| TABLE OF CONTENTS
MASTER TIME LINE
BIDDING FOR VCON - WHY RUN IT?
THE COMMITTEE: BUILDING, MAINTENANCE
& REPAIR
THE TREASURER'S JOB - THE IRON
HAND
HOTEL LIAISON
GUESTS & GUEST LIAISON
PUBLICITY/PUBLICATIONS
OPERATIONS/LOGISTICS
PROGRAMMING
HOSPITALITY & BAR
V-CON SOCIETY & BCSFA
APPENDICES
MASTER TIME LINE
[predicated on a VCon planned for May - GS]
MAY (1 YEAR AHEAD):
Guests of Honour planned, hotel booked
NOVEMBER 1:
Progress Report #1 ready to mail out - info on general
progress
NOVEMBER-JANUARY:
final letters of confirmation (with PR#1) to guests
MARCH 1:
PR#2 ready to mail out -info on specific progress
- particularly of volunteers needed)
APRIL 15:
tentative program schedule & list of equipment for
ops letters to "yes" and "maybe" - request for more
bio info (now!)
MAY 10:
final program schedule for inclusion in program booklet;
copy of schedule to guests; final guest bios for program
book and complete equipment list for ops
MAY 20:
final program schedule for inclusion in pocket program
BIDDING FOR VCON - WHY
RUN IT?
The most important consideration in deciding whether
or not to make a bid is whether or not you have enough
people. The right kind of people. (see "The Committee".)
If you don't have enough competent people to run the
con, DON'T HOLD IT! The minimum number
of reliable committee people required to run a 700
person convention is about 12, plus
another 2 dozen helping them out substantially.
THE COMMITTEE: BUILDING,
MAINTENANCE & REPAIR
You are not selecting committee members for their
good looks, personality, charm, wit or professed interests.
What you need are:
*RELIABLE *COMPETENT *ORGANIZED *COOPERATIVE
THE JOB OF THE CHAIR IS TO:
A) choose competent committee members and assign them
appropriate jobs.
B) keep them well-informed and happy, but don't take
up their time unnecessarily with dull meetings. (And
if you must, turn as many of the meetings as possible
into parties).
C) make sure they are doing their jobs (and know what
their jobs are).
COMMITTEE POSITIONS:
[the underlined and bold-faced require a substantial
staff of assistants - i.e. Hospitality needs at least
6 people significantly involved.]
CHAIR
TREASURER
HOTEL LIAISON
OPERATIONS
PROGRAMMING COORDINATOR
REGISTRATION
PUBLICITY
PUBLICATIONS
GUEST LIAISON
ART COORDINATOR
DEALERS BOSS
HOSPITALITY & BAR BOSS
A/V/FILMS BOSS
BACCHANAL and/or DIPLOMATIC RECEPTION BOSS
DANCE BOSS
TROUBLESHOOTING
SPECIAL INTERESTS
OTHER CLUBS LIAISON (I.E. TREK, CAMARILLA)
GAMING COORDINATOR
WRITERS' WORKSHOP BOSS
FAN/FANZINE ROOM BOSS
With some jobs the bulk of the work can be arranged
to be on site and you can use an out-of-towner (i.e.
Guest liaison, on-site programming).
If the person is already familiar with the facility
an out-of-towner would be appropriate for Dealers,
Bacchanal and/or Diplomatic Reception, A/V/Films boss
- however; they must keep in touch with the core committee
(especially Programming and Ops) and they must be
reliable.
THE TREASURER'S JOB
- THE IRON HAND
The treasurer's job is impossible unless everyone
- especially committee heads - cooperates. This cooperation
is only made possible by the treasurer keeping an
iron hand on the bank account and vigorously exercising
the treasurer's prerogative - NO! All financial information
and financial decisions MUST go though the treasurer
- WELL BEFORE anything is done.
The first and most essential thing that the Treasurer
needs to make is a projected budget. The Treasurer
can then use this budget to allow the calculation
of a projected break-even.
PROJECTED BUDGET: As soon as possible after the ConCom
has been formed the Treasurer should meet with every
committee head who will require money and get a projected
budget from them. Budget projections, in most cases,
can be based on the expenditures of similar departments
from cons in previous years. However, even a roughly-calculated
guess is better than no estimate and the "just tell
me what my budget is and I'll stay within it" is not
acceptable.
