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I am really looking forward to this years convention. I know that Omaha has next years convention. Does anyone know who might be bidding on the 2018 convention?

 

Thanks

Mike

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Currently, there are five and we have to pick 2018 and 2019

 

Las Vegas, Chattanooga, San Marcos (Near San Antonio), Phoenix and Colorado

 

BTW, most of these are consortiums of a group of clubs

 

Dave

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I'd suggest we try somewhere new, like we are this year.

 

Vegas might have a good bid, but I would fear it might have too many "distractions" for some people (I would go)

Chattanooga has a fantastic facility (they have had their annual show there for years now)
The biggest question about San Antonio is this: Is the basement of the Alamo big enough for us? :smiley16:

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The American Institute of Chemical Engineers has had annual meetings in San Antonio, and the venue has been generally well liked by the members I talked to, though I wasn't able to attend them myself.

 

I've heard good things around here (western S Carolina) about the Chattanooga modelers and their contest, but it falls too close to Christmas for me to make another long trip to check it out personally (about 5 hours one way). They ran an "every model gets judged" and scored contest which is a nice change from the 1st-2nd-3rd place and everything else format. They're at the intersection of three interstate highways, so that's a plus for people wanting to drive there. There are also lots of touristy things to do in the area.

 

I love going to Phoenix (my best friend from high school lives there), but the downtown convention hotels are pricey. We also typically have to share the convention center with other events, because IPMS isn't a big enough show to take up the entire venue. It goes without saying that it will be toasty hot in the summer. I went to IPMS-Phoenix in 2010 and again in 2013 for the Waste Management Conference (same venue, hotels, etc). There are some decent affordable restaurants within easy walking distance of the convention center. If you don't mind walking a few blocks, you can get on the metro rail shuttle which can take you to more affordable hotels that are still within 1-2 miles of the downtown convention center. As I recall it also runs to the airport? The Phoenix folks have done two IPMS conventions in the past 15 years, so they have experience.

 

Never thought of Vegas as a haven for modelers but what do I know. It's been over 30 years since I've been there - all I know is that it's changed a lot. Not the sort of place I'd drive to, so the cost of flying in/out has to be considered.

 

Dave

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Currently, there are five and we have to pick 2018 and 2019

 

Las Vegas, Chattanooga, San Marcos (Near San Antonio), Phoenix and Colorado

 

BTW, most of these are consortiums of a group of clubs

 

Dave

 

Hummm, four in the west and one in the east. Any bets that they find a way to choose Chattanooga two years in a row?

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Chattanooga would be nice. Went to their local show a couple of years back and it was nice - a very well executed show. Very good venue, as well. The Tennessee aquarium is also a really great attraction to visit.

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Currently, there are five and we have to pick 2018 and 2019

 

Las Vegas, Chattanooga, San Marcos (Near San Antonio), Phoenix and Colorado

 

BTW, most of these are consortiums of a group of clubs

 

Dave

 

Hummm, four in the west and one in the east. Any bets that they find a way to choose Chattanooga two years in a row?

 

Yes. I would bet my life against it.

 

The two best will win just like every time before. And by that, the ones which will not lose money and give the best modeling experience to the society for the best price

 

Dave

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Interestingly, the current price difference in an airline ticket is about $200 on a round trip ticket. So airfare shouldn't be that much of a big deal. However for the west coasters, most of us could probably drive to Las Vegas and Phoenix. Perhaps even to Denver. That would be nice for a change!

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Even from Pensacola I could drive to Denver. Family in the OKC area make it an easy pit-stop at just past halfway.
Vegas and Phoenix would be by air unless I have a ton of time off.

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Even from Pensacola I could drive to Denver. Family in the OKC area make it an easy pit-stop at just past halfway.

Vegas and Phoenix would be by air unless I have a ton of time off.

 

I've driven from Denver to both Phoenix and Vegas. One more day is all.

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The first three of those have yet to host a Nats. This should be a very interesting bid session!

