I am on the wait list for the Westin Hotel in Downtown Birmingham for this year’s Southern Baptist Convention. It is one of the convention hotels that is connected to the convention center.
Hotel registration opened on Friday at 9am (EST). I was turning my computer on at that time to register. By the time I got my computer on just a few minutes after registration opened, the only option I had at either convention hotel was the wait list at the Westin. By the time I filled out my info for the wait list, there were no more rooms available within a mile of the convention center.
I realize that the early bird gets the worm, but we’re not talking hours after registration opened. Only a couple of minutes. We’re also not talking about a major sporting event where the demand is sky high. We’re talking about the Southern Baptist Convention. And this isn’t 1979 or 1985. Something isn’t right here.
I do realize that there are renovations taking place at one of the convention hotels that has reduced the number of available rooms. I understand that is out of the control of convention organizers. But still, something isn’t right here.
So I have one simple suggestion going forward.
Require anyone who is not a part of the official program for the pastors’ conference and/or convention to compete for hotel slots along with the rest of us.
Messengers from churches should not be shut out from hotel rooms by convention employees because they got first pick of the rooms.
I had the same experience, and I fully agree.
Adam
The best thing to do for Birmingham is get a hotel about 20 minutes out.
Those of us in Alabama have known this was going to be an issue ever since they announced the Annual Meeting was going to come to Birmingham! There is heavy interstate traffic in the area (that won’t be done before June) and a dearth of hotels and restaurants near the convention center so I am afraid accommodation issues are only the beginning.
This is one way I know I am blessed to live in a Birmingham suburb.
Birmingham does not have the facilities to be a great convention site.
I experienced the same thing. I’m on the waiting list for one of the convention hotels. It was the first year my entire family was going including our son in a wheelchair and we were excited about the possibility of being close to everything. Now, we are more than 5 miles away and will have to drive in and park somewhere as trying to navigate the public transportation may be too difficult. I agree with every individual getting their own lodging. Or, just don’t put the hotels up on the list that are going to be immediately filled with all the convention participants or entity heads. At least that way there wouldn’t some false sense of obtaining a room.
Terry. I have asked the SBC Voices team to connect you privately with our meeting planner, so our Convention Planning team can work with you directly to help assist you with this need. We will be emailing you the first of next week.
You may also be interested to know that due to the meeting facility in Birmingham, we will be able to provide a “sensory friendly” room for attendees with children that will be mobility accessible and also provide a sensory friendly environment (think brighter lighting, lower consistent sound level, warmer temp) that should be helpful to a number of people.
Thank you so much for your reply and any help you can provide. I look forward to conversing with you further.
The Rev Dr Townes is pretty much the best man the SBC has. He will help you.
I feared that as well. I have the wonderful honor of watching my granddaughter’s dance recital at the Birmingham Convention Center every year. Parking is also very limited. Since my kids live there, I plan to stay with them, however, I am very concerned with commuter parking. I certainly will enjoy being there next year, but they may not have thought this one through quite enough.
I got in the convention hotel probably because I jumped right on it. Looks like a few minutes made a difference. It’s just too much of a grind to commute. I’d rather be right there.
Look forward to seeing many of you there.
I got a room in the Convention hotel too, but I jumped on it at 9:00:00 exactly (I felt like I was flying Southwest and trying to get a good boarding position) 🙂
I figured if I needed help I could get Dave Miller to pull some strings. He swings considerable weight with the big guns I hear.
You have obviously OVER-estimated my pull.
He’s swinging a lot less weight these days.
Also keep in mind that by the time the meeting rolls around, the entire I-20/59 bridge through downtown will be demolished and there will be a ton of detours and delays.
I get that some think this is a rigged game with privileged people getting prime rooms before we peons but I’d wait on that. I’d bet if you asked the EC would tell you exactly what they do.
I don’t think it’s rigged. The system has normally not been a problem. It appears to be a big problem in Birmingham.
Haven’t stayed in any of the hotels since Houston. We have stayed in AIRBNB houses. Cheaper and more relaxing when traveling with family.
If the truth is told I would imagine you are paying for thier rooms with your CP dollars
I would expect that the rooms of entity employees would be paid for by the entity. It would be strange to require an employee to pay his own way on a business trip.
What a cynical comment
I am a long-time Birmingham resident and am not surprised at limited space at the two hotels near the convention center. It’s across the freeway (I-20/59) from downtown. There is a small new entertainment district (Uptown) with about half a dozen restaurants a block or two away. The freeway is being completely rebuilt (expect major construction). Other than the convention center, two hotels, and handful of restaurants, you won’t find much to do over there.
In downtown, The Tutwiler hotel is within walking distance if it is still possible in June to walk under the interstate construction . It’s a historic building affiliated with Hampton Inn. The next closest choices would be in the UAB/hospital district. Too far for most people to walk, but I’d inquire about hotel shuttles.
