After a great time at Hershey, I want to remind everyone that the next AACA Meet is actually 2 meets! We are having both the 2008 Annual Grand National (AGN) and the National Winter Meet in Melbourne, Florida in the middle of March. After a Membership Roundtable and a Judging School on Thursday March 13th, the first Annual Grand National ever held in Florida will occur on Friday, March 14th. Then, the National Winter Meet will be held the next day, Saturday, March 15th. We will have a Flea Market, so vendors are invited to attend as well. And judges will have the opportunity to earn 4 judging credits (if they qualify to judge at an AGN).

Our host hotel, the Hilton Melbourne Rialto Place, is already FULL, but there are other hotels nearby that have blocked rooms at special AACA rates. You can download one of our flyers at our club website (http://clubs.hemmings.com/aaccc) by clicking on Activities and then going to the bottom of that page to click on "Click here for Details". And you can always contact me at (321) 480-6089 or artgriffin@yahoo.com.

SEE YOU THERE!

Art, fortunately the timing of the two meets works out perfectly with our annual March trip to Florida. I will be spectating both days. The Friday before we leave is opening night for the Detroit Autorama so its going to be a great 2 weeks for cars.

Rod

Art, I noticed that if I went online to the Hilton reservation site, they still have rooms available as long as I am willing to pay $249 per night. Wonder how they have rooms available if they are full. I guess it just means that they have run out of some predetermined number of rooms blocked out to sell at the special rate. Any chance that you can check and see if they might be able to sell some more rooms at the AACA rate?

The Hilton has a few Executive Rooms on the Concierge floor, rooms that are normally contracted to executives of airlines, companies, etc. I can check with them again, but I did talk to them yesterday.

Art

I would be interested, but not at $249 per night. Luckily I do have friends in Melbourne who have offered free lodging, but I was sort of trying not to impose on them.

Thanks for your efforts.

The other hotels that have blocked rooms for us range in price from $64.99 to $99.00, so you can get a room without spending too much money. I know most folks prefer the host hotel, but not everybody will be able to stay there. We expect quite a few people for the dual meet, so we've had to contract with those other hotels, and there are still more that we haven't contracted with.

Art
PS. Did you get one of our flyers that lists the other contracted hotels?

Art, I was reading the event flyer and I notice the flyer mentioned "NO trailer parking at area hotels".
The flyer does not mention where trailer parking will be for the Dual Meet.
Can you shed some light on the trailer parking situation? Thanks...

Art, Yes, I got one of the flyers from you in Hershey.

I guess I will have to decide in the next day or so if I want to impose on my friends or if I want to stay at one of the other hotels.

Altho I doubt I'll have a car done in time for this show, I do plan on attending and taking in the judging school.
Spectating both days of course too.

I went to one of the first meets held at the Hilton back in 1989. I really liked the set-up there.

I think there's 8 or 9 cars from my region going to this show. (Orange Blossom Region in Polk Co. FL)

Charlie,

Truck/Trailer parking is across the street from the host hotel in an old trailer park grounds. RV parking is about 2 blocks north, adjacent to the Show Field. We plan to have a shuttle running back and forth. I don't mind walking 2 blocks, but with an intersection in the middle, a shuttle is the way to go.

Art

Check through some of the services that offer cut rate prices on rooms, etc. From what I understand, and I won't name names, some of the officers and others use those services and they get even cheaper rates than the AACA rate.

Susan, I want to clarify your remarks as they may give some people erroneous impressions. AACA officers, staff or ANYONE else may be a member of certain reward clubs with hotel chains or other incentive based companies and they may in fact get a better rate. AAA, AARP are just two among many but frequently do not match the group rate.. Many AACA officers travel far most than some of us and this is a perk they get for their frequent business. However, in most cases the group rate is indeed the least expensive rate but still may not be used by people due to their bonus programs.

Art, might you be the same Art I had for a cust. at Bartholomews in Binghsmton??

Well, I was at Binghamton. My wife and I attended the Friday evening function at the speakeasy, and we attended the Saturday evening Awards Banquet. During the day Saturday I was a judge at the Show.

We met lots of fine people at Binghamton, and it was a well-run meet. We enjoyed ourselves and then went over to Kalamazoo to do the same type of things there at the Annual Grand National.

And I was at Hershey as well.

Art

If anybody is interested, I can e-mail a copy of the meet brochure. It is legal size and is two pages. I can send it in either PDF (.pdf) format or Microsoft Word (.doc) format.

I also have a copy of Google Earth picture showing the area of the show. If you want one, I can e-mail that as well.

Art Griffin

my cars will still be in winter storage in march.

Art, you have mail. I'm looking forward to the meet.

Yeah if you can send it in word I'm interested. The car is already in Florida, and I'll be down to get it the week prior to the show.

Correct me if I am wrong, but according to the Judging Manual, aren't the AGNM's only supposed to be held in July and August?

The manual which is only a guide sates "generally in July or August"...in this case the general decided in March!

Art,
Will there be a dinner both nights or only on Saturday night? Or what do you have planned. I haven't seen details yet.
Thanks..

Yes, there will be an awards dinner each evening so that the two meets will have their own presentations.

Again, I would be happy to e-mail you a copy of our meet brochure, in either PDF or Microsoft Word format.

Art

Folks,

I want to let everybody know that it will still be a little while before online registration will be available. Registration software is being updated, and it will be tested at AACA Headquarters. So, the new version isn't ready to be put into use. When it's ready, you should see the notice at the AACA home page.

Art Griffin
Meet Chairman

Art, Did you rec. the pm I sent you????

Well we won't get to go after all. Seems that the shows conflict with the "spring" Bristol races.

If only one or the other was a weekend before or after, it would have made a GREAT vacation trip. Oh well.

Windjamer,

Yes, I got your pm, but I hadn't checked my pm's for some time. Anyway, I have mailed you a brochure.

Art