Possible New New York Site For The 2012 NFBC

Tom Kessenich · Post by **Tom Kessenich** » Tue May 24, 2011 8:16 am

We are planning ahead for locations for the 2012 NFBC in New York. Right now the plan is to go back to Manhattan but most of the places we've contacted are either booked or are far too expensive for us to consider.

One location we have found with space available is the Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge. The price looks to be very good and the meeting room space appears to be ideal as well. Since Greg nor I have been there we were hoping to get some feedback from our New York/East Coast players who may know about the hotel or have stayed there. So give us your reviews and help us make an informed decision.

http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/n ... yn-bridge/

Red Sox Nation- · Post by **Red Sox Nation-** » Tue May 24, 2011 12:05 pm

Tom - Is Citifield out for next year? I'd imagine it's expensive although Fred Wilpon could probably use the money for his "Shi$$y Team".

I enjoyed the draft there the past two years. (Cheap hotels-free parking)

Just wondering if it priced itself out for you. Thanks

Jason

Fourslot40 · Post by **Fourslot40** » Tue May 24, 2011 12:31 pm

Tom,

I've had work events at this hotel. I have not stayed there, however I have been in the banquet halls and bar. As far as drafting goes, the banquet halls will be similar to the Bellagio halls in Vegas, so that should be fine. The bar area is real classy with TV's and alot of window view. The breakfast is AWESOME, as they have a full buffet. The only drawback is the price. It's REAL high, but you get your money's worth. I have not heard anything negative about the rooms. The service staff seemed friendly.

Overall, it would be a nice place to draft. The subway system is conveniently located nearby with lines that allow you to go anywhere through Manhattan or Brooklyn. It may not be as nostalgic as Citi Field, but it would offer more value to out-of-state customers as the driving would be limited to nothing.

Hope this helps somewhat.

John

SlimShady · Post by **SlimShady** » Tue May 24, 2011 4:41 pm

Did I miss something? Is Citi Field definitely out next year or are we just considering other options? I think CitiField is a great venue, but obviously if it isn't possible, I understand.... If it is still up for debate, you know my vote.

Tom Kessenich · Post by **Tom Kessenich** » Wed May 25, 2011 1:28 am

Originally posted by SlimShady:

Did I miss something? Is Citi Field definitely out next year or are we just considering other options? I think CitiField is a great venue, but obviously if it isn't possible, I understand.... If it is still up for debate, you know my vote. Citi Field has not been ruled out. We're just looking at other options. The cost of doing business in New York is the highest for any of our locations and there aren't many venues that have the space requirements we need so that makes it even more difficult. Citi Field has been a fine location but I think we need to take a look around and see what else might be available that could potentially work better. We still have time but I found this location and wanted to see what my New Yorkers thought.

Tom Kessenich · Post by **Tom Kessenich** » Wed May 25, 2011 1:33 am

Originally posted by Fourslot40:

Tom,

I've had work events at this hotel. I have not stayed there, however I have been in the banquet halls and bar. As far as drafting goes, the banquet halls will be similar to the Bellagio halls in Vegas, so that should be fine. The bar area is real classy with TV's and alot of window view. The breakfast is AWESOME, as they have a full buffet. The only drawback is the price. It's REAL high, but you get your money's worth. I have not heard anything negative about the rooms. The service staff seemed friendly.

Overall, it would be a nice place to draft. The subway system is conveniently located nearby with lines that allow you to go anywhere through Manhattan or Brooklyn. It may not be as nostalgic as Citi Field, but it would offer more value to out-of-state customers as the driving would be limited to nothing.

Hope this helps somewhat.

John Thanks for the feedback John. Much appreciated. We heard from another player who said the room rates were quite affordable there. Was that not your experience? He echoed nearly everything else you said and also gave it an enthusiastic thumbs up.

I will say that personally I think there's a huge advantage in having the event at a host hotel. I say that primarily from an event coordinator's point of view but that does eliminate some issues that we've encountered when we've hosted the New York event offsite (both at Citi Field and at the Javitts Center the year we were there). But ultimately, we want to find a place that works for us in terms of cost and is a good atmosphere for all of you.

Everything I've been told and seen about this hotel would lead me to think it qualifies on both counts but having never been there before I'm working blind here so I appreciate all the feedback. Keep it coming.

Sebadiah23 · Post by **Sebadiah23** » Wed May 25, 2011 5:32 pm

For someone driving from 3 hours away, what is the deal for that location? Would you drive directly there or drive to a certain point and then subway or train to the location?

The reason I ask is that Citifield was beyond awesome the first year, mostly due to the newness and uniqueness of the idea, but now that it's not "new" anymore, and it's a giant biatch to drive directly to, and they kick you out 5 minutes after the drafts end, I'm totally voting for this new idea. But as a non-city person, I need more explanation on how easy it is to get there. When the words subway and trains are thrown out there, for me it's like saying you can kayak there if your kayak doesn't have a leak and you pay the extra $50 for a kayak partner so you can row faster. It means nothing to me without more info.

Thanks,

Fourslot40 · Post by **Fourslot40** » Thu May 26, 2011 2:08 am

For anyone driving to the Marriott, there is a parking garage where you can keep your vehicle for the weekend. You will not want to drive anywhere. You can purchase a MetroCard and go literally anywhere in and around any borough from this location. You will have to connect via subway lines. To assist those who may be unfamiliar with the subway line, go to the New York City Transit Authority website and download a color-coded map to assist you. I haven't lived in NY for a while, but I believe that you can purchase a weekend MetroCard or something similar so that you don't have to keep buying them all weekend.

DO NOT TAKE THE BUS! Unless you want to be miserable, stay away from the buses. Besides, the characters on the subway are far more entertaining.

For those who are over the nostalgia of Citi Field, the Brooklyn Marriott location will more than likely be a better overall experience for visitors.

John

Fourslot40 · Post by **Fourslot40** » Thu May 26, 2011 2:11 am

Tom,

I never actually stayed at this hotel. I worked for the NYC Transit Authority in Brooklyn, which is literally the next building over. We held many functions there. Prior to relocating, they were doubling the Marriott in size. You will not go wrong there.

John

Tom Kessenich · Post by **Tom Kessenich** » Thu May 26, 2011 2:15 am

Originally posted by Fourslot40:

Tom,

I never actually stayed at this hotel. I worked for the NYC Transit Authority in Brooklyn, which is literally the next building over. We held many functions there. Prior to relocating, they were doubling the Marriott in size. You will not go wrong there.

John Thanks John. Keep the feedback coming, everyone. I think we're going to check the hotel out and see if it meets everything we're looking for with the event.

Craig's point about the severe time constraints placed on us by Citi Field is a good one. That has been an issue and something I haven't been happy about and I apologize to those who felt they were rushed out by their staff. Having more time flexibility is very important given the length of time baseball drafts and auctions take and that's something Citi hasn't been able to provide.