post-dc17:Penthouse Party 6407!

[jackassplus]

Re: Penthouse Party 6407!

Even though the penthouse party got axed, The alternate party on 11 was a blast anyway, 'cept for the cops chasing everybody out. Had fun on the board, and met some cool people. Hope there is a reasonable analog next year as well.

[Deviant Ollam]

Re: post-dc17:Penthouse Party 6407!

this is, far and away, one of the biggest problems i've had with our treatment at the Riv. i'm not one of the people who is crying out from a mountaintop saying we shouldn't be at this hotel (indeed, a LOT of it works really well for us) but i cannot recall the last time a large DEFCON party didn't involve a hotel bartender and cash bar.

the ability to gather in large places and be social with our own booze is so limited here. I realize that things like corkage fees are a significant money-maker for hotels, but i'm astonished that we don't have enough pull to change that. even if it was just done in the shmoocon way of allowing parties to lay a large lump sum of money down to "seed" the scene with free drinks for a limited time.

my other biggest guest-services related complaint (tied to this since it's related mostly to bartenders) is the shortage of staff working any sort of vending. from bartenders to food service staff, people who had to either make drinks or make change were slow and painfuly too few and far between.

to anyone at the Pimps on friday night... did you ever get a drink without waiting 5 to 10 minutes each time? to people who went for expedient food on the main floor... did you ever get through that line in less than 5 to 10 minutes? i don't get it... this is simple math... if you have a single person at a register and a huge line, then one out of every ten people who sees that mess (in my view) says "forget it" and doesn't patronize that location. adding one more staffer would cost the hotel, what, $10 per hour in wage? and it would be made up in the first few minutes with more customers serviced and more satisfied onlookers saying "well, i don't like the idea of spending $5 for a small basket of chicken wings but i'll order them here since it's right where i'm standing and they won't be jerking me around for a while since i've gotta get back to this contest."

[Schuyler]

Re: post-dc17:Penthouse Party 6407!

to anyone at the Pimps on friday night... did you ever get a drink without waiting 5 to 10 minutes each time? to people who went for expedient food on the main floor... did you ever get through that line in less than 5 to 10 minutes?

To be perfectly honest, and I am not just saying this to be contrary, but I got my beers near immediately at Hacker Pimps (and cheap as dirt, too, which was awesome) though I did buy a couple ahead when I went the fist time. I went for food several times, and never got stuck there for longer than five minutes, tops. To be honest, I had more expedient interactions with the bar & food staff than last year, with the one exception of the Summit, where I did feel it was taking awkwardly long to get a drink.

That said? It appears I may have simply had a very different experience of con than most of the rest of the forum. I rarely had trouble moving through the halls, got to see every talk I wanted to see, and even subbed in to help give a talk at DC101, and typically saw rooms nearly filled to capacity, but not quite. My interests and goals when I arrive aren't inline with the zeitgeist of DEFCON, though. I mean, I love Adam Savage, but had little interest in catching that in person, or even live for that matter. Mouse's talk on hacking food, however, couldn't be appreciated unless you were live, eating the food, trying the miracle berries, etc. & it wasn't too crowded and random audience volunteers organized the "come on up, give us money & take some of this food" potential melee in moments, resulting in an incredibly efficient, satisfying, hands-on talk.

Considering the overwhelming number of reports to the contrary of my own experience, I guess I'm just going to consider myself lucky.

[kallahar]

Re: post-dc17:Penthouse Party 6407!

So huge appoligies to everyone who helped try to make the penthouse party happen. Obviously there wasn't a party, and a lot of people are out a lot of money. There was a long, long chain of events that all added up to screw us over. I honestly don't understand why the riv won't let us give them a suitcase full of money to just leave us alone.

For everyone who donated to the booze fund, we've still got it all and it will be stored in a secret location (sorry, not underground or in a volcano base) until next year, when we'll make another attempt!

