This is exactly why picking a date before a city is difficult. Either we eliminate all dates that conflict for all cities, which leaves us with fewer options for people to actually be able to attend, or we settle on a date and then automatically rule out cities that have conflicts. I get that the pimpage can't be perfect with hypotheticals, but I think we can do good pimpage without it. Trudy, it seemed to me like you've already done your pimping. You've suggested a good hotel, mentioned some of NYC's attractions (not that you need to do much there since NYC sells itself), and most importantly have taken point. We just need the same from Philly and Providence in order to vote on the city, right? And then that city can propose good and bad dates given its specific issues and we can get hotel quotes to see which is the cheapest or best weekend to vote?
I put the survey together as a data collection tool because we still seem to be waffling weeks after starting the process, not to be annoying or control-y. Anyone else who wants to herd us Buffista cats is welcome to do so.
Instant Oatmeal:
To be clear, last post was not meant to be snarky. I feel like I'm just making things more controversial. Maybe I should stop herding and just be a cat. Who needs to be herded, no doubt.
I can make a quick list of all the reasons Philly would be a fun city. I do have a problem doing a whole lot more than that until after April 1 at this point, because ... I am crap about writing deadlines until I'm right up against them, the way I am now.
But I'm more than willing to sell the city, for now, if we want to choose location first.
Nah, it's tricky, Kristin.
I do think that picking a city before we have an idea of cost is not the greatest. I know that getting bids from a hotel for two or three weekends is complicated, but it at least gives us a ballpark for comparison.
Speaking for myself, while I have city preferences, date and cost are the more critical factors.
So Brenda, do you suggest we eliminate all weekends that conflict for the three cities? I honestly don't care if we vote date first if that is what everyone prefers. I just was concerned that most people picked dates on that poll that sound like they will be eliminated because of hotel conflicts in one city. Cost and such are my biggest concerns too, so I hear you.
I would probably not eliminate, actually - if the conflict is big enough to impact us that'll show up in the bids pretty quickly.
So if we start with three dates and we end up
NYC:
Prohibitive
Reasonable
Prohibitive
Philly:
Prohibitive
Reasonable
Reasonable
Providence:
Reasonable
Prohibitive
Reasonable
Well, that gives us some good data anyway.
An alternative if people don't want to argue with hotels is if we have some hotels in mind, do like an Orbitz gut check of those weekends and see if that rules some out.
Most big cities have something going on most weekends - barring a SuperBowl, it's hard to know how much they'll really impact us.
I agree with that. So an official survey of dates? Are we ready, people?
Being someone that fled the humity and the cold -- I will say the best thing about a city is that there are lots of building to duck into Except, oddly , in Charleston.
Not sure if I can go this year but I do know some dates that are impossible - so lets do some dates!
Kristin, I really appreciate what you're doing. And many thanks to the pimpers.
Let's do it!
