@SACC Group,

I am not sure why there haven't been any news items submitted about the change of location of the 2012 AmiWest Show, but it should be spread far and wide to make sure everyone planning on attending the show waits to make their hotel reservations, or cancels their reservations, if they have already made them, at the hotel which has double booked the room(s) used for the AmiWest Show.

I would like to know if the SACC group put up a fight to keep the current hotel, of if they even had a choice. It is/was a good location and much better than the previous hotel. I hope they don't decide to go back there.

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@amigadave

Quote:

I am not sure why there haven't been any news items submitted about the change of location of the 2012 AmiWest Show,

Waiting on an update to come soonish...
Already have a template drafted. Heh.

#6

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@amigadave

NEW AmiWest 2012 Venue Secured
August 16, 2012 08:57:26
Posted By amigaprez

After much negotiation and investigating 6 other sites, the venue for AmiWest 2012 has been secured. Our venue will be the Ramada Plaza Cal Expo in Sacramento, California. This newly renovated hotel has the conference facilities that we need at the right rates for our show. General Manager Vasant Lad is proving to be a good show partner, addressing our concerns to our satisfaction.

Now that the contract is signed, it will take a few days for the room reservation code to become active. Watch this blog for details on the venue and room reservations, to come in the next few days.

So be sure to make your plans to attend AmiWest 2012, the Amiga show on the West Coast of the United States of America! It's all happening at the Ramada Plaza Cal Expo, 2600 Auburn Blvd., Sacramento, CA 95821. Local phone: 916-487-7606. Come see the latest in Amiga hardware and software October 19-21, 2012. And watch our blog at blog.amiwest.net for breaking news of AmiWest 2012 as it happens! You don't want to miss it! Organized by the AmiWest committee, Sacramento Amiga Computer Club.

@SACC-dude

um, not to nit-pick, but did you guys take a look at the hotel rooms? the reviews at tripadvisor, google, and yahoo! are all fairly uniform in warning potential customers to avoid staying there. doesn't really sound like a nice place.



i think i'll keep my reservations at the hampton inn and just walk.

-- eliyahu

Last edited by eliyahu on 17-Aug-2012 at 02:26 PM.

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@eliyahu

Quote:

This newly renovated hotel has the conference facilities that we need at the right rates for our show.

Prolly the key bit, given the technical requirements.

#6

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@number6

fair enough. by the way the official site and the SACC amiwest page still point to the old location. i assume brian is already aware, but just in case it was an oversight, thought i'd give a heads up.

on a personal note, i don't suppose we could tempt you to attend in person this year?

-- eliyahu

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"Physical reality is consistent with universal laws. When the laws do not operate, there is no reality. All of this is unreal."

@eliyahu

Quote:

fair enough. by the way the official site and the SACC amiwest page still point to the old location. i assume brian is already aware, but just in case it was an oversight, thought i'd give a heads up.

from the blog:

Quote:

This blog is the only official source of information for AmiWest.

I'd ignore anything else until those other sites are updated.

Once the negotiated rate is available I'll start a thread to cover things like contact/registration/questions regarding services required, etc. and link back to this one for archival purposes.

Here's something to think about regarding the old reviews about this hotel...
If I owned that hotel and saw the chance to repair the image from hosting an event particularly of a technical nature, I'd be going out of my way to make sure everything worked. Heh.

#6

Last edited by number6 on 17-Aug-2012 at 03:20 PM.

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@number6

Quote:

Here's something to think about regarding the old reviews about this hotel... If I owned that hotel and saw the chance to repair the image from hosting an event particularly of a technical nature, I'd be going out of my way to make sure everything worked. Heh.

i really, really hope so. the hotel looks a little, well, suspect. but i haven't been there, so it may be perfectly fine. nonetheless until folks 'on the ground' can say that things have changed and no longer reflect the online reviews, i'll be sleeping over down the road. i'm sure brian and/or chuck have checked it out, and if they say things are OK, that will be good enough for me. they certainly seem eager to please, and that's a good first start.

no matter where it's held, though, the show should prove to be great fun as always; and i highly encourage folks to try and attend. if the ramada isn't your speed, they are plenty of other options within walking distance.

