I have never found weekend hotel rates to be cheaper on the weekends. If that is the case, I welcome Vic or anyone else to find a hotel in a nice area with those cheaper weekend rates. It comes down to whether you want a good rate during the week or a more expensive rate on the weekends. The more expensive rate can also be harmful to our younger people who are on a budget.
Well, lets see TJ, I think the
Tampa Bay Area is a
"nice area" and in fact, it is a
vacation destination!
I know how to check room rates,
and we (
the Cigar City Flatheads) have held the
Florida "Barner's Bash" for the past eight or nine years, over a three day weekend, (Friday, Saturday, Sunday) and I've been able to negotiate less expensive room rates as a result. While our event is much smaller in size (
at least so far 
) when compared to the EFV8 Meets, that has not impaired us in any way, with respect to providing nice accommodations for our participants, at discounted rates.
I would think that an event looking to book a few hundred rooms, would have even more bargaining power...? I would agree that scheduling events is no easy task but, this weekday scheduling of Meets by the EFV8 Club has been questioned by both members and non-members (thanks to social media) for a number of years, and as far as I can tell, little or no consideration has been given, by the powers that be in the EFV8 Club, to making any changes. It appears that suggestions that go against the status quo, fall upon deaf ears.
I am no longer a member of the EFV8 Club, I left a number of years ago however, I will echo the concerns that have been voiced here by both members and non members alike. If an organization (car club) does not modify its mantra to accommodate a changing demographic, it will no doubt be left to wither and die, and I don't think any of us, members or not, want to see that happen.