Dallas Safari Club Convention Summary

[wesheltonj]

. . . San Antonio is building up international terminal space right now
That will be done in 3-4 years . . .

Only when someone pointed out that there new terminal could not handle a B777 they made a change. But it really does not matter, San Antonio cannot support European traffic. Austin on the other-hand just added a second daily BA flight to Heathrow, along with Lufthansa to Frankfurt and KLM to Amsterdam. Austin is building a new International space, with more luggage carousels. Cargo and Business Class seats make those flight profitable. I've been told that BA could run those flight empty and still make money with cargo alone.

 

[pilar]

Only when someone pointed out that there new terminal could not handle a B777 they made a change. But it really does not matter, San Antonio cannot support European traffic. Austin on the other-hand just added a second daily BA flight to Heathrow, along with Lufthansa to Frankfurt and KLM to Amsterdam. Austin is building a new International space, with more luggage carousels. Cargo and Business Class seats make those flight profitable. I've been told that BA could run those flight empty and still make money with cargo alone.

Mas O Minos
You are correct, but Austin and San Antonio are still treated as stepchildren by the major carriers and federal government
Maybe that will change when they start deporting criminal immigrants straight from San Antonio, instead of using lobbyists backed centralized hubs?

 

[BTB Joe]

I appreciate the posts about the outfitters and the reaction to the show. I would like to see more posts about customers actually at the show. Did you enjoy it? What was your favorite? What was wrong? (Besides the weather) how was the booth layout, was it easy to navigate, etc. Try to keep it show focused, like parking, or flight availability, not (just) how bad Atlanta is. Think constructive criticism. That's something to take to a DSC board meeting. (Disclaimer - I am a board member but just a local chapter) thanks!!

I attended DSC for the first time this year. I have a few hunt quotes coming but didn’t book yet. All I purchased was a Leupold VX6 scope at a good price at EuroOptics and a couple DSC shirts.
We were able to book round trip airfare from Dulles (drove 2 hrs to get there) on Frontier for under $100. Hard to beat that. Took Uber everywhere we went and they were available despite the weather. The first morning we hitched a ride to the convention with an exhibitor who parked easily right adjacent to Lobby B. I can’t say whether parking was that easy/available for all attendees.
Our hotel was around $120 base rate but probably around $150 with taxes and fees. I thought that was very reasonable for a downtown area. Restaurants were typical for metro areas. Lots of expensive options but a fair number of standard go-to’s as well (Hard Rock, Hooters, etc.).
The weather complicated things (flight delays turned a two night stay into four nights) but that’s not on DSC. I think one guy with a plow on an F150 could have cleaned up downtown in a day (it really wasn’t much snow) but it was what it was. In any case, we spent two days at the show (Thursday and Friday) and enjoyed it.
The layout was fine and the phone app was helpful. Registration was easy (we preregistered so just needed to have a badge printed).
I found the convention to be very similar to SCI that I attended in Nashville in many respects but that is based on just walking the floor. I didn’t attend seminars, auctions, or dinners… I couldn’t gauge how the area around the convention center was due to weather. Nashville was very nice but I understand it is moving from there.
I will probably continue to visit SCI and DSC occasionally particularly when I’m contemplating DG hunts. Otherwise, I get my fix annually at GAOS in Harrisburg. It’s an easy drive for me.

 

[BigTexHunting]

I made the trek to Atlanta this year, and what a dissapointment! The majority of the foot traffic were vendors, and then that left many booths under staffed or empty. Not sure how the DSC board allowed themselve to be hood winked into moving the show to Atlanta, but this will be my last DSC show until it is back in Texas. Shoot... Jerry World would have been better than this experience.

 

[lhook7]

This is so disappointing. I'm a lifetime DSC member but I am joining SCI and will attend the SCI convention for the first time next year.

 

[Philip Glass]

I noticed just in the past couple of weeks that the new season of Tracks Across Africa is now called "SCI's Track Across Africa" when it was "DSC's Tracks Across Africa" for many years. Fulson is now wearing a new logo'd shirt with a SCI Tracks AA logo!

