Consuite
The consuite is the central hospitality area at a convention, where all members are welcome to sit and relax, chat with other fans and help themselves to the provided refreshments. These usually include cold drinks and snacks, but may be more substantial. Alcohol was once common, but, today, even bheer is rare.
This is a North American phenomenon; at most overseas cons, the bar provides a similar, if costlier, function. The size of the convention is inversely proportional, usually, to how central the consuite is to the social life of a particular con. At smaller events, everyone hangs out in the consuite; at larger ones, room parties are a more significant social venue.
It's unknown when the consuite itself originated, but Don Ford referred to Room 101 as the “consuite” at Cinvention in 1949, according to Roy Lavender (though Roy’s own conrep identifies the party room as 100, and doesn’t include the term).[1]
It has been suggested that the mundane euphemism “members’ lounge” may be best understood by hoteliers during negotiations.
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- ↑ Sources: Spirits of Things Past 1 and 2, 2001, by Leah Zeldes Smith, loc by Roy Lavender.
| Conrunning | 1949— |
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