<HTML>In a message dated 3/13/03 2:24:27 PM Central Standard= Time, Pianorebuilding@aol.com writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT= : 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">Thanks for the dates.  Loo= ks like the nationals will be over the July 4th for the next 3 years.  What impact is this continued scheduling likely to h= ave, 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 sud= denly 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 <B= R> 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 </BLOCKQUOTE> You know, it seems the PTG can't win. If the convention is over the 4th, peo= ple 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 ar= e 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 conventio= n 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 ahe= ad 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 t= he conventions get away from the 4th, however, don't be surprised to see hot= el 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 w= ill be higher. Wim </HTML>