by Janet Dickelman
There are many components that make for a successful convention: sponsors, exhibitors, programming, and tours, but the most important part of the convention is you!
By the time you read this, there will be approximately 60 days until the 2014 conference and convention. I hope you are looking forward to Las Vegas as much as I am. Have you made your plans yet?
Join the fun beginning Friday, July 11th, and ending with our final tour on Saturday, July 19th. This is your convention to enjoy, learn, participate and give feedback! Whether you have never attended a convention or have been coming for years, we want to see you in Las Vegas. This is a historic convention with Kim Charlson as the first woman president of ACB.
Convention Hotel
If you attended the convention in 2005, some portions of the Riviera will be familiar to you, but the hotel has gone through a big makeover since we last visited. The Monaco tower was remodeled in 2008 and is totally non-smoking. All rooms have refrigerators, and our convention rate is $87 per night. The Monte Carlo tower has not been remodeled since 1998. This is the tower to stay in if you are a smoker (there are smoking and non-smoking floors) and it is the place to stay if you are on a budget with a $63 room rate. Both towers have easy access to the convention center, the portion of the hotel where all meetings will be held.
On the first floor, the Grande Ballroom has 8 sections. It will be home to our general sessions, ACB Café, ACB Marketplace and other functions. The Capri rooms (103 through 115) will be where you will find registration and where many meetings will be held. The Royale Pavilions (1 through 8) will feature the exhibit hall and other meetings.
On the second floor you will find Sky Boxes (201 through 212), where other meetings will be held.
The Top of the Riv on the 65th floor of Monaco tower will be used for the FIA Showcase of the Performing Arts, the auction, our Friday evening banquet and some other large events.
The executive director's and president's suites will be on non-smoking floors in the Monte Carlo tower. You do not have to walk through the casino to get to the meeting rooms from either tower or to visit the Riviera's restaurants.
Special Requests
Ordering Dog Food
Once again this year, Tim and Maria Stone of Scoop Masters will be maintaining the relief areas and taking pre-orders for dog food, which will be delivered directly to your room. If your dog is anything like my dog Isabel, seeing that dog food bag is the highlight of the convention, and Tim and Maria are her best friends! You may pre-order dog food for the convention by visiting www.premiumpetfood.com/acb.
If you can't find your brand, you can contact Scoop Masters at 1-800-787-7667 or use the e-mail link on the page. There are over 1,500 brands and types of dog food, so we can't list them all, but we can get anything you need. The last day for ordering dog food for room delivery is Tuesday, July 8th for regular dog food. If you require special-order food, please place your order by July 1st.
As of now, dog relief areas are planned for outside the Monaco tower, outside of the Royale Pavilion, and outside the Grande Ballroom. We will have canopies over the areas, and Tim is using a new, soft artificial grass product. Please keep in mind that these areas may change once Tim arrives at the hotel.
Interpreter Services
If you plan to attend the convention and need a support service provider or interpreter, please contact Lori Scharff, who will assist in making arrangements. Send an e-mail to [email protected] with "interpreter for Las Vegas" in the subject line, or contact her via phone, (516) 695-6370.
Wheelchairs and Scooters
The Riviera has wheelchairs and scooters available. Please contact me by June 1st with your name, phone number and arrival and departure dates.
Reservation Details
Room rates at the Riviera are $87 in the Monaco tower and $63 in the Monte Carlo tower. Rates are for $87 single and double, plus $10 per additional guest. Room taxes are currently 12%. You will be charged for one night's stay when you make your reservation.
Make telephone reservations by calling 1-800-634-6753 or online by visiting the ACB web site at www.acb.org and following the 2014 conference and convention link.
Convention Contacts
Stay in touch by joining the ACB convention e-mail list. To subscribe, send a blank e-mail to [email protected].
2014 exhibit information: Michael Smitherman, (601) 331-7740, [email protected]
2014 advertising and sponsorships: Margarine Beaman, (512) 921-1625, [email protected]
For any other convention-related questions, contact Janet Dickelman, convention chair, at (651) 428-5059 or via e-mail, [email protected].