Yep! Here's the email that went out:
Dear World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest Team Member,
First of all, thank you for your understanding and patience while we work through this very complex situation. Everyone is pulling together with a positive approach as we rise above the rising waters of the Mississippi River and get ready for part an historic 2011 World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest! Some of us were in a meeting well past 1 a.m. this morning addressing the issues and dealing with plans for situations. We will keep an open line of communication with you through periodic email updates. While we understand you have many questions, the following is the latest information we can provide on the major topics of this move.
MAP--The map is, for the most part, completed and is being reviewed to ensure accuracy. Please keep in mind that what took many weeks and countless hours to do for Tom Lee Park is now being done within a matter of days for the Fairgrounds/Tiger Lane. We will have a copy of it ready for you by 9 p.m. tonight. For those of you with riverview booths will now have Tiger Lane view booths---we feel confident that you will agree that this area is very pleasing. ALL TEAMS WILL BE ON A PAVED SURFACE.
LOAD IN--Given that we cannot schedule a load-in until the map is completed, as of right now we expect to have the new detailed load-in schedule to you tomorrow morning. For your planning purposes, load-in will start on Sunday so get ready! We will need your cooperation and flexibility with the load-in since the fairgrounds is different as far as accessibility and implores each of you to assist us in making this undertaking go smoothly. Once you are given your schedule, please make any and all efforts to make your assigned time work.
VEHICLE RESTRICTIONS – Tiger Lane is a beautifully landscaped and newly opened area in the Fairgrounds. We are confident that this will create a wonderful atmosphere for this event. However, as the City of Memphis has provided our accommodations, we have a commitment to the City to keep this area looking fresh and new. Therefore, NO VEHICLES WILL BE ALLOWED ON THE GRASS AREAS even during load-in or load-out. We will have the Pork Forkers who are pros are moving your rigs if necessary and we will have them in full force to assist in load in. Please know the seriousness of this, it is not designed to inconvenience you in load in. We will park vehicles on site and load in will STRICTLY be a drop and go to the parking area. You will be shuttled back to your space. Any team that drives on the grass will be disqualified from the competition.
SHUTTLE--We are currently working with Memphis Convention & Visitors Bureau and MATA on a detailed shuttle schedule to accommodate our team members, sponsors and patrons from downtown to the new venue. At this time, shuttle services will run Wednesday through Saturday. Again, we are working on the details of the schedule and pick-up/drop-off locations and will provide those as soon as those are finalized.
CLASSIC PARTY RENTALS--We are aware of the concerns you are having with this situation and the deadline they have given your team. This matter is being addressed with Classic Party Rentals and we will notify you with an update as soon possible.
PARKING--In efforts to make this transition easier for your team and your team members, we are including one complimentary parking space for each team for all event days and additional spaces available during set-up.
TEAM PACKETS--For any teams that have not picked up your team packet or your team pre-order tickets, we will have those available for you on site at the Headquarters Building so that you may distribute accordingly.
Again, we really appreciate your patience while we make the nearly impossible possible and your faith that we will take of you in the only way we know how---WORLD CLASS.
ray:
