Where Do You Want To Go?

[Vu2000]

Are you sure FIRST would approve of having a regional in Las Vegas? All teams are most likely going to stay in a hotel on the strip which all have casinos just because they're cheaper. Umm out of more than 200 teams, you are bound to have some team have a controversy about gambling. So i think they would be very hesitant, but I would enjoy Las Vegas because of the attractions

[miketwalker]

Heh, my reason was already posted for wherever. It needs to be in New York City, Boston, Chicago, or Las Vegas... so the Blue Man Group can come out and perform.

[Etbitmydog]

Looks like epcot is winning. I live in Orlando. I'd love to see the competitions again. I don't think you can get as picturesque and memorable setting as Disney.

[apk]

I don't care where it is, I just want to go to nats.

[DougHogg]

I like the idea of moving the Nationals to a new city every year.

(a) Teams get to see and experience different parts of the country. That is educational and fun in itself.

(b) FIRST is introduced in those areas on the scale of the nationals. That would help with getting more exposure for FIRST in those areas and therefore more support for FIRST teams there.

True, it is hard to move to a new venue and make everything work as well as it did with Walt Disney World where they had years of experience. However, eventually the necessary formula for success would be gotten down. Also various cities might even get into bidding wars like they do with the Olympics, and they would need to guarantee certain amenities as part of the whole process. In other words, we would have some bargaining power. I am sure lots of cities would like to see 20,000 visitors arrive.

One of these years, I think the teams out west would love to see the Nationals come to Disneyland in the Los Angeles area. We would certainly try hard to show everyone a good time, and Walt Disney World could pass on some of its successful processes to Disneyland.

[SuperDave]

I live in las vegas, and no i do not live in a hotel. Las vegas is a great family community, and definetly school appropriate. We Have a few arena's where the event could be held at. there are tons of things to do here, and if we got the hotels involved in the competition, that would be even better. Gambling is its own issue. teams will have to decide weather or not to let their adult members go out on their own. the legal drinking and gambling age in Nevada is 21, and the security and police are very strict about keeping it at that. The closest a minor can get to a slot machine is something like 4 to 5 feet before they are asked to move (believe me, because i have been asked to move, when family was in town and they put a few nickels in the machines). Flights are cheap to las vegas, and the airport a just a few miles from the strip. please see my post from awhile ago about a las vegas regional. http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...threadid=20240

If FIRST doesnt make Las Vegas the site of a competition, my team (T-987) may possibly host an off season event here. the earliest we would host an event would be sometime this fall. Please IM me on AIM at JoeAssMan22 or email me at superdave611@aol.com if you are interested. Thanks a lot.

-dave

2003 AZ Regional Semifinalist
2003 AZ Regional Xerox Creativity Award Winner
2002 Einstein Div. Championship Highest Rookie Seed, 5th place

[Marygrace]

Originally posted by SuperDave
The closest a minor can get to a slot machine is something like 4 to 5 feet before they are asked to move (believe me, because i have been asked to move, when family was in town and they put a few nickels in the machines).

LOL, i know what you mean, I lived there for nine years, and have gotten scolded a many a times. My opinion about vegas being the "Sin City" is that it is just stereotyping...I think that is how you say it. Every city has it bad points, i am sure Houston and the Epcot have their own problems. There is no reason to single out Vegas for it's reputation. There is alot of good to cancel out the bad.

[jnatt]

I know from some discussions with the FIRST Staff, that their is a large amount of future discussion and planning going into the Championship Event. This was a taste of what is to come.

I know that they hope to travel the country with championship and not keep it more in a single location.

Maybe they will rotate and only once every four years will we be in WDW and Epcot.

It is all about cost remember that

[Tim_Wochomurka]

I saw a report on CNN that said Hartford had one, if not the highest, drug problems in the Nation... just something to think about (especially cause there's a regional here and we're speaking about crime rates and whatnot)

[Brian Yip]

Florida is my choice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I can't forget the sunshine, the roller coasters, the test-track, the terror tower, right-side view of Mr. Disney and Mickey and the extruded-faces geosphere (Epcot)!!!!!!!!!

Brian

[DougHogg]

Originally posted by Brian Yip
Florida is my choice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I can't forget the sunshine, the roller coasters, the test-track, the terror tower, right-side view of Mr. Disney and Mickey and the extruded-faces geosphere (Epcot)!!!!!!!!!

Brian

Then you might feel a certain deja vous if we have it at Disneyland one of these years.

True, we do not have Epcot, but sunshine and rides we sure have. And then there is the Pacific Ocean, with miles of beaches. Anyone for beach volleyball or surfing?

[SuperDave]

about houston vs WDW/Orlando:

i already voted for my hometown, las vegas, but i liked houston this year.

Florida was hot, muggy, expensive, and all we could do was go to disneyworld. i enjoyed going to houston. we were at the double tree hotel near the galleria mall, which was a great area to be in. Food was very diverse and reasonable, as most all retail items were. And on sunday i went to a Houston Astros baseball game at their new downtown stadium after a short public bus ride. The only major bad thing was that at nationals, those horrible ramps that we had to go up and down with the 10 minute walk between the Astrodome and Reliant Stadium. Last year our team didnt know to make some sort of robot carrier so we had to carry our robot from the pits to the fields at last years nationals (a rookie team with no idea where to go or what to do). Also, houston did seem like a gigantic regional to me, because our team's first year in the competition (and first time at nationals) was in Orlando. I guess i wouldnt mind going to NYC or Disneyland (Anaheim, CA), but if you have ever been to Disneyland Calif, you know that they dont have much space to hold a competition.

justwhat i think

dave

[Erin Rapacki]

I don't care where it is... just let it be someplace warm

Places like Boston, Chicago, NYC, Cleveland... yea, all awsome places to have Regionals and Post season gigs, but Nats diserves someplace special.

Although I agree, the Blue Man Group is awsome... but there are so many Blue Men that we should just pay them to travel to wherever Nats is!

Yup... in Boston there was a snow storm the weekend before Nats and it isn't too pretty up here until May. I crave a place with SUN!

Because teams must qualify for Nats it should continue being in a setting that is rewarding, nothing can beat the atmosphere Disney provided. And as I figured out in Houston, no ordinary amusement can supplement for that. Disney... it's just the happiest place on earth!

Although, I voted for Disney Land because I want an excuse to go to CALI, I think it would be cool if we alternated between FLA and CALI every two years. (Not every other year, cuz then the odds would always be in Fla and the evens would always be in Cali... that would defeat the purpose)

Vegas would work too... but there is seriously not enough for ppl under 21 to do there and the guys on the casino floors would constantly have to yell at them (while walking through their hotels that is). I could just imagine a few disobedient high school students trying to gamble and ruining it for everyone.

So yea... I vote for warmth, sun, and atmosphere. Lets continue giving Nats the reputation it diserves!

ByE

erin

p.s. nothing can beat the annual hostile take over of disney world!

[purplehaze357]

Epcot....bring it back where it belongs

I had fun in Houston but it wasnt nearly as much fun as Florida, Epcot has the accomidations that such an event needs and keeps everyody in one spot in stead of being scattered around the city.

[MisterX]

Epcot is part of HISTORY!!!! Why having it someplace else would be like having the Kentucky Derby in Afghanistan it is just plain UNAMERICAN!!!!!

We want EPCOT!!!! (or atleast somewhere else in Florida so I can still sneak off to the flats afterwards)