BDS August 2025 Minutes
BIG DEEP SOUTH CONVENTION 2026
Committee Planning Meeting
8/20/2025 Call to Order 6:31PM / End 7:32PM
Attendance: Mary H, Cindy W., Laura B, Belinda F., Bobby A., Ryan W., Emily A., Karen M., Nikki C., Don, Cherise, Brittany, Mike A., Tisere, Angel, Scott B., Angie, Brandy, Jackie, Raechel, Legier
Chair (Mary H.)
● Goal for this year: clear communication & principles before personalities! We want to carry the message, have fun and raise money for our central office.
● Convention dates: June 5-7, 2026
● Several key positions were chosen:
o Speaker chairs- Don, Tisere, Angel
o Hotel Liaison- Bobby A. Thank you to Scott R. for footwork on the front-end gathering hotel/venue bids o Scholarships- Nikki, has previous experience & Josie D. will be co-chair
o Secretary- Emily A.
o Treasurer- have a couple people considering the position, 4 year sobriety requirement, business/finance experience is a plus
● Mary & Scott working on finalizing budget to submit to service board. Budget needs to be followed closely this year; receipts must be turned in
o Note: no money can be spent until the budget is approved
● Each committee should have a chair & co-chair
● Guidelines will be passed out to anyone considering a position so they can review what is expected. Following the guidelines allows for the convention & committee to run as smoothly as possible
● ***Suggestion from committee to provide staggered registration rates
● Upcoming meeting dates: September 24 6:30pm & October 22 6:30pm (Nov. will be 1st Wednesday) Vice Chair (Scott B.)
Secretary (Emily A.)
Hotel Liaison (Bobby A.)
● Airport Hilton
o It makes the most sense for our convention to stay at the Airport Hilton for this year
o Proposal negotiations were started and Mary was able to secure a better proposal; one major win was the room block was lowered to 60 rooms a night!
● Several hotels/venues considered:
o Pontchartrain Center (& hotel next door)
▪ Hotel and PCenter operate separately
▪ Huge meeting rooms, could accommodate more people
▪ Booked constantly- we would have to share space with an outside group
▪ Dates would have to be moved
▪ Hotel is being rehabbed – haven’t received a call back
o Copeland Tower (formerly the Landmark)
▪ Fellowship liked venue when it was the Landmark
▪ Space is now ½ hotel & ½ 55+ living facility – convention would have been split all over the building
▪ They did not offer us a bid
o Wyndam @ Williams & Interstate
▪ Scott R. got a bid from them – they haven’t gotten back in touch
▪ $4300 for ballroom, good room rate, could bring our own food.
▪ Terrible parking
o Jung Hotel – Downtown New Orleans
▪ $8k food/beverage minimum (no outside food/drink allowed)
▪ $128/night room block (100 room nights each night required)
▪ Parking cost would be a barrier for fellowship – also safety
o 3 other hotels/venues were contacted but did not have meeting spaces large enough to accommodate Bingo (Cindy/Charlotte)
Decorations (Karen)
Fundraising/Pre-Events (Neville B.)
Grapevine Rep (Bonnie/Brandy)
Outreach (Laura B./Rachel M.)
Raffle/Auction (Angie B.)
Scholarships (Nikki C.)
Speakers (Don/Tisere/Angel)
● met to discuss speaker options, will meet again 9/10
● motion raised & passed to allow speaker chairs to pick the 4 AA speakers for 2026, as well as Fri/Sat Night speakers for 2027
Tech Support/Website (Lisa)
Welcoming (Jackie/Cherise)
Workshop (Belinda)
__________________________________________________________________________________________ OPEN POSITIONS (AS OF 8/20/25 MEETING)
50/50
Accessibilities Al-Anon Liason Audio/Video Coffee
Entertainment
Hospitality
Housekeeping
Marathon Meetings Meditation
Merchandise
Registration
Security T&C
Treasurer