AK Fest 2007. Will the fest move ?

[grumpy]

Well its looking like it just may.

A few ( but not to many) complained about the hotel we have used in the past. Yeah its dumpy. Yeah it does not fit in with "high end" audio, Yeah the neighborhood could be better.

BUT AK fest is not about the snobs who would not attend due to an area thats not really all that bad. AK fest has never nor does it plan on ever aspiring to be a rocky mountain fest, Stereophile or CES. AK fest is about friends, lack of the typical attitude that comes along with these shows. Its more of a pizza/beer party accompanied by tons of great audio and good friends and always will be. Few of our members would care to attend some stuffy snooty show. After all thats why AK was founded to begin with wasn't it ?

With that said we have started investigating moving the fest. No not to another state. For now it will stay put in the greater Detroit area. If this happens the drawbacks will be increased attendance and listening room fees. Not just a little but a substantial amount. If it does we will do everything possible to minimize the fee's

The pluses are a more wife friendly hotel with free shuttles to local malls, Better restaurants with possible free ( which helps offset attending costs ) breakfast. Greater amenities such as on site restaurants and lounges, pools etc..

Its not easy putting on the fest and we do not wish it upon anyone. Finding a hotel willing to host and tolerate 500 plus stereo geeks for a weekend is near impossible but if it can be done we will get er done !

Updates will be coming in the future so please check back soon. Thanks

Grumpy

 

[jcmjrt]

I don't know if you are asking for comments or not...but if I got a vote...I like cheap and friendly to some crazy noisy stereo folks who drink beer and eat pizza and BBQ. I don't give a hoot about better restaurants and shuttles to the mall. There was barely time to see everything there anyway so who needs other amenities? I wouldn't have time to use them. All of the elevators functionioning I could hope for....but I'd rather drink and eat wings while listening to tunes and...

 

[EchoWars]

The hotel is a rat-trap, but as you say the focus is the gear, and not the physical surroundings. I'd think the room costs would have to go wayyy up for even a small increase in personal comfort level.

 

[bolly]

this years venue wasnt bad at all, you should see some of the places I've spent the night!

 

[Sandy G]

The hotel was fine, just wish they'd had a functioning restaurant. OTOH, that place down by your house, Dave, was FABULOUS...<grin>

 

[grumpy]

Sorry I should have pointed out that all comments are welcome. Thanks.

Grumpy

 

[hpsenicka]

Despite the flaws and shortcomings of the current hotel, one major advantage is that they have given us a fairly high degree of freedom and pretty much let us take over a couple of floors of the building for the weekend.

A potential risk of choosing a different venue is that they may have stricter rules/policies that would constrain what we could/couldn't do. I don't think that would be a good tradeoff.

 

[piece-it pete]

Tho I understand the desire of the couples, I personally don't care.

The place is a little worn but servicable. Heck I only left once!

I will support your decision either way.

Pete

 

[RichPA]

Though I wouldn't mind a better hotel (and especially one with a restaraunt, or in easy walking distance of restaraunts), I agree that the place was serviceable and I agree with Henry's point about essentially having free run of the part of the hotel where the Fest was held. The best thing about another location would be greater spouse-friendliness. Like Pete, I would certainly support whatever decision you make.

 

[Drybasement]

I wish they had an in house restaurant although it looked to me as if they might be opening one up soon. Did anybody else notice that?

My room was tired looking but comfortable and clean and the rate was certainly agreeable with me. Hey, at least it had a coffee maker.

The pool was closed this year which disappointed a few people. No one can predict that though.

Whatever you decide to do Grumpy is fine by me but if status quo remains the same I'll be just as happy.

Cheers

 

[Retro Stereo]

Oh, I don't know, being at the 2005 Fest with my S.O., I didn't have the freedom I did when she decided "not" to return to the 2006 Fest. So, keeping that in mind, if I want her to stay at home again next year, we need to have it at the same place! :yes:

Seriously, it doesn't matter either way to me, but I think some of the S.O.'s would prefer being closer to shopping areas, restaurants, having a working swimming pool, an "in hotel" restaurant, etc.

Simply put, what it comes down to is, you go cheap and leave the S.O.'s at home (unless of course, they're into audio as much as you are, which mine isn't), or you change the venue to better accommodate bringing the S.O.'s along. Regardless, I'll still be going to future Fest's with, or without, my S.O. Just my $.02



Retro

 

[Andyman]

FWIW, I think the hotel is a helluva bargain for what we do, and quite honestly, I think moving it to another venue may wind up costing us some of the freedoms we've come to enjoy where we are at.