 

GIL :smiley16:

 

Thanks Gil. I was just being too lazy to go and look up who did what. :blush:

Phoenix would be nice as I could also visit a bunch of cousins, but since I use the Nats as a family vacation, and the IPMS pick places near "other sights", I'm pretty much good to go anywhere.

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Kevin, you brought up a good point. All of these locations are "Family" friendly. Just an FYI, Vegas has changed a lot over the years and there are now a lot of things for kids to do. There are a ton of kid friendly shows to see so don't be afraid to bring the Fam to Vegas if they get picked!

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Even from Pensacola I could drive to Denver. Family in the OKC area make it an easy pit-stop at just past halfway.

Vegas and Phoenix would be by air unless I have a ton of time off.

 

I've driven from Denver to both Phoenix and Vegas. One more day is all.

 

Loveland is 1542 miles

Phoenix is 1707 miles

Vegas is 1871 miles

 

Overall, Vegas is only 5 hours more from here than Loveland (2 more for Phoenix) so I guess it really doesn't matter that much. I'd tag-team and cross the desert at night anyway. I don't know that I can stand much more than 20 hours in a car at a time anymore, tho. Omaha is only 16 hours, a long but fairly easy day for me.

 

I just remember it seemed like an eternity from OKC to ABQ on 40, and another on to the grand canyon back in the late 70s

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Even from Pensacola I could drive to Denver. Family in the OKC area make it an easy pit-stop at just past halfway.

Vegas and Phoenix would be by air unless I have a ton of time off.

 

I've driven from Denver to both Phoenix and Vegas. One more day is all.

 

Loveland is 1542 miles

Phoenix is 1707 miles

Vegas is 1871 miles

 

Overall, Vegas is only 5 hours more from here than Loveland (2 more for Phoenix) so I guess it really doesn't matter that much. I'd tag-team and cross the desert at night anyway. I don't know that I can stand much more than 20 hours in a car at a time anymore, tho. Omaha is only 16 hours, a long but fairly easy day for me.

I just remember it seemed like an eternity from OKC to ABQ on 40, and another on to the grand canyon back in the late 70s

 

 

I gotta hand it to you guys that drive. I'm made exceptions but my limit is ~4 hours. Anymore than that and I fly. I have a sis in Pittsburgh, and I have no problem flying in rather than that 6 hr's in the car... BUt I don't wanna hijack the '18-19 convention thread to a driving thread... :smiley2:

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They're actually quite interrelated (driving and where the convention is held) Kev. The biggest shows have always been in locations where the highest amount of people can drive to the show. While you put your limit at 4 hrs, most people seem to use 8-10hrs as the cutoff. The importance of this isn't just the numbers attending a show, but also directly affects the number of entries. People who drive can transport more models than those who fly. Thus, the higher the number of drive-ins to a Nats, the more likely the contest entry numbers will be higher too.

 

This is one reason that the Eboard has tended to give shows to "central" locations such as Columbus, Atlanta, Va. Beach, and St. Louis in the past. But, as other discussions here have pointed out, the left coasters need to have something "driveable" for them every so often. Luckily, with their more distant locations, they tend to be willing to drive farther than we folks here back east to make a show out "west". I'm very glad to see 4 of the 5 bids are essentially "west", though they would be shows I'd have to fly to.

 

The western shows tend to be somewhat smaller as the number of people who do drive to them is still smaller than the shows in the mid-west and the east. But, that certainly doesn't diminish their quality, and I expect strong bids from many of those looking to host the Nats!

 

GIL :smiley16:

Edited by ghodges
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Gil, east coasters have a very common misconception of the West. They just don't get that California is about the same size and in some areas as densely populated as the eastern seaboard. 39 million people live within an 8 hour drive of Las Vegas and 22 million live less than 5 hours away. I feel like eastcoasters don't get those numbers. They think of the sparsly populated areas from the western Rockies to the Mississippi when they think of the west. California has some very rural areas but also has some very dense areas of population.

