Chicago Pipe Show 2020 Plans
- Thread starter winton
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I just recieved an email from Pheasants Run confirming cancellation of the accommodation I had booked for this year's shiw peruod. I booked it in June of last year.
The interesting thing is, I didn't cancel my booking. I haven't had any correspondence with them since last June when I made by booking.
The interesting thing is, I didn't cancel my booking. I haven't had any correspondence with them since last June when I made by booking.
BUT...... THE CONTRACT?!?!?!?!?
I got the same email, as did other friends booked for the show.
I called the front desk and the guy who answered said the hotel is closed "for the year", and also told me this was effective immediately. The people handling reservations didn't have a clue. Not surprising; it sounded to me like that function had been outsourced to a third party.
I'm guessing that contractual obligations to the resort are a non-issue at this point.
Oddly enough, this is actually good news. Continued uncertainty could kill the show. This clears the way for the Chicago club to pick another venue and let exhibitors and attendees make plans.
I called the front desk and the guy who answered said the hotel is closed "for the year", and also told me this was effective immediately. The people handling reservations didn't have a clue. Not surprising; it sounded to me like that function had been outsourced to a third party.
I'm guessing that contractual obligations to the resort are a non-issue at this point.
Oddly enough, this is actually good news. Continued uncertainty could kill the show. This clears the way for the Chicago club to pick another venue and let exhibitors and attendees make plans.
That's concerning. I've also seen posts from others that said the Pheasant Run wasn't letting them book rooms for the show. Pipe carver, Sabina Santos being one of them.
same here. Got my email this morning and I did not cancel. I did call two weeks ago and the manager told me the pipe show was cancelled on their end.
True.
But i find it unnecessarily ddisconcerting to be told by CPCC to go ahead and book my flights, the show will go on.... but no concrete info forthcoming.
Im coming from Australia dammit.... booking flights aint cheap.... and I'd like a bit more assurance than they have provided. The smoke and mirrors about contracts and blah, blah, blah.
Its not just flights that get booked.... accommodation is needed too, and at this stage we dont even know where it is to be held.
Just be transparent!!
I also booked, and paid in full for the 2 day pipe making course that was to take place ahead of the show...which means I would need to know if that is still going on... as accommodation is needed from the Tuesday night of show week.
I agree with everything you say. Uncertainty is the killer here. According to Winton the club was down to two new venues bidding on the event, and only holding off on a commitment because they felt they had a contractual obligation to the resort. I can't imagine that logic still holds. At this point time is of the essence. I hope the club picks an alternative venue asap and widely publicizes the details. That's what it will take to restore confidence; an assertion that the show will go on just isn't enough.
I agree
Saying “but we have a contract !! We have a contract” is a joke. I feel for you people coming from a galaxy far far away
So true!!! St least tel is the two venues being considered so we can previous rooms and then cancel the one that isn’t the final.
Unfortunately, I suspect it is too late for many to restore confidence. I suspect an added challenge for the Club will be how many rooms, attendees, etc. they can guarantee. It isn't that big of a deal for me as I'll be driving up from Indianapolis. But I have friends from the NorthEast and as far as Ireland trying to make a decision. I can't imagine how this is going with European and Asian vendors trying to decide if they want to participate after all this crap.
As an example of the uncertainty costing more money. If I fly Southwest, I can buy non-refundable tickets for as low as $188 each way. But if I'm worried that the show is going to get cancelled and I buy refundable tickets it will cost me $578 each way for a total difference of $780. 
BY cancelling reservations and telling people that no pipe show is going to be held at Pheasant Run, any such "contractual obligation" has been voided. I suspect the unpleasant truth is that the club is faced with the loss of its deposit, and that that's the sticking point.
Absolutely. Delays will only add to the loss, just in other ways.
I have suspected this as well for some time now. If that’s the case, I hope the club will “pass the hat” and let the pipe smoking community at large contribute to make up the loss. I’m sure a large number of people would respond to an appeal to save the show, I know I would. I’m planning on attending this year (I got the PR cancellation email today too) but even if I weren’t I’d be happy to contribute.
Are there any members of veterans or fraternal groups that maintain space that they also rent out who could enlighten us on their smoking policies? I've only known veterans posts back when the smoke and beer ran freely. My point is, if smoking is still permitted, and one of these posts or lodges were available for rental, that might be the pipe show center, with local hotels and restaurants providing those services. But for all I know, VFW, American Legion, and similar organizations may have all gone non-smoking. If it happened to Irish pubs ... Irish pubs!!! In Ireland!!! ... it can happen anywhere. I still cannot wrap my head around Irish pubs, that draw Guiness. Tell me it isn't so.
This. At some point, and I think that point may have passed, you write that off and move forward. I would be surprised if there aren't a few Attorneys in that Chicago Pipe Club. File a lien against the property that is trying to be sold as well as a lawsuit for the deposit, along with damages, and move on. See how long the group trying to sell the property lets that sit and possibly impede their sale before they pay up. Playing the airline flight waiting game is almost always a loser.
Excellent suggestion and one I think would work.
I find it almost impossible to believe that there isn't a senior & fully secured lender in first position on the property. Nobody buys real estate with just equity. I'd bet money that in the event of the liquidation of the LLC which bought Pheasant Run a few years back the unsecured creditors (like customers who've paid deposits) will get pennies on the dollar, or much, much more likely zilch.
It's not something that you'd try to collect from bankruptcy. It's something to get you paid a modest amount of money in order to clear the way for a sale.
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