Let's talk about venues...

[Steven Donow]

So, with event info slowly coming out, I figure it's appropriate to discuss/gather opinions about venues.

What's the best venue you've been to?
What matters in a venue (ie. size, 'glam', accessibility, etc...)?


Also, the main question I'm wondering about, with the further shift to districts, should a lesser 'production quality' of an even be expected at the region/district/state championship?

[Thad House]

Best venue I have been to is the Memorial Coliseum here in Portland. Its a basketball court with a conference hall about 100 feet away from the floor. So we have the pits in that separate room, and the field sits right in the middle of the court with tons of visibility and seating around the entire thing. During Eliminations, all 24 teams bring the pits out to the field and sit around the outside because there is enough room.

What matters too me is that there is good spectator room and visibility, and pedestrian access from the pits to the stands is not super long. That's the biggest problem with worlds is that the pedestrian walk is really long compared to the robot walk.

[AllenGregoryIV]

My favorite is Goerge R. Brown here in Houston where Lone Star is held. The pit area is big enough for 64+ teams to all have a corner pit. The pits are setup in blocks of 4 which makes it really easy to navigate and limits congestion. The stands are pretty big and no one sits behind the scoring table so the VIPs/Speakers have a pretty easy task of looking at the two sections of the bleachers and don't have to turn around at all. Discovery Green is right outside and a great place to eat lunch with your team.

[sanddrag]

Air conditioning...

Usually it's not a choice though

[cadandcookies]

Originally Posted by sanddrag

Air conditioning...

Usually it's not a choice though

We had a couple of years of MSHSL where there was no air conditioning in Williams arena-- it was brutal.

During the regular season in MN we tend to hope for heating though...

[BigJ]

I haven't been to a lot of venues (7 by my count, 10 if you count offseasons) but my favorite is the UIC Pavilion in Chicago (Midwest Regional) followed by the DECC in Duluth.

What makes the UIC Pavilion awesome? Let me count the ways:

Bathroom and bubbler (yes, bubbler) are a straight shot up the stairs from the pits
Stadium seating goes down to ground level giving you a nice sitting area and alternate entrance/exit if you happen to have a pit on the edge
Large screen at the back of the Pavilion shows the house stream so you can watch alliance selections and other stuff from the pit
One of the house vendors actually sells good food! (the one of to the right when you enter the main doors)

I'm gonna miss it

Duluth is awesome because of the skywalk system between all the hotels and the DECC. They also had a drink/snack vendor in our hall of pits in 2013. The super high seating in the arena leaves a little to be desired but as I'm normally in the pit it doesn't bother me much. You also get to watch curling!

The venues I've been to include:
U.S. Cellular Arena (Milwaukee, being renamed I believe. The circus seems to come to the venue every single eyar 1-2 weeks before the regional leaving a lingering animal smell in the side halls )
UIC Pavilion (Chicago)
One of the Twin Cities venues (wherever North Star was in 2010)
The venue at Pitt (3 flights of stairs between the pits and where we sat in the stands. Not one of my favorites! )
The DECC (Duluth)
Champs in Atlanta (GWCC/GeorgiaDome)
Champs in St. Louis (Edward Jones Dome/America's Center)

[Oblarg]

Best venue, easily, was the Naval Academy, back when the Chesapeake regional was there. It's a shame that they moved it. Annapolis is such a nice town.

[RoboMom]

Originally Posted by Oblarg

Best venue, easily, was the Naval Academy, back when the Chesapeake regional was there. It's a shame that they moved it. Annapolis is such a nice town.

I think we all miss leaky creaky Halsey Field House back in the day. However they renovated Halsey making it no longer an option with the space needed. But such great memories and so many stories.

We do continue to have FIRST events on the Yard. We will be having at least 2 days of FTC competitions this year and had a lot of mids helping last year. And just like I did for 5 years of helping with the Chesapeake Regional, I still get a room above Chick and Ruth's deli on Main St.

[orangemoore]

Originally Posted by BigJ

I haven't been to a lot of venues (7 by my count, 10 if you count offseasons) but my favorite is the UIC Pavilion in Chicago (Midwest Regional)...

I do agree but my opinion is biased since I have only been to 4 venues. And I've been the UIC Pavilion the most.

