EVENT: Heartland Regional Rally: NM, Albuquerque - 9/8/2020 to 9/13/2020
- Thread starter Doublegranch
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Doublegranch
Mountain Region Director-Retired
I will add you to the waitlist. You should be cleared soon. Deposits are due and when that happens we start to see cxld reservations.
rjr6150
Well-known member
Great question John on my mind also. Especially since we only need to register for the national starting in March for a June event.
Doublegranch
Mountain Region Director-Retired
Randy:
Sent you an email.
i have been waiting for a reply to this, but there has t been one that I know of. So same question- why 1.5 years in advance for a non- refundable deposit? I read the forum a lot and no one else is requesting deposits this far in advance. Too many things can change. And as long as i’m asking- why can’t we come in before the rally to enjoy the area on our own? We won’t interfere with the rally set up - heck there’s a whole week of pre-rally in Goshen that doesn’t seem to interfere? We had to do this at Pueblo and it was a pain in the neck- but Pueblo was NOT a commercial rv Park so I got it. But this park is...Also, can we be parked next to our friends, upon request? This is a huge park that we have stayed at many times and while we always enjoy meeting new people, the event would be greatly enhanced by the ability to be parked near our friends.
Doublegranch
Mountain Region Director-Retired
All sites numbers were assigned a long time ago and were posted with each update. The rally thread stated if you wanted to be next to someone to mention it at the time you booked. I can't adjust the site assignments now as everyone has known for over a year their site number.
If attendees arrive early or stay later, it is their choice but it won't be at the rally rate. I think the going rate is $56 night. Also, you most likely won't be assigned the same site number that you have for the rally. Those options are always open to you, I am only working on the Rally portion with the Resort.
I have sent you an email.
If attendees arrive early or stay later, it is their choice but it won't be at the rally rate. I think the going rate is $56 night. Also, you most likely won't be assigned the same site number that you have for the rally. Those options are always open to you, I am only working on the Rally portion with the Resort.
I have sent you an email.
No problem. Excited about the trip.
Doublegranch
Mountain Region Director-Retired
Hi all – I’d like to follow-up here on the forum to some questions sent to me via this rally thread, PMs and phone calls. My follow-up will be a bit wide-ranging in nature – a glimpse into why we have certain policies and processes that will vary from Rally to Rally and why. Apologies for the length and I hope it helps those who wish to know more.
All Regional Rallies will be different from each other and in many respects.
One of those differences will be with the venue and their requirements of us per our contract with them.
As the Mountain Region does not have one “Super” location to host over 200 attendees year after year, our Rally is moved around from State to State. In this manner, it also gives more Mountain Region members, more opportunity to join us. And for those members that make several of these Region Rallies, they’ll find each one has a slightly different feel and experience. I look at the diversity of locations to be a benefit to Mountain Region members and allows us to experience more of the beauty within the Mountain Region.
The attendee experience at the upcoming 2020 Mountain Region Rally to be held at Route 66 near Albuquerque can’t be compared in many ways to the 2018 Mountain Region Rally we held in Pueblo. And the 2022 Mountain Region Rally in Gillette will be different yet.
These differences are a result of the location, the venue, the weather, what the area has to offer and more. The Heartland Owners Club has no “one-way-works-for-all” template for Region Rallies. Each takes on their own look, feel and experience based on what we have to work with.
Venue Requirements / Restrictions
Region Directors work hard to find venues that can accommodate the needs of a Region Rally. Then within the chosen venue, they will have many requirements and restrictions they place upon us contractually. Some require us to give them “money up front” during the contract execution phase in order to hold space for us. Others require us to give them “money up front” 6 to 12 months prior to the rally. It all varies. Sometimes, these deposits are refundable to us and sometimes they are not. Venues are blocking sites for our event which means they turn away nightly business in favor of our rally. But they will not leave money on the table.
Site: Registration, Payments, Assignments, and Refunds
Some venues require the Rally to assign sites to attendees while others want to handle themselves in-house. Some venues require the Rally to pay all the site fees in a single check while others require each attendee make their own reservations and pay for their own sites. Each venue has a different refund policy. Please understand that there are differences from rally to rally that are venue driven. This is why we as Region Directors can’t always make our policies the same from rally-to-rally.
