Hotel Timeline

***NOTE: These timelines are estimates, you may need to adjust for your specific convention date

Immediately after accepting the position

Get access to your convention email.
Read through the emails to get an idea of what sort of messages you should expect for the next year.
- Contact helpdesk@digitalgrail.org if you are not able to get access/permission for your email and Google Drive or any other tech concerns
Validate information on the convention’s website and notify webmaster@<convention email> of any changes or additions you would like.

Attend ALL staff meetings throughout the year, if at all possible, since this is a year-round position
Collect questions and concerns from all staff meetings and emails
Communicate with hotel any questions and concerns collected
Respond to hotel questions and concerns as they come up.

Work with Convention Heads (and legal as applicable) to determine whether a new contract is needed for future years.
Make sure we have a signed copy of the hotel contract for the next convention. Give a copy to the convention heads.
Work with hotel for staff meetings (if the convention desires this), is there availability to use their meeting space? Work with convention heads to determine relevant dates.

Request the convention dates off from work. It’s strongly suggested you also take the Monday following the convention off as well.
Determine hotel conference room layout, after all department heads have been voted in, and conference room offerings are known
Finalize hotel sleeping room block map, which areas are “Quiet Area” or “Close to the Action”
Post sleeping room block map to convention’s Facebook page and Discord Staff chat channel
Start communication with staff (at meetings, on convention’s Facebook page, Discord Staff chat channel) about selecting their sleeping rooms before registration opens to public

Remind convention staff to create their room layouts and event orders. These will be sent to hotel@<convention email> before the first in 2 months (aka if this is Jan then by March 1st). Work with departments that need assistance * completing theirs.
Compile a list of party rooms that need plastic coverings on the floor.
Remind convention staff to select their preferred sleeping rooms, deadline 31st (or 30th or 28th) of this month..

Work with Party Rooms and Guests to assign rooms for their respective attendees.
Form list of pre-assigned sleeping rooms for convention staff members, Guests, Fansuite rooms and runners - Send to hotel (Front Desk Manager and Catering Director)
Contact hotel to open registration for sleeping rooms to the public.
Contact socialmedia@<ConventionEmail> to announce sleeping room registration is open, with DETAILED instructions on how to reserve given by the hotel.
Contact webmaster@<Convention email> to list DETAILED instructions on how to reserve a sleeping room to public.
Finalize hotel conference space layout, including water stations, easels, and informational tables

Send a list of directional signs that will be needed at the hotel for various rooms. Work with graphics@<convention email> to determine their availability to assist, make the list so they can design them. Their designs are due by * the next month, so make sure they have at least a month to meet this deadline.
Email (FB, Discord) a reminder to have everyone put their room on their credit card to guarantee the reservation.

Email (FB, Discord) a reminder to have everyone put their room on their credit card to guarantee it.
Schedule meeting with hotel (one month before Convention) to finalize room layouts and hotel needs (tables, chairs, plastic, extension cords, easels, etc), event orders, soda station numbers, pre-assigned staff & guest sleeping room list, address questions, and discuss sleeping rooms that will be released to the public from sleeping room block
Contact socialmedia@<convention email> and webmaster@<convention email> to announce that sleeping room price will go up starting end of this month, “Quiet vs Action” room preference may not be honored
Send anything you need announced during opening and closing ceremonies including slides to the ceremonies person by the last day of this month.

Validate Hotel SOP, and ensure any updates are complete before the end of the first week. This will include information about how Ops/Reg/Convention Heads should handle different things that may arise related to your position.
Contact everyone who hasn’t confirmed their room via email, Facebook, Discord, etc.
Schedule a setup meeting with hotel for the day before con.
Coordinate with Convention Heads, Con Security to schedule the day before con morning setup meeting at hotel

Setup Day (Day before con):
- Morning Meeting at hotel with Hotel contact, some convention heads, Con security, hotel security, hotel staff that will be on duty all weekend
- Obtain hotel staff contact phone numbers at meeting
- Distribute hotel staff contact phone numbers to all conference room runners (for water station refill, extra tables/chairs needed, etc)
- Find out what rooms can be entered by staff early (before 4pm)
- Communicate with con heads, staff members and Volunteers Head when conference rooms can be setup
- Check all conference rooms that correct layouts and hotel needs were done by hotel staff
First day of con- Check with all conference room runners to confirm that they have everything they need for con, contact hotel staff for any last minute needs
Check in with room runners throughout weekend
Compile list of issues room runners had with their conference room
Communicate any issues and questions with hotel staff on duty
Communicate with hotel staff regarding soda station inventory each day (make sure correct numbers and flavors going out, what was more/less popular, etc)
Help as issues arise with the hotel.