Gaylord Venue--Good or Bad?

[pillow]

Comments, complaints? Would anyone advise Christine to re-book this venue again?

[Zilverzmurfen]

Gotta love the name of the venue. ^^

[ivlobane]

It's a human feedlot operation, but at least it had Sierra Nevada pale ale...

[fencerchica]

One of my reasons for sitting out Nationals this year was that I loathe Dallas; I don't think a different venue in the same city would make much diff to me.

Edited to add: The pictures I've seen of the venue say CONSPICUOUS CONSUMPTION in screaming caps. I can't deny that it's quite pretty, but it's a little creepy at the same time.

[Army Fencer]

I didn't like it much at all. The rooms and the amenities were expensive, the place was ugly, and it was incredibly isolated from the local economy. I also disliked the feeling of my soul being sucked from my body when I walked in for the first time.

That said, I think I'm like most people in that I go to fencing trips for the fencing, not the venue, and if the USFA had an event there again, I would probably go again.

[fencerwallet]

Originally Posted by ivlobane

It's a human feedlot operation, but at least it had Sierra Nevada pale ale...

Yeah, 3 a day for 6 days, at $6 each, and that is why I am back at work... But it was nice sitting in those lounge chairs in the sports book sucking them down...

[1337]

one of the best i have stayed at. the lobby area was great, and the venue was good. the outdoor pool was also a great place to relax after a long day!

[teacup]

The best things about the Gaylord:
- Venue was attached to the hotel.
- Children were contained
- easy access to airports and situated in the middle of the country

The worst things about the Gaylord:
- restaurants in and around the hotel were very overpriced and expensive
- little access to the outside world
- air conditioning in the "bubble" too high vs heat outside (if you ever got outside)
- no grocery stores nearby
- nowhere to walk to nearby
- outside pool too small
- no recycling containers
- the acoustics

I speculate that whether the Gaylord was "good or bad" depends on the group.

Good:
Parents of fencers in Y10, Y12 & Y14 events.
Div II/III/Veterans adult fencers
Adult Div I fencers in one event
Anyone with a car (though parking fees were expensive)
Anyone with an unlimited food budget
Anyone staying one or two days
Fencers and families who go to Summer Nationals to fence AND vacation

Bad:
Parents and fencers in multiple events
Juniors, in more than one event, on a budget with no access to rental cars
Anyone without a car
Anyone with a limited food budget
Anyone staying more than two days, especially those on a budget
Fencers who go to Summer Nationals mainly to fence

Maybe go back in the future for NAC F but not for Summer Nationals, NAC B, D or Junior Olympics.

Time to break up Summer Nationals.

[nahouw]

Originally Posted by teacup

Time to break up Summer Nationals.

Agreed.

[counterattack]

I would say Teacup's assessment is excellent. If you had a ton of money to spend or were only there for a few days then it was fine. I stayed off site but I they still lightened my pockets for lot of $6 beers and $23 ribs.

Unlike armyfencer I did think it was a pretty handsome building, though it was way too cold inside, probably designed to make you never want to leave since if you dress for the indoors temp you may burst into flames outside (the first few days when it was 102degF at least). Inside it is practically a carbon copy of the Grand Ole Opry and owned by the same folks. And at least you got free refills on your $3.50 coffee.

I think that the ones who get the most from the venue (kids who get to mingle with others in the giggling crowd) are the ones who can least afford it.

-philip

[teacup]

Venue had incredibly bad acoustics.

Very loud, difficult to hear announcements, talk to people, for referees and coaches to communicate with fencers.

[peet]

Originally Posted by teacup

Venue had incredibly bad acoustics.

Very loud, difficult to hear announcements, talk to people and for coaches to communicate with their fencers.

Agreed. Also made it harder to referee foil, because at the loudest times it was hard to hear the parries.

