Moving to the fairgrounds?
- Join Date: 31/12/1969
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Yikes!
While the Gonzaga facilities and conditions are less than ideal, the fairgrounds have to be worse. The fairgrounds are in an industrial area. The nearest, non fairgrounds, food is over a mile away. The nearest lodging, that anyone in their right minds would stay at, is farther.
I know that Spokane and the Valley don't have a lot of suitable hotels. We do have a convention center within easy walking distance to several hotels, restaurants, and course Aunties.
This feels like a disaster looking for a time happen. I urge the concom to reconsider.
Jack
p.s. Had a good time at 2010.
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When:
08/10 - 08/12/2012
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Spokane, Washington
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Raph1613
Though the FairGrounds don't seem ideal for SpoCon, I know for a fact that pretty much everyone associated with making SpoCon happen are all experienced Con-Goers. That literrally means they know all about the needs (fun/food/lodging) associated with any good Convention. Have faith that if there were any other option genuinely available, they'd have gone with it.
Bear in mind that because Spokane is such a Big Town/Small City, it's just the wrong size for a convention like SpoCon.
I was at the Feedback Panel on Sunday. I want to say,
"Big THUMBS UP to all the ConCom members who took the time and had the near-infinite patience to answer the same questions about the FairGrounds-vs-alternatives, over and over again."
-Alfredo
...just looking to have a good time...
David Morris
Gaming Department
We have spent (literally) years trying to find a good location for SpoCon. Is there one? Maybe. Is it the fairgrounds...? Maybe...
The convention center is great, with great amenities, near great restaurants and other activities...and they know it. We can not come close to affording it, unless we raise the admission to SpoCon to about $95 vs our current $35. Could we get 850+ people for that price...maybe, but not the same 850+ people we had this year (well about a quarter would still come).
We welcome your input and comments however. Thank you Jack for your comments. We want to hear from all the Fans because that is who we do this for! We don't do this (completely) for ourselves!! (I mean, sort of... but not completely!)
And thank you Alfredo for your confidence. We really have a lot of experienced people working on this project, and our newer folks are very intelligent and capable of critical thinking. We are striving to keep SpoCon fun and exciting while being affordable and welcoming to all of Fandom.
I too had an awesome time at SpoCon 2010!
Nick
I'd like to second what Dave was saying. Most every single hotel and convention area in the town has been looked at by SpoCon.
Convention Center Downtown? Sure, but we need a guarantee that over 1500+ people register for the con so we don't go into bankruptcy.
Red Lion (at the River on Washington)...omg YES, perfect right? Can we get over 500 people to book $140 rooms like they want? and still get the 1500+++ people to attend?
Spokane ... sad to say, sucks for low budget non-profit conventions of the "nerdy" genre. There are a few places that are cheaper, but they are too small, EVERYTHING else is too big and money grubbing corporations want more money than we bring in. It is not impossible, there is always the chance we will get a big guest that will bring more people, or somebody know's someone that makes one of those big corporations break all of the rules and gets us in for 25% of retail cost.
Whatever site we have, we WILL make it work. I have about the same feeling for the Fairgrounds as I did for Gonzaga the first year... I think it sucks too. However, ConCom and those involved will make it a great con.
However, the ConCom is the heart of SpoCon. While it makes everything go there is no way it can make the con happen on its own. The people, you, are the blood that makes this whole thing a functioning organism. Without your help, input, and POSITIVE energy, it dies. Nobody wants to see that.
If you are still upset over the new location and swear that one of the hotels or convention centers would work... do what I would do. Go down there and talk to their special events people, ask in a very generic manner how much it would cost to run a 24 hour, full weekend, 900 person convention. 900 x $30 (with volunteers, early, registration, etc. it probably averages out to less than this. Then factor in flying in guests, renting equipment, buying food, promotional material, donations to books since we are a charity... yeah, not much left over.
Anyways... ConCom meetings are still open to the public as far as I know, for those that want to help keep SpoCon alive.
jackmcgillis
I'll reply to the replies one at a time. Easier for me.
Let me start out by saying that I did the original post out of concern rather than an attempt to cause a ****storm (my *s). Well, maybe a little one...
Though the FairGrounds don't seem ideal for SpoCon, I know for a fact that pretty much everyone associated with making SpoCon happen are all experienced Con-Goers. That literrally means they know all about the needs (fun/food/lodging) associated with any good Convention. Have faith that if there were any other option genuinely available, they'd have gone with it.
Bear in mind that because Spokane is such a Big Town/Small City, it's just the wrong size for a convention like SpoCon.
I was at the Feedback Panel on Sunday. I want to say,
"Big THUMBS UP to all the ConCom members who took the time and had the near-infinite patience to answer the same questions about the FairGrounds-vs-alternatives, over and over again."
-Alfredo
The fairgrounds don't approach being ideal for pretty much any indoor activity. The place wasn't built for it. It's best uses are for the county fair, gun shows, and the like.
I appreciate the dedication and skills of the ConCom and volunteers. They have, for the most part, done a wonderful job in the last two years. Let me clarify that. I only attended the last two years. I have been attending and to a lesser degree running cons since the early 70's.
Facilities are crucial to a con. Not having sleeping accommodations within reasonable distance will have significant dynamics on the social side of the Con. And no, I don't count tents or the stall that Bessie the blue ribbon sheep slept in last year as accommodations. I for one am to old to Live In The Middle Ages The Way They Should Have Been.
I agree that there are challenges to finding an ideal facility for the Con in Spokane.
I'm wasn't at the Sunday feedback session, but am not surprised to hear (read actually) that this topic came up.
jackmcgillis
Your turn Dave. I'll PM. And no, I won't be nasty.
