National Boards 2008

[Cmdbuddy]

Who all will be there?  Trying to put together a list of people I need to hit up in Orlando

I'll be there Friday evening and Saturday.

[JoeTomasone]

It's a short drive, but I can't find anything worth attending.

[CAP Producer]

I am there starting on Monday for the PAO Academy and staying thru Saturday's Banquet.

[Cecil DP]

I expect to show up on Thursday. Leave Saturday afternoon.

[flyerthom]

Coming in Late Sunday for the PAO academy and staying till Sunday AM. I'm staying off site about a mile away.

CAPTALK reception?

[mikeylikey]

CAPTALK reception?

At the Motel 6 about a mile down the road.  Are they serious about these prices for rooms??!!?  I would love to go, but I don't want it to be my vacation for the year.

[flyguy06]

I want to go since its only one state down, but thats the same time as NESA. I thought they had a rule about having activities the same time as National Conference.

[Duke Dillio]

I'll wait til they come back west to Vegas or Reno.  That way I can do some really naughty things and have fun....   

[flyerthom]

CAPTALK reception?

At the Motel 6 about a mile down the road.  Are they serious about these prices for rooms??!!?  I would love to go, but I don't want it to be my vacation for the year.

Swapped a timeshare week I had to dump or lose. Got a kitchen, bedroom, living room week long for about one night's cost at the Gaylord.

[mikeylikey]

I seriously doubt when NHQ folks plan these conferences they think about the costs that are passed on to the average member.  Most of those folks planning these events are going for free or on the dime paid by our dues. 

Maybe they should just stay at Maxwell.  Write up an MSA for members to stay on base at 37.50 for a BOQ room. 

Has CAP become even more expensive in the last 3 years.......or am I loosing my mind?!?!

[Cecil DP]

Has CAP become even more expensive in the last 3 years.......or am I loosing my mind?!?!

Yes

[Smokey]

I've been involved in conferences for a few law enforcement training organizations.  What we did was inspect sites and make choices based on hotel price, availability of food at reasonable costs (often checking for fast food locations nearby and inexpensive chain restaurants), transportation to the hotel from the airport, etc.

The training organization where I am currently one of the directors,  has held our annual conferences recently at hotels that were priced around $110 in recent years(for a good hotel with good meeting facilities, that is pretty cheap in major markets) had close by restaurants, and we made arrangements with the restaurants for discounts for those attending.  It's allot of work but well worth it for the members.

I know $110 is still a bit much for some (including me) , but in major markets it is cheap. Remember, the local Motel 6, EcoLodge , Super 8 and no-tell motel don't have meeting rooms or banquet rooms that can accommodate us and that is figured into the room cost. While cheaper rates can be found in more out of the way spots, the airfare costs to those locations usually is higher and negates the cheaper hotel rates.  Major destinations usually have cheaper airfares.

Having listened though to discusions at previous Natl Boards, they don't seem to scout out locations very well and just kind of off the top of their hat, choose a location.

[Ned]

Has CAP become even more expensive in the last 3 years.......or am I loosing my mind?!?!

Both, I suspect.   

I can't think of anything that has become less expensive in the last three years, can you?

Why should CAP be any different?

I seriously doubt when NHQ folks plan these conferences they think about the costs that are passed on to the average member. 

Yup, those evil drones working at Maxwell just can't wait for opportunities to screw with the members.

Drone 1:  "Well, NHQ minions, who can we mess with today?"

Drone 2:  "How about PAWG?"

Drone 1:  "No, too easy a target."

Drone 3:  "Ooooh, how about CAWG?  They're probably distracted by the fires.  They might not even notice."

Drone 1:  "True, but we're just recently messed with them . . . . I guess we'll just have to spin the Wheel of Doom and see which wing will get our 'special attention' today.  Hee hee."

(Spins NHQ Wheel of Doom)

Drone 1:  "And the lucky winner is . . . . . Wow,  look at that!  It's a 'Screw Everyone Day'!  That could mean mandatory drone overtime.  Darn it."

