MACNA XX in Atlanta!

[MACNAXX]

MACNA XX September 5-7, 2008 in Atlanta

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We are excited about this year's MACNA conference. We already have Pre-registered and paid as many as most of the total attendance of the first 15 or so MACNAs, so it should be huge. Combine that with a great hotel, great speakers, cheap flights, and the Georgia Aquarium and we have everything to try to get you guys to have a good time while in Atlanta.

The hotel is great, and the room night of $119 can't be beat, it usually is in the $250-300 range. We were able to negotiate pretty well, but rooms are going fast.

There is a lot to do in Atlanta if people come early or bring significant others - CNN, Olympic Park, the Georgia Aquarium, the Children's museum, the world of Coke, and Hooters (hey, I know my audience) is within a 5 minute walk, and MARTA goes from inside the airport to the hotel for $1.75 - so no cab charges. The same MARTA can take you to the Braves, shopping centers, etc. We are also getting together a kids program (popcorn and movies in the hotel) to allow parents to go to the banquet and speakers. We will offer that at cost.

Oh, and the banquet is food by Wolfgang Puck. No open bar like Pittsburgh, but good food inside a great banquet hall inside the largest aquarium in the world with two windows - one toward the largest indoor aquatic exhibit in the world (over 6 million gallons - the size of a football field) that includes four whale sharks and the other one toward the four beluga whales.


Please use this thread to ask questions and I will try to check in to answer them. You can also check out our website. If your administrator could make this a sticky and put up a banner from our website www.macnaxx.com that would help alot.



So who is going and how can I help?

Steve

[MACNAXX]

Macna Update....

A MACNA teaser - our main banquet speaker....


Joanne Ruxton

Behind the Scenes as a Underwater Wildlife Producer for the BBC

Joanne has been involved in many BBC productions, including the acclaimed BLue Planet series.

[MACNAXX]

This is the last chance to get the $109 price for MACNA 2008! The price for the conference is only $109 for all three days including the banquet and trade show, but will go up to $129 after December 31st, 2007.
Other Confirmed MACNA speakers:
Dr. Bruce Carlson
Dr. Sylvia Earle
Eric Borneman
Anthony Calfo
Dr. Alex Brylske
Dr. Kimberly Cobb
Michael Cottman
Jake Adams
Dr. Al Dove
Ray Davis
James Fatherree
Cathy Sakas
Larry Jackson
Marj Awai
Jim Walters
Dr. Rob Toonen
Scott Fellman
Robert Fenner
Phillip Root
Stephen Pro
Christine Williams
Matthew Wittenrich
Kelly Jedlicki
Charles Delbeck (will confirm in April due to potential schedule conflicts)
More speakers will be confirmed soon.
Sign up now at MACNA XX Atlanta or pay more after December 31st!

[scubadude]

If I bought now but decided @ the last moment that I couldnt go would my ticket be transferable to someone else?

[MACNAXX]

Yes - no problem.

[MACNAXX]

Ok, time for another MACNA XX update before the price goes up at the end of the month!!! Check out our website at www.macnaxx.com for more information (the website is also going through a transformation by the end of the month). Let us know if we can do anything else to make your stay in Atlanta enjoyable!
As you know, we have record numbers of attendees and exhibitors this year, and a huge number of incredible speakers!!
We are also trying a few new things to entice you – including a Children’s Program involving local venues within walking distance of the hotel for those of you that want to appease your family (ages 5-12) to justify the massive amounts of money you pay for raffles and other goodies. The Children’s Program is being offered at cost, and can be pre-registered on our website starting later this week.
Also, UPS will have a booth in the trade show to allow easy shipment of all your animals and equipment (or your family if they object to your purchases!)
You may have heard about the tornado that went through downtown Atlanta a few months ago, damaging the Westin Hotel (but missing the Georgia Aquarium). There was damage to many windows, which are in the process of being replaced, but there was no structural damage and it is basically business as usual. Friday they gave us another 20 rooms, and they will go fast, so if you want to be at the conference hotel, you had better hurry! We also have contracted at other hotels next door at the same low rate, so there will be plenty of room.
You may have also heard the exciting news that the Georgia Aquarium is now expanding to include another 1.3 million gallons – making the total 9.5 million gallons. That is the good news. The bad news is that this new section will not be ready for this year’s MACNA. The general exhibits at the Georgia Aquarium will not be affected by the construction at the time of MACNA (other than possibly the outdoor sea lion exhibit).
The following is the schedule (subject to change). The workshops are limited to a small number of pre-registrants to allow more of an intimate atmosphere. There is a nominal charge to ensure that the workshops are filled. The proceeds will be donated to a non-profit charity of the speaker’s choosing. You should be able to sign up for workshops by the end of this week.

MACNA XX – Conference Schedule

Friday – September 5, 2008
09:00 am MASNA Board Meeting
11:00 am MASNA Member Preview of Trade Show
11:00 am Raffles Begin
12:00 pm Tradeshow Opens
12:00 pm Welcome
12:00 pm Dr. Hugo Freudenthal: The Role of Zooxanthellae
01:00 pm Children’s Program: Children’s Museum ($27.50)
01:15 pm James Fatherree: The Latest Advances in Aquarium Lighting
02:15 pm Dr. Bruce Carlson: Status of Reefs in the Wild
02:15 pm Workshop: Jake Adams: MacGyver Aquarium Techniques
03:15 pm Scott Fellman: Authentic Biotope Presentation for the Aquarium
04:15 pm Eric Borneman: Conservation and Coral Nutrition on the Reef
04:15 pm Workshop: Dr. Al Dove: Test Kits and What do they really mean?
05:15 pm Matthew Wittenrich: Fish Breeding Techniques
06:15 pm Steven Pro: “I touched it – NOW WHAT?” Reef Toxins
06:15 pm Workshop: Bob Fenner/Marj Awai: Photography
07:00 pm Silent Auction Begins
07:00 pm Children’s Program: Young Chef’s Academy ($32.50)
07:30 pm Cocktail Party: Speaker: Koji Wada: Japanese Aquariums

Saturday – September 6, 2008
07:30 am SaltwaterU Teen Program – Teen Presentation for 2008 trip
08:00 am Children’s Program: New World of Coke ($27.50)
08:00 am Dr. Sylvia Earle: Sustainable Seas: Recognizing Finite Resources
08:00 am Trade Show Opens
09:15 am Ray Davis: Whale Shark Research
09:15 am Workshop: Jake Adams/Tim Woolston: DIY Filtration/Plumbing
10:15 am Cathy Sakas: NOAA Resources for Educators
10:15 am Jim Walters: New and Unusual Fish for Nano Reef Aquariums
11:15 am Larry Jackson: Reef Travel Destinations
11:15 am Workshop: Anthony Calfo: Coral Propagation
01:00 pm Children’s Program: CNN Center ($27.50)
01:00 pm Dr. Nancy Knowlton: TBA
01:00 pm Tom Wyatt: Advanced Aquarium Chemistry
02:00 pm Dr. Rob Toonen: What can deep coral reefs tell us about coral bleaching, reef resilience and reef aquaria?
02:00 pm Workshop: Kelly Jedlicki: Fish Necropsy
03:00 pm Bob Fenner: TBA
03:00 pm Christine Williams: Keeping Fishes Healthy and Treating Diseases
04:00 pm Scott Fellman: Marine Plants and Algaes
04:00 pm Workshop: Julian Sprung: How to grow your own food
05:00 pm Special Behind the Scene Tours of the Georgia Aquarium
07:00 pm Children’s program: Pajama Party with Pizza/Movie ($24.50)
07:15 pm Banquet in the Georgia Aquarium by Wolfgang Puck
Speaker: Joanne Ruxton – Behind the Scenes as an Underwater
Wildlife Producer for the BBC

Sunday – September 7, 2008
08:00 am Children’s Program: Georgia Aquarium ($32.50)
08:00 am Dr. Alex Brylske: Uses of the Reef in Medicine and Industry
08:00 am Trade Show Opens
09:15 am Charles Delbeek: Coral Diseases and Pests
09:15 am Workshop: Anthony Calfo/Phillip Root: Large Aquaculture Techniques
10:15 am Dr. Kim Cobb: Records of Climate Change through Coral
10:15 am Kim Hall: The Tropical Diver Exhibit at the Georgia Aquarium
11:15 am Michael Cottman: Researching a Sunken Slave Ship: The Wreck of the Henrietta Marie
11:15 am Workshop: (Panel) How to prepare, bid for & plan a MACNA
01:00 pm (Panel) The Future of the Reef-Keeping Hobby
02:00 pm Grand Finale Raffle Drawing

[kevinpo]

See you there

Regards,
Kevin

[smpolyp]

If you are a true hobbiest you will regret not going. I've been attending since 2000 and and always had a blast.