Once a department's budget is set they should have
to provide a VERY good justification for having it
increased. The projected budget can then be continuously
updated as new information comes in.
Categories for accounting (from Appendix A -
WCSFA Policies Procedures)
EXPENSES:
Advertising, Publicity, Promotion (paid advertising)
Art Show
Bank Charges
Banquet
Facilities (all hotel except guest rooms)
Guest Expenses (airfare or gas, rooms, per diem, gifts)
Hospitality (broken into the following:)
- Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages
- Alcohol
- Other (rentals, license, supplies such as plates)
Miscellaneous Office Expenses (misc. photocopying,
receipt books, supplies)
Operations (includes A/V, volunteer perks, vehicle
rental, radios, signage, etc.)
Postage
Programming (includes Dance, Elrons, Masquerade, etc.)
Publications (paste-up & printing of flyers, bookmarks,
PR's, program books, stationery)
Special (includes Auroras or other awards, and unusual
one-time items)
Telephone
T-shirts
Video Room
Writers Workshop
INCOME:
Advertising
Art Show (broken into):
- Panel Fees
- Auction & Direct Sales
Banquet Hospitality
Memberships & Dealers Tables
Miscellaneous (includes bank interest, donations,
grants)
T-shirts
Writers' Workshop fees
HOTEL LIAISON
Conventions represent a number of potential things
to a hotel:
1. Revenue from catering and liquor sales at convention
functions
2. Revenue from rental of hotel rooms.
3. Revenue from rental of function space.
4. Revenue from the hotel's restaurant(s) and bar(s).
SF conventions are unlike most other conventions that
hotels handle. Aside from the weirdoes in costume,
the main reason is that we are NOT a work-related
activity for the majority of our attendees who don't
have expense accounts or tax write-offs to cover their
costs. Also, our membership rates are VERY low and
do not include such frills as meals. (Most professional
conventions charge their members $75-200 per day for
memberships.) Some fans do have money to spend, but
many have very little.
The first bone of contention with a hotel is that
they will try to sell you banquets and catering. VCon
doesn't want any. Simply put, the fans who can afford
to spend $20 or $25 for rubber chicken are not going
to because it isn't a mandatory part of the program
(as it is at many professional conventions) and because
Vancouver has thousands of restaurants serving much
better food for less money. Many out-of-town fans
come to VCon for the restaurants and stores.
Hotels do not like to sell you function space without
catering, but they will (grudgingly) do it. The only
thing you really have to offer them is people to fill
their hotel rooms for the night. Usually if a convention
can fill enough hotel rooms the hotel will reduce
or eliminate function space costs. However, this is
not universally true, especially in Vancouver, where
tourism is hot and hotels are doing well. The Hotel
can be expected to shove catering as hard as they
can - not surprisingly the booking manager that you
will talk to is the catering manager.
WHICH HOTEL?
Some considerations include:
-amount /size/cost of available function space
-cost of hotel rooms-size of hotel relative to size
of convention (it must be big enough that we fit and
small enough that we're the biggest customer in their
hotel that weekend) -number of hotel room nights we
can book (the more the better)
-location (public transit, parking, nearby alternative
cheap eateries, liquor stores, etc.)
- how upscale is the hotel? (will fans fit in? will
costume upset them?)
- hotel amenities (coffee shop, bar, snacks, etc.
- hours, prices, size, usual type of customers)
GETTING SCREWED
The biggest single hotel problem is that all pre-conference
planning is handled by the sales and catering staff,
but the people you will deal with on site are the
managers, assistant managers, night managers, etc.--the
sales staff goes home Friday at 5:00 and they have
seldom told the rest of the staff what to expect.
Hotels also have a big staff turnover. It's not unusual
for the person you so carefully made arrangements
with to quit or be fired, or for the hotel management
to change suddenly, leaving conventions in a mess.
Beware of pinning your reliance on any one person.
If you find yourself suddenly faced with a hostile
management, think seriously about moving the convention,
even if time is short. A hostile management can make
your weekend hell, or even throw the convention out
of their hotel altogether.
