Dave's Garden Party

I'll be there, if finances permit. Time might be a problem, but just a slight one. If I start saving now .... and save some $$$ each paycheck ... I just might be able to afford attending. And, I know I'd LOVE it!!!

"I suggest that next week's poll is to vote on the city. Whichever city gets more votes is more likely to draw the bigger crowd. Then after the city is chosen, we can ask who'll be attending." - broncbuster

This make sense to me! First things first, then we go from there.

We cannot give a particular place until we have a reasonable idea of attendance. The hotels are not interested in anything but a number. Without a number we don't discuss price. That pretty much precludes location because all locations have different prices and packages.

jen, we cross-posted.

To another post: This is not an RU. We will not be bringing plants and cuttings.

Still, it makes sense to nail down a major city and then have the committee pick a hotel and meeting area within that city. A 500 mile radius is a large area for people to commit to.

The answers in the voting booth were:

Would you attend?

Yes- no matter the cost
Yes, but only if __________ (please tell us what it is)
I'm sorry, there's no way I could attend
I don't like this idea at all (please tell us why)

Most of the replies have been in response to one of these answers - it's not just a matter of yes or no, but WHY is it either yes or no. Yes, bottom line numbers are important, but it's equally important are the reasons behind those numbers. Once the committee selects the top choices for the Expo location (based on this poll, I'd think), I'm sure we can get down to more specific Yes/No attendance numbers.

You know, I've been to a few events such as this and the organizers never take into account where you will stay. As in, they don't book a block of hotel rooms at a reduced rate. That, I think, would be near impossible to know this far in advance how many rooms you would need. When I went to the Philadelphia flower show, I just bought my ticket online and showed up. I made my own hotel reservations. I was actually, on my own, able to book the hotel directly across the street, at a reduced rate, on short notice. Maybe organizers are making this too difficult on themselves. Maybe you just need to focus on the venue, where the "meeting" of DGer's is held and what we will do at the event.

I also went to a tomatofest. Again, bought my ticket online, and hotel reservations were my own problem to figure out and that was fine by me. I don't expect the organizers to do that for me. Now the tomatofest was a much smaller affair than the flower show and maybe closer to the level that a first DG event would be. In that situation, they had a predetermined location, date, and amount of tickets to sell. The price was high, but what you got out of it was pretty attractive and enticing... free food from top chefs, free wine tasting, freebies of all sorts.

When I got married in NYC, I arranged for a block of hotel rooms at a reduced rate for out of town wedding guests. You know how many rooms I reserved? 10. All the hotels I called, were willing to reduce the rate for 10 rooms, some even less. These were very nice hotels. So if you really want to reserve a block, it doesn't take hundreds. But to be honest, if I were organizing this, I wouldn't worry about accommodations. Anyone coming from out of town, will know that they have to get a hotel/motel room. Each will find accommodations to suit their budget.

Another thing, not every attendee will want to do every activity. Some will want to do the garden tours some not. You can find activities and then people will have to sign up for it if they want to do it. So you can arrange a garden tour for 20 people. The first 20 or so to sign up, get to go.

You could do the same with dinners, you have a set amount of spots. Again, not everyone will want to join.

Count me in. I had so much fun at the FWRU that I wouldn't miss this for the world. The only "if " would be if the cost is not exhorbitant.

I love the idea and will look forward to it.

Charlene

Guys and Gals -

We cannot even talk to a city until we have a number or people wanting to go. Reality is we will pick the cheapest city we can talk to that will have the best things for us to do and the best places for us to stay. We can at some cities get free places to set up if we block our rooms, that means cheaper for you and less cost to put on this thing.

We need an idea of the numbers we are looking at - then we can start to take bids and talk to cities. We are talking about a big thing here and we are not going to just have it in a park - it is going to be in a building and we have to talk price, before we can talk price to anyone we need numbers to talk with.

But, Mitch, people don't know if they can go depending on where it is and when it is. I don't know the answer to this problem. Can't you all pick a date and a city and then ask?

