Hello Riders:

The emails, voice mails, letters, and personal conversations that we've had from and with all of you have been unbelievable to say the least.  Today’s newsletter topics include:

• Talking Directly to Members
• Members Versus Visitors and Accountability
• Membership Price Must Increase
• Emails, Voice Mails, and Ideas from Members
• The First Stand-Up Meeting

Talking Directly to Members

First we would like to say thank you.  Thank you for opening our eyes, so we could see that there are still many of you that really want to help make our Dream work.

We believe more than ever in the spirit 29 Dreams. And, we want to talk directly to the membership.  We’re talking about the membership that is connected to 29 Dreams, the members that are signed up for the newsletters, the members that always send us new ideas and suggestions for improvements, the members that always seem to be involved, in short - the true motorcycle enthusiasts.  The enthusiasts that see 29 Dreams for what it really is, a place for like minded riders to socialize with other like minded enthusiasts.  We’re talking about the members that call 29 Dreams what it is; they call it their home away from home.

These are difficult times.  The Staff at 29 has been a steadfast force for eight years.  And, we have worked hard to make 29 Dreams more than a place; we’ve worked to make 29 Dreams a mindset.  During the last two weeks we’ve been considering the ever increasing cost of normal operations and the downside of staying with the status quo. We’ve decided at a minimum we must change for the better and avoid the status quo.  We need some changes and you the loyal members have responded to our call. Thank you for being part of 29 Dreams this Newsletter's itemized list of changes is a excellent place where we can all start.    

Members Versus Visitors and Accountability

29 Dreams is a motorcycle country club for motorcycle enthusiasts!

When we started 29 Dreams Motorcycle Resort we had one purpose, to create an environment where all were welcome.  We did not care what type bike you rode or what your occupation happened to be.  We only wanted the camaraderie of like minded individuals.  Motorcycle Enthusiast!  So we started a Private Club, a member’s only club that grew like a weed.  And as the club grew responsibility grew too, so much so that we decided to never allow visitors, you had to be a member to be here, and that was that, brother.  The paperwork was not worth the hassle.  From time to time issues regarding memberships and visitors would arise.  Issues like, I’m a member but my friend from California is not, can they get a visitors pass and visit with me without becoming a member?  There were dozens of these type questions change the name, change the age, change the sex, change the relationship.  Over time the membership finally decided that 29 Dreams would allow Visitors.  Now being a private club, 29 Dreams had to consider the rules of a visitors pass according to the State of Alabama’s rules on how a Private Club operates with members and visitors.   It’s a paperwork nightmare and expensive to say the least.  Memberships in general make life so much more pleasant.   Please check your memberships and the expiration dates.  By members managing their memberships a little closer, at a minimum; we can save thousands in postage alone.

Members purchase an annual membership, provide their home address and telephone number.  They are the stand up people, the ones that are accountable for their behavior.  They want to support their home away from home. These customers understand the 29 Dreams business model.  These customers understand there is no place like 29 Dreams, anywhere.  Again, this customer has some skin in the game via a membership with accountability.  This customer appreciates atmosphere, good service, and how well the grounds are groomed. This customer wants more out of life. This customer knows the cheapest price is not always the best.  This customer appreciates clean restrooms, good food, a safe environment, and nice people. This customer is proud to be a part of 29 Dreams.   This customer likes the business model and plans to be involved with the country club.  This customer spends time on the porch talking about motorcycles, discussing motorcycle bling, bling, and trying to meet people who want to share stories about riding to distant places while feeling the wind in their faces.  This is the true 29 Dreams Member, the true motorcycle enthusiast.  We hope you are lucky enough to meet one, become a friend of one, and socialize with one some day.

Your Visitors Pass is a gift from all the senior members of 29 Dreams that are and have been true motorcycle enthusiasts and true members for years.  And, it was established so Members could bring their families from out of town, their girlfriends, mothers, dads, and potential close friends to visit and have lunch.  A Visitors Pass was a chance for members to show off their private country club.

For some members the Visitors Pass works well.  We do encourage some visitors to consider full membership and even though some only get out once a year, they just support this club and understand its need in the motorcycling community.  For others, the Visitors Pass has been much less successful.  Meaning we have visitors that visit repeatedly.  Permanent visitors if you will.  Permanent Visitors lack accountability and they do not have a connection with the ultimate mindset of 29 Dreams. We need to change the process of purchasing, checking, and accounting for memberships and visitors passes at 29 Dreams. 