Some hotels make it a practice to raise their prices
suddenly a month or two before an event--sometimes
even if there is a signed contract saying otherwise.
(The Sheraton chain used to be notorious for this.)
There can be a number of reasons for this (such as
a new manager who doesn't like you), but generally
they get away with it because small organizations
and clubs do not have the financial or personnel resources
to successfully take a hotel to court. (The Norwescon/Red
Lion dispute dragged on for years.) Also, government-funded
groups will frequently pay the higher bills without
a major fuss.
AVOIDING PROBLEMS
To avoid problems with the hotel: check out their
reputation as thoroughly as you can ahead of time.
Find out what groups have held events there recently,
call them, and get their assessment of the hotel's
performance. Do not sign the hotel's standard contract
without serious study and negotiation. Make sure all
the hotel's promises are on paper and signed by them.
This may be very difficult, but you need a signed
contract in place well before the convention. The
hotel will often weasel around trying to avoid getting
the contract signed--you'll have to be firm. Go into
the hotel on a weekend and meet the staff. Find out
who does what. Tell them about the convention. Find
out who does security. Show them photos of a convention
and assure them that we're weird, but harmless.
BLOCK BOOKING
"Block booking" in the hotel business means that the
hotel will reserve a certain number of rooms on a
certain date for a certain length of time. The term
does NOT refer to contiguous bookings (i.e. all rooms
on one floor)--that is strictly a fan usage. From
our point of view, we like to all stay in the same
area so that we don't end up with parties next to
airline pilots. This is understandable, but bear in
mind that it's DIFFICULT for hotels to restrict certain
areas to certain groups, especially if the hotel is
anywhere near full. The rest of their guests have
many different arrival and departure dates, and the
booking computers often aren't set up for that type
of service anyway. The only way to ensure that a party
floor will be booked entirely by convention members
is for the con to do it ourselves. We can put a hold
on a certain area, then phone up all the groups or
individuals we know are likely to want to hold parties
and fill the rooms. When the booking deadline comes
along, we can give the hotel all the registrations
in one batch. This must be done several months ahead.
COURTESY
A reminder that the hotel staff should be treated
with courtesy at all times, from the most exalted
suit to the lowliest maid. Tell the hotel that anybody
with an official hotel nametag (or uniform) is welcome
to attend any part of our convention. Few of them
take up the offer, but they usually appreciate the
gesture very much. (And don't rely on the managers
to tell the minions--make sure you tell them directly.)
The ConCom should also budget for tips, since fans
are terrible tippers and many of them create godawful
messes in their rooms. Make sure that the maids are
tipped, bellmen, etc.
MISCELLANEOUS POINTS
Check hotel policy on late check-outs on Sunday--see
if they can stretch it a bit for fans. Warn the hotel
that fans get up late. If there are a lot of fans
in one part of the hotel it significantly disturbs
maid service because the maids have to wait around
to get into rooms and they're late finishing their
shifts. Check the hours of the coffee shop. Do they
run breakfast all day or at least late? (especially
Sunday) Do they have enough staff on during peak periods?
Some Names for the List:
Sheraton Plaza500 - 12th & Cambie, Vancouver (+) Well-supplied
with function space; many restaurants, shops nearby;
close to major public transit. (-) Downtown, busy,
expensive, previous bad experience.
Royal Towers - New Westminster (+) small enough that
we could take it over. (-) location; limited function
space.
Metro Centre Hotel - MetroTown, Burnaby (+)"Economical"
meeting facilities; many restaurants, shops nearby.
(-) location
Renaissance Hotel (formerly Sheraton Villa) - Burnaby;
Hwy at Willingdon
UBC or not to UBC - some thoughts (+) and (-) ...
GUESTS & GUEST LIAISON
GUESTS
Choosing a Guest of Honour
Choosing the rest of the GoHs: Toast; Art GoH; FanGoH;
SciGoH
Your Other Guests
Guest Liaison's Job; Equipment List
GoH
- What to consider i.e. familiarity of name (draw);
concircuit; distance (travel$); reputation as GoH
(consult); appropriateness to theme.
