MP
Joined: May 12, 2003
Posts: 611
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MP
On 2004-08-11 16:13, laney wrote:
I believe most of the complaints weren't about the rates either, just the change in policy (ex. not being able to bring or stay with a friend)
All I can say is I'm glad the Caliente Tropics is making enough money for Casey to have the "I don't need your money" attitude. I know, from meeting and talking to him at last years International Tiki Day, that it has been a lot of work, happy to hear you're doing fine and don't need my patronage.
Keep out the riff-raff! Me and all my drunk frat boys will have to sit this one out. Have a great time. I'm certain this will be the best Tiki Oasis ever and I'll just be sitting here bidding away on some ebay crap :cry:
The Policy was changed, after about 17 pages of complaints after last years event, about: lack of parking, drunken, un-cool riff raff, theft by the pool, etc. They changed the policy in an attempt to address the concerns of people on TC, unfortunately, this required them to charge admission differently.
Are you familiar with Burning Man? after a few years, people started coming for the 'show' and diluted the original intention, which was participatory. So, they instituted an outrageous 1 day fee, in order to keep the lurkers out. I'm not saying that TO is BM, I'm saying that sometimes the powers that be need to change things to make it better, it doesn't always please all of the people all of the time. The days of TO being 25 mug collectors sitting by the pool are over, instead you get 300 people, most of whom are nice, gathering poolside, sharing their love of tiki, etc. etc.
What really bothers me about these posts is the idea that Casey, who runs a cool business, and is obviously dedicated to the tiki scene, is lambasted for, gasp, running his business and trying to make a profit?! He's giving us a discount in high season, you still use towels, sheets, the pool, the bathrooms, etc. He needs to pay people, the maids don't work for free. He's running a business. It's just ridiculous to think that the organizers of this event should do all the work for this and be roasted by people who show up for a day, don't stay at his hotel, and complain about how much money they have to pay? When you crash at your friends room, do you use the towels? The toilet? The air conditioning in the room? The ice machine in the hallway? Do you mix drinks in your friends room, or do you support the Reef Bar? The Caliente Tropics is Casey's JOB, tiki is his HOBBY. It's a testimony to his support of the Tiki scene that he is incredibly generous in going above and beyond to make this event as fun as possible, and not get soaked for it. I personally have walked RIGHT past him, coming out of my room with a drink in my hand (in clear violation of their alcohol policy) and he's not even flinched. (Sorry Casey, Mr. P has perfected his painkiller...) And the truth is, he's NOT doing it for the extra money, OR to inconvenience you and your friends, he's doing it because there were 17 pages of bitching last year, and he addressed the addressable. Keeping out the day-tripping, party crashing, enchanted-tiki-room-shag-shirt-stealing frat boys, if THOSE are your friends, well then good riddance.
If you want to come, and not stay at the participating hotels, watch the board in May, and reply to Baby Doe's repeated, often un-heeded, requests for VOLUNTEERS, they ALWAYS need help, and with help comes privileges.
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