<HTML> <HEAD> <TITLE>Re: convention sites (campuses) <long></TITLE> </HEAD> <BODY> On 7/4/02 1:53 PM, "DBee840388@AOL.COM" <DBee840388@AOL.COM> wrote: <BLOCKQUOTE>In a message dated 7/4/02 1:03:26 PM Central Daylight Time, sckline@attbi.com writes: <BLOCKQUOTE>I was thinking more of a modest little college somewhere, with cheap eating places aimed at students, a small enough campus that everything is within walking distance, and air conditioning, which isn't that rare in warm climates. The University of Texas, which is anything but little and has its own summer sessions, was air-conditioned to the hilt back when I attended it (in the 70's.) Little campuses get pleasantly laid back in the summer. I agree that air conditioning in the dorms is needed in July. Maybe some form of transportation could be arranged for those who have trouble walking. Certainly that would be no harder than moving grand pianos several times a day! </BLOCKQUOTE> Joel Jones, currently one of our Ass't Institute Directors, was instrumental, if not the lead man, at a weekend seminar at the University of Wisconsin in Madison several years ago.  They had very nice teaching rooms and dorms at their conference center which would probably be too small to handle our crowd.  The campus is very pretty and situated on a beautiful lake with room cost at that time about $43.00, if I remember correctly.  I, too, think this idea is well worth the time and effort for further investigation.  The big hotels, while pleasant with all the amenities, certainly can eat up the $. Don Bee, RPT Chicago Chapter </BLOCKQUOTE> Don, College campuses vary widely, so thank you for  pointing out the best features of UW-Madison. Most colleges have an extension department who promote meetings and seminars. There were several regionals at Dekalb  (Northern Illinois) where a person from extension was  stationed in the lobby to accommodate needs of instructors and attendees.  Like hotel staff, extension departments can also facilitate the requirements for promotional literature, scheduling rooms, banquet facilities, and booking classroom and exhibit space  for each conference.     Not every campus will be able to handle 1000 people.  Without checking I don’t know if UW could handle all the needs of our Institute and Convention.  However, since the conference Don attended UW has added the Pyle Center, a dedicated conference center,  The Fluno Business Conference Center, a self-contained meeting facility for business executives, with additions to the existing Lowell Hall and     Madison has recently completed  Monona Terrace, a Frank Lloyd Wright  designed conference center, with connecting Hilton convention hotel.  A $200 million Arts district will be completed in ‘04 with several smaller concert halls centered around a           seat concert hall. Our capitol building has undergone major restoration and Madison has been named the best city to live in.          END OF COMMERCIAL.... The stumbling blocks to college locations is movement between buildings and the tenuous weather.  If you miss the bus you hope the next one arrives before the end of the your class.      Our needs for large exhibit space, assembly room for council, 30 or more classrooms with testing facilities, tuning/voicing tutoring rooms, large skills classroom, centralized registration desk,  Board Meeting room,  Institute Committee, and piano storage room are a formidable space problem.     My college dining hall had good food, but cafeteria lines aren’t for everyone.  Good restaurants aren’t always nearby unless the University is interwoven around the town.  Large hotels with all the amenities located near the University classroom/meeting area  would  be the best of both worlds.        Piano moves would not be eliminated as each manufacturer likes to teach with a familiar piano.  Requests for older or used pianos are a small number, so the existing college pianos would also need to be moved.            I have been the lead person in most of the multi=day seminar events for 25 years.    </BODY> </HTML>