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Subject: 
Re: BrickFest(TM) PDX 2004 Announcement
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.events
Date: 
Wed, 13 Aug 2003 16:20:02 GMT
Viewed: 
1084 times
  
Comments added below the selected statement:

In lugnet.events, David Laswell wrote:


     In this case, setting an appropriate door cost would allow you to bankroll
the hall rental fee for the next year (yes, I realize this would produce some
serious financial issues that would have to be resolved well in advance of
BFPDX04), maybe pay for some T-shirts and bricks and things so that (and here's
the important thing) none of the event coordinators have to seek out funding
prior to the event.  This is how most major Cons are probably run.  The unique
rental agreement involved here just makes it that much easier to get a good
start on this in '04.


David,

I happen to work in a University Conference Center called the Georgia Center for
Continuing Education. We do a lot of conferences here for academic and
non-academic purposes. We serve many state organizations with annual and
quarterly conferences.

I am not certain what experience you have had, but typically conference
facilities are not paid up-front. There are occassionally paid a initial fee
that, depending on the size and nature of the conference, varies on the amount.
For example, the Georgia World Conference Center will charge an initial
commitment fee that will book the dates for the conference and arrange for a
certain amount of space. This fee is sometimes returnable, usually not. If the
conference facility is contracted to perform the registration, then this fee is
substanitally reduced or wavied.

The conference facility is usually paid through the registration fees of the
conference. This can happen at a date after registration is closed before the
convention or it is paid after the convention follwing the rendering of
services. It is highly unusual in the conference facility business to be paid
for services in advance of the services. Most large facilities providing the
registration support use a seperate bank account and will issue the sponsoring
organization a check for the balance of the account following the event. In
essence the organizing body never handles the money and organizing bosy uses and
accounting firm to verify the income/expense statements.

While I think you have a great idea for funding the next conference, I think
past experience has shown that a small group of people and not a single
individual needs to handle the finances. Having a bank account with available
resources over the next several months with thousands of dollars is not
something I would sanction. Especially in light of historic events.

So, I would nix the idea of having a large sum of money out there for the next
convention. A couple bucks seems appropriate.

WAMALUG has demonstrated their education and adultness by practicing sound
fiscal responsibility. Unfortunately, BF03 was charged more for the facility
than they have been in the past and the cost may not continue to be competitive
with other options. Also I believe there are plans for George Mason University
to build a parking deck and replace the existing facility with one that was not
built to be a department store.

Respectfully,

Todd



Message is in Reply To:
  Re: BrickFest(TM) PDX 2004 Announcement
 
(...) Yeah, but that's a much cooler story than "a bunch of people paid entrance fees", and it should generate some free pre-event news coverage *coughHINTcough*. And talk about a unique souvenir... (...) I have a little bit of practical experience (...) (21 years ago, 13-Aug-03, to lugnet.events)

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