We have spent (literally) years trying to find a good location for SpoCon. Is there one? Maybe. Is it the fairgrounds...? Maybe...
The convention center is great, with great amenities, near great restaurants and other activities...and they know it. We can not come close to affording it, unless we raise the admission to SpoCon to about $95 vs our current $35. Could we get 850+ people for that price...maybe, but not the same 850+ people we had this year (well about a quarter would still come).
We welcome your input and comments however. Thank you Jack for your comments. We want to hear from all the Fans because that is who we do this for! We don't do this (completely) for ourselves!! (I mean, sort of... but not completely!)
And thank you Alfredo for your confidence. We really have a lot of experienced people working on this project, and our newer folks are very intelligent and capable of critical thinking. We are striving to keep SpoCon fun and exciting while being affordable and welcoming to all of Fandom.
I too had an awesome time at SpoCon 2010!
jackmcgillis
I'd like to second what Dave was saying. Most every single hotel and convention area in the town has been looked at by SpoCon.
Convention Center Downtown? Sure, but we need a guarantee that over 1500+ people register for the con so we don't go into bankruptcy.
Red Lion (at the River on Washington)...omg YES, perfect right? Can we get over 500 people to book $140 rooms like they want? and still get the 1500+++ people to attend?
Spokane ... sad to say, sucks for low budget non-profit conventions of the "nerdy" genre. There are a few places that are cheaper, but they are too small, EVERYTHING else is too big and money grubbing corporations want more money than we bring in. It is not impossible, there is always the chance we will get a big guest that will bring more people, or somebody know's someone that makes one of those big corporations break all of the rules and gets us in for 25% of retail cost.
Whatever site we have, we WILL make it work. I have about the same feeling for the Fairgrounds as I did for Gonzaga the first year... I think it sucks too. However, ConCom and those involved will make it a great con.
However, the ConCom is the heart of SpoCon. While it makes everything go there is no way it can make the con happen on its own. The people, you, are the blood that makes this whole thing a functioning organism. Without your help, input, and POSITIVE energy, it dies. Nobody wants to see that.
If you are still upset over the new location and swear that one of the hotels or convention centers would work... do what I would do. Go down there and talk to their special events people, ask in a very generic manner how much it would cost to run a 24 hour, full weekend, 900 person convention. 900 x $30 (with volunteers, early, registration, etc. it probably averages out to less than this. Then factor in flying in guests, renting equipment, buying food, promotional material, donations to books since we are a charity... yeah, not much left over.
Anyways... ConCom meetings are still open to the public as far as I know, for those that want to help keep SpoCon alive.
I guess I'm missing something here. I know that the hotels will want room guarantees. Do you need all of the space at the Red Lion or the Doubletree? You certainly don't need all of the room at the convention center or the park next door. A Con this size would fit easily in the "Meeting Rooms" part of the convention center. There are issues with using the meeting rooms alone. Too small for some functions like the opening ceremony. There is a park across the river with a nice grassy knoll (a different grassy knoll than in Dallas) that would be suitable.
Have you tried to use the 501C(?) card? Do you have good references from Deer Park(?) and West Valley? Even the greedy corporations know about write offs. The convention center probably does have a similar scheme.
We do have at least one big name in Spokane. She was at 2010.
AngiKate
There have been a few things bothering me about this whole issue and I really don't think I can articulate them very well. First, we keep calling it a move to the "Fairgrounds" which automatically brings up connotations of animal auctions, hot tub salesmen, and overly greasy food. To my understanding it is also the Expo Center. Moving to the Expo Center doesn't sound too bad. There's AC, better control of the exhibition space, and the opportunity to expand our programming. I happen to think this could be a good idea, a good change, to expand Spocon without killing it due to budgetary constraints.
The biggest argument seems to be about accommodations. At GU, on site housing was in the dorm rooms. Most pros stayed at the hotels and used their shuttle system to get to and from the convention, if not their own cars. How is using a shuttle system to get to and from a convention at the Expo Center any different from traveling between the hotel and GU? This almost seems like a non-issue when put in this perspective.
Someone posited the idea that we should combine conventions in Spokane under the umbrella of Spocon. I love this idea. Otakucon's 2nd year had 500+ people and was held at SFCC. If they were willing to join us, that would help our situation tremendously. It would also improve our anime-based programming to more than just a viewing room. (I love anime fandom, and we're not going to attract more anime fans to our con if we only provide a viewing room. Give them full control of their programming track, some dealer space, and solid masquerade time and magic will happen.)
And lastly, the motto of Spocon is Are You Fan Enough? I don't think the challenges of holding our convention at the Expo Center are so dire that they will prevent the people from going who really want to go. I'm sorry to lose the people in our fandom who are physically or mentally unable to make the move with us, but I don't believe the con will die a painful death without them. To my understanding, we are doing everything we can to accommodate everyone's needs as best we can for the size that we are, which means that we will continue to grow and won't be at the Expo Center for long. I'm fan enough to make this move happen.
Big C Chris Snell
Excellent observation AngiKate.
We will be at the Expo Center. Right next to the Highland Games.
The ConCom looked at every venue we could; yes we would love to go straight to the Convention Center close to the Doubletree, but we can't afford Facilities to double in price.
The event formerly known as OtakuCon has a great group of people running it and we are discussing better cooperation in 2011 between the two events.
Hopefully with with communication and teamwork we can make 2011 a successful year and SpoCon will eventually be at the New Convention Center.
'Big C' Chris Snell
spocant
Otakucon only had 350 people attend...fyi
AngiKate
Otakucon had 350 the first year, and over 500 people at this year's event. Numbers from their homepage http://otakucon.com/