IMAC Las Vegas to be Cancelled

[degall]

Hi Everybody;
I’m sorry to be the bearer of sad tidings but it appears that IMAC Las Vegas will be cancelled. There have been so few sign ups that it will not be fair to the vendors, the hotel or us. It is very disappointing to us since we thought Las Vegas would be a very popular destination, especially for Western hobbyists.

If you have registered for IMAC Las Vegas you will have 2 options: a refund or you may apply your registration toward IMAC Chicago next year May 29-June 2. Exhibitors will have the same options.

Is this decision final? Possibly not. If 200 of you register in the next week, IMAC Las Vegas is still possible. In checking the forums of the western clubs, we find many of you say you are coming, you just haven’t registered. Don’t worry, registrations are kept in a separate fund and won’t be involved in our negotiations with the hotel, if this IMAC is cancelled.

Western hobbyists, this may be your last chance to show that you can support a major conference. So go over to http://www.theimac.org/IMAC%20Las%20Vegas.htm and sign up to try and save this conference.

We’re sorry if you have already bought plane tickets to Las Vegas. Maybe you can exchange them for something else or, better yet, encourage your friends to sign up for IMAC Las Vegas.

Thanks,
Dennis Gallagher


:(

[Travis L. Stevens]

Sorry, too far west for me. I'm surprised that Californians aren't kicking it in to gear.

[degall]

Me too Travis. For years they have been bugging us to have an IMAC closer to them. Now we have and they are not steping up and signing up for it. Initially, it was only $100 to sign up and they still didn't go for it. Who knows why?

Cheers,
Dennis

[Travis L. Stevens]

Well, let me know if you hold it in Oklahoma or Texas or something. Good luck with IMAC-LV

[degall]

Well, since I made the first post yesterday, registrations have started to come in again so maybe we will make it. I'll keep you posted.

Cheers,
Dennis

[MRCORAL]

How do I sign up. I'm there

[degall]

Hi MRCORAL;

Just go to http://www.theimac.org/IMAC%20Las%20Vegas.htm and click on the link for registration. We're glad to have you aboard.

More registrations are coming in.

Cheers,
Dennis

[MRCORAL]

I will do my now.

[benf]

Man! I hope this doesnt get cancelled. I have been waiting many months to attend this. It would be my first meeting. :(

Only downside to the trip this time of the year is its Hurricaine season here and dont want any problems (power outages)while I am gone.:(

[degall]

Hi All;

When I made my post about IMAC Las Vegas possibly being cancelled it was intended to get some of you off the fence and register so we would be able to have the conference. Apparently, it had the opposite effect. Oh, some of you signed up quickly. But most of you did not. I received a lot of emails from many of you saying you were going to sign up today but since the conference was cancelled, you did not..

That was not the intention of the post. I don’t know what all of you were waiting for. You know hotels in Vegas fill up months in advance. You know you can get a full refund on your IMAC registration if the conference is cancelled and you can get a full refund on your hotel reservation if you cancel 48 hours in advance, so I don’t know what the problem is.

We will be making the decision about whether or not to cancel the conference on Monday July 9th. We will see how many of you have made your hotel reservations by then. And you can still sign up for IMAC Las Vegas at http://www.theimac.org/IMAC%20Las%20Vegas.htm

Best,
Dennis

[benf]

Yes, people...Please sign up so we can have this!!

[RasBobre]

So Dennis, are you saying that registrars of the conference need to make a commitment to the hotel in order to save this conference?

[degall]

Yes. The hotel is tracking the number of room reservations that are coming in. The contract calls for 575 room nights. As of this morning we have 150. They are getting very nervous.

Dennis

[bassist6108]

So, just to be clear, IMAC will still be cancelled even if you have enough registrations for IMAC itself, but not enough people are staying at that hotel?

The benefit of having it in Vegas is that people wouldn't need to register in advance - there are always enough hotels and flights. I think that is why people aren't signing up now - you cannot refund your flight so people are less inclined to make the investment now. Just my guess.

[Thales]

I think the biggest hurdle at this point is the announcement stickied all over RC saying that IMAC is cancelled.

I think many west coasters didn't know it was happening at all, and I think August is not a great time for a convention (in the Vegas heat even more so) because people are vacationing with family.

I sure do hope it works out...I am supposed to be there as a vendor.

[degall]

If you read that post stickied all over RC, it says IMAC LC MAY be cancelled, but I guess on first glance it may read as though it WILL be cancelled.

