DataSource Controls :: (0x80040e14) Syntax Error In Update Statement

i built an oledb update stmt using the syntax from a 4 guys tutorial, http://www.4guysfromrolla.com/articles/071002-1.3.aspx , but am getting the above error

this is the update stmt

Dim strSQL As String = "UPDATE [orientationData] SET " & _
"[orientationTime] = @orientationTime, [targetAttendeeCount] = @targetAttendeeCount, " & _
"[locationRoom] = @locationRoom, [locationStreet] = @locationStreet, " & _
"WHERE [orientationDate] = @orientationDate"

sample how i build an update field into the update string

Dim targetAttendeeCount As Integer = _
CType(e.Item.Cells(0).FindControl("targetAttendeeCountTextBox"), TextBox).Text
Dim parmTarAttCnt As OleDbParameter = _
New OleDbParameter("@targetAttendeeCount", OleDbType.Integer)
parmTarAttCnt.Value = targetAttendeeCount
myCommand.Parameters.Add(parmTarAttCnt)

printing out the strSQL gives

sql string = UPDATE [orientationData] SET [orientationTime] = @orientationTime, [targetAttendeeCount] = @targetAttendeeCount, [locationRoom] = @locationRoom, [locationStreet] = @locationStreet, WHERE [orientationDate] = @orientationDate

so none of the variables are being resolved, i know they are being returned from, in this case a datagrid, because i have printed them separately, so am not sure at this point how to get the vars to resolve, i was hoping to not have to use all the quotes + apostrohes and thought the @syntax was simplifying that but not so. is there some way to code this with the @'s?