IAGSDC Convention Drama
Nov. 16th, 2011 02:07 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bjarvisI'm a little surprised there hasn't been more of a reaction to the Times Squares' withdrawal of their 2015 convention bid.
When they presented their bid earlier this year for consideration at the Atlanta convention in July, I thought their proposed registration rates and hotel room rates were astronomical. At the delegates meeting, I argued as a non-voting delegate for the GCA against the bid since I was certain the high costs would effectively kill our caller school traditionally held in the three days prior to the convention. The bid did pass: there was no competing bid and when talking to other delegates, I heard frequently they felt they had no choice but to agree to it.
Despite the heated discussion at the time, I hoped some aggressive negotiations with the hotel or perhaps a move from the Central Park area of Manhattan to cheaper non-central location in the greater New York City area might happen. From the statements I've read from the convention team, they looked at all their options and decided they couldn't pull it off. They did the honorable and proper thing by withdrawing their bid as soon as they came to their realization, and I applaud their good judgment as well as thank them for their hard work and diligence getting this far in the process.
Since there were no competing bid for 2015, the IAGSDC has many options. Perhaps they will re-open up the bidding process anew or maybe nudge clubs who were making preparations for 2016 bids to work a little faster to fill in the 2015 gap. They could either chose to appoint a club for 2015 or delay until the Vancouver convention in 2012 to let the delegates vote on a package. I'm sure the executive officers have been burning up the Internet and telephone lines to examine all options and make the best informed decision.
When they presented their bid earlier this year for consideration at the Atlanta convention in July, I thought their proposed registration rates and hotel room rates were astronomical. At the delegates meeting, I argued as a non-voting delegate for the GCA against the bid since I was certain the high costs would effectively kill our caller school traditionally held in the three days prior to the convention. The bid did pass: there was no competing bid and when talking to other delegates, I heard frequently they felt they had no choice but to agree to it.
Despite the heated discussion at the time, I hoped some aggressive negotiations with the hotel or perhaps a move from the Central Park area of Manhattan to cheaper non-central location in the greater New York City area might happen. From the statements I've read from the convention team, they looked at all their options and decided they couldn't pull it off. They did the honorable and proper thing by withdrawing their bid as soon as they came to their realization, and I applaud their good judgment as well as thank them for their hard work and diligence getting this far in the process.
Since there were no competing bid for 2015, the IAGSDC has many options. Perhaps they will re-open up the bidding process anew or maybe nudge clubs who were making preparations for 2016 bids to work a little faster to fill in the 2015 gap. They could either chose to appoint a club for 2015 or delay until the Vancouver convention in 2012 to let the delegates vote on a package. I'm sure the executive officers have been burning up the Internet and telephone lines to examine all options and make the best informed decision.
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no subject
Date: 2011-11-18 11:36 pm (UTC)I think the combination of:
(1) a smaller hotel
(2) a cap on registrants
(3) more reasonable room rates and banquet charges
Would have proven successful; however, I am but only one person.
What about Phoenix or Los Angeles - don't they have in perpetuity bids? Maybe it would be a good lesson to the IAGSDC if we were forced to skip a year because of this whole debacle.
As a side note: when it comes to voting on convention bids, abstaining should not be allowed; take a stand one way or the other.