Not yet posted. Keep watching Post #1 ... that's where it should show up.

Except that we HAVE a track record. We held this same event last October near ORD and sold out 158 rooms in 15 hours. Filled a 158-room hotel and overflowed to 2 more.

We have no reason not to expect a repeat; in fact, we anticipate it to go faster this time. Yet the major hotels could not have cared less about trying to help us with a $60,000+ event.

I have had my own business and this sort of behavior is totally puzzling to me. They must figure they will fill up anyway. In any case, we liked the EGV Holiday Inn, and we expect a great event again.

agreed. i am glad they are having us back.

Not to just to be in a 'repeating' mode.... however, I agree. Overall I enjoyed the HI-EG. Great staff. Looking forward to getting another great rate ;)- and having a good time enjoying some refresher seminars!

Count me in!
 

:DI want to come this year!

Is the registration fee refundable? I would love to go, but will not know 100% if that weekend will work for me, until later in the year..


+1

ಠ_ಠ

That's too bad.. I would really like to attend, but as I will not have my schedule for October until August, not much I can do. No point in paying $75 to secure a spot which I may not be able to use, especially as there will not be a waitlist, etc.. Oh well.

Fantastic - can't wait!!

Ooooh, Halloween weekend. Costumes required? ;)

Penciled into my calendar!

Saturday Night Equals
 

Ingy--

I can understand making the Reg Fee non-refundable, but how about making it transferable?

Regarding first night hotel also being non-refundable, couldn't you talk the hotel into allowing refunds up until say two weeks (or maybe 30 days) before the event?

P.S. Thanks for organizing this event again. In spite of the non-refundable issues I raised, I expect to sign up. But having a little more flexibility might help others to commit.

jmd; Thanks for the comments on nonrefundable issue. I understand your concern. We are dealing with a project put on by 100% volunteers and a hotel that is not making us sign a guarantee. I need to protect that hotel from empty rooms and lost revenue. We got burned out on the whole registration process last year and the memory of the 50% no shows for the August Chicago Mileage run event still haunts us.

And besides, our volunteer speakers have been willing to commit to travel to Chicago for the event. We are asking nothing more of our audience.

As far as seminar registration being transferable, it then brings up issues of capacity as people being substituted in may want different seminars and we will already be filled to capacity in some of those seminars. If you register, we want you to have a seat in the seminars you choose.

There is no easier answer here. We were non refundable last year and it seemed to work.

We will be posting registration numbers as time goes on.

I think $75 as a non-refundable (and non-transferable) fee is more than fair.

I do recall there being some no-shows last year, as $20 was such a meager amount. Raising the fee to $75 should help alleviate the problem of people registering without being certain they can attend (or at the very least, they'll make a concerted attempt to attend).

Making the registration transferable just puts more work on the plates of our volunteer organizers. Last year, Rick and Win provided concise instructions on how people can pay/register -- yet it seemed like an overwhelming percentage couldn't do it correctly. :confused: The ability to transfer registrations just seems like additional (unnecessary) work for them.

Can't wait. I thought the HI EGV was fabulous and a great value as well. The seminars were wonderful and getting to meet all the FT'ers terrific.

I scored $400 of bump vouchers and a free night at the Crowne Plaza on the way home. Using lucky's tips I got to the gate early last Friday = another $400 of vouchers. Read ingy's book on the way home from ORD Do I = I am now earning 25,000 AA miles a month from BankDirect.

Hey, I can't afford not to attend ORD Do II !