[nabs-l] Convention in Orlando for five years

[J.J. Meddaugh]

To add to this, consider that many major conferences such as CSUN, ATIA, or 
the Consumer Electronics Show traditionally stay in one city. I realize 
these organizations are slightly different in nature, but some of the 
reasons for staying at the same location are the same.

Best Regards,
J.J. Meddaugh
From: "Bridgit Pollpeter" <bpollpeter at hotmail.com>
To: <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, July 14, 2011 2:45 PM
Subject: [nabs-l] Convention in Orlando for five years


> Hello everyone,
>
> I've seen a lot of comments about the national convention schedule for
> the next few years so I thought I'd post what I've been told about the
> decision.  My husband is on our affiliate board, and we both have been
> involved with our chapter, affiliate and some national groups, and we've
> been privy to some information- if I'm wrong, I apologize; I'm merely
> stating what little I've been told.
>
> Let me preface this by saying it takes a very long time to plan an event
> of this magnitude.  President Mauer and the convention committee spend
> time locating facilities that will accommodate a convention such as this
> as well as providing the best possible hotel rates they can negotiate.
>
> It takes at least a year to plan an event like convention, so they look
> to book hotel/convention centers ASAP.  It's difficult to plan without a
> location.
>
> I've been told that the NFB was able to negotiate a deal with the
> Rosenburg resort with the condition we would return for a certain period
> of time, which ensures us decent rates and ensures business for the
> resort.
>
> So convention will be in Orlando at the same resort for the next few
> years because this is how the deal was negotiated.
>
>>From a business perspective, if a hotel provides us with discounted
> rates (and in most cases, we have been given huge discounts over the
> years considering the type of hotels usually booked for convention) it
> would make sense a hotel would request a certain amount of business to
> make up for the discounted rate.  If you usually charge $190/night for a
> room, and are offering it for $70/night, that is a huge cut you take.
> So you want to accrue that business more than once so you can make a
> little mula back from a particular guest.
>
> Most the facilities the NFB books for convention have expensive hotel
> rates that members of the Federation are able to haggle and negotiate
> down to the incredible rates we usually have.
>
> As to why it is Orlando- I'm not sure if the Rosenburg has offered the
> best deal compared to hotels in other states, or if the locale is
> amenable to most convention-goers, or if they feel this facility meets
> our needs best- this is something I've not heard much about.
>
> I say wicked awesome, though, to having it in Orlando for a few years.
> There is a lot to do tourist wise; the resort seems to provide enough
> for attendees to do without ever leaving the resort complex; and
> sometimes it's nice to have consistency.
>
> Anyway, contracts have been negotiated and signed (I assume if an
> announcement has been made) so we will have to put up with Orlando for a
> few years after next year.
>
> Bridgit P
>
>
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