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[losemygrip]

Yes, typically with meeting space, you get the room free if you're paying for a catering function. It's the rooms for all the sessions I'm wondering about. 

My group often uses convention centers these days, so that tells me they probably weren't getting their meeting space free.  However, they've recently moved to limit meetings to three cities, in two of which the entire event is in the headquarters hotel.  Contracts with groups differ wildly; you don't necessarily have to accept a clause in which you are required to fill your block (or a percentage thereof).  In the current economy, I think these groups should be playing more hardball with the hotels.  Hotel sales managers are typically snake oil salesmen, so they'll do whatever is needed to take advantage of you. 

I  In all my years in the hotel business, I don't recall a single group that got free AV, however.

[fiona]

The conference prices are usually a bargain, and the ability to network with bigwigs is essential if you're a grad student/job seeker.

Well do I remember the hordes of grad students all sleeping in one room.

Those were the orgies seminars of a lifetime.

The Fiona

[new_bus_prof]

The biggest cost is always the conference registration for me, even with the presenter's discount. I can usually book any hotel room in the area for less than half the conference registration fee.