IMAC Las Vegas to be Cancelled

[RasBobre]

Assuming that your attendees were going to stay at an old delapitated hotel in Vegas when there is so much more to offer I think was your biggest mistake.

Plus you never did lay the need for room reservations out when the threat of the possible cancellation was announced. Too many westcoasters know what is available in Vegas compared to the Riviera. And to say that the newer casinos do not cater to conferences is flat out wrong.Also, I had a client tell me yesterday that she tried to sign up in April and you were not accepting reservations at that time. Perhaps not to compete with Chicago?

About refunds... I received an email from you a week a go today asking if I wanted my money back or if I'd like to apply it towards Chicago and I have not receieved a response.

 

[degall]

IMAC LV Refund

IMAC LV Refund

Sorry Ben, I missed your earlier post. Many people have already received refunds. If you want to speed yours up, just email me with your full name and I'll move you to the top of the list.

Sorry,
Dennis

 

[degall]

The Riviera

The Riviera

Rasbobre, I'm puzzled by your post. I spent 2 days at the Riviera early this Spring and I did not find it "old and delapitaded". A Luxor or Bellagio it is not, but do you want to spend $200 a night? Even if you are, how many people would you be denying the right to come to an IMAC? After all, you are going to Vegas for an IMAC, not a luxury vacation. The Riviera has been remodeled and updated over the years and is certainly livable. I checked out several of their rooms and could find nothing wrong with them.

You say that the newer hotels do cater to conferences, but I would like to know which ones. I sent Requests For Proposals to just about every hotel in Vegas and the responses I got were dismal. The few that did have meeting space wanted to put our meeting rooms at one end of the complex and the exhibit space at the other (our exhibitors wouldn't stand for that) or on another floor.

I also don't understand how your client could say we were not accepting registrations in April when we were begging for them. It doesn't make any sense.

As far as processing your refund, it takes time. We have to go through hundreds of PayPal transactions and try to process them in the order received. We have already given deposits to the hotel and other companies and as you can imagine, we are not exactly flush with money right now and I have already transferred money twice from my personal account to cover refunds. It will happen very soon.

Regards,
Dennis

 

[Thales]

Re: The Riviera

Re: The Riviera

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10379329#post10379329 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by degall
Rasbobre, I'm puzzled by your post. I spent 2 days at the Riviera early this Spring and I did not find it "old and delapitaded". A Luxor or Bellagio it is not, but do you want to spend $200 a night? Even if you are, how many people would you be denying the right to come to an IMAC? After all, you are going to Vegas for an IMAC, not a luxury vacation. The Riviera has been remodeled and updated over the years and is certainly livable. I checked out several of their rooms and could find nothing wrong with them.

I don't think its fair to say someone is denying someone else the 'right' to come to an IMAC because they didn't want to stay at the Riviera.

If 'livable' rooms are the goal, why have the con in Vegas at all? You could have it in Phoenix, Oakland, Sacramento, or Salt Lake City, be able offer much cheaper rooms, and not have all of Vegas competing for attention of attendees.

I am a little confused because you pitched IMAC Vegas as a vacation. On a club forum you talked about being able to extend your stay at the conference room rate and said:

Guys this one will be an easy sell. Your significant other can see Celine Dion, Carrot Top, Rita Rudner, Bette Midler, David Copperfield, Elton John, Wayne Newton, Barry Manilow or some of the many other headliners while you attend the conference. (Hint: Buy your tickets now, for the best seats. Celine Dion sells out about a month in advance).

 

[degall]

IMAC Rates

IMAC Rates

Thales, maybe you are not a typical conference goer. I remember just a few years ago, when IMAC registration rates were just $75 and hotel rates were just about the same per night, people would still complain about the high cost. So we have tried to keep the costs down. IMAC is not a business trip for most people and they come at their own expense. Less than 1 in 10 conference attendees will attempt to take in what Vegas has to offer. The vast majority will arrive on Thursday evening or Friday morning and leave on Sunday evening, possibly without even visiting the gaming tables.

