POCI CONVENTIONS: 2020 Convention Canceled

2020 POCI CONVENTION – Canceled

5/23/20: From Larry Crider POCI President

To all POCI members;

It's with much regret I have to announce the 2020 POCI Convention will be canceled. While other organizations have canceled events much earlier in the year, the Convention Committee and Executive Committee has been monitoring local, state, and federal recommendations and guidelines to how it would affect the operation, going forward with the convention. It was our belief that with the low effects in the Oklahoma area and the area affected by the virus, that we had a shot of still hosting the convention. We have also been contacted by many POCI members wishing and thanking us for not canceling the convention and to stay positive.

Unfortunately, our final decision has progressed from recent discussions with our hosting property, Hard Rock Casino. As the state of Oklahoma is going to be fully open on June 1st, it is still up to each business and organization to handle their reopening procedures as they feel fits their needs. At this time, Hard Rock cannot guarantee they will be fully open, which means no guarantee of having hotel rooms, restaurants on-site, and the opportunity to produce our two banquets associated with the convention. Following these unanswered questions and the suggestions from Hard Rock management, we will need to cancel and proceed forward in the most constructive manner that best benefits POCI and its members. Not only was being able to produce a successful convention for your enjoyment part of the equation but also providing a safe environment that everyone would feel comfortable with. Unfortunately, this cannot be done.

As a member of the local hosting group, the Indian Nations Chapter, I feel their pain as well, as they have spent countless hours for the past 3 years preparing for this convention. As you can expect, POCI and the Indian Nations Chapter will be out much time and expense so the sale of 2020 merchandise will need to be offered and hopefully recoup some of our losses.

POCI has plans to attempt to work on a new contract to host the convention at the Tulsa Hard Rock Hotel & Casino for 2022. Once this information is confirmed we will alert the membership. For those members who booked rooms at the Hard Rock, you will need to do nothing pertaining to your room reservation. Hard Rock will automatically cancel all reservations associated with the POCI block and not charge anyone for their booked rooms. Those who made reservations at the backup hotels will need to follow up with those properties and cancel their reservations on their own. I have instructed our treasurer and club office to give full refunds on all purchases toward the convention which will also include convention registration fee. Those who paid by check will receive a refund check over the next several weeks. Those who purchased all activities online with their credit cards will receive their refunds back to the same credit card from the POCI club office. Again, this will take a period of several weeks, so please be patient.

Speaking on behalf of the POCI Executive Board, Directors, and Convention Committee, we hope you understand our decision as we all are experiencing trying times all around the world. We appreciate your support towards POCI and will move forward in promoting the 2021 convention which will be held at the Mohegan Sun Resort in Uncasville,  CT (July 11-15).