Other Expenditures
In addition to the rally sites, contracts must be signed and deposits and final payments made for the “other side” of what makes a Rally exciting! Entertainment, Catering, Rally Bags, Prizes, Decorations, facility rental, rental of tables, chairs, PA systems and more. These contracts are also signed months or years in advance and deposits paid at the time the contracts are signed. Contracted prices generally are not adjusted downwards in the event of site cancellations.
Rally Imposed Site Deposits and Site Cancellations
In the past, our Regional Rallies have allowed attendees to hold sites, in some cases, for up to 18 months without any deposit being made. This process has allowed attendees to block space and for some, block space “in case they can attend”. While these spaces were being held without a deposit, our waitlist numbers grew. Then, when deposits became due, we saw a large number of cancellations. When these cancellations were made close to the rally date, often times, it was too late for those who’d been on the waitlist for many months or even a year, to accept the space as they’d made other plans. In these cases, we end up with empty sites which were calculated into the formula for our total Rally expenses. In order to commit to contracts, we need some idea of advanced bookings to meet expenses. Absent of this, planning and commitments are made more difficult with more uncertain financial results.
Sites, Check-In and Early Days
In the case of Route 66, they have the Rally assigning all sites up front and us keeping them updated as things change. The reason they want us to assign sites upfront is that in their system, they will be pre-registering every attendee and have player cards available for those who want them, eliminating you waiting in line at the casino. They will keep our sites from being available from public sale during days of our Rally. This space-blocking will help us avoid site problems as attendees start to check in. After the RAT Welcome team has you sign in and issues you a welcome bag, Route 66 will also escort you to your site. The space blocked for this rally is open to our attendees for the Pre-Rally and Rally dates. I have also blocked a few sites specifically for the RAT Team so we can organize and make the venue ready for the Rally. Sites outside of our blocked space are open to the public for sale. This allows for anyone (the public or Rally attendees) to book a site prior to the Pre-Rally at prevailing park rates. Note that you may or may not be assigned the same site as your rally site for the early days. We’re not in control of that. It’s advised that you let Route 66 know that you’re also attending the rally and prefer to be in your rally site for your early days.
In conclusion, I’d like you to know and respect that it takes up to 2 years of advance planning to pull off a Mountain Regional Rally and provide a venue that’s able to accommodate 200 or more attendees. We negotiated hard to keep costs down for everyone. As such, in most cases, if we don’t meet our commitments to our venues, including selling all the sites we guaranteed, we are charged for these empty sites, regardless of cancelations! So, for many of our Region Rallies, advance deposits are a necessity. When the Rally can be programmed from the start to be made financially whole, only then can we deliver an experience that Rally attendees expect and deserve.
For this rally, your $40 deposit is broken down as follows:
- $20 Site Deposit – refundable
- $20 Rally fee – non-refundable
I hope this will help everyone understand a few of the dynamics faced when planning and implementing a Regional Rally.
As always, I am most grateful and appreciative for your continued support in the Mountain Region Rallies.
Thank You!
All Regional Rallies will be different from each other and in many respects.
One of those differences will be with the venue and their requirements of us per our contract with them.
As the Mountain Region does not have one “Super” location to host over 200 attendees year after year, our Rally is moved around from State to State. In this manner, it also gives more Mountain Region members, more opportunity to join us. And for those members that make several of these Region Rallies, they’ll find each one has a slightly different feel and experience. I look at the diversity of locations to be a benefit to Mountain Region members and allows us to experience more of the beauty within the Mountain Region.
The attendee experience at the upcoming 2020 Mountain Region Rally to be held at Route 66 near Albuquerque can’t be compared in many ways to the 2018 Mountain Region Rally we held in Pueblo. And the 2022 Mountain Region Rally in Gillette will be different yet.
