AALS boycott: the resolution

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about the proposed boycott of an AALS 2009 annual meeting hotel because its owner opposed same sex marriage.  Today law profs got the following emailed statement on behalf of the AALS Executive Committee:

Statement Adopted by AALS Executive Committee August 15, 2008

The AALS 2009 Annual Meeting will take place January 6-10, 2009, in San Diego, California. Several years ago the Association booked rooms at the San Diego Marriott and the Manchester Grand Hyatt. In the last few weeks there have been suggestions that the Association should boycott the Hyatt because its owner has contributed money to a ballot initiative designed to overturn the California Supreme Court's May decision in favor of same-sex marriage. In addressing this issue, the Executive Committee has sought to ensure that the Annual Meeting serves the needs of all participants to the maximum extent possible given our contractual obligations to the hotels.

Our contracts with the hotels provide that each hotel reserve a block of guest rooms, and leave to the AALS the choice of where to locate the AALS Registration, Exhibit Hall, Section Programs, Presidential Programs, and House of Representatives meetings. We will honor our contracts with both hotels, and we have exercised our option to hold all AALS events at the Marriott to ensure the maximum participation by our members.

Law schools and other organizations hosting meetings and receptions will be contacted soon by an AALS meetings manager regarding the location of their events. Faculty and staff at law schools will soon receive housing information and you will be able to choose your individual hotel room on a first-come, first-served basis in accordance with the usual housing procedures.

I don't know whether the Marriott was chosen for convention activities before the boycott, or whether it would have been chosen but for the boycott. If the answers to both those questions are no, well, then, I suppose the blogosphere will have fun characterizing this outcome. 

In any event, we now get to choose our hotel.  Get your choices in early!