[eDebate] Northwestern Tourney Update #1: Entries, Wait List, Deadlines, Ground Transport, Etc.

[Scott Deatherage]

Greetings, all.  I hope this note finds you well.  We are pleased 
that so many of have decided to join us in February for the 49th 
Annual Owen L. Coon Memorial Debates.  We look forward to returning 
your hard work and hospitality, and to hosing all of in the heart of 
Chicago, one of the nation's nicest urban centers.  Coaches are 
especially encouraged to follow this and future updates regarding the 
tournament.  They are aimed at facilitating a smooth and enjoyable 
visit for all.  The first update:

    * TOURNAMENT ENTRIES AND WAIT LIST:  As of this typing, we are at 
161 teams; if that number holds, this will be the largest 
Northwestern tournament in history, surpassing the 2005 total of 149 
teams!!!  Thanks for your continued support. I am going to take a 
leep of faith and go ahead and accept wait list entries.  At present, 
we are three rooms short of what we need on Sunday, and we are eying 
every broom closet available.
    * ENTRY CONFIRMATION AND DEADLINES:  Please take a moment to 
review and, and, as necessary, update your team and judge entry 
information.  Even a change of two or three teams (plus or minus) can 
have an important impact on our classroom situation.  Right now, we 
have exactly and only the number of classroom we need, and that 
number may be fluid on both the supply and demand side.  It really 
helps us to work with as accurate a team and judge list as possible. 
While it would be helpful to have accurate team and judge information 
now, it is ESSENTIAL that we have it NO LATER THAN 9:00 AM CST ON 
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 7.  That's three hours earlier than listed in the 
invitation, but Tab Room Director Gary Larson has requested that hour 
in order to facilitate his providing you access to judge preference 
data in a timely fashion.  REMEMBER:  If you drop a judge or team 
after Noon CST on that date, you will be assessed a $40 per person drop fee.
    * TOURNAMENT LOCATION:  Most of the preliminary debates will be 
conducted on DePaul University's Lincoln Park campus, an 8-10 minute 
drive from the tournament hotel.  A MUCH MORE DETAILED post on this 
topic will appear early to mid-week.  Our venue choice is the result 
of overdue renovations in the classroom building at Northwestern 
University's downtown campus.  Three floors of Weiboldt Hall that 
were due to be re-opened by November 30 remain under 
reconstruction.  That's a net loss of approximately 30 classrooms, 
and announcement of this delay in mid-January left us scrambling for 
rooms.  Fortunately, we located and secured access to rooms at nearby 
DePaul.  The DePaul neighborhood is both beautiful and debate-user 
friendly, and it includes a building complex that can alone house 
half of the tournament.  Again, please read additional details 
carefully as they are posted.
    * TOURNAMENT HOTEL NAME CHANGE:  The tournament hotel has 
recently changed ownership and name.  What was once the "Holiday Inn 
City Centre" on January 16 because the "City Centre Hotel and Sports 
Club."  I do not anticipate major problems arising from this 
change.  The same key players on the management side of the hotel are 
still in place.  Every department head who was involved in setting up 
plans for the tournament is still on staff.  I am simply updating you 
on the name change so as to avoid confusion.
    * GROUND TRANSPORTATION:  We are happy to provide transportation 
for both persons and evidence between the tournament hotel and the 
DePaul campus.  We encourage you to consider this option.  Parking 
downtown can be quite expensive, upwards of $30 per day.  There is 
also a small parking fee at DePaul, although the parking structure 
there is quite convenient to the main buildings.  If you are in need 
of such transport, please provide appropriate information to one of 
our two Team Managers, Jessica Spanier at 
<mailto:j-spanier at northwestern.edu>j-spanier at northwestern.edu.  In 
your note, please tell Jessica:  (a) what school you represent; (b) 
if you need ground transport (or not); (c) how many people are in 
your party, and; (d) approximately how many boxes or tubs need to be 
transported.  THIS INFORMATION IS ESSENTIAL TO OUR PLANNING FOR AN 
EFFICIENT AND ENJOYABLE TOURNAMENT.  PLEASE E-MAIL JESSICA.  Please 
DO NOT e-mail me.
    * VEGETARIANS, VEGANS, TOTAL ATTENDEES:  Directors -- Please ber 
certain that your "vegetarian," "vegan," and "total attendees" 
information at <http://www.debateresults.com/>www.debateresults.com 
is accurate.  Log in, click on the "Enter" link, then down to the 
"School Info" link on the left hand side of that page.  This permits 
you to enter the information requested.  We are committed to 
providing a quality tournament experience for all, but we do need to 
know both how many vegetarians and vegans we have, as well as how 
many people to expect, in order to make this a success.
    * JUDGE PREFERENCE:  After some considerable deliberation, we 
have decided to employ the "nine category" ranking system used at a 
number of large tournaments in recent years.  Gary will post details 
the procedures and deadlines regarding judge preference data.  Please 
keep you eye open for his posts as they typically require a timely 
response. Gary asks that Directors make certain that their e-mail 
contact information at 
<http://www.debateresults.com/>www.debateresults.com is up to date 
and accurate.  This is the method he will employ to communicate with 
you individually, and he reports that in the past he has encountered 
a number of outdated or corrupted addresses.  Judge Preferences MUST 
be submitted NO LATER THAN 3:00 PM CST ON FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 9 if you 
would like them to be observed in the presets, rounds 1-4.
    * JUDGE CONSTRAINTS:  If any of the judges associated with teams 
you have entered have conflicts (students, teams, or schools they 
should not hear), please be certain to enter those constraints at 
<http://www.debateresults.com/>www.debateresults.com.  Please see the 
tournament invitation for our statement on criteria for removing a 
judge from potential conflicting situations.
    * LAST MINUTE CHANGES:  You will not be able to make changes 
through <http://www.debateresults.com/>www.debateresults.com after 
5:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 8.  If you have changes after that 
time, please communicate them via e-mail to Gary at 
<mailto:Gary.N.Larson at wheaton.edu>Gary.N.Larson at wheaton.edu AND to me 
at <mailto:nudebate at northwestern.edu>nudebate at northwestern.edu.

Look for posts later in the week on a host of topics:  Tournament 
building and room locations, parking near the hotel, parking near the 
debates, tournament registration, the meal plan, etc.  Looking 
forward to a GREAT tournament.  Best, all.  SD 
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