A friend of mine living in upstate NY told me that DC's for this summer will be held in the 4 local JW owned assembly halls instead of a large stadium such as Yankee. This means much smaller, and presumably more DC's during the summer since most of these places i.e. Stanley Theater can only hold about 4,000-5,000 people. One can only hope that this means local venues such as Yankee and others do not want to deal with the WTS anymore.
District Conventions NYC Area
by XBEHERE 13 Replies latest jw friends
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lonelysheep
Does this mean Nassau Coliseum is free from the DC's, too?
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blondie
It could be that the WTS can't even afford to use Yankee Stadium...the money is drying up.
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InquiryMan
This has been going on in Europe for some time. District assemblies being as small as less than 1000 attending. Not so popular among the publishers, cause it is just like a prolonged circuit assembly.
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Peter123
Does anyone know the dates and locations for the NYC DCs? I'm going to be back there in the late Summer and I might want to have a flash-back.
Thanks, Peter
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Elsewhere
It could be that the WTS can't even afford to use Yankee Stadium...the money is drying up.
I don't think it is a matter of whether the WTS can cut a check for them... I think it is a question of whether or not the conventions will bring in more donation money than they cost. At the end of the day, the conventions are fund raisers. If the convention costs more than it raises, then the WTS will not hold it. This is a sign that the Rank and File are voting with their pocket books and their feet.
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willowmoon
I think it's simply a business decision probably based on economics. It's very expensive to hold events at large convention centers, especially in the NY/NJ area. The cost of required union labor is high (example ... $85 for a union electrician to replace a burned out light bulb!) and also places a lot of restrictions on the event.
One can only hope that this means local venues such as Yankee and others do not want to deal with the WTS anymore.
The convention centers really don't care who holds the event, as long as the bills are paid. While some individuals might despise the WTS, business arrangements are just that -- business.
Then, too, it's also possible the WTS is trying to make the DC more comfortable to the attendees. There's certainly been enough complaining about the conventions, maybe someone's listened.
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XBEHERE
The convention centers really don't care who holds the event, as long as the bills are paid. While some individuals might despise the WTS, business arrangements are just that -- business.
You are correct and the business that pays the most gets the venue. My friend also told me that the WTS was asked to change one of the DCs last year in Long Island it was Thursday, then they had a concert on Friday, then the DC resumed Sat and Sun. Why? Because concerts make more $$ for the stadium than a JW event does.
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blondie
But it is still a money issue; if they have to spend more than they make in donations....I would think that the WTS doesn't pay the assembly hall fund like the circuits do.
It's the money folks, not the comfort. If the WTS would make more money having it in a hot outdoor facility, they will.
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XBEHERE
But it is still a money issue
Oh for sure... without a doubt its a money issue. The mortgages to many of these local assembly halls are paid off or almost paid off so when JWs donate, after the utilities are paid for the rest via resolution at the elders business meeting goes to good 'ole WT. This is an affluent area of the country we are talking about, Northern NJ and NY's Westchester County where my friend lives donations flow freely amongst the true believers me thinks.