Well Thales, we have been posting in the club forums for Bay Area Reefers, MASCV, Southern California Reefers, MARS, and over a dozen others, as well as the major reef boards, for several months now so I would think most west coasters would have gotten the word.

I agree August is not the best time of year, but it is the cheapest as far as hotels go. People are always complaining how expensive these conferences are and we were just trying to save them some money. I know it will be hot but you are going to be in air conditioning all day.

Oh well, who knows why?

Dennis

[Thales]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10260860#post10260860 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by degall
[B]If you read that post stickied all over RC, it says IMAC LC MAY be cancelled, but I guess on first glance it may read as though it WILL be cancelled.

The first two paragraphs say it is cancelled:

I’m sorry to be the bearer of sad tidings but it appears that IMAC Las Vegas will be canceled. There have been so few sign ups that it will not be fair to the vendors, the hotel or us. It is very disappointing to us since we thought Las Vegas would be a very popular destination, especially for West Coast hobbyists.
If you have registered for IMAC Las Vegas you will have 2 options: a refund or you may apply your registration toward IMAC Chicago next year May 29-June 2. Exhibitors will have the same options.

Then it goes on to say that the decision may not be final if more people sign up, but it is a confusing read. Sorry to harp on it, but the people that I have talked to that did know there was a second IMAC and were on the fence about attending think it has been cancelled.

Well Thales, we have been posting in the club forums for Bay Area Reefers, MASCV, Southern California Reefers, MARS, and over a dozen others, as well as the major reef boards, for several months now so I would think most west coasters would have gotten the word.

I agree August is not the best time of year, but it is the cheapest as far as hotels go. People are always complaining how expensive these conferences are and we were just trying to save them some money. I know it will be hot but you are going to be in air conditioning all day.

Oh well, who knows why?

IMO, it didn't seem like enough advertising for a new event, and most of the post I saw about IMAC Vegas was buried in post about IMAC Chicago. I also think having the show in Vegas competes down the event, and that August is more of the problem than the heat.

But maybe you are right and people just don't care. :D

[degall]

Thales, you are correct. When I got the report from the hotel, I was so upset that I probably wasn't thinking clearly when I composed the post, and I, unfortunately, used some inappropriate words.

By that time, anyway, after months of heavy promotion, it was probably too late. I don't know why people did not register during the months of heavy promotion on the western club reef boards. It was just a last ditch effort to drum up some registrants. I was thinking about the lawsuit the hotel was going to file against me for breaking the contract, which is going to cost me a fortune.

We live and learn, and in this matter I have learned a lot. A very expensive lesson.

Cheers,
Dennis

[benf]

Maybe some of the people that booked in other hotels can switch their reservations to this one to help meet the quota!

[degall]

That's a good possibility Ben.

Dennis

[RasBobre]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10263624#post10263624 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by degall
By that time, anyway, after months of heavy promotion, it was probably too late. I don't know why people did not register during the months of heavy promotion on the western club reef boards.

Dennis - I truely find this statement to be false. I did a search here on RC and did not come up with any threads (titles) that promote the IMAC LV.

Many regular RC members of MARS and BAR have stated that they didn't know anything about this conference .

I think the biggest hurdle you faced was the fact that you agreed to too many room nights with The Riviera. There are too many room options in Las Vegas and I would've stayed in a nicer hotel and dealt with the heat either walking or taking a taxi to the conference. But others are staying away from LV in August simply due to the heat.

110 degrees today in Vegas.

[JKH]

I have to agree with others about hotel options. I have been to LV a few times and would probably stay at the Venetian if I went. I have stayed at the Imperial Palace once and felt like I was in a motel 6. Don't know about the Riveria, but I do know Venitian is top knotch and plenty to do to keep my Wife entertained with a mall right down the road.

Is it possible to have a conference without a hotel quota? Though I like the idea of a conference in Las Vegas, it is probably the worst place to get folks in one hotel. i.e. people are going to say in a hotel that has a show or 2 they want to see for convenience.

Just my .02

JKH

[degall]

Hey RasBobre, the reason your search did not find any threads on RC promoting IMAC LV is that RC considers IMAC a commercial venture and forbids me from starting any threads. I can only post here under Announcements (a policy they only just permitted recently).

I posted notices on the club boards of both MARS and BAR. I don't know how your friends missed them.

We meet that quota with IMAC Chicago and we thought we could do it in Vegas, especially since when we checked around we found the Riviera was one of the cheapest hotels we could find.

We thought (wrong, I guess) that the heat would discourage people from staying at another hotel and braving the long walk in the heat.

