VATUSA 2007 Convention in Las Vegas!

[Kyle Ramsey 810181]

This just into the VATUSA Offices regarding the upcoming 2007 Convention in Las Vegas, Nevada. Come see the faces behind the mic, pilot and controller alike. An opportunity to network, collaborate, or just chat over a beer (or root beer if that voice turns out to be under 21 .... it could happen!).

 

And, it's in Las Vegas!!! March 23/24, 2007

 

There is a link on the left side menu on the VATUSA web site for full information. www.vatusa.org

 

Here are a listing of important details from our site coordinator, Tom Ferry:

 

======================

I finally have one aspect of this long adventure secured. As you all have been informed that VATUSA Convention will be in Las Vegas at the Imperial Palace. The Imperial Palace is center strip right in the middle of the action. There are several bars available along with restaurants and of course plenty of gambling options. Imperial Palace has "dealertainers" meaning your dealer may be dressed as elvis or the like and bust out in song in the middle of the game. As far as plane spotting you will have to hop the bus for $5 to the airport. There is no hotel at the airport in Vegas.

 

As far as the contract goes I think we came out with a pretty sweet deal. It will be more expensive this year to attend but we are in vegas and I think we got some very cheap prices for vegas ( at least thats what my convention [Mod - Happy Thoughts]istant planner tells me). I also negotiated the contract to have no attrition attached to it meaning: I reserved 65 rooms, if we only fill 15 i will not have to come up with the millions of dollars i would owe if we did have to pay attrition, as was a problem last year with the ohare contract.

 

Jeff has been taking care of the "Content" aspect of the convention. I am working on prices for the Convention fee aspect which will consist of $500 for a day of use of the meeting room, a internet fee and three catered meals with a four hour OPEN bar on Saturday. I am expecting the convention fee to be in the area of $150-$160, which is not that far off from the AVSIM convention. I will be collecting the fee on paypal unless anyone else knows of any other options for this. I will inform you all when I am ready to do the paypal thing.

 

I know we mentioned last year about trying to book flights also thru a travel agent. This as I was informed is nearly impossible. People will becoming from all over the US. There is no way a agent can guarantee and cheap flights for one person coming from sometown usa airport and one coming from another town usa airport.

 

Without further Ado, heres the low down on the rooms:

>

> Thu Nite room is $99

Fri Nite Room is $149

Sat Nite Room is $149

>

>

> Single or double occupancy is considered the same regarding units

> blocked and rates.

>

> Reservations for dates other than those specified above will be

> accepted on a space available basis.

>

> Rates will apply three (3) days prior and three (3) days post

> conference dates, subject to availability.

>

> Please be advised that all rates quoted are, per room, per night,

> allowing for single or

>

> double occupancy. Any rooms requiring triple or quad occupancy will

> be surcharged an

>

> additional $19.00 per room, per night, per person. (Children age 5

> and under, in the same room with parents in existing bedding, are

> free.) All rates are subject to a Clark County room tax, currently

> nine-percent (9%). /This tax is subject to increase without/ /prior

> notice./

 

*_GENERAL HOTEL POLICIES_*

Guestrooms must be occupied and registered to at least one adult, who

is_* **twenty-one years of age*_ or older. *PHOTO IDENTIFICATION WILL BE REQUIRED UPON *

 

*CHECK-IN*.

All guests will be required to post a credit card to secure their individual room accounts.

 

In lieu of a credit card, arrangements can be made for daily cash posting.

 

RESERVATION PROCEDURES

Reservations will be secured as follows:

 

*_INDIVIDUAL_** -* Individuals to call direct into *Hotel's* Room Reservations Department at* 800-800-2981*, identify themselves with the*/ /VAT USA 2007 Convention* and present a credit card number. The credit card will be charged for a minimum of one night's room and tax at the time the reservation is made.

 

*Hotel* cannot use/substitute or accept third-party confirmation numbers for *Hotel* guests. Only *Hotel* confirmation numbers can be used as guest references for *Meeting Group* attendees/delegates.

 

The *Hotel* reserves the right to refuse all and any name change requests within any and all stipulated cut-off dates for each Event.

Although *Hotel* will make every effort to accommodate such requests, requests may be declined at *Hotel'*s sole discretion.

 

_CUT-OFF DATE_

The cut-off date for room reservations will be *Wednesday, February 21,

2007.* Any rooms, which remain unsold and non-guaranteed after the cut-off date, shall revert back to the *Hotel's* general inventory for sale. However, the *Hotel* will work with *Meeting Group* to attempt to accommodate last minute or late reservations on a space available basis.

 

Room block will be reviewed by *Hotel* and *Meeting Group* forty-five

(45) days prior to first arrival date. By mutual agreement, block may be increased or decreased, subject to availability, and without penalty/attrition charges.

 

BELLMAN GRATUITY

*It is presumed that each arrival of Meeting Group's contingency will be on a separate and individual basis*. Any/all pre-registered group arrivals will be subject to a $4.50 per person, round trip, bellman gratuity to allow for in-house baggage handling. The gratuity is subject to increase without notice.

Edited October 26, 2006 at 01:16 AM by Guest

[Nicholas Bartolotta 912967]

Nice to hear the planning is coming along nicely! Looking forward to hearing the scheduled events!

[Michael Bevington 814931]

Excellent Kyle! Maybe my eyes are just too tired this evening but I can't find a date for the convention.

[Kyle Ramsey 810181]

Yeah, ....... yeah, your tired eyes, that's it, Mike. March 23/24, first beer is on me.

[Alberto Molteni 915217]

Call it coincidence: I was at the Imperial last August. The day I left I was 20 and 360 days: this probably saved me a lot of money, since I've always been a Blackjack fan

 

For those who will attend, may I suggest the cl[Mod - Happy Thoughts]ic car collection which is on permanent show at the Imperial. Among the cars, one of the Eleanors driven by Nicolas Cage in "Gone in 60 seconds".

 

Also, something that took me a full day to discover, and that will hopefully save you some time: the restaurants (including breakfast), the car collection, the theatre, and any other place you may see depicted in elevator ads are all located in a small area at the center of the hotel which is not directly connected to the rooms. There is a separate staircase just beside the reception, so don't try to take a shortcut and stop the elevator at the 3rd floor: you have to go down to the lobby, cross the casino, and then go back up.

 

If for some unforeseen reason I should earn a thousand euros by February, I might consider a trip

[Tom Ferry 942166]

The Convention website has been updated with a little more information on aspects of the convention.