Your Stay
Online Hotel Booking Site
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- All coaches must use the online booking site. This allows us to procure the attendee rates we offer. Please do NOT call the hotels directly to book your hotel rooms.
- Schools staying within the NSDA hotel block will automatically receive a $25 discount per person applied to their National Tournament entry fees. Make sure you select which hotel you are staying at on the General tab of your school’s Tabroom.com registration.
- Larger teams requiring ten or more rooms should submit a request.
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Teams wishing to pay by check should contact the Speech & Debate Housing Bureau (managed by Catch Des Moines) at reservations@speechanddebate.org or (800) 451-2625.
- Every hotel requires a credit card on file for incidentals and cancellation fees even if you are paying by check. If you are paying by check, please select “Yes” in the field under “Additional Information” on the “Guest Details” page and someone from the Speech & Debate Housing Bureau will follow up with you.
Transportation
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Transportation is up to each individual program. Parking at the Phoenix Convention Center is $12/day if purchased in advance, and $15/day if purchased day-of on site or for in-and-out privileges. Multiple garages are available with various height restrictions. Please review the list of garages and parking map and select the best option for your program. There are three bus drop off locations, two on Third Street and one on Monroe.
- Public transportation called the Valley Metro Rail runs from northwest Phoenix through Tempe to east Mesa. It includes Park and Ride stations where travelers can park their vehicles for free and hop on the rail. A map of the lightrail stops is included on our Venue and Hotel map, as well as the park and ride stations. Please note that the lightrail does not run all the way out to the schools, and is not an advisable way to reach competition venues during the week. It is an option for getting to the Convention Center during the week. As with all public transportation, be mindful of safety and the potential for delays.
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Venue & Hotel Maps
Discounts
Delta Meeting Event Code: NY27U
Delta Air Lines is pleased to offer special discounts for the National Speech & Debate Association. You may also call Delta Meeting Network® at 1.800.328.1111* Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. (EST) and refer to Meeting Event Code NY27U.
*Please note there is not a service fee for reservations booked and ticketed via our reservation 800 number.
| Book now or call (800) 426–1122. | Book now and enter code in the Discount/CDP/Club Code section under “Add a Discount Code” for 20% off. |
Meals
Mesa Public Schools is offering free breakfast and lunch at schools for everyone 18 and younger. We are excited to share the menu with you and report that a variety of options, including gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian, and vegan options, will be available daily. Concessions will also be available on site at schools for purchase with CASH ONLY.
- Breakfast Available 7:00 a.m. to 8:15 a.m., Monday – Thursday, at all Mesa School sites
- Lunch Available 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., Monday – Thursday, at all Mesa School sites
- Adults (19 and older) who are on site may purchase breakfast for $5 and lunch for $7. The school venues are CASH ONLY.
- Hospitality suites will offer coffee, tea, water, and light snacks for judges throughout the day.
At the Convention Center, during the Sunday registration and expo, Congressional Debate, and Thursday/Friday finals and events, concessions will be open and offer a variety of choices to meet various dietary needs for a fee. If you are looking for something more, check out dining options outside of the Convention Center.
Things to Do
We encourage teams to maximize their speech and debate experience at the tournament by entering supplementals, checking out outrounds, and attending awards. If you have time to fill, check out these suggestions for Phoenix, Mesa, and BIPOC, Women, and LGBTQ-owned businesses.
Visit the Speech and Debate Wall Mural
Take your photo with the speech and debate wall mural and be sure to tag us @speechanddebate on social! Learn more »
Health
Per CDC recommendations, we encourage all attendees to do the following:
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- Stay up to date on vaccination, including recommended booster doses.
- Avoid contact with people who have suspected or confirmed COVID-19.
- Follow recommendations for isolation if you have suspected or confirmed COVID-19.
- Follow the recommendations for what to do if you are exposed to someone with COVID-19.
- Follow recommendations for travel.
We do not currently plan to require masks for attendees. Arizona has consistently been in the lower level state categories of weekly case rates, and the risk level in Maricopa county is low. We will continue to monitor the situation and make adjustments as necessary.
At the individual level, attendees are encouraged to discuss their personal risk level with their healthcare providers. Ballots will include language instructing judges not to evaluate student performances based on whether they wore masks and to permit speech competitors to enter the room only for the length of their performance.
Required Identification
For security reasons, all attendees must wear identifying ribbons at all times. Ribbons are distributed at registration. There are generic competitor ribbons for students and specific versions for Senators and Representatives in Congress who have their names printed as well. We’ll get you what you need! Coaches and judges receive badges with their names and choose their ribbons. In addition to Coach and Judge ribbons, there are several other identifying and celebratory ribbons coaches can choose from at in-person registration, like First Time at Nationals, District Leader, and more! All other attendees, including parents, chaperones, siblings, and other observers, are required to wear an Attendee ribbon. Attendees can also choose pronoun buttons (students, attendees) or ribbons (adults) to affix to their clothing. All ribbons pin on; please dress accordingly.