​LPA District 3

District 3 Regional FAQ

(Frequently Asked Questions)

 

Often when the District Officers attend or help plan a Regional we hear the same questions come up. We figured we would just highlight some of the common questions and give you answers so you will understand how regionals work.

 

How do we decide where regionals will be?

The regionals are rotated throughout the district with the chapters according to the District 3 Policy Manual. The order is: Ches Del Bay, Carolinian, MarValous, Colonial and Blue Ridge. The chapter gets to decide where they would like to host a regional. If the chapter is torn between two locations the District gets quotes from the areas and then decides on the location.

 

How are hotels for regionals chosen?

Hotel contract negotiations are a very complex task. Each city has a certain number of hotels that can offer the space we need. Some hotels do not have any banquet space but offer lower room rates while others have great spaces and give a great room rental price but require a food and beverage minimum. Also, the hotel has to be ADA accessible so often sites that have lots of stairs or non-lp friendly features are ruled out. All of these items have to be evaluated so the best choice is chosen.

 

Why does the banquet price seem so high?

Hotel food in general is higher than what you would pay for at a restaurant. It also includes the tax and gratuity that you would normally have to add at a restaurant. Also, the ticket price does not just cover the cost of the food. It also helps cover the cost of renting the room, renting the dance floor, paying the DJ and any extra for decorations. Those planning the regional keep the ticket price in mind and try to keep it as low as possible to make it an enjoyable, valuable event.

 

What is a Food and Beverage minimum?

Since the economy went into a recession the hotel and catering business has struggled. Often now they will offer a great price on renting the venue but have a food and beverage minimum that the group must meet. This means that we agree to buying a certain amount of food from the hotel and if we do not then we must still pay the difference. This is why at some events you will see a group lunch or other meal planned. We figure that our group needs to eat and we might as well get a good rate out of the hotel and eat together rather than everyone going to the hotel restaurant and eating on their own.

 

Why is onsite registration so much higher?

Often the hotel and any activities planned needs a headcount and deposit for the number of people attending the event. We do not want to take a gamble and predict extra people will arrive onsite. If that number does not sign up onsite we must still pay the difference.

 

Why can I sometimes not register for the banquet onsite?

The hotel usually needs a headcount for the food a week before the event. Often adding people on site creates a lot of hassle for the hotel and we want to try and keep everything as smooth as possible for the hotel. If you know you want to attend banquet but will be registering onsite go ahead and email the Regional registration contact and ask him or her if he or she can go ahead and add you to the banquet since you will be registering onsite. It is up to the decision of the Registration Chair and District Officers on if this will be allowed for that event.

 

How are the activities planned for the regional?

Usually the events planned for a regional are based on the group planning it. If you want a certain activity planned for certain age group the please email the district officers and let them know you are willing to plan something. You do not necessarily have to be in the chapter hosting the regional. Everyone can help out!

 

We are working on a manual for hosting a regional and will post it when avaliable. If you have ever chaired a regional thank you for all of your hard work!