A New Year's Eve Party I dont' want to remember! #5mademen #getupradio
Well it has been an interesting 2022 to say the least, but 2023 is finally coming. My favorite holiday of the year is here to enjoy as I party into the New Year! I love to enjoy New Year's Eve as it brightens my day to look forward to what I can accomplish and improve upon the next year. I always make sure to find a nice spectacular event for New Year's Eve to attend as I seek to celebrate in style.
I heard about this New Year's Eve party that included a casino and Great Gasby Theme. It caught my attention as I decided to research it. It noted that it would have 3 DJs on 3 different floors along with dinner, all you can drink bar for 4 hours, multiple party areas, live concert, photo paparazzi, red carpet, and champagne toast. It was also being aired live on 97.9 The Beat radio station broadcast. This was their 12th Annual Party so I felt it must be good since they have gotten to their 12th year. It was being held at ALOFT hotel which is a Marriott brand hotel. I did what I normally do and bought a VIP Table for myself and 7 other people to enjoy the event with me.
I was very excited as I always look forward to enjoying the New Year in style. Of course, I booked myself a suite at the Vin Autograph Hotel Collection (Marriott brand) to enjoy after the event.
I purchased the tickets for about $2,100 dollars not including tax. About a week before the event. I made sure to confirm my reservations with the event as well as notifying them that I would need 3 vegetarian meals for guests who didn't eat meat. I was informed with a reply of the entree choices and sides being offered. I was informed to select my entrees and sides and that three vegetarian meals would be reserved as well.
The day of the event I received an email from the event planner stating that the food vendor would contact me as we could only have two sides with each entree and not all of the sides (being a total of four). This was very confusing to me as the meal cost $50 dollars per person but you would only allow one entree and two sides? I didn't let it bother me as long as the meals were correct and the vegetarian meals were reserved. I never received an email from the food vendor in regards to the entree and sides so I figured I would discuss it once at the event.
I finally arrived at the event with my guests excited to enjoy all the festivities were going to offer. When we arrived there, the parking lot was full in the front of the hotel. There were no valet or representative to inform us where we could park. We had to just find other parking spots on our own and hope it was okay.
Once were entered the hotel, I decided to go to the information table for the event so I could speak about the meal and see when we could go in as VIPs were supposed to not wait in line. I approached the event information table and spoke with Tracy. Before I could even explain myself to her, Tracy simply said to me "The event will start at 9:00 pm and we will allow guests in at the that time." I tried to explain that I needed to find out about the meals and see how the VIP guests were being allowed in, but Tracy simply said to me again "The event will begin at 9:00 pm and we will start to allow guests in at that time. Now just get in line and wait until 9:00 pm!" Tracy waved her hand at me in a motion to leave here alone and just get in line.
I couldn't believe what was occurring but Tracy simple refused to allow me to speak so my guests and I went to wait in line. After finally reaching the event table to be in 50 people later, (though I was informed that VIP Guests would not have to wait in line.) I was finally about to get in. As I was waiting for Tracy and the other representative to let the guests before me in, I saw some other VIP guests just come into the hotel door and they went to the table announcing they were VIP. Tracy immediately got up and scanned their ticket and placed VIP bracelets on them to make sure they entered the event quickly without any wait. I was very confused and abit outraged as these VIP guests actually didn't wait in line and was catered to immediately when they arrived. I wanted to not even come to the conclusion that Tracy simply treated me like she did being I was a black man who she assumed couldn't afford a VIP Table as the other VIP Guests she immediately assisted were white. This is the year 2023 and Tracy herself was a black lady from appearance, but to think on how she treated me when I tried to speak to her three times, but yet she jumped up immediately when the WHITE VIP GUESTS arrived. How could this be! To occur on my favorite holiday of the year.
When I decided to inquire and ask Tracy why she treated me like she did showing her my VIP tickets, she simply ignored replying and handed me my VIP bracelets saying we could go in now.
