Potential Regional Sites

[jgannon]

There are plenty of places in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area that could support a regional, I'm sure. With only one team in the whole state, and so many huge potential corporate sponsors (3M is based there, Ford has a huge plant, and I'm sure there are myriad others), planning a regional there for 2007 could spawn many more teams in 2006 and the years after. I assume that some of the Michigan and Indiana teams would be interested, but not too many to impact the regionals there. So, why not Minnesota?

(Am I the only person other than pakrat who suggested a regional that isn't coincidentally convenient for my own team? )

[santosh]

I would really like to see a regional somewhere in Europe. Generate some interest and create some excitement over there which could lead to some teams starting over there. I would really like us to be able to keep some of these other regionals around. I know Peachtree is out a ton of money because of no more NASA money. I wonder how they are going to function next year.

[craigcd]

Right now New Orleans has four teams. OP.Walker (1550), Abramson (1534), Kenedy (1589) and New Orleans Math and Science (1304). There will be two new teams in 2006. We are trying to get at least two more new schools on the north shore (Slidell and Covington) making eight in total. NASA will sponsor the regional and guarantee at least 30 teams. The Lake Front Arena at UNO will probable not be the site and the Ponchertrain Center in Meterie will most likely will be the choice, mainly because of the availability to hotels and restaurants. For 2006 NASA has $100,000 available to sponsor New Orleans and Louisiana schools. By 2007 the goal is to have at least 10 teams from Louisiana. BLAST (Building Louisiana Science and Technology) a group of volunteers from major business and universities in the New Orleans area are providing the groundwork and support for getting the regional. This will involve getting the corporate sponsors necessary to fund an endeavor of this size. You guys at Gulfport (364) might like to get involved.