Texas
Related: About this forumWorst Texas Democratic Party Convention ever
The Alamodome is not easy walking distance from any of the hotels and they only had buses in the morning but not at night. You had to take a cab to get back to the hotel. The food court had one vendor who ran out of food on Saturday The lines were very very long.
The Alamodome is not set up for meetings. There were a limited number of elevators and most of the caucuses and meeting were on the upper floors with bad access and poor maps.
Ken Burch
(50,254 posts)just plain don't WANT folks to show up for the convention.
The more people who do, the greater the odds that the leadership might get challenged.
(particularly in a state like Texas, where the party's election efforts over the last twenty years have been a series of unqualified disasters).
Sorry you had to go through this, but that's probably why things were done the way they were this weekend.
msongs
(67,441 posts)Ken Burch
(50,254 posts)It should bother you that a person like that felt that Texas Democratic Convention delegates have been treated like this.
I hope you'd agree that it should NEVER be an overpriced ordeal to attend a state Democratic convention.
Gothmog
(145,554 posts)The Texas Democratic Party has regular messaging calls and on the last call they promised a wide variety of food including for vegans. There was nothing that a Vegan could eat at the one vendor at the sad excuse for a food court.
The Alamodome was not a suitable place for a convention. The Conventions in Corpus, Houston and Dallas all had decent food courts with a good selection.
WolverineDG
(22,298 posts)within walking distance.
Gothmog
(145,554 posts)The food was much better at Corpus, Houston and Dallas
WolverineDG
(22,298 posts)our former committeepersons never told us jack about what was going on in the party. They kept it all in their little clique.
Now we have 2 new committeepersons & already they have emailed all of us who attended AND set up an FB page to keep the lines of communication open.
Gothmog
(145,554 posts)Ken Burch
(50,254 posts)WolverineDG
(22,298 posts)I think the planners booked the Dome when it looked like Castro was going to get the VP nod. And then when it was clear he wasn't, they just gave up.
Iliyah
(25,111 posts)You are a trooper!
madamesilverspurs
(15,806 posts)our Colorado Dem convention was held in FocusOnTheFamilyLand. It was, to put it politely, surreal. Still gives me the squicks to think about it!
Gothmog
(145,554 posts)They had to commander a room to meet in.
WolverineDG
(22,298 posts)it's almost as if they said "Hey! Let's have the convention in the Alamodome!" then forgot all about it until the day before.
Disability caucus on the top floor, far away from the elevators, & the closest access was through the VIP "no peons allowed" zone. Someone attempted to make me turn around & walk aaaaalllll the way around the building, when I could see my meeting "room" (I will use the term very loosely; it was more of an open area in a very noisy spot with a bunch of chairs crammed in) on the other side of some curtains. Not today, Satan. Not today.
Absolutely no signage or directions to show you how to get to the actual convention floor & the "map" included in the program led you to the backstage area.
Putting the entrance to the floor ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DAMN BUILDING.
No water. No food. Tons of closed concession stands (but they did start opening up later. I guess enough people bitched about it.)
How this place passes the ADA standards I'll never know. I was so worn out by the end of the day, I had to be helped to my friend's car, something I haven't needed for months now. My legs & back ache & I'm having problems walking again, problems I thought I had overcome.
Bottomline: The space was way too big. There were no actual rooms to hold caucuses, so all of them were extremely noisy. No signage to tell you where to go. Useless, unmarked maps in the program. Caucuses spread out all over everywhere. I ended up staying for a caucus I wasn't interested in simply because it was where my SD caucus was going to be held.
Fortunately, one of the rules passed by the Rules Committee is a rule stating that the entire ADA applies to all future Democratic conventions, events, headquarters, etc.
marble falls
(57,204 posts)northoftheborder
(7,574 posts)We'll never become a purple, much less blue state without competent and dedicated leaders.
Melissa G
(10,170 posts)I brought a newbie with me. I was very disappointed showing her the convention. Incredibly poor lighting. Abysmal sound. Long walks with expensive hotels.
Last convention I went to was Ft Worth. Way more fun there!
WolverineDG
(22,298 posts)I was there, rooming with Crispini. We didn't get out until 8 or 9 on Saturday.
I've already heard rumblings that 2018 is going to be another interesting year, so expect another floor fight.
As for hotels, I found myself roomless on Friday due to someone cancelling, & got the Sheraton Gunter for an incredibly low rate for Friday night.
Melissa G
(10,170 posts)Glad you got a great deal on your room!