are your reservations at the same hotel?? i thought you guys were staying at a diff one for some reason...if its the same hotel i have a card and can make my own no problem...i just thought u were getting ur corp. rate somewhere else.

 

i wasn't trying to bash on the banquet it just sounded not worth it to me and us, we just figured we would work out an alternative if things didn't turn out well for the banquet and at $50 a head i figured more would not be interested than would be with no list of events and a boring last years banquet, well, it was worth mentioning.

 

A list of special presetations is being worked on, and *BORING* is relative... many enjoyed the VIPs. Again, we understand that maybe it wasn't to everyones liking, but you need to give the event a fair-shake... no one mentioned the *raffle* and with cool prizes, and a few of the other things from the evening, like Jim's wife Connie G. giving away autographed Mazda Motorsports in America (out of print) books away. Also the first public viewing of the Mazda Lolas at the Goodwood Festival video, with Rick Knoop (one of the original 24-hour of LeMans winning drivers, and current owner of the restored Lola)

Granted if you don't/didn't appreciate Jim Downing and company, I can see where the presentation was a little boring. But for me and a many other old rotorheads it wasn't, and I learned so many things that I would've never known if it were not for this event.

I just wanted to give another view-point to all the "the banquet sucks, it's boring, etc... etc..."

Again we're cool with an option for everyone who might not appreciate the banquet... just wanted to let everyone know that the banquet WAS appreciated by others.

Thanks guys for the continued SS support, regardless if your a banquet peep or not!


-Bern

 

well i think my suggestions were a good idea to help you guys out. not knowing what you are getting for $50 will dissuade probably a number of potential banquet-goers so knowing what to expect will hopefully help you fill the seats for the price since, well, $50 isn't a drop in the bucket when most are already paying several hundred to sevaral thousand to drive down there and most 7 owners aren't rich.


more than anything i think it was/is the value vs cost thing. tell the Hilton to bring some good food!

 

Ok got you, but what value do you put on the speakers and VIPs, presentations, raffle, etc?? This is where we seem to disconnect... the food is not that bad, but agreed not the absolute best, but it's not the real reason for the banquet BTW. I know a 100 restaurants that I can get better food at for the money, but the guest and presentations wouldn't be the same.

We appreciate the input, but from your previous post about YOUNG vs OLD rotary enthusiast, I see you were not in the "I appreciated Jim Dowing & Company camp" last year, which is cool and understood, but it doesn't mean that everyone thought the banquet sucked!

Again the boys are wrestling that $50 down to the mat, and asking Mazda and the hotel to help us out here, because none of us are rich! We should see a match to last year's pricing soon!

On the good side we are changing the menu, and asking the HILTON to step up!!!


Cheers,

-Bern

 

peanut butter pizza with pepperoni and pinaples and im ****** there!

 

Bern,

I am just comparing last years to SS7 for example. While, yes it was cool that Jim and company showed, up, and I could appricate everything that they have done, that a a few items given away didn't seem that much (maybe because I didn't get anything ). Hey, I (Icemark Rotary/ Mazdamark.com) will step up and Give a ($350 retail) H4 HID light kit away this year if that helps.

But more what I was thinking was for SS7 for example you had that whole group from Japan, and the people from Europe and the old time Japanese racers (I particularlly liked Katayama san who did speak some), Rodger (and I think Tom Kendall too- I don't remember) and even the VP for Mazda R&D saying something. It made it feel like there really is a world wide community for the RX cars and that Mazda cared too. That was a $100 dinner for $35.

But last years, Jim, Connie and Rick talked a little about racing, and gave a couple things away and it was done. Just felt like everyone was tired and "here you go, here is dinner and a speaker, and maybe we'll see you next year".

So, the $50 was seeming a bit much for another: "here you go, here is dinner and a speaker, and maybe we'll see you next year".

So, see in my case money is not the issue. Perceived value for that money is the issue.

 

The core SoCal RX volunteers who end up organizing the lion's share of SevenStock (including the banquet) are putting together the banquet lineup as I write this. We understand that a sit-down like this isn't for everybody - and that's OK! Each year LC does a pitched battle with the Hilton to drop their asking price, both on room rate and the banquet. We got them down some this year, just perhaps not as much as previously.

