Conference Planning Manual

Updated 2005

Table of Contents

Selecting a Conference Site

Site Selection Process3

Bid Package5

Hotel Chapter7

Planning the Conference

Organizational Chart10

Conference Planning Calendar11

Budgeting for Conference14

Conference Skelton Schedule18

Conference Host Job Description19

Conference Committees Job Description21

Publications24

Fellow Award Recipients27

TRPA Past Presidents27

Conference Program Chairperson Job Description28

Interest Section Program Committee Representatives29

Session Schedule30

Forms

Form Instructions32

Off Site Transportation Form33

Proposed Education Program34

Conference Function Request Form37

Delegate Evaluation Form39

CEU Approval Forms41

Speaker Form43

Sign Form44

Entertainment Form45

At the Conference

Registration47

Meeting Agendas

Opening Session51

Awards Banquet52

Section Awards52

CONFERENCE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

FOR SITE SELECTION COMMITTEE

1. Annual Calendar:

OctoberChairman attends President’s Assembly

NovemberChairman takes office

December

JanuaryChairman selects committee

Send out letters of intent to prospective host agencies

February

March 31stDeadline for response from all who are interested in hosting conference

April

May

June 30thDeadline for receiving all bid packages from prospective host agencies

July

August

Sept. 30thCommittee completes site visitation

OctoberCommittee considers all prospective locations and determines recommendation

NovemberExecutive Board selects site

2. Other Important Factors:

a.The Site Selection Committee Chairman should have previous conferenceexperience.

b.When visiting sites, the committee should meet with the potential host agency as well as the representatives of the hotel.

c.The Site Selection Committee should consist of the Chairman, Executive Director, President, and others as deemed necessary

d. If the Chairman does not have previous Conference experience, then an additional committee member should be selected who does have this experience.

A.Site Selection Process

Site selection chairperson sends letter to prospective host agencies in January.

March 1st deadline for response from all interested agencies.

June 30th deadline for receiving bid packages from prospective agencies.

July – September site selection committee reviews and visits interested cities. (2 hotels) (positions on committee: include Executive Director and President)

October committee determines best location for conference. TRPA Director and Host Representative negotiate with 2 best options in city.

November Executive Board selects conference site. Executive Director signs contract.

B.Content of Bid Package

1.Dates approved by Board for conference are any 3 consecutive days during the first three weeks of November.

2.Letters of invitation

a. Local parks and recreation agency

b.Chief elected official of the city or Board Chairman of Board of Commissioners

3.Housing Facility (complete for 2/3 hotels)

a.Minimum of 250 sleeping rooms

b.Provide current rates for single and double occupancy in guest room

c.Housing should be accessible to the handicapped

d.Policy on complimentary rooms and allowable ratio

e.Provide a map indicating location of housing to convention center, if meeting area is not in hotel

f.Provide rates for meeting rooms and exhibit area (if applicable)

g.Special services offered such as airport limousine service, etc.

4.Meeting Facility

a.Minimum needs to include 400 seating capacity for general sessions; 500 seating capacity for meal functions; minimum of 7 breakout rooms for educational sessions ranging in seating capacity from 25 to 100 people

b.Provide a floor plan or layout of meeting rooms

c.Policy for charging of meeting rooms

5.Exhibit Facility

a.Include location of meeting rooms and size of area (should be in a high traffic area)

b.Space for minimum of 60 8’x10’ booths

c. Indicate services available and costs for exhibit needs by decorating company for tables, chairs, signs, drapery, etc.

d.Indicate rental or any other charges of convention center or hotel for exhibit area (also include security charges)

e.Enclose a copy of rules and regulations for exhibit area

6.Meal Functions

a. Conference format includes two large meal functions needing seating for 400 people plus at least 3 other meals (one for 25-50 people, the other two for 80-125 people)

b.Provide current banquet menus and costs of meals

c.Provide current hotel-motel tax rate plus local and state tax rate

d.Provide guarantee schedule required by food services

C.Other Information Requested

1.Accessibility to air or highway transportation

2.Convention bureau services available

3.Local park and recreation personnel services available such as security, entertainment, registration, spouse activities, transportation, local tours, pre-conference activities

