Good deal Judy, it will be great to have you at the convention. Please, please consider booking a room through the club room block. The more rooms we buy during convention, the better terms we get tahe next time we go looking for a facility. We got ourseelves into a real pickle with the Riviera a couple of years ago because our previous convention business with them had been pretty paltry. They needed us to buy more rooms and cater more food and wern't thrilled with our lame gaming action either. The most immediate upshot was that he the room rate was pretty stiff compared to what we had paid here and there previous years. We had a big effort to encourage everyone to buy Riv rooms that included incentives and some invective too.
There are certainly many ways to lower your individule room rate with player points, expedia, sleeping in the Keno lounge but if you can benefit the club instead by booking thruogh the club, everyone will come out ahead. Look for the special phone # and club code in the club magazine in the next few months. Stay tuned here for announcements of Volunteer Czars, etc.
Cash? Sure, bring some of that! I've had some pretty thrifty conventions over the years. Traders bring in plenty of good chips and the sales floor has plenty of deep discounts. Some real scores to be had at the club auction. You can have a successful convention with little cash outlay but consider the regret if you find your "holy grail" chip but you passed on it just to save some $$ for gas and groceries! Your mileage may vary but don't feel armed robbery is neccesary for funding.
Carefully examine he last club mag and you'll see what a low-key, mellow event the big show is. YOu'll do fine and it will form a habit over the lifetime of your membership.