[MACNAXX]

This year is going to be huge - we have about 600 people pre-registered 98 days from the event!

Tomorrow is the last day for registering at $129! Save $30 to spend on raffle tickets to Fiji!!!

[FireEater]

Tickets for sale here by one of our MARSH Board Members.

CLICKITY

She can't make it, she is also very trust worthy.

I went when my club sponsored them in Houston. it was a great event and we hope to get them back soon.

[Samper]

Kgeorge and I have about decided that we're going. Having never been I am wondering who else is going that we could meet up with. It would be really nice to put some faces with names from many of you guys.

Can someone fill us in on what to expect? We haven't registered yet and I'm sure the workshops are full having a 40 person max. Can someone verify that? Is it worth going without being able to atleast attend a few workshops? Someone give us a personal account of their experience please.

[scubadude]

Hey Chuck,
Here was the way I saw it when I went last time it was in Dallas...My thoughts where as long as I got to see Calfo I was good.....I got to see many others and it was all icing on the cake. Im sure its going to be big but there will be ppl drop out @ the last minute....either way it goes they usually try 2 accomodate as many ppl as they can. Hopefully Steve will pop in and give you the 411 though. Go Chuck....you wont regret it, I doubt I will be able to make it but you and Russ think of me when u guys are chugging them beers down!

[kevinpo]

The vendor booths alone are worth the price of admission. Many of them have the latest equipment (and products that are just being released)running on tanks. Last year they didn't count us when we went into the workshops.
This years added draw is the Aquarium which will be great to go behind the scenes and see the workings.

I would highly recommend attending.

Regards,
Kevin

[Samper]

If anyone has extra tickets or knows someone with them that can't attend please let Kyle and I know. I'll order them online but if I can get them cheaper I'll go that route. I had free tickets last year but wasn't able to attend.

Do the vendors hand out free stuff? What would you guys recommend that we take cash wise to the event?

[My2heartboys]

Man, I really wish I could....but all of you know what the issue typically is.

The MacGyver Aquarium Techniques talk should be worth it alone. I can forsee a lot of laughs in that one.

Anne

[Samper]

Does Jake Adams go by Coralite on the boards? If so I met him and hung out at his house when I went to that meeting with Calfo in SC. He's putting that MacGyver workshop on and I learned quite a bit from him in that short time. He's a nice guy and I defianately look forward to that one.

Kevinpo,

Does your last post mean that you didn't purchase a slot to get into any workshops? It's gonna suck to get there if I can't attend some of these.

[kgeorge]

Chuck, we also need to figure out what to do on rooms. Do you want to try and stay at The Peach Tree, where the conference is?

On the cash......... Take what you want to get rid of! LOL

[kevinpo]

Kevinpo,
Does your last post mean that you didn't purchase a slot to get into any workshops? It's gonna suck to get there if I can't attend some of these.

Last year they didn't charge extra for the workshops. I just checked their site and found they will be limiting admission to the workshops and charging an additional $10 They didn't have (or I didn't notice) that when I purchased my ticket.

Regards,
Kevin

[Cas]

Last year they didn't charge extra for the workshops. I just checked their site and found they will be limiting admission to the workshops and charging an additional $10 They didn't have (or I didn't notice) that when I purchased my ticket.

Regards,
Kevin

There was a big debate on another site concerning the extra charge and it not being mentioned until weeks after the registration opened. The person defending the fee said that the fee would be donated to a charity of the speakers choice so get over it if you pre-registered and could not find a space in these talks. Of course he took a beating for his attitude and I have a feeling he will not be coming to Chicago for a while and not many Chicago area reefers will be heading to Atlanta for a long time.

[kevinpo]

I don't think it's too big of problem unless the sessions are all full when you find out about the charge. $10 is about what you spend for lunch at fast food so it's not the cost. I think the problem would have been avoided if they had sent out an email when they added the charge. They send emails frequently for information confirmation, speaker changes, etc.
As far as the comment rudeness seems to be the rule in today's world. On the other hand most of the work is done by hobbyists who are not trained public affairs personnel.

My .02,
Kevin