Re: hackathon hotel

["J.D. Carlson" <jd_(_at_)_noc7_(_dot_)_uchsc_(_dot_)_edu>]

> Contractually, they are required to pay 80% of the fee in cancellation.
> That is something like 24K CDN.
> 
> The hotel has been told that this is a cancel, and that they are not
> to permit the OpenBSD people to pay the balance due after that 80% payment
> is made, (ie. 20%)
> 
I would think that the contract allows Penn to control the use of the rooms
if they have to pay the cancellation fee. 

Does that mean that the rooms must sit idle for the duration, or just not be 
used for the Hackathon?

maybe:
  1.  Have the Hyatt refund the cancellation fee and rent the rooms to the 
      Hackathon for a discount. Do a major funding drive for the cost. 
      What a PR move for them! 
  2.  Have someone else sponsor the room use, and if a bunch of guys want
      to fly there and hack on various open software projects, let Penn eat dirt.
  3.  Is this a case of Hyatt needing to be friendly to Penn or Air Force or DARPA
      so they don't get on a blacklist that affects them for a long time?
  
I think Penn will go into defensive mode, and having seen the grant process up 
close, I don't think pressure will change things.  I doubt they will ever want
to pass another grant dollar this way.