Jump to content

2018 Eastern Spring Meet??


charlier

Recommended Posts

Today I was catching up on my Antique Automobile Magazine (AAM) Reading and updating my personal & work calendars. I do this periodically so I can keep my calendars in sync with the AACA Calendar of Events and for future planning purposes. 

 

I noticed that in the March/April and May/June 2017 AAMs, the 2018 Eastern Spring Meet is no longer listed like it had been listed in the January/February 2017 and prior AAM issues. I also noticed in the recently published document regarding the Zenith Awards that the list of 2018 Meets does not include an Eastern Spring Meet.

 

Is it safe to believe that the meet that had been scheduled for Cape Cod, MA. in 2018 has been withdrawn from the 2018 Calendar and may or may not be replaced?

As we all know, the AACA Calendar of Events can and does change from time to time.  Just wondering if Steve M. can fill the members in as to what is going on?

 

Thanks.

 

Charlie

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...

They announced that it will be hosted by

the A.A.C.A. Chesapeake Region, and will be

held just across the Maryland state line in

Gettysburg, Penna.

 

Many thanks to the Chesapeake Region!

Shows in this part of the country always bring out

many interesting cars for all to see.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Gents, thanks for the information. I'm new to AACA and a relatively new owner of a 63 Buick Riviera. It's a great to know the 2018 meet is/might be held in Gettysburg PA. I live in central Maryland and the Riviera would like to come to the meet.

Thank you,

Red Riviera Bob

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
On 7/17/2017 at 10:34 AM, John_S_in_Penna said:

They announced that it will be hosted by

the A.A.C.A. Chesapeake Region, and will be

held just across the Maryland state line in

Gettysburg, Penna.

 

Many thanks to the Chesapeake Region!

Shows in this part of the country always bring out

many interesting cars for all to see.

Wow, that's great!  I was President of the Chesapeake Region in 1965 and 1976.  They've held two good National Meets in 1978 and another a few years later.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 hours ago, aestorrs said:

hi -

Go to the Chesapeake  region under Regions they have a list on the meet for all to see.

Hope this helps

Al Storrs

 

Thanks for the info. I booked my room today for the meet. It is the same Hotel that was used for this years Founders Tour. It is a very nice hotel and location. Looking forward to it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 9/4/2017 at 6:21 PM, aestorrs said:

hi -

Go to the Chesapeake  region under Regions they have a list on the meet for all to see.

Hope this helps

Al Storrs

 

Al,

 

Thanks for your posting. Chesapeake Region certainly did a bang up job when it comes to providing information, especially so far in advance. 

The host hotel facility looks like a VERY Nice location for a meet.

 

Next year is going to be a busy year for me with family, work and AACA activities. Glad I can check this meet off and put it on my calendar.

 

Charlie

Link to comment
Share on other sites

While I obviously do appreciate everyone's efforts to make this or any other meet a success I have to question the reason (SECURITY!) that's always given as an excuse for squeezing extra revenue from the members that must or choose to trailer. I'm guessing that the trailer fee amount charged was weighed against the cost of security and a nice profit margin added. That, of course, as the show producer is your right but I find it disingenuous to imply that the trailer fee is simply to cover security rather than being a profit center.

The trailer fee which has been increasing in cost and frequency every year, is a fairly new phenomenon. For many years trailer parking was provided as part and parcel of the show. A thank you, as it were, to encourage members from greater distances and with early cars to attend. And it worked.

I'm of the opinion that the AACA in an effort to lessen it's own financial commitment sees the trailer fee as a vehicle for increasing the shows "take", both to encourage other clubs to host a show and to limit it's own financial exposure.

While this strategy may work in the short term at some point the question of "killing the goose" must arise.

Keep in mind the Club needs dues paying and participating members FAR more than the members need the club. For most members the club is a pleasurable luxury. For the Club it's members are a necessity. With out the club life WILL go on apace for most members. With out members the club WILL cease to exist.