Not really - the price and what they will give us all matters on how many are coming - more people better for them, the more they give us added on; less people the more they make us pay for things and the fewer deals we get. Dates will matter when we can get into the city with the best deal - we are planning this way out there so we can make it affordable, the numbers here are just to help us sell what ever city on the fact that we are going to be there with x number of people.

Can't these venues quote you some different rates based on several ranges of guest totals?

Sad to say most dont even want to talk until they have some numbers. That is why this vote is critical! No matter the city it will be too far for some and close to others. The cost we pinky swear will be kept the lowest possible. We just need a guess at how many people would really be interested in going.

It looks like one of those "which came first, the chicken or the egg" things. Sorry it's so hard to get answers for you guys!

Convention Bureaus deal with all of the services we may require. Then they offer it to several hotels and they actually bid for our business, giving us the upper hand. The CB can bring it back to us and we can bargain again. That way it is possible to have a room for possibly $80 instead of $120, including breakfast and free meeting rooms plus all other kinds of goodies from the chamber of commerce. This first time is really hard. By the time the 50th rolls around, it will be a well-oiled machine.

Right - and we need numbers to know what we are really dealing with before we get this to far.

Numbers attending are the #1 issue in planning a gathering. If 100 say they will come and plans are are made with hotels and food caterers, they have to be paid even if no one shows. The planners can't just assume 1% of the registered members will show up. Planning a convention is HARD work.

Thank you Cathy. Our desire is to have a place for everyone to enjoy including the entire family, children too, that is reasonable in price, that is convenient to get to, that is interesting, that is something everyone will look forward to for years to come. We are so aware that if we can't do this first right, there might not be a second. Cathy is correct, like it or not, numbers are first and foremost.
And we don't like it anymore than you do.

It is the chicken/egg scenario! You want us to commit, yet it can't be decided where until we commit, and for many the location will determine the commitment.

Ok, well, here's my number: Dallas/Ft Worth - No. Waco - maybe. Austin - Yes. San Antonio - daily. This is assuming it will be held on a Fri - Sun window.

This message was edited Jan 8, 2008 11:41 AM

If you cut that 500 mile radius into 4 equal parts, you could pick a city in one of the four sections and then ask the members to vote on one of those four cities. After you have the winner (determined by the most number of people who say they will attend if it is in that city) then you can go to the convention bureau of that city and get the rates from them. If their rates are not acceptable, go to the second-place winner, etc., etc.

Thank you, marsue.......now we might be getting able to vote.

We really have to do things in order, and sad to say that means we need a number first and city will come later.

It is my Dream that i attend this party,but i cannot come to USA from Pakistan.
I wish that i meet to Dave and Davesgarden members.
How ammazzing event is comming.
Enjoy those who attend it,
Yasir

Okay, here's my vote: I can come no matter where it is held within that 500 mile radius. DH and I are both retired so time is not an issue for us and we could most likely drive 500 miles in one day if necessary.
However, the following would be issues for us:
1. We would both still have to be alive and well.
2. Our vehicle would have to also be alive and well.
3. Gasoline prices would have to be reasonable (under $3.00/gallon)
4. I won't mention cost of lodging, etc., because I know the committee will be doing all it can to keep those costs down.
Those are our requirements. That's all I have to say on the matter. LOL

I just went on line and checked airfares from your different cities into...... say Dallas. It is cheaper to fly from Newark,OH to Dallas than from New Orleans to Dallas. Most of the cities were the same. I'm finding as I put in alot of ya'lls cities, it will cost me more to fly into Dallas than people from further away. Once to the Expo, shuttles will be there, rooms will have been negotiated, tours, etc. According to the airlines, we are all on even ground.



This message was edited Jan 8, 2008 12:39 PM

marsue had a point earlier . . . couldn't there be a Voting Booth (for example):

How many would attend if the Expo were held in the following cities:

Dallas/Ft Worth
Austin
San Antonio
Sherman, OK
Shreveport, LA
Memphis, TN

Wouldn't that give just as good a "count" as asking people - will you attend, yes or no?