There are places to eat and things to see in and near downtown/Southside, but I personally wouldn’t walk from the convention area at night. Downtown and points south are considered relatively safe by locals. Another area close in with restaurants is Lakeview. Homewood has hotels and plenty of restaurants and is not too far (3-5 miles).
Be aware that public transportation is Birmingham’s weak link.
I’m glad the convention is coming to Birmingham, but I admit I was surprised. You’ll have a great time as long as you have a plan and know how to navigate the challenges
I will only use Airbnb from this point forward so here is a trick that has helped me 4 out of thelast 5 years. Book a room to be in the system and then Wait til the last month. Start checking availability everyday. Every year they release all the unclaimed rooms at the main hotel. When it comes available call and move your reservation
Birmingham may be limited in the number of hotel rooms near the convention center but with the SBC annual meeting locations being named at least 5 years in advance, I doubt very seriously that convention housing was not able to get their usual allotment of rooms. I know people are pretty passionate about youth travel baseball but who is booking rooms 5 years out?
I offer a guess from someone who knows very little about these types of things. The SBC has six seminaries, NAMB, IMB, Lifeway, the Executive Committee, plus the personalities involved in the annual convention. Add to these, colleges, ministries, and the money changers selling their goods in the exhibit hall. All of our entities are going to book a block of rooms plus these exhibit hall guys are going to book hundreds of rooms. I hope they were all waiting for the horn to sound and pounced Friday at 8:00 a.m. Just a few years ago the average SBC attendee would have called to book now most are booking online and hundreds can book at once rather than just a dozen or so through a phone bank.
I booked at 9:30 a.m. Friday morning and the closest I could get is 1 mile from convention hall. I would vote for us to defund the ERLC if it meant we could bring back the shuttles. 🙂
Got that ERLC thing in there!
Well played
Good News – Due to the large number of hotels and distances Shuttles will be coming back in 2019 without having to defund anyone!
We will also be working on Uber/Lyft solutions and park and ride lots at local churches. Unique challenges require unique solutions!
Yay
I’m going to stay in a van down by the river.
Actually, I’m in the Westin but I booked direct with them back in August instead of waiting for the SBC housing bureau. Probably costing a bit more but saving a ton in traffic and parking.
What we lack in good hotel options we make up for with great restaurants. Here is a great guide for Birmingham food: https://www.al.com/expo/life-and-culture/erry-2018/10/f5277f86032796/birmingham-restaurant-hall-of.html
We all know that the convention will give hotel room preference to any and all that are somehow connected to entities, boards, and committees. My state convention does the same thing. In B’ham that’s a lot of demand in a small supply near the convention center.
I booked the Hampton on Park Place several weeks back. Likely that I’m paying more, but I’m avoiding the craziness.
However, I think this has been mentioned, and I may try as well just to see if it works- get registered at any hotel via the system, then call a few weeks out to see about openings at convention hotel. Every year I have friends who get those rooms.
Long time reader, first time poster.
First off, thanks to all of those who work so hard to make SBC Voices a good place to interact with others. I am Bill Townes and I serve as the Convention Manager for the SBC Annual Meeting (in addition to some other duties). I work with the SBC Executive Committee and have had the privilege of working with Dave Miller, Brent Hobbs, Adam Blosser and Todd Benkert, and several others and I can honestly say after working with them extensively during the SBC Pastors’ Conference in 2017, we really like them (and appreciate them)!
I probably am the best person to help shed some light on our planning process for the SBC Annual Meeting (been serving in this role for the last seven years) and also provide you some unique insights into our Birmingham planning.
I am working on a rather lengthy reply (although by Dave Miller’s standards it will be somewhat short) that the SBC Voices team will be able to consider posting/editing as they see fit. (although it might not live up to the high standards expected here.)
Until then . . . please know that our team has been in Birmingham all of this week meeting with hotel and convention visitors bureau leaders walking through some of these issues. We also had our initial meeting with our Local Arrangements Committee representing Baptist leaders throughout Birmingham who are committed to welcoming the SBC in 2019 to Birmingham (The SBC was last in Birmingham in 1941!) The city is excited about us coming and in spite of the unique challenges we are experiencing they are all committed to a successful event for the SBC!
Bill Townes (SBC Convention Manager)
We’ve never met but I appreciate your responses. I’d say to my SBC colleagues, especially those who speculate about the annual meetings, hotels and such, that I’ve always thought that our executive committee staff is among the most desirous to assist southern baptists.
…but then, I hit the housing bureau early and I’m in at the Westin.
Thanks for the confidence. We try really hard anyway. BTW I am a long time GA Baptist. I served with Bob White a long time ago at the GBC (7 years in the Finance office and 7 years as the manager at the Norman Park Conference Center. (Where I learned to blow gnats!)