What other place will allow a bunch of audio goofballs to take over a floor and play music all day (and a good part of the night) long? No it's not 4 stars, but as a local, there's TONS of stuff to do within 10 miles of there. Just give them the keys, some maps and a cell phone and they'll be fine (as long as they don't go south into Detroit)

Want shopping? Drive up to The Somerset Collection on 16 and Coolidge, or head over to 15 and Maple for downtown Birmingham. Feeling a little funkier? Head to 11 and Main in Royal Oak (that's where Memphis Smoke is; I know some of you have been there) for the smaller boutiques. Or just head over to Woodward and run it from 9 mile (beautiful downtown Ferndale) out to 16 Mile; there's lots on it, including the Detroit Zoo.

Maybe what we need to do a better job of is providing alternative, non audio entertainment for the SOs? If that's the case, I'll volunteer right now to work out some maps and suggested places for food, drink, shopping and merriment.

If folks want a pool and breakfast; I'm sure we could also find alternative lodging within a short drive. Might not be downstairs convenient, but this is an AudioFest, not a weekend at the Spa, and FWIW, I think the access to the music and systems should be the #1 issue, not if the pool is open or not! :yes:

 

[Fisherdude]

Although I was unable to make it this year, (and I promise to be back next year, wherever it is!), I have made the previous two, so I'll toss in my thoughts.

Like many of us, I've travelled a lot on business, and stayed in my share of Hyatt Regencies, etc. So, the HoJo ain't quite high-end. However...

They do put up with us, and that's not a small thing. Seriously. If we consider moving, we really, really need to be totally honest and up front with the new venue, so there aren't any surprises once the music starts. The last thing we need is for the manager to start threatening us about the music.

My sense is that the wishes for a nicer place are pretty much spouse-driven. That's not a bad thing, certainly. My wife just rolls her eyes and won't have anything to do with my personal little addictions, but she lets me go with no griping at all. For everybody whose spouse actually attends with them, that's terrific. And I understand the need to keep mama happy.

The current hotel is a bit ragged around the edges, but I thought it was fully acceptable, given what we do there. Glenn's assesment might be a tad harsh... . At least you don't need to wear flip-flops in the shower...

The one issue I thought was a bit of an irritant to me was the lack of a decent coffee shop/restaurant. I really don't want to have to drive somewhere just for a quickie meal. As far as the neigborhood, I didn't find it threatening in the least, and there's few things I enjoy more than finding neat little hole-in-the-wall local restaurants to try.

Anyway, my two cents. I'm coming next year no matter what, no matter where.

Clay

 

[WhiteSE]

I agree with most..the freedom that hotel provides can prove priceless...And the current place may help to keep the meeting as a nonchalant, friendly thing...although I am one of the ones who mentioned maybe a change...But I think I was just tired....I was up from 2am to take a flt, got lost finding the hotel, and the AC wasnt working, so it was quite an unpleasant night...the 2nd night was slightly better...

But i can see the benefits of that place quite clearly...

 

[Andyman]

The one issue I thought was a bit of an irritant to me was the lack of a decent coffee shop/restaurant.
Anyway, my two cents. I'm coming next year no matter what, no matter where.

Clay

FWIW, I'm not sure if I'm going to do a room or not next year, but I can bring my Krups coffee machine and a set it up somewhere. Heck, maybe we could even raise a few scheckels with a bottomless AK coffee mug???

And as far as the spouses, I only recall 3-4 I met aside from Nancy and Steph and they all seemed to be doing fine.

 

[rca2000]

Yeah, it was a bit tired. The TV sets were outdated. No headboards.

But so WHAT?? We were only there a couple of days, or even one. For 'fest needs, I thought it was fine. As others have stated, we were all in and out with loads of gear, and it seemed that not too much fuss was made of things. SO, I vote we keep it here, UNLESS another hotel can be gotten, that will work out as well and NOT cost us all a lot more. If the women want to go to the malls,let them drive there, I am sure there are some not far away, and if they can't secure the use of a car........ there are cabs. And in April, WHO CARES about a swimming pool, anyhoo??

 

[grumpy]

So far I'm not as optimistic as I was a couple of days ago about moving the fest. Dang hotels are just so closed minded...

Doesn't mean i will give up on the search.

 

[Sandy G]

Well, I really didn't have a problem w/the Izzit Inn we stayed at this year, except for the lack of a beanery. OK, it wasn't the Waldorf, but we didn't pay Waldorf prices either. I would imagine our little group was a pretty good shot of business for them...and we really weren't all THAT wild...

 

[CarlV]

The place is a bargain and they tolerated us well.
Granted when I complained of all the things wrong with my room they marked it as uninhabitable, they did gave me another with no BS.
They were fixing the whole top floor to work their way down. I am sure there will be a reastaurant and prolly a bar soon enough to help re-coup these expenses.


Carl

 

[Fisher-Dave]

If it was not for the wife and kids,I could be happy living here in TN under three sheets of tin between two rocks so I vote to keep the fest in the same place. The rooms are not that bad really,and its not like we called it a vacation but a time to enjoy ourselves and see n swap gear,and listen to some nice tunes while getting to know each other. All was fine to me. :thmbsp: