove and Americana at Brand. Will work with non-profit East Los Angeles Community Union (Telacu) to provide job training. Plans to sell locally designed clothing collections.

Bidder: Nuance Group

Headquarters: Zurich

2010 Global Travel-Retail Sales: $1.9 billion

Current Airport Operations: Singapore; Hong Kong; Dusseldorf, Germany

City Lobbyists: Englander Knabe & Allen

Local Partners: Small designer boutiques

Details: Company has proprietary customer database it says will help drive sales. Plans to move U.S. headquarters from Houston to Los Angeles if it wins bid. Will work with Los Angeles Tourism and Convention Board and local sportscaster Jim Hill for marketing.

Bidder: DFS

Headquarters: Paris

2010 Global Travel-Retail Sales: $2.8 billion

Current Airport Operations: New York-JFK; Mumbai, India; Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

City Lobbyists: Ek & Ek, Sage Advisors, Marathon Communications Inc.

Local Partners: AEG Inc.

Details: Largest duty-free operator in the world has run duty-free shops at LAX for three decades. Plans to partner with AEG to cross-promote venues and duty-free shops. Says recent award of duty-free concession at Hong Kong airport is evidence of Asian bona fides.

– Compiled by James Rufus Koren

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