These differences are a result of the location, the venue, the weather, what the area has to offer and more. The Heartland Owners Club has no “one-way-works-for-all” template for Region Rallies. Each takes on their own look, feel and experience based on what we have to work with.
Venue Requirements / Restrictions
Region Directors work hard to find venues that can accommodate the needs of a Region Rally. Then within the chosen venue, they will have many requirements and restrictions they place upon us contractually. Some require us to give them “money up front” during the contract execution phase in order to hold space for us. Others require us to give them “money up front” 6 to 12 months prior to the rally. It all varies. Sometimes, these deposits are refundable to us and sometimes they are not. Venues are blocking sites for our event which means they turn away nightly business in favor of our rally. But they will not leave money on the table.
Site: Registration, Payments, Assignments, and Refunds
Some venues require the Rally to assign sites to attendees while others want to handle themselves in-house. Some venues require the Rally to pay all the site fees in a single check while others require each attendee make their own reservations and pay for their own sites. Each venue has a different refund policy. Please understand that there are differences from rally to rally that are venue driven. This is why we as Region Directors can’t always make our policies the same from rally-to-rally.
Other Expenditures
In addition to the rally sites, contracts must be signed and deposits and final payments made for the “other side” of what makes a Rally exciting! Entertainment, Catering, Rally Bags, Prizes, Decorations, facility rental, rental of tables, chairs, PA systems and more. These contracts are also signed months or years in advance and deposits paid at the time the contracts are signed. Contracted prices generally are not adjusted downwards in the event of site cancellations.
Rally Imposed Site Deposits and Site Cancellations
In the past, our Regional Rallies have allowed attendees to hold sites, in some cases, for up to 18 months without any deposit being made. This process has allowed attendees to block space and for some, block space “in case they can attend”. While these spaces were being held without a deposit, our waitlist numbers grew. Then, when deposits became due, we saw a large number of cancellations. When these cancellations were made close to the rally date, often times, it was too late for those who’d been on the waitlist for many months or even a year, to accept the space as they’d made other plans. In these cases, we end up with empty sites which were calculated into the formula for our total Rally expenses. In order to commit to contracts, we need some idea of advanced bookings to meet expenses. Absent of this, planning and commitments are made more difficult with more uncertain financial results.
Sites, Check-In and Early Days
In the case of Route 66, they have the Rally assigning all sites up front and us keeping them updated as things change. The reason they want us to assign sites upfront is that in their system, they will be pre-registering every attendee and have player cards available for those who want them, eliminating you waiting in line at the casino. They will keep our sites from being available from public sale during days of our Rally. This space-blocking will help us avoid site problems as attendees start to check in. After the RAT Welcome team has you sign in and issues you a welcome bag, Route 66 will also escort you to your site. The space blocked for this rally is open to our attendees for the Pre-Rally and Rally dates. I have also blocked a few sites specifically for the RAT Team so we can organize and make the venue ready for the Rally. Sites outside of our blocked space are open to the public for sale. This allows for anyone (the public or Rally attendees) to book a site prior to the Pre-Rally at prevailing park rates. Note that you may or may not be assigned the same site as your rally site for the early days. We’re not in control of that. It’s advised that you let Route 66 know that you’re also attending the rally and prefer to be in your rally site for your early days.
In conclusion, I’d like you to know and respect that it takes up to 2 years of advance planning to pull off a Mountain Regional Rally and provide a venue that’s able to accommodate 200 or more attendees. We negotiated hard to keep costs down for everyone. As such, in most cases, if we don’t meet our commitments to our venues, including selling all the sites we guaranteed, we are charged for these empty sites, regardless of cancelations! So, for many of our Region Rallies, advance deposits are a necessity. When the Rally can be programmed from the start to be made financially whole, only then can we deliver an experience that Rally attendees expect and deserve.
For this rally, your $40 deposit is broken down as follows:
- $20 Site Deposit – refundable
- $20 Rally fee – non-refundable
I hope this will help everyone understand a few of the dynamics faced when planning and implementing a Regional Rally.
As always, I am most grateful and appreciative for your continued support in the Mountain Region Rallies.
Thank You!
