Entertainment at Nationals?

[Jeremy Roberts]

I know there is already a thread or two discussing the location of the 2004 Championship. As we already know, RUMOR has it that 3 possible locations could be Disney, Houston, and Atlanta.

Here's the question...

What entices you about each of the three locations and if the Nats. were held there what type of entertainment would you look forward to in each (over the three day span)?

I know to some this may seem like a long way off and spoken of already in other threads, but for conversation sake lets hear your thoughts.

[Joe Matt]

Blue Man Group.

No description is needed.

[LBK Rules]

The Matrix: Reloaded/Revolutions

Or mabe the entire seventh season of Deep Space 9.

Well...you get the picture.

[Madison]

Originally posted by LBK Rules
The Matrix: Reloaded/Revolutions

Or mabe the entire seventh season of Deep Space 9.

Well...you get the picture.

I'm really not at all grasping what The Matrix has to do with entertainment at the Championship Event, personally.

Walt Disney World has this cat in the bag. There's no place better for access to varied, convenient, safe entertainment.

Houston is dreadful where entertainment is concerned, as far as I've seen. There is Six Flags Astroworld and the NASA Space Center. A 4 hour drive west of Houston is San Antonio, with Sea World and Six Flags Fiesta Texas.

Atlanta offers Six Flags over Georgia, which is significantly higher in quality than Astroworld. With that said, it's still not a diversion that can keep people occupied for more than a single day. I spent about 7 hours there and left satisfied, and I adore roller coasters more than any single person should. Downtown Atlanta offers Coca-Cola and CNN as well. Just north of Atlanta is Six Flags White Water, a waterpark. It's not in close proximity to downtown or Six Flags over Georgia. A few hours in each direction, you can reach Chattanooga, TN, Knoxville, TN, Pigeon Forge, TN (Dollywood), Birmingham, AL (Visionland), and Valdosta, GA (Wild Adventures). They're all 4 or 5 hours away from Atlanta.

[Erin Rapacki]

BLUE MAN GROUP!!!

(lately I've been ushering their shows and seeing them for free in Boston, great opportunity for some FREE spectacular entertainment)

In addition, included should be an information packet about the city highlighting 'all ages' or '18 and over' clubs and resturants, and any other interesting attractions to see. These places were a bit difficult to find in Houston. So a cetralized list would be appreciated (an idiot proof guide would be nice too.)

Amusement parks are always a nice touch, lets keep that tradition continuing. Obviously the larger the park the better, Houston's Six Flags was a bit small for my taste. I don't feel that I need to go in there a second time.

But a different city and a different park =

I liked comedians too... that was a rather clever idea at BAE.

[Stina236]

Well, all i have to say is.. Recycle Percussion. They were at BAE.. and.. wow!

[Mike Martus]

At the forum here in Mchigan.....

Disney Sports Complex ( Not Epcot )

Atlanta

Houston

Were announced as the last three venues in the running for the championship.

Also.... this is a three year deal.

[Joe Matt]

Atlanta: Good

Disney: Best

Houston: BAD

I'll see if I can get a Mole into the VA team conference....

[Evildoughgrl334]

I think the Blue Man Group is a grreat idea ( wow i jsut sounded like Tony the tiger) i sw them here in NYC and they are good because they are interactive. Most people would get bored if we just sat and watched something.

[utishpenguin]

mandy moore came last last season at teh championships... *nods* good stuff

[Rurouni]

Entertainment, you mean working furiously in the pits getting your robot to fix itself isn't entertainment enough?

As for Houston entertainment, I had a good time. Just walking around the city and hanging out with my team was far more entertaining than I thought it would be. The people in houston were really nice and I wouldn't mind going back there(for a vacation ro something like that, not for nats).

I do like the little show that they put on at the end of nats in FIRST's 10th year. With clips of the those ten years, the launch that happened that weekend and everything else, it was an amazing piece of work. The next year I'm sitting in the bleachers at epcot and I hear the words "Mandy Moore" and I swear I heard the sound of ultimate suffering.

[utishpenguin]

Originally posted by Rurouni
Entertainment, you mean working furiously in the pits getting your robot to fix itself isn't entertainment enough?

As for Houston entertainment, I had a good time. Just walking around the city and hanging out with my team was far more entertaining than I thought it would be. The people in houston were really nice and I wouldn't mind going back there(for a vacation ro something like that, not for nats).

I do like the little show that they put on at the end of nats in FIRST's 10th year. With clips of the those ten years, the launch that happened that weekend and everything else, it was an amazing piece of work. The next year I'm sitting in the bleachers at epcot and I hear the words "Mandy Moore" and I swear I heard the sound of ultimate suffering.

yes the build as a process is highly entertaining in a sadstic way." oops the screw just flew over there and almost hit him" *innocent look * *laughs*

cant wait what FIRST can do on its 10th birthday. let us all rejoice and celebrate!

c'mon mandy moore is not *that* bad

[Madison]

Originally posted by utishpenguin
cant wait what FIRST can do on its 10th birthday. let us all rejoice and celebrate!

FIRST's 10th Anniversary's come and gone. It was in 2001.

[pauluffel]

One of my favourite parts of downtown Atlanta is Centennial Olympic Park. It doesn't supply any entertainment of its own other than providing enough well-groomed grass to support an inter-team Ultimate Frisbee tournament during lunches. It has also been host to summer concert series for the past few years, so if we participants could arrange it, they would be quite receptive to a concert or two while everyone"s here. As to other concerts, Atlanta is home to The Tabernacle which will have something fun going on whenever nationals are held.
Not entertainment, but the competition would probably be in the Georgia World Congress Center - which is freaking huge - so everything would be in one building and make things a bit easier during competition. (First the sports olympics, now the nerd olympics.)

[Specialagentjim]

Originally posted by utishpenguin
mandy moore came last last season at teh championships... *nods* good stuff

I swear, I never saw 20,000 geeks move out of bleachers as fast as when they said "Musical Sensation, MANDy MOORE!"..

Suddenly, there were about 200 screaming obssesed fans at the stage, and 19,800 robotics kids bumrushing the gates of epcot. I gotta say though, the 10th year end of cermonies show was the best I'd ever seen. Thats the advantage of keeping it at disney, is the amazing show that's put on. When disney does something, they do it right, and it's amazing. Everything from green lasers (which actually lead to the delay of the show, and the apology from dean on his "This isn't what FIRST is about" music videos...I'm still laughing at that..heh...stutter, stutter) to flame throwers to doves. Its an amazing thing.

I'd definetly say disney. It made for a great environment, especially being as a Florida team, we were able to bring out entire team of nearly 80 kids. The great part was, not all of the 80 have a clue what the robots doing. About 20-30 are really useful at competition, with the others doing pre-comp work. The non-essential to competition kids could head out into the parks for an hour, and get back for a match all day long. It was really a great environment.

That and its only a 4 hour (3 if ya get our bus driver ) drive by bus for our team. Definetly a good thing, not to mention the meeting of all the other s. florida teams on the way there at reststops. The confused looks on the rest stop patrons as 3 teams converge at the same rest stop along the highway was entertainment enough for us!