We'll do our best to get the cost down, but understand that all of us volunteer our time to put this gig on, and there's a lot to be done!

In any case, we're all ears on suggestions on what you'd like to see at the banquet.

Rotor on!

Mike.

 

actually i didn't make it to the banquet last year(was my first sevenstock attendance), i only heard about it after the fact and you couldn't reserve a seat the day of the banquet so i missed out. it's only after hearing about it from other people that made me wonder if it was worth even trying to get a seat this year.

sorry if i came off a bit pessimistic about it since there was no agenda listed, i just figured "$50 and boring?, i'll pass.." and thought of other things to give people alternatives to do.

 

Why don't you guys leave Mr. IceMark alone...don't you guys think he's got enough on his plate as it is...

Here, we'll donate these for you guys up north:

Economy:


Suite:



....broke-back style.... :smiley_12

 

STFU or i'll beat you with the ugly stick!













































































forgot, someone already did..

 

Damn KARACK...can't take a belligerent joke...I guess the tent didn't do it for you...or was it the BROKE-BACK comment...














































































































Yup', must have been the mountain comment...oops, my bad...

 

better than a broke-***

 

I'm sure if you would've walked with the MICRO-TECH you would've been sining a different tune Oh yea the H4 HID light kit would definitely help out!!! We're just a bunch shmo's putting this thing together.

And yea, definitely, some years have presented better than others, but that doesn't mean we're not trying hard... we want everyone to walk away like you did at SS7!!! So we are pushing Mazda hard again to step-up and help us deliver! So, take last year as a $25 for $35 and your still ahead over the last two years by +$50.


As mentioned... we saw that they were not the most animated or energetic presenters, and you're right they were a little tired....

Yea, but why don't think of it as, "here's $50 for another $100 dinner like SS7"?

Cool, but the value was so killer at SS7 that the expectation corrupted you last year!!! We're trying really hard to deliver another killer banquet!!

Again thanks for all the input guys!

-Bern

 

damn dude... I thought that you had at least been there!!!

I don't mind that you offer up alternatives... but second hand opinion... no need to apologize, at least you admitted that you didn't attend, and that it was your first SS.

Like Mike said, if anyone has any input, we're all ears on suggestions on what you'd like to see at the banquet!! We do this sh*&%t for all rotorheads!!!

-Bern

 

Okay, Okay... I'll buy a ticket.. It sounds like you are trying.

And as a suggestion, while I think Miatas/MX-5s are sort of cool, maybe a different slide show durning dinner than a bunch of shots of a Spec Miata race???

Maybe more 7's and 8's???

 

THANKS!!! We do nothing but try!!!

huh?!?! do you mean the Mazda Motorsport video with all the race action (formula Mazda, Pro-Formula Mazda, GT, Spec Miata, etc...? The only slideshow last year was the Downing all ROTARY presentation.


-Bern

 

yeah, must have been that Mazda motorsport one, it was running on the laptop

 

Chris hates Microtech..(only i understand them MUAHAHAHA!) i believe it was a wolf EMS wasn't it?(Zach pointed it out to me since Chris doesn't troll the forums)


i will likely buy a ticket, just wanted to know what the agenda was, we can always have drinks and get smashed afterwards.

(keep the hosebeast to yourselves)

 

I still gotta figure out if I need one or two tickets...gonna see if my girl will skip school for a "boring car show" and a long *** drive to it :P

 

Sorry Ben....the hosebeast has been notified of your presence...she's expecting your loopy ***!

 

Yeah Bern, I remember Chris Greene giving away a Wolf, not a Microtech. But I would like to attend this year's banquet. I just want to see the list of speakers first. Spending the $100 to go isn't an issue so much as having good speakers. That and as long as I don't have to sit next to Ryan Scott I'll be happy!!

Zach

 

dont try to hide, everyone knows your in love with ryan

 

Ah, we can have a Nor-Cal table... and if the speakers are so so, we just keep hitting the bar.

 

theres going to be an open bar?