The ideal place for the FRC Championships?

[Jon K.]

I miss Disney, I only went down there with my team 1 year, and that was in 02 when we won the championship with 71, and 66. That was just amazing and the venue was awesome, with the airconditioned tents and the giant pit tent. And everyone could see the field easily because the bleachers ended and maybe 10 or so feet away was the field, so you were able to feel more involved and not just like a spectator. Plus you never felt like the place was empty like you do in some of these larger football stadiums.

[Greg Needel]

Hawaii! can we say wrap party on the beach

[Mike Ciance]

Originally Posted by Greg Needel

Hawaii! can we say wrap party on the beach

if they were held in hawaii, my team might get confused as locals

[Astronouth7303]

2 Words: Plane Tickets = $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

[Franchesca]

Ok, I have 3 places:

Idealy

New Zealand!!!* - I mean has any body thought about it? New Zealand is the world's capital for X-treme sports and many other activities that would blow your mind!! I have to list them: Abseiling, Canyoning, Skiing, Snowboarding, Fly by Wire, Zorb, Canoeing & Kayaking, Diving, Jet Boating, Rafting, Sailing, Surfing, Windsurfing or for the more conservative mentors Golf or Fishing!!! And I must say it, the most celebrated sport in NZ ... BUNGY JUMPING!! With all of this you will have what has been called the 'quickest personal growth experience ever'! And the people are extrmely nice too (I have many kiwi friends -- great people).
Ok, so it probably would be a little bit distracting ... and wayyy tooo expensive ... but mind ya I did say 'Idealy'

More realistically

Canada!!! - I for one would LOVE to have the FRC Championship in Canda! I mean Canada is quite a diverse nation and well, since I've never been there it would be a great time to travel and see new places! I've heard many things ... great things about the Canadian Regional and I saw them at the Championship this year ... I must say: they are quite fun!! Plus I'm sure that there are many many things to do in Canada! But this would be way more expensive for my team as well so it is still 'more' realistically!

**Side note: I wouldn't like to have it in Orlando WDW because since I live just an hour away from it ... well it's just no fun! I can go there any time I want MUHHAAAHAA **
Therefore:

MOST Realistic:

Atlanta, GA - Yes, I like it there ... is close enough but at the same time far away enough! And in all truthfulness, I believe that it is the best place to have fun without getting carried away from the priority -- FIRST!! Plus by the end of the day (I don't know about anyone else ... but I have no energy to do anything)!

SO my vote would be Atlanta ... (although I secreatly hope for New Zealand!!!)

*I encourage everyone to take a look at New Zealand -- it is really an amaizing place -- they have everything!! http://www.newzealand.com/travel/en/...ination-nz.cfm

[Joshua May]

Originally Posted by Franchesca

New Zealand!!!* - I mean has any body thought about it? New Zealand is the world's capital for X-treme sports and many other activities that would blow your mind!! I have to list them: Abseiling, Canyoning, Skiing, Snowboarding, Fly by Wire, Zorb, Canoeing & Kayaking, Diving, Jet Boating, Rafting, Sailing, Surfing, Windsurfing or for the more conservative mentors Golf or Fishing!!! And I must say it, the most celebrated sport in NZ ... BUNGY JUMPING!! With all of this you will have what has been called the 'quickest personal growth experience ever'! And the people are extrmely nice too (I have many kiwi friends -- great people).
Ok, so it probably would be a little bit distracting ... and wayyy tooo expensive ... but mind ya I did say 'Idealy'

New Zealand woudlb eawesome, I think they have the world's tallest bungee, oooh...

[tkwetzel]

There are many great ideas here. I personally think it should move around year to year instead of staying at the same place. If it moved around between feasible places, you would be close to most teams at some point or another. It might make a little more work for the FIRST staff and volunteers organizing the event, but it would make it more feasible and interesting for many teams. Not only would it allow the competition to be near most teams, it would also not constantly be where a team is located, which would prevent them from traveling together which is a lot of fun. I know there are several cities with large conference centers that could house the Nationals, such as Atlanta, Houston, Washington D.C., L.A., Chicago, and so on. Let it move around and you will get a lot more exsposure than you do if the competition remains in the same location year after year.

[dubious elise]

Originally Posted by tkwetzel

There are many great ideas here. I personally think it should move around year to year instead of staying at the same place. ... I know there are several cities with large conference centers that could house the Nationals, such as Atlanta, Houston, Washington D.C., L.A., Chicago, and so on. Let it move around and you will get a lot more exsposure than you do if the competition remains in the same location year after year.