Drone 4:  "Well, we could simply put the NB meeting in Orlando.  That would screw everyone and we could still go home on time."

Drone 1:  (Evil laugh)  "Perfect, make it so!"

I'm pretty sure that's how it works.

Most of those folks planning these events are going for free or on the dime paid by our dues. 

It bears repeating, that the hard working professionals at NHQ do not decide the venue for our meetings -- our volunteer leaders on the NB do that.  Be sure to tell your wing commander where you would like the next NB to be.

Maybe they should just stay at Maxwell.  Write up an MSA for members to stay on base at 37.50 for a BOQ room. 

As beautiful as Montgomery can be, non-members like vendors, speakers, and family members couldn't even get on base for the meetings, let alone get housing.  The pokey little O-club at Maxwell couldn't even begin to support the meetings and banquet.

But thanks for giving the matter some thought.  Like I said, be sure to tell your wing commander where he/she should set the 2009 boards.

Ned Lee


[/quote]

[Major Carrales]

Fellows,

The best way is to rotate the conference from region to region each year, some say it will be San Antonio next year.  Be advised that in these days travel and lodging costs a bit.  You just have to budget for it.  In the case of Orlando, I think that was a bit brilliant.  Think about it...

Capt Ima Capman from the Kansas Wing says to hsi wife, "Honey, I want to go the CAP National Convention."

Mrs Capman relies, "Where is it?'

Capt Capman counter-replies... "What to goto Disney World?"

The same could be said for San Antonio, there's historical things to see like the Alamo and other "missions for America."  The Riverwalk. 

The following year it could be Las Vegas.  The next year it could be Chicago.

I say keep it rolling.

[mikeylikey]

Fellows,

The best way is to rotate the conference from region to region each year, some say it will be San Antonio next year.

So Sparky......gonna open your house up for some CAPTALK friends??

Capt Ima Capman

He is a real good guy!   

I totally agree with you, the conference should be moved around, perhaps to places it has never been in the past 20 years. 

[flyerthom]

The best way is to rotate the conference from region to region each year, some say it will be San Antonio next year.

I totally agree with you, the conference should be moved around, perhaps to places it has never been in the past 20 years. 

Allentown?

[Major Carrales]

Fellows,

The best way is to rotate the conference from region to region each year, some say it will be San Antonio next year.

So Sparky......gonna open your house up for some CAPTALK friends??

[/quote]

My friend, my home is upwards of 3 hours from San Antonio, I'll be looking for a "drawer in the dresser" in some CAP Officer's Hotel Room myself!!!

[JC004]

The best way is to rotate the conference from region to region each year, some say it will be San Antonio next year.

I totally agree with you, the conference should be moved around, perhaps to places it has never been in the past 20 years. 

Allentown?

Is that a threat?

[Johnny Yuma]

IMHO, NB needs to be rotated across the center of the nation, that way's it's far enough away for everyone.

It's been in St. Louis twice that I know of in 20 years, how about Kansas City, Des Moines, Omaha, Wichita, Tulsa or OKC?  All of these towns are big enough to host an NB easily.

[SarDragon]

I'm just winding up a stay at the Denver Sheraton for an event that had 2000 participants. The room price for participants was $99/night. The regular rate for those rooms is $145 and up. We got a good deal for two reasons - the number of attendees, and a fantastic negotiator. $124/night for a room at a resort hotel is a good deal. If you go, check out the tags inside the room doors to see what the regular rates are. They're going to be higher.

Something you need to keep in mind, many cities you might like to go to have problems with events like ours. The first is airfares. Big cities means lower fares. I'm going to Alpena next week for GLR-N/MIWG encampment, and the airfare is more expensive from Detroit to Alpena than it is from San Diego to Detroit. I'm driving that segment instead.

The second is the sheer numbers. Many hotels in the smaller cities just can't handle the numbers that we have attending. I don't know what a typical NB events has attending, so someone needs to help me out here, but if it's over 500 or so, that's a big load on a hotel in terms of the banquet and conference facilities.