Budgeting for SNDVegas
We realize that the economics in newspapers today are extremely choppy waters to navigate. Getting the money approved to attend SNDVegas will not be easy. But we believe we have a program that will help make the case. And, if your company simply isn’t paying for any training whatsoever, the Workshop is worth pulling out all the stops — even considering paying your own way if you the only thing you can get your company to give you is time off.
With some planning, you can register for the Workshop, get to Vegas, stay three nights in the hotel and have a few meals for the registration price of a lot of conferences.
#### The Program
We will absolutely have a full slate of print design sessions, which is still the primary job focus of our membership. We will have graphics, illustration and creativity sessions — and they will be lead by some of the best minds out there. But we know your jobs are changing. We know the business is changing. We know you are going to change with them. Our tagline of “Rethink yourself. Rethink everything.” is what our program is built around. Web and interactive sessions — both lofty and practical — will have a heavy presence. We’ll show you some of the best ideas and work being done worldwide. We’ll tell you how to be more effective and influential in your current situation and for those of you who suddenly find yourself in a position of greater authority, how to be a better boss. We have nearly three days jam-packed with sessions for everyone. And then, if you want you can stay another day and attend any of the sessions at the APME/APPM workshop. This is the best training bargain around — $395 for members, $495 for non-members.
#### Other costs
With a little planning, other costs can be extremely reasonable. The rooms at Red Rock are spacious and a double is easily shared. If you know someone who is coming, sharing a room cuts the cost for three nights to under $300 each. If you don’t know someone who is coming and are interested in sharing a room, we’ll set up a way for interested parties to meet.
Airfare into Vegas is usually pretty cheap. From the East Coast you shouldn’t pay more than $400 for a round-trip ticket. And from most areas with low fare carries (Southwest, Jet Blue, Spirit), you can often find a sale that will get you here for $250 or less. In a couple of months we will begin posting great sales we find here on sndvegas.com. From the West Coast, travel can usually be had for under $200 round-trip, a little more from the Northwest.
Your registration gives you four opportunities for meals or heavy appetizers (the opening party, the business breakfast, the awards dinner, a closing reception thrown by the Freedom Forum). The hotel usually has cheap specials in the 24-hour cafe and has a food court for those who don’t want to pay hotel prices at the restaurants. Eating on the cheap for three days could cost as little as $40.
Taxis from the airport to Red Rock (which is about 13 miles off the Strip) cost about $50. But your room rate includes a resort fee that allows you to take scheduled shuttle service between the airport and hotel. Right now that service runs every hour. As we get a better idea about number of arrivals, we will work with the hotel to increase service. So ground transfers on this end could well be $0.
