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Originally Posted by Roger
Probably more bonus points if it isn’t snowing.
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Welp, there goes Buckeye!
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Originally Posted by Grim Tuesday
Not to mention that anywhere without Jon Darr just can't be as good as Fingerlakes. We might go to Buckeye and see how it compares.
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This guy. I had the chance to take a high school program at a community college that he taught, and also served about a year in his Civil Air Patrol squadron. He's a great guy, and is always passionate when it comes to announcing matches.
Cleveland has been clawing its way up in terms of tourism attractiveness. The hotels located smack dab in the middle of downtown Cleveland are generally nice (I recommend the Embassy Suites, though they can be a bit pricey since high-status people use them often).
The pit areas have been generous in most years, giving about 10x10 on average. We have a full indoor machine shop within a minute walk (or thirty, depending on how many people are crowding the walkway) from the pits. In that same area, there's also a nice-sized space where a practice field or field elements are setup. Power is a standard power strip, which has never failed us (and we used to add another strip ourselves). WiFi is hit-or-miss. Coverage is spotty, and when you can log on, it's usually mind-freezing slow. Even the Ethernet connection for the webcasts and FMS Twitter stream is unreliable. You're better off having a Verizon 4G hotspot available (not T-Mobile or Sprint).
Team spirit is definitely present most years I've gone. Your usual blend of mascots dancing, weird drive team hats, and chants throughout Friday and Saturday. Can't beat the mascot dance line on Saturdays!
Food in the venue is OK. The selection is your usual college sports fare: Hot dogs, nachos, pretzels. Prices are about what you'd expect, maybe a little less. Within a few blocks of the arena, there's a Marco's pizza, Subway, another pizza place, and some sort of Mexican food spot. With the stadium being pretty much minutes from the heart of Cleveland, though, your options expand with little added time. Winking Lizard, Hard Rock Cafe, Tilted Kilt, Charley's Subs, and tons more, along with the usual suspects (McDonald's, Arby's, Asian places, etc). Hop on the freeway for a few minutes and you'll hit the Steelyard Commons, where there's even more choices, including Chipotle and Steak N Shake.
On your off-time, there's plenty to see and do. Visit the Cleveland Public Library. The Great Lakes Science Center or Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (whichever one they aren't using for the social this season). A three-story indoor underground mall with a movie theater.