Jehovah's Witnesses pull conventions from Rochester, NY

[Shawnster]

Unable to reach an agreement with new arena operators Pegula Sports and Entertainment, the religious organization moved the conference to Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. The reason talks broke down is unclear, though a spokesman for PSE pointed to expense-related matters. 

 

The conventions were slated for Aug. 9-11, and 16-18.

 

Scott Miller, local spokesman for Jehovah's Witnesses, attributed the breakdown in talks to time constraints, having "limited time ... to be engaged and work out all these details. ... Over the course of this past weekend is when the decision was made that we are going to have to shift."

 

That's a blow for downtown.

 

https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/2019/07/09/jehovahs-witnesses-pull-conventions-unable-reach-deal-pegula-sports/1685174001/

[Cushi]

Those hotels must have been seeing red...

[Friends just call me Ross]

Quote

"We have made Blue Cross Arena available," PSE spokesman Don Heins said in an email, responding to a media question. "Safely hosting an event of this size requires several operational hard costs including security personnel, emergency medical technicians, traffic police detail and janitorial services. ... 

Sounds like PSE wanted us to pay for these services that are already covered AT NO COST by our volunteers.

[Loopy]

1 minute ago, Friends just call me Ross said:

Sounds like PSE wanted us to pay for these services that are already covered AT NO COST by our volunteers.

 

Thats what I was thinking. 😁

[1gemstone]

I’m surprised that this venue was not booked and locked long ago, I guess the venue kept us hanging on to the last minute thinking they could get us to pay for all these extra items, that we normally do as volunteers.

[Qapla]

Some years back a similar thing happened in Jacksonville, Fl. They got a new manager and he would not rent to us unless we used their food vendors and not be allowed to bring our own food.

 

At the time we were having two or three Conventions in Jax each year. He thought we would cave in. We did not. Arrangements were made to use the facility at the University in Gainesville and we had Conventions there for several years (while meeting in Gainesville we operated a pilot test program for cameras like we have now - only we sent the feeds to remote rooms for departments, we did not have "big screens" back then). The Hotel Association in Jax was very upset.

 

When they got a new manager, we moved back to Jax since the facility in Gainesville was going to get a major renovation and would not be available.

 

Sometimes facility managers think they "have us" since we need a large meeting place for our Conventions - they do not realize we will go where directed ... even on short notice.

[Bob]

The venue was under new management and that caused them to back out. Also, the management I think is temporary. I don't think they were attempting to take the brothers to the cleaners do to speak, but I think they offered and charged for stuff we didn't want or need. 

[Dustparticle]

8 hours ago, Friends just call me Ross said:

Sounds like PSE wanted us to pay for these services that are already covered AT NO COST by our volunteers.

 That is what I'm seeing too. It was all about money for them. But, the local business in that area will see red because of this. 

[McKay]

8 hours ago, Bob said:

The venue was under new management and that caused them to back out. Also, the management I think is temporary. I don't think they were attempting to take the brothers to the cleaners do to speak, but I think they offered and charged for stuff we didn't want or need. 

Funny how these situations sometimes work out to our benefit. Some years ago, we used an outdoor venue for our conventions. The new mayor didn’t like us so we found an air conditioned facility some distance farther away. That mayor only served one term and after he was replaced the new mayor wanted us back. Yeah, that wasn’t going to happen. We stayed in that air conditioned facility...at least until the friends made it impossible for us to keep using it (ie. we were specifically told NOT to use a hotel facility nearby because they wouldn’t work with us but the friends did what they wanted and so after a number of years the other hotels in the area stopped working with us too and we lost the place altogether which we were repeatedly warned about.) So while we may not get cooperation from this one place Jehovah can still bless us with something unexpected.

[rbrown1205]

Wow. When I lived in New England,  we were never assigned to Rochester,  bit I remember the Yankee Stadium  conventions in the seventies - hearing Brothers Knorr, Franz,  Suiter,  and that whole group of GB brothers.  One does not always hear the Governing Body members at District/Regional conventions as much now,  since there are so many more of us, so now some city officials will do what we are seeing here.  Still,  our brothers try to keep our conventions spiritual and affordable for everyone,  and for that I am thankful and appreciative.

