Downtown Convention Screw-Up

[heironymouspasparagus]

Well, normally. What happened to you?

(Sorry, had to do it.)   

Ahhhh.... how cute!!  He tried to make a funny!!!

Well, yeah - actually probably a good question!  I guess it was those Oklahoma schools... most people would have bailed out of here with that kind of training to go somewhere for a real career!!  All my contemporaries with similar backgrounds did move and have done much better overall.

But no,...I had to try to stay around and try to help make my home state a better place.  Maybe it is all those "immigrants" that have come in over the years... all those Yankees that have tried to turn this southern state into something else over the years....

[Red Arrow]

All my contemporaries with similar backgrounds did move and have done much better overall.

But no,...I had to try to stay around and try to help make my home state a better place.  Maybe it is all those "immigrants" that have come in over the years... all those Yankees that have tried to turn this southern state into something else over the years....

I originally followed my parents here.  When I got out of the Navy, I chose to return here.  It's not too bad.  I had a few opportunities to go elsewhere.  Boston area Rt 128 Electronics boom (I think that's the right route #) before it crashed.  San Jose area in the late 80s with only about a $100/mo pay increase.  My boss went.  He traded a 3500 sq-ft home in BA for an 1100 sq-ft one in Fremont, no real disposable income after necessities and debt out the ****.  A few years later he went to North Carolina and would have made some money on the house except that CA taxed the crap out of his gains. Glad I didn't go.

[heironymouspasparagus]

I originally followed my parents here.  When I got out of the Navy, I chose to return here.  It's not too bad.  I had a few opportunities to go elsewhere.  Boston area Rt 128 Electronics boom (I think that's the right route #) before it crashed.  San Jose area in the late 80s with only about a $100/mo pay increase.  My boss went.  He traded a 3500 sq-ft home in BA for an 1100 sq-ft one in Fremont, no real disposable income after necessities and debt out the ****.  A few years later he went to North Carolina and would have made some money on the house except that CA taxed the crap out of his gains. Glad I didn't go.

Not too bad???  It's really a great state in many ways!!  (Tsk, tsk,...you should have figured that out by now!!)  There is no where better on this planet for spring storms!

Luckily, I am not motivated by big houses and flashy cars and all the hysterical consumerism that plagues so many.  (Maybe 'cause I never had any of them???)

I have had chances to go other places, but Toronto and Flagstaff were the only two cities that ever seriously tempted me.  Still not sure why I didn't take those opportunities - probably related to having kids living with an artifact from a previous life, who would have been too far away if I had gone.  And here is the irony - when they graduated, they had to move out of state just to get decent jobs in their fields!

[sgrizzle]

I disagree that it is the hotel's fault. I've been to many conventions and the signs, ushers, etc are either paid for by the convention or are part of the convention package they arrange for with the hotel. Not to mention that the "front entrance" they were using on 2nd is staffed with Hyatt employees who have downtown maps, brochures, and are specifically trained to direct people to restaurants and such.

I went to a convention with about 3,000 people, they had Howie Mandel and Matchbox Twenty... even they had no signs directing people to food.

[heironymouspasparagus]

In the overall scheme of things, this "screw up" doesn't really sound like it was THAT much of a screw up by anyone.  Ok, so people had to walk to the other end of the lobby.  Well, that is probably a good thing for most people - I know it wouldn't hurt me to burn those extra calories represented by that "forced march".

[AquaMan]

Wrong attitude. Its not the visitors fault that the experience was sub par.

Doctors are in contact with a lot of decisionmakers. For some reason, people seem to consider their opinions as more important than others. When their experience is less than average during a convention, dinner, entertainment, whatever...it resonates. You can't just shrug it off as just a small convention of less importance than the marathon run because of size. They have the leverage to impact future convention business with a negative experience. They travel a lot and they share.

People are watching from other areas to see if Tulsa's downtown rebirth is for real. Comments comparing us to OKC's downtown are illustrative of that curiousity. When we make a poor impression they pass on the word that its mostly hype and designed for the locals. If that's our purpose for investing in downtown, then fine. But if we intend to draw visitors, we have to do better than what Artist described as their experience.

[Teatownclown]

CBS national did a story on the Ford Chesapeake Arena in downtown OKC with Cornett saying each suspended NBA game that passes costs the city $1million in economic development with a disputer countering, "if they are not spending it at the arena they're spending it elsewhere in OKC that night." Many cities are smarting from the lack of cooperation between unions and team owners. Memphis is suing the NBA for damages.

Talk about screw ups.

[AquaMan]

The agreements with professional teams and cities is so onesided. We entice them with public monies because we savor the supposed multiplier effect they bring. More taxes, growing population, influx of new money etc. But we make no allowance for their failure to do so. If we were to base these deals on results, both positive and negative, it would work better. Might even make them think twice about lock outs since they would cost them more than just loss of game revenues.

A player gets a contract, but it is indexed to his performance. He plays well he gets more money. He screws up he gets traded or cut. Surely owners would understand the concept being applied to their performance.

[swake]

Has no one heard of a concierge?

This was a very small convention that should have easily been able to be served by the hotels concierge staff for any and all local information. I know that Hyatt Hotels will answer your picking up your room phone generally immediately, will great you with your name and will give you what ever information you need right then. There's also a concierge desk right by the entrances. 

