I voted for Las Vegas as well. If you can find a time when things aren't busy (in Vegas), stuff is really cheap.
Travis Microserv MDK wrote: > I've never been to any WISP or ISP "con" of any kind. Wanted to, but never > had the dough to go. > > First, St Louis? Why? Go to Las Vegas and do it in early November. > There's a cheap way to get to Vegas from anywhere in the US, especially at > that time of the year. > > Heck, round trip from the pacific northwest is under 200 bucks. Also > from most larger places in most states there's something cheap to Vegas. > > Rooms are cheap, travels's cheap, rental cars are $25 a day or less. > > St Louis is never going to be an option. Orlando, maybe - at least I own a > timeshare there. Vegas, maybe. You want people to come? Go some > place it doesn't cost an arm and leg to get to, stay at, or get home. > > Just my mumblings on a late Sunday evening. > > > > > ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ > Neofast, Inc, Making internet easy > 541-969-8200 509-386-4589 > ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ > > -------------------------------------------------- > From: "Rick Harnish" <rharn...@wispa.org> > Sent: Sunday, June 27, 2010 12:28 PM > To: <memb...@wispa.org>; "'WISPA General List'" <wireless@wispa.org> > Subject: [WISPA] What are the Challenges? > > >> Members and WISP followers, >> >> >> >> We would like to better understand some of the challenges that many of you >> face on a daily basis as we continue to fine tune the Regional Meeting >> Agenda. As you know the 1st Regional Meeting is scheduled for July 21st >> and >> 22nd in St. Louis. We have been pleasantly surprised at the response we >> have >> received from vendors in our industry in committing to exhibit at our >> Regional Meeting. >> >> >> >> One thing we have noticed during the signup period is that many WISPs that >> are attending are traveling long distances to come to St. Louis in the >> first >> stages of signup. We originally picked St. Louis because of its central >> location in the US and because there are a tremendous amount of WISP >> companies throughout the Central US. We really anticipated that 70% of >> our >> attendees at this meeting would come from a 500 mile radius from St. >> Louis. >> This does not seem to be the case and we find ourselves wondering why this >> to be the case. >> >> >> >> My first inclination is to blame it on weather. I realize that weather in >> the Central US has been extremely volatile this summer with persistent >> storms continually moving across the region. I am asking if this is >> really >> the reason preventing many Midwestern WISPs from signing up for this >> meeting >> or not. If it is something else, I would like to investigate further. We >> believe it is our obligation to the Vendors who have committed staff, >> money >> and resources to attend the meeting, that we ask these tough questions. >> >> >> >> Our goal and the budget for the RM are based on a count of 200 attendees. >> We >> are pretty sure we will reach this goal but if we are not going to get >> there, we need to start preparing now. As you may or may not know, we do >> have a price increase of $50 per attendee beginning on July 1st. It would >> be silly of me not to point this out to any prospective attendees. >> >> >> >> This week, we were able to negotiate a much nicer hotel and meeting >> facilities at the Renaissance Hotel in St. Louis. The Renaissance >> actually >> lowered its room rate surprisingly to $79 per night and threw in free >> internet, parking and shuttle. These concessions are saving our >> participants nearly $60 from the previous hotel. The catering and AV >> budgets alone exceed the registration fees we are charging for members. >> >> >> >> Therefore, I ask that everyone describe your intentions for attending or >> not >> intending and send a brief description why. If it is summer vacation, >> that >> is fine, that is a risk we took when choosing these dates. If it is >> summer >> activities such as 4H fairs, baseball tournaments, or whatever, just let >> me >> know. If it is the weather and damage has not allowed you to book because >> of excessive repair bills, that is also fine. I am just trying to get a >> feel on the pulse of the industry as we analyze the success of this >> meeting >> and possibly plan the next one. >> >> >> >> If there are other challenges you wish to discuss, let me know. I would >> rather the Board be aware so that we can formulate policy and programs to >> alleviate these concerns as we move forward. >> >> >> >> Respectfully, >> >> >> >> Rick Harnish >> >> President >> >> WISPA >> >> 260-307-4000 cell >> >> 866-317-2851 WISPA Office >> >> Skype: rick.harnish. >> >> rharn...@wispa.org >> >> >> >> >> >> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >> WISPA Wants You! Join today! >> http://signup.wispa.org/ >> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >> >> WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org >> >> Subscribe/Unsubscribe: >> http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless >> >> Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/ >> > > > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > WISPA Wants You! Join today! > http://signup.wispa.org/ > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org > > Subscribe/Unsubscribe: > http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless > > Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/ > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WISPA Wants You! Join today! http://signup.wispa.org/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org Subscribe/Unsubscribe: http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/
