NASIG Newsletter

24TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE
CPC UPDATE
Eleanor Cook and Steve Kelley, Co-Chairs

The Conference Planning Committee is hard at work planning some fun events to complement the interesting and informative sessions that the Program Planning Committee will provide us daily while we are in Asheville.

Thursday night we will have a banquet/buffet at the Marriott Renaissance hotel, where we will have our opening session. As per tradition, we will have a local luminary (TBA) to describe to us fascinating and likely amusing highlights about the area to where we have all travelled.

Friday night is “on your own” with some exciting options.  The Asheville Tourists baseball team will be in town, so we’ll provide information about how to get tickets.  The downtown Asheville scene is mere steps away from the conference hotels and there will be plenty going on there for your exploration.  In addition, we have arranged for a delightful opportunity for a dinner and evening tour of the Biltmore Estate for the first 140 attendees who wish to pay for this optional event.  We were disappointed not to be able to offer this as an all-conference function, but the costs were simply beyond our budget to offer this as anything but a cost-recovery activity.  The exact rate is yet to be determined, but will be announced after the January board meeting.  However, we will also be offering all conference goers discounted tickets to the Biltmore for Sunday afternoon or other times you might wish to visit during your stay in Asheville.

What will this optional event fee get you?  First, a discounted entrance ticket to the estate (regular price is $59, though this varies depending on the season.)  You will be able to tour the house and gardens Friday evening and then also go back on Sunday or Monday if you wish for free, if you are interested in extending your tour to other aspects of the estate (winery, etc.) Secondly, this overall fee covers your transportation by coach to and from the estate. Finally, it covers a very nice dinner at the Stable Café which is adjacent to the house, affording us the luxury of being able to dine right there at the largest single private residence in the United States. The Biltmore Estate is like nothing else you will have experienced – its historic beauty is breathtaking, and it is unique in being a living history of a period long past.  The house has been in continuous operation since it opened in 1895, and remains family-owned. If you think that the Biltmore Estate is nothing but one rich family’s playground, think again – it includes a vast forest, a winery, a working farm and much, much more. For more information, check out their website: http://www.biltmore.com/

But, wait, there’s still Saturday night to tell you about! On Saturday we will be taking everyone to the Crest Center, which is a lovely setting for an evening event for all conference-goers.  We’ll travel by coach to the site, where we will be well-fed and watered and we’ll have a great view of the mountain scenery.  We’ll also have live music, something thematically relevant to the area – TBA.  See http://www.thecrestcenter.com for more information about the facility.

We’re looking forward to hosting this year’s conference in Asheville, and we have a great Conference Planning Committee hard at work for you.