I would like to share with you my method for negotiating for a tourney room. FIRST - with the conf room mgr - talk about the large amount of sleeping rooms you will fill up for the event. The mgr should be convinced that # of sleeping rooms are the key to his and your relationship. Only after the mgr is thinking about the many sleeping rooms that will be filled by chess players should you then mention the tourney room.
Then explain that the large amount of players that will show up do so because they are attracted by the advertised prize fund. ONLY THEN explain that you should only pay for a small set-up fee BECAUSE the more $$ allocated to the prize fund (instead of paying high tourney room rental fees) then the more # of players will be atrracted by the higher prize fund and the more sleeping rooms will be rented… to the hotel’s advantage.
By explaining this advantage to the conf room mgr you should make some head-way into reduced tourney room charges. This strategy will work more times than not. NEVER begin talking about the tourney room before talking about the large number of sleeping rooms you will fill up.
By using this strategy in 2007 (Stillwater) and 2008 (Tulsa) I was able to obtain the tourney room FREE to use for the two (2) US Championships held in Oklahoma. Althought those 2 events were a week long the same strategy will work many times on weekend events. 
Very informative, Mr. Berry, thank you.
Of course, it makes sense that we should be trying to give out as much money in prizes as possible, but, alas, it seems that many organizers are too afraid of the risks. In my way of thinking, a 10:1 1st place Prize:EF ratio in each section of an event should be attempted even for the weekend tournaments, but few will do that. I’ve never been able to solve that problem myself when prizes are based on attendance. Would you have any theories on that?
I guess I’m curious how many players are attracted by “large prizes” such as these for a $20 entry. $$100-1st; other $ per entries.
Alex Relyea
I think that players who need to travel a distance would prefer a 10xEF 1st place, so that a $20 EF would generate a $200 1st place. The other prizes b/entries is an interesting idea that I’ve never considered.
Especially for state title events, where players from all over a state travel, the expenses are quite large between gas, lodging, food, etc.
Can anyone give an example of how prizes b/entries could be used to get to this desire?
I know US Chess preaches committing to a block of room nights in lieu of paying for space.
Candidly, this doesn’t work for moderately sized events expected to draw mostly from the local area. I can bear the risk of a fully guaranteed prize fund (with a 1st prize of 8.75 times the advance EF) and payment for playing space. I cannot bear the risk of the mass of room nights that would persuade a hotel to comp the playing hall.
The 10 x EF objective for first prize does not square with the economics of average weekend events. Nor does the model of committing to room nights in lieu of venue rental.