-- eliyahu

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"Physical reality is consistent with universal laws. When the laws do not operate, there is no reality. All of this is unreal."

Ah, back to the old Ramada. I hope the air-conditioning is improved.

Truly,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://videocam.net.au/fcug

@RobertB

Quote:

RobertB wrote: Ah, back to the old Ramada. I hope the air-conditioning is improved. Truly, Robert Bernardo Fresno Commodore User Group http://videocam.net.au/fcug

It is the old location, isn't it Robert?

I thought it looked very familiar, but was not sure it was the same place that AmiWest was held for a few years, prior to the last two shows, which were held at the hotel which apparently has double booked the conference rooms we need for this year's show.

Too bad, as I liked the newer place that we had the last two years much better than the Ramada, but the drinkers will like having a Bar inside the hotel, so they don't have to leave the premises to get a beer or two.

Hopefully we can get back to the same place the show has been held the last two years for the 2013 AmiWest Show (assuming that Nostradamus and the Mayan Calendar are not correct and the World does not end this December )

Last edited by amigadave on 17-Aug-2012 at 09:53 PM.

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@amigadave
Quote:

It is the old location, isn't it Robert?

Oh yes, it is the same location where you didn't have hot water in your room that final year. The place became a real cesspool from looking at those reviews so we got out just in time.

But that was then and this is now. We've been assured the hotel is under new management and has been recently renovated. The SACC guys have checked out the hotel in person so they would be the best people to chat with regarding any concerns.

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@eliyahu

Please nit and pick all you want...

BTW, I didn't and don't know anything but what I read and copied from the post at the
"official"amiwest site.

As a co-founder assistant for Amiwest and SACC member for years, I just try to pass along what little I know.

M

@eliyahu

Quote:

um, not to nit-pick, but did you guys take a look at the hotel rooms? the reviews at tripadvisor, google, and yahoo! are all fairly uniform in warning potential customers to avoid staying there. doesn't really sound like a nice place.

I prefer to stay in the host hotel, so I figured that I would read some of the reviews you linked to.

Oh my God! I stopped reading when I read this paragraph from a long review:
Quote:

We got to our room and it was dirty. Dirty sheets, dirty walls, very old bathroom, the complimentary toiletries were not replaced, and the room was extremely humid. I turned on a small dial to get the fan going and there was a smell coming out of the air conditioning. The vent itself was very dirty so who knows what was blowing out at us. As for the bed, uncomfortable and old. I always check the sheets as soon as I arrive and they were not clean. Hair and spots from who knows what left behind. I knew I had to call the front desk to get clean sheets, but guess what - NO PHONE in the room!

I don't want a bed with hair and stain spots in it.

Quote:

i think i'll keep my reservations at the hampton inn and just walk.

I might be walking with you.

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AmigaOne X1000
AmigaOne XE G4
I'd agree with you, but then we'd both be wrong.

@number6

Quote:

Here's something to think about regarding the old reviews about this hotel...

The review I quoted in my above post was not an old review. It was written in April of this year.

_________________
Moxee
AmigaOne X1000
AmigaOne XE G4
I'd agree with you, but then we'd both be wrong.

@Moxee

The Ramada Plaza is not in an area where you want to be walking at night. Maybe a group of 3 or more together would be okay, but if I do not stay in the hotel, I will be driving to and from it in my car, so if you need a ride back to the hotel of your choice, I can play Taxi Driver and shuttle you back and forth.

I also am concerned that several of the bad reviews are not from 3 years ago, but are fairly recent. I hate to bring any of this to light, as I do not want negative comments to hurt attendance, but I would rather everyone have accurate information and return to the show again next year, than have too many first time attendee's not know what they are getting and be so disappointed with the accommodations that they never want to return for another show in the future. There are 85 hotels/motels within 5 minutes of the Show Hotel, so there are plenty of choices for every budget.

If you are flying in to Sacramento and don't want to get a rental car, I am sure there will be plenty of other people attending and organizing the show who would be willing to help you get around if you do not choose to stay at the Ramada Plaza.