There are other unintended consequences to pricing the cost of a show too high. My own feeling now is: unless I decide to attend a show in a given year I simply do not rejoin the AACA. The flip side to that is: if I decide a show is desirable I will rejoin the AACA simply to attend that one show.

So, by simply charging for trailer parking ( at an inflated price ) the AACA will lose me as member for 2018, your show will lose my GN winning car and it's entrance fee, the show will lose my banquet  attendance, the host hotel will lose my booking, the host city will lose whatever I would have spent there.

Think about it. Seriously. Think.

In closing, I find your remark  "If your only coming for 1 day, you will have to make your own arrangements to park." off putting at best, snotty at worst.

I'll find it far easier to simply find another diversion for those dates...........................Bob

 

 

 

Edited by Bhigdog (see edit history)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, Bhigdog said:

...The trailer fee which has been increasing in cost and frequency every year, is a fairly new phenomenon. For many years trailer parking was provided as part and parcel of the show....

 

From what I've been told, Bob is correct, and makes a good point.

One time, a hosting region DID have to pay for its

trailer parking site, and charged show-goers accordingly.

Later, I've heard that some regions charged for trailer parking

even when they did NOT have to pay for it.

 

This does not affect me, as I don't bring my cars in trailers.

But clearly, members appreciate forthrightness, and a fair deal,

whatever it is.

 

Maybe this is best discussed in another thread, as it's not

specific (and evidently doesn't apply) to the Chesapeake Region's show.  

Keep this thread constructively focused on a good show next spring! 

 

Edited by John_S_in_Penna (see edit history)
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, ted sweet said:

appears he wants everyone to pay for something I wont use, trailer parking

 

Over simplistic and simply not the case. There are larger issues at play.

 

Since the trailer fee is a profit center a better question might be: Is it fair and inclusive to ask those who must trailer to subsidize the show so it can keep the price lower for those who don't have to trailer?

In other words you are asking me to pay extra for something you do use, the show and whatever benefits you derive...........Bob

Edited by Bhigdog (see edit history)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Jeff, trailer parking of course is free at Hershey but all other parking fees for RV's, day parking etc go to HE & R and are set by them. The Region does not benefit from the parking.

 

Bob and I will never see eye to eye on the trailer parking.  He has a point but so do others!  Someone's Ox will get gored as they say.  It can be taken to the extreme in also every function.  Are people who buy a t-shirt, go to the banquet or go on tours subsidizing those who don't?  My PERSONAL opinion is everyone is right but there is NO easy solution.

 

First, the money for trailer parking does not go to the club and in fact the club runs one meet itself which is Auburn and all parking is free.  However, smaller shows have a problem in breaking even and despite what has been stated there have been many meets that have had to pay for trailer parking facilities.  Not just one.  Having a national meet in certain parts of the country is a tough deal.  Our regions gamble on breaking even or making a small profit.  Some regions do well but they are the exception and some regions have gone into the hole.

 

The $30.00 registration fee goes to national and helps support the trophy cost (it does NOT cover trophy costs at all) and does not go to the region.  At the Grand National $10 of the fee does go to the Region to help with added costs. 

 

Anyway, as John said let's get this thread back to being happy we will have an Eastern Division Meet in 2017.  The car hobby is terribly impacted by the recent hurricanes and it may have far reaching effects.  Hopefully all our members are safe and their cars survived.

 

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

So why not just add the cost of a Starbucks coffee ( $5 ?) to the entry fee, give it back to the sponsoring club in lieu of a trailer fee and end all this "who's doing what to whom" waste of time and good will.

Seems to me running a successful meet where everyone is treated fairly should be a priority.

The current reason dujour for the trailer fee is SECURITY!  Methinks motherhood, the children, and the flag were already taken.

SECURITY!, of any and all types, should be one of, if not THE, first duties of the AACA and sponsoring club to the attendees. Said SECURITY! should be provided to all participants of the meet without favor. Asking a certain segment to pay separately for that SECURITY! or go to a Walmart lot is not what a club that cares for it's members does.