- How to invite them and when (bidding invite)
- What we pay and what we do not pay.
- Lists of previous VCon guests
- What a GoH does and does not do
- Care and Feeding (see Guest Liaison)
THE OTHERS
- How many Guests of Honour?
- Particular consideration for each.
- What we pay and what they do for it.
- Care and feeding (see Guest Liaison)
EVERYONE ELSE
- What is a pro?
- What do they get? (fist crack at rooms; free memberships,
lists of events, other perks.
- Remember the limitations on the number of Freebies.
GUEST LIAISON
- Duties (why a guest liaison?)
- keeping in touch (keep copies of everything)
- slush fund
PUBLICITY/PUBLICATIONS
Responsible For:
Two PR's
Program Book
Flyers & Brochures
Coordinate printing for other areas, i.e.
Art Show letters; working sheets; Dealers sheet; Program
Book rates sheet
*ALL publications must be approved by the Chair
*ALL expenditures must be approved by the Treasurer
Organize mail-outs
Prepare department budget
One of the great undone ideas has been to do publicity/promotion
at the universities and colleges of the Lower Mainland.
Herewith - a partial list:
UBC
SFU (all the campi)
Vancouver Community College (all the campi)
Kwantlen College (all the campi).
Douglas College
Emily Carr
others
What is needed is contact person(s) for even the minimum
task of putting up posters - without authorization
we just get them torn down.
ADVERTISING:
While we're on the subject, advertising in the student
newspapers of the above-mentioned would very likely
bring out a few formerly hidden fans.
Advertising with publications that go to main-stream
writers' groups couldn't hurt (Eileen Kernaghan can
help us in that area). Having our flyers included
with customer mailouts done by White Dwarf Books and
Neville Books makes contacts. Vancouverís'
Public Libraries will put up our posters either through
our dropping them off Library by Library or through
a Vancouver system-wide arrangement that can be made
through the downtown Library. An even wider circulation
can be made through a drop off in Burnaby that will
circulate posters through the Libraries of Vancouver
and all the neighbouring municipalities. Hopefully,
science fiction fans are, first of all, readers.
MEDIA:
Public-service spots are available though all the
newspapers of all sizes and through most of the Radio
and TV outlets. This is a real effort because we need
to have a contact person at each media spot. In the
long run, it's worth it.
OPERATIONS / LOGISTICS
What You Will Need:
- floor plan of function space and of entire building
(if possible).
- Info on doors, windows, electrical outlets, etc.
- List of people who have experience working for Ops
... especially people from out-of-town who do extensive
gofering.
- List of A/V equipment required and where it will
come from. In conjunction with Security you should
know the whereabouts of all theftworthy items.
Check with Art Show, A/V and Dealers Re: Security
needs and overlap.
- Tentative program schedules as they're produced
- List of people who own trucks, vans or station wagons
and how available they are.
- Miscellaneous supplies and equipment for the Ops
room: paper, masking tape, felt markers, pens, scissors,
staplers, duct tape, extension cords, others ....
- List of room numbers of guests and committee members.
- Schedules of where and when you need gofers.
- Bribes (Badges)
- Polaroid camera to take pictures of everyone authorized
to use keys.
- List of people trained in First Aid.
- Log Book.
- List of all necessary and useful phone numbers with
emergency numbers at top and highlighted.
TROUBLESHOOTING
PROGRAMMING:
PROGRAMMING COORDINATOR (JOB DESCRIPTION)
- Arranges Guest Invites (excluding GoHs) & all panels,
discussion groups, etc.
- Schedules (but does not organize) special events:
Writers' Workshop, Art Auction, Opening Ceremonies,
Banquet, GoH Address, Elrons, Bacchanal, Dances in
conjunction with the persons organizing these events.
- Provides tentative and final schedule for committee
and guests; lists of equipment needed for ops, program
schedule needed for program book and pocket program;
guest bio info for program book.
- Arranges schedules for each guest, making sure that
there are no conflicts and provides those schedules
to whoever is assigned to attach the schedules to
the guests' nametags - to be picked up at Registration.
- Makes sure each event/panel has an MC / organizer
/ coordinator and that panelists are put in touch
with each other.
