<VV> Communique, convention schedule, and VV meeting

[kaczmarek at charter.net]

Harry Sez: 

And I don't 
> think you want people to have to choose between going on the dinner cruise 
> and the VV meeting.

Like they DID have to last year.  Had Garth gotten on 4 Clubs early enough, then the meeting could have been held at 9 or 10PM, which has happened before, and those on the dinner cruise could have made both events. 

When I was Chairman, I simply e-mailed the co-ordinator FAR in advance and told them what I wanted.   Didn't mean I'd get it, but I did ask.  Don't ask, get your butt shuffled to where-ever THEY want your group to be, and I'ts the fault of whoever the Jefe' is at the time. 

Apparently Garth said zippo to the organizers, and he got put where they wanted him.  Whatcha gonna do? 

There's no way in hell anybody who attends one of these festivals is ever happy with every facet of it, and for sure there's no way that an organizer should set out to do that.  It's just not possible. 

The Hotel shenanigans seem a bit much.  I stayed in the host hotel at Tahoe, at Daytona, and Flagstaff and nobody asked me for copies of my D.L.   Nor have I EVER been asked for this information prior to a hotel stay.  I even booked 3 nights at the Hyatt Regency Seoul (yes, that's in SOUTH KOREA), by phone from Okinawa, and never got asked for anything other than my AMEX number. 

Next year's idea is a good solution.  But with all the identity theft going on, asking people to fax you their DL isn't a great idea. Some states DL's have SSN's on them. 

Considering the slum/ghetto  that Detroit is, one can hardly blame the hotel for trying to cover their butts in the event of a mass cancellation---which something like a spike in gas prices could bring. 

I hope the rest of the Convention turns out to be great for all attending.  Hotel issues will arise regardless, always have, probably always will.  If someone other than an experienced negotiator like Harry was handling it, it could be much worse.

Just for comparision, the Riviera Owners Assoc will be having its National Convention in Asheville NC this year (CORSA has been there before), and I'll be going up for at least one day, either on my own or with someone from Steele to display our wares.  I'll be polling conventioneers on their hotel registration /hotel experience for the group. 

Hank