Or is it?...................................Robert Beck

Edited by Bhigdog (see edit history)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

At the risk of carrying this further Mr. Beck, sir.  We have had this discussion for several years.  A member of the region brought up the security issue which is valid.  It is a question asked frequently, "Is there any security at the trailer lot".  In many cases especially with smaller regions there is not the volunteer manpower to do this.  There is still the occasional cost of renting the property.  So no reason "Du Jour" at all it was simply the issue THEIR region has.

 

I absolutely do not think the Gettysburg Region member was being uncaring or smart in his reply, he was trying to find an alternative.  It is the same here at Hershey where people are trying to find alternative parking and it is always an issue.

 

Mr. Sweet objects to your solution so again, who's ox to we gore?  He does not want to feel like he is subsidizing your parking so adding a fee for trailer parking is going to rile him and others.  BTW, since I run an event that we have to pay for 3 days of security I can tell you that is mighty expensive.  With the size of some meets the $5 won't cut it. 

 

I wish we had a great solution to this issue as I DO understand your point BUT your solution in not equitable.  If we had a sure fire way regions and chapters could run a meet without financial worry we would jump on it.  Discussions on this topic never stop as it is becoming a bigger and bigger issue especially with the price of hotels these days for the member and the region.  Trying to get a judges breakfast in budget and trying to get rooms at reasonable prices is a chore.  Nothing is easy.

 

Trailer parking at Hershey is free, Trailer parking at Auburn is free and it has been free elsewhere, just not everywhere.  Oh, and I think trailer parking in Puerto Rico is free is you want to come on over! :)  Actually, we pray that things recover over there for our friends on the island and maybe our meet there this year will happen.  Most importantly they need to recover from the hurricane.

 

Bob, as usual we are going to have to agree to disagree... 

 

 

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you for your reply Mr. Moskowitz.

I still believe it is the primary  responsibility of the AACA and it's sponsoring clubs to provide security to ALL members of a meet. Especially in these seeming unsettled times. Framing the discussion as " who's ox do we gore?" is counter productive. The responsible approach would be figuring out the most inclusive way to provide safety and security for ALL  participants regardless of status. No one's ox need be gored.

I further believe that most club members would not resist a modest increase in entrance fees, where necessary, to insure the safety and security of all their fellow member's persons and property. I know I would not. To think otherwise runs counter to both my, and I'm certain,  my fellow member's nature.

So it appears we do not agree to disagree. We just disagree.

I believe that the "security" issue can be resolved equitably with no damage to anyone's ox.

You seem to think other wise and are content to take the path of least resistance.

Perhaps a complete rethinking of a meet's cost structure and it's seeming inflexibility should be addressed.

"Because we've always done it this way" is a poor substitute for proactive management when navigating an ever evolving land scape..................................Robert Beck

Edited by Bhigdog (see edit history)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

To echo Earl's comment,  the folks from Chesapeake Region are a fine group of enthusiasts who are ready willing and able to put on a great event.  We will be there. 

Terry

Link to comment
Share on other sites

WOW, The Chesapeake Region has outdone itself to have all of this work done so fast, all of the tours, the tea shirts, and extra planning that has already been done just amazes me. This thing about a trailer fee really befuddles me though?

 

"Since the trailer fee is a profit center a better question might be: Is it fair and inclusive to ask those who must trailer to subsidize the show so it can keep the price lower for those who don't have to trailer?"

 

I have no idea what the trailer parking charge will be, but I have over $50,000 invested in a tow vehicle, $20,000 + in a trailer, so I am happy to pay a small fee for protection for my equipment. I do not expect a region/chapter to do all of this work and not make a profit. I have hosted a National event myself and do realize the work involved. Also, with all of the money we have invested in our show cars and other equipment, a small fee is meaningless to me. If the cost hurts me, I would find a small scale hotel to make up for the shortages.

 

Wayne

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
Guest Mark McAlpine

Marion and I are looking forward to attending the Eastern Spring Meet in Gettysburg.  Kudos to the Chesapeake Region for hosting it--we know they'll do a great job and that we'll have a lot of fun.

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...