Tennessee Recreation & Parks Association

Requirements for Bid Packages for

Meeting and Trade Show Space

Bid Packages will be evaluated on:

1)Dates approved by the Board for conference are any 3 consecutive days during the first two weeks of November. (specific dates will be approved for each year)

2)Letters of invitation from

a)Local parks and recreation agency

b)Chief elected official of the city or Board Chairman of Board of Commissioners

3)Housing facility (complete for 2/3 hotels)

a)Minimum of 250 sleeping rooms

b)Provide current rates for single and double occupancy in guest room

c)Housing must be ADA accessible

d)Policy on complimentary rooms and allowable ratio

e)Provide a map indicating location of housing to convention center, if meeting is not in hotel

f)Provide rates for meeting rooms and exhibit area

g)Special services offered such as airport limousine service, etc.

4)Meeting facility

a)Minimum needs 400 seating capacity for general sessions; 400 seating capacity for meal functions; minimum of 7 breakout rooms for educational sessions ranging in seating capacity from 25 to 150 people, and minimum of 2 operational rooms

b)Provide floor plan and layout of meeting rooms

c)Policy for charging of meeting rooms

5)Exhibit Facility

a)Include location of meeting rooms and size of area (should be a high traffic area)

b)Space for a minimum of 80 8x10 booths.

c)Indicate services available and costs for exhibit needs by decorating company for tables, chairs, signs, pipe and drape, etc.

d)Indicate rental or any other charges of convention center or hotel for exhibit area. Also include security charges

e)Enclose a copy of rules ad regulations for exhibit area

6)Meal functions

a)Conference format includes two large meal functions, one needing seating for 350 people plus several smaller meals/meetings. These smaller events maybe held on site or off.

b)Provide current banquet menus and costs of meals

c)Provide current hotel-motel tax and gratuity rates, plus local and state tax rate.

d)Provide guarantee schedule required by food services (ex. 48 hours, etc.)

7)Other Information Requested

a)Accessibility to air or highway transportation

b)Convention bureau services available with costs

c)Local park and recreation personnel services available such as security, entertainment, registration, transportation, local tours, pre-conference activities

Rev 7/04

Past Conference Rotation and Themes

2007- Gatlinburg

2006Enjoy Our Good Nature – ParisLandingState Park

2005Parks and Recreation Good for the Heart, Good for the Soul - Nashville

2004Camp “BORO – Building Our Recreation Opportunities – Murfreesboro

2003SURVIVOR Meeting the Challenge - Knoxville/Knox County

2002Celebrating Parks, Recreation and People – WilliamsonCounty

2001Walk on the Wild Side – Germantown

2000One in a Millennium! – Chattanooga/Hamilton County

1999The Future is Now: Reach for the Summit – Gatlinburg

1998Seasons of Change…Soaring to New Heights! – Kingsport

1997Parks and Recreation Benefits…Sounds Good to Me! - Jackson

1996Celebrating Our Past as we Work in Concert for our Future – Nashville

1995Beyond Fun and Games – Memphis

1994Blazing a Trail to the Future – Knoxville

1993Life, Leisure and the Pursuit of Quality – Chattanooga/Hamilton County

1992Headed for the Future A Challenging Journey – Johnson City

1991Leisure Services Personified – Germantown

1990Responsible Recreation…Your Commitment to the 1990’s

1989Recreation. Bank on it. - Memphis

1988It’s Your Life, Rec. It – Knoxville

1987Recreation: Impressions for Life - Jackson

1986Rising to New Heights – Joint Conference in Louisville, KY

1985 - Chattanooga

1984Recreation O’Plenty. Life Be in it. - Nashville

1983On the Right Track with Recreation - Jackson

1982Life. Be in it. Recreation In the 80’s

1981Whip Inflation with Innovation – Memphis

1980Let’s Play It The Music City Way - Nashville

1979 - Gatlinburg

1978Motivate – Generate – Recreate – Memphis/Shelby County

1969

1951CumberlandMountainState Park

Hotel Chapter

Choosing the Hotel

A.Basic Criteria ( based on 1996 and 2004)

