Where will Brickfest 08 be held?

Prince Imdol · Post by **Prince Imdol** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 5:45 pm

wunztwice wrote:Not being in an area where a massive LUG is possible (in other words, including any more than a couple builders other than my brothers) and having attended the most recent Brickfest in PDX I would love to have another there. NWBC is fine, and normally I could probably swing going any other fall than this one.

Multiple cons a year is fine, but two, maybe three seems like a nice cap. Any more just gets crazy and decreases the effect of the others.

BF PDX would be awesome again! I would be able to go if it's near the same as last year.

Your right. We don't want to have too many brickfests a year, as if we go to them too often.... they wont be considered as a "treat". Maybe Kansas City would be good, or Chicago. Some big place in the middle of the US would be good. (There aren't many places in the middle.)

P.I

Post by **JoshWedin** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 6:02 pm

wunztwice wrote:NWBC is fine, and normally I could probably swing going any other fall than this one.

Going a bit off-topic here, but I assume this means you aren't going? Bummer...I was hoping to see you and Thomas again.

Josh

wunztwice · Post by **wunztwice** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 7:17 pm

JoshWedin wrote:
wunztwice wrote:NWBC is fine, and normally I could probably swing going any other fall than this one.
Going a bit off-topic here, but I assume this means you aren't going? Bummer...I was hoping to see you and Thomas again.

Josh

Yeah...I have one more term of college, and it'll be BUSY! But, if we get BF PDX again in the spring I'll be there!

Prince Imdol · Post by **Prince Imdol** » Sun Sep 09, 2007 12:52 am

What about Boston for easy coasters. In the event of an east coast Brickfest, how would Boston, or NYC do? Phillie seems good as well.

P.I

plums_deify · Post by **plums_deify** » Sun Sep 09, 2007 1:49 am

The other option is that if you want a con in you area or any other area, then plan it. Seriously.

It takes a LOT of time, money, patience, people, and support to do this. NWBC started out very small, and I can assure you, it takes a lot to plan it and execute it. SEALUG is already planning for 2008 and 2009, and the 2007 con isn't even over yet.

Not everyone is up to planning a con, but if you want one, then there you go. Plan it.

Prince Imdol · Post by **Prince Imdol** » Sun Sep 09, 2007 1:52 am

Considering I am only 14, that would be very hard to do. Maybe just a small con for MA. I think I will try to give a shot it it.

P.I

The Blue Knight · Post by **The Blue Knight** » Mon Sep 10, 2007 5:37 pm

There is a myth that the geographic "middle of the country" is the best place because it's closest to everyone. The reality of our society is that the geographic center isn't the center in any other way. Lincoln Nebraska doesn't have a convention center, or cheap near by hotel rooms, or the allure of an interesting city. Neither do any of the "center of the country" locales.

In terms of travel, lodging and cost, Las Vegas is the "center." The rates for air travel and hotels are unmatched in Vegas. There are dozens and dozens of places to stage conventions, hotel rooms are a dime a dozen (unless you want a fancy pants place), and a buffet line at your hotel make food pretty cheap too (each hotel has at least one. Sometimes they are free with your rent).

The reality is that for each con there are going to be some of us who are inconvenienced by the location. Oh well, wait a few months and there will be one closer for you. The other option is to stage your own. That is a much more difficult row to hoe. I would recommend that anyone wanting to go just pick a con and plan for it.

I will go to 2 cons this year, and I am taxed for building time. For NWBC this year I have very little new, and I'm going as Caitlin said for the chance to catch up with friends.

Post by **SavaTheAggie** » Mon Sep 10, 2007 5:45 pm

The Blue Knight wrote:There is a myth that the geographic "middle of the country" is the best place because it's closest to everyone. The reality of our society is that the geographic center isn't the center in any other way. Lincoln Nebraska doesn't have a convention center, or cheap near by hotel rooms, or the allure of an interesting city. Neither do any of the "center of the country" locales.

In terms of travel, lodging and cost, Las Vegas is the "center." The rates for air travel and hotels are unmatched in Vegas. There are dozens and dozens of places to stage conventions, hotel rooms are a dime a dozen (unless you want a fancy pants place), and a buffet line at your hotel make food pretty cheap too (each hotel has at least one. Sometimes they are free with your rent).

The reality is that for each con there are going to be some of us who are inconvenienced by the location. Oh well, wait a few months and there will be one closer for you. The other option is to stage your own. That is a much more difficult row to hoe. I would recommend that anyone wanting to go just pick a con and plan for it.

I will go to 2 cons this year, and I am taxed for building time. For NWBC this year I have very little new, and I'm going as Caitlin said for the chance to catch up with friends.

I laugh at your assumption that Vegas is the middle of anywhere. When you remove air travel, Los Vegas is in the middle of nowhere, and you would be surprised at just how many people drive to these events, simply because flying is not an option to transport their gigantic creations intact.

