Preregistration

The preregistration form for the 121st annual meeting to be held January 4–7, 2007, in Atlanta was in the September and October Perspectives and was also included in the meeting Program mailed to members in October. Members can (and are indeed encouraged to) preregister online via a link from the AHA’s dedicated web page. Preregistration (whether online or by mail or fax) must be completed no later than Friday, December 22. After this date, onsite registration rates will be assessed. If the online or telephone registration service is not being used, registration forms should be mailed or faxed only to the processing service at the address indicated on the form and not to the AHA.

Accommodations

Requests for reservations will be accepted by the Atlanta housing bureau via the Internet (through a special link on the AHA annual meeting web page), the call center, fax (with credit card payments only), or mail (only if accompanied by a check deposit or credit card information) through 8:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, December 14, 2006. The call center (toll free, 866-799-8927) will accept reservations from the United States and Canada between 9:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. EST Monday through Friday. International callers may call 506-637-0311 to make reservations during normal business hours. Faxes from U.S. and international attendees may be sent 24 hours a day, seven days a week to 506-433-3033, but will be processed during business hours. Reservation requests can be sent by mail if payments are made by check, and should be sent to the AHA Housing Bureau, 233 Peachtree Street NE, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30303. Checks should be made payable to AHA Housing Bureau, in U.S. funds, drawn on a U.S. bank. No wire transfers or purchase orders will be accepted.

To make a suite reservation, contact the bureau’s housing manager at housing@atlanta.net; fax 404-521-6392; telephone 404-521-6630.
A deposit is required for all reservations. For standard room reservations, the deposit is $125 per room. The deposit is $250 for a one-bedroom suite and $375 for a two-bedroom suite at all hotels except the Residence Inn, which has a deposit requirement of $150. Deposits can be paid by check (address above) or credit card (American Express, MasterCard, Visa, Diner’s Club, and Discover), which will be billed after reservations are transferred to individual hotels (December 14, 2006). The bureau does not accept money orders, wire transfers, or invoices for room deposits. Please note that reservations will not be processed without a deposit.

The housing bureau will send an acknowledgement for all new reservations, modifications, and cancellations. These will sent by mail, fax, or e-mail no later than 72 hours of processing reservations. Room reservations made by phone are confirmed immediately with an acknowledgment number. Please note that the individual hotels will not send out a separate confirmation.
Meeting attendees can continue to make and modify (depending on availability) or cancel reservations through December 14, 2006, 8:00 p.m. EST through the housing bureau by telephone, fax, in writing, or through e-mail. Attendees will not be penalized for any cancellation made on or before December 14, unless guaranteed by check deposit (which are assessed a $25 processing fee at any time). Cancellations processed prior to the cutoff date will be refunded the same method of payment by which the attendee originally paid the deposit. Beginning December 19, attendees who wish to cancel must contact the hotel directly. Reservations canceled within 72 hours of arrival date are subject to forfeiture of the entire amount of the deposit.

The cutoff date for the AHA’s official block is 8:00 p.m. EST, December 14, 2006. After this date, remaining inventory in the block will be released and rooms will be available on a space-available basis. All hotels have agreed to honor the AHA’s convention rates based upon space availability. If all hotels sell out, the AHA will work with the bureau to secure additional hotel rooms.

Travel Arrangements

Association Travel Concepts (ATC) is the official travel agency for the annual meeting and will book attendees to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL). Airfare and car rental discounts apply for travel Monday, January 1 through Wednesday, January 10, 2007. Attendees can contact ATC between 9:00 a.m.–7:30 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday. Fares can be booked online at www.atcmeetings.com or by fax 858-362-3153 or e-mail reservations@atcmeetings.com. Discounted airfares are available with United (ID number 510CK) and American (ID number A65D6AA). Special car rental rates are available through Avis (ID number J952801; 800-331-1600) and Enterprise (ID number 32H7476; 800-593-0505).

—Sharon K. Tune is the AHA convention director.