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2024 National Convention Update


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Hi All,

We want to announce a change of venue and date for the 2024 National Convention. Due to unforeseen circumstances, we have moved the event to a new location.

We are excited to share that the 2024 National Convention will now be held at the Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center on July 17-20. Located on the shores of Lake Monona in downtown Madison, this large and professional event space is an ideal location for the IPMS/USA National Convention. There is plenty of onsite parking, nearby hotels, and an excellent restaurant scene within walking distance.    

We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused, but we are confident this new venue will deliver an unforgettable attendee experience. 

IPMS/USA would like to recognize the IPMS Mad City Modelers' dedication and commitment throughout the early planning process. The show is in great hands, and we can’t wait for 2024.

Additional information on the new venue will be posted soon on the IPMS/USA homepage. If you have any questions, feel free to contact ipmsusa2ndvp@ipmsusa.org.  

Thank you for your membership and support.

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Sounds good! Since this probably involves different nearby hotels, will it also involve a change in the expected room rates for the convention? Also, does it increase, or decrease the number of available rooms at the convention rate?

 

Gil :cool:

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1 minute ago, ghodges said:

Sounds good! Since this probably involves different nearby hotels, will it also involve a change in the expected room rates for the convention? Also, does it increase, or decrease the number of available rooms at the convention rate?

 

Gil :cool:

Hi Gil,

Those details are being finalized now with new nearby hotel chains. Due to its proximity, some of the hotels supporting the previous venue will be used for this location. It is expected that the hotels supporting this venue will be equal to or greater than those supporting the previous venue. 

New details will be released as contracts are signed. 

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3 hours ago, MRechlicz said:

Just curious why the change?

Great question, we took a step back and evaluated our options for the conventions; we found that Monona Terrace is the best venue for the IPMS National Convention. We're excited to have this historic facility and look forward to hosting the membership. 

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As John has indicated (he is far more diplomatic than I am), this will be a qualitative upgrade to our previous venue, and no, we're not going into the details of what happened with the previous one. The decision was made in full cooperation with the E-board and the 2024 planning team and we are VERY HAPPY, and somewhat lucky, that we got all the stars to align. What transpired with the previous venue is water under the bridge and we won't be beating a dead horse. The team is moving forward with our specific tasks, and our goal is to have specific things locked in before San Marcos, so we can be onsite in TX with the answers to your questions.

We are currently locking down contracts with multiple hotels in the greater Madison area, some will be premium, some will be where you expect them to be, some will be far more affordable. ALL of the hotel options come with some sort of setback, so you get to pick two of the three options, Price, Location, and Quality. If you want Quality and Location, you have to compromise on Price, etc. Logic dictates that you cannot have all three, and sometimes even two are marginal. In short, you won't find a $59/night 5-star hotel in downtown Madison. 

We have a few tricks up our sleeves with regards to hotels, including one that hasn't even been built yet, so we're confident that we will be able to give everyone enough choices to satisfy their hotel requirements for the convention. As has always been my goal, I want to avoid the "two minutes to midnight" mad rush to book a room before they are gone in the first ten minutes. We will provide you with multiple hotel options, including transportation options, as soon as we have locked them down with contracts.

It is the team's goal to make this Nats special. We're not trying to out-perform anyone, we're just trying to be unique and offer you the best experience we can provide. Everything we are doing, from the venue to the seminars, the tours, the banquet, and the awards ceremony, will be done to the best of our abilities. We want you to leave Madison happy and wanting to come back.

I want to thank John for assisting us with this venue change drama, and for the E-board (every last one of them!!) for having the confidence in this team to support our decision to make a major change this late in the game. I will be presenting an upgraded "dog and pony show" at San Marcos to highlight the new facility, talk about all the new "walking distance" amenities available on Capital Square (food, beer, museums, the Capital building, food, and BEER), and answer all your questions about cheese curds and micro brews. My team will have a table in TX, so if you have any questions, look for anyone wearing an American Flag t-shirt (after all, our theme is All American - Red, White, and Blue) and don't hesitate to engage. Attached is the updated PDF we presented to the E-board less than 60 days ago. This is an amended presentation to the one I presented to the board and membership in Omaha last year. 

