No worries Jay, I didn't take offense, was trying to engage the issue and create healthy conversation/debate.
If it was a concern for you, it was a concern for other people, so it is/was worth discussing. Its just not an easy/simple fix.
We understand that its a hurdle for some people and can be a deterrent, but we're trying to make the best of everything. The people in 'rural' areas who aren't used to parking fees also probably don't have convenient access to fish stores/clubs/events. Having an event in a city/urban/suburban area has a lot of perks; including access to restaurants, public transportation, and nearby stuff for family members to do, or provide outside entertainment from the event.
For instance, I've been at several events where there were no food options within walking distance of the hotel. So your options are the hotel bar/restaurant, or get in your car and drive somewhere, likely in an area you're not familiar with. I loved being able to walk to restaurants when we were in Gaithersburg and Rockville.
We're going to do our best to advertise parking rates on the new website so everyone is aware. Part of the reason we're building a new website is because the old website wasn't as 'user-friendly' to develop and edit content. We'll be able to provide better details about everything for this event. Every year, especially when a new location is involved, there are new lessons to be learned. We try to improve the experience each year, but there will always be unforeseen challenges, or issues without a clear resolution.
That being said, this year will have parking fees for the hotel lot, and it'll be more expensive than the $5 rate at Rockville. We'll post details once we have final information available, should be very soon. Our plan for the new website is to provide more information about alternative parking locations with cheaper rates, or no fees. It will be up to people to determine where they want to park based on what they want to pay, or not pay.
We'll look into options for vendors regarding parking and unloading, we realize its not practical for vendors to park any distance from the hotel. We're hoping there can be a loading/unloading zone where people can stage before parking their vehicle, but we don't know what might be available yet. The other thing to remember is that there are a few major vendors, and many private/personal vendors all competing for the same space and carts. The best bet will be to scout out the location prior to the event, so you have a gameplan on the day of and you're not figuring it out on the fly. Arriving early also makes things much easier. I know thats not easy for some people, especially out of towners, but its still the best option, otherwise its all hypothetical.
I hope, and don't think your comments would affect sales, I think it might be more situational. Summertime is busy for a lot of people, its also the easiest time to mail order fish to/from cold weather areas. We appreciate your support, and your offer to bring fish to meetings when available. You've been a great longtime sponsor of the club, so we try and support your business as much as possible. I think I'll be placing an order today, some very tempting stuff on your site.