Grand Prix Houston

Hello Grand Prix Houston future Staff members!  (or at least those of you interested enough to read this!)

Grand Prix Houston is going to be an amazing event, but it will not be possible without your help – so let’s talk about making that happen!

This event will be organized by Alan Hochman of Pastimes (www.pastimes.net)

Head Judge: Cristiana Dionisio

Event Location: George R. Brown Convention Center
1001 Avenida de las Americas
Houston, Texas 77010
www.houstonconventionctr.com

Applying to be on Staff at Grand Prix Houston:

We will be taking applications through February 28th, 2013. Applications will be accepted through the Judge Apps site if you have access. If you or someone you know is interested in administrative/operations positions and cannot utilize this tool, please have them email volunteer@pastimes.net with their interest, their contact information, experience and references.

What you should know:

Applying to be on staff at Grand Prix Houston is applying to help make one of the best Events in Magic happen.  As such, we are looking for people who have a desire to help in whatever way needed to create an amazing experience for our customers – the players.  If you apply to be on staff for this event, please realize that we may (and probably will) ask you to help in any or all of the following capacities:

Judging
Operations
Crowd control
Artist / Vendor assistance
Venue/Room - set up / tear down / remodel (moving tables, chairs, straightening the room, helping keep tables clean, dealing with signage etc….)
Product preparation
Customer Service
Helping with media coverage

We are looking to put the BEST staff together, not necessarily the largest.

We will be taking applications from now until February 28th, 2013.  We will post the staff list on March 15^th, 2013.
We may be letting people know prior to that if they have been accepted.

In your applications, please make sure you put down what days and what time of those days you are available.  (i.e. I can be available to help with set up on Friday morning – but I need to catch a plane on Sunday evening, so I need to be off at 3 p.m.).  Tell us your available dates/times in your cover letter/application.

Compensation

Staff for this event will receive base compensation of one box of the most recent Magic set per full day they are helping. Level 3+ Judges will receive an additional half box per day. All certified judges volunteering for at least two days will receive a selection of promotional foil cards from the DCI.

Staff may opt to convert boxes for $100 in Pastimes.Net credit to be used on-site or online.

There will be a $20 per day per diem for food, parking - whatever you need it for.  In addition to onsite concessions, there are many reasonable food options within a short walk of the venue.

Sponsorship

There are limited Sponsorships available for this event.  There are three levels of sponsorship available for this event:

1.  Volunteer Sponsorship
Live in the area? Don’t need any help with a hotel room or travel?  This option is for you.   If you choose this sponsorship you will not receive additional funds over the per diem and basic compensation.  Qualified applicants who choose this option... well, I am just going to say it - you have the upper hand when we are making our choice for staff!

2.  Travel Sponsorship
If you need some assistance with travel, parking or with paying part of a hotel room - this option may be for you.  If you choose Travel Sponsorship you will receive $30 per day to help cover additional costs.

3.  Room Sponsorship
Need a place to stay? Full Sponsorship covers your stay in a hotel nearby with your very own bed to sleep in!! Yes, yes - you will probably have a roommate, but I can guarantee if you get Full Sponsorship the only way you are sleeping on the floor or in the tub is if you choose to!

When choosing your sponsorship level please let us know if you are not available unless you receive the sponsorship you have requested.  (i.e.  I cannot come unless I get Full Sponsorship).

Sponsorship is in addition to your compensation and per diem.

JUDGE CERTIFICATION

There will be opportunities for L1 and L2 testing at this event, coordinated by Kevin Binswanger, the local Regional Coordinator.  Please contact him for further details.  L2 testing will only be available by prior arrangement.

L1 JUDGES

"L1s who wish to attend a GP should be expecting to be assigned to public events, not the main event. The exception would be those who are close to L2 and prepared to be tested that day (because they should have studied the IPG before taking the main event floor). If you are a veteran L1, who has judged at PTQ and GP, and wish to continue doing so, you should be seeking L2. Level Ones are not encouraged to judge at Grand Prix; instead, they should judge at other stores, attend conferences, or seek a PTQ for testing under an L3. For Grand Prix within their region some few L1s may be selected if they are close to testing for L2."

"If you are a veteran L1, who has judged at several Qualifiers with other judges, or at Grand Prix, and wish to continue doing so, you should seek testing for L2."

For more information, please read Andy Heckt's 7/18/2012 post to DCIJUDGE-L entitled "Understanding levels and resulting changes" or contact your Regional Coordinator.

QUESTIONS

If you have any questions, please email volunteer@pastimes.net with your question.

Thanks for your interest – hope to see you in Houston!

Event URL:www.pastimes.net

Event Organizer

Alan Hochman – alan@pastimes.net

Staff Organizer

Kevin Binswanger