[PaulatFast]

The Indigo is brand new and state of the Art. It is right in the heart of downtown. A short 4 traffic lights and about 2 miles down the road from the Convention. We do not have a room block set aside in that hotel because of the numerous other hotels right by the Clarion, but it is a very good option...

[R68GTO]

Originally Posted by Norman W

Paul, this is about the GTOAA convention. Friends of mine where told they could only get three days at the host hotel. Thanks Norm Warling

Due to some unforeseen family issues, I will not be able to commit the time needed to participate in the Concours show this year. Therefore I just completed my online cancellation for 1 room at the Clarion hotel. My reservation was for a Wednesday check-in, Sunday check-out. For anyone interested, there should be 1 room available for the Convention. Enjoy!

[62 bv]

hi can some one tell me a bout move in and out it looks like just Friday in and Saturday out this for the poci show so the cars will just be inside for for that time what about the rest of the time thanks are people just going to leave them in there trailers and will there be security for the trailers from Sunday the 19 on thanks

[151007]

I see that the 2016 GTO Nationals are going to be in Seattle, Washington. Any word on where the POCI event is going to be held in 2016?

[PaulatFast]

I have heard from a vendor, who wasn't very happy, that next years POCI Convention is the exact same dates as the GTOAA Convention... It is going to be in Iowa.

For the record, the Seattle GTOAA Convention has been locked in for at least 3 years and I know for a fact the POCI location was voted on this year... What the hell are they thinking?

[Old Blue 66]

Originally Posted by PaulatFast

I have heard from a vendor, who wasn't very happy, that next years POCI Convention is the exact same dates as the GTOAA Convention... It is going to be in Iowa.

For the record, the Seattle GTOAA Convention has been locked in for at least 3 years and I know for a fact the POCI location was voted on this year... What the hell are they thinking?

From previous experience with hosting a POCI convention, the venue and dates are voted on at least a year if not more in advance. We started talking about POCI in St Charles about two years before the show.

[PaulatFast]

Originally Posted by Old Blue 66

From previous experience with hosting a POCI convention, the venue and dates are voted on at least a year if not more in advance. We started talking about POCI in St Charles about two years before the show.

Exactly! POCI votes one year out... GTOAA is 3-4 years out. And locked in well before POCI even looks for a location...

[Old Blue 66]

Originally Posted by PaulatFast

Exactly! POCI votes one year out... GTOAA is 3-4 years out. And locked in well before POCI even looks for a location...

Paul, Im not defending POCI, but when both plan a couple of years out, I think its tough to know whos going to be where.

I HIGHLY doubt that POCIs decision to move the the show to the next location and set the dates was based on where/when the GTOAA was going to be. The consideration was not made during 2015, again, based on our experience with hosting a POCI event.

GTOAA is not 3-4 years out. Thats not possible. I cant believe their process for deciding where the future shows are going to be is much different than POCI.

[PaulatFast]

It is vastly different… Space

[Rob B]

Originally Posted by PaulatFast

It is vastly different… Space

Wasn't the Columbus IN GTOAA convention discussed the year before the completion of the co-vention in 2013??? That would be about 3 years out...hmmmm.

[PaulatFast]

GTOAA Conventions are indeed locked in four years out. We approached them about this convention back in 2011. They committed in 2012. Our dates were set and that information was forwarded to the POCI.

The Seattle club has been looking at hosting a convention since 2011 as well. 2017's location has been locked in for over a year already. 2018 is pretty well a lock at this time and probably will be by the end of next week.

POCI just approved next years location a few months ago...

When we bid on the 2013 CoVention, the GTOAA locked us in into the date in 2010 and accepted our bid formally in 2011. We approach he'd the
POCI in 2010 and made our formal bid in 2011, they didn't accept it until spring of 2012. We were ready to go ahead with our Convention and simply bury whatever the POCI tried to do. Their system is broken.
I am President of a POCI Chapter and serve as a National Tech advisor for the club. I want to see the club improve... They have a problem...

