And the SQLServerCentral.com party is on! We are working on our last minute preparations, gathering a few prizes based on your registrations and looking to blow the entire budget. We get $50 for each person that registers with our source code and over the last 4 years I've done a pretty good job of blowing every penny on our opening night reception.

Even going over budget a little, but it's been fun.

I picked up a couple more prizes (we're in secret mode now) and we'll let the 3 big money winners have their pick at the end of the night of what they want. It is after all a casino party, so there's got to be some prizes for doing well.

But there are lots of other prizes still available for everyone else. If you're like me, winning at roulette or poker isn't high on your list of skills, so myself, along with 3 or 4 other staff members will hand out a whole bunch of random prizes to those partaking in the games. It might be the winner of the next hand or even the person that gets dealt the next "one-eyed jack." You never know what we'll come up with.

I'm not sure if we'll have all the prizes "wrapped", as my little helper hasn't been on the ball with that job. We've done like 10 of 60 (YES, that's SIXTY PLUS PRIZES) and we're running out of steam. Maybe during a "Dora the Explorer" marathon we'll get them done. In any case...

You can still save $300 until Aug 31 by registering in advance for the September Summit in the mile high city.

The 2007 PASS Summit is just $1695 (non-PASS members $1895) until Aug 31. You can click this link to get the registration form. Fill it out and fax it in and get yourself registered at an $300 discount!! That still covers your airfare, and your company can register and if something happens, they can use the slot for someone else!

There is one thing you do want to do. Be sure you fill out the Source Code field with

SSC

This is the code that will get you into the SQLServerCentral.com reception party on Tuesday night. The last couple years we've sponsored a casino party and given away tons of prizes. I'm looking to do the same thing, but no matter what it's guaranteed to be fun and worth your time.

If you've already registered, the party will be in Room 607 in the Denver Convention Center, Tuesday night after the PASS opening reception. We should be starting at 7:30 and we'll have a new SQLServerCentral.com polo shirt and a few other things available for attendees. Fingers crossed the books will get here on time. That's

ROOM 607 for the SQLServerCentral.com Party. 7:30pm, Tuesday, September 18th.

One quick note on this. If you don't have the SSC source code on your registration, you don't get in. So double check with PASS.

So start begging the boss. It's not too late to attend and if you're about to register, be sure you use our SOURCE CODE ("SSC") to come to the party.

If you're wondering about the past parties as well as the Summit itself, check out these links: here, here, here, and here.

And don't forget September in Denver means Bronco football. Actually there's Rockies baseball as well. The Broncos are in town both weekends around the summit, playing the Raiders and the 49ers, but still it's REAL NFL football. And if you want half price tickets, they'll be on sale July 28.

But there's more than sports and a great party from us. The Summit is THE SQL Server event of the year with many of the world's top experts, quite a few SQL Server MVPs and dozens of the actual developers from Microsoft. It's the chance to network with others, brainstorm about picky problems, advance your career by supporting fellow DBAs, and great presentations.

The Summit is a great way to learn while recharging from work, so get your boss to fund it today, while it's still early in the year and save.

Just don't forget to fill in the Source Code of

SSC

I'm looking forward to seeing you out here in the Wild West!

Steve Jones