Hey y’all,
I think it would be fantastic to have our convention the same weekend as the planned protest in Orlando being headed by Lisa Feroli. I am a little concerned about the timing. The protest is being planned for the weekend of March 21/22. I had been looking at a date of April 25 for the convention. Any reason why March 21 would be too soon for y’all to get to Orlando? It might be too short of notice for invitees to get it in their schedule.
Also, I want to give you some info that I’ve gotten on pricing for a conference room and hotel rooms. Of course the ultimate price is going to depend on how many people actually come, but right now a guest room will be approx. $90/night and the conference room will be approx. $400 for the day to be set up in a classroom style to accommodate 75 people.
A FReeper has already committed a donation of $50 for the conference room. I will match his donation. We’ll need to “pass the hat” to come up with the remainder. We also have a FReeper who has offered to provide the PA equipment.
The hotels that I’m looking at to host the conference and reserve rooms also have an on-site restaurant and lounge. I think I’ve narrowed it down to a hotel that’s in downtown Orlando that would make it easy to get to/from Lake Eola where the protest is to be held and a hotel on International Drive, but if we’re changing dates will have to reverify.
Please provide input on dates and whether you can make it. If we’re moving it up to March I’ll need some hard RSVP’s to get rooms lined up if we want a discount on them and the conference room.
re: Lisa Feroli
Please let us have nothing to do with the Ron Paulians.
No need to get anywhere near I(nternational) Drive and get intermingled with the tourists, horrible traffic, etc.
There are some good properties in the Downtown area (walking distance from Lake Eola) where we should be able to get some great rates assuming there is no big Magic game, convention, tractor pull, concert, etc. that weekend.
There is also a free bus that runs every 6 to 12 minutes all day and evening through that area.
I have a full time travel agent and also a full time event planner on my staff? Can they be of any help?
We should also have someone working in advance for media coverage from Bud (an old friend) and possibly some others.
..and maybe on the 22nd.