TOPIC: Room Reservations

Indianapolis is hosting the Final Four this year. Check out the hotel prices for that

Sounds like it was a bit better then last year, but still not great. Looking across the boards (not just TD) I'm seeing a lot less ranting about it.

The comments about mass transit is spot on. Imagine if the powers that be actually invested in transit and true european style rail would link Cincinnati and Chicago through Indianapolis. Both cities would be 45-60 minutes away, which is less than most peoples commute time, and the same as the current airport shuttle to downtown.

I know spending money is not popular right now, but if Indianapolis doesn't seriously consider better and more frequent busses and trains, they risk losing GenCon and its annual economic impact.

There seems to be enough room in Indy total but the collective impact for a lot of people (admittedly including myself) that if they don't get downtown (walking distance) then they avoid the trip. If i didn't hear horror stories and how inefficient/overloaded bus/shuttle system is i'd say that would be a way to establish a secondary hotel block even off site events in. You would have to have a proven robust transit system to make it happen though.

This year puts me and i'm sure quite a few others in wait and see. I want to finish this year's arc and hear how who'syercon works out. If Gencon doesn't make public changes and stands by the people that got burned then its sayonara and good riddens.

I don't mean to be harsh but I doubt they will care. Enough people will still come. More and more are coming each year. If they lose some because there public transit isn't great they will be replaced by others.

jedibcg wrote: I don't mean to be harsh but I doubt they will care. Enough people will still come. More and more are coming each year. If they lose some because there public transit isn't great they will be replaced by others.

In all intellectual honest i truly believe that you'd be correct sadly.

jedibcg wrote: I don't mean to be harsh but I doubt they will care. Enough people will still come. More and more are coming each year. If they lose some because there public transit isn't great they will be replaced by others.

Quite true. Attendance is not a problem for GenCon so they certainly aren't going to do any work to improve this mess.

Who's for TD moving to Origins?

If anyone is still hunting for rooms, it looks like the Wyndham West (same place that will host Whosyercon, has rooms for Gencon. Seeing $132 a night for 2 double beds and $167 for a suite. It is a straight shot to downtown (Sam Jones Expressway to 70) if you bring your car.

I tried to compare hotel price/availability for Gencon and the Final Four, but it looks like the Final Four has downtown sold out

jedibcg wrote:

Harlax wrote:

Kirk Bauer wrote: I'm going to throw this out there, not in a political way, but from a pure economics perspective.

The room block system IMO is flawed because it is a form of price fixing. Just like any other attempt to artificially lower prices (e.g. gas in the 70s) it leads to overwhelming demand, waiting, and insufficient supply.

Those that do get into the room block (either through lottery this year or sheer luck in previous years) do get rooms at reduced prices. The problem is that in many cases they are paying less (possibly substantially less) than they'd be willing to pay for those rooms. That's why demand on the room block is so high.

Meanwhile, those who don't get lucky will pay even higher prices as the hotels sell the remaining rooms at higher prices to subsidize the rooms that are part of the room block. Some of these people likely have to pay more than they were willing to, stay further away than they wanted to, or just decide not to go altogether.

So what is likely to be an unpopular suggestion is that GenCon should do away with the room blocks. Each hotel is free to set their prices and each attendee is free to make their own reservations. Let the market figure out the fair price for hotels based on distance, etc.

Caveat: I've only used a room from the room block one time, so I certainly could be biased. Every other time I either paid for or used reward points for a downtown hotel.

I have been a part of several state and national organizations which plan conferences or annual meetings. Most carefully manage their hotel blocks because they are on the hook financially ifthe block undersells. So the approach to block size is conservative. Substantial financial losses can occur if you guess wrong. And of course, you negotiate the best block price you can. Is this price fixing? No, it's two businesses working toward a mutually beneficial deal.

Now that doesn't mean it's the best deal for the consumer. If you look at the prices for some of those downtown rooms at other times of the year they are much lower than the block prices. On the other hand, look at those rooms in May during the Indy 500 timeframe. It will make your eyes pop. Supply and demand still rules.

Is GenCon too big for Indy? No, Jedi is right that it is not when you look at the total picture. But it is too big for just downtown. And the size and crowding (particularly in the dealer hall) has significantly changed the nature of the event. But that is not a new phenomena for those of us who remember the Milwaukee days.

BTW, the super bowl experience may not be the best example. There was significant unhappiness with Indy hotel capacity for that with some corporate sponsor events being staged as far away as Louisville.

SB might not be the best example as you mention but it also draws alot more people than just those attendance numbers. The Indy 500 (and Brickyard 400) is another interesting example. The attendances are around 300,000 for each. Granted I have no idea how many of those folks only come in for their race and leave without staying in a hotel, but I do know when they start filling up hotels they do fill up the city and then some. But I understand you point.

I think there are two things at play here. Hotels and the convention center (and surrounding area) itself. If more space is need for gaming/dealer room it is there. Lucas Oil is just south and has the space. I don't know what the costs are but I know local companies will rent for a night to hold company events there. So it has the space it just becomes a question if it is usable or not.

Indy has the hotels (downtown doesn't). So GenCon probably will outgrow Indy, I just don't think we are there yet considering the bigger events Indy does play host to.


I would happily travel to some place that has more hotel rooms within walking distance that would be priced around the current GenCon block pricing (200-250 a night for a double). I would not look forward to traveling to NYC for events again.

Just my two cents

Indy 500 (I've gone around a dozen times) has people staying as far away as Lafayette and Terre Haute. But then again half the drive time is in the last 2 or 3 miles,depending on how early you plan to arrive.

Yep I swear the hotels in Crawsfordsville IN only can stay afloat because of the Indy 500 and Brickyard. Those you could easy say are too big for Indy but it is not like you can move Speedway.

Yes, you can probably add Anderson, Richmond, Columbus and shelbyville to the list. Anywhere with easy access to an interstate into Indy.

Maybe people in Speedway will let GenCon'ers rent out on their lawns like the do for races?