My apologies, Jen.

No apology necessary, though thanks for offering anyway; I was not offended. 'Twas a neutral "whatev, just a thought," meant to signify that I was not particularly invested, no snippiness intended.

Agree that number of rooms booked compared to number of people who attended is a good standard to use to get a decent minimum number of rooms reserved.

Kristin, we should do lunch or dinner or something when we're all there early to get a break from planning and preparing. The hotel is really close to the shop where my friend works, so I could easily hitch a ride with her and wander down the street.

Are there any extras that need to be brought/stored/shipped?

Heather, sounds like a plan!

Thanks Jen-I'm just being careful.

Extras...I'll have to see. Right now I'm just in contact hotel and firm up details mode.

The number of rooms used in LA and DC are somewhere in this thread or the one before it. I recall the post, but am not so good at the threadsuck right now.

Here's what was in the IFB:

2004:

Friday: 19 rooms (12 blocked) Saturday: 23 rooms (15 blocked) Sunday: 7 rooms (5 blocked)

About 70 people attended the Saturday dance.

2003:

Approximately 20 rooms were taken, most doubles with people sharing rooms. ~5 stayed in the Annabelle Hotel ($110/night), and the rest in the Safari Inn ($85/night).

Approximately 60 people attended the Saturday night dance.

Great. I'll give this a day to breathe to let people chime in on the other issues, and then I'll call tomorrow.

I'm frustrated that the IFB, which has a attachment with detailed info about all the prior F2F, and on which I spent time writing with the intent that it gets linked in this thread, has not been linked. I don't know to host an attachment like that, so, am emailing it to the Admins and asking that someone attach it in this thread.

JC, when it shows up, I'm just going to forward it to ND, since he's 2005 point person. You could send it straight to him, if you read this before you hit "send".

I am asking that Admins by-pass ND and post it here, ita. ND received it a few times already, and, per post above, is busy enough right now with moving, etc. to not be in this thread working on organizing right now. It contains information that I spent some time compiling, that Kristin is asking for right now, that applies to the planning that's going on now, and if it is linked, voila - the info is there for the having

Okay -- I'm not sure what was intended by attaching, so I'm just reposting it here:

INVITATION FOR BIDS
FOR ROOMS, HOSPITALITY SUITE & CATERING/BARTENDING
FOR FOURTH ANNUAL BUFFISTAS FACE TO FACE MEETING
Thursday, May 19 to Monday, May 23, 2005

Dear Hotel Sales Manager:

On behalf of the Buffistas, I invite you to submit bids for a long-weekend social event. The Buffistas are an Internet social group based on common interests in arts, literature, media, and popular culture. Once a year, we hold a "Face to Face" ("F2F") gathering to spend time with each other in person. 2005 will be our fourth annual Face to Face, this year, held in the Midwest.

Prior year's F2Fs were successful. We endeavor to find a hotel and location that can accommodate similar or improved set ups for rooms, a hospitality suite, and Saturday dance, bar and buffet. . Our set-up needs are described in more detail in Attachment A, Description of Requirements. Information on prior F2Fs is included in Attachment C. Suggestions are welcomed as well.

If you are interested in submitting a bid, please fill out and return the Bid Sheet, Attachment B. Please include tourist publications and maps that are usually made available to visitors plus any brochures or additional information with which you would to like supplement your bid. Mail, fax or deliver it to me at:

Name
Address
Fax.

If you have suggestions to change or improve our set-up while keeping our costs down, please include your ideas with your bid.

If you have any questions, please contact me at:

t Email
Home: X; Work Phone: X; Cell Phone: X

Thank you for your interest. I look forward to receiving your bid.

Sincerely,

Name
Attachments
C:\My Documents\Buffistas\F2F 05\F2F 05 RFP.rtf

ATTACHMENT A
DESCRIPTION OF REQUIREMENTS/NEEDS
FOURTH ANNUAL BUFFISTAS F2F, May 19 to 23, 2005

Special Needs:
· The rooms, hospitality suite, and dance locations must be wheelchair accessible and, of course, be able to be reached by elevator if on an upper floor.
· One member is in a wheelchair and has an attendant. Her room must have a wheel-in shower.

Hotel Rooms
· Doubles - 95%
· Quads - a few
· Proximity to Hospitality Suite a plus
· Rooms located on same floor(s) a plus
· Internet access mandatory. Free Internet access a plus.

Hospitality Suite
· Must be accessible to us continuously from Thursday check-in to Monday check-out.
· The suite is our central meeting place. Up to 60 people will congregate there, then split up for activities. Sometimes, only two people will be there. If it is a hotel suite, instead of a meeting room, no one will be sleeping there. A kitchen and/or refrigerator is useful.
· It must have a TV.
· Living room-type seating. If the hospitality suite and the dance location are the same, there must be room to create space for dancing.

Saturday Dance, Bar and Buffet
· Location & catering for a buffet, bar & dance on Saturday night.
· Sound equipment may be needed (microphone, speakers)
· If the hospitality suite and the dance location are the same, there must be room to create space for dancing.
· Access to outdoors (patio, deck, pool area) a plus

Location and Transportation

· Location close to major tourist attractions or city center is secondary to cost.
· Access to public transportation is very important, especially if you are outside a city center or major tourist attraction area. Please give details on your transit access.
· Parking fees?

ATTACHMENT B, BID FORM

FOURTH ANNUAL BUFFISTAS F2F, May 19 to 23, 2005

Rooms

Cost -Doubles
Cost - Quads
Bedroom suites?
Are the rooms near the hospitality suite?
Are the rooms near each other/on the same floor?
Describe Internet access

Hospitality Suite(s)

Note: We need lots of comfortable living room-style seating. The hospitality suite may be room suites, a meeting room, or other space. The Saturday dance may be (continued...)