From Shell Dula, SCACA Executive Director
We appreciate some of the quick responses to the 2011 All-Sports Clinic Survey. This is the only avenue for us to make improvements and serve you, our state coaches, in a professional manner. It is apparent that we need to respond to a significant number of you who are suggesting the Clinic�s location being more centrally located in the state, preferably Columbia.
In the spring, 2010, we solicited bids for the 2012-13 Clinics. Columbia Convention and Business/Visitors Bureau were most gracious in working with us, hosting us, and submitting bids. We appreciated their courtesy, hospitality, and professionalism. However, the bid was not accepted by the Board of Directors, Dec., 2010.
1. The Convention Center does not have enough rooms for the daily sessions. To accommodate the number of sessions, meeting rooms in nearby hotels will have to be utilized.
2. The accessibility of the vendors/exhibitors is hindered by being housed on the bottom floor (via escalator), away from the flow of clinic traffic.
3. The Convention Center has only 275 complimentary parking spaces. Nearby parking garages are owned by the city, incurring a cost for the attendee. The adjacent parking area of the Colonial Center is available only if summer school is not in session and/or no events are scheduled.
4. The bid for Exhibit Hall, Meeting Space, Food/Beverage was the most costly.
The area in which the Convention Center is located is a beautiful, bustling area, offering diverse eating/entertainment establishments, a variety of hotels, etc. However, with our significant growth in membership (5300) and clinic attendees, the SCACA Board of Directors has to look at all of the X�s and O�s.
We do look forward to working with the Columbia area again as new venues are planned.
