NATS returning to florida?
 

Ok, first of all, this is NOT about this years nationals, it is about next year, or some time in the future.

Well, my uncle was the Director of Golf for Disney, and due to recent layoffs, he is now the Director of all Sports for Disney. My dad was talking to him recently, and said "It looks like we won't see you this april, the robotics championship is not as Disney this year." So my uncle said "Hey, is that the same as FIRST?" And eventually he told my dad that Disney is thinking about building a permenent fixture to hold the FIRST nationals at. He told us that it cost 3 million dollars just to tear it down and put it up each year, and if they build a permenant structure, that would save them money. So, if this goes through, we might be back at Orlando in the coming years.

Now, they are only talking about it, nothing for sure yet, but I hadn't thought that Nats might move back to Disney in the future, so it was good news to me. Anyway, as soon as my dad told me about this, I knew I had to tell everyone at ChiefDelphi about it :)

Stephen

Wow, that's a lot of money going into that permanent structure. However, it doesn't seem likely that it will happen. Disney is not an organization to expand young people's minds towards engineering and technical fields. Plus, it'd not be used for 392 days of the year. I'm not disagreeing that it'd be awesome to go back to Disney, just that Disney really isn't affiliated with FIRST that strongly.

IF they did build something, they wouldn't shut it down for 300 days of the year. That's alot of money spent to just leave it dormant all year. They'd make it so it was useable by many different things ... including a large FIRST championship.

FIRST returning to WDW next year is likely, since most people are pissed about it being at Huston except the 'lucky' people who live there. But $3 mill is huge. I'll ask around, but I doubt that it costs that much to build and tear down. To man and to do other things, possible, but not just construction and de-construction.

As for a perminent facility, um, they still have the Wide World of Sports complex that is rarely used and has many staduims, arenas, open-areas, transportation, and food.

That number is right. FIRST has sent their operating expenses report out to teams before and thats what it said. I've seen it myself. Disney ain't cheap. and neither at the regionals. Those are pressing $1M and up.

I think Disney would do it, if they could get some type of TV show out of it. Maybe something like that show Bug Juice, something where they would follow different FIRST teams around and make a show out of it.

They could possibly use the facility as a exhibit where people could come and see the "Stadium where the FIRST TV show is filmed". They could possibly have robots there where visitors could drive them around in a fun little competition.

I think that would be a interesting bizz proposal, it would also expand what FIRST stands for to ALOT more people and @ a younger age. And common, who doesn't want their own TV show...:D

I have always wondered why Disney didn't hold the competition in the Wide World of Sports Arena. I am sure it is big enough, and it is still on-site.

No, disney is not an organization "to expand young people's minds," but they are a company trying to get money. I don't know how much money Disney has made in the past off of FIRST, but if they could reduce the $3 million setup charge, they would make even more. And trust me, they would use the facility for other things year round, they would not limit it to FIRST.

Now, this is all in the preliminary stage like I said, but even if it doesn't go through, it shows me that Disney is still interested in FIRST, and we might be back there in future years.

Stephen

Maybe....
 

Maybe Disney will announce that the reason for not hosting Nationals this year is so they can take a break and collect funds with FIRST to build or fund this structure? This might also be why some of the regionals have been "scaled down". To me this sounds like a reasonable answer....

I guess we shall just have to wait and see.

:)

A permanent structure to house temporary events exists at Walt Disney World - and it's already been named.

Michael Eisner's Wide World of Sports. It's been a dismal failure. Most people don't even know it exists.

There is an indoor facility there. I don't know its square footage, but it's smaller than the pit tents, I believe. But that, coupled with a few additional tents, might work.

I doubt the Event Village is a $3M investment. That's a capital expenditure that would show up in documentation *somewhere*. You can't spend that kind of money without being accountable in writing to someone, so if that number exists, we should be able to find it in writing. . . somewhere. Overall, however, after everything is said and done, $3M may be a figure used to account for all costs involved (wages, event village, food services, infrastructure, transportation, party), however.

