Call to Meeting: Wednesday, June 28 @ 7pm - 8:30pm

I will add that one unfortunate aspect of when the state sets our convention dates is that it either occurs during or right before Fiesta in San Antonio which has the unfortunate side effect of increasing venue cost in that time frame. It makes it difficult to get a cost effective bid to compete with others. I guess it’s another thing to be mad at the state about to not allow us to set our own dates for ones best for the organization.
 
  1. The profit margin decreases as the food and beverage minimum is exceeded because the additional expenses incurred beyond the minimum affect the overall profitability of the event. The formula provided in the spreadsheet calculates the profit by subtracting the costs (AV costs, food and beverage minimum, and event space rental) from the total revenue generated from ticket sales, exhibitor booths, and sponsors.
    If the food and beverage minimum is exceeded in Corpus, it means that more money is being spent on catering expenses. This can reduce the overall profit margin because the additional costs cut into the net profit. Essentially, the higher the expenses, the smaller the profit margin becomes.
  2. The location of a convention can greatly impact ticket sales. Corpus Christi, being less centrally located compared to Houston or San Antonio, may present challenges in selling tickets. Accessibility is a key factor, as attendees may find it more difficult and costly to travel to a less centrally located venue. In contrast, Houston and San Antonio offer more convenience for delegates, with Houston having the largest party delegation, resulting in lower overall travel costs. Furthermore, the fact that Corpus Christi’s convention center differs from the hotel venues in Houston and San Antonio presents an additional challenge. Delegates would need to travel to a separate location for the events, which can deter some attendees and potentially impact ticket sales. Moreover, the larger population and local support in Houston and San Antonio can contribute to higher ticket sales.
 
The email was sent to the SLEC distribution email address, not individually. I am not sure how it did not send to your email. But thank you to Stephanie for forwarding it to you.
 
While there is still room for negotiation, as negotiations should always continue until the contracts are signed, SLEC should make their decisions based on the information presented. We can not guarantee that any costs will be lowered. It would be irresponsible of this body to vote on a maybe.
 
This raises some concerns to me. In a bidding process, while not illegal, it is highly unethical to attempt to alter the bids after the fact in order to make one vendor more competitive compared to the others. Practices like this are known as bid peddling or bid shopping and are banned by many professional organizations as they go against ethical standards of fairness.
If I caught word that a business who did this wanted to work with me…I would not work with them as it would mean my bid will not be treated fairly and is a waste of my time. We should strive to make sure LPTexas maintains a good reputation.
Maybe it would be more reasonable if there was an official second round of bidding where all vendors were able to resubmit. But to reach out to only select venues means you’ve now put your thumb on the scale and undermined the entire process.
This is something I take seriously as in my profession, practices like this can mean you lose your license.
 
Is the San Antonio bid just that email thread? That seems highly unprofessional, I have never seen a bid like that for a convention venue since I’ve been on SLEC.

Based on the conversation John started at the last SLEC meeting about our finances I think we all should pick the venue that will give us the largest return which based on everything I’ve seen would be the Hyatt in Houston.
 
I’m glad you asked this question, as I had the same one. I reached out to Jodi get a better sense of timeline:

—Committee voted Friday

—Jodi subsequently heard back from Hyatt w/ a positive update on her ongoing FB negotiation efforts

It should be noted Houston was already lower at this point, so this was not an attempt to under-bid

—Jodi shared update with the committee and the numbers were updated prior to providing to SLEC.

Jodi has always represented LPTexas with professionalism, and I expect this body to show Jodi the same respect and professionalism.
 
Let’s cease the casting of aspersions on the intentions and actions of committee members. This committee is made up of individuals who have no experience planning conventions before, and while that is not an excuse for anything, it certainly means that some processes need to be refined. I have the most convention/conference/event planning experience (nearly 20 years) of anyone in this state affiliate, yet I have not been consulted about any of it. Let’s be careful about accusing people of tipping scales and undermining processes.

I will also say that there is absolutely no reason that anyone on the committee should NOT have been working to get the best possible options for LPTexas. It is also my understanding that the committee’s vote on the matter was postponed multiple times to allow committee members to get better proposals from their assigned venues. The decision point is (has been) upon us and we need to take everything relevant from these options into consideration.

If a venue adjusts its proposal to better suit us and make themselves more appealing, that is not someone on our end “alter[ing] the bids after-the-fact”.

The Chair of the committee, who happens to also be our Events Director, has every right (and duty) to work with prospects to secure the best offers and get accurate and reliable information in order to bring the best possible options to us for consideration. And she should certainly have the committee’s blessing to do so. That is her job.
 
This sounds like a miscommunication. Competitive bidding vs. negotiated procurement, or honestly a mix or something else entirely. I don’t think litigating what our process should be or was will change anything at this point.

I absolutely get why some industries and companies have very tight rules on the acquisition process… It’s for this reason, but we don’t (and I swear if someone tries to make one in the middle of this I’m going to have an aneurysm).

I don’t love that is sounds like the SA and Houston bids were closer when the committee voted on it than when presented to SLEC, but I also get why Jodi would want to negotiate the best price for Houston. Let’s give each other a bit of leeways here, and Whitney pointed out no one is paid to do this for us.

And the end of the day, this is just spilled milk. We will see the proposals tomorrow and be able to vote accordingly. Anyone else looking forward to this meeting as much as I am /s?
 
I did not say anything about intentions behind this. I fully accept that the intention was most likely to simply get the best deal for LPTexas. However, that can still be done unintentionally in a way that results in an unfair process.
 
I would agree with your sentiment. The lack of a professional proposal for a $90k contract is a red flag to me. I will let those committee members who voted for San Antonio address your question. And mind you this is a reflection of the venue itself, not the committee member who worked the bid.
 
Through the charity I run I have done many RFP’s and contact with hotels and convention centers. The early contact and things are through email or phone calls like what we see from San Antonio but I have all ways gotten a nicer packet or at the very least something on the venues letter head with everything lined out. So just struck me as very unprofessional for a $90k bid.
 
Based on the current information we have, I would just like to express support for Corpus being the location for convention. It is the cheapest of the three and the American Bank Center looks like a great location. The hotels are pretty close to the convention center, the Holiday Inn is only a 15 minute walk from the hotel, and I don’t know about the rest of you but I’d definitely be enjoying that morning walk next to the ocean.

It’s been far too long since South Texas had a convention and this would be a great opportunity to do that. I also don’t believe having it there would greatly impact ticket sales compared to SA or Houston, and the extra amount anyone would be spending in flight/driving costs would be offset by the cheaper room costs.
 
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