Convention 2005 Information Update

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gansky1

gansky1

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Omaha, The Home of the TV Dinner!
The response so far has been terrific with many already booking flights, rooms, etc. I'm posting some lodging info below and would suggest that if you are definitely coming, BOOK YOUR FLIGHTS AND ROOMS EARLY for the best availability and rates!

Here is a tenative outline for the weekend so you'll know what to expect.

Friday Evening: Gathering at my house - Meet-N-Greet Wash-In

Saturday AM: Free Time - estate sales, thrift stores, etc. as well as the Summer Arts Festival downtown which is always fun.

Saturday PM: We'll meet for dinner out at a great steakhouse near me, then back here for the main wash-in & party.

Sunday AM: Brunch and Departing gathering

Here are some Hotel/Motel contact phone numbers, you may also find 800 numbers online as well. When you book online or through a central reservation service, request a location in the midtown (90th & Dodge streets) area. I'm very near the I-680/Pacific street exit on the freeway system, so most locations are very accessible and only minutes from the midtown area.

All numbers are 402 area code

Hampton Inn
391-5300
391-8129
Comfort Inn
343-1000
EconoLodge
391-7100
Motel 6
331-3161
Super 8
339-2250
390-0700
492-8845

There are many other hotel/motel options in all price ranges, I'm just giving a quick sample here, any travel agent or online service can give you a complete listing. I will post this info on the Convention '05 link on the homepage as well, later this week.
 
Hotels, etc.

A lot of the Omaha hotels are booked for that weekend. Some of the pricer ones have available rooms (oh please). I know when I tried both Hamptons, they were full (for four persons). I'm not sure if it has anything to do with the Summer Arts Festival, or if there are a bunch of things going on that weekend (like Convention 2005!).

A suggestion: make your reservations now. It shouldn't cost you anything, and you usually have until the date of arrival to cancel with no penalty.
 
Yes, both Hampton Inns are booked up that weekend because of the arts festival but when I called around the Comfort Inn still had some vacancies so I grabbed my room there. Can't wait to meet everyone.
Les
 
Those hotels/motels I listed are only a few in the midtown area, in no particular order or distance from me. You can get full lists on Travelocity, Expedia, etc. Those who know each other from the club can room together, share rental cars, etc. to make booking and accomodations easier and less expensive.
 
FYI ABOUT ROOMS

I as told at four of the hotels mentioned above that they were booked up. I was however to find that they did have rooms for the dates - on the internet, and I booked one.
Check out the internet also.
Brent
 
At the Holiday Inn - Central, they have a special event indicator for the College World Series and a 2 night minimum stay. The 14 Day Advance Purchase rate is open at $95/night.

The Holiday Inn Airport does not have any special events or stay restrictions. Their 14 Day Advance Purchase is $55.30/night.

Most advance purchase rates are no cancel/no changes or you loose the entire amount. When making reservations during high demand periods, be sure you read the fine print rate rules carefully.

If you are not sure about your accommodations, call the hotel chain's toll free number and speak to a real human being. At most Holiday Inn hotels, you can hold a room for 24 hours before confirming and/or paying a deposit that might not be refunded to you if you change your mind. After 24 hours, your hold is cancelled.
 
Reservations made.

I got a room at the Motel 6. As of right now there will be two of us coming from Arkansas. A good friend Janet and myself.We will be taking a day of vacation on Friday and driving up. Checked out the map and it is only 8.5 hours. <P>OH MY! The anticipation! Carly Simon doesn't even have a clue!
 
Room at the inn.....

Glenn:

We actually got two rooms; one at the Doubletree Guest Suites, and another at the Holiday Inn Central. Since we're saving pennies for our vacation in July, we will "stay at the inn". There seemed to be a lot of rooms with single king or queen sized beds at fairly reasonable rates (Comfort Inn, Holiday Inn, etc.). I just had difficulty booking something with two beds for four. Confucious say: "Four in one bed cause one big backache."

C'mon Glenn. We all want to see you! Maybe we can even coordinate a flight out of IAH.:)
 
I'm not entirely sure how this is all going to work for me (kind of everything at once the last two weeks in June for me!), but I just reserved a room at "Super 8 Omaha Ak Sar Ben Area" (whatever that means) which Mapquest says is 3 miles from Greg's house.

Very good to have this informational posting! I never would have thought/imagined to think about reserving already at this point.
 
AKSARBEN

What, you mean everyone can't read backwards??

I'm not sure how this name ever came into being, and probably don't want to know, but Aksarben was a huge horse track and convention/entertainment venue for many years. It's mostly all gone now, but the name endures...
 
Ak Sar Ben

I can't believe an ex-Kansas boy would know about it....

My family rents out the local Fairgrounds in York, NE every last weekend in June for a family reunion. All of the facilities are provided by AkSarBen. Here's info that I found on their website....

"In 1895, Omaha was the home of the Nebraska State Fair. But the State Fair Board, angry because Omaha businessmen failed to provide suitable evening entertainment for families attending the fair, laid down an ultimatum: "Provide entertainment other than saloons, gambling houses and honkeytonks for the 1895 fair or lose it to a competitively alert Lincoln."

First, financial needs were met by Omaha businessmen to provide the needed improvements for the city and the State Fairgrounds.

Then, on the evening of March 28, 1895, a meeting was called with 60 of the most prominent businessmen of Omaha in attendance. At this meeting, the 12 men who formed the Executive Committee of the Omaha Business Men's Association (an organization still in existence) and who had taken charge of the festivities of Fair Week presented an ambitious plan for securing all floats which had appeared in February's New Orleans Mardi Gras Parade for the Omaha fair.

These 12 men became the original members of the Board of Governors of the Knights of Ak-Sar-Ben. Their journey to New Orleans to obtain the Mardi Gras floats brought them into contact with the Rex, Proteus and Comus Society of the Crescent City (the civic group which organized the Mardi Gras festivities). The Omahans were convinced that a permanent organization such as the Rex, Proteus and Comus Society was just what Omaha needed to add zest to its progressive outlook.

On the train ride back from New Orleans, the Omahans named their new organization. "Why not reverse the name of our beloved state, since everything seems to be going backwards these days?" Dudley Smith suggested. Another member suggested that since this group had saved the fair for the city, the organization should be called the "Knights of Ak-Sar-Ben." Thus, Ak-Sar-Ben was born.

Well, the State Fair is gone ... and many other things have changed. But, through it all, Ak-Sar-Ben's commitment to community service has been a constant. It remains dedicated to its mission:

"To build a more prosperous Heartland, where communities can flourish and every child can succeed."

Today, the Knights of Ak-Sar-Ben Foundation includes two membership classes, the Board of Governors and His Majesty's Council. These two bodies are responsible for the fulfillment of the Foundation mission. In addition, a public membership class is called The Ak-Sar-Ben Friends."

Duetboy

aka jeff
 

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