I have chaired the 2013 and 2015 GTOAA Conventions along with the 2013 POCI Convention.
I was also a key member of the committee for the 2009 POCI / GTOAA CoVention.

[Rob B]

Originally Posted by PaulatFast

GTOAA Conventions are indeed locked in four years out. We approached them about this convention back in 2011. They committed in 2012. Our dates were set and that information was forwarded to the POCI.

The Seattle club has been looking at hosting a convention since 2011 as well. 2017's location has been locked in for over a year already. 2018 is pretty well a lock at this time and probably will be by the end of next week.

POCI just approved next years location a few months ago...

When we bid on the 2013 CoVention, the GTOAA locked us in into the date in 2010 and accepted our bid formally in 2011. We approach he'd the
POCI in 2010 and made our formal bid in 2011, they didn't accept it until spring of 2012. We were ready to go ahead with our Convention and simply bury whatever the POCI tried to do. Their system is broken.
I am President of a POCI Chapter and serve as a National Tech advisor for the club. I want to see the club improve... They have a problem...

Now there's a pretty definitive clarification, not just speculations and uneducated guessing.

[Old Blue 66]

Originally Posted by Rob B

Now there's a pretty definitive clarification, not just speculations and uneducated guessing.

Do you ever frickin' quite? Jeez.

Paul,

You know first hand how difficult it is to produce these events. Choosing a venue, date and making sure its the right club to host isn't easy.

Always assume the worst in things right? For four years the Indian Uprising was on the same dates as Norwalk. Everyone automatically assumed it was because we wanted "take down Norwalk" Really? Is that even possible? And we don't even have drag racing. And Ames is a long time sponsor of the Uprising.

Our dates were based on the availability of the venue. Plain and simple. Its was the only one big enough within reason ($ wise). So could it be possible that it would be the same case here? Everyone is so quick to sling mud and automatically think on the negative.

I have a really hard time believing that POCI chose the same dates as GTOAA on purpose. I can speak about this with a non biased look because I dont go to these shows.

[johnta1]

The Seattle club has been looking at hosting a convention since 2011 as well. 2017's location has been locked in for over a year already. 2018 is pretty well a lock at this time and probably will be by the end of next week.

POCI just approved next years location a few months ago...

Just cruising through, are these dates posted any where for us to see where the future events will be?
(I don't belong to GTOAA)

[PaulatFast]

Originally Posted by johnta1

Just cruising through, are these dates posted any where for us to see where the future events will be?
(I don't belong to GTOAA)

July 13-17, 2016 for Seattle, the other Shows/Dates won't be officially announced until about one year out from the Event.

The POCI Show is the same date.

[PaulatFast]

Paul,

I do know how difficult and time consuming it is... Especially when you are reinventing the wheel every year as far as location and host club are concerned. That is exactly why I think it is so poor judgement to have conflicting dates. The hobby just isn't big enough for infighting. Do I think the POCI chose the date to be spiteful? Hell no, that would be giving those making these decisions way too much credit... The BOD votes on what is put in front of them to vote on. There is no system in place for checks and balances, just a small handful of guys, who are in charge of lining up future events and locations, then trying to find someone to help out. Remember, the POCI puts on Corporate conventions now...

[PaulatFast]

Originally Posted by PaulatFast

July 13-17, 2016 for Seattle, the other Shows/Dates won't be officially announced until about one year out from the Event.

The POCI Show is the same date in Iowa according to a friend of mine who lives in that area...

Quad cities maybe?

[Jerry H.]

Originally Posted by Old Blue 66

Do you ever frickin' quite? Jeez.

Paul,

You know first hand how difficult it is to produce these events. Choosing a venue, date and making sure its the right club to host isn't easy.

Always assume the worst in things right? For four years the Indian Uprising was on the same dates as Norwalk. Everyone automatically assumed it was because we wanted "take down Norwalk" Really? Is that even possible? And we don't even have drag racing. And Ames is a long time sponsor of the Uprising.