Just a suggestion, and by no means am I wanting to tell anyone how to do something. It just seems (to me) that there may be a different way to ask the question . . .

i don't think it is possible to get an accurate number of attendees with so little information. it's hard to get an accurate head count for a party even 2 weeks out. people change their minds.
there are professional convention planners out there, who make a living setting up events like this - it is not easy.
thanks Marsue for supporting the voting idea.

You are so right. Thankfully, they don't need an accurate number, only a general idea.

My vote is Maybe - depending on time of year. I don't like going anywhere during the busiest part of gardening season.

This survey seems to me like a basic question. Same as, "Hey, think we should have a baby shower for Trixie?" Well if everybody says no, there is no point in talking about where or when. Let's answer the first question and then the volunteers who are thinking to make this happen can start working on details. My answer is: I would love to take a few days and meet some of these faceless people who are such a part of my life! I would love to spend a couple days talking to people who care about the same things I care about! I would love to be able to ask lots of questions of some of the members who contribute so much here! Yes if you can make this happen within reason, I will be there.

Count me in - I am not too concerned about price/place/when as of this moment - this is a simple question - would you? Yes/No/Why not - 2009 is a long ways from now :-) This will give the organizers a general idea

If the next poll shows the place and cost - then I can make an educated decision IF I will be able to attend - this is not a poll asking for confirmation - this is purely a question to gauge interest and possibility :-)

If there's anyway for me to get to this party, I'll bethere will bells on, but like everybody else it depends on costs and time of year. I salute you ya'll for taking on this task. But I think you're expecting too much of yourselves to think you can "do it right the first time". I hope nobody is expecting you to "do it right the first time". Unless you have taken on a task like this before, I don't even think you should have that idea in your head. Anybody that goes to this party/convention needs to keep in mind that the people working on this are volunteers (as far as I can tell). There is a learning curve here.

I hope it turns out that it's held in a place I can get to, but if it's not I will look forward to all the pictures.:)

One thing I will say about location though. I don't think New Orleans is a good choice. I haven't been there, but I have talked to people who have and it doesn't sound like it's a place ready for tourists.

Exactly Lori! A general idea. None of this is carved in stone. People have been discussing this in several threads, and the one main question is "how many people would come". Guesses run the gambit, but no one but the general membership of DG can really answer that question. There is nothing wrong with answering "yes....if____" , it will give the committee the estimated figures needed to continue the reasearch. Over 300,000 members, thousands of subscribers, and only 188 votes...not very representational. Information is power...if the committee has the information, they have the power to make this a great event! Tell everyone you know, in every thread you visit, to come to the home page and VOTE!

It would be a shame to rent a hotel room for a cocktail get together the first evening and then find out that they should have rented the ball-room, or the lobby , or the football stadium! Get your friends to VOTE!

Good point Shari. Alot of people posted already saying that they definitely would not or could not come no matter where it's held. That info has to be collected first.

That's right! Even "no's" and "can'ts" are votes that are important to know. This committee should not be expending its collective brain matter trying to put something together if not enough people would attend to make it worthwhile. That is why it is so important that people answer as realistically as possible. Spread the word!

I know that I have already voted and should not be on here........but what good is any count when there isn't enough information for people to even respond yes or no. The no is an important vote but not many can say yes with no place or time in mind.

All I am saying is that when the national conventions for AVs are announced, no one except the group who planned it got to choose the site and what would be offered. People then start turning in their yes or no. Same way with the national begonia society. It is simply an announcement and then people say yes or no. (I know they both have a history)

I am willing to pay my part to hire people who can put together a national convention and probably most others would be willing also.

PS>>>>>>I won't post anymore I promise! (lol) I will be wherever it is.

The answer to your question.

And we are trying to keep the cost down - doing all we can in house.

Gessiegail, I don't think there is anything wrong with posting here...or am I missing something? (wouldn't be the first time ). Questions and answers are what this whole site is about.

Exactly.