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Denver Mini - 10-14 October
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#1: Classmates and Wives
Greetings from a "Mile High"
This is the first email concerning the 10/10/10 Denver Mini and specifically concerns hotel information. May I suggest you make a copy of each email from me and create a file folder for reference.
There will be two hotels catering the mini. They are: The Brown Palace Hotel and Comfort Inn Hotel. The Brown is the more elegant and thus expensive. Holding hands with the Brown is the Comfort, less expensive, across the street and connected with a street overpass. I chose the Brown for its elegance, amenities, location, history and connection with the Comfort.
Reservations may be made at either hotel immediately, cut off date is 9 Sept 2010. The Brown telephone # is 1-800-321-2599. The Comfort telephone # is 1-800-237-7431. Ask for the West Point Class of 1958 Reunion when placing a reservation. The reunion contract price per night at the Brown is $199 for a Superior Double bed. If you feel flush, there are some mighty fine rooms where Presidents, The Beatles, etc. have stayed. The price per night at the Comfort is $129 for Double beds or $139 for a Deluxe Corner King bed.
The Brown does not offer a complimentary breakfast. They offer a continental breakfast from $21 - $23 per day or a breakfast voucher at $28 to be used in the hotel's Ellington's restaurant. The Comfort price includes a full American breakfast in the lobby (Note. It is a small eating area.) You must be registered in the Comfort to receive the breakfast.
Because of the cost per night at the Brown, I have contracted for 25 rooms. If more are needed, a contract renegotiation would be required. For the Comfort, the contract calls for 100 rooms. If more are needed -probably no problem. (NOTE: The class is responsible for filling this number of rooms even thought I signed the contract for the class.)
Payment for each hotel is cash, check or most credit cards. Tipping is optional, however the cost for a bellman is normally $3 - $4 per bag.
Valet parking is available at either hotel at $15 per day.
You are invited to view the Brown's web page at <brownpalace.com>. It is interesting!
For the ladies, the Brown has an exquisite Spa and Salon, shopping, and you will not believe - High Tea every afternoon (A Denver must)
The Brown and Comfort are two blocks from the Colorado State Capital, the Denver City and County Building and the park between the two, the Denver Art Museum and the Library. They are one block from the 16th Steet free shuttle to lower downtown Denver, Larimer street and 16th street shopping, Union Station and Coors stadium (Rockies baseball). Wednesday afternoon, Oct 13th, will be free time to enjoy the above.
Lastly, the reunion dates are: arrival 10 Oct 2010, departure 14 Oct 2010.
Namaste,
Richard Clements, Host
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#2: Classmates and Wives,
Greetings from a "Mile High"
This email#2 concerns: (1) Brown Palace and Comfort Inn Hotels confusion and, (2) Reunion reason/question.
(1) The hotel's staff were confused about bed selection. The selections at both hotels are two Queens or one King and, the valet parking reunion price is $15 per day, not the normal $26.
(2) Reunion reason/question.
For many years I have anguished over the reason for a reunion. Is it to tour the locale where the reunion is held, or is it to be with those whom you shared experiences long ago? My thought is, I can visit the local at any time but I can only visit classmates now. I dearly treasure the short time at reunions visiting classmates who have since joined the"Long Grey". Without reunions, I would have never met many of them. Thus, I pose the question to the class - what is your thought on the reason for a reunion and based on the thought, what agenda format should we follow in Denver?
We have three agenda options for the Denver mini.
1. No fixed agenda, tours or anything else organized other than the class meeting, Memorial Service and class dinner. This means you are free most of the time to be with classmates in the Benny Havens room, the Brown atrium, lounge, pubs, or arrange your own tour of Denver attractions, or play golf (72 courses in Denver) or anything else. Several classmates contend they prefer this agenda as it provides maximum uncommitted time to visit all classmates and not just companymates.
2. A more or less mandatory day full of visiting everything possible in the time available. This has been the past format. In keeping with this, I have in place, the arrival reception on Sunday. Then arrangements to visit the Air Force Academy on Monday 11 Oct. with company dinners that night. On Tuesday, a tour of Coors Brewery with lunch in Golden, CO followed by a tour of Lockheed Martin Space facilities with a optional jaunt that night to Blackhawk (gambling a la Las Vegas in the mountains). This is a really full day and probably unreasonable. The morning of Wednesday, 13 Oct is the class meeting followed by a Memorial Service. The afternoon is free for "High Tea" at the Brown or anything else you desire. Finally, that evening is the class dinner at Wings Over the Rockies Museum in a very large hanger full of displayed airplanes at the old Lowry Air Force Base.
