lionkingcmsl | Ok, crunch time!

Very Important

As of the time and date I posted this there are 6 confirmed attendees and two possibles for the CMFM. The above does not include the staff or the GOH.

I will be blunt here, unless I get confirmation for at least 14 more furs CMFM will be canceled for this year!!

Do I want to do this? No, of course not, but it is not feasible to hold a meet with less than 20 people, especially the way CMFM is set up.

This, canceling this year's meet, will cast a doubt over any future meets.

So it is up to you. I need an answer by no later than midnight on the 11th.

Also, with the lack of votes, only 4 cast, I will tell the fur that it is a "no go" for filming.

Remember the website is www.capemayfurmeet.com.

Current Mood: disappointed

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

joeygatorman.livejournal.com

Sorry, LK. I wish I could come, but right now I have enough to go to Anthrocon, and that’s it.

From:

the-lizard-rat.livejournal.com

I dunno how much weight you put on Tarot, but my deck's been hot as of late, and maybe it'll show an alternate idea about how to keep it going rather than with the crap going on...

Toss me an AIM if you're interested. I'm broke, literally, so I can't afford to go...

Maybe get people like

the_gneech-san to spread the word?

Lizard Rat out.
Random in Albany NY

From:

mwalimu.livejournal.com

Duuude! A train! I sooo wish I could come, but there's no way I could make it, especially with my other half being so down on furry nowadays. I hope enough furs make it to keep it going, as this is certainly one to set my sights on in future years.

From:

kamau-d-lyon.livejournal.com

Wish I could help you but I'm stuck that weekend. I hope it turns around for you so it can still happen this year.

From:

snow-kitty.livejournal.com

Unfortunately, I have too much to do that weekend since I graduate a few days before. I hope things come out successful. *hugs*

From:

blacktigr.livejournal.com

I could pay in advance, but that wouldn't conjure 14 more furs. :( Guess I will see who is there when I get there.

From:

svxkitty.livejournal.com

I don't think the $30-50 dollars is too appealing for people who are paying the same amount for Anthrocon. The zoo is Free, the boardwalk is Free, and $30-50 is quite a bit to spend on transportation between those locations. That doesn't include the gas we put in our cars or the cost of a hotel to stay overnight. Taka and I would go, but we're saving every last penny for our trip to California.

I don't really like the supersponser idea either. The comic is a neat idea but the Ugly Mug dinner should be open to everyone. Last year, the Ugly Mug and the Shrek were the only two real group gatherings we had that day. Without those, that whole day is kind of pointless. Besides, it seems the meet isn't big enough to split up the attendees into two separate groups. Looking at a very optimistic attendance of 20 people, how many of those people will be supersponsers? 3? 5? Yeah, Kage's a cool guy, but he's not worth shelling out almost twice the cost for. With this system, filling the restaurant up like before doesn't seem possible, and that was the best part of the meet last year.

The lack of response is also because of the announcement you made two months ago, that the meet would not go on. You can't magically reappear less than a month away from the original date and expect to attract a large enough audience to make your charter possible. Why do we need buses again anyway? Last year was fine without them. The "hey guys we are holding the meet after all" announcement should come at least two months ahead of time to allow people time to request off work and schedule in time for the trip. Also, as CMFM was always mostly word-of-mouth, you have to allow people time to tell their furry friends.

If the meet is really not feasible at this time I suggest pushing it back one or two months into the summer rather than canceling it. Even better, push it back after Anthrocon is over with. This will give people time to recoup and get ready for another gathering. At least give us the benefit of the doubt and don't cancel CMFM indefinitely over stupid mistakes. I had fun last year and I'd like to attend the meet again, but it's starting to look like there won't be any more for my puppy and I to go to.

From:

lowen-kind.livejournal.com

Svxkitty,

I appreciate your response. I will take them one by one. Note some comments have been shortened to get me into the posting limit. :=/

I don't think the $30-50 dollars is too appealing for people who are paying the same amount for Anthrocon. The zoo is Free, the boardwalk is Free, and $30-50 is quite a bit to spend on transportation between those locations.

The cost of the buses is only part of the cost of running the meet. I do have to pay for the train on both days (which runs about $300/day), plus a bridge tender when that is operating (about $10/hour and a 4 hour mininum). There is now the cost of insurance and other related business expenses. As stated on the FAQ page on the website I had absorbed most of these costs out of pocket, but now I can no longer afford to do so.

I don't really like the supersponser idea either. The comic is a neat idea but the Ugly Mug dinner should be open to everyone. Last year, the Ugly Mug and the Shrek were the only two real group gatherings we had that day.
-snip-
With this system, filling the restaurant up like before doesn't seem possible, and that was the best part of the meet last year.

The sponsor idea was set up to avoid filling up the Ugly Mug actually. The room that I reserve can only hold about 45 people. What happens wqhen the meet gets so big that we can't fit all into that room?

Maybe the sponsor idea was not explained correctly. Any CMFM attendee can still eat in the same room with the sponsors, it's that the sponsor's meal is paid for by the CMFM, and at the sponsor table. That's the reason for the increased cost. My bad on not communicating it clearly.

The lack of response is also because of the announcement you made two months ago, that the meet would not go on. You can't magically reappear less than a month away from the original date and expect to attract a large enough audience to make your charter possible. Why do we need buses again anyway? Last year was fine without them. The "hey guys we are holding the meet after all" announcement should come at least two months ahead of time to allow people time to request off work and schedule in time for the trip.

Part of the problem is that I did not know where I stood with the railroad, or if the equipment would be ready. This took time, and, unfortunately, the go ahead came a bit too late. I have put notices everywhere I could to get the word out.

"Why," you may ask, "is the railroad so important?"

Well, it is the one thing that sets the CMFM apart from all other meets.

The bus thing is a point of contention between Smrgol and myself. He feels the way you do, but I feel that the buses add to the continuty of the meet.

If the meet is really not feasible at this time I suggest pushing it back one or two months into the summer rather than canceling it. Even better, push it back after Anthrocon is over with. This will give people time to recoup and get ready for another gathering. At least give us the benefit of the doubt and don't cancel CMFM indefinitely over stupid mistakes.

Funny you should mention on holding it after AC. That was when the meet was held during its first 3 years (00-02). I had gotten complaints that it was too close to AC and people couldn't schedule anymore time off in July.

Furs have asked, "What about the fall? October would be good!"

In theory yes, it would be. However it would conflict with FurFright, but, most importantly, the allure of the meet, the Jersey shore, is mostly closed after Labor Day. Yes, the towns and tghe zoo is still there, but most of Cape May is shut down, and Wildwood is a ghost town in October.

So the CMFM may not happen this year, but as for me canceling the CMFM entirely, that probably will not happen.

After talking to TygerCowboy, who runs Mephit FurMeet, CMFM will be taking a new direction, hopefully, next year. If things work out, CMFM will be more like a mini-Feral (i.e. camping), only on one weekend, not a full week, It will be held close to the Cape May Country Zoo and train will still be there for transportation into Cape May, but the focus will shift.
Yes, there were mistakes made, mostly between the owner of the RR and myself. These have been rectified.