Convention Rates for last four conventions

[Erik Olson <erik@thekrib.com>]

I can't get a good grip on the discussions right now, sorry, I keep fading
out; but here are a few thoughts:  I don't know of any volunteer
organization that knows its long-term goals that well, let along what
*ours* are.  I think we want the conventions to break even, and I think
the years of the past continue to haunt us.  I do not thing that we are
thinking of the convention as a way to solve our other financial problems.  
I think we are attempting to at least correct the deficit in TAG with the
move to the new printer, and we have been starting to talk about other
ways.  Yes, I'd like to see that 2004 budget, not just a spreadsheet to
play with that shows we're going down the tubes, but "here is what we are
going to do this year to get us out of debt."  I think that's what Scott
would like to see (and possibly DO).  I don't have the energy to crack
that particular whip now, with impending fatherhood.  I can only ask that
we continue to work on the new printer, brainstorm ways of improving
membership and retaining the old ones (we're down another 50 to 788 from
the last label generation in October).

But I don't think this is really relevant to the *convention* budget.  
The AGA's goal with the convention has been for it to be succesful in
attendance and have a very high probability of BREAKING EVEN.  This is
similar to, but not quite the goal of GWAPA (they specifically want
money), but I beleive it is still *our* goal, and in my opinion, we should
make any decisions along those lines, taking into account any differences
between GWAPA's and AGA's goals and assuring both are met.

Digging around with some backups and the like.  The 2001 brochure remains
the only one I cannot find yet, but I have been able to guess the rates
based on my bank account datatabase which shows a $168 check to the
Tennessee Aquarium (one full registration for Kathy, plus banquet-only
registration for me?), and a nearly-identical visa charge to the Clarion
hotel as 2000.


                2000            2001*           2002            2003    2004
Location        Chattanooga     Chattanooga     Houston         Dallas  DC

Base            $79             $106?           $125            $64     $69?

Banquet         included,       included,       included,       $35     $40
                Friday Aquar    Friday Aquar    Sat. banq,
                and Sunday br   and Sunday br   2x bkfst
                                extra banq $42? extra banq $42
                
Option          $20             $20?            included        $15     
                Cruise          Amano demo      store tours     tours

Hotel           $65             $65             $69             $69/79  $89/99?
Shuttle         $$$             $$$             $$              0       0

attendance      75              120             60              128?

Point 1: I beleive that part of the dismal failure of 2002 was lack of
"cheap path".  This has been solved in 2003, and continues with GWAPA's
proposal.

Point 2: GWAPA's proposed rates, when you factor in airport shuttles and 2
days of hotel, are practically IDENTICAL to what we did in 2001, when the
registrant opts for "everything".

Point 3: GWAPA is far more together than Charlene was in 2001, and there 
are more people located closer to Baltimore than Chattanooga.

I guess I just convinced myself that we should accept the rates, not add
any "bonus bucks", and we'll probably get 200 attendees.

  - Erik

-- 
Erik Olson 
erik at thekrib dot com


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