Alright with all this talk about holding Nationals in Houston, Ive considered the possiblitles of where they could hold it. I even bieng a Housonian am still skeptical of it bieng in Houston, but I probably would be the most happiest if it was there.
Thinking about the connections with FIRST and Houston there are two major possibilitles. The two connections are one that they have been holding the Lone Star Regional at Relaiant Arena in Relaint Park, and the other one is NASA.
Here is an arial shot of the area at EPCOT where they hold nationals.
EPCOT Center. Its the parking lot in the far right that appearst to be empty except for some tents. I dont know if this is FIRST or some other event. This picture was taken in 1999 so i have no clue. This gives you a perspective of the size of land that FIRST needs to build its complex.
The first possiblity with Reliant park is having it in this huge complex.
Relaint Park
This picture is zoomed out to get a big picture of the complex.
There were large parking lots surrounding the Astrodome and and Arena and Hall complexes in this picture, I know now there is a huge football stadium and new confrence center there and that the parking lot space has been severly cut down but i think the space maybe there. Considering that Football season would be over and baseball is heald at The BallPark at Union Station(i refuse to accept Minute Maid Park) I think this is a possibility. I wonder about having the Playing fields in Relaint Stadium or the Astrodome. And maybe buliding a big tent for the pits. I think that would work. This would be nice becase the facilitles for the playing fields would already be air conditioned. But then we would loose the grandeur of having a single Einstien Field. Also these stadiums are huge complexes with the capaicity of three to four times the amount of people invloved wiht Nationals and then it may seem kinda empty. Also the Acoustics of having eveyone in one closed stadium would be kind of intersting. There is also a possiblity of building a nationals like complex there and that would work too. Lodging and Transportation wouldnt be that bad, Metro busses could be arranged, and becuase its by not only a major sports facility, its by the Texas Medical Center and there are plenty of rooms and places to treat those unfortunate not so close calls in the pits. Entertainment could be AstroWorld.... for one night, then after that I dont know.
Then the other possiblity is NASA. Considering the partnership NASA and FIRST share it seems to be possible. This would be really cool for 118 considering that nationals would be in our back yard. NASA/JSC provides our engieers and we work onsite on NASA facilites. In previous years we worked actaully there in the shutttle mockup facility. Also the three high schools that make up our team Surround NASA and NASA is Right in the middle of CCISD our school district. Then again it would be kind of sad if we didnt qualify considering it is an Odd Team year.
This is an arial shot.
NASA/JSC
Having it here we could bulid a complex just like nationals. There is a huge field where you could build it. But here its out in the open and if it rains weather would be a problem. The big problem would be security. To get to this field you have to actually get through security and that would be a huge problem for 15,000 people. Maybe if they fence off this area it may work. The area would be nice becuase it is in the shadow of old Rockets. If you look closely and zoom in you can see the Saturn V rocket. Teams could alos tour the inner workings of NASA like Mission Control and Building 9, the building that holds full sized mockups of the shuttle used for training, that place where we worked for a few years. Parking maybe a problem, teams may have to park at Space Center Houson, the visitor center at the bottom of the picture with the big white parking lots and take trams to the event site. Teams with the machine shop trucks may have to take an extra step and get a security pass and park out on the field. The team party could be heald at Space Center Houson. Wich would be nice. After hours entertainment is alittle thin. There is a Starbucks across the street. Also a Shipley's Doughnuts(for those of you who think Krispy Kreme doughnuts are the best in the world you can taste what many Texans consider the best doughnuts,10x better)(but for those who insit on Krispy Kreme and dont want to try the real deal, there is one nearby) A really nice mall and movie theater nearby. I doubt lodging maybe a problem. Just have to arrange busses to go from hotels to the event site, nothing new there. I think NASA TV is based there so that would be convineietnt. Would would be nice is that all the major TV stations and the AP have trailors at NASA for covering events, becuse it is easier for them to cover it it we may get alittle more publicity.
Me and my friend Josh, have always dreamed about nationals bieng in Houson. Finally it maybe coming true. In Joking around we actaully thought up plans for it bieng here. Im not saying this is how it will be or that I am really conviced Nationals will be in Houson. I felt it would be nice to tell you guys how it may unfold becuse we have done alot of thinking about this.
Also one two more things. The
Best Robotics Championship is heald at texas a&m university (aggies(12-0,48-47)
) which is 1.5 hours away from houson, having it in Houson, and that bieng there would be intersting. May convice those ags to convert some Best teams To FIRST teams. Also George Bush lives near Houson, and Jeb Bush was at nationals last year. We maybe able to get George W. this year and George here and maybe get more publicity. Also becuase of what seems likes Dean's Connecton with them may help us, esp if we hold our events close to them(Florida and Texas). Just some more thoughts
Chris
One of the two radio toting, Leatherman carrying, webpage designing, EE majoring, FIRST junkies on 118's college student Alumni team.
10/18/02 