For the few that do, they are there. For the few that take in the overpriced shows, they are there. The main reason we planned the con in Vegas was the accesability of the city. Like Chicago, you can easily get there from almost anywhere. From many cities, you probably can't get to Phoenix, Oakland, Sacramento or Salt Lake City without making connections. For the few that need to bring along their significant other, now they have an excuse.

So, when we market the conference, we play up all angles. For the vast majority, who are happy just looking at all the neon and absorbing the atmosphere, the Riviera is just fine. For connesouirs like yourself, you can stay at the Luxor and commute. It's fine with me. I still want to aim IMAC at the average guy who is looking for a deal.

Best Regards,
Dennis

 

[Thales]

'Connesouirs' like me? I would have stayed at a friends house, and if I couldn't do that I would have stayed at the Riviera. Perhaps you have me confused with another poster.

Just because it may have been a business trip for me doesn't mean that it doesn't cost me money.

Something about the way you used the 'shows' as a plus when originally posting about the con and the way you are disparaging them now makes me feel awkward.

I think the 'you probably can't get to different cities' idea is a little odd as well, as at least Phoenix is as major hub a hub as Vegas. Denver is another good one.

It seems that we simply don't know if 'the vast majority' are happy with the Riviera because there were not enough attendees registering to make the conference happen at all, and if the vast majority was happy the conference wouldn't have been cancelled.

I think Vegas is a problematic city for a convention of the size of IMAC. Its expensive, its spread out, there seems to be no aquarium draw, there is a whole lot in the city that simply competes with the convention.

 

[burned]

IMAC Las Vegas is TOOO close to MACNA. A IMAC once a year maybe (about 1/2 the size of MACNA) but two, for get about it. How about Vegas instead of Chicago next June? I think it too much to expect vendors to do three trade shows in less thann six months.

b

 

[degall]

IMAC, MACNA and Trade Shows

IMAC, MACNA and Trade Shows

burned, I wish it were as simple as 3 trade shows a year for vendors. There are also Interzoo and Aquarama in Europe and Asia, 2 Backer shows (1 in Chicago a week or 2 before MACNA) and who knows how many more smaller ones that vendors have to attend. It is murder trying to schedule IMAC without conflicting with some big show somewhere.

Vendors are pretty busy running around from one show to another.

Dennis

 

[Playa-1]

Never heard of it. What is IMAC?
I heard about Reefa Palooza and I attended.
I might have been interested to attend this other show but this is the first I've heard of it.
I'm always looking for an excuse to go and play in Vegas

 

[ABlundell]

IMAC is a fabulous conference for the marine hobby. It is held yearly (around June) in Chicago... www.theimac.org

I can't believe the Vegas addition was cancelled. We had a bunch of us in Salt Lake City planning to attend. I would have thought with 15 million or so living in the Southern Cal area this would have been huge. I think the timing and hotel choice were great! Why would you stay elsewhere? Being in the conference hotel is half the fun.

Adam

 

[degall]

IMAC Vegas

IMAC Vegas

Adam; one of the big problems we had was that the hotel was selling rooms to the general public for about half what they could get them for if they signed up for them under IMAC. So go figure.

Dennis

 

[Thales]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10728699#post10728699 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ABlundell
IMAC is a fabulous conference for the marine hobby. It is held yearly (around June) in Chicago... www.theimac.org

I can't believe the Vegas addition was cancelled. We had a bunch of us in Salt Lake City planning to attend. I would have thought with 15 million or so living in the Southern Cal area this would have been huge. I think the timing and hotel choice were great! Why would you stay elsewhere? Being in the conference hotel is half the fun.

Adam

I think the Souther Cali contingent was more interested in going to Reefapalooza. But, I agree it is a bummer it was cancelled.

 

[ghcpa9]

aww