AMG 2012 LOCATION FINAL VOTE

[phildinftlaudy]

We have collected and reviewed all suggestions for the location of AMG 2012.  We are following the same planning schedule we followed for this year's successful AMG and are right on track with preference selection dates and now the voting for location officially begins......  I have requested that the MODS lock the AMG 2012 Site Location Preference thread and that they sticky this thread.

The top 3 destinations have been chosen and put forth for any member interested in attending AMG 2012 to vote on. Voting is limited to members only.

Voting will remain open until Tuesday, November 15, 2011.

Please indicate your preference from the following choices. The number in parentheses indicates the number of times the site was listed as a preference.  
Votes are limited to ONE VOTE PER MEMBER and ONE SITE:

1. WASHINGTON D.C. (24)*

2. CHICAGO, IL (19) **

3. PHILADELPHIA, PA (6) ***

* Members selecting Washington D.C. during the Site Preference thread requested that if it was selected as a site, time of year for AMG 2012 be either right before, during, or following the International AIDS Conference (IAC 2012) which is being held in D.C. July 22nd – 27th.

** Members selecting Chicago during the Site Preference thread requested that if it was selected as a site, time of year for AMG 2012 be either July or August.

*** The majority of members selecting Philadelphia during the Site Preference thread requested that if it was selected as a site, time of year for AMG 2012 could occur “whenever” or in August.

Please keep the above information in mind when casting your vote. You may also still indicate time your preference for time of year for AMG 2012 to be held.

Also, try to limit your post to your vote (if you want to put a line or two about why you think it should be held in a certain location from the above selections that is fine - but let's try to keep rationale/reasoning to a minimum and as non-duplicative as possible).  Thanks for your participation.

Some FYI's from site preference selection: The topic received over 3,790 views (this is 1,390 views more than AMG 2011 Site Preference thread received); there were 55 replies (down from 81 replies last year); 27 site preferences were given (up 3 from last year); and there were 92 votes.

[Dennis]

Chicago - August

[denb45]

Chicago - August 

[bocker3]

Washington DC -- before/during/after IAC

[phildinftlaudy]

Just FYI...

I did some preliminary looking at hotel rates in DC and Chicago for July 25 (Wednesday) thru July 29 (Sunday) 2012 and was very surprised ---- some great hotels in DC and they are running about 30-50% less than Chicago --- I was surprised because I thought they would be significantly higher with IAC going on and 20,000 HIV/AIDS positive people and reps of ASOs and healthcare agencies, etc. coming into DC from around the world.

A few of the hotels such as the Hyatt Capital Hill, Hyatt Arlington (which is just across the bridge from Georgetown and across the street from the Roslyn metro station) and the Omni Shoreham - I have stayed at, are excellent hotels, and had some great rates (and we know that Dennis is the king at negotiating awesome group rates).

Just giving an FYI.... I will be fine no matter where AMG 2012 is held.

[RAB]

Washington DC--right after IAC

Rationale:  There are some members outside the U.S. who will possibly be attending the IAC.  If we back AMG up against the backside of IAC they may be able to also attend AMG too. I mentioned earlier that we've done this twice before and it has worked out really well. The only issue I would have with doing AMG at the same time as IAC is that the conference is so huge and offers so many distractions (most of which are important) that AMG could somehow be seriously diminished.

RAB   

[phildinftlaudy]

Washington DC--right after IAC

Rationale:  There are some members outside the U.S. who will possibly be attending the IAC.  If we back AMG up against the backside of IAC they may be able to also attend AMG too. I mentioned earlier that we've done this twice before and it has worked out really well. The only issue I would have with doing AMG at the same time as IAC is that the conference is so huge and offers so many distractions (most of which are important) that AMG could somehow be seriously diminished.

RAB   

I do agree RAB that the many activities associated with IAC could diminish AMG if planning of AMG activities is not on point and conflicts with IAC events people may want to attend - one potential advantage to having AMG intersect/overlap with some of IAC is it would allow people to experience some of IAC and also AMG - also, for many members from overseas, IAC begins offering scholarships which cover anything from registration to full conference costs (i.e. air, hotel, food) -- applications become available in December which might allow some members - they give preference to people from outside the US - which members could also do if we had AMG in DC after IAC (wow - that was a lot of acronyms in a row).

Chicago has its benefits to - I haven't been there in years - but there are tons of  things to do.  I was in DC earlier this month and will be there again the first week of November for  6 days and there is always so much to do - with many of the things free - other than the cost of getting on the Metro (which is very economical and goes just about anywhere that one would want to go to see the sites).

But, I am violating my own rule by going on and on --- LOL - sorry about that - I was just surprised (and obviously still am) that DC was so much cheaper for rooms than Chicago -- I thought it would be the opposite way around.  Chicago actually has a room advertised as "on special" for $1,400 a NIGHT (YIKE).

