Conferences

[FW]

The conference planners at NHQ, when selecting a venue for the annual conference, look for convenience to transportation, downtown area, and outside activities.  Of course they look for the best value and price.  This is why most of our conferences are held in airline transport hubs, vacation destinations, and large cities.  In Reno, we kept the cost of registration and banquet to $95 and only 700 members attended.  The year before, in St. Louis, we had more than 850 and it cost  about $50 more.  At the '02 Conf. in Phila. it cost about $140 for both and over 1200 showed up.  It's hard to explain the numbers and it's hard to figure out who's going to attend.

Disney World isn't a bad place to take the family and the costs are comparable to any other area vacation.

[cnitas]

So, as the conference moves west the numbers fall off.
Perhaps it is a function of population/membership density of the chosen areas?

[FW]

I think that's true.  However, when we have a conf. in Las Vegas, the numbers are high also.  One of the main factors limiting our attendance, IMHO, is lack of airlift.  When we were able to arrange for AF flights, numbers improve greatly.

[davedove]

So, as the conference moves west the numbers fall off.
Perhaps it is a function of population/membership density of the chosen areas?

I think that's true.  However, when we have a conf. in Las Vegas, the numbers are high also.  One of the main factors limiting our attendance, IMHO, is lack of airlift.  When we were able to arrange for AF flights, numbers improve greatly.

I think that's true as well.  The center of population in the US is either in Missouri or Indiana, depending on whether you use the mean or the median, but either is in the eastern half of the US.

Las Vegas could be an anomaly because you can generally get cheap flights there (they want your money ).

[badger bob]

Just back from 3 days at the Gaylord Palms at a buisness conference.

Nice convention venue. Huge convention space- CAP will probably only use half of the available space.

Nice sized rooms, very quite. All of the expected room amenities for this price range including a guest computer in each room , plus both wired and wireless internet.

Good space design to handle large groups of people. I used to be in the hotel buisness in a prior life.

[Duke Dillio]

My only point would be to make it a more central location.  How about Denver or Colorado Springs?  That way you don't stiff people on one coast to have your conference on the far side of the country.  Hold it in Kansas City.  Why is it always like Florida or Las Vegas?

[SarDragon]

My only point would be to make it a more central location.  How about Denver or Colorado Springs?  That way you don't stiff people on one coast to have your conference on the far side of the country.  Hold it in Kansas City.  Why is it always like Florida or Las Vegas?

They cater to tourists, and give better "deals".

[FW]

My only point would be to make it a more central location.  How about Denver or Colorado Springs?  That way you don't stiff people on one coast to have your conference on the far side of the country.  Hold it in Kansas City.  Why is it always like Florida or Las Vegas?

We've had conferences in Denver, Cincinnati, San Antonio and St. Louis;  all more geographically central locations.  Denver, if I remember correctly, had great participation.  San Antonio has been a good draw too.  That's why we've had it there a few times over the last 10 years or so.

[Chappie]

The conference planners at NHQ, when selecting a venue for the annual conference, look for convenience to transportation, downtown area, and outside activities.  Of course they look for the best value and price.  This is why most of our conferences are held in airline transport hubs, vacation destinations, and large cities.  In Reno, we kept the cost of registration and banquet to $95 and only 700 members attended.  The year before, in St. Louis, we had more than 850 and it cost  about $50 more.  At the '02 Conf. in Phila. it cost about $140 for both and over 1200 showed up.  It's hard to explain the numbers and it's hard to figure out who's going to attend.

Disney World isn't a bad place to take the family and the costs are comparable to any other area vacation.

IMHO the low attendance at Reno was an anomaly....there were many (including myself) who were sick of the shenanigans at the National Level and stayed home.  Reno is in my region...and I had initially planned to go...however, prior to the Conference there were events that took place that left a sour taste in my mouth.  Rather than spend $ and burn vacation time on the books to attend the National Conference, my wife and I had enjoyed a wonderful weekend getaway.   What do you know? There is life outside CAP 

[RiverAux]

As someone who attends lots of conferences for work, I would advise anyone on a budget to NOT stay at the conference hotel.  Chances are that you can find a relatively inexpensive national chain motel not fair away for half the price or less.  You may have to get up a bit earlier to have to drive to where the conference is and it is definetely less convenient, but it can save you a lot of bucks. 

[BillB]

In late February, a Reunion of former Florida Wing cadets from the 1940's to 1990 was held in Kissimmee. On the balcany of the hospitality room we could see the Conference hotel just a mile or less away. The Reunion was set up by a foirmer cadet who is now trying to organize a Squadron which will hold meetings the The Kissimmee Airport just a couple of miles from the Hotel. She operates a business that includes travel agent. The Holiday Inn Main enterence West was the site of the reunion and the rate was about $30 a night lower than the conference hotel willbe

[TexasBubba]

National Conferences rotate to the 8 Regions. This is by design. Since it does rotate, it garantees that a member will at least have a conference in their region once every 8 years. Transportation costs will always be an issue for a National Conference unless you're within driving distance for the location.

I've been to Reno, San Antonio, St Louis, and Philly National Conferences. All were professionally run, provided excellent information, and were a great opporuntiy to meet other members of CAP. Are they expensive? Yes. Are the worth the money spent? Yes. If money is an issue, then wait a few years and go to a National Conference when it's hosted by your Region.

The 2009 conference will be hosted by SWR and will be held in San Antonio. Save your nickels and dimes and travel to "God's Country" in 2009.

Best Regards,

TexasBubba

[FW]

^For some reason, we don't rotate around the regions anymore. SER was host for '04, 07, 08.  Maybe the rotation will begin with '09.  That would be a good thing. 
Anyway, I do plan to be sipping Margarita's on the River Walk in '09.

[Chappie]

^For some reason, we don't rotate around the regions anymore. SER was host for '04, 07, 08.  Maybe the rotation will begin with '09.  That would be a good thing. 
Anyway, I do plan to be sipping Margarita's on the River Walk in '09.

PCR was host in '03 (Las Vegas) and '06 (Reno)...what are the odds that '10 or '11 might be in PCR??? 

[davidsinn]

When was the last time that it was in GLR?

[SAR-EMT1]

 May I ask why they arent just held in either the Washington DC area or at
Maxwell-Gunter  each year?

[Cecil DP]

May I ask why they arent just held in either the Washington DC area or at
Maxwell-Gunter  each year?

The last time they had it in DC they had a problem at the last minute with the hotel union. Seems everything that comes in or out of the hotels had to be done by the local union and it cost the conference a lot of money at the last minute. BTW they had several  in DC in the 80's and 90's

National Conferences rotate to the 8 Regions. This is by design. Since it does rotate, it garantees that a member will at least have a conference in their region once every 8 years. Transportation costs will always be an issue for a National Conference unless you're within driving distance for the location.

NER has had only two in the last 30 years. 1976 and 2004, Both in Philly. 

[FW]

When was the last time that it was in GLR?

Cincinnati was in '01.

We hold the winter NB in Washington D.C. every March to coincide with CAP legislative day and anual Spaatz Association banquet.

Maxwell isn't easy to get to.  We don't even use it for NEC meetings anymore.

Maybe back to Denver in '10?

[mikeylikey]

Perhaps the Air Force could host these things.  You know at a super huge Air Force Base.