Long reply in the wee hourstasharowanSeptember 6 2007, 05:37:32 UTC
The problem is a rather complicated one. One aspect is space. However there are also: the panels, con staff, hotel staff, hotel construction, and old habits.
Space needs are estimated before Con. They make these estimations based on what was popular the year before and what's the latest buzz the current year. Example: Harry Potter had a book and a movie release this year, hence it will be more popular. Popular generally equals more space. However, this leads into panels.
If you look back at your Con program you will see that tracks have dedicated rooms. If there is need, the location might change year to year. Once the Con is under way though, the track will not leave it's assigned room.* Tracks run the panels. Moving the track around would just lose people time in setting up and trying to find where the track went. Also, not all rooms have the needed equipment. Part of why the concerts are all in the same set of room is because those rooms have the needed equipment. You try to move all that and you're going to blow a fuse. They have moved hotels on some events, but the room must still fit the need.
You also have a limit to how many staffers the Con has. Remember all staffers are volunteers and are doing this solely for love of the Con. To my knowledge, only Security and Tech Ops run 24 hrs. (Wait, obviously that is wrong because some tracks do stay open all night.) Where there are no Con staffers, there can be no official events. Track rooms (expect those that go all night) are locked close in the evening. Important note: Con actually has down time. Most of the worst crowding is as Con shifts into a lower gear for overnight. (Or that's what I saw when I was there.) With fewer staff, the Con has to draw itself in. It's why most events take place in one hotel after dark. It's a limit of resources.
When people don't know what else to do with themselves, they'll wander. Many will people watch. They some how end up in the Hyatt. They stand, aimless, in the Hyatt lobby. Maybe they choose to ride the Hyatt elevators up and down. This may sound ridiculous, but it's true. Hyatt is the (of the current 3) original host hotel. The longer you've been attending Con, the more likely you're going to go to Hyatt when you're bored. It's a habit. There is nothing the Con staff can really do about that.
If you failed to notice, Marriott is under construction. (Or it was last time I was there. I haven't been in two years.) By default, that limits space.
Be nice to the hotel staff. I'm betting you saw the tables of water. Hotel staff put those there and refills them. Con staff doesn't clean the rooms. The hotel staff does. Generally for them to clean, the Con has to empty the room for awhile. The hotels are good to us. If you doubt this, just keep in mind most "parties" you hear about are in the rooms of hotel guests. Those are not official Con parties. When we all leave, the hotel has to clean up after us. The inconsiderate do things like dye their hair, pink, green and purple in the tubs (without washing it out.) Rearrange the furniture. Leave vomit and bodily fluids on every inch. Break hotel property. Throw things out windows. If you think a bit I'm sure you can come up with more. Not everyone is willing to put up with us.
Con staff does their best every year. They are aware of the problems. They do their best to fix them. Some things just aren't simple.
Re: Long reply in the wee hoursazuresorrowSeptember 6 2007, 06:24:40 UTC
I see. Very insightful. One solution, then, might be to actually allocate some of the con's revenue to paid staffing. This might raise the ticket costs somewhat, but considering attendance was like 50K+ this year, And next year - if the con continues growing - may be even higher, even two extra bucks a ticket means a significant amount of $$ (like $100,000 to be exact) that can be allocated to a staffing budget.
Now, I don't think I insinuated placing any blame or anything negative towards the hotel staff; I'm sorry if I misinterpret your comment.
Space needs are estimated before Con. They make these estimations based on what was popular the year before and what's the latest buzz the current year. Example: Harry Potter had a book and a movie release this year, hence it will be more popular. Popular generally equals more space. However, this leads into panels.
If you look back at your Con program you will see that tracks have dedicated rooms. If there is need, the location might change year to year. Once the Con is under way though, the track will not leave it's assigned room.* Tracks run the panels. Moving the track around would just lose people time in setting up and trying to find where the track went. Also, not all rooms have the needed equipment. Part of why the concerts are all in the same set of room is because those rooms have the needed equipment. You try to move all that and you're going to blow a fuse. They have moved hotels on some events, but the room must still fit the need.
You also have a limit to how many staffers the Con has. Remember all staffers are volunteers and are doing this solely for love of the Con. To my knowledge, only Security and Tech Ops run 24 hrs. (Wait, obviously that is wrong because some tracks do stay open all night.) Where there are no Con staffers, there can be no official events. Track rooms (expect those that go all night) are locked close in the evening. Important note: Con actually has down time. Most of the worst crowding is as Con shifts into a lower gear for overnight. (Or that's what I saw when I was there.) With fewer staff, the Con has to draw itself in. It's why most events take place in one hotel after dark. It's a limit of resources.
When people don't know what else to do with themselves, they'll wander. Many will people watch. They some how end up in the Hyatt. They stand, aimless, in the Hyatt lobby. Maybe they choose to ride the Hyatt elevators up and down. This may sound ridiculous, but it's true. Hyatt is the (of the current 3) original host hotel. The longer you've been attending Con, the more likely you're going to go to Hyatt when you're bored. It's a habit. There is nothing the Con staff can really do about that.
If you failed to notice, Marriott is under construction. (Or it was last time I was there. I haven't been in two years.) By default, that limits space.
Be nice to the hotel staff. I'm betting you saw the tables of water. Hotel staff put those there and refills them. Con staff doesn't clean the rooms. The hotel staff does. Generally for them to clean, the Con has to empty the room for awhile. The hotels are good to us. If you doubt this, just keep in mind most "parties" you hear about are in the rooms of hotel guests. Those are not official Con parties. When we all leave, the hotel has to clean up after us. The inconsiderate do things like dye their hair, pink, green and purple in the tubs (without washing it out.) Rearrange the furniture. Leave vomit and bodily fluids on every inch. Break hotel property. Throw things out windows. If you think a bit I'm sure you can come up with more. Not everyone is willing to put up with us.
Con staff does their best every year. They are aware of the problems. They do their best to fix them. Some things just aren't simple.
Reply
One solution, then, might be to actually allocate some of the con's revenue to paid staffing. This might raise the ticket costs somewhat, but considering attendance was like 50K+ this year, And next year - if the con continues growing - may be even higher, even two extra bucks a ticket means a significant amount of $$ (like $100,000 to be exact) that can be allocated to a staffing budget.
Now, I don't think I insinuated placing any blame or anything negative towards the hotel staff; I'm sorry if I misinterpret your comment.
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