No, I didn't say that at all Norm ... and I've not said 'forbidden' to any scenario that you present. We're talking about convention hotel room occupancy (apples)... not a silver strike tournament being competitive with the CC & GTCC Convention (oranges). The club has sponsored Poker tournaments and BJ tournaments off-site of the convention hotels in the past. Stay wherever you like Clem. Club members who live in Las Vegas, or nearby, don't need a hotel room and will probably stay in the comfort of their homes during convention week or at a property they are being comped at. Nobody is forcing anyone to stay at South Point. All I'm saying ... and Doug Smith is saying, is that the CC & GTCC needs a certain hotel room occupancy rate every year (no matter where the convention is held) in order to persuade alternative casino hotels to host our annual show the following year. If we don't hit our numbers, we won't be invited back ... or the price charged to us will be so high that the club won't be able to afford it. There are only so many properties that will have us ... or have the space to accomodate us ... and another number of properties who simply don't want us. Those are the facts.

Some folks didn't like the Orleans when our convention was held there, because "it wasn't on the strip". Some folks didn't like Riviera (located in the middle of the strip) because they said it was not a 'quality property', dirty rooms, too far to walk, not very good restaurants, lousy pool, etc. etc. No matter where the club officials decide to hold the annual CC & GTCC Convention, there will be those who don't like the choice of property... but our organization still requires a hotel room committment with the host site. If the Palms had the space to accomodate our convention facility needs and affordability (which it does not) I'm sure the elected CC & GTCC BoD would jump at the chance to hold our convention there. So if the Palms would be ammenable to setting up a Silver Strike tournament on Tuesday or Wednesday before the CC & GTCC Convention opens, or Saturday and Sunday after the CC & GTCC closes as has been suggested ... that would be a resonable solution to the hotel rooms issue. H@ll, I would even sign up for such a tournament.

Now what do we do with those roulette harvest club members who want a roulette tournament?