A barebones regional starts at approximately $200,000. You'd be hard pressed to add an additional $800,000 worth of expenses to that. . .unless you folks get gold-plated hamburgers at your regionals.

Psst. There are only 365 days in a year, unless I'm getting swindled out of that 13th month.

Gee- maybe they will build the facility with the profits from the Disney FIRST movie they are supposedly making?

We haven't heard anything on that either.

I think we can say bye bye to Mickey for some time to come.

Maybe Houston will be just what FIRST needs. I'm looking forward to it. I just wish somebody would tell us something concrete so we can make plans.

WC

Yeah I wish we heard something about that movie,

I wanna go to hawii, that would be a great place for nats.

Curse you Smarch!

Ahem, in all seriousness, I would seriously doubt that Disney would build a permanent structure to house FIRST. It'd be a rather expensive undertaking, and what guarantee would there be that FIRST wouldn't outgrow it? Considering how quickly FIRST is growing, the place would have to recoup the contruction costs in 5 years or so. I dunno. I just don't see it as being an especially profitable venture for Disney.

Just my 2 cents, though.

Disney is a evil corp. anyway

Not necessarily true...

Most "corp" are out to make money...Just how society is.

I grew up basically going to Disney 5 or more times a year...
I don't find it evil at all...

DISNEY=NOT EVIL. As a matter of fact I especially like Disney and I swear it has nothing to do withthe fact that I am a shareholder;). But as neat as it would be to have our own little FIRST building in which htye could have displays of what FIRST and Dean are about, It is highly unlikely they would build us such a place. Even if it would be cheaper in the long run.

Hmmm sure, its not evil


Read: FAST FOOD NATION

I still arg about Disney being evil. I don't care what a book says. Esiner, well, he's evil. He's down right 666ish. But Walt, well, he had good intentions. The only Disney haters I know are prechers who think that Disney is corrupting the minds of the youth and that one cracker guy who also hates Starbucks.

And Wide World of Sports will probably host it. It's gated, so they could charge admission.

It seems most people are pissed that nationals are not in Disney. I look at it as a very good thing. Disney never seemed too keen on promoting the nationals while I am sure while it is Houston there will be a lot of promotions to let people know it is there. Commercials on TV, radio, hey perhaps even billboards. I think the word will get out better and help make FIRST grow faster.

So you think a city that is straped for funds and has people complaining that not enough money is spent on this and that will advertise the Nats over a media giant?

Honestly, I don't think either venue does anything to support the event in the form of advertisement. I don't think they will, either.

But, it's all conjecture really. I haven't seen their advertising budgets, and I don't care to, really.

Disney offers one advantage over Houston in this regard, however. Leisure time. People at Walt Disney World are on vacation and may be more likely to amble over to our little village and check what's going on. Someone driving home from along the interstate is probably just a tad less likely to get off at the next exit, trek into the Astrodome complex, and take a gander.

With that said, though, I'm not really certain how many people stop by the event who don't have something invested in it to begin with. In 2000, my family travelled to Walt Disney World at the same time as Nationals. They wouldn't, however, travel to Houston for the same thing.

I disagree
 

Really? I don't agree. Many people are rejoicing. People have been harping to FIRST for years that the Epcot venue is not good, and we would like them to investigate a new Championships venue.

I am guessing that our team will save anywhere from $4-8,000 this year from not going to WDW.


Andy B.

Back to how much Disney has spent, the term "six-figure village" came up frequently at the team forum, which would imply a cost of under 1 million.

Disney is a company made to inspire and expand imagination. I could see them putting up a permanent structure for us. Our program seems to fit their mission statement.

Will we go back to Orlando?

Probably in my opinion

Will it be because Disney is some sort of great organization with a mission statement?

Probably not- it will be a business decision in the best interest of both Disney and FIRST.

What amazes me is that FIRST hasn't arranged for the Nationals five years in advance and that it took them to this past week to get their premier event finalized. They should already know where the 2006 event will be. I thought engineers were supposed to be sticklers for details about things like this? Hopefully this year taught someone a lesson and they will plan much farther in advance for the future.

WC