<VV> Convention Parking

[Harry Jensen, Executive Secretary]

Hello--

If I may, I'd like to make a couple of comments.

The site selection process relies on the bids of the host chapters. 
Unless there is competition for the bid and as long as the bid includes 
the necessary facilities, the Board usually approves the bid.

The most critical element in any bid is the property: both hotel size 
(number of sleeping rooms) and parking capacity. The convention uses 250 
rooms on the peak nights and we need upwards of 450 parking spots. Most 
hotel properties have one parking space per sleeping room, so most are 
eliminated from the get-go.

We can use hotel properties with less than 250 sleeping rooms by using 
more than one property, but using two or more hotels puts additional 
pressure on the already valuable parking spots, as people from one hotel 
drive to the others.

For the most part, that leaves us with few choices of properties. We 
usually end up with a hotel with a conference center, and they don't 
build those types of properties in small population areas.

There is no requirement that we have the convention in a tourist 
location, but if we had a choice, we would prefer a location that would 
satisfy those with a diverse interests, while not compromising the 
events for the 'car' people.

Historically, parking has always been a problem. Yes, the Buffalo 
convention parking was difficult, but let's not forget that we had 
arrangements to have trailer parking at the lot next door to the Adam's 
Mark. We were told that the lot was unavailable for our use three months 
before the convention. We had to scramble for any parking areas we could 
grab. Compounding the problem is that many more people are trailering 
their cars to the convention than ever before, so there was a lot more 
trailers than we anticipated when we signed the contract in April 2004.

Buffalo had its parking problems, but it was hardly the first with 
parking problems. Parking was a huge problem in Asheville 1988 and, to a 
lessor degree in Atlanta in 1992, Daytona in 2000, and, Allen, in 
Williamsburg in 1994. One of the reasons we don't talk about these is 
they happened before the popularity of the 'net.

The Jacksonville bid was submitted by two experienced convention 
organizers: Sarah Beltrami and Ward Bourgondien. Sarah also served as 
CORSA President for many years and was chair of the 2000 convention in 
Daytona. Ward chaired the 2003 convention in Carlisle, the 1991 
convention in the Washington DC area, and is our Eastern Division 
Convention Coordinator.

After the Board accepted the bid, Ward, Sarah, and I reviewed the hotel 
contract for this convention. The Wyndham has about 340 rooms with about 
440 parking spaces. The contract has no mention of parking fees at all. 
It specifies 250 rooms on the peak nights with space for an additional 
65 trailers and tow vehicles in a lot next door. All meeting rooms are 
comp'd.

During the latter half of 2008, over 2 years after we signed the 
contract, we were informed that the Wyndham had started to charge for 
parking. When I heard of it, I made sure that our guests would not be 
charged for parking. Pressing the issue farther than that by e-mail or 
by phone seemed unwise as we were scheduled to visit soon and I would 
rather negotiate face to face. When we sat down with the hotel reps, I 
made it perfectly clear that we would not ever sign a contract with a 
hotel that charged for parking or limited our use of the parking areas. 
Period. We demanded that they allow our registered convention attendees 
to park for free. They complied.

The property and location are better than most for a convention like 
ours. To see more information, go to:

http://www.wyndham.com/hotels/JAXHT/main.wnt

There are plenty of restaurants in the area, some within walking 
distance. For more variety, one can go to the Jacksonville Landing. See:

http://www.jacksonvillelanding.com/

It is across the river from the host hotel. You can get there from the 
host hotel by river ferry ($3 each way) or by tram (50 cents). It is my 
understanding that camping will be available about 8 miles away.

--H


On 2/8/2009 8:08 AM, The Bristows wrote:
>        As a former past president of Corsa and chairman of the 1994 Convention
I have to ask myself why is Corsa shooting itself in the foot by getting 
involved
in host hotels that charge for parking if you are a registered to 
participate with
the Convention but choose not to stay at the host hotel.   The 10 
dollars per day
charge is unacceptable if you pay to register to attend the convention. 
   We are
forgetting that this a car convention and a downtown host hotel is not 
necessary
nor has the necessary facilities to host a car convention.   How can the 
Pontiac
convention this year sell out 4 hotels in Dayton Ohio and have no charge 
for parking.
After the dismal parking arrangements at the Buffalo convention I think 
I may sit this
one out.  I choose to tow my enclose trailer with my RV and as the Corsa 
crowd gets
older we need to stop making the priority of a convention a vacation 
rather than its
true purpose of being a Car event.   If the negotiation fail to cover 
parking in the contract with the hotel then we may have a problem with 
the negotiator.  How can Corsa make the same mistake twice.  Bent out of 
shape in Buffalo and now in Florida.  Allen
>

-- 
|--------------------------------------------------------------
| Harry Jensen  mailto:corsa at corvair.org
| CORSA Executive Secretary
|
| Corvair Society of America (CORSA)
| P.O. Box 607, Lemont, IL 60439, 630.257.6530  fax 630.257.5540
| http://www.corvair.org
|--------------------------------------------------------------