I guess we made a number of wrong decisions with IMAC LV, like having it a week before Reef-A-Palooza, which we didn't even know about when we scheduled IMAC LV.

Dennis

[Bebo77]

truth be told.... if you were hoping that west coast people were going to go to Vegas in the summer, that was your first mistake...

As Vegas is so close to us on the west coast to plan this event during the summer when it is hot and the kids are not in school was mis conceived. I think most people on the west coast avoid Vegas like the plague during the summer, we all go to the beach and try to stay cool...

Now if you were to have done this in say Oct/ Nov and not made me stay at your hotel i would have gone...

just my .02

[Thales]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10264021#post10264021 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by degall
Hey RasBobre, the reason your search did not find any threads on RC promoting IMAC LV is that RC considers IMAC a commercial venture and forbids me from starting any threads. I can only post here under Announcements (a policy they only just permitted recently).

I posted notices on the club boards of both MARS and BAR. I don't know how your friends missed them.



I think people missed them because the assumption with IMAC is that is a East/Midwest thing. Most people in MARS and BAR didn't know about IMAC LV, and I don't think that is the fault of the potential attendees, rather that it had something to do with the way the event was promoted. I think blaming potential attendees for not knowing about the brand new event is not a great way to engender current or future interest in the event.

I still hope the con happens!

[Thales]

Oh - there is another reason why BAR members might not have paid too much attention to IMAC LV - there is a club meeting on the Aug 11th scheduled for over a year.

[DaveBien]

<< signed up and hoping it will go forward. Chicago was good with great speakers and deals. I want to see if the left coast has stuff as great as they claim... LOL

Come on, you can DRIVE from LA !!!!

[benf]

So, Is today still the make or break day?

[DaveBien]

Hmmm, no news may not be good news....

[RasBobre]

Very poor communication.....very poor planning.

My guess is that it is off.

Blaming the fact that Dennis could not create posts to publicize IMAC LV due to RC's policies is not an excuse.

[DaveBien]

If it is off I feel sorry for Dennis, He made one hell of an effort at Chicago this yr. My club, CMAS, help as well as we could and it seems most folks had a good time. I am / was looking forward to LV.

Hopefully bigger and better in Chicago next year.

[workn4frags]

I agree with Bebo. Plus when you throw in that Reef A Palooza is the following weekend in So. Cal. it makes it harder to convince the family to go to both events. I would still like to go, I have family in LV so accomadations are not an issue.

[benf]

I hope we find out soon, cause i still plan to go to Vegas. If no event i will plan a trip to the Grand Canyon.

[ostrow]

The IMAC website (www.theimac.org) now definitively states it is cancelled.

[tcmike64]

DAMN, I'm very disappointed that the IMAC conference is cancelled. I even convinced my gf that it was a business trip, and i was going SOLO. PLUS there is no way that this event should be based on the occupancy at the riveria, there are way too many hotel options in vegas. I've been to vegas at least 20 times and I would never stay at the riviera. there is only one true place in vegas. the HR

P.S. everyone is missing out on the best event of the year, besides IMAC......REHAB!!!! DAMN

[degall]

Yes tcmike64, I'm also disappointed we had to cancel IMAC Las Vegas. Besides very low registrations we had to consider the low number of room reservations at the Riviera because, according to the contract, we had to guarantee them a certain number of room nights, so that was important too. I'm sorry you don't like the place but it was the only hotel with the meeting space we needed.

We're going to try and reschedule IMAC when the temperatures in Vegas aren't so high, since that was a big reason given by many for not signing up. The fact that they would be in air conditioning all day didn't seem to matter.

Cheers,
Dennis, Conference Chair

[benf]

When will we be contacted for our refunds?

[Thales]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10374261#post10374261 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by degall
Yes tcmike64, I'm also disappointed we had to cancel IMAC Las Vegas. Besides very low registrations we had to consider the low number of room reservations at the Riviera because, according to the contract, we had to guarantee them a certain number of room nights, so that was important too. I'm sorry you don't like the place but it was the only hotel with the meeting space we needed.

We're going to try and reschedule IMAC when the temperatures in Vegas aren't so high, since that was a big reason given by many for not signing up. The fact that they would be in air conditioning all day didn't seem to matter.

Cheers,
Dennis, Conference Chair

If you need a minimum number of room nights to make a future conference happen, please make sure that is clear in your advertising and event related emails. I don't think it was at all clear this time around.
One of the reasons that people were thinking about heat is because they were thinking of staying at their favorite hotels, not at the Riviera (another reason is because it is also hot at night in Vegas in August, and yet another is because going out in 120 degrees is unpleasant even if you only have to do it a few times).