[WillyWump]

Washington DC--right after IAC

Rationale:  There are some members outside the U.S. who will possibly be attending the IAC.  If we back AMG up against the backside of IAC they may be able to also attend AMG too. I mentioned earlier that we've done this twice before and it has worked out really well. The only issue I would have with doing AMG at the same time as IAC is that the conference is so huge and offers so many distractions (most of which are important) that AMG could somehow be seriously diminished.

RAB   

Ok, I gotta vote with my RABBY-Roo!

DC - after IAC

-Will

[odyssey]

DC- after IAC

[wolfter]

Chicago.  Anytime.

If people are voting merely because of price, I'd suggest doing a little research on rates first.  From what I remember, DC was more expensive overall.

A basic search through Travelocity indicates that Chicago rates range from $49 - $440 and DC's rates range from $159 - $395. 


Wolfie

[Jody]

DC - right after IAC

Jody

[aztecan]

DC after IAC

[weasel]

               Washington D.C.    right after    I.A.C.   

                                                           Weasel

[Lou-ah-vull]

Washington DC after IAC.  I assume this means we would start on the Wednesday following the Friday close of the IAC.

Gary

[odyssey]

Waiting 5 days seems like poor planning if some of us are going to both. That'd be a lot of extra cost waiting in between. But I think we're getting ahead of ourselves. Let's just see how the vote turns out!

[bmancanfly]

Washington D.C.  -  July

[emeraldize]

Washington DC--right after IAC

[peteb]

Washington After IAC

[hope_for_a_cure]

Washington DC anytime would be great. 

[AndyArrow]

Chicago - August

[HippieLady]

Chicago-August

[David_CA]

Washington DC--right after IAC (for all the reasons that RAB and phildinftlaudy mentioned). 

Plus, for many of us in the Southeast, it'll be an opportunity to actually have an AMG almost in the South and for many of us on the East Coast and a few states in from the coast to be able to drive vs fly.

[BikerGuy]

Washington DC right after IAC

[Ann]

Chicago - whenever.

I really want to go to an authentic Chicago blues club.

[bonnie_nc]

Washington DC--right after IAC (for all the reasons that RAB and phildinftlaudy mentioned). 
Can't wait to see everybody!

[Basquo]

Washington, whenever, because I need to see Bonnie and that green eye of hers!

[Jeff G]

Chicago ... whenever . 

[odyssey]

Washington, whenever, because I need to see Bonnie and that green eye of hers!

Bonnie only has one eye?!

[phildinftlaudy]

ONLY ONE DAY LEFT TO CAST YOUR VOTE FOR AMG 2012 SITE LOCATION!
SELECTED SITE WILL BE ANNOUNCED ON WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 16th!

[next2u]

dc, right after IAC

[Basquo]

Bonnie only has one eye?!

She has blue eyes...I was joking about her avatar!

[phildinftlaudy]

It's official - final voting was completed for AMG 2012 on November 15th:

Per the votes - AMG 2012 will be held in Washington D.C.

Most of the votes for D.C. requested that it be held right after the 2012 International AIDS Conference (IAC) which runs from July 22-27.  So, we now need to select the dates. The 27th is on a Friday.

Typically, AMG starts on Wednesday or Thursday and runs through Sunday. I will start a new thread for people to suggest dates for AMG 2012 - whether they want it to start on Wednesday, July 25th and go through July 29th or start on Friday, July 27th and conclude on Tuesday, July 31st, or if there are other date suggestions based on IAC and preferences. Let's try to get thoughts on date preferences in and finalized by November 24th (next Thursday).

Final vote counts for site selection of AMG 2012 were as follows:

Washington D.C. = 17
Chicago                =  7
Philadelphia          =  0


Thanks to all who voted! Watch for more information - finalization of dates, hotel selection, other planning activities to come from the AMG Coordinator.

In regards to donating or requesting assistance - watch for more information to come from Grants Committee.

WASHINGTON D.C. --- HERE WE COME FOR AMG 2012

[SouthSam7]

Chicago. But I will go whenever and wherever it is!

[tednlou2]

For those of us who've never been to one of these, could someone provide some basic info?  Who goes?  Is it the members we interact with here on a daily basis?  Or, other folks as well?  Do people show up who follow the forums, but who don't post?  How many usually attend?  Are family/partners welcomed?  What happens?  Do people basically do their own thing and meet up for dinner one or two nights--go sight-seeing with whomever they came with or who they are friends with from the forums?  Or, more structured?  

Sorry for the 20 questions, but I think many, like myself, still are unsure what happens on these trips/gatherings.  

Thanks in advance.

Edited for grammar

[Razorbill]

Excellent locale!!  Haven't been to DC is 30 yrs.  So much I'd love to see, incl. the gang.

[SouthSam7]

Chicago please. Any time

[odyssey]

Chicago please. Any time

Sam

The vote is closed. Washington D.C. won the most votes and so that's where AMG will be this year. See a separate thread for voting of preferred dates.