"As usual, all your advice/help is greatly appreciated!!" ... Steve Lane

Since you've asked Steve ....

If no one stayed at the host convention hotel site ... there would be NO conventions .... anywhere. The price the club negotiates for any hotel convention facilities, depends largely on two things. How many rooms does the organization book and how much money is spent with catering.

Now, I do understand that some members who are rated players do receive complimentary room offers around town from other properties, and that's fine. But for the relatively small difference in price if one is paying the freight, it is much more CONVENIENT to stay in the hotel where all the action is rather than having to go back and forth to the "other hotel" to retrieve a forgotten item, or to change clothes and freshen up, or change into a bathing suit, or go lay down for a while to re-charge the batteries, or hang out at the splash bar with other friendly chippers; or a host of other inconveniences.

Just my candid thoughts.