Swap Update

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The swap planning is coming along nicely. I have some announcements regarding how things will work this year:

Admission Fee:
Since we are bringing in an outside speaker and need to cover air fare, lodging, etc. we will be charging an admission fee this year. The fee will be $5 for the general public, $3 if you can show current membership in a reef club, FREE for MTRC members and children under 12.

Table Fee:
The table fee is $25 for a full table, and $15 for 1/2 table. Each reef club who is sending members can have one table for free for their club members.

Sponsors:
Still working on sponsors and things are coming along very nicely. Here is what we have so far

Platinum Sponsor:
Air, Water, and Ice (7x$30 Gift Certificates, <a href=http://tinyurl.com/2x4trj target=_blank>The Cube 150 gpd RO/DI unit</a>). This is an awesome new RO/DI with 2 RO membranes, 3 full sized pre-filters, and a full sized vertical mixed bed color changing DI.
The Aquarium Restaurant: (400x Appetizer Coupons, 1x Gift Certificate). I'm not sure of the $ value on the Gift Certificate yet. The gift cert will go for the raffle. The appetizer coupons will be given out to everyone who is admitted to the swap until they are gone (there will be 400 of them, I think -- I have to pick them up next week and will know for sure then). If you have not been, the <a href=http://www.aquariumrestaurants.com/aquariumnashville/ target=_blank>Aquarium Restaurant</a> at Opry Mills Mall is awesome. Beautiful 200,000 gallon aquarium, and you can even arrange "back stage" tours!
Reef Nutrition: (4x Reef Nutrition Sampler Packs with Live TiggerPods, plus ArctiPods, RotiFeast and PhytoFeast concentrates.) Randy, from Reed Mariculture and <a href=http://www.reefnutrition.com/ target=_blank>Reef Nutrition</a> will also be setting up a table at the Swap. This stuff is awesome food for your reef

Gold Sponsor:
Tunze USA (<a href=http://tinyurl.com/ypt35z target=_blank>Tunze Nanostream 6025</a>, 2x <a href=http://tinyurl.com/2fycb8 target=_blank>Baensch Marine Atlas, Volume 1</a>)

Sponsor:
Premium Aquatics (3x$10 <a href=http://tinyurl.com/39e7yf target=_blank>Gift Certificates</a>)


Thanks a ton to all of our sponsors!

 

[Pickupman66]

THink I am gonna need a half table. Anyone care to split?

 

[H@rry]

Reserve me a table please.

 

[gflat65]

I'll need one, too Jack.

 

[eyebedam]

Im wondering if the admission fee will keep some people from attending? I think 1 of the reasons the swap has grown so much in the past 3 years was partly because wof the free admission. I know $5 isnt much but allot folks that came out the past few years other than us in the club came becuase it was free. It was a way for them to kinda check things out & get out on a sat with the family. It dont really matter to me ill be there anyways I but I think it will keep a few folks away.

 

[NeveSSL]

I'm wondering if we have a choice.

Free admission is great, but we're offering more than a swap this year. I think its more than fair. $5 isn't bad at all, especially when considering how much most of us are going to spend.

I think the few folks it may keep away, 3 times more will attend.

Brandon

 

[crumbletop]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11205883#post11205883 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by eyebedam
Im wondering if the admission fee will keep some people from attending? I think 1 of the reasons the swap has grown so much in the past 3 years was partly because wof the free admission. I know $5 isnt much but allot folks that came out the past few years other than us in the club came becuase it was free. It was a way for them to kinda check things out & get out on a sat with the family. It dont really matter to me ill be there anyways I but I think it will keep a few folks away.

I hear ya, Jason. We thought about this a lot. Yes, I think the fee will keep some people away, but I don't think it will be significant. In the end, either we at MTRC completely subsidize the cost of bringing in a speaker, or we charge a small admission fee to help cover the cost. I did a bunch of searching online to see what other clubs do with their swaps, and many do charge a fee. In the past we have basically just about broken even on the swap, and with the increased expenses this year we decided the fee will be necessary to try and keep this event sustainable.

 

[crumbletop]

Gary, et al. Got you guys down

 

[glitzyone]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11205883#post11205883 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by eyebedam
Im wondering if the admission fee will keep some people from attending?

FYI
When we did our swap in September (WTMRAC) we charged $3 and did not have a special quest speaker. It was our very first show and we had a good turn out not sure of the exact numbers. We broke even and signed up several new members to the club and got dues for members that had not paid yet. For a first show that is great. Ya'll should not have a problem with the admission.

 

[crumbletop]

Thanks, glitzyone! Good to know.

 

[crumbletop]

An update on the Aquarium Restaurant:

I picked up the stuff today, and there are 300 free appetizer coupons. They also donated a $50 gift certificate. The appetizer coupons will be given away on a first come, first served basis when people are admitted to the swap.

Also, I am working on doing our February meeting there, and scheduling a back stage tour for the club. They have an awesome setup that is very worth seeing

 

[NeveSSL]

Thats an AWESOME idea, Jack!

Keep us updated!

Brandon

 

[mikemartinez]

Nice!!! I hope we do have our Feb meeting there that would be great.. I have ate there before many times but have never taken the back stage tour...

Cant wait for the Frag Swap...

 

[fallinapart]

Nice Jack! Looking forward to the Feb meeting already, but then I just sitting here typing and hungry

 

[NeveSSL]

Hey... maybe we could get them on our 10% discount roster.

Brandon

 

[fishdoc11]

Jack,
Put Art (awcurl) and I down for a table please
thanks, Chris

 

[crumbletop]

Will do, Chris!

 

[crumbletop]

Some verbal commitments from several more sponsors!

Sunlight Supply
Seachem
Saltwaterfish.com
Reef Geek
Hamilton Technology
Marineland
ORA

Hamilton Technology signed on as a Platinum Sponsor

I'll need to wait and see for some of the others what the sponsorship level will be.

 

[NeveSSL]

Very nice! This is going to be one AWESOME swap! And the great thing is that I'll have my Koralia 3's and I talked my wife into letting me get T5HOs for my birthday just before/right after Christmas... I'm freaking pumped!

Thanks so much for all you're putting into this, Jack! And another HUGE thanks to our sponsors as well!

Brandon

 

[gsusfreak]

is glasscages gonna be there?....if so, can we order tanks and pick them up at the swap?....not sure if this has been done before, so i was just asking