MACNAXX in Atlanta

[built4fun1]

Ok! here goes 2nd post here I think in 2 years. I was threatened " Don't force me to whip you with a strand of caulerpa! " First I ordered my Tickets on Sept 28. 2007 and received a confirmation from Saltwater u that it was paid, The confirmation number I assume is my tickets or will there be actual physical tickets coming?
I booked a room at the Westin on 3/07/2008 for the 5th and 6th at the deal rate so as of the first part of the month there were still rooms available. I am wondering about parking, from what I can see parking at the westin is around 20.00 per day, is this correct or is there other parking some place else?
Is the conference being held at the Aquarium or will we need to purchase admission to the Aquarium other than the banquet?
Finally, wow I can not wait to get there! We will be on vacation for the week leading up to the conference and the week after. I am told that there is a good Aquarium in Gatlinburg also. Looking for the sight seeing info of you people who are from that area and surrounding states.
Sorry for the book but since I was threatened i figure I had best make this post productive, I understand that the bubble calerpa can leave welts! LoL

[saltysupply]

I will be there this year although we won't have a booth this year...look for me in a Salty Supply t-shirt

[BigAl07]

Originally Posted by built4fun1

Ok! here goes 2nd post here I think in 2 years. I was threatened " Don't force me to whip you with a strand of caulerpa! " First I ordered my Tickets on Sept 28. 2007 and received a confirmation from Saltwater u that it was paid, The confirmation number I assume is my tickets or will there be actual physical tickets coming?
I booked a room at the Westin on 3/07/2008 for the 5th and 6th at the deal rate so as of the first part of the month there were still rooms available. I am wondering about parking, from what I can see parking at the westin is around 20.00 per day, is this correct or is there other parking some place else?
Is the conference being held at the Aquarium or will we need to purchase admission to the Aquarium other than the banquet?
Finally, wow I can not wait to get there! We will be on vacation for the week leading up to the conference and the week after. I am told that there is a good Aquarium in Gatlinburg also. Looking for the sight seeing info of you people who are from that area and surrounding states.
Sorry for the book but since I was threatened i figure I had best make this post productive, I understand that the bubble calerpa can leave welts! LoL

I can't answer your questions but I can help in the "Locals" arena! I'm from Western North Carolina (Blue Ridge Mountains) and would be glad to tell you about some sites around the area. I travel from Knoxville TN (about 40 minutes west of Gatlinburg) all the way to the coast of NC!

Gatlinburg does have a SWEET aquarium in the Ripley's area. That whole town area (Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge) is a BLAST! If you get up into NC we have TONS of things to see.. Ghost Town in Maggie Valley NC (about 10 miles from My office) is a HOOT! Maggive Valley is neat to see. If you get this close PLEASE come walk down Main Street Waynesville. It looks and feels like a town from many years ago. It's very friendly and happy. People all smile (well all but ME) and are just as friendly as can be.

I have a Near and DEAR friend who is a travel agent based out of Knoxville TN who I would be glad to hook you up with. She may have an "Inside" on some local attraction tickets. OH yeah.. after the aquarium go to Dollywood and the Dixie stampede! I thought it would be silly to go to that but after going (Sitting here with GOOSE BUMPS just talking about it) I plan on going back.. again and again! It's a show that's 2nd to none!!

Ok nuff about My mountains!! If you need anything please don't hesitate to drop me a PM!!

[BigAl07]

Ok so I thought I should leave a coupe of links

IF you get this far you have to visit "The Biltmore House"
BILTMORE in Asheville, North Carolina, Americas Largest Home and More!

Dixie Stampeded (Pigeon Forge TN)
Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede Dinner and Shows - You've Never Had Dinner Like This!

