NABC Insider
On The Way To San Diego – 11/19/2009
The Insider will be leaving for San Diego in the morning (Friday, 11/20) He watched as the trucks were loaded with all the stuff it takes to run an NABC - 21+ tons of stuff. He'll watch as the trucks are unloaded in San Diego next week. He'll watch as the ACBL Board of Directors meets. He'll watch as bridge players from all over North America and the world arrive at the incredible Manchester Grand Hyatt to take part in the NABC. He'll watch as tournament chairs, Ken and Bonnie, work with their team of local volunteers to put on one of the best NABCs ever, including great entertainment, a special Thanksgiving Buffet - Monzingo Style - and all the things players expect from an NABC. He'll watch as the Ask Me Girl provides answers to all sorts of questions. He'll watch as the tournament unfolds and wraps up with the North American Swiss and the Reisinger. Then, he'll watch as the Services crew packs it all up and sends it back to Memphis - or maybe, the new ACBL Headquarters just across the state line in Mississippi. And, of course, he'll watch as everything gets unloaded and stored for the next NABC in Reno. Who knows, maybe somewhere along the line, the Insider will stop watching and actually do something.
You can keep track of what's happening in San Diego even if you can't make the trip. The Daily Bulletins - including the ever popular NABC Insider feature - will be available on line each day. And, if you Tweet, you can follow the tournament on Twitter. Or, become a fan on Facebook and follow what is happening that way. Or, go on line to BridgeBase.com on the last weekend and follow the Reisinger as it unfolds. The ACBL is still pretty new to some of these new ways of communicating so be patient.
After it is all over in San Diego, the Insider will be back right here letting all of you know what to expect in Reno this coming March. Look for the first Reno Insider entry around December 14.
San Diego – 10/13/2009
Last week the NABC Advance Team visited the Manchester Grand Hyatt, host to the 2009 Fall NABC. They have confirmed the reports that it is one spectacular hotel or, rather, one Grand Hyatt. The hotel has lots of space to play bridge. They have lots of dining options nearby - check out Seaport Village and, of course, the Gaslamp District. The Advance Team briefed all of the hotel's key players on what they should expect during the tournament and encouraged them to be sure that the restaurant is open before 5:00, that the bar stays open as late as is legal, that the housekeeping staff starts a little later than usual, that they should order a whole bunch of water cups, that they should check their meeting room temperatures to be sure they can keep the players comfortable and that they should be aware of about 502 other things that make a bridge tournament different than a sales meeting or just about any other kind of convention. The Advance Team feels comfortable that their message was received, in large measure because the main hotel contact lived through an NABC the last time the ACBL took its roadshow to Phoenix.
So, the Advance Team has done their job. The hotel has committed to doing their's. The outstanding team of local volunteers certainly give every assurance that they will be keeping their end of the bargain. Starting with an amazing Thanksgiving-San-Diego style, carrying through performances of the fan favorite My Fair (Little Old) Lady along with daily treats and surprises and featuring the great weather that is San Diego, not to mention a whole lot of good bridge, this will be an NABC to remember.
Insider notes:
The airport is only about 7 minutes from the hotel.
The weather will be sunny.
The hotel is great.
There is a seafood place in Seaport Village that serves bowling ball sized mango margaritas - be careful.
The bridge will be outstanding.
Ask Me Girl is boning up on answers
The S.C. is looking for a new Speedo
The Bulletin Boys are sharpening their pencils
The Mariachi band is getting in tune.
The directors are re-reading the Law Book.
The caddies are burning up the IM airwaves.
All the pieces are coming together, for an incredible 10 days in Southern California.
The Insider will have more tips next week.
The "Other" NABC Insider – 9/23/2009
Those of you who read the Insider in the Daily Bulletins at NABCs know that the Insider wears two hats: North American Bridge Championships Insider and New Amazing Building Consultant Insider. The New Amazing Building is, of course, the new ACBL Headquarters being planned for Horn Lake, Mississippi. Since there were several comments on the Membership Survey, the Insider (2) decided to provide some additional information and updates on the status of this exciting project.
A couple of comments expressed concern over the move from the perspective that it would be hard to replace the great employees the ACBL has at its Memphis Headquarters, Horn Lake is about five minutes down the Interstate from the current building, so, all of the employees will be moving along with the rest of our equipment and supplies. Well, not literally, not on the moving van, we'll let them drive their own cars. Many of our employees already live in the Desoto County area, so the commute will be easier for them.
Other comments expressed concern over the fact that ACBL was making the move during these, shall we say, uncertain economic times. The ACBL sold its current HQ building a couple of years ago - getting a decent price since we did so prior to the collapse of the real estate market. We have been paying rent since. The current building is near the airport. It is very convenient if you are flying in or out of Memphis. However, most of our employees don't fly in and out often and we don't get a lot of out of town visitors coming in to see us. So, the proximity to the airport is pretty much a moot point. Also, not unlike so many other areas near airports in large cities, the neighborhood isn't what it was when ACBL moved in. There are a large number of empty business spaces, a couple of hotels that the Insider would not recommend to traveling families, several other business establishments that cater to, well you get the idea. Add to this the great deal the ACBL and the City of Horn Lake were able to make on a building shell that meets our space requirements while allowing us to finish out the inside to our specifications, coupled with tax and other incentives to make the move, it all makes sense. The ACBL will be able to consolidate all of its headquarters operations under one roof - another big plus.
The current project status is that all the paperwork has been signed, the City of Horn Lake is making exterior improvements to the property, the ACBL has been working with architects, designers, contractors and suppliers to put together plans to meet the needs of the ACBL not just for today but for the future. We expect to start the interior build-out within the next month and complete the whole thing by the end of March of next year. Even though there are thousands of details to be addressed, we're moving along and everyone is excited about the move.
A big part of the new headquarters will be a new bridge museum, an improved Bridge Hall of Fame and an even more user-friendly research library. These are the most exciting parts of making the move. We are talking with museum designers to come up with plans that will display the history of the game, recognition of the greats enshrined in the Hall of Fame and to help focus not only on the past but the future of Bridge. This portion may not be done quite as quickly as the office and warehouse space but promises to be well worth the wait. The Insider will let you know when to make your reservations to come see the truly amazing displays included in the Museum and Hall of Fame.
Check back here for more updates to come.