55^th Reunion
 13 -18 May, 2016

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Park Ridge Marriott in Park Ridge, NJ Selected for 55th Reunion Hotel

Your Reunion Planning Team and Class Committee are pleased to report that we have found an outstanding hotel for our 55^th. 

First a Little Background Info 

Over the course of the past 15 months we have determined:

·Where you wanted to have the reunion – West Point was winner by wide margin

·When you wanted to have the reunion - Alumni Weekend 2016 won by almost three-to-one over second choice, Football Weekend

·Firm dates for the reunion are 13-18 May 2016. 

During that same period we have also been working on finding the best hotel for our 55^th reunion base of operations.  We were in communication with and collected data from some 17 hotels that were potential locations for our lodging for the 55^th.  Based on these communications and the data collected we eliminated those that did not meet our minimum requirements and narrowed the options down to five hotels or combination of hotels in the case of the West Point location. 

In April 2014, we completed initial site visits and tours of the five remaining candidates, during which planning committee members met with the hotel sales representatives; discussed and explained the items of particular interest to the class; toured the facilities; collected and recorded relevant data to support comparative evaluations of the venue options; and requested that the representatives forward updated proposals.  Each of the reps subsequently responded with answers and updated offers from their hotels.  Based on these sources of data we eliminated two candidates from further consideration, including The Thayer, because of serious issues with their offerings that made them unsatisfactory venues for the Class. 

In July 2014, planning committee members made second site visits to the three finalists.  The purposes of these meetings were to clarify the current thinking about interest items for the Class, explain additional concessions we asked that the POC’s consider, and request updated proposals from the hotels. 

Subsequent to the second meetings we received updated proposals from the three hotels.  All three hotels responded positively to our list of concerns, requests for additional concessions, and our amended items of interest.  

We then integrated all the inputs from the visits and proposals, conducted the evaluation, and selected the best candidate for the reunion. 

And The Winner Is 

The Park Ridge Marriott in Park Ridge , NJ clearly separated itself from the other two hotels in its overall responses to our Class interests, positive answers to our many requests, and significant cost benefits offered to the Class.   We selected this hotel for the reunion.

 Hotel Amenities 

Key Features of the Park Ridge Marriott Offer 

• Lowest net room-only cost
• Complimentary buffet breakfast
• Lowest cost for room and breakfast combo
• Same bed and breakfast combo and rate for early arrivals or late departures
• Complimentary Main Hospitality Room adjacent to main ballroom that Class supplies with non-alcoholic beverages and snacks
• Two complimentary suites – to be used for auxiliary hospitality rooms
• Three auxiliary hospitality rooms with class supplied beverages (including alcoholic beverages) and snacks
• Comp guest room per 40 paid guest rooms
• Comp Memorial Room
• Discount for banquet meals
• Discount for audio/visual rental equipment
• Class provides own wine for pre-dinner cocktail hours and dinners with no corkage charge
• Lowest overall social package cost per person/per couple
• Provision for changing the room commitment after contract date.
• Favorable attrition clause.
• Room reservation can be cancelled up to 6:00 PM on arrival day with no penalty
• Best curb appeal and ambiance for casual outside social activities
• Complimentary use of major fitness center
• Complimentary shuttle service

Photo Gallery to look at hotel

Cost Benefits of the Park Ridge Marriott Offer 

• Let’s have a look at the cumulative cost benefits of all these cost related features.

• We will find that small savings per person per day add up quickly to big savings for the entire group.

• First we need to know how many attendees and rooms we need to plan for.

• Based on our latest reunion survey we are projecting about 400 attendees and a requirement for 200 rooms.

• We used these figures for planning numbers and cost comparisons.

• Actual cost data will vary based on final attendance numbers.

• For purposes of cost comparisons we defined what we call the “Social Package.”

• The Social Package consists of the room, in-room wifi, breakfasts, hospitality rooms, beverages and snacks in the hospitality rooms at all times, cash bar setup costs for cocktail hour and dinners, beverages for cocktail hours and dinners, dinner meals, dinner entertainment, and dinner decorations.

• The Social Package does not include optional items, such as tours, attractions, transportation, golf, etc.  These you will select later and pay-as-you-go for what you choose.

• OK, let’s aggregate the cost benefits of the Park Ridge Marriott and see what we get.  We will look at the Social Package cost benefits in three ways: Per Couple per Day; For the Entire Class per Day; and For the Entire Class for all Four Days of the Reunion .  We will compare the data for the Park Ridge Marriott to the other two finalist hotels (Hilton and Crowne Plaza ) and to the hypothetical costs if we used the applicable prices from the 50^th at the Westchester Marriott:

• Average Social Package Cost Per Couple Per Day Benefit

• Hilton is $35.33 per day higher

• Crowne Plaza is $64.33 per day higher

• Using Westchester Marriott prices from the 50^th would be $140 per day higher

• Total Social Package Cost per Day for Entire Class Benefit

• Hilton is $7,066 per day higher

• Crowne Plaza is $12,866 per day higher

• Using Westchester Marriott prices from the 50^th would be $27,933 per day higher

• Total Social Package Cost for Entire Reunion (all four days) for Entire Class Benefit

• Hilton is $28,267 higher

• Crowne Plaza is $51,467 higher

• Using Westchester Marriott prices from the 50^th would be $111,733 higher

• As advertised, “Small savings per person per day add up quickly to big savings for the entire group!”

Additional Information and Reference Material 

If you are interested in more information and detail about the evaluation of the hotels please see the two attached files 

1.     Hotel Evaluation Report

a.      This Word file describes in detail the solicitation process and evaluation of the candidate hotels. 

b.     It references data from the second attachment, Hotel Comparisons.

2.     Hotel Comparisons

a.      This Excel file contains seven spreadsheets that integrate the data we have collected from the hotels, relevant data from our reunion surveys, selected data from the 50^th reunion, commentary on these data, and an assessment of the candidate hotels. 

Path Forward 

      We will continue our planning for the 55^th over the coming months. 

In April or May of 2015 we will send you the next survey, in which we will gather specifics about your plans for the 55^th. 

Questions or Comments 

Send any comments or questions to 61reunion@cfl.rr.com.   

We look forward to seeing you at the 55^th Reunion 

Your Reunion Planning Committee
Bob Cairns , Gene Witherspoon, Burke Mucho, Phil Mallory, Joe Fishburne, Gary Hyde