The "back" door of this hotel down to the green is more prominent and more easily reached than the front door. The coffee shop is right next to the doors to The Green, they went to the coffee shop to see if wasn't open yet but didn't see the doors right there?

Walking out the main doors and going left around the PAC, did they not notice the huge staircase up to the green they walked past right the east of the hotel? Seems like these people wanted to complain or weren't very bright.

[AquaMan]

Again, why blame the visitors? Most customers are pretty stupid regardless of their education or attainment. That is why you play to the lowest mentality in communicating with them. I don't travel much anymore but when I did, I always appreciated the obvious being pointed out to me, with good cheer, by the staff and locals. That is their job really, to be actors who herd the sheep by repeating the obvious, over and over, with the same smile and nod each time.

[rdj]

The "city" doesn't handle conventions.  They "outsource" it to the Convention & Visitors Bureau aka Visit Tulsa which is a "division" of the Tulsa Metro Chamber.  I've seen the reports the CVB generates for convention contacts and I'm shocked they wouldn't have been aware of this and assisted the Hyatt, if requested to do so.  They have worked with groups as small as 20-30 people to find accommodations for events and hotel rooms.  So, the mayor can't take blame (or at least directly) for any snafu's on this particular event.  I would look to the hotel meeting planner first, then CVB (assuming they were made aware of it).  In my opinion, the Hyatt is the worst hotel in downtown.  The food they serve for events is terrible, at best, and the set up of the hotel is poor.

I'm also surprised Topeca wasn't open in the Hyatt until 9a.  The Mayo location opens at 6:30am on weekdays and 8am on weekends.  I've assumed the Hyatt hours are same or at least very similar.

[rdj]

Also, are there not way finder signs on 2nd street?

These signs, http://www.tulsanow.org/forum/index.php?topic=11067.0

[Townsend]

Also, are there not way finder signs on 2nd street?

These signs, http://www.tulsanow.org/forum/index.php?topic=11067.0

Are those signs easy to understand for a visitor?  "Tul Comm Coll" or whatever it said was a little sad.

[AquaMan]

Honestly, sometimes I think our heart is just not in it. Recently I have had an opportunity to travel around the city as a passenger and take a good look at us as a visitor would, rather than driving and watching traffic. Its pretty bleak around here. I tried to imagine where I would consider buying a home, shopping, eating and just relaxing. Again, pretty bleak. I'm talking the city here, not the burbs. Can't comment on them. The standout has been downtown. It is full of life and activity especially after dark.

The river is dry and has been all summer. The roads are still pretty rough and broken. We are awash with fat people, beggars and fast food. The housing, other than a couple of hoods, is unkempt and unappealing. The traffic is c-r-a-z-y.....honking at school buses, EMT's, and running red lights....tailgating, texting, swerving and generally acting arrogant and stupid. Even runners on the path seem rude and inconsiderate. One out of 10 run on the wrong side of the path insisting that everyone else is wrong and must move out of their way! People are difficult to converse with since their skills have been dulled by digital devices. Unless you talk about your church which pretty well limits the conversation. And people are very intolerant here. Intolerant and generally lacking in common courtesy. What is that all about? Tulsan's have always been friendly to strangers, easy to approach and generous.

Yeah, I know, the economy, stupid. But we've weathered stuff before and not looked this bad. 1983 was a miserable year around here but we faced it with humor and generosity. I mused to a woman the other day while standing in line for an open insurance sign up..."Am I just getting older or does it seem that things are getting harder to do around here anymore?"

If this is what Tulsa looks like to visitors we're screwed. Does anyone else feel Tulsa is looking and feeling kind of unappealing lately? Do I need to load up on Zanax or move farther north?

[carltonplace]

Honestly, sometimes I think our heart is just not in it. Recently I have had an opportunity to travel around the city as a passenger and take a good look at us as a visitor would, rather than driving and watching traffic. Its pretty bleak around here. I tried to imagine where I would consider buying a home, shopping, eating and just relaxing. Again, pretty bleak. I'm talking the city here, not the burbs. Can't comment on them. The standout has been downtown. It is full of life and activity especially after dark.

The river is dry and has been all summer. The roads are still pretty rough and broken. We are awash with fat people, beggars and fast food. The housing, other than a couple of hoods, is unkempt and unappealing. The traffic is c-r-a-z-y.....honking at school buses, EMT's, and running red lights....tailgating, texting, swerving and generally acting arrogant and stupid. Even runners on the path seem rude and inconsiderate. One out of 10 run on the wrong side of the path insisting that everyone else is wrong and must move out of their way! People are difficult to converse with since their skills have been dulled by digital devices. Unless you talk about your church which pretty well limits the conversation. And people are very intolerant here. Intolerant and generally lacking in common courtesy. What is that all about? Tulsan's have always been friendly to strangers, easy to approach and generous.

Yeah, I know, the economy, stupid. But we've weathered stuff before and not looked this bad. 1983 was a miserable year around here but we faced it with humor and generosity. I mused to a woman the other day while standing in line for an open insurance sign up..."Am I just getting older or does it seem that things are getting harder to do around here anymore?"

If this is what Tulsa looks like to visitors we're screwed. Does anyone else feel Tulsa is looking and feeling kind of unappealing lately? Do I need to load up on Zanax or move farther north?

Man, someone needs a Marshall's STAT. I meet wonderful people in this town everyday...they way over shadow the one or two idiots I run into.