[shali]

I can only imagine the outcry of hotels and restaurants in many areas if, at some point, our RC's are held at our local kingdom hall's instead!  I'm sure hotel's in certain areas depend on our business in the summertime.  I had booked a hotel farther away from our convention than normal because the one I wanted was totally booked in 24 hours (and I didn't think about calling until day 2 of being able to make reservations).  I decided to try calling within 2 weeks of our convention because the hotel told me that is when cancellations start coming in.  Sure enough, I got in 2 weeks before our convention but not because any from our group cancelled - it was because they reserved a block of rooms for another group and that group hardly booked any rooms so they shifted those rooms over to the Witnesses.  This particular hotel only blocked 20 rooms originally for the Witnesses while all the other hotels on the list blocked out 50 or more rooms, I'm wondering, if next year, they will go with the "sure thing" and give a bigger block of rooms over to us.

Edited July 11, 2019 by shali

[Bob]

2 hours ago, ZDR said:

Funny how these situations sometimes work out to our benefit. Some years ago, we used an outdoor venue for our conventions. The new mayor didn’t like us so we found an air conditioned facility some distance farther away. That mayor only served one term and after he was replaced the new mayor wanted us back. Yeah, that wasn’t going to happen. We stayed in that air conditioned facility...at least until the friends made it impossible for us to keep using it (ie. we were specifically told NOT to use a hotel facility nearby because they wouldn’t work with us but the friends did what they wanted and so after a number of years the other hotels in the area stopped working with us too and we lost the place altogether which we were repeatedly warned about.) So while we may not get cooperation from this one place Jehovah can still bless us with something unexpected.

Yep, sometimes those things DO work in our benefit. Yes, I believe there are times where people attempt to block our conventions. I remember during the Annual Meeting where brother Gilles shared this experience in one country where the Catholic Clergy tried to convince a country to deny us use of their facilities and it backfired.

 

[Dages]

15 hours ago, Brother Jack said:

Those hotels must have been seeing red...

No green for them.

(sorry about this one  ) 

 

It's a shame, though.

[Doug]

On 7/10/2019 at 7:54 PM, Qapla said:

 

Sometimes facility managers think they "have us" since we need a large meeting place for our Conventions - they do not realize we will go where directed ... even on short notice.

I am so proud of us.

 

Don't know the reason we stopped using Dodger stadium.

I do not miss Dodger stadium. No I don't.

[dove]

On 7/10/2019 at 11:58 PM, Bob said:

The venue was under new management and that caused them to back out. Also, the management I think is temporary. I don't think they were attempting to take the brothers to the cleaners do to speak, but I think they offered and charged for stuff we didn't want or need. 

I was told the new management was the owner of the Buffalo Bills who bought it and raised the price.The brothers didn't go for it.

[Shawnster]

7 hours ago, Dove said:

I was told the new management was the owner of the Buffalo Bills who bought it and raised the price.The brothers didn't go for it.

Partially correct.  The City of Rochester owns the building.  The owner of the Bills are operating it.

 

Quote

The owners of the Rochester Americans, Buffalo Sabres and Buffalo Bills could take over interim management of Blue Cross Arena as soon as Aug. 1, under a proposal made by the city this week.

https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/2018/07/12/city-offers-pegulas-interim-management-contract-blue-cross-arena/779635002/

[sunshine]

I dont think the brothers would do anything last minute, if talks dragged on past the point of no return it was not the brothers fault... they wouldn't want to cause the friends problems by a last minute change of venue but if the new managers let negotiations drag on they lose not us, since as the client we always have the option of taking our business elsewhere.

[shali]

People of the world don't understand the kind of obedience we have for our God either.  We are more than willing to do anything "last minute" because we know it pleases Jehovah and will be for our greatest benefit.  They can't understand that concept.  So we go where we are told and WHEN we are told to go there.  No protests, no riots, no using social media to shame them into giving us what we want - we simply move on (with the help of Jehovah's spirit) to find another venue that is happy to have us (and there always is someone! Jehovah makes sure of that!)

[sunshine]

 I think we'll have to learn to adapt as the tribulation approaches.  I'm buying my little folding chair now for when we have to meet in a the forest!

Edited July 17, 2019 by sunshine

[Omoyeme]

I purchased a lightweight folding chair some years ago that I now use for cart witnessing. It has taken a bit of a beating, but it's still hanging on. (No forest in my immediate area but it'll be convenient to have this chair in any event.)

 

Edited July 19, 2019 by Omoyeme

[rbrown1205]

I just came back, and WILL NOT say anything about it.  Except- many older friends and those of little means have used the bus to go back and forth instead of using the hotels. A few congregations worked together to fill up a few buses for the trip, and it was successful.  It is an alternative for those who cannot pay for two or three days of hotel fees and food.

OK OK - it was WONDERFUL - and the organization accommodated those of us who like to hear special speakers during the regional convention!!