Last edited by amigadave on 17-Aug-2012 at 10:54 PM.
Last edited by amigadave on 17-Aug-2012 at 10:53 PM.

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@ssolie

Quote:

Oh yes, it is the same location where you didn't have hot water in your room that final year. The place became a real cesspool from looking at those reviews so we got out just in time.

Is this the same hotel that was used in 2004? The one with the abandoned and stripped cars at one end of it? It sure looks like it. If so, I was there in 2004 and I did not find it so terrible. They were very accommodating to me when they found out that I arrived 15 minutes after the kennel closed and couldn't get my dog in until the next morning. I told them I was going to sleep in my car so my dog would not bark all night. They gave me a room which was going to be revamped so I could bring my dog inside. I found this room quite nice even if scheduled for refurbishing. This is the year that the all night Amiga party was held next to my room. I swear that they were using our common wall to throw bottles against. I was awake most of the night. I should have joined the party.


Quote:

But that was then and this is now. We've been assured the hotel is under new management and has been recently renovated.

The negative reviews I read were written as recently as May 2012 so I wonder what recently renovated means.

Quote:

The SACC guys have checked out the hotel in person so they would be the best people to chat with regarding any concerns.

I wonder if they looked at any of the rooms. I want to stay at the show hotel, but not if I turn down the bed and find hair and stain spots.

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Moxee
AmigaOne X1000
AmigaOne XE G4
I'd agree with you, but then we'd both be wrong.

@Moxee

I take those complaints in hotel reviews with a grain of salt, as anyone can write the most horrific review about any hotel, if they have had any kind of dispute with the hotel management, in an attempt to harm the hotel. The review you quoted was either what I just described, or it was a room that had not been cleaned at all and the front desk staff made an error in sending anyone to that room before it could be cleaned and have new sheets put on the bed. That is my opinion anyway.

It is when you see dozens of bad reviews that I start to worry about the quality of a place to stay. The fact that there are not many positive reviews is also very telling about the quality of a hotel.

I also prefer to stay at the hotel where the show is taking place, but since there are so many hotels and motels within a short distance of the Ramada Plaza, if I decide not to stay there, it is not that inconvenient to drive a few minutes away to a better hotel.

Last edited by amigadave on 17-Aug-2012 at 11:09 PM.

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Amiga! The computer that inspired so many, to accomplish so much, but has ended up in the hands of . . . . . . . . . .

@ssolie / @SACC-dude

Quote:

But that was then and this is now. We've been assured the hotel is under new management and has been recently renovated. The SACC guys have checked out the hotel in person so they would be the best people to chat with regarding any concerns.

that's good enough for me.

-- eliyahu

Last edited by eliyahu on 17-Aug-2012 at 11:11 PM.

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"Physical reality is consistent with universal laws. When the laws do not operate, there is no reality. All of this is unreal."

@amigadave

Quote:

The Ramada Plaza is not in an area where you want to be walking at night. Maybe a group of 3 or more together would be okay, but if I do not stay in the hotel, I will be driving to and from it in my car, so if you need a ride back to the hotel of your choice, I can play Taxi Driver and shuttle you back and forth.

That is very kind of you Dave. I'll be driving my car down to Sacramento again because flying takes about 9 hours with transfers and waiting and ends up costing more than driving. Plus I'd have to kennel my dog up here for 4-5 days whereas if I drive he will only be kenneled for 2 days. I may as well drive 11 hours and save money. I also want to bring my A2000s for battery modifications.

Quote:

I also am concerned that several of the bad reviews are not from 3 years ago, but are fairly recent.

I'd like to hear from the guys who are said to have checked out the hotel. If they can vouch for the rooms then I will stay there. Like I say, I believe I stayed there before and I liked the set up they had.

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Moxee
AmigaOne X1000
AmigaOne XE G4
I'd agree with you, but then we'd both be wrong.

I stayed at the Super 8 motel last yr, a few miles down I-80. Just checked their price, $31.36 plus tax per night for 3 nights or more. The show hotel gives a 20% discount for 3 nights or more, so $55 plus tax a night, have to see what the discount is. California hotel tax is 12%.

Super 8 - 4317 Madison Avenue, Sacramento

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