SAMPLE LETTER FOR POTENTIAL HOST CITIES

Address:

Dear ,

Thank you for your interest in hosting an annual Association of Labor Relations Agencies (ALRA) conference in _________________. The ALRA Executive Board will be meeting in Philadelphia in July,________, and Montreal in July, ______, and will make a decision regarding future conferences at one of those meetings. Accordingly, I want to clarify what information the Executive Board will need in order to make their decision.

Your proposal does not need to be formal or elaborate. It does need to reach me by the July, conference so I can present it to the Board on your behalf. The proposal must contain. 1) dates of the conference - we traditionally hold them in mid to late July; 2) description of the hotel selected and its single and double rates; 3) cost of parking at the hotel; 4) approximate airfares from several major U.S. and Canadian cities, and 5) possible social events or outings. Most proposals contain brochures both from the city and the hotel. You might also indicate the number of staff members available from local agencies to assist with the conference.

You also need to check, very early on, regarding the availability of rooms with the hotel of your choice. Please ask if the hotel will "pencil us in", with a promise that you will be able to confirm by the first week of November. As you know, our group is accustomed to very upscale hotels. In recent years, we have occupied 140-150 guestrooms on two nights and 100-125 on the other nights. On the Monday of the conference, we typically need meeting rooms for 250 people. On the other days, we need meeting rooms for 150 people. If we stay with our typical schedule, your conference would begin with the ALRAcademy on Friday and end with a closing banquet on Wednesday. There is some flexibility on dates as long as we stay with July or August

I have enclosed for your information, a diagram of the conference facilities of The Pointe in Phoenix, where this year's conference will be held. Also enclosed is a function information sheet. This indicates the rooms needed each day for the various meetings and meals, the numbers they need to provide for and the required set up.

Please call me if you have any questions. I am delighted that you have expressed an interest in hosting our group. I am certain your City would be a popular our membership.

I look forward to working with you in endeavoring to bring ALRA to your area. Thank you for your interest.

Very truly yours,

ASSOCIATION OF LABOR RELATIONS AGENCIES

ANNUAL CONFERENCE HOTEL SPECIFICATIONS

The following are general requirements and estimates for lodging, meeting rooms, food and beverage and other related requirements for the Annual Association of Labor Relations Agencies (ALRA) conference.

Location:

Dates: Friday night thru Wednesday night

Sleeping Rooms:

Friday - 25

Saturday - 125

Sunday - 140

Monday - 140

Tuesday - 110

Wednesday - 85

Meetings/Other Room Requirements

Friday

Evening - meeting room including dinner for 25

Saturday

A.M. until late in the afternoon - meeting room for 25

Evening - opening reception to serve food and beverages for 125

Sunday

Early a.m. - meeting room for 25

A.M. - meeting room for 140 inclusive of brunch

P.M. - 5 breakout-meeting rooms that can accommodate approximately 30 persons per room

Monday

A.M. - meeting room for 200

Noon - Lunchroom for 200

P.M. - 3-4 breakout-meeting rooms that can accommodate approximately 75 each

Tuesday

A.M. until approximately noon - meeting room for 140

Wednesday

A.M. - meeting room for 90

Noon - Lunchroom for 90

P.M. - 3 breakout-meeting rooms that can accommodate 30 each

Evening - cocktail reception and banquet room for 85

Saturday through Wednesday - 1 large suite for hospitality events

Friday through Wednesday - 1 small suite

Food and Beverage Requirements

Friday

Dinner for 25

Saturday

A.M. continental breakfast for 25

Noon lunch for 25

Evening - opening reception dinner buffet and beverages for 125

Sunday

Early A.M. - continental breakfast for 25

Late A.M. - brunch for 140

Monday

A.M. - coffee service for 200

Noon - lunch for 200

Tuesday

A.M. - coffee service for 140

Wednesday

A.M. - coffee service for 90

Noon - lunch for 90

Evening - cocktail reception and dinner banquet for 85

Additional Requirements

Sleeping room rates must be very competitive given attendees are employees of American and Canadian governmental labor relations agencies.