I also laugh at your assumption that geographically centrally located cities lack "a convention center, or cheap near by hotel rooms, or the allure of an interesting city." I would imagine the citizens of Chicago, St. Louis, Nashville, Dallas, and the hundreds of cities in the geographical center of the US would have serious issues with that. Brickfest in Arlington was held at George Mason University, not a convention center, and it was very successful, and most large hotels (of which most metropolitan cities have three or more) have large meeting halls that would be sufficiant. And to say any of those cities lack the 'allure of an interesting city' displays your lack of imagination and cultural awareness.

--Tony

The Blue Knight · Post by **The Blue Knight** » Mon Sep 10, 2007 6:57 pm

I'm posting this from my CrackBerry so I can't quote passages.

Anyway, Tony, I find your "I laugh at..." Comments surprisingly condesending. Then you assert that I lack imagination and cultural awareness. Admin or no, that's downright rude, not to mention false. I'm at work now but I'll respond more fully tonight. For now I'll say that you are free to disagree with me, but you have no call to attempt to belittle me because you disagree with me. I respect your opinion, and I would expect a person in your postion to respect mine. More later.

Post by **SavaTheAggie** » Mon Sep 10, 2007 8:18 pm

The Blue Knight wrote:I'm posting this from my CrackBerry so I can't quote passages.

Anyway, Tony, I find your "I laugh at..." Comments surprisingly condesending. Then you assert that I lack imagination and cultural awareness. Admin or no, that's downright rude, not to mention false. I'm at work now but I'll respond more fully tonight. For now I'll say that you are free to disagree with me, but you have no call to attempt to belittle me because you disagree with me. I respect your opinion, and I would expect a person in your postion to respect mine. More later.

You assert that centrally located cities lack "a convention center, or cheap near by hotel rooms, or the allure of an interesting city." This is categorically false. I stand behind my statements and opinions, as you do not seem to know the facts concerning the great cities your blanket statement includes.

However, you aren't going to change my opinion just as I will never change yours, so I would submit that we end this argument before it begins. If you feel you must defend your position then I suggest that we use private messages as to not clutter the forums.

--Tony

The Blue Knight · Post by **The Blue Knight** » Tue Sep 11, 2007 10:54 am

Okaaay...you are PM'ed.

Back on topic, I didn't mean to offend anyone. If I did I am dreadfully sorry. By "centrally located" I was being tongue-in-cheek (like most of my posts if you haven't noticed) about the tiny towns in south central Oklahoma that are commonly called the geographic center of the nation. Wide spots in the road with 500 or less people. I didn't mean Chicago or Nashville, be real! In fact, I got to go to Nashville in 2000 for a convention and stay in the Grand Ole Opry Hotel. It was great, my company arranged for a speech from Colin Powell, and a private concert by Elton John to offset all the convention boringness. I had a very good time. Too short really, I wanted to divert to Graceland...

It really wouldn't matter about the sight seeing/carousing opportunities, because I'd be engrossed in the con. I doubt I would want to get out and around. All we of-legal-age-types need is a close watering hole. For NWBC I am bringing the Lange clan (with kidlets) so I won't even need that this time.

Later this month I will be back in Vegas for a boring convention that I will be eager to be distracted from (woohoo!). Enough about other conventions. I'll see some of you in Seattle in a few weeks.

Prince Imdol · Post by **Prince Imdol** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 9:28 pm

Stay on topic please.....

Tony, I found your post a little....... mean in some ways. The Blue Knight was just saying a good fact. Las (Its not Los Tony) Vegas is a good place. There are better places though. (Boston

)

I don't think traveling to the middle of Kansas (No-where) is necessary. Chicago was great, and maybe that area of states would be great as well.

P.I

Russell844 · Post by **Russell844** » Tue Sep 18, 2007 4:08 am

[/quote]I'd love to see something up here in Northern California; the mid-northern Bay Area (mainly San Francisco/Oakland) is close enough for me; I could also see going to the south bay (think San Jose); or even Sacramento or Stockton at a stretch. But realistically, what we've got now works well enough. It would be nice to have a more centralized event for most of the country though.... Perhaps Brickfest could find a new home in the middle states?[/quote]

I'm probably sticking my foot in my mouth, but I am probably going to organize a LEGO convention the San Francisco Bay Area for 2009. I already have the support from some fairly prominent people.

Russell
Bay Area LEGO Users Group

Shadowviking · Post by **Shadowviking** » Tue Sep 18, 2007 1:07 pm

But if we have it in Vegas, we can't bring any PAB or loot home! Because what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas!

Ow, was that shoe entirely necessary?

Prince Imdol · Post by **Prince Imdol** » Tue Sep 18, 2007 2:45 pm

I guess we all agree that brickfest should not be in Oregon, because most people do not live there, in that..... place which is too far away. I think mid-states are a great place for any cons to be held.

P.I