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Pete,

 

If you look at a population density map (try this one: https://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/maps/2010popdistribution.html)you see that while Los Angeles and San Francisco have a lot of people, the north east corner of the US has even more. LA has the 2nd largest population in the US, but 4 of the 5 biggest cities are in a narrow corridor between New York and Chicago. And because LA and SF are so dense, prices for everything are going to be higher.

 

That said, Phoenix is a prime spot for a Nats; you have to look at a map to see its drivable from LA, Las Vegas, Salt Lake and Albuquerque (and if you were a really hard core driver, SF and Denver). And its a Southwest Air hub for those coming from the east - I'm hoping they get one of the next slots. Denver was also a really nice Nats and I'd like to go back there, but it isn't really driving distance from anywhere...

 

Don

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Point taken Pete, and I'm fully aware of what you cited. The problem seems to be that your costs in those areas work against you. I missed the last 2 southern California shows (made Santa Clara), and would like to see one there again. However, if the clubs there can't come together to find a solution so as to put a bid together, it looks like y'all will have to keep driving to other hosts in the west.

 

GIL :smiley16:

Edited by ghodges
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Chattanooga put together a very good bid for the 2014 Nats and I would love to see them host one of these. I am pulling for the other convention to be a new location as well. Las Vegas has good connecting flight to most of the US and plenty of family activities - I read a much large portion of revenue now comes from families. I just wish the Society didn't seemingly make heat a prerequisite!

 

Columbia also put in a good bid in 2014 and I am looking forward to their show in a few days.

 

Charles Landrum

IPMS Tidewater

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The heat kind of comes from us going to warm weather locations in the summer which is their off season, which is cheaper.

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Pete,

 

If you look at a population density map (try this one: https://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/maps/2010popdistribution.html)you see that while Los Angeles and San Francisco have a lot of people, the north east corner of the US has even more. LA has the 2nd largest population in the US, but 4 of the 5 biggest cities are in a narrow corridor between New York and Chicago. And because LA and SF are so dense, prices for everything are going to be higher.

 

That said, Phoenix is a prime spot for a Nats; you have to look at a map to see its drivable from LA, Las Vegas, Salt Lake and Albuquerque (and if you were a really hard core driver, SF and Denver). And its a Southwest Air hub for those coming from the east - I'm hoping they get one of the next slots. Denver was also a really nice Nats and I'd like to go back there, but it isn't really driving distance from anywhere...

 

Don

 

Don, I appreciate your comment. Your link didn't take me anywhere so it seems to be down, but I would suggest that you are looking at city populations and not metropolitan areas. If you look at this link http://ryanhixenbaugh.com/PDF/Top%2050%20Metropolitan%20Statistical%20Areas.pdf I think you will see that population density in metropolitan areas suggests a far different picture. I would also suggest that the cost are no different in comparable area. For instance we never hold the convention in New York city because the cost is just plain ridiculously expensive. It you tried to do the same thing in down town LA or San Francisco you would find a similar issue.

 

I suspect success has a lot to do with attractions around the convention site. I think that is why Anaheim and Orlando were successful because of the family attractions. Make it a family event. I really hope that Las Vegas gets the nod for one of these. As I said that is an easy drive(4 to 7 hours) for almost all of California as well as the surrounding states and hotel rooms can be down right cheap, especially the Sunday through Wednesday venue that seems to be what we currently use. Right now the rooms in Vegas for the same time as the convention range from $50 for hotel/casino rooms to $150 for the high end resorts. Considering all the entertainment on the Strip within walking distance and this could be the least expensive convention ever.

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Point taken Pete, and I'm fully aware of what you cited. The problem seems to be that your costs in those areas work against you. I missed the last 2 southern California shows (made Santa Clara), and would like to see one there again. However, if the clubs there can't come together to find a solution so as to put a bid together, it looks like y'all will have to keep driving to other hosts in the west.

 

GIL :smiley16:

 

Gil you are quite right about costs, but I suspect that is more an issue of getting the clubs together. That has proven to be the real sticking point. As an aside, there are a lot of clubs in SoCal that are not IPMS and that divides up the modeler population significantly.

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