WHAT YOU WILL NEED
- Floor Plan.
- Rates Sheet for function space.
- Last year's program book and several years' before
if possible.
- Program books from other recent nearby cons.
* Check in the program books to see that your topics
haven't been overused elsewhere. Check for info on
guests, bios.
- Working sheets and charts - see examples here.
- SF Reference books i.e. SF Encyclopaedia for info
on material by your GoH and material on your theme.
- Keep copies of all your correspondence and copies
of all correspondence with the GoHs by anyone else
on your Committee
- ask the Chair to be sure to make copies and get
them to you ASAP.
- Guest files
- Guest mailing list from previous years. A copy of
the SFWA directory is VERY helpful here.
ON SITE PROGRAMMING
- Requires (preferably) two people for heavy times
and to relieve each other.
- Checks with Guests, Panelists, MCs, and Events Coordinators
as they arrive.
- Arranges last-minute substitutions.
- Double-checks with Ops to make sure that all the
equipment needed is available.
- Schedules in last-minute or impromptu events and
makes sure they are advertised by posters, etc.
- Puts up a schedule on the door of each program room
(use a pocket program and a highlighter pen).
- Troubleshoots when events begin running over schedule.
- Arrange for signs with names of panelists to go
in front of them on panels.
- Make note when unexpected guests arrive and schedule
them in if and when appropriate.
- If necessary, round up an audience for an event
- start by making an announcement in the bar (this
can happen if a TV crew is around, or if the GoH is
speaking to empty chairs.)
EQUIPMENT
- Guest sheets and Program Event sheets
- Pen and paper (clipboard is helpful)
- Cardboard for name signs (rest of signage and pens
available from Ops)
- One CONSPICUOUS piece of clothing (i.e. hat) so
that guests that don't know you can locate you easily.
1. PROGRAMMING AND FUNCTION SPACE
Assign function space according to Budget and Priorities.
Ask different Departments what they need. Determine
what they REALLY need.
Start working out times and rates
Art Show, Dealers, Hospitality and Video require varying
amounts of setup time before they can open - if it's
possible to book rooms from 10 am Friday do so.
Programming before 4 p.m. Friday is sparsely attended,
but if Registration opens at 1 p.m. something must
be available to keep early comers busy - preferably
Hospitality and Video at the least.
Start by setting up ideal times (based on 4 hour,
8 hour or 24 hour blocks, depending on what the hotel's
booking allows for.)
Assign priorities. If money is tight, something may
have to go and you have to know what. Priorities will
depend upon:
a) the con's theme
b) the Chair's preferences
c) whether or not the event/function directly generates
revenue for the con.
Ultimately, every event contributes to revenue, but
some are more easily reckoned i.e. hard-core gamers
who attend largely for gaming have their memberships
generally cover the cost of the space rented for gaming;
hence gaming is arguably self supporting. Many areas
should ideally pay for themselves i.e. Bar, Art Show,
Dealers, Gaming; others cost the con a negligible
amount i.e. Writers' Workshop.
Priorities might be weighted as follows:
1. Main Programming
2. Hospitality
3. Dealers
4. Second Stream Programming
5. Gaming
6. Art Show
7. Video
8. Operations
9. Special Interest
10. Green Room
11. Daycare (unless particular interest is shown)
Priorities are an Executive Decision of the Program
Director, Treasurer, and Chair. Once you have an idea
of the schedule, get together with the Treasurer and
hash out what will be booked.
2. SET UP PROGRAMMING GRID
Decide length of panels.
Schedule in major items you may already know about
i.e. Bacchanal, Opening Ceremonies, Banquet
TIPS:
- check to see who has already been promised what.
i.e. a guest promised an hour to make a speech or
three slots for a trivia quiz.
- try to keep all events requiring A/V in one room
for easier screen and projector setup and so you don't
have A/V shows running simultaneously.
- third track programming includes closed workshops,
author readings, and anything else with a small audience.
- try to keep all panels requiring multiple mikes
in one room for easier setup.
- if hotel employees have to move things for us (generally)
we pay for it. Consider all furniture arrangements,
who will do them and how.
