Question about thr 2004 DC

by William Penwell 17 Replies latest jw friends

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  William Penwell

  Just a question or comment about the 2004 District Conventions. Is there a move by the WT society to have the District Conventions in smaller venues?? Or are they trying to lower their costs? Locally the society has rented the same building for the last 30+ years but this year they decided that it was too much of a cost so they rented a stadium out of town. A 4 hour drive so one is almost forced to rent a hotel room for 3 nights. Which will also mean they have to have 5 District Conventions over a 5 week period where it used to only be a one District Convention. Seems to me that in their infinite wisdom to save a bit of money they are putting more burdens on the rank and file members to absorb the costs. I am wondering if maybe they don't have the contributions coming in so they have to resort to cheaper alternative facilities. Anyone else have any further information? Are they doing this in other cities?

  Will
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  Euphemism

  That's been happening all over the country for the last 10 years or more.

  It's largely a cost-saving move; by dealing with smaller venues, the WTS has more negotiating power. They can often get use of the facility free of charge, in exchange for the economic benefits they will purportedly bring to area hotels/restaurants, etc.

  On the plus side, it does tend to make the conventions more comfortable, since the smaller facilities often have padded seats and air conditioning.

  I don't think it's necessarily any worse for the delegates. It may be farther away for you, but it's closer for someone else.
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  William Penwell

  Euphemism,

  Thanks for your response. You made some interesting points but I can't figure out why they didn't get something closer. I am sure they could have arranged for a smaller facility some where locally instead of having to make a 4 hour drive. Most of the Dubs I know are on fixed incomes and with the price of gas etc. it is a major expense for them. I think you answered my question about the society trying to pass down the costs to the rank and file members to absorb instead of trying to recover the costs through contributions.

  Will
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  Leolaia

  Interesting
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  mineralogist

  Another thought for having multiple smaller DCs was to give more brothers "privileges". This way they may feel something special or - because of the need - more urged to help out.
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  Elsewhere

  It is common knowledge among the convention organizers that the primary goal of holding a convention is to raise funds for the WTS.

  If they are cutting costs it is because they are receiving less money from the people.
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  Will Power

  Could it be that they don't want people to notice that a huge stadium would have alot more empty seats?

  Smaller, they can still fill them.
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  NeonMadman

  Seems to me that in their infinite wisdom to save a bit of money they are putting more burdens on the rank and file members to absorb the costs.

  And why would you think even for a second that the burden they are placing upon the rank and file would be of the slightest concern to them?

  They still demand that the publishers engage in the mostly unproductive busy work field service, even though there are much more effective methods of distributing their information that could be used. But using those more effective methods would cost the Society money, whereas the present arrangement places all the burden upon the rank and file - so it continues.

  When you're asking people to expend their whole lives in drudgery to save yourself a few bucks that would be required for publicizing your "vital" message, what's the big deal about asking them to drive an extra hour or two to a convention once a year?
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  Scully

  Perhaps the WTS has dealt with the same hotels, stadiums, arenas, etc. for so many years, that they are having a difficult time "selling" the management of these establishments on the so-called benefits of having a JW convention anymore.

  It used to be easy (apparently) to snap up a large convention centre by saying the WTS would make sure the arena got a huge clean-up before and after. Then the convention centres started charging a fee for parking, which the WTS tried to weasel out of, by providing Brothers? who would look after the parking lot security.

  The larger big-city venues lost a lot of money with the conventions: no concession sales, no parking revenue, no tickets for admission. Personally, I think the management just got fed up with the losses and could easily bring in events that would give them the revenue that the WTS conventions do not.

  The small town venues don't realize how much of a drain the JW conventions are going to be on their economy. Yet.

  Love, Scully
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  iiz2cool

  The larger big-city venues lost a lot of money with the conventions: no concession sales, no parking revenue, no tickets for admission.

  True. Even the surrounding restaurants take a hit because the brothers? are told to brown bag it.

  Watchtower conventions benefit no one but the WTS.

  Walter