No room in the Millennium

Bo Legg · Post by **Bo Legg** » 8 Jul 2008 2:18 pm

Sometimes a Steel picker has to pick real fast.
It's hard to believe that as of 07/08/08 there are no rooms left in the Millennium Hotel for the #37 annual ISGC. I called and the only thing they said they had left was a room with a king size bed. I took it. This can't be right.

CrowBear Schmitt · Post by **CrowBear Schmitt** » 9 Jul 2008 1:19 am

no it ain't cause you gonna have to share it w; de possum king Bo

Bo Legg · Post by **Bo Legg** » 9 Jul 2008 1:43 am

Hey possum king bring your sleeping bag I ain't givin up the bed.

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 9 Jul 2008 2:11 am

That's not unusual. I've seen it where the allotted convention rooms were all booked up by April.

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 9 Jul 2008 2:50 am

lots of folks make reservations early in the year, and there will be cancellations. at the last minute. I have seen folks check in at the a time as me who had NO reservations. No guarantee of course, but typical of any convention at any hotel.

Like jack stated, I have seen the hotel booked by April each year I have gone.

Darvin Willhoite · Post by **Darvin Willhoite** » 9 Jul 2008 7:53 am

I don't stay at the Millennium anymore, the Drury has much better service, and much friendlier staff.

Bo Legg · Post by **Bo Legg** » 10 Jul 2008 9:22 am

Let's see $91/day for the room + 15% tax + $18/day parking all for 4 days = $490.69 + $70 advance convention registration plus and additional $5 for the late fri. thing.
Since from where I live I have to drive to St. Louie to fly anywhere that means I have to drive in. I'm figuring around 400 miles round trip gas $90.
From experience other hotel expenses (dinning, tips, misc. personal items, I include drinks in the personal items) constrainedly for 2 will pretty well eat up a 100 dollar bill per day. For a grand total of predictable expenses = $1,055.69
I can only imagine the expense of traveling from another country.
I don't mean to sound like I'm complaining. How can you complain about money when you’re talking about something that is priceless?
I guess my real point here is that the price of gas seems very insignificant in view of my overall expenses. I suspect this is the reason I see little decline in the traffic and I don’t envision a decline in attendance from those of us driving to this years convention.

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 10 Jul 2008 12:57 pm

Lebanon isn't that far to drive. If I still lived in KC I wouldn't hesitate to drive across the state (and did it every year from 1978 through 1996 before retiring and moving to Florida).

Chris LeDrew · Post by **Chris LeDrew** » 11 Jul 2008 4:13 am

A trip to the ISGC from Newfoundland costs me about $1,600 all said. Same with Dallas. That, of course, does not include impulse purchases. Luckily, a provincial arts program sometimes subsidizes my trip. They consider it "professional development" or "market access". There are similar programs across the US and Canada. It's worth checking out for sure. Your local AFM or Arts centres would be where to look.

Gene Jones · Post by **Gene Jones** » 19 Jul 2008 8:20 am

A couple of years ago I considered selling hamburgers out of the back of my pickup to help with expenses, but the choice location at the curb in front of the Millenium was taken up by a giant motorhome with the engine running 24/7 to power it up.

With the current price of diesel nearing $5.00 a gallon, that location may be available for exploitation this year. $:\$

Gene Jones · Post by **Gene Jones** » 19 Jul 2008 8:41 am

Not relative!