[BBray_T1296]

Originally Posted by sanddrag

Air conditioning...

At the Oklahoma Regional they hold the regional on the floor where ice hockey is played. Because of the expense of melting/relaying the ice, they keep it there and instead roll a big tarp out to cover it. The refrigerator is still running of course, to keep the ice solid beneath our feet. Needless to say it is a bit chilly on the field

[thatprogrammer]

Orlando is my favorite. Really feels like a big school event when you're on a real college sports floor!

[MARS_James]

Originally Posted by thatprogrammer

Orlando is myf avorite. Really feels like a big school event when you`re on a real college sports floor!

To echo this Orlando has so much that is great about it. Parking is awesome, food is plentiful and cheap, so much open space just outside the arena, plus it is in Orlando just think of the team bonding options.

To get into more details it is held in the CFE(formerly UCF) Arena which has a capacity of just under 10,000. The pits are in the old UCF Arena (Which used to host the event) which is connected to the new arena for very easy access. Because the pits are in the old arena there is plenty of space and congestion is not to big of an issue. The field utilizes both the jumbo screen that most regionals have as well as utilizing the jumbo displays used at the basketball games meaning during eliminations (when we are all stuck behind the curtain) you can still clearly see the matches going on. The seating is also interesting as the seats that have the best view of the field are standard seats so if your team arrives late and is stuck behind an alliance station wall you have the luxury of sitting in the comfy padded premium seats.

Orlando/Florida was my first FIRST competition so it holds a special place in my heart and I do love the constant stream of fresh new teams attending every year.

[thatprogrammer]

Originally Posted by MARS_James

To echo this Orlando has so much that is great about it. Parking is awesome, food is plentiful and cheap, so much open space just outside the arena, plus it is in Orlando just think of the team bonding options.

To get into more details it is held in the CFE(formerly UCF) Arena which has a capacity of just under 10,000. The pits are in the old UCF Arena (Which used to host the event) which is connected to the new arena for very easy access. Because the pits are in the old arena there is plenty of space and congestion is not to big of an issue. The field utilizes both the jumbo screen that most regionals have as well as utilizing the jumbo displays used at the basketball games meaning during eliminations (when we are all stuck behind the curtain) you can still clearly see the matches going on. The seating is also interesting as the seats that have the best view of the field are standard seats so if your team arrives late and is stuck behind an alliance station wall you have the luxury of sitting in the comfy padded premium seats.

Orlando/Florida was my first FIRST competition so it holds a special place in my heart and I do love the constant stream of fresh new teams attending every year.

Orlando was also my first regional, and what a place to be for a first regional! Seeing teams from the top 5% of FRC, playing with over 60 teams in a place like orlando, AND good food! Also the venue's walk isn't too bad, and the AC worked wonderfully. *Florida can get VERY hot * The best thing about Orlando is, no doubt, the fact that the venue is large enough for so many teams. Ample parking and no clogged up entrance to the game field? Perfect!

The place is also really refreshing, because the pits are very brightly lit, and very well laid out. At times, SFL felt not only cramped, but extremely stressful. With Orlando, this was not an issue!

*Jimmy Jones for food means no huge lines or waiting time if getting lunch *

[PayneTrain]

I'd have to say my favorite venue is the one in my hometown and/or is the site of the first ever regional I attended and/or a venue I regularly attend for a regional.

[MARS_James]

Originally Posted by PayneTrain

and/or a venue I regularly attend for a regional.

Why you make it seem like it is wrong to regularly attend your favorite regional venue

While I do admit my favorite does fall into the categories listed in the full quote, my first regional (though in a new space so technically a different venue), it is not my hometown regional (that being South Florida), and If I am being honest I would not rank either of the South Florida Venues in my top 5 (The First was way to small and the second is beyond expensive). My 2&3 are venues I have only been to once* for a competition (Peachtree at the GWCC, and IRI at Lawrence North Highschool).

Sorry I understand the point you are trying to make but I have enjoyed hearing everybody describe quirks and good things that I never knew about their regionals and feel that you may dissuade people from posting about them because they fall into your 3 categories

*I competed at champs in Atlanta which housed pits and other things in the building but not the competition