The four conferences will be held at the Historic Menger Hotel in San Antonio, TX. The resort room rate is $159 for single/double occupancy. A very limited number of rooms are available at the government rate of $112. Rooms facing the Alamo and balconied rooms facing the hotel's courtyard can be requested for your stay at our group discount room rate. To make room reservations, call (800) 345-9285 or (210) 223-4361 and mention “IT Financial Management Association” to get the discounted room rate. The hotel will be sold out during this popular time of the year and there is no other hotel nearby that is comparable in quality and price. Reservations must be made by February 8 after which reservations will be accepted on a space and current available rate basis. Calling the hotel before the cut-off date does not guarantee rooms will be available at our special group rate as the hotel is not required to honor this special rate after our block of rooms has been filled. For complete information about the hotel, go to www.mengerhotel.com.

Hotel & Nearby Attractions

The Menger Hotel is a National Historic Landmark. It was established in 1859 and is the oldest continually operating hotel west of the Mississippi. It is only half a block from The Alamo, across the street from Alamo Plaza, and a block from the River Walk and the River Center Mall (130 shops). The hotel's classical design is attributed to John Fries, San Antonio's first architect of note, who is credited with repairing the shattered ruin of the Alamo in 1850. The original hotel entrance off Alamo Plaza has beautiful leaded glass panels flanking the old brass doors. The 3-story Victorian lobby is the original 1859 lobby of the Menger and looks as it did in the filming of the 1956 movie "Giant" with Rock Hudson, Elizabeth Taylor and James Dean, displaying Corinthian columns, marble floors, antique furnishings, carved ceilings, potted palms, relaxing classical music in the background, and period sitting areas graced with tapestries and priceless antique accents and paintings. It was in the hotel's Menger Bar in 1898 that Teddy Roosevelt recruited many of his Rough Riders. White rockers line the fountained courtyard, where lovely gardens provide shade and relaxation around the largest heated plunge pool. Read more about the Menger Hotel at www.mengerhotel.com.

Hotel Ghost Sightings

The Menger Hotel is San Antonio's vault for vanquished spirits with at least 32 different apparitions. So who are these ghosts traipsing the halls at the Menger Hotel? Aside from a multitude of bumps in the night, kitchen utensils that transport themselves, and the presence of people (with no bodies to accompany them), there is: a maid, Sally White, murdered by her husband and has been seen walking in the corridors. She is clad in an old, long gray skirt with a bandana around her forehead and carrying towels that she never delivers. Captain Richard King, founder of the King Ranch, appears entering his room, the King Suite. A figure of a man clad in a buckskin jacket and gray trousers appears by a bed and asking someone in the room "Are you gonna stay or are you gonna go?" three times. A lady sits knitting in the lobby and wears a blue dress and a beret with a tassel. An employee asks: "Are you comfortable…may I get you something?" The lady replies "no" in an unfriendly tone and disappears. Why the Menger for these supernatural escapades? The hotel is just steps from the Alamo so the land lends itself to folklore. But like all tourists resting their heads in the hotel, these souls are harmless.

Airline Reservations & Other Transportation

The speakers and topics scheduled for the last day of the conference are among the best at the conference, so make your return flight reservations for Friday afternoon or consider staying over Friday evening to see some of the local attractions. Search any of these websites for special airfares to and from San Antonio.

	www.cheapfares.com	www.hotelsandflights.com	www.priceline.com
	www.expedia.com	www.orbitz.com	www.travelocity.com