The Good
Overall, we had a great event! Lots of new faces, lots of familiar faces and I'm sure everyone had a great time. It was really good seeing you guys!
Considering how fast the tickets sold out, we need some official event space and have enough attendees to entertain putting out an RFP for next October with potentially a room block if the numbers work. The RFP process works a lot like it did when we worked with the Palms Casino Resort. We'll bounce back and forth with how much space, catering, perks if we need rooms, etc, sign some papers and we're 'all in'.
Generally, if you book enough rooms, they'll give you the event space and you pay for catering and such. If you don't have a room block, generally, you'll pay for the even space plus the catering and it's actually a higher price. So the challenge is blocking enough rooms at a rate to satisfy cheap-assed airline pilots and pricing the event to determine if it's going to be avantageous or not.
Or, scale down the event somewhat and continue forth business as usual.
More details as they develop.
The Bad
Ok, about what happened about 0130 (-ish)
We have noise complaints most years and generally speaking, it's pretty easy to take care of.
After talking to a number of people, including hotel security, this year was a little different for a number of reasons. When security came by, according to security they represented themselves as I, which is a heeeyoooooooj no no. Additionally, when queried, security was told that we had 90 in the room, which, of course, wasn't true. At this point we maybe had about 40 — the room has a 60-person capacity, but there are people flowing in and out so we historically average about 60 to 70% of the total sales being in the room at any one time.
The noise problem, unbeknownst to me that security had even made contact wasn't resolved and on a subsequent visit, of course unreported to me or @Kristie (the hosts) and he was effectively told to buzz off.
Not good.
The Ugly
By the time we were made aware there was a problem, security said that they had already spoken with a person claiming to be me and after the second visit to the room it was clear that he was being misled and made the decision to clear the room, and, since he felt that he was being misled on a number of points when trying to reach the host, additionally since he was told to buzz off, we got the boot from the hotel.
What would have been a completely normal "Ok, we'll tone it down and keep the door closed, thanks for letting us know" escalated into an eviction from the hotel because:
Ungh.
I can take care of 99.999% of all situations if you communicate with me. But once people do what was reported to me from a number of sources, you're tying the hotels hands and provoking a situation which will swiftly spin out of control.
When in doubt, hell, even when you aren't in doubt, shut up and find the host.
Names aren't important so don't bother asking me and please do not assume. I want this to be a learning experience for all of us rather than a witch hunt.
Again, I think it was alcohol-driven and not intentionally malicious. And again, come get a brother (or sister) next time.
See ya in 2014! I'll bring the tiger.
Overall, we had a great event! Lots of new faces, lots of familiar faces and I'm sure everyone had a great time. It was really good seeing you guys!
Considering how fast the tickets sold out, we need some official event space and have enough attendees to entertain putting out an RFP for next October with potentially a room block if the numbers work. The RFP process works a lot like it did when we worked with the Palms Casino Resort. We'll bounce back and forth with how much space, catering, perks if we need rooms, etc, sign some papers and we're 'all in'.
Generally, if you book enough rooms, they'll give you the event space and you pay for catering and such. If you don't have a room block, generally, you'll pay for the even space plus the catering and it's actually a higher price. So the challenge is blocking enough rooms at a rate to satisfy cheap-assed airline pilots and pricing the event to determine if it's going to be avantageous or not.
Or, scale down the event somewhat and continue forth business as usual.
More details as they develop.
The Bad
Ok, about what happened about 0130 (-ish)
We have noise complaints most years and generally speaking, it's pretty easy to take care of.
After talking to a number of people, including hotel security, this year was a little different for a number of reasons. When security came by, according to security they represented themselves as I, which is a heeeyoooooooj no no. Additionally, when queried, security was told that we had 90 in the room, which, of course, wasn't true. At this point we maybe had about 40 — the room has a 60-person capacity, but there are people flowing in and out so we historically average about 60 to 70% of the total sales being in the room at any one time.
The noise problem, unbeknownst to me that security had even made contact wasn't resolved and on a subsequent visit, of course unreported to me or @Kristie (the hosts) and he was effectively told to buzz off.
Not good.
The Ugly
By the time we were made aware there was a problem, security said that they had already spoken with a person claiming to be me and after the second visit to the room it was clear that he was being misled and made the decision to clear the room, and, since he felt that he was being misled on a number of points when trying to reach the host, additionally since he was told to buzz off, we got the boot from the hotel.
What would have been a completely normal "Ok, we'll tone it down and keep the door closed, thanks for letting us know" escalated into an eviction from the hotel because:
- If someone shows up at the door in an official capacity, get the hosts and do not claim to be registered to the room if you are not.
- Do not try to speak for the event. I've done these events for a little over a decade and I can take care of the situation if you let us know immediately.
- Don't ever. EVER EVER EVER tell an employee of a hotel to get lost. EVER.
- Shut your mouth, go get the host. Repeat after me: "Shut your mouth, go get the host"
Ungh.
I can take care of 99.999% of all situations if you communicate with me. But once people do what was reported to me from a number of sources, you're tying the hotels hands and provoking a situation which will swiftly spin out of control.
When in doubt, hell, even when you aren't in doubt, shut up and find the host.
Names aren't important so don't bother asking me and please do not assume. I want this to be a learning experience for all of us rather than a witch hunt.
Again, I think it was alcohol-driven and not intentionally malicious. And again, come get a brother (or sister) next time.
See ya in 2014! I'll bring the tiger.
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