I also agree with the other bad things:

• Too expensive to eat.
• Too cold in the "indoor simulation of the outdoors" (thinking more of the wasted energy than my comfort).
• Too artificial and isolated from the actual world (as opposed to Miami, Austin, San Jose, for example)

But there were good things too:

• Venue attached to hotel
• Hotel itself was nice
• Proximity to hub airport (i like being able to get there on one airplane)

[Inquartata]

Originally Posted by Army Fencer

I also disliked the feeling of my soul being sucked from my body when I walked in for the first time.

Just relax and go with it, it gets much better once you go numb.

Folks, Dallas ain't hot. The humidity is a little more than I like, but this place is like a balmy island vacation when you're from a place where it's over 110 degrees every day.

I agree that it's too cold inside if you aren't fencing. I kept having to go outside to warm up.

And Teacup is right about the acoustics. It's so echo-y that a woman who was trying to buy something from Leon Paul kept having to yell her questions because the ambient noise was so bad. When they make announcements over the PA referees might just as well wait until they stop, because no one is going to hear them otherwise.

The Texas Station sports bar menu was not too expensive, though the fare is very limited. I have not eaten anywhere else. IMO the lack of food in the venue is a failing. ( I don't count exorbitantly priced chips and muffins from the stand out in the lobby.

On the plus side, the water stations which were not supposed to be available are in profusion, and the staff are diligent in keeping the place clean and the restrooms stocked...

NB I am not staying at the Gaylord, but about 2 miles away, at a hotel that runs a free shuttle to the venue and anywhere else you want to go within 5 miles. ( They even took me to a supermarket yesterday. )

[teacup]

Originally Posted by Inquartata

Folks, Dallas ain't hot. The humidity is a little more than I like, but this place is like a balmy island vacation when you're from a place where it's over 110 degrees every day.

I agree that it's too cold inside if you aren't fencing. I kept having to go outside to warm up.

The nice thing about humidity is being able sit outside at a bar or restaurant in the evening without wearing sweaters and jackets or using outdoor heaters. Unfortunately everything at the Gaylord was indoors in the too cold air conditioned dome.

[Lady Quindecim]

It's minuses: I am not there
It's plusses: It does not have me.

[lefty_monster]

I did not like the Gaylord convention center. Bathrooms and water fountains were outside the hall, the speaker system sucked so I was constantly sweating about not hearing an announcement. There was no food besides that little cart and its $12 sandwiches.

It was a very pretty place, but as far as being functional it is the worst venue I've been to so far.

[noodle]

it is built to entice people in, and trap them. food is overpriced, but not quite so overpriced so that its a better idea to get a cab and drive far away for a meal. coffee and snacks are overpriced because there's no other reasonable alternative. the compound is so big and isolated that you can't walk anywhere.

its a pit where people come to shovel in money.

[teacup]

Originally Posted by Inquartata

The Texas Station sports bar menu was not too expensive, though the fare is very limited. I have not eaten anywhere else.

One night the Texas Station had a two hour wait. You couldn't even get take out.

With no car and early check in the next day, our only options were the two very expensive restaurants or room service. The good thing about choosing room service was they were so overwhelmed it didn't come in 30 minutes, so it was free.

[peet]

Of note for those still there or going there soon:

The hotel has a list of restaurants that deliver, in three categories: Pizza, Asian, and Deli/sandwich. One of the refs copied the list for all the other refs, so I didn't obtain it personally, but I believe he got it from the concierge.

I recommend I Fratelli among the pizza. It was pretty good, non-mass-market type stuff.

-p

[teacup]

Originally Posted by peet

Of note for those still there or going there soon:

The hotel has a list of restaurants that deliver, in three categories: Pizza, Asian, and Deli/sandwich. One of the refs copied the list for all the other refs, so I didn't obtain it personally, but I believe he got it from the concierge.

I recommend I Fratelli among the pizza. It was pretty good, non-mass-market type stuff.

-p

I agree with Peet. The list of restaurants that deliver is available at the concierge table.
(We got free pizza too because they were so overwhelmed and screwed up delivery. Had to wait an hour and a half for the "free" cold pizza though.)