This was supposed to be a 12th Annual New Year's Even Event? Where was the organization, the customer service and promptness? My guest and I entered the event heading to the next table handing out casino tickets. I approached the table requesting my casino tickets and was asked what the VIP Password was. I was not given any VIP password to tell the lady. She stated that all VIPS were given a password to say in order to receive their casino tickets. I was not able to get my casino tickets now. I went to a gentleman I thought worked there to ask him about this situation. Brandon, who did work for the event apologized and gave me the password for the event. Brandon also walked me back to the ticket table so I didn't have to wait in line and assisted me in getting the casino tickets. I was very grateful to him and tipped him for his excellent customer service. Now we were in the event trying to find our table. No one was there to give any information on where the tables were located so I went back to Brandon. Brandon quickly informed me that the tables were located in the ballroom and gave me directions to get there. As we were heading there, I saw the papparazzi picture table and requested to get pictures for me and my guest. I was quickly informed that the pictures cost $25-$30 dollars based on pose and amount requested. I informed the lady that I was a VIP and bought a VIP package. She informed me that my VIP Package didn't include free photographs or the video stand that was there as well.
Once again, I was simply confused and dumbfounded in hearing this. I went with my guests to the ballroom to find our table. We were greeted by Raymond who directed us to our table and thanked us for coming. I asked Raymond about the meal service and he explained that we had to go get our meals in another room and directed us there. Upon getting there and giving our meal tickets to the representative, we were moved like cattle in the food service line. I inquired about our three vegetarian meals, and was assisted by Tasha at that time. Tasha went to look for our three vegetarian meals and could only find two. Tasha did apologize and offered choice of the other entrees instead. I thanked her for her time and simply selected another entree.
In regards to the entrees and sides, this was not good at all. The choices were salmon and shrimp which only included two small shrimp with a cream sauce. The salmon tasted as if it was under a food warmer for at least an hour. The Caesar salad was simply 5 small pieces of lettuce with two croutons on a small plate. This for $50 dollars??? The sides were good but very very small portions. After we were given our food, we discovered there were no more tables or chairs to use to eat at. I saw some small seating area in the front desk area that were available, but not enough room for me and my seven guests. I spoke to Tasha to see if it was okay to eat the food at our reserve table. She asked me to wait a moment so she could find out. Tasha came back to me and stated it was okay to eat the food at our reserved table. We headed to the table and then went to the VIP bar to get some drinks. The drinks were good as well as the two bartenders serving. I felt the party would end up being great after all in the end. BOY WAS I WRONG!
After enjoying what we had to call a dinner, I went to the VIP Bar to try to get another drink, but had a line of sixty people waiting in front of me. There was another bar in the outside pool area for general admittance guests only but there line had 80 people waiting. I went back to the ballroom to count the VIP tables in there and saw about eight tables but was informed by Raymond that not all the VIPs had arrived yet. After further investigation, I discovered that the people in VIP Bar line were mostly general admittance guests and only a few VIP guests. No one was even checking to make sure that VIP guests only were in line.
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Let's think about this event so far and look at what I encountered.
This was my experience for over Two Thousand Dollars spent? I had the choice to actually go to a casino experienced theme party at the Marriott hotel for only $200 per person with drinks and food included. I decided to take a chance and spend my money at a black owned company instead. I now question if that was indeed the right choice to make unfortunately. I will definitely not make the same choice again! At least the DJ from 97.9 THE BEAT was GREAT! He made me dance my blues away while at the event.
I HIGHLY ADVISE anyone who decides to go to any event created by 5MADEMEN to only purchase general admittance tickets only if any tickets at all. For the disorganized and possible racist experience my guests and I had at this event, I seriously doubt I will ever attend another one of their events and suggest any of my friends or colleagues to attend as well. Being a member of the National Press Club of Washington, D.C. and founder of Get Up Radio / Get Up Radio Media Broadcasting and a BLACK CARD Holder, I definitely made the wrong choice this new years eve. I guess I need to simply stick with going to parties the BLACK CARD suggest me to go to or just enjoy a organized delightful Marriott Brand event.
Well 2023 is here and you have to have some bad experiences sometimes in life. I will simply forget this event and look forward to the next one in 2024 when I fly to Australia. I had to take the time to inform others of the unfortunate disorganization and terrible service offered by 5MADEMEN.
If they feel they would like to contact me to try to make amends they are free to do so at any time, but I would be surprised if they do. They made quite alot of money with the amount of tickets sold and it appears they only care about the money and not the customer service. What a shame! Thank you for reading my article and feel free to comment if you wish as I made sure to go throughout the event and speak to other VIP guests who stated they were not very happy with the event also.
Alan Cousin
Member of The National Press Club of Washington, D.C.
Founder of Get Up Radio / Get Up Radio Media Broadcasting LLC
1-877-489-9689 / www.worldnews.getupradio.com / www.getupradio.com / www.bbpsg.com
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