1.Average number of delegates is 350

2.Number of sleeping rooms

Sunday 50

Monday 100

Tuesday150

Wednesday225

Thursday 150

3.Number of meeting rooms minimum of 9 (2 for offices)

4.Exhibit area minimum of 70 8’ x 10’ booths

Set up on Wednesday, tear down 1:30pmThursday.

5.Two major meal functions – Wednesday exhibitor luncheon, average 400-500 people, Thursday night banquet, average 300 people.

6.Room for opening session – must seat a minimum of 250 people.

7.A registration area in the lobby is needed or a near by room.

8.Secondary meals – Two breakfasts that average 15-25 people; a luncheon that will average 125 people, normally these meal functions are on Wednesday of the Conference.

9.Dates of conference are customarily Monday through Thursday with check out on Friday morning the second or third week of November. (Dates must not conflict with the Georgia, Kentucky or North Carolina conference because of exhibitors. If at all possible)

B.Initial Contact with Hotel

1.Arrange an appointment with a representative of the Sales Department in each of the hotels that can accommodate the conference.

2.Ask the hotel to submit a written bid which should include the following:

a.Room rate – the Association prefers one rate for both single and double occupancy.

b.Complimentary room policy

c.Dates hotel will be available

d.Meeting room charge policy

e.Exhibit space charges

f.Number of meeting rooms available

g.Guest parking charges if applicable

h.Meal costs and beverages policies

i.Complimentary services available through the hotel

j. Hospitality area (we bring food and beverage in)

C.Selection of Conference Hotel/Conference Site

1.After all information has been gathered for the bid package, the package is to be submitted to the Site Selection Chairperson. The site selection process states this must be done by June 30th of the bidding year.

2.The Site Selection Committee will review all bids and will choose the package and location they feel will be most beneficial to the delegate and the Association. The chairperson will make its recommendation to the Executive Director for its approval.

3.After Board approval the Executive Director of the Association will negotiate and sign the contract with the hotel conference site. In the absence of the Executive Director, the TRPA President will sign the contract.

D.Working with the Hotel

1.The Executive Director or his/her designee should be the only person authorized to deal with the hotel to keep down confusion and miscommunication.

2.All verbal communications and decisions should be followed by a written confirmation. The written confirmation should be done by the Host to the Hotel verifying in writing decisions that have been made. (Often the hotel representative will change jobs before your conference starts and you will be dealing with new people who don’t know all that has been decided.)

3.Requests for meeting rooms, times of meetings, room set-up, registration times, meal functions, and their set ups must be given to the hotel in writing. Needs such as audio visual equipment, lecterns, extension cords, water on the speaker’s table, dance floor if needed during entertainment, bars and food requirements must be included in the written information to the hotel.

4.A Master Account must be opened with the hotel. All legitimate conference charges will be charged to this account during the conference (by signature/approval of the Executive Director). At the conclusion of the conference this account will be paid off and closed. This account should include:

a.guest speakers rooms and meals,

b.exhibitor luncheon, banquet, interest section meals,

c.any hotel charge agreed upon prior to the conference.

A list of names of those eligible for charges to be included on the Master Hotel Account must be given to the hotel by the Executive Director. This list will enable the Host the check legitimate charges at the end of the conference. In most cases hotels will require the Association to file an “application of credit” plus a Master Account Billing Authorization form.

