The 79th BVA National Convention is Coming in 2024!
This year, The Blinded Veterans Association will be partnering with the American Council of the Blind (ACB) in hosting this historic gathering at the Hyatt Regency Riverfront Hotel in Jacksonville, Florida.
HOTEL UPDATE: Overflow Room Blocks are now available at the Marriott Jacksonville Downtown Hotel
The Marriott Jacksonville Downtown Hotel has reserved a room block from July 5-10, 2024 for BVA members who are not able to secure a room at the Hyatt Regency Riverfront due to sold out nights. The Marriott is located at 245 Water Street in Jacksonville and is .4 miles (10- minute walk) from the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront.
Room rates are $119 plus tax. Attendees will need to put a valid credit card on file upon check-in. To avoid incurring a cancellation or no-show charge of one night’s room and tax, cancellations must be received by no later than 3:00pm (48) hours prior to arrival. Please obtain a cancellation confirmation. All reservations must be booked no later than Friday, June 28, 2024.
To Book a room at the Marriott please call 1 (800) 228-9290 and reference the Blinded Veterans Association with code “BLV”, or click here to reserve online.
Digital Program
Registration
Registration for the BVA Convention is $150/person. BVA registration includes Convention bag, t-shirt, BVA business meetings, BVA Gala, and Father Carroll Luncheon. Due to manpower limitations, if you require special assistance of a caregiver, you will be required to make those arrangements and register them as a guest.
Hotel
This year the annual convention will take place at the Hyatt Regency Riverfront in Jacksonville at 225 East Coastline Drive, Jacksonville, FL 32202.
Rooms are $99 per night for Single or Double occupancy, $124 per night for Triple occupancy, and $149 per night for Quadruple occupancy. Room tax is 14.64%. The hotel will authorize a one-time $50 charge for the entire stay. Each attendee will need to supply a credit or debit card for the room. The card will not be charged but authorized only for that amount. In the case of a debit card, the funds will be held by the bank until after the guest checks out if the amount in full is not used.
Accommodations include free Wi-Fi, refrigerators in each room, a heated outdoor pool, and a 24-hour fitness center. Hotel self-parking is $15 per day including overnight and in/out fees. Valet parking is also available at $49 per day.
Dining options include the Market, SHOR Seafood Grill, Tavern, and Morton’s The Steakhouse.
To make reservations, book online or call (800) 233-1234 and use code G-ACOB. To receive the group rate you must register by June 10, 2024.
Dog Information
Dog Relief
Scoopmasters will provide and maintain our dog relief areas in Jacksonville.
Dog Food
If you would like to preorder dog food to be delivered to your hotel room, call Tim Stone at (661) 714-0749 or order online.
The form will ask for your name, phone number, and food brand and type. Tim will call to get the details within 24 hours and will accept payments at the hotel.
Food must be ordered by June 20th to ensure delivery.
Transportation
Plane
The Jacksonville Airport is located 15 miles from the hotel. For travel assistance, please contact Brenda K. McDaniel, Independent Travel Consultant and daughter of a BVA member, by email at brenda_mcdaniel@sbcglobal.net, or by telephone at (915) 204-0101 (between 11:00am and 6:30pm Eastern Time).
Bus
Megabus and Greyhound both drop off at the Greyhound station, located 1.2 miles from the hotel at 1111 W Forsyth St.
Train
The Amtrak station is located 5.6 miles from the hotel at 3570 Clifford Lane.
Local Transportation
Uber and Lyft will cost approximately $25 from the airport to the hotel. A taxi is about $10 more.
Paratransit / ADA Jacksonville Information
Please view page nine of the 2024 Convention Information document.
Exhibit Hall
The Exhibit Hall will be managed by ACB this year. To order your Exhibit Hall Booth contact Michael Smitherman, Conference Exhibits Coordinator, by email at exhibitors@acb.org, or by phone at (601) 331-7740.
Guest Information
Exhibit Hall Hours
- Sunday, July 7 from 9:00am-5:00pm
- Monday, July 8 from 11:00am-5:00pm
- Tuesday, July 9 from 11:00am-5:00pm
- Wednesday, July 10 from 9:00am-1:00pm
Exhibitor Information
Exhibit Hall Setup
- Saturday, July 6 from 1:00pm-5:00pm
Exhibit Hall Open
- Sunday, July 7 from 9:00am-5:00pm
Exhibit Hall Move-Out
- Wednesday, July 10 from 1:00pm-4:00pm
Schedule of Events
*The following is subject to change.
Sunday, July 7
- 8:30am-5:00pm – BVA VSP Office
- 9:00am-5:00pm – BVA Registration Open
- 9:00am-5:00pm – Bow Wow Lounge (Sponsored by Waymo)
- 9:00am-5:00pm – Exhibit Hall Open
- 7:00pm-8:00pm – 79th National Convention Opening Ceremony
Monday, July 8
- 8:00am-9:00am – BVA Registration Open
- 8:30am-5:00pm – BVA VSP Office
- 9:00am-5:00pm – Bow Wow Lounge (Sponsored by Waymo)
- 9:00am-11:30am – BVA Opening Business Meeting
- 9:00am-11:30am – BVA Auxiliary Opening Business Meeting
- 11:00am-5:00pm – Exhibit Hall Open
- 1:00pm-3:00pm – Bylaws and Resolutions Meeting
- 1:00pm-3:00pm – BVA Auxiliary Committee Meetings
- 3:00pm-3:15pm – Break
- 3:15pm-4:15pm – Fireside Chat
- 4:15pm-5:00pm – Break
- 5:00pm-6:00pm – BVA Gala Happy Hour
- 6:00pm-9:00pm – BVA Gala Reception
Tuesday, July 9
- 7:30am-8:45am – BVA Ambassador Breakfast (Sponsored by OrCam Technologies)
- 8:30am-5:00pm – BVA VSP Office
- 9:00am-5:00pm – Bow Wow Lounge (Sponsored by Waymo)
- 9:00am-10:00am – BVA Auxiliary New Business Meeting
- 9:00am-10:00am – BVA Board of Directors’ Membership Open Forum
- 10:15am-11:30am – Team BVA Outreach Teams Panel
- 11:00am-5:00pm – Exhibit Hall Open
- 12:00pm-2:00pm – Father Carroll Luncheon and Awards Ceremony
- 2:00pm-3:00pm – Break
- 3:00pm-6:00pm – BVA Closing Business Meeting
- 3:00pm-6:00pm – BVA Auxiliary Speaker: Barbara Webb, Dole Caregiver Fellow, Elizabeth Dole Foundation, Caring for Military Families, and Tricky Tray Winners Announced
- 6:00pm-7:00pm – Break
- 7:00pm-TBD – Florida Regional Group 50th Anniversary Celebration (All BVA Members Invited)
Wednesday, July 10
- 8:00am-10:00am – BVA and BVA Auxiliary National Board of Directors Breakfast/Business Meeting (Closed Session)
- 9:00am-1:00pm – Exhibit Hall Open
*Offsite tours are managed by ACB and not BVA. More information can be found on ACB’s website at https://acbconvention.org. For any offsite tour questions, you may also contact Janet Dickelman, ACB Convention Chair, at (651) 428-5059 or via email at janet.dickelman@gmail.com.
Under Construction
We’re working on bringing you the essential information so you can prepare for our next convention. Stay tuned for updates!