I totally agree. Keep the Regional Competitions in their places and move Nationals *every* year. The best thing we can do to involve more people is move around and get attention!

[phrontist]

Washington, DC

SEVERAL convention centers and other possible venues. It's the capitol. Not at some uber-commercialized theme park. Not TOO expensive to get to. Close to two of the largest regionals (Richmond and Annapolis). Oh yeah, my team would have ZERO travel cost :-)

Seriously, why isn't there AT LEAST a regional there! It seems obvious...

I SWEAR that if a FIRST event comes to DC, my entire team will walk there, transporting everything on a dolly. Oh, and I'll eat a FIRST hat. While walking. Backwards.

----

Someone mentioned tight security? I live within biking distance of the mall (about 20-30 mins) and security isn't THAT tight. If someone forgot to empty their pockets of tools, they'd probably only get it confiscated. Well, as long as you don't LOOK like a terrorist (A friend of mine, who is egyptian, always grumbles about constant "security issues")

[Michael R. Lee]

I really like all these ideas. A nice place would be the moon as FIRST asks for the weight of the robot verus the the mass. Ok all kidding aside now.... if they moved Championships around the country, they would need to serious revise the rules to attend said competition. I'm not saying moving Championship around is bad but let's say a team from Florida qualifies to go that year but can not go cause they lack the money to get to L.A.! It is already sad enough that teams can not attend despite the fact they qualify.

[Arefin Bari]

Personally i think FIRSTers will make it fun wherever they go in this world for a competition...

I like epcot since it was under the hot florida sun and also the transportation was very easy. Teams didnt have to worry about having thier own bus transportation. also running into the park after the competition was cool. the way the finals were played in Einstein field out in the stage and you see teams cheering from the sitting places. the concert after the event was awesome. i would love to see epcot have FRC back.

Then again, Since i am a floridian... its sometime nice to go out and see other places....

[Gary Dillard]

How about we have 4 different cruise ships, one for each division. They leave port (Maybe New Orleans, somewhere central) for practice, qualifying and division eliminations, arrive back in port for the closing ceremony and finals at the convention center stadium.

They're already set up for food and rooms, no need for additional transportation day or night. Surely you can fit the pits and the field on the deck. And if we get heavy seas it would give the yaw rate sensors a nice workout.

[Jaine Perotti]

how about in our high school gym?? The pits could be in the cafeteria....jk
I think that wherever the championships are, it should be someplace warm (I'm from new england, and in April new england can be rather chilly). It also should have alot of stuff to do and places to eat...like at Epcott. A friend of mine suggested San Fransisco...it isn't exactly in a central location, but it sounds like a nice place. The temperature rarely is under 50 degrees...it is used to visitors because it is a popular tourist destination. I beleive there are a number of stadiums in the area where the championships could be held. I know that my team would love the chance to go to a place so different from where we live. I hope traveling far away wouldn't be too expensive however.

[Joe Ross]

Originally Posted by Gary Dillard

How about we have 4 different cruise ships, one for each division. They leave port (Maybe New Orleans, somewhere central) for practice, qualifying and division eliminations, arrive back in port for the closing ceremony and finals at the convention center stadium.

Why have the cruise ships all leave from the same place? What if you had 1 leaving from LA, one from New Orleans, One from Miami, and one from Boston. The teams would play, and the ships would meet at New Orleans for the finals. Then FIRST would have chartered planes from New Orleans back to the origin of the ships.

It cuts down on travel costs for people, because you only have to get to 1 of 4 major cities.

[tkwetzel]

Originally Posted by Michael R. Lee

.... if they moved Championships around the country, they would need to serious revise the rules to attend said competition. I'm not saying moving Championship around is bad but let's say a team from Florida qualifies to go that year but can not go cause they lack the money to get to L.A.! It is already sad enough that teams can not attend despite the fact they qualify.

If a team qualifies one year and is unable to attend, they should be one of the first teams able to go the next year, and that is what this whole tier thing is trying to do. I know that you might win a regional and be unable to go, but it will happen where ever the competition is, so why not move it around to give more people a chance.

Originally Posted by Wetzel

That said, there is no real good location here to host nationals. There are places to hold a regional, but nothing large enough to host the Championship. Unless you setup like Epcots parking lot, but on the Mall. The exposure there would be HUGE, as would the costs, but the PR would be enormous.

There are places in DC to hold the competition. Mostly there is the new convention center which is enormous (a little smaller than the GWCC). The MCI center is about a block away, but I don't think teams want to be carting there robot a block down city streets. Though I do agree that DC is very crowded in April.