Re: Will nationals ever be back in Disney?
 

Dang, I sure hope so!

Re: Will nationals ever be back in Disney?
 

I can't believe only one person has suggested Anaheim. ChrisH knows what he's talking about. Come on all you west coast teams, represent! :) 80% of the US population can fly to Atlanta in 2 hours eh? That other 20% is the west coast. I think Nationals out west is a great idea. Switch things up a little, lesson the costs and the jetlag for teams who've paid more and slept less in every year of national competition (unless the championship was out west long ago, was it?). Disneyland and the Anaheim Convention Center would be a great combination if FIRST could get Disney to open a back door to DCA and get a pedway across Ketalla Avenue for easy access to both Disney and FIRST venues. I even made a visual aid to show how easy it would be:



I think that's all the evidence needed to prove that Anaheim is the best possible location for a championship competition in the coming years. Go west, young league, go west.

Oh, I'm glad to hear Atlanta's improving over last year. Now with that aquarium they'll have... 2 'eums' to entertain high school students for 3-5 nights? And we all know good things don't end with eum... I loved Championships at Atlanta last year because of the terrific venue (where else are you going to find an indoor football stadium connected to a convention center?) but Atlanta is a terrible city to find nightly entertainment in if you're traveling there with a team of high school students. It does have a beautiful skyline though, and I do want to check out the new aquarium. It sounds cool. We'll have to go next year. I'll let the team know. :)

Re: Will nationals ever be back in Disney?
 

I wish they all could be California,
I wish they all could be California... etc!

Great idea. I did suggest (coughing modestly) moving the So Cal regional to Anaheim.

Let's see, what is there to do in the greater LA/OC area compared to Atlanta?

It's not a difficult choice, is it?

Re: Will nationals ever be back in Disney?
 

As a long time Atlanta area resident, I would love to have a beach close by but obviously that will never be the case. There is no doubt that So. Cal. has great beaches. However, you will need transportation to get there. From the Anaheim Convention Center to what I believe are the nearest beaches, Newport or Huntington, it is 16-17 miles.

While we can’t compete with the across the street Disney park we do have an amusement park that teenagers and others enjoy. From the Georgia Dome to Six Flags over Georgia is 12 miles. I think that the traffic problems of each city are about equal having driven in both. Atlanta does have a very good rapid transit rail service in Marta that delivers you right to the GA Dome. I don’t know what the Anaheim area offers.

The Atlanta Braves will be in town on Championship weekend vs Philadelphia.

As far as food costs at the GA Dome, without a doubt they are way overpriced but I believe comparable to other major venues. However, if you just walk about 3-4 minutes to the CNN Center, you will find a massive food court with many lower priced items and a much better selection.

Hopefully the pits will be less of an issue or perhaps a non-issue beginning this year. This year the pits will be located in building C which is directly across from the GA Dome. See the attachment below.

As others have stated, there are not an abundance of activities in downtown Atlanta for visitors to do but that is being addressed. Perhaps the high school students don’t care much about a world class aquarium (late 2005) as a previous post mentioned. It will be right there with the World of Coke, Centennial Olympic Park and the CNN Center / GWCC. I think that most attendees from last year will state what a great party was had at the park. Many downtown hotels are right there also or only a short walk away. Atlanta does have great nighttime entertainment but you have to get on the Marta rail to get to it.

As far as meeting and convention space goes between the two sights:

The Georgia Dome has 102,000 sq. ft. on the field. The Anaheim Convention Center has 28,140 sq. ft. on the floor. Can the ACC accommodate 4-6 First playing fields? I do not know but look at the numbers.

The Georgia World Congress Center has 3.9 million sq. ft. of space while the Anaheim Exhibit Halls have 813,607 sq. ft. Obviously the growing needs of First can be met by the GWCC in the future.

As stated in another post, where are you going to find an indoor football stadium connected to a convention center?

I don't know if WDW in Orlando can ever host the event again and I am sorry I did not get to attend it. I certainly understand the feelings of other people here who had a great time there in the past. That area is no doubt a lot of fun!

No I don’t work for the convention bureau; I just enjoy promoting what the city can offer to First Robotics and obviously am happy to have The Championships close by. If another city gets the event in 2007 and beyond our team will be there when eligible, because First Robotics is just so much fun. I think we all can agree on that. :)

Re: Will nationals ever be back in Disney?
 

If we go out west, the only true place to do it is the Alameda Naval base, but I hear that there are too many nuclear wessles there ;)

Re: Will nationals ever be back in Disney?
 

My apologies to dangerous Dave. I was having some fun. That pier is where I grew up: Huntington Beach.

I've been at conventions all over the country. There aren't many places that have the facilities that I think you need for the Championships. Since I haven't been to one yet, what is required? Do you need sports-stadium seating for all the fields, or do they bring in bleacher sections and use a convention center? If you need stadium seats, that would really reduce the available locations.

Interestingly, to me anyway, one of the facilities that might offer enough space for that many stadiums is the Portland convention complex. Between the Rose Garden Arena and Memorial Coliseum, and the Oregon State Convention Center there is lots of room. They are all in the same neighborhood, which also has lots of hotels. It's not the World Congress Center, but it's pretty big.

Re: Will nationals ever be back in Disney?
 

Rick, You have no need to apologize. You were just stating where you would like to have the Championships! It is extremely unlikely that this thread will influence anyone that is making the decisions for 2007 and beyond but it is fun to promote each of our preferences!

Re: Will nationals ever be back in Disney?
 

I personally think that there's a chance FIRST will go back to Disney in the future (hopefully near future, Disney was great). I don't think it was an issue of us outgrowing the facilities, I think it was simply a matter of how expensive it was. If you think about it, the turf, the tents, the air conditioning in the tents, the stage, all the stands, the bathrooms, the food, ect. It just seems like it probably got really really pricey. I loved Disney, it was like our own little niche. Not to mention, its Disney World, how can you not love Dinsey World? Atlanta is good too, but personally I hope we head back to Disney...

Re: Will nationals ever be back in Disney?
 

I thought disney was awsome for nationals! I so wish it went back to being the host of nationals. yes i still liek atlanta and all, but i thoguht nationals bring at Disney was awsome. It was much more opener and bigger and plus it was outside (well at least the seatings and the einstein field). The team social was also cool too having it be at epcot and stuff, and our team would have a whole day (sunday) to go tot he parks, etc and do whatever cuz of course its Disney! haha

Re: Will nationals ever be back in Disney?
 

Atlanta should improve this year... pits will be closer to the game fields and more doors will be open into the georgia dome. Being from an atlanta are school, we really like it hear. Having heard rumors from trusted sources I think nationals will probably be held in atlanta for five or more years