COMPLETE: Finding a Venue

See http://groups.drupal.org/node/27102 for discussion.

Most urgently DrupalSouth needs a venue. Once a venue is booked we can confirm dates. Please review the list below, add to it, comment on the items in it, discuss some more in the comments, call them, visit them, and re-order them below. This is a wiki page, edit it.

Questions to ask possible venues:

• Seats 100 set up for presentation/theatre-style?
• Has separate/nearby space for simultaneous milling/discussion/co-working?
• Available?
  • about 9am to 6pm
  • 2 consecutive days from;
    • Jan 15-17 (Friday-Sunday), OR
    • Jan 23-25 (Saturday-Sunday)
• Cost?
• Deposit to secure booking; How much? When?
• Broadband internet? Speed?
• Data projector, seating, tables, sound equipment? Cost?
• Food? Catering? Cost? (general idea)
• Minimum consumption requirements or expectations?
• Bar? BYO? Cost?

Candidate venues

Venue is booked

In order of preference. Please add, reorder and discuss. Leave notes inline if you visit the venue or talk to an employee there.

1. Garden Club
   Need to visit and review. Broadband internet?
   More oriented to evening events and concerts. $500+gst/days. NO minimum consumption!
   ~dman: Very accomodating! Central. Excellent size and shape (converted theatre) with bar and a reasonable breakout cafe-bar upstairs also. Great price for what you get. But combines the worst of "old theatre" and "underground nightclub after hours" for ambience. Jared (very friendly Event Director) assured me that with lighting and furniture it's been successful for corporate events but spending two full days away from any natural light makes me wonder. It really is good as a nightspot, but could be quite a cave during the day. The cafe helps make up for that. They've got another booking for the OS conference itself (a good sign?), but free for our dates.
2. Macs Brewery (function rooms)
   Broadband internet?
   Good size. 2 areas available, larger one takes 120, 100 with tables and laptops. Easy spill-out to a really nice bar. Very close to LCA, pleasantly removed from downtown bustle. Available allour dates except Saturday 23 has another booking from 5pm. $495+gst/day. $2k/day minimum consumption. Full payment required to secure booking. Rude. +1 from ~dman
3. Southern Cross Lodge
   Too small. Brenda says this seats 80 at tables with laptops, but their website doesn't describe a space that matches this description. Christine, the events manager confirmed that they don't have a space that can be reserved for private functions that is large enough. 04 384 9085 -- too small for 100+ event.
4. Tug Boat on the bay
   Has broadband upstairs. No charge for venue but minimum consumption of $3-3.5k per day. Has broadband upstairs. Seem very nice and accommodating. Free projector and sound equipment.
   ~dan Downstairs is an awesome place for a 21st. Odd, but possible for a presentation space I guess. It is a ships hull, after all. Good size for 80-100 I'm sure. 'Upstairs' is totally surrounded by windows, so would be a bit hard for screen glares and projector I'm imagining. But a nice view... Nice tone overall. Short walk from town central.
5. Quality Hotel Wellington
   Great facilities. Many quality bars and restaurants in the vicinity (and one in the building). $800+gst/day. 04 385 2156
6. Thistle Hall
   Need to visit. Cheap! ~$360. Takes 120, standing? Sitting? Good location. 293-295 Cuba Street (cnr arthur st).
7. Wellington NZ
   Has a useful venue-finding tool. All the places look expensive, but probably worth enquiring; James Cook Hotel Grand Chancellor, The Opera House, TSB Bank Arena, Westpac Stadium, The Boatshed
8. Holiday Inn Wellington
   Need more detail. 75 Featherston St, Wellington. Contact Leigh Keown 04 498 3774 c&e@holidayinnwellington.co.nz
9. Kingsgate Hotel Wellington
   Need more detail. 24 Hawkestone Street, Thorndon. Kathryn Petterson 04 473 2208 or 0800 4 MEETINGS http://www.meeetingsnz.co.nz meetings@millenniumhotels.co.nz
10. Crossways community centre
    Too small (50). Cheap. Flexible, available.
11. Overseas Terminal
    Could be interested in venue in exchange for a website?
12. "Tussock" or "Level one events area"
    Could be what we need, but there isn't much info on the website. Need to call or email Creative Hospitality
    ~anaceleste; I contacted them waiting for an answer.
13. Chamber of commerce
    Most probably too expensive. Worth a call though; 04 914 6500
    ~anaceleste; I called them $800+gst a day
14. Loaded Hog
    (function rooms) is probably an good start - and has all the right ingredients. May be too large - but at least they list their rates on the website.
15. Downstage Theatre
    I'm not sure if they'll be very flexible, accommodating, affordable or available for an event like this. The theatre is much bigger than we need.
    ~dman 'theatre' would be odd, downstage doesn't have much to offer as space to be outside of actual presentations. -1
16. Victoria Uni Venues, eg Rutherford House.
    Kiwicon are using Rutherford House. Are Vic Uni venues something we should consider?

Notes
~ dman : Just chatted to my brother who's been doing lighting gigs for Wellington venues for the last years, so he's been into almost all of them. Not too many ideas that fit any better.
Massey is pricey. St James is probably pricey, and IMO too formal.
He advises against Loaded Hog, Positive about Macs. I'll wander down and scope it out today.
~dman thinking further afield, "The Pines" (no website) would have been nice, but transport is a bit awkward, and it's a bit of a lock-in for catering.