Kallahar

[ndex]

Re: post-dc17:Penthouse Party 6407!

It's clear that the Riviera does not want our business. They rolled out the "fuck you" policies the second we walked in the door.

The last time we had private parties without a cash bar was at the AP. The Riviera, in some sort of delusional, self-destructive fantasy world, has decided that if they *screw* us every way they can, we'll go throw money down in their casino.

After the second year at the AP we were their most anticipated conference of the year. They earned a fortune off us on liquor receipts and with the addition of insurance which DT bought to cover the inevitable damage that can be caused by thousands of drunks staggering around your property; they managed to do very well with our business.

I did not stay at the Riviera this year and I did not spend a cent anywhere in that hotel other than one drink I bought at the bar. I refuse to spend my money with any establishment that cannot comprehend the sound of "here comes money". Their attitude as hosts was abominable and they deserve the bankruptcy they're headed for. We were their *customers* and they treated us like unwanted guests.

My vote is for 1) never returning to the Riviera again 2) going to all the hotel review sites and totally panning the way they treated us and 3) boycotting the Riviera for any and all future conferences/vacations to Vegas.

They demanded cash payment for that room and then threatened legal action if the party went on. When the room is paid for in advance and the party is part of a major convention attended by thousands of people, it is a poor business plan to shit on the people paying the bills (you know, the customers?). The Ninja Party, which was held off site, was an awesome success. It would be a nice parting blow to the Riv to say "we took our $nnn business to another hotel and they treated us very well, you have lost our business and our recommendations, please die in a fire."

[Dallas]

Re: post-dc17:Penthouse Party 6407!

I posted my thoughts on the Boos section, however, I would say that if it is to continue, it may be a mesh of what we saw at the Freakshow. Free booze of one type, and pay on the other. Personally, I think the Ninja idea was closer to being the right way to go. Go offsite and do it ourselves. I never got a drink at the HackerPimps party, I could not get close enough to the bar, same with Ninja. I know at the Penthouse party, (and having worked behind that bar) that Amber and Co have never made anyone wait more than a few minutes. I dont know. It Sucks. I do know that 23b has the power to figure it out and come up with a solution that should work. For me, it was always more fun having friends on both sides of the bar (depending on where you stood :) ), than having a union bartender charging $ 6 for a drink that I can give away for less than a $ 1.

The Penthouse was a cozy party, it will not work well as a formal event..nor should it be.

So props to the Aristocrats, the 23b and friends, there is hopefully always next year.. Anyone want to share the secret location :)

It's clear that the Riviera does not want our business. They rolled out the "fuck you" policies the second we walked in the door.

The last time we had private parties without a cash bar was at the AP. The Riviera, in some sort of delusional, self-destructive fantasy world, has decided that if they *screw* us every way they can, we'll go throw money down in their casino.

After the second year at the AP we were their most anticipated conference of the year. They earned a fortune off us on liquor receipts and with the addition of insurance which DT bought to cover the inevitable damage that can be caused by thousands of drunks staggering around your property; they managed to do very well with our business.

I did not stay at the Riviera this year and I did not spend a cent anywhere in that hotel other than one drink I bought at the bar. I refuse to spend my money with any establishment that cannot comprehend the sound of "here comes money". Their attitude as hosts was abominable and they deserve the bankruptcy they're headed for. We were their *customers* and they treated us like unwanted guests.

My vote is for 1) never returning to the Riviera again 2) going to all the hotel review sites and totally panning the way they treated us and 3) boycotting the Riviera for any and all future conferences/vacations to Vegas.

They demanded cash payment for that room and then threatened legal action if the party went on. When the room is paid for in advance and the party is part of a major convention attended by thousands of people, it is a poor business plan to shit on the people paying the bills (you know, the customers?). The Ninja Party, which was held off site, was an awesome success. It would be a nice parting blow to the Riv to say "we took our $nnn business to another hotel and they treated us very well, you have lost our business and our recommendations, please die in a fire."