ALRA anticipates the ability to negotiate one (l) complementary sleeping room for every x rooms booked.

Food shall be of high quality, reasonably healthy, provided with good presentation and at competitive pricing. Food is an important item to conference delegates.

Hotel service is critically important, especially meetings and banquet services. ALRA has a lengthy history of well-executed successful conferences.

ALRA is exempt from state sales taxes a non-profit organization.

A designated number of upgraded sleeping and meeting rooms and suite have historically been arranged with the host hotel. A similar arrangement is anticipated for this event,

The ALRA Executive Board will meet at the chosen hotel site on a Friday night, Saturday and depart Sunday during the3rd or 4^th weekend of October. Requirements are approximately 18 sleeping rooms on Friday and Saturday nights, one (1) meeting room for approximately 15 persons on Friday and Saturday, lunch on Saturday for 15 and breakfast on Sunday for 15.

Past (and future) ALRA conference hotels:

Pfizer Hotel (Milwaukee) - 1992

The Benson Hotel (Portland) - 1993

The Fairmont (Chicago) - 1995

Château Laurier (Ottawa) - 1996

Adam's Mark - 1998

Hilton's The Pointe at Tapatio Cliffs (phoenix) - 1999

Sheraton Society Hill (Philadelphia) - 2000

Queen Elizabeth (Montreal) - 2001

Number of sleeping rooms required:

Friday night - 25

Saturday night - 125

Sunday night - 140

Monday night - 140

Tuesday night - 110

Wednesday - 85

These figures are estimates based on prior conferences.

Meeting room and food and beverage requirements:

Friday - evening - meeting room and dinner for 25

Saturday - continental breakfast, lunch and meeting room for 25

Saturday - evening - opening reception (food and cocktails for 125)

Sunday - continental breakfast and meeting room for 25

Sunday - brunch and meeting room for 140; 5 breakout rooms in till: afternoon, which can accommodate 25 each.

Monday - coffee service meeting room and lunch for 200; may have 3-4 breakout sessions in the afternoon (50 each)

Tuesday - coffee service and meeting room for 140 only until noon

Wednesday - coffee service, meeting room and lunch for 90. 3 breakout rooms in the afternoon that can accommodate 30 each.

Wednesday - evening - cocktail reception and banquet for 85

l presidential suite

1 hospitality suite

Other requirements/concerns/information

1. ALRA is exempt from sales tax as a non-profit.

2. We are used to getting some upgraded sleeping rooms, meeting rooms, hospitality suite and presidential suite at no cost.

3. We are also used to getting one complimentary sleeping room for' every 50 that we use. This allows us to provide one night's complimentary lodging for our speakers.

4. We will also host the October Executive Board meeting at this hotel, so we will need approximately 18 sleeping rooms on a Friday and Saturday night in late October of 2001, a meeting room for 15 on both days; lunch on Saturday for 15 and breakfast on Sunday for 15.

5. ALRA is made up of federal, state, provincial and local governmental agencies in Canada and the United States, so we must keep costs down. We don't mind paying a higher rate for a double room. Most people come to the conference alone. I would pursue either the government rate; conference rate or whatever is most reasonable. We do have a number of food and beverage events, so most hotels have accommodated our request for a reasonable rate

6. Our conference delegates are used to very upscale hotels with good-to-great food at competitive prices. They are spoiled, but expect to continue to be spoiled. Food is important to them.

7. Service is also important. Since we are a small conference, I fear getting lost in the shuffle at a huge hotel where we are only one of many conferences going on.

8. Location is also important. I would prefer to be walking distance from the water if not on the water. Our delegates cut down on expenses by not renting a car. It's great if they can walk to shopping, restaurants etc.

9. The hospitality suite, for many delegates, is the most important feature.

10. We typically have off-site social functions on Sunday night, Tuesday afternoon and Tuesday evening.

11. You may want to emphasize that their group has some pretty high profile Canadian and American governmental officials in its midst, and the mayor and governor will he invited guests on the Monday.