Let's Get Real, was: PTG Needs The Money

[Pianorebuilding@aol.com]

Don't know where you're coming from.  The PTG, by their own admission has not 
been getting deals by taking the worst booking dates of the year.  Nolan 
printed it in one of his messages.  At Reno, techs were getting 40% lower 
room rates walking in off the street and not letting the hotel know they were 
PTG.  The PTG registrants paid more.  In July, Vegas and Reno practically 
give hotel rooms away to get the business.  The PTG got the royal runaround 
in Chicago.  Do you remember the Yamaha party room was cut in half just prior 
to the event so it could be rented to a wedding party.  Yamaha spent all that 
money and we were crammed in there like sardines.  We didn't get any deal in 
Chicago.  Now, those are facts.  We shouldn't be arguing about facts.

It's easy to blame everything on the prior boards and presidents.  The last 
several boards have done that.  We elected the currrent group to correct 
problems, not make them worse.  Loyalty to the PTG is great.  We all need to 
support our own organization.  But blind loyalty is another matter, and we 
certainly shouldn't be enabling the kind of decisions that are making it 
harder for some of us to attend, and turning off the support of our suppliers 
and exhibitors.  Still haven't heard any defense for that.
Bill

In a message dated 3/13/03 2:29:30 PM US Mountain Standard Time, 
Wimblees@aol.com writes:

<< > Thanks for the dates.  Looks like the nationals will be over the July 
4th 
 > for 
 > the next 3 years.  What impact is this continued scheduling likely to 
have, 
 > 
 > and why the big secrecy over who is actually exhibiting this year.  The 
 > exhibitor list has always been included in the brochure.  Why is it 
 > suddenly 
 > missing and no one is talking.
 > 
 > Wally Brooks has been quoted as saying this problem goes back 25 years 
when 
 > 
 > he proposed a resolution to stop scheduling it on this important national 
 > holiday.  It's not a new problem according to him, so all the pretense 
 > about 
 > the PTG board trying to avoid it doesn't wash.  Wally's not going this 
 > year.  
 > Maybe that's the only language the board understands.
 > Bill
 > 
 
 You know, it seems the PTG can't win. If the convention is over the 4th, 
 people don't want to come because it's a holiday. If it's scheduled some 
 other time, people don't want to come because the room rates and 
 transportation are too high. Now some people don't want to come because the 
 registration fee is too high. Just think what the room rates would have been 
 if the convention was held a week earlier or later. 
 
 Don't blame the current Board for the schedule for this year or for the next 
 two years. The contracts for conventions are signed three or four years 
ahead 
 of time. Once they are committed, it costs a lot of money to cancel. 
 
 Since the conventions are scheduled around the 4th, the hotel rooms will be 
 relatively "inexpensive," if you think $100 per night is inexpensive. Once 
 the conventions get away from the 4th, however, don't be surprised to see 
 hotel room rates in the $125 -- $150 range. It will also cost you more to 
 fly, and the registration will most likely also be more, because other 
 expenses will be higher.
 
 Wim  >>