[degall]

I'm sorry Thales. I thought everyone knew. Hotels don't make any money on conferences. Room rentals is where they they make it. But we will try to make that clear in future advertising.

The Riviera is one of the older hotels in Vegas, built back when hotels were interested in convention business. Nowadays, they are are only interested in gambling so they do not even have big meeting rooms, so our selection of hotels was quite limited. We are not big enough to use convention centers.

Well, we had a fantastic IMAC this year, all booths were sold out months in advance for the first time and everyone seemed to have a great time. It is unfortunate that we had to cancel IMAC Las Vegas due to lack of interest (or probably it was the thought of temperatures in Vegas in August). But we are trying to reschedule it for later in the winter and we will see what happens.

But we are well on our way in planning for the International Marine Aquarium Conference 2008 to be held in Chicago on May 30, 31 and June 1 of 2008. We already have Dr. Ron Shimek (2 presentations), Frank Burr, Dr. Sanjay Joshi, Bob Fenner and Anthony Calfo lined up with lots more to come. We will again have our popular “behind-the-scenes” tour of Shedd Aquarium on May 29th, and we are considering having a tour of LFS on Monday June 2. We hope we will again sell out the booths early so we will once again have a Great Trade Show.

So get over to www.theimac.org to sign up for IMAC and take advantage of Early Bird Registration Rates now in effect..
The conference will be held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel and we hope you will stay there so it will count toward our room block.

Happy Reefkeeping,
Dennis

[benf]

post again.....When will we be contacted for our refunds?

[RasBobre]

Assuming that your attendees were going to stay at an old delapitated hotel in Vegas when there is so much more to offer I think was your biggest mistake.

Plus you never did lay the need for room reservations out when the threat of the possible cancellation was announced. Too many westcoasters know what is available in Vegas compared to the Riviera. And to say that the newer casinos do not cater to conferences is flat out wrong.Also, I had a client tell me yesterday that she tried to sign up in April and you were not accepting reservations at that time. Perhaps not to compete with Chicago?

About refunds... I received an email from you a week a go today asking if I wanted my money back or if I'd like to apply it towards Chicago and I have not receieved a response.

[degall]

Sorry Ben, I missed your earlier post. Many people have already received refunds. If you want to speed yours up, just email me with your full name and I'll move you to the top of the list.

Sorry,
Dennis

[degall]

Rasbobre, I'm puzzled by your post. I spent 2 days at the Riviera early this Spring and I did not find it "old and delapitaded". A Luxor or Bellagio it is not, but do you want to spend $200 a night? Even if you are, how many people would you be denying the right to come to an IMAC? After all, you are going to Vegas for an IMAC, not a luxury vacation. The Riviera has been remodeled and updated over the years and is certainly livable. I checked out several of their rooms and could find nothing wrong with them.

You say that the newer hotels do cater to conferences, but I would like to know which ones. I sent Requests For Proposals to just about every hotel in Vegas and the responses I got were dismal. The few that did have meeting space wanted to put our meeting rooms at one end of the complex and the exhibit space at the other (our exhibitors wouldn't stand for that) or on another floor.

I also don't understand how your client could say we were not accepting registrations in April when we were begging for them. It doesn't make any sense.

As far as processing your refund, it takes time. We have to go through hundreds of PayPal transactions and try to process them in the order received. We have already given deposits to the hotel and other companies and as you can imagine, we are not exactly flush with money right now and I have already transferred money twice from my personal account to cover refunds. It will happen very soon.

Regards,
Dennis

[Thales]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10379329#post10379329 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by degall
[B]Rasbobre, I'm puzzled by your post. I spent 2 days at the Riviera early this Spring and I did not find it "old and delapitaded". A Luxor or Bellagio it is not, but do you want to spend $200 a night? Even if you are, how many people would you be denying the right to come to an IMAC? After all, you are going to Vegas for an IMAC, not a luxury vacation. The Riviera has been remodeled and updated over the years and is certainly livable. I checked out several of their rooms and could find nothing wrong with them.


I don't think its fair to say someone is denying someone else the 'right' to come to an IMAC because they didn't want to stay at the Riviera.

If 'livable' rooms are the goal, why have the con in Vegas at all? You could have it in Phoenix, Oakland, Sacramento, or Salt Lake City, be able offer much cheaper rooms, and not have all of Vegas competing for attention of attendees.

