Yet according to a report by Chicago's Roosevelt University, convention space is growing nearly five times as fast as trade-show attendance.

ECONOMIST: The convention business

Such attention to detail can sound "anal retentive, " says Bill Host, a hospitality and tourism management professor at Roosevelt University in Chicago.

WSJ: Conventional Wisdom: Nametags Say a Whole Lot About You

In the past three years, Mr. Bloomberg changed the landscape of the city through zoning, helped create a new technology-focused university on Roosevelt Island, and continued his public-health initiatives, pushing through a partial ban on large-size sugary drinks.

WSJ: Reputation on the Line