'Lil Guy'
Well-known member
I've atended one of Gaary's regional rallies and several other regional rallies and I know for a fact he puts more time, effort and money along with travel getting this all together. Doesn't seem like too much to ask for a firm commitment from the attendees. Being this far out, I'm sure there will be some cancellations and a good portion can get a chance to attend who are on the waiting list. If someone doesn't want to make the commitment now, they could change to the waiting list and allow someone who wants to guarantee a spot by paying their reservation fee now. I want a guaranteed spot and don't want to take a chance of missing this event. JMO
Knowing it's a long way out, I'm excited and looking forward to this rally. Later and have a great day.
Knowing it's a long way out, I'm excited and looking forward to this rally. Later and have a great day.
For20hunter
Pacific Region Directors-Retired
Garry I would like to thank you for all of the hard work and dedication you show to this club and your Region!! I totally get it why you need to collect money up front, as YOU PERSONALLY are signing contracts in which you are guaranteeing that all payments will be made, whether people show up or not. Not to mention signing numerous contracts with numerous vendors to pull these huge events off. Many of the parks and vendors want partial or complete payment up front. I know that there is not a person here that would want to be stuck personally having to pay for things out of their own pocket when people decided to not show up. Not to mention the time and effort it takes to add people to various sign up lists and continually have to replace them with others. The time and effort it takes to put one of these huge events on is staggering. Thank you for everything you do and just know that there are numerous people who appreciate it! I sure wish we had the time off work to be able to attend it, but unfortunately all we get for time off is enough to host our own rally and attend a couple local ones every year.
Rod Ditrich
Rod Ditrich
I asked several questions and some were answered publicly on this forum and some were answered privately via email. I am satisfied with the answers given as there was confusion and it has now been clarified. As I told Garry - I would NEVER exp3ct anyone to be out of pocket for these rallies and when he explained the financials to me I was satisfied with the reasoning. Lack of clarity causes confusion and things have been clarified.
Doublegranch
Mountain Region Director-Retired
Thanks, everyone for the nice posts!
Rod, thank you for your HOC support as well and all you do! Thanks for your service in law enforcement as well!
One day we will be able to enjoy a regional Rally together, I want to get out to one of your Rally's as I understand
your Rally venue is spectacular!
God Bless and keep everyone safe!~
See you in Goshen!
Rod, thank you for your HOC support as well and all you do! Thanks for your service in law enforcement as well!
One day we will be able to enjoy a regional Rally together, I want to get out to one of your Rally's as I understand
your Rally venue is spectacular!
God Bless and keep everyone safe!~
See you in Goshen!
Doublegranch
Mountain Region Director-Retired
GOLF CART RENTAL - UPDATE:
Masek Rocky Mountain Golf Carts will be our vendor.
Our "Special" Rally rate for the week is $175 + Tax & del for a 2 seater cart.
Carts will be delivered early Monday morning Sept 7th and return on Monday, Sept 14th
The Rally has 30 carts on hold with expansion to 50 carts if required.
Payment information will be posted when it's time to pay for your cart.
Update Note: Cart rental just advised they are not open on Sept 7th due to Holiday.
I am working on them to deliver the carts a few days early vs an adjusted
delivery of Tuesday, Sept 8th. More to TBA
Masek Rocky Mountain Golf Carts will be our vendor.
Our "Special" Rally rate for the week is $175 + Tax & del for a 2 seater cart.
Carts will be delivered early Monday morning Sept 7th and return on Monday, Sept 14th
The Rally has 30 carts on hold with expansion to 50 carts if required.
Payment information will be posted when it's time to pay for your cart.
Update Note: Cart rental just advised they are not open on Sept 7th due to Holiday.
I am working on them to deliver the carts a few days early vs an adjusted
delivery of Tuesday, Sept 8th. More to TBA
Last edited:
Doublegranch
Mountain Region Director-Retired
Ed & Debbie:
Happy we were able to get you into the Rally!
Be safe and looking forward to meeting you both.
Doublegranch
Mountain Region Director-Retired
Last edited:
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