3. BRAINSTORM FOR IDEAS
Find 6 people (no more) who are knowledgeable about
the theme of the con, are familiar with authors and
BNFs and their interests. Brainstorm. Come up with
as many good solid topics as you can and try to write
a couple of lines about them in addition to the title.
This list will be sent to all the pros and important
fans coming with a covering letter asking them to
tick off topics that they would be interested in and
/or adding topics of their own. If pros are local,
call and talk to them.
4. SEND OUT LIST TO PROS
You need to know when they are arriving and leaving.
5. TAKE PRO REPLIES AND LIST AND TALLY UP RESULTS
Some panel ideas will have taken off; others will
have aroused no interest. Pick the ones that you think
are strongest and start scheduling.
TIPS:
- Do not overbook your guests. Three events is generally
plenty. If you're thinking of more ... ask.
- Don't put similar topics up against each other.
- Consider noise levels, thickness of walls and whether
mundanes will be disturbed. Video makes a lot of noise;
Readings require peace and quiet.
- Consider Security: The Art Show and Dealers' Room
must be securely locked at night.
- Look out for Guest personality quirks. i.e. guests
who can't stand each other or who hate particular
subjects or times of day, etc. If you find out these
details the hard way make a note of them and pass
the info on.
- Don't schedule simultaneous big set-ups OR tear-downs.
There won't be enough bodies to cover.
6. COMPILE TENTATIVE PROGRAM SCHEDULE
a) check the schedule with all committee members and
be sure to check the following:
- setup and breakdown for Art Show and Dealers
- Art Auction times
- Banquet times
- Liquor license times
- Writers' Workshop times etc.
b) Send tentative schedule to all guests, pros and
panelists. Highlight the panels they're on and enclose
a description of the event and who's on it. Ask them
for comments, changes. Each panel must have an MC
or organizer. Assign someone and make sure that they're
organized. Everybody should have a very clear idea
of when and where and what they're doing, and what
they're going to say. Ask guests if they need any
special equipment AHEAD OF TIME - i.e. overheads,
screens, trivia quiz buzzers, etc. but make sure we
can get it before making any promises.
7. LOGISTICS
Figure out what equipment and furniture you will need
for each panel/event and when you are going to need
bodies to move chairs, cart around equipment, etc.,
This is where you get in touch with the Operations
Head. when you have hashed this out, compile a logistics
schedule of equipment and setups. You get one copy
and Operations keeps the other. It's your responsibility
to tell them what you need and where; it's theirs
to get it to you intact and on time.
8. FINAL PROGRAM SCHEDULE
- Check guest replies & compile a penultimate rough
schedule.
- Check your PRs with the committee for last minute
changes.
- Submit to program book.
- Hang onto your schedule for last minute changes
to go into the pocket program which will be printed
only a day early.
9. COMPILE INDIVIDUAL GUEST SHEETS
Each guest panelist should have a sheet made up for
him/her that lists every event that they are expected
to be at, where it is and when i.e.:
Fri. 8 PM Opening Ceremonies Main Ballroom 5 minute
speech
Sat.11 AM Evil Computer Panel Tower 405
Sat. 2 PM Fantasy Slide Show Main N 107
Sun.12 Noon Banquet Main Ballroom -Reply to the Toast
- ticket attached
These lists must be ready a couple of days early and
will be clipped to each person's nametag so that they
will pick it up as they register.
On each Program Item Sheet keep a list of alternate
panelists who can be contacted if necessary.
10. ON SITE
On Site Programming/Troubleshooting ideally should
be done by more than one person since events run continuously
and simultaneously. Somebody needs to be there to
round up lost panelists and generally get things started.
If a projector is missing, don't just stand there
and bitch - get it! You can bitch at Ops once your
event is running.
GENERAL EVENTS
SPECIAL INTEREST - OTHER CLUBS
WRITERS' WORKSHOP
ART EVENT
DEALERS
GAMING
BACCHANAL and/or DIPLOMATIC RECEPTION
BANQUET
DAYCARE
VIDEO/FILMS
HOSPITALITY & BAR
Three considerations:
1. - How it's used
2. - liquor law/hotel rules
3. - size and shape of facility
1. How it's used
At the very minimum, Hospitality should be a congenial
place where fans and pros can meet and mingle. Generally
speaking, however, most Hospitalities have featured
the availability of a bar. Liquor laws and hotel rules
have sometimes made that difficult - (see 2).
