Banquet at Flint

[reatta guy]

The meet at Flint was great until Saturday evening.

The BANQUET was no BANQUET!

The silverware was PLASTIC, The Chinaware was PLASTIC and the napkins were paper! We sat in a tent for this dinner and there were no sides on it and the wind and rain ble <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />w in.

The first 2300 reservations were to view the program and entertainment LIVE!

We sent our check July 02 and our registration number was #281! I know some people had a better time at the BANQUET under better conditions. We should have been in that group. <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> ART

[Centurion]

Art, I'm wondering if you overlooked a second set of tickets in your packet for the meet. This set of tickets provided admission to the 7:00 PM program and live entertainment in the Whiting Auditorium.

[The Old Guy]

It was stated at the outset, that Flint was not a convention City,and we would do the best we could. Most of the people I talked to were happy with their meal ,even though it was not the best of settings. the problem with most of our BCA national meets is that there is NEVER enough room for everyone in the host hotel and the tours fill up rapidly. I for one register and reserve my room as soon as the information is available. The old adage is: "If you snooze you lose", and I would wager that if you had not waited quite so long,you might have been happier.

[Mr Riviera]

Lets face it folks, I ate in the tent as well and it was one step above Jack in the Box. Thats all you can expect for a meet this large. This was a once in a lifetime deal and lets not complain about the food. I would agree that it lacked the personality of a National but It was one of a kind!

[Smartin]

The wind in the tent sucked, but you had the chance to sit face to face with some people you'd never met before. You can't help that our table cloths were blowing away <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

<img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />Huey Lewis ROCKED! <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

I expected nothing more for the banquet of 2000 people.

[Guest]

I don't do banquets anymore.

it's hard for anyone to feed 1,500 people unless they are on an aircraft carrier. it's hard to keep it hot, and the "brokered price per meal" that the food contract is written on, dose not resemble what is actually served.

still, you did not go for the food.

I have learned that if your not going to get an award, it's not worth going. To many speeches, and usually boring. CLC, AACA, BCA, all the same.

I went to Frankenmuth for Lunch and Dinner! All you can eat family styled chicken dinner, and was back before anyone came out of the dinning hall. $16 bucks.

Food concessions is always a pain for event planners.

[Guest]

I can guarantee that you won't have this complaint next year. The 2004 awards banquet will be served on china plates, with glass drinking glasses, metal utensils, full waiter/waitress service for each table, salad, main course, rolls, vegetables, dessert, coffee, etc. The North Texas Chapter is planning a banquet that you will enjoy, and that you will be proud to take your wife to.

With all of the other things that went so well in Flint, I think we should cut the BuickTown Chapter folks a little bit of slack.

Pete Phillips, BCA #7338

North Texas Chapter

2004 National Meet Host Chapter

[Guest GS70Stage1]

I wasn't surprised or disappointed with the dinner. I have gone to many, many church and business banquets and fully expected a chicken dinner, especially for only $20.

Then put it in the context of the whole event and I am sorry anyone would be disappointed. I am just glad I was there. I went with real high expectations, even hopes for a good time. I worked on a car for 7 months - every available hour I could find. And kept thinking of these few days in Flint the whole time. This was a hugh risk for diappointment and it was way over everything I expected.

The Flint people did a tremendous job and I am very grateful. I will remember this forever.

Thank you Flint Chapter,

Ken

[Guest my3buicks]

I can honestly say I have never attended an antique/classic car show for the food.

[Guest]

Hear,Hear Keith. The food was fine if you were inside the building and we had china, silverware ect. But that was not what I went for. I ran into and ate with some BCA/ROA members I have not seen since St. Louis in 97. THAT is what the banquet is about, meeting new or catching up with old friends. Kevin Kinney

[old-tank]

Was there PLASTIC? I didn't even notice. I was too busy having the good time of a lifetime taking it all in, visiting with friends and even discussing machine shop disasters with the next table. So much to do and see and so little time. You don't go to these things expecting someone to show you a good time, you make it happen yourself.

Willie

[Guest 52buick72r]

Open to all BCA members, and especially the Flint people who put the 100th together. GREAT JOB!!! It was the first time for both my wife and myself to attend a National Meet, and NOTHING could beat the once-in-a-lifetime event like this years was. We found everyone to be soo open, friendly, and not only willing to try their best to accomidate everyone, but seemed to go out of their way, at least for myself. My wife and I drove from our home in eastern CT to Flint. We met a very nice couple from Florida, at a rest stop, in their late 60's Skylark on Route 22 (I wish I could remember their names) who helped us with directions into Flint. I found almost all the vendors to be friendly and their pricing reasonable (some were still running a museum, but that's ok, I almost expect that at ANY flee market). The event staff and volunteers knew what was going on, and when, or who to ask for the right answer, the weather was terrific about 99% of the time, and the Buicks (whether restored or not) was an awesome collection on the fields. I only tok part in a fiew "tours", the V6 plant was terrific, and the Mott estate was rather nice to walk around in, and although the assembly plant tour was "lacking" in my mind, you can't blame the BCA for that. At least the bus trip down was free. Final note, both my wife and I have food allergies, so the dinner for us was off the list. However, we really wanted to partake in the evening activities, but at the same time, did not want to create a problem. Jim, as busy as he was, took the time to listen to us, as with everyone when I was at the registration table, and was able to get us into the anex building to see the closing events on the big screen tv. We could not have been more proud to be BCA members, and be a part of the 100th. Let's face it, whether you had a problem with 1 thing, several, or nothing at all, what's the odds of ANY of us seeing the 200th??? Again, GREAT job to EVERYONE who was part of the celebration! I'll be looking forward to the next NAtional!