And he was in Dallas instead of Atlanta! I was surprised.

 

[Philip Glass]

DSC membership just got an email update from the new CEO of DSC. He expressed receiving a lot of feedback and what they are doing with that feedback. There will be a plan announced for next steps within a few weeks at most. He acknowledged that Atlanta was not a good outcome and was concerning to many sponsors, vendors, members, etc. He is also hearing a big need for better communication from DSC and he is pledging to address that with changes. This email was the first step to address that. I was glad to get the email and I'm very interested to see where it goes.

I'm a life member but did not get the email. Thanks for the info

 

[lhook7]

I'm a life member but did not get the email. Thanks for the info

Neither did I, which only adds to my frustration with them.

 

[Green Chile]

Sorry to hear that. Post #179 has the full text of the update.

 

[Philip Glass]

I think the letter starts out with an important point...it was the CEO's first week on the job. Very difficult timing with all that is going on. I'm sure he feels like he is drinking from a fire hose while the building is on fire. I look forward to seeing what is sorted out and as Dave said, it's a minefield of competing priorities and personalities. I hope they are successful. Perhaps we need a change of marketing and communications leadership to show accountability and ownership of failures.

They may need a change of several leadership posts. Not to be prideful but I saw this coming. Why didn't they?

 

[Philip Glass]

I should note, what I believe has been one of the meaningful contributions to the decision to openly review the show and the way going forward, and the CEO's decision to update the membership directly which was released today, has been our discussion on this thread.

Yes sir

 

[Philip Glass]

Call me crazy but it should remain in Texas.

YESSSSS. I am sorry but this is the main problem!

 

[Philip Glass]

My two cents:

The Paul Harvey explanation for the move to Atlanta will likely not become known for years, if ever.

I wonder (or maybe more accurately, I doubt) that they explored the option to run a concurrent show with HSC at George R. Brown in Houston. The HSC show is modest in size but the venue is large enough to accommodate DSC. I think this would have been possible if handled properly, but cards on the table I don’t know the personalities involved.

An improved communication plan is obviously in order, but I don’t think that will be enough to put a tourniquet on the number of people that simply won’t make the trip to Atlanta. The comments from some that are active in their industry and attend trade shows is valid—I’m one myself—but most of us do so out of necessity. When you’re talking about vacation time and pastimes/hobbies, that’s a different matter entirely and simply shopping of a population center with a huge convention hall is not enough.

I have heard a rumor that they are meeting with Houston Safari Club. What that means I do not know for sure.

 

[Philip Glass]

Only three places in Texas that are big enough. (1) Houston - already has HSC; (2) Dallas - already now has SCI/TTHA; and (3) San Antonio

Does anyone know the actual floor space of these venues? This is the major issue I am told.

 

[Philip Glass]

One of the ways this could proceed would be for DSC to say sorry we didn't involve you more the first time around. This time we are going to present you with some options to give us feedback on. All of these options have some kind of compromise but we look forward to your input as we have a few years before we can get back to normal.
- Tulsa - 4 hour drive from DFW but big convention center, etc but hotels are limited
- San Antonio
- ATL (they should include that as an option and see what people say)
- etc

For that matter, DSC could come on several forums like this and gather feedback through a survey tool. I would suggest including a variety of sources of feedback. Then report back honestly on the results. Begin making decisions after that.

Survey Monkey is cheap but I doubt it will be used.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

They may need a change of several leadership posts. Not to be prideful but I saw this coming. Why didn't they?

Pride maybe?

 

[Green Chile]

I have heard a rumor that they are meeting with Houston Safari Club. What that means I do not know for sure.

One of the largest exhibitors (for over 30 years) told me at TTHA that DSC and HSC should combine shows strategically. It would be a great infusion of revenue for HSC and get the venue that DSC needs. He was going to pitch this to senior leadership. I know he has a lot of influence and was sorely pissed that DSC was not listening.