Dolly Wood
Dolly Parton's Great Smoky Mountain family Amusement Park

Ripley's Believe It or Not Aquarium in Gatlinburg Tennessee
Ripley's Believe It or Not Aquarium in Gatlinburg Tennessee | Marine Life, Sea Life, Marine Animals, Aquatic Life

Ghost Town in the Sky
Ghost Town in the Sky


Last but NOT least is the town I live in
Waynesville NC in the Smoky Mountains of Western North Carolina

[BigAl07]

I think I should be a TOUR guide for the area

[MACNAXX]

Ok, time for another MACNA XX update before the price goes up at the end of the month!!! Check out our website at MACNA XX Atlanta for more information (the website is also going through a transformation by the end of the month). Let us know if we can do anything else to make your stay in Atlanta enjoyable!


As you know, we have record numbers of attendees and exhibitors this year, and a huge number of incredible speakers!!


We are also trying a few new things to entice you – including a Children’s Program involving local venues within walking distance of the hotel for those of you that want to appease your family (ages 5-12) to justify the massive amounts of money you pay for raffles and other goodies. The Children’s Program is being offered at cost, and can be pre-registered on our website starting later this week.


Also, UPS will have a booth in the trade show to allow easy shipment of all your animals and equipment (or your family if they object to your purchases!)


You may have heard about the tornado that went through downtown Atlanta a few months ago, damaging the Westin Hotel (but missing the Georgia Aquarium). There was damage to many windows, which are in the process of being replaced, but there was no structural damage and it is basically business as usual. Friday they gave us another 20 rooms, and they will go fast, so if you want to be at the conference hotel, you had better hurry! We also have contracted at other hotels next door at the same low rate, so there will be plenty of room.


You may have also heard the exciting news that the Georgia Aquarium is now expanding to include another 1.3 million gallons – making the total 9.5 million gallons. That is the good news. The bad news is that this new section will not be ready for this year’s MACNA. The general exhibits at the Georgia Aquarium will not be affected by the construction at the time of MACNA (other than possibly the outdoor sea lion exhibit).


The following is the schedule (subject to change). The workshops are limited to a small number of pre-registrants to allow more of an intimate atmosphere. There is a nominal charge to ensure that the workshops are filled. The proceeds will be donated to a non-profit charity of the speaker’s choosing. You should be able to sign up for workshops by the end of this week.

MACNA XX – Conference Schedule
Friday – September 5, 2008
09:00 am MASNA Board Meeting
11:00 am MASNA Member Preview of Trade Show
11:00 am Raffles Begin
12:00 pm Tradeshow Opens
12:00 pm Welcome
12:00 pm Dr. Hugo Freudenthal: The Role of Zooxanthellae
01:00 pm Children’s Program: Children’s Museum ($27.50)
01:15 pm James Fatherree: The Latest Advances in Aquarium Lighting
02:15 pm Dr. Bruce Carlson: Status of Reefs in the Wild
02:15 pm Workshop: Jake Adams: MacGyver Aquarium Techniques
03:15 pm Scott Fellman: Authentic Biotope Presentation for the Aquarium
04:15 pm Eric Borneman: Conservation and Coral Nutrition on the Reef
04:15 pm Workshop: Dr. Al Dove: Test Kits and What do they really mean?
05:15 pm Matthew Wittenrich: Fish Breeding Techniques
06:15 pm Steven Pro: “I touched it – NOW WHAT?” Reef Toxins
06:15 pm Workshop: Bob Fenner/Marj Awai: Photography
07:00 pm Silent Auction Begins
07:00 pm Children’s Program: Young Chef’s Academy ($32.50)
07:30 pm Cocktail Party: Speaker: Koji Wada: Japanese Aquariums

