Today I’m learning I did not miss my calling in event planning.
Researching spaces for PaulCon next spring and it is such a drag. I keep feeling like the right space is one search away, but it just doesn’t seem to exist.
There are plenty of motels and hotels here, spring training season has made that possible, but that’s not at all the vibe I was hoping for. But we may end up there anyway.
How many folks are you shooting for?
30ish.
Is mid/late March too soon, I wonder? Tempe Mission Palms has some deals for the shoulder season leading into spring training.
Damn it. My best weekend is the same as Fastaval.
Sacrifices may need to be made. Hard decisions.
Sadly, this coming March is much too soon for me to get vacation time. What are the anticipated dates for Paulcon 2018?
Probably the same. It’s right before shit gets crazy-expensive here.
First go is purely proof of concept.
This place looks rad, but I have no idea what kind of budget you’re looking at: https://www.vrbo.com/19832
Daniel Lofton okay well SHIT, how did you find that so fast?
I am terrible at event planning. Truly terrible. See, I’ve been looking literally all afternoon and coming up empty.
That does look gorgeous. Play would have to be in the bedrooms, maybe whatever common space there is.
$3k/night, hm. Divided among 30 people that’s …not horrible, given what the thing is.
Paul Beakley I got skillz!!
So now the question is, would you spend $300 + some kind of communal food allowance?
It might end up being $400ish total. Totally eyeballing the not-rental component.
Our Christmas in Arizona thing didn’t happen. But Spring in Arizona is a real possibility…
I’m now thinking $325/person. That’s $750 to feed 30ish people for basically 4 days.
Is that insane? Obvs way way more than a big con but … you know, maybe not once you include the hotel room, no?
Oh dang it, probably never mind.
I’m reading the fine print about their rates and it’s uh…quite a lot more than I thought it might be. Additional fees, very ala carte pricing for stuff like cleaning and using the pool, and there’s a minimum for staying less than 7 days that is uh…quite high. Like $5500.
Okay, I’ve asked for a more precise quote for dates in April as well as early June, which appears to not be an especially busy con season (but it’s not nearly so nice here).
Might still end up under $400/person total. Same folks also own a big cabin in Prescott and that could be quite nice…
Icehouse?
http://theicehouseaz.com/
Phoenix Convention Center?
http://www.azirish.org/visit-or-rent/tours/
We almost had our wedding here, I want to say it was around $3,000 for a Friday night setup and Satuday till the wee hours. However that was maybe five years ago. Seemed negotiable though. Catering and Bar agreements lowered the event space cost…
There are also quite a few art gallery spaces that are fairly priced as long as you are not planning on a First Friday weekend.
Have you looked at Boy Scout/Girl Scout camps? They sometimes allow alcohol and often have bunking areas all around a great lodge with kitchen facilities. You really need to find your local SCA group and see where they hold events. (http://www.sca.org)
sca.org – Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc.
Yeah, if you find anything smaller, let me know. I can’t find space for a Story Game day without starting a 501(C)
Years back, we had a local one-day con set up space in a Lions or Elks hall or something. I don’t know what you’re really looking for, but maybe that sort of space would be cheap?
Also, check out your local schools- sometimes they can do event hosting. The layout might be really good, with a big open space and lots of breakout rooms.
Or your local Unitarian church?
What if you find a gaming space and leave lodging/food to the participants? I mean, that’s how other cons I go to work.
Or use a banquet hall in a local hotel and reserve a block of rooms all on the same floor.
Have you looked at the Y camp? azycamps.org – Corporate Events | Team Building | AZ Y Camps