I am a little confused because you pitched IMAC Vegas as a vacation. On a club forum you talked about being able to extend your stay at the conference room rate and said:

Guys this one will be an easy sell. Your significant other can see Celine Dion, Carrot Top, Rita Rudner, Bette Midler, David Copperfield, Elton John, Wayne Newton, Barry Manilow or some of the many other headliners while you attend the conference. (Hint: Buy your tickets now, for the best seats. Celine Dion sells out about a month in advance).

[degall]

Thales, maybe you are not a typical conference goer. I remember just a few years ago, when IMAC registration rates were just $75 and hotel rates were just about the same per night, people would still complain about the high cost. So we have tried to keep the costs down. IMAC is not a business trip for most people and they come at their own expense. Less than 1 in 10 conference attendees will attempt to take in what Vegas has to offer. The vast majority will arrive on Thursday evening or Friday morning and leave on Sunday evening, possibly without even visiting the gaming tables.

For the few that do, they are there. For the few that take in the overpriced shows, they are there. The main reason we planned the con in Vegas was the accesability of the city. Like Chicago, you can easily get there from almost anywhere. From many cities, you probably can't get to Phoenix, Oakland, Sacramento or Salt Lake City without making connections. For the few that need to bring along their significant other, now they have an excuse.

So, when we market the conference, we play up all angles. For the vast majority, who are happy just looking at all the neon and absorbing the atmosphere, the Riviera is just fine. For connesouirs like yourself, you can stay at the Luxor and commute. It's fine with me. I still want to aim IMAC at the average guy who is looking for a deal.

Best Regards,
Dennis

[Thales]

'Connesouirs' like me? I would have stayed at a friends house, and if I couldn't do that I would have stayed at the Riviera. Perhaps you have me confused with another poster.

Just because it may have been a business trip for me doesn't mean that it doesn't cost me money.

Something about the way you used the 'shows' as a plus when originally posting about the con and the way you are disparaging them now makes me feel awkward.

I think the 'you probably can't get to different cities' idea is a little odd as well, as at least Phoenix is as major hub a hub as Vegas. Denver is another good one.

It seems that we simply don't know if 'the vast majority' are happy with the Riviera because there were not enough attendees registering to make the conference happen at all, and if the vast majority was happy the conference wouldn't have been cancelled.

I think Vegas is a problematic city for a convention of the size of IMAC. Its expensive, its spread out, there seems to be no aquarium draw, there is a whole lot in the city that simply competes with the convention.

[burned]

IMAC Las Vegas is TOOO close to MACNA. A IMAC once a year maybe (about 1/2 the size of MACNA) but two, for get about it. How about Vegas instead of Chicago next June? I think it too much to expect vendors to do three trade shows in less thann six months.

b

[degall]

burned, I wish it were as simple as 3 trade shows a year for vendors. There are also Interzoo and Aquarama in Europe and Asia, 2 Backer shows (1 in Chicago a week or 2 before MACNA) and who knows how many more smaller ones that vendors have to attend. It is murder trying to schedule IMAC without conflicting with some big show somewhere.

Vendors are pretty busy running around from one show to another.

Dennis

[Playa-1]

Never heard of it. What is IMAC?
I heard about Reefa Palooza and I attended.
I might have been interested to attend this other show but this is the first I've heard of it.
I'm always looking for an excuse to go and play in Vegas:)

[ABlundell]

IMAC is a fabulous conference for the marine hobby. It is held yearly (around June) in Chicago... www.theimac.org

I can't believe the Vegas addition was cancelled. We had a bunch of us in Salt Lake City planning to attend. I would have thought with 15 million or so living in the Southern Cal area this would have been huge. I think the timing and hotel choice were great! Why would you stay elsewhere? Being in the conference hotel is half the fun.

Adam

[degall]

Adam; one of the big problems we had was that the hotel was selling rooms to the general public for about half what they could get them for if they signed up for them under IMAC. So go figure.

Dennis

[Thales]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10728699#post10728699 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ABlundell
IMAC is a fabulous conference for the marine hobby. It is held yearly (around June) in Chicago... www.theimac.org

I can't believe the Vegas addition was cancelled. We had a bunch of us in Salt Lake City planning to attend. I would have thought with 15 million or so living in the Southern Cal area this would have been huge. I think the timing and hotel choice were great! Why would you stay elsewhere? Being in the conference hotel is half the fun.

Adam

I think the Souther Cali contingent was more interested in going to Reefapalooza. But, I agree it is a bummer it was cancelled.

[ghcpa9]

aww :(