Saturday – September 6, 2008
07:30 am SaltwaterU Teen Program – Teen Presentation for 2008 trip
08:00 am Children’s Program: New World of Coke ($27.50)
08:00 am Dr. Sylvia Earle: Sustainable Seas: Recognizing Finite Resources
08:00 am Trade Show Opens
09:15 am Ray Davis: Whale Shark Research
09:15 am Workshop: Jake Adams/Tim Woolston: DIY Filtration/Plumbing
10:15 am Cathy Sakas: NOAA Resources for Educators
10:15 am Jim Walters: New and Unusual Fish for Nano Reef Aquariums
11:15 am Larry Jackson: Reef Travel Destinations
11:15 am Workshop: Anthony Calfo: Coral Propagation
01:00 pm Children’s Program: CNN Center ($27.50)
01:00 pm Dr. Nancy Knowlton: TBA
01:00 pm Tom Wyatt: Advanced Aquarium Chemistry
02:00 pm Dr. Rob Toonen: What can deep coral reefs tell us about coral bleaching, reef resilience and reef aquaria?
02:00 pm Workshop: Kelly Jedlicki: Fish Necropsy
03:00 pm Bob Fenner: TBA
03:00 pm Christine Williams: Keeping Fishes Healthy and Treating Diseases
04:00 pm Scott Fellman: Marine Plants and Algaes
04:00 pm Workshop: Julian Sprung: How to grow your own food
05:00 pm Special Behind the Scene Tours of the Georgia Aquarium
07:00 pm Children’s program: Pajama Party with Pizza/Movie ($24.50)
07:15 pm Banquet in the Georgia Aquarium by Wolfgang Puck
Speaker: Joanne Ruxton – Behind the Scenes as an Underwater
Wildlife Producer for the BBC

Sunday – September 7, 2008
08:00 am Children’s Program: Georgia Aquarium ($32.50)
08:00 am Dr. Alex Brylske: Uses of the Reef in Medicine and Industry
08:00 am Trade Show Opens
09:15 am Charles Delbeek: Coral Diseases and Pests
09:15 am Workshop: Anthony Calfo/Phillip Root: Large Aquaculture Techniques
10:15 am Dr. Kim Cobb: Records of Climate Change through Coral
10:15 am Kim Hall: The Tropical Diver Exhibit at the Georgia Aquarium
11:15 am Michael Cottman: Researching a Sunken Slave Ship: The Wreck of the Henrietta Marie
11:15 am Workshop: (Panel) How to prepare, bid for & plan a MACNA
01:00 pm (Panel) The Future of the Reef-Keeping Hobby
02:00 pm Grand Finale Raffle Drawing

[Woodstock]

Wooohoooo!!! Sounds like a fantastic time with tons of great speakers

I am soooo glad the aquarium was not hit by the tornado!!!!!!

[MACNAXX]

You and me both.....After it hit the dome, it veered to the right. If it hadn't, the Aquarium would have sustained extreme damage. As it was, it wasn't touched.

Similarly, if the basketball game had not gone into overtime, thousands of people would have been out on the streets, and there would have been scores of casualties. We were really lucky.

[Dentoid]

That looks like a tremendous line-up of speakers!

The UPS booth is a fantastic idea!!!!!

I can hardly wait!

[BarbMazz]

I'm thinking maybe I'm going to head down there, too. I talked with John about it, and he's up for it. We have two job sites right outside Atlanta, so we can visit those while we're there, too.

I would just love to meet you guys who are going! And buy some cool stuff, too.

[Dentoid]

Barb, it's a great learning experience and fun fellowship. Don't miss it!

[Woodstock]

That would be great Barb!

Wow.. a UPS booth! What a good idea.
That would have been fabulous at the 2006 Texas MACNA.... I bought dry goods only then because of the shipping complications. Too bad I wasn't as brave as Lynn.. LOL!

[BarbMazz]

I did it! Just made hotel reservations for Thurs, 4th - Sun 7th! The Westin still had rooms open so I'm staying there.

I also need to buy tickets for banquets and things, right? I believe I do that right on the MACNAXX site if I remember correctly... so I'm off to do that now!

[MACNAXX]

Yes - just go to our site. The full conference ticket includes the banquet and cocktail party.