In MMD 980814, John McClure wrote:

> I wish I could say the same for the response from my request as a
> member to attend the Mart at the MBSI convention in Charlotte.  I am
> a florist with a 40-hour week who requested to attend Friday and as a
> member I was informed that I would have to pay $190 to attend the Mart.
> ... GERRREAT >>>:>

John,  I wonder if you think the Mart rooms at the convention are
"free" to the convention organizers?  All facilities at a convention
are paid for by the attendees, at least partially via their room rents
and banquet tickets.  In exchange for this (with a guaranteed minimum
number of attendees), the hotel allows the convention the use of
meeting rooms, mart rooms, etc.

There is no good way to do an economic analysis of the situation to
determine how much an "outside member" should pay to attend the Mart.
It certainly wouldn't be zero dollars.  Most convention committees have
adopted the position that attendance at any convention function
requires a full registration fee.  Without this rule, conventions would
(we think) have approximately no local registrants, just Mart and
banquet tickets (and table favors)!

Marc Kaufman