The other feature of Hospitality is usually the availability
of free snacks. The snack feature has an number of
negative aspects. Its messy - no matter what kind
of food is used there are droppings and leavings.
It draws a number fans who feel that it's the convention's
job to feed them all weekend. It can cause friction
with the hotel which is in the business of selling
food (see 2). And it's expensive. Donations do not
cover costs. Probably the best solution to some of
the problems that arise is VERY careful planning of
the location of the "snackbar" within hospitality,
of what it provides and when, and a provision for
regular cleaning of the room.
2. Liquor law/hotel rules
Holding Hospitality in function space has a gigantic
negative - the hotel controls all food and drink in
public spaces, so you can only get food (even pretzels)
through their catering service, and only run a hotel
bar with a hotel bartender. Quite aside from the cost
of hotel drinks, the presence of a uniformed bartender
can be a real party killer for fans.
The usual alternative is to hold Hospitality in a
room/suite that is registered to a member of the con,
and that that person actually sleeps in (there must
be a bed in the room). From then on that's that person's
private party and they're providing their guests with
drinks. Providing - not selling. The guests can, however
make donations to defrays expenses. Posting a price
list for "mandatory donations" is not allowable. Under
BC liquor laws, the hospitality suite's bar requires
(?) insurance and must be run by someone who has taken
their party host course (which is ___ hours long and
costs $___ to take). It is also up to the con to police
minors. Note that the hotel's business is to sell
food and drink for profit, so if they feel that Hospitality
is competing, they will get nasty. And they are unlikely
to appreciate blown fuses (from too many plugged in
appliances), spills, burns, or other messes. At worst,
they will shut down the suite and/or charge the convention
for damages.
3. Size and shape of facility
The best facility for Hospitality is a large hotel
suite. Rooms (even double or adjoining rooms) have
awkward layouts - generally long, narrow rectangles
- while suites, because of their greater size are
closer to more useable squares.
The Bar and the "snack-bar" should be located well
away from the entrance so that the usual cluster of
people around them don't block the way.
However, big hotel suites are expensive and they often
have carpets and upholstery that are easily stained
by the inevitable spilled drinks and trampled food.
Orycon has the hotel bring in old carpeting and place
it over the good carpet for the weekend. Putting throws
over furniture might also be an option. If someone
has a carpet sweeper or small vacuum they can bring
for the weekend, that's a good idea. Run it through
the room every few hours and generally stay on top
of cleaning up. The person running Hospitality should
introduce him/herself to the housekeeping staff on
arrival and stay on good terms with them all weekend.
Be sure to TIP THEM (either daily or when you leave--check
with the hotel to see what is most fair).
V-CON SOCIETY & BCSFA
APPENDICES
APPENDIX A
CATEGORIES FOR ACCOUNTING (from V-Con Society
(formerly WCSFA) Policies & Procedures)
EXPENSES:
Advertising, Publicity, Promotion (paid advertising)
Art Show
Bank Charges
Banquet
Facilities (all hotel except guest rooms)
Guest Expenses (airfare or gas, rooms, per diem, gifts)
Hospitality (broken into the following:)
- Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages
- Alcohol
- Other (rentals, license, supplies such as plates)
Miscellaneous Office Expenses (misc. photocopying,
receipt books, supplies) Operations (includes A/V,
volunteer perks, vehicle rental, radios, signage,
etc.)
Postage
Programming (includes Dance, Elron Awards, Masquerade,
etc.)
Publications (paste-up & printing of flyers, bookmarks,
PR's, program books, stationery)
Special (includes Auroras or other awards, and unusual
one-time items)
Telephone
T-shirts
Video Room
Writers Workshop
INCOME:
Advertising
Art Show (broken into:)
- Panel Fees
- Auction & Direct Sales
Banquet
Hospitality
Memberships & Dealers Tables
Miscellaneous (includes bank interest, donations,
grants)
T-shirts
Writers Workshop fees
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