Tuesday, May 31, 2016

Going Over in a Barrel at the Lancaster Host

Last week was Dance Dance Rebellion in my house, and somehow that ties directly into the recent catastrophe at the Lancaster Host.

Both my girls attend not one, but two dance classes every week.  I can't complain too much, as my wife writes the check and taxis them around.  This past school year, they've done a beginner hip hop class that they enjoy and a musical theatre dance that I've enjoyed rehearsals. 

This past Friday was the annual dance recital and we had the audacity to allow our kids to be with relatives at Hershey Park on the day of the "big rehearsal that can't be missed!"    Needless to say, after four years of dance for Maja, and three for Millie, plus the other students being old guard as well, no rehearsal was needed and the did as well as a class of five to seven year olds would be expected for a three minute song.

The kids have been asking about doing  a "competition" class next year.   Think youth sport travel teams but for dancing.   The dance studio we go to only does one, and they seem to perform well, but in the world of dancing, there are so many dance styles, age groups, and group size variables that some of these competition give out medals like youth soccer gives everyone participation trophies.

Over the weekend I also watched other friends take their kids to these competitions in Harrisburg, Philly, and even into New Jersey.  Hundreds of dollars on costumes, props, much less the tuition for three or four different classes for the events they entered.

... and the dances would have fit quite well into our little Podunk recital.    Yet these kids came home with trophies reminiscent of a team winning a 30 team track or cross country invitational. 

I rant about this, because one of these dance competitions took place over the weekend at the Lancaster Host, the eternal HMGS home for Cold Wars and Fall-In.  Or should I say, tried to take place.  It seems a significant pipe burst somewhere in the hotel and water poured through three floors and into one of the conference rooms.   The building was evacuated, and ultimately condemned.  The dance event was cancelled and everyone needed to find other accommodations. 

Of course, the second anyone hears the word condemned they immediately associate the word demolition.    A house can be condemned for not having running water or electricity.   Even the words unfit for human occupation brings out the worst in people's expectations.  Busted pipes is far easier to fix than a sewage back-up, for example.

Having some of HMGS' best secret agents on the scene, it was discovered that restoration and plumbing services were already there working quickly to get things back up to acceptable levels.    After the great kitchen incident earlier this year, the doom and gloom evaporates once the Hall Pig is rolled out for dinner.

Without the significant remodeling that the new owners of the Host promise to do, I can't imagine the Host being at the top of the list for HMGS past the contractually obligated cons.
 
For now, I'm still undecided whether to attend Fall-In! this November, or the more local Mepacon the weekend after, but facilities have nothing to do with my decision.    To be honest, I would be taking Maja to either show, and if I choose Lancaster, I'll be making a reservation at the Continental across the street anyway.


6/1/2016  3:30pm  Update E-mail from Kevin Kelley, HMGS Board of Directors:

As you may have heard a plumbing line ruptured in the Host on Saturday.  Assorted on line accounts can be found here:
http://lancasteronline.com/news/local/lancaster-host-condemned-after-major-water-main-break-collapses-ceilings/article_b84f5ff2-252f-11e6-88fb-ffb8c2d14621.html

http://www.pennlive.com/news/2016/05/lancaster_host_resort_closed_b.html

http://fox43.com/2016/05/29/hundreds-evacuated-from-lancaster-host-resort-after-ceiling-collapse/

In spite of the overblown news reports the HOST has power and water restored Monday. 

We spoke with Host management Tuesday and can add the following details:

The Host is currently open for business but with certain areas inaccessible due to flooding and water damage.

The Host had two [2] water pipes break; one on the 400 level and one on the 600 level which caused some of the drop ceiling to come down in the hallways.

Both a plumbing company and a restoration company are on site making repairs.
The Host is planning to reopen the affected areas by  Monday 6/6 at the latest.

We  will update you if there is any new information, especially as regards to Fall IN 2016, and the possibly accelerated remodeling.     

Kevin Kelley
For HMGS Board of Directors


I would like to say that, specifically, Mr Kelley and John Spiess have been excellent members on the HMGS Board of Directors, both for their professionalism, but their promptness in communication.  They have done an outstanding job curtailing the constant naysayers in spite of some interesting conditions.

As the great poet Jonathan Swift wrote, "Haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate..."

Perhaps that was a different Swift.

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