"IF YOU STAGE IT, THEY WILL COME..."
         That, in so many words, is what Mel Katz told Wally Schlotter three years ago after Katz came up with the idea of hosting a symposium in San Diego to feature the day's top newsmakers. The motive: to showcase San Diego as a world-class destination worthy of attracting a field of dreams in politics, journalism and the arts.
         Katz, co-owner of San Diego's Manpower Temporary Services and a board member of the San Diego Chamber of Commerce, had read of such an event in Bakersfield and thought, "If they can pull this off in Bakersfield, imagine what we could do in San Diego!" Katz subsequently asked chamber President Gil Partida what he thought of the idea. Partida loved it. Then Katz took the concept to Schlotter, the promoter extraordinaire who then headed the chamber's San Diego Film Commission. Schlotter was sold. So was San Diego Union-Tribune executive Herb Klein. That was all the incentive Katz needed. By the end of the year, he and his comrades had turned the dream into reality.
         But while "Insights '94: Today's Leaders Look at the Future" managed to assemble an A-list of headliners, including ex-President George Bush, former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, Reverend Jesse Jackson and journalist Andy Rooney, it was not a financial blockbuster.
         "We lost a ton of money," Katz says frankly. In fact, the event was in the red some $275,000. By early 1995, its future was in jeopardy.
         That's when Katz again turned to Schlotter. Schlotter, who cut his teeth in Hollywood studios and looks on every project he tackles as "the big show," got more actively involved. He rebuilt the production from the ground up with his characteristic dash of Hollywood panache, giving Insights a splashy new logo, an aggressive advertising campaign, a cleaner and brighter stage design (complete with Broadway-style lighting and sound) and an ambitious set of goals.
         Objective one, Schlotter explains, was to "make this the most important annual event in the San Diego/Baja region, one the public must attend" -- and be seen attending.
         Schlotter, who hired former Mann Theaters marketing executive Ron DeHarte to run the event, was determined to make a profit, increase paid attendance and improve the show. "I kept emphasizing to everyone that no matter who is up on that stage, even if it's a former president of the United States, Insights is show biz," Schlotter recalls.
         Now an independent film producer and consultant, Schlotter is no longer directly involved with Insights. But he's left an indelible stamp. Insights has become a big, bright and heavily marketed show. More important, perhaps: It's making money. Attendance has increased each year. The first conference drew 2,800; the second, 3,800; the third year, 4,800. And this year, organizers expect 6,000.
         Meanwhile, the roster of speakers continues to read like a who's who of international politicos, performers and visionaries who, like show-biz headliners, are recognizable by one name: Kissinger; Carter; Bush; Gorbachev; Uberroth; Powell; Cuomo; Carvey.
         Carvey?
         "Dana Carvey was the entertainment for the first one," Katz says. "When they introduced George Bush for his speech, Dana came out instead and started doing his impression of the president with the 'It wouldn't be prudent' line. It was hysterical. There were the two of them, standing together at the podium. The picture got picked up by Associated Press and was published all over the world."

WHILE INSIGHTS DOES HAVE A WAY of bringing people together and has received generally positive reviews, it has had its share of critics. Perhaps the biggest complaint over the past three years has been its inaccessibility to average-income San Diegans, who may have been priced out of the equation from the start. Tickets are now $200 and $400.
         As for Insights' actual news significance, well ... San Diego Mayor Susan Golding recently said the views and thoughts spoken at Insights are "listened to all over the world." There may be some hyperbole there. Much of what is said has already been said by those who are saying it. Chiefly, Insights was, is and will remain a schmooze-fest for San Diego's corporate elite. A classy civic marketing device for the Chamber of Commerce.
         Still, the event has offered up its share of undeniably juicy moments -- some controversial, others heartwarming -- in its first three years:
         During his 75-minute speech last year, former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev dissed Soviet President Boris Yeltsin, suggesting Yeltsin's failing health had caused his nation's government to become badly bogged down. "We lost 10 years of valuable time when reforms could have been started," said Gorbachev, who insisted he was not using Yeltsin's illness for personal gain. "This is not an issue for political exploitation."
          Also last year, former President Jimmy Carter criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in no uncertain terms for what Carter said was a failure to comply with Middle East peace accords. "In fact, he [Netanyahu] has been a negative factor" in the Middle East peace process, Carter said. "He has not followed up in any sort of enthusiastic, accommodating or generous way in building on what [Yitzhak] Rabin and [Shamon] Peres left for him."
         And Insights has been responsible for some unlikely detente, in addition to the surprising Carvey-Bush chumminess in 1994:
         Jehan Sadat, widow of slain Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, and Lea Rabin, widow of Israeli Prime Minister Rabin, last year spoke glowingly of one another in their respective talks. And in a symbolic gesture that said more than the most eloquent of speeches, the two women, who had met only once before, embraced.
         This year's Insights World Conference features another character from the front pages. Former Hong Kong Governor Christopher Patten is among the speakers at the day-long October 4 event at the San Diego Convention Center.
         Other speakers slated include House Speaker Newt Gingrich, former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, author and poet Maya Angelou, business writer and consultant Tom Peters, author John Naisbitt and talk-show host Larry King.
         President Clinton has yet to make an appearance at Insights. He may not care to. Two years ago, he didn't even make the top 10 list of desired speakers in a poll of 700 attendees. But Hillary Clinton did. The list was topped by Bill Gates (at 39.6 percent), followed by Thatcher, Gingrich, Michael Eisner, Ted Turner, Hillary, Norman Schwarzkopf, Rush Limbaugh, Lee Iacocca and Gorbachev.
         Bill Clinton was 15th.