Donning my Kevlar and heading for cover!!!

See y'all in Texas!!

Jeff Herne
2024 IPMS/USA National Convention Chair
IPMS/USA Region 5 Coordinator
Legend in His Own Mind 😉

IPMS 2024 Madison_NEW_LOCATIONv2.pdf

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11 hours ago, bonanf35 said:

Great question, we took a step back and evaluated our options for the conventions; we found that Monona Terrace is the best venue for the IPMS National Convention. We're excited to have this historic facility and look forward to hosting the membership. 

It is a great venue! Looking forward to the convention.

Mije

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This, to me, seems like a very positive change. Really hope I can get the week off from work.

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James, I would be happy to write a letter to your employer on your behalf...although please keep in mind, the last one I wrote, "The dog ate my homework", didn't work so well. 😉

Hope you can make it, it'll be nice to catch up.

Jeff

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I'm already optimistic about this, just from the excellent communications being put here by the Madison team. I have no doubt that they will try to make it as unique and memorable as they've stated. The fact that they're already so responsive, this far in advance, gives me great confidence in them. Thanks for the prompt and informative replies folks!

 

Gil :cool:

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Jeff & all,

You may not know it, but you folks may have just saved my marriage! You see, with the original schedule I would have been travelling home that Sunday the 17th of August which also happens to be my 50th wedding anniversary. Oh I can tell you I was getting some very icy stares from the Boss about that! Now all is good! Problem solved. 😀

Thanks guys,

John

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Communication is always the key. Now, that being said, you might not always LIKE what I have to say, but it's gonna get said, regardless. I have long abandoned the hope of trying to please everyone, and appeasement is not in my vocabulary. I now fully understand why Nats organizers try to maintain a low profile. Even 14 months out, I'm getting emails and PMs about the rumors and gossip being tossed about. Some of the questions are legit, upfront questions that need to be answered and we will do our best to answer them. Sometimes we're not far enough along in the process to answer them. Some questions are out in left field... and a few are bordering on the ridiculous (sorry, they cannot change the color of the vendor room floor). So, as of today, 6/8/2023, we can effectively answer questions pertaining to the following:

1. The venue. We LOVE our new venue, and we think you will, too.
2. Hotels, although we are still working on a few details.
3. Parking. Parking in Madison is either run by the City of Madison or the State of Wisconsin. It is what it is, and we're not influential enough to change it. We're working on shuttles.
4. Tours - lots of great tours in the works, including a day trip to the Harley Davidson Museum in Milwaukee and a VIP Dinner trip to the EAA Museum in Oshkosh.
5. Seminars - we're gonna have a full schedule of seminars, and some surprises as well.
6. Apres-show - LOTS to do on Capital Square after hours... and we're planning a Happy Hour in the Grand Terrace each night.
7. Show Theme - All American, Red, White, and Blue. We can babble for hours on all the possibilities for a theme project.
8. SIGS, Group Builds, and Display Only - we intend to offer ALL three.
9. Vendor information - what we have, we'll share, but NOTHING is official until San Marcos.
10. Our mission to Texas. Yes, we will be there, please seek one of the team out.
11. Volunteer and Team opportunities - Many hands make for light work. We're always looking for people with the motivation and drive to be a part of this team. Contact me.

That's what I know as of today. I'll post updates here if they are pertinent to the general membership. You will NOT be getting updates about stuff you don't need to worry about, i.e., we just got word that they re-lined the lower-level parking spaces!  Efficiency is mission-critical in this process simply because there's so much to do between now and then. I hope you'll understand, and if you don't, well... 😉

Jeff

 

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Jeff this is so awesome! Man, I wish I could go! What a thrill it would be to visit there, and the fact you're leading this makes me even more upset that I can't go. I will be following everything closely and living vicariously through everyone else.

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 6/8/2023 at 1:06 PM, Jeff Herne said:

James, I would be happy to write a letter to your employer on your behalf...although please keep in mind, the last one I wrote, "The dog ate my homework", didn't work so well. 😉

Hope you can make it, it'll be nice to catch up.

Jeff

I'll see you in Texas.

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