5.Arrangement should be made with the hotel to use their vault/lock boxes. At the end of each day the conference registration money and banks should be placed in the vault for safekeeping. Only TRPA staff should have access to this privilege.

6.The Host Chairperson or his designee should work with the hotel on all arrangements including Interest Section meals.

7.Meal Functions:

a.The hotel must give to the Host or his designee the cut off time for adding meals to all meal functions. The registration desk must be aware of this cut off in order to stop the selling of tickets to the meal functions. Meals must only be purchased through the registration desk and not through individual Interest Sections.

b.Communication to the hotel on menu selections must be made through the Host Chairperson or Executive Director. District Directors and Interest Section Chairpersons will be sent hotel menus to select their food choice and meal prices prior to the conference. In order to have the meal prices on the registration form, the host will secure this information from the Interest Section Chair and District Director and will be the only person dealing with the hotel on food services.

c.Meal costs must reflect the menu charge plus the tax and service charge when establishing the final charge for the meal. Round off the price of the meal.

8.Establish our decoration needs with the hotel and get their policy on how things can be hung on the walls, colors of the tablecloths needed for the banquet, etc.

9.Make arrangements for a room in the hotel where all conference supplies can be stored. This is usually taken care of by finding a space in your hospitality room. Be sure the hotel knows when you plan to move in and when all conference items will be move out.

Actual number of Reservations:

1990 – Gatlinburg1989 – Memphis1988 – Knoxville

Saturday – 125Saturday – 78Saturday – 50

Sunday – 278Sunday – 187Sunday – 236

Monday – 263Monday – 190Monday – 222

Tuesday – 182Tuesday – 112Tuesday – 148

TRPA Conference Room Block History

** night exhibitors were in house

Year / Location / 1st night / 2nd night / 3rd night / 4th night / 5th night / 6th night / Total
1996 / Nashville/Renaissance / $85 / 17 / 126 / 248** / 220 / 14 / 625
1997 / Jackson/Holiday Inn, Fairfield, etc. / 144 / 154** / 154** / 103 / 555
1998 / Kingsport/Marriott / 5 / 92 / 164** / 151 / 114 / 526
1999 / Gatlinburg/Holiday Inn / 111 / 199** / 163 / 124 / -3 / 594
2000 / Chattanooga/Marriott / $85 / 41 / 133 / 212** / 174 / 140 / 700
2001 / Germantown/Adams Mark / $85 / 35 / 152 / 193** / 177 / 158 / 715
2002 / Franklin/Marriott & Embassy Suites / $85/$98 / 4 / 42 / 167** / 144 / 110 / 495
2003 / Knoxville/Marriott / $75 / 29 / 124 / 185 / 216 / 144 / 660
2004 / Murfreesboro/DoubleTree, Sleep Inn Red Roof Inn / $50-70 / 124 / 164 / 210 / 210 / 210 / 210 / 728
Sun / Mon / Tues / Wed** / Thurs
2005 / Nashville/Sheraton / $99 / 25 / 125 / 175 / 225 / 150 / 650
Sun / Mon / Tues / Wed** / Thurs
2006 / Paris Landing/ Cabins, Inn ($10 rebate)Hampton Inn / $65/75 / 10
50 / 10
121
10 / 10
121
30 / 10
121
70 / 10
121
10 / 704
Sun / Mon / Tues / Wed** / Thurs
2007 / Gatlinburg/Park Visa / $75 / 25 / 125 / 175 / 225 / 150 / 700

TRPA Conference Host Committee Structure

TBDCandi Rawlins, CPRP, CAE, IOM

Conference Host Chair(s)------TRPA Executive Director

(appointed by the President)

TRPA Staff - Laura Dieckhaus, CPRP

TBD, Conference Intern

Host Coordinator 1

Host Coordinator 2

Host Coordinator 3

Host Coordinator 4

Host Coordinator 5

Publications/Publicity

Program

(appointed by President) /

Registration

Signs

Hospitality