Membership Price Must Increase

Initially, we were very conscious of a membership price.  We did not want to discourage anyone that could follow the ‘be nice,’ rule from applying for a membership.  As with everything, the membership price slowly went from $3.00 to $5.00 for administration reasons.  Then the membership went to $15.00 because of fifty cent stamps and yes administration reasons too, paperwork is unbelievable.  So memberships must change, so much so that we’ve already raised memberships to $29.00 a year.  In conjunction with this price change of a membership, please remember last year Compass Bank, Kathy and I invested another $450,000 dollars to improve the dream.  This takes our personal investment to over $2.5 million in cash alone.  Not considering eight years of sweat equity.   We hope you like what we’ve been able to accomplish, and we hope you consider this new change in membership price reasonable.  One thing we’re not pleased about is the possibility of losing members because of the membership price.   We will lose some members and unfortunately, this decision must be made to avoid status quo. 

Consider this, some motorcycle groups charge $40.00 a year for a membership.  Some charge even more by requiring you to pay $40.00 more for a national membership. That’s $80.00 a year alone in membership fees.  For twenty nine dollars 29 Dreams offers everyone a tremendous amount of value, not only customers riding a specific motorcycle.  29 Dreams treats you the same even if you’re on a scooter.  People like what they see, but buy what they can afford.  You’re still a motorcycle enthusiast that rides! 

Emails, Voice Mails and Ideas from Members

We’re running your country club professionally.  And, we understand the economy is difficult at best.  We will try to get leaner around here, but we need your help too.  Please get involved with your club. Help us evaluate suggestions, ideas, and changes, and lets all work toward a leaner, better, more productive country club.  One for the true motorcycle enthusiast.    

Emails/Ideas/Suggestions/Changes

• Create a board of directors from respected members of the club
• Quarterly meeting for the membership base
• Capital spending approved by the board of directors
• Additional revenue raised goes to retire debt to improve cash flow
• Create a budget for the whole operation by department
• Hold Birthday parties, Weddings, and catering at 29 Dreams
• Lease the repair building to a qualified business man
• Hire a “senior manager” to help bring these ideas to fruition
• Plan six major events a year, season open, season close, AMA Races, Vintage Races, Memorial Day, Labor Day
• Raise visitor pass rate to $5.00
• Poker Runs starting and ending at 29
• Give all full members a visitor pass so they can introduce a friend
• Increase basic membership to $29.00 a year
• Offer a sponsor membership for $100.00 a year; with a special shirt not available to anyone else
• Offer a Life time membership for $500.00; with a special shirt, not available to anyone else
• Reduce the amount of hours we must be onsite to a reasonable number
• Reduce our paid work force with members who would volunteer
• Contact a Marketing company to help with clothing apparel
• Create a web base store to sell merchandise and memberships
• Put overnight reservations on the internet
• Hire an experienced full time cook for the kitchen
• Tap members to become team leaders to manage volunteers
• Programmable digital cash registers to track food sales and price changes
• Offer Motorcycle Groups room for monthly meetings if they agree to have dinner
• Change the hours of operations, stay open 12 months a year, and stay open later Friday, Saturday and Sunday
• Cater dinner and hold events for large motorcycle groups
• Cater dinner and hold events for muscle/exotic car clubs
• Gift Cards
• Plan games like exhaust pipe toss and flat tire roll
• Change the menu, reduce the available options on the menu
• Rent the repair shop to Motorcycle Groups
• Have weekend contest like tail pipe tossing or flat tire rolling, award prizes
• Have planned/organized country side rides starting and ending at 29
• Change live music to 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
• Consider live music on Saturdays and/or Sundays only
• Eliminate live music except for special occasions
• Cancelled dinner on Friday nights
• Have Pig Roast and Craw fish boils
• Get volunteers during events just like Barbers does for the Vintage Races

The First Stand-Up Meeting

We have received several suggestions for improvements here at 29 Dreams.   Please take some time to evaluate these suggestions.  The main reason for listing these in an email is that we’ve planned the First Stand-Up meeting at 29 Dreams.  This is short notice and please let us apologize in advance.  The meeting will be Monday night September 29^th, at 7:00 PM sharp.  We plan on passing out these suggestions, answering questions, and then listening. We’d like to hear what you, the membership have to say.  We know there are many members from as far away as California that cannot attend this meeting.  For you, here is a partial list of suggestions being developed.  We will consider these suggestions, including any suggestions presented after the meeting for an additional two weeks, send that suggestion on in from California via email.   When this first stand up meeting is done, we will prepare a summation with the results of the meeting for the website.  Please offer your suggestions even if you cannot make the meeting, this is your club.

Ride Safe,

The Staff at 29