Tournaments and hotel/motels

[Eric Strange]

In trying to persuade my wife in using our vacation to go to nationals this year. She has requested that we stop having tournaments at... and I quote... "Ghetto nasty motels" hahahahaha

[Jason Solan]

The reason is money plain and simple.
When I was looking for a new venue for the PA tournament I called a massive range of hotels and motels in several different towns. There aren't as many hotels that having meeting rooms as I would have thought. Most of the nicer ones that have an actual convention center type place are ridiculously expensive. One hotel I went to had a nice conference center. Room rates were expensive, but not outrageous, however their smallest room (about 25 people) was $250 per day. Now I enjoy checkers, but there's no way I could justify that kind of money for a playing room.

The best option in my mind is find a public venue to hold tournaments and give players a choice of several hotels in the area. Unfortunately you won't be able to get a group discount rate to any hotel by doing that.

[Eric Strange]

O yeah trust me I know. I hosted D9 in 2009 and I gave on the motel/hotel thing. We found a nice free room at a local library. Group discounts can be negotiated without using the facilities for the physical tournament though. I think Gerry Lopez got mad at me in 2010 D9 cause I didn't stay in the travel lodge inn where the tournament was being held. I stayed across the street in the Riviera which was honestly not much more expensive... but you didn't feel you needed a tetanus shot after a nights sleep.

I think the Travel Lodge Inn was like 35 a night... I stayed at the Riviera for like 40?

[jeff webster]

Several hotels will run saver rates and offer all kinds of discounts (like AAA, government, rewards cards etc.), so the non hotel venues may be the future. I know last year at the Southern the rooms were 42, normal price 59, but they were advertising on the sign for 39 dollars. So the so called "special " rates that are given may not be so special after all.

[neilwenberg]

Some interesting discussion on tournaments and if they should be held at hotels or what. At the Dist 4 checker tourney in Lexington, NC we ran into a situation where the recommended motel was getting in a rundown condition. The playing site was excellent. The Dist 4 director is also a Baptist Preacher and the tournament was held at his fellowship hall which was an excellent place to hold it. However, Lexington has several hotels and the players could have stayed at another one. I feel that Alan found us a good location for the national checker tournament and if we do not desire to stay at the motel where it is held we are not forced too. However, I do not put the motel in Medina in the "Ghetto" category. I have played in several tournies there and found the accommodations satisfactory. When I was secretary treasurer for the ND Checker assocation we held tournaments at several locations around the state with the tournament being played at a library, senior citizen center, Masonic Temple, or some other location and the players could stay whereever they chose too. These placed for play were usually gotten at no cost. Because the preponderance of players in ND lived in the Minot area we often times had our state tourney at the City Library which gave us a room free of charge for tourney play. I commend Jason Solan for finding us a location in Pennsylvania which is further east and where one can find (hopefully) more PA players. I also have gone to 5 National Pool Checker Tournaments. I like pool checkers and enjoy the play and players. However the National Pool Checker Association usually finds one of the most expensive hotels in the area where their tourney will be played. I am not keen on paying over $100 a night to play in a checker tourney. The Pool Checker Association mandates that one stay at the motel/hotel where the tourney is being held. I do not believe the ACF does this but I feel it is encouraged and should be if there is nothing wrong with the motel. The Medina motel is satifactroy.

[jaguar72]

An excellent and informative post, Mr. Wenberg.

Thank you.

V/R,

Gary Jenkins/jaguar72

[Jay H]

I commend Jason Solan for finding us a location in Pennsylvania which is further east and where one can find (hopefully) more PA players.

THIS........is incredible news !!!
I (along with my son) will make every attempt to be there............In fact, at this time,I cannot foresee anything that could detain us from showing up. With that stated, neither one of us expects to be a challenge to anyone, especially at 3-move..........but, we both agree it would be something great and enjoyable to do.
Looking forward to this, what will be the first ACF sanctioned event I have ever attended...........and, I'll bring some BERKS ring bologny and cheese for a snack !!!

Regards

Jay H
Here's a phot of Jay Jr. and myself playing a game...with the "peanut gallery" watching....

[neilwenberg]

Jay has the right idea! bring everybody you can to PA tourney!!

[tommyc]

WOOW jAYh...................yuve got a few hippys there and loads a 1960s haircuts!!.................LOL.

[liam stephens]

And I like the tennis racket. Good for swiping your opponents with.

[Palomino]

Is anyone else seeing twins, I mean triplets, no, no, I guess I mean quadruplets and no less than two sets!

Is it just me or my eyes. Maybe I should have them checked.

[Eric Strange]

Yeah quads.... and everyone has glasses.... im trippin out....