Our dates were based on the availability of the venue. Plain and simple. Its was the only one big enough within reason ($ wise). So could it be possible that it would be the same case here? Everyone is so quick to sling mud and automatically think on the negative.

I have a really hard time believing that POCI chose the same dates as GTOAA on purpose. I can speak about this with a non biased look because I dont go to these shows.

I can speak about this without biased also because I really don't give a sh!t. But if the process is how it has been presented, POCI dropped the boat IMHO. Even though Iowa and Seattle are not that close together, some die hards would have attended both conventions. Now they have to choose, leaving one club out. More than that are the vendors. These conventions are hurting for vendors in the swap meets as it is, now instead have being able to attend both conventions, they will have to choose. Again leaving one club, and all the attendees of that convention out of a chance to purchase form that vendor. Club loses vendors in swap area and vendors lose money. And don't tell me that most people rather buy online. There are still tons of parts that you need to see in person and be able to take with you rather than buy from a picture and have shipped.

As far as the venue, I've handled conventions for groups before and the very first thing that was worked out was the dates. If the dates didn't work, you found another venue, even another city if need be. They should have found another venue to fit a date that didn't conflict with the GTOAA Nats. I have nothing personal against anyone at the POCI; in fact Don Keefe is doing a great job with the Smoke Signals. Just very, very poor planning IMHO.

[PaulatFast]

Originally Posted by Jerry H.

I can speak about this without biased also because I really don't give a sh!t. But if the process is how it has been presented, POCI dropped the boat IMHO. Even though Iowa and Seattle are not that close together, some die hards would have attended both conventions. Now they have to choose, leaving one club out. More than that are the vendors. These conventions are hurting for vendors in the swap meets as it is, now instead have being able to attend both conventions, they will have to choose. Again leaving one club, and all the attendees of that convention out of a chance to purchase form that vendor. Club loses vendors in swap area and vendors lose money. And don't tell me that most people rather buy online. There are still tons of parts that you need to see in person and be able to take with you rather than buy from a picture and have shipped.

As far as the venue, I've handled conventions for groups before and the very first thing that was worked out was the dates. If the dates didn't work, you found another venue, even another city if need be. They should have found another venue to fit a date that didn't conflict with the GTOAA Nats. I have nothing personal against anyone at the POCI; in fact Don Keefe is doing a great job with the Smoke Signals. Just very, very poor planning IMHO.

I am not anti POCI nor am I pro GTOAA. They both need held in check by the members. US! POCI was made aware that we were doing a show in Columbus when they started Pursuing Louisville for this year. For the record, the two cities are an hour apart down I-65. That decision has hurt both conventions. Then they picked the weekend before Norwalk, which really hurt them. Anyone familiar with the Schedule in Louisville? Points Judged cars load into the Expo Center on Friday morning, get Judged and load out that night. Pop Vote cars load in on Saturday morning and out Saturday afternoon... Anyone think this is a good idea? The expo center is across a street and down the road a bit from the host hotel. Where are these cars going to be the rest of the time? Most will be in their tral
trailer is my guess.

I think you have to look at the guys making these decisions... Just my .02...

There are some in that club who still refer to The GTOAA as "the other guys". I've heard it myself. They need to go away and be replaced y guys that realize this is a small hobby and we are all in it together.

Ask the vendors what the two best Pontiac Events outside of Norwalk were. Hands down it was the two Co-Ventions. But egos will probably keep that from occurring again. Sad for the hobby. There are those willing to step up and help, but status quo is easier to maintain I guess.

[Rob B]

Originally Posted by Old Blue 66

Do you ever frickin' quite? Jeez.

.

Do you ever quit whining????? Your posting comments and whining about chit you have no clue to the people who are directly involved and behind this years GTOAA convention (and past) and also deeply affiliated with POCI.... Paul is spot on in his comments. So in a very polite manner, go grab a box of Kleenex's and cry to someone who probably doesn't care.

and its quit....