[pianotech] Las Vegas convention-apology addendum

[David Ilvedson]

That is it EXACTLY...

David Ilvedson, RPT
Pacifica, CA  94044

----- Original message ----------------------------------------
From: "Bruce Dornfeld" <bdornfeld at earthlink.net>
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Received: 3/23/2010 7:14:36 PM
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Las Vegas convention-apology addendum


>While it has been about twenty years since I have personally been involved
>with helping to choose a convention site, I have a point or two to make.  It
>is true, as others have said, that a convention like ours is possible in
>part because of the rooms that are rented for it.  Many of you have
>experience with other convention groups that do things very different from
>PTG.  One of the most unusual features of the PTG Convention is the large
>number of classrooms needed along with a large, secure area for exhibits
>along with numerous large function rooms for Council, concerts, and
>receptions.  Some of you have mentioned other hotels you are familiar with
>in Las Vegas; you wonder why we don't meet there.  Without knowing the
>particulars of those hotels, I would bet that very few would be able to
>finds all of the spaces we need.  While I was involved with this process, we
>had many requests for different cities.  Most of them we dismissed very
>quickly because there was no single property that could accommodate those
>needs.  We have looked at university settings.  Some universities have
>wonderful convention facilities, but still don't work well for us.  One
>reason is the advanced age of many of our active membership.  They cannot
>trek across campus like they once did.  We firm up our deals with the
>convention hotels several years in advance.  When the economy is poor, the
>deals struck years before don't seem so good.  Sometimes, but not always, we
>can renegotiate prices.  (An important part of any negotiation with a
>convention site is the number of rooms that were paid for at recent PTG
>Conventions).  Three or four years from now the hotels will probably look
>better to us, and the economy is a big reason why.  When a destination is
>very popular or the economy is going gangbusters, Expedia and the like
>cannot get many good deals.  I look forward to seeing you in Las Vegas in
>June and I will be at the Bally's on the PTG plan.  I know that not everyone
>can afford to go (even though I also know you really can't afford not to),
>or to stay in the convention hotel.  Those of us who can should to support
>PTG and our profession.  See you there!   

> 

>Bruce Dornfeld, RPT

> <mailto:bdornfeld at earthlink.net> bdornfeld at earthlink.net

>North Shore Chapter

>