3. A combination of the above with a less aggressive schedule and maximum free time.
As many wives have expressed disinterest in touring, the following is submitted for them. There are numerous things to do such as,"High Tea" in the Brown every afternoon (reservations required) also, the Brown has an elegant spa and salon. The Denver Art Museum (this is new and awesome) is two blocks from the Brown. The 16th street Mall free tram will take you shopping from the Brown to Larmier street and beyond. Plenty to do.
Although I find it hard to believe, I heard that this may be the last mini. I surely hope not. Someone in Tucson mentioned Orlando and there has always been an urging for a DC mini even though many live there, many do not. I contend it is not the locale, it is the gathering of the "Corps" of 1958.
So the intent of this email#2 is to solicit your comments on the reunion reason and what we should do in Denver. Be brief in you response and the cut off is 15 Jan 2010. Please DO NOT use the above email address in replying as it is dedicated for reunion information such as this email.
USE MY EMAIL ADDRESS rkclem@juno.com.
Lastly, this is my second attempt to send this email as I did not receive my email of it from the academy.
Namaste.
Richard
#3: Classmates and Wives,
Greetings from a "Mile High".
This email is to inform you of additional information concerning The Comfort Inn Hotel room rates.
Two days ago, Jack Bujalski emailed me with his reply concerning email#2 (reunion agenda). In that email he informed me that he made reservations at the Comfort for $109.00. This rate was not given to me in the contract with the Comfort. I became very worried as this compromised the contract.
The Comfort tells me that this rate is available to the class because the room has one Queen size bed only.
Thus, and this better be final, the rates are:
Brown Palace Hotel:
Two Queens or one King bed $199.00 per night.
Comfort Inn Hotel:
One Queen bed $109.00 per night
Two Queens $129.00 per night
Deluxe corner King $139.00 per night
NOTE: These prices do not include taxes
Concerning the agenda question (email#2), so far, I have received 39 replies. All good stuff which will in one way or another be integrated into the final agenda.
Namesta,
Richard
#4: Classmates, Wives and Widows,
This is email#4 which addresses the 10/10/10 Denver mini reunion format questionaire presented in email#3.
The questionaire basically asked, do you prefer, (1) no fixed format of tours, (2 ) a full blown time of tours and events or, (3) a moderation of (1) &( 2)?
Forty-one replys were received producing the following results: six voted for number (1), thirteen for number (2) and twenty-two for number (3).
The results are evident yet they produce a conundrum. How to please, or should I write apease, those who prefer (1) and (2). Mike Dugan wrote, if someone can satisfy everyone, let him run the show.
So breifly, here is the plan to date:
Sunday 10 Oct 2010 - Arrival and reception that evening in the Ellington Room at the Brown Palace.
Monday 11 Oct 2010 - Morning tour of the Air Force Academy with possibly lunch in the cadet mess (have not yet asked AFA if lunch is possible). Company dinners are suggested that evening.
Tuesday 12 Oct 2010 - Morning tour of Lockheed Martin Mission Support Area (where the Mars missions are run) and the Space Operations Center (robots simulate docking with the Space Station). Note: this is in a restricted area and proof of citizenship is required! It is possible to arrange for a group trip that evening into the mountains to Blackhawk (20 miles) for gambling. There are twenty-three casinos in Blackhawk and Central City of which the Ameristar is the newest and fabulous. Also, branch gatherings are possible. I need imput on these events.
Wednesday 13 Oct 2010 - Class meeting and memorial service in an old Prespterian Church across the street from the Brown Palace Hotel. The all glass street overpass from the Brown to the Comfort looks at the Church. That evening is the class dinner at Wings Over The Rockies Museum.
The Benny Havens Room will be open most of the time. It is a big room just off the wide open balcony (2nd floor) with large windows on three sides overlooking south Broadway street.
As you can see, the afternoons are open. Information on sightseeing, shopping and other city attractions (there is a lot to do) will be in your registration packet
Hopefully this agenda will be acceptable for everyone as it allows maximum free time along with experiencing two places like nowhere else in the world.
To date, thirty seven classmates have registered for the mini. To my astonishment, 16 of the registrations are at the Brown.
Namaste,
Richard