ELFA sent the following message to registered attendees of the ELFA Annual Convention on Oct. 2 from Ralph Petta, ELFA President and CEO, and Mike DiCecco, ELFA Board Chair.
Dear Convention Attendee:
We are pleased to inform you that the 61st ELFA Annual Convention is still scheduled for Oct. 9-11. However, the event will be held in a new location: the JW Marriott Grande Lakes Resort in Orlando, FL. We are excited to bring you an outstanding convention experience at this new venue.
ELFA made the decision to move the Convention to a new location after careful consultation with the ELFA Executive Committee, our hotel partner Marriott, and our convention production and vendor partners. In the wake of Hurricane Ian, our original venue on Marco Island has been temporarily closed to the public until Oct. 12. Our thoughts go out to everyone who has been impacted by the storm.
The JW Marriott Grande Lakes in Orlando, which is 4.5 hours north of Marco Island, is fully operational and ready to welcome our attendees. As always, our primary concern is your safety and that of all our conference attendees and partners. The JW Marriott Grande Lakes—which hosted the 2017 ELFA Annual Convention—is an unparalleled resort and a first-rate destination for our attendees to learn, network and do business together.
Next Steps
We are asking all attendees to take the following steps:
- Update your travel plans as soon as possible, including your flight and/or car rental reservations. The JW Marriott Grande Lakes is conveniently located 15 minutes from Orlando International Airport.
◊ If you made reservations at the JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort or the Hilton Marco Island Beach Resort, you don’t need to do anything: Marriott will automatically transfer your reservation to the JW Marriott Grande Lakes. In the coming days, you will receive: (1) an email notification that your Marco Island reservation has been cancelled and (2) an email confirmation of your new reservation at the JW Marriott Grande Lakes. If you wish to make any adjustments to the new reservation, including cancellation, please contact Marriott at 800-433-5402 after noon ET on Tues, Oct. 4. Please reference your reservation confirmation number and the ELFA room block.
◊ If you made hotel reservations at another property in the Marco Island area, you will need to contact that property directly and cancel that reservation, then contact the JW Marriott Grande Lakes after noon ET on Tues, Oct. 4 to make a new reservation. A link will be provided to you on Tues, Oct. 4 to book your room at the JW Marriott Grande Lakes.
We have posted Frequently Asked Questions on the Convention website, and we will be adding to the FAQ in the coming days. If you are not able to attend the Convention, please contact ELFA in writing at meetings@elfaonline.org and we will refund your registration in full.
We hope you will be able to join us for a terrific 61st ELFA Annual Convention in Orlando. Please remember to read the FAQs and watch for additional communications in the coming days. Thank you for your understanding and continued support of our association.
Sincerely,
Ralph Petta, ELFA President and CEO & Mike DiCecco, ELFA Board Chair