2009 Championships

[TD78]

Originally Posted by XXShadowXX

detroit
as you can see based on team density georgia is very low on the list....

there are lots more factors than team density to consider:

-major international airport.
-venue large enough to house both 5 full playing fields plus FTC fields.
-either same or separate facility to house pits for 300+ FRC teams, 100 FTC teams, FLL teams, plus pit admin, practice fields, etc.
-enough hotels in close proximity (walking distance) to house 500+ teams (students, teachers, parents, mentors) plus VIPs and staff.
-enough restaurants and food places in the area to feed above mentioned people for a week.
-entertainment in the area to keep teams entertained at night (ie. Georgia Aquarium, Braves games, etc).

I've enjoyed all my stays in Atlanta, so I won't mind if they keep going back. A change would be nice, but considering all that Atlanta has going for them (from the list above), I don't see the need to change.

[brentmcjunkin]

I would like to go to vegas but also disney would be nice but they have already booked it

[A_Reed]

FIRST already outgrew Disney and what they could offer in terms of space, I would have loved to see it. They changed it my freshman year in FIRST, when it moved to Huston instead.

[Cartwright]

This is definitely a very biased comment, but I think that Indianapolis would be a pretty logical choice (so would St. Louis). Though I liked Atlanta last year, it really isn't a very central location. By next year (I think), Indy will have a nice new stadium perfect for FIRST. The city has a nice sized International Airport, and several major interstate highways that could draw teams from any direction. Prices in Indy are not crazy high either. And...it's location is in the heart of country. It's not a giant distant from the east coast. It's right next door to Michigan, and just south of Canada. However, the West Coast is quite a ways away, but there aren't a lot of places more central. St. Louis wouldn't be bad either though.

[Rick TYler]

Originally Posted by A_Reed

FIRST already outgrew Disney and what they could offer in terms of space, I would have loved to see it.

The Orange County (Florida) Convention Center is the second-biggest in the country and is only about eight or nine miles from Disney World:

Size
Center Location (in square feet)
1. McCormick Place Chicago 2.2 million
2. Orange County Orlando 2.05 million
Convention Center
3. Las Vegas Las Vegas 1.94 million
Convention Center
4. Georgia World Atlanta 1.37 million
Congress Center
5. Kentucky Exposition Center Louisville 1.29 million
6. Sands Expo & Center Las Vegas 1.13 million
7. Ernest N. Morial New Orleans 1.1 million
Convention Center
8. Dallas Convention Center Dallas 1.02 million
9. Pennsylvania Farm Show Harrisburg 1 million
Complex & Expo Center
10. George R. Brown Houston 930,000
Convention Center

[BobC]

Originally Posted by Rick TYler

The Orange County (Florida) Convention Center is the second-biggest in the country and is only about eight or nine miles from Disney World:

You listed the Georgia World Atlanta 1.37 million
Congress Center plus you have to add the dome also I think.

[d.courtney]

Canada? I mean it would be great to see the Championships to an international event change which country its in every now and then. Then after its been to Canada, we could have it in Brazil or Isreal.

btw I don't actually see this ever happening(unless the structure of FIRST events or demographics of its teams changes dramatically).

[mathking]

The RCA Dome in Indianapolis would be a great facility. They have the capacity to have everything under one roof with the stadium and convention center. And it's not like Indianapolis is freezing cold in April. The average high temperature for the third weekend in April is 65, compared to 74 for Atlanta. (Data from NOAA.) The real question is finding a venue that works for FIRST and that wants FIRST. There really aren't going to be that many places with a setup conducive to hosting the championships. You pretty much have to look for large domed stadiums that have considerable attached space. I love Atlanta as a venue, and I don't mind going, but moving the championships around some would not be bad.

[IndySam]

Originally Posted by mathking

The RCA Dome in Indianapolis would be a great facility.

The RCA dome will be a pile of rubble by this fall and replaced with even more convention space. The new Lucas Oil Stadium will be bigger and much nicer than the RCA Dome or Georgia Dome.

Add a couple of new hotels being built and a downtown entertainment area that you don't have to be afraid of your students walking in and you have a winner.

The only thing that ATL has that Indy doesn't is a great mass transit system. That could be a problem.

[KTorak]

I think next year will be the last year in Atlanta. I also wouldn't be surprised if it moved back to Orlando.

[Rick TYler]

Originally Posted by KTorak

I think next year will be the last year in Atlanta. I also wouldn't be surprised if it moved back to Orlando.

Great. Just great. The only major airports in the US that are farther from here than Atlanta are all in Florida.

I tell you, Denver is a great town...

[The Lucas]

Originally Posted by RollinTDollin

there are lots more factors than team density to consider:

-major international airport.
-venue large enough to house both 5 full playing fields plus FTC fields.
-either same or separate facility to house pits for 300+ FRC teams, 100 FTC teams, FLL teams, plus pit admin, practice fields, etc.
-enough hotels in close proximity (walking distance) to house 500+ teams (students, teachers, parents, mentors) plus VIPs and staff.
-enough restaurants and food places in the area to feed above mentioned people for a week.
-entertainment in the area to keep teams entertained at night (ie. Georgia Aquarium, Braves games, etc).

I've enjoyed all my stays in Atlanta, so I won't mind if they keep going back. A change would be nice, but considering all that Atlanta has going for them (from the list above), I don't see the need to change.

I know this thread has certainly been done before (I suggest everyone who is truly interested to search and read), but it is always something interesting to talk about.

It should also have warm weather since that is most team's preference for the beginning of spring.

Remember that one of the reasons Atlanta has all these things is due to them hosting the Summer Olympics, so we are basically using their setup. Not many places have a covered stadium and convention center so close together (yes I know Indy's RCA Dome & CC would work but see my warm weather point). Anyone who went to Houston knows how well 2 stadiums work

Disney was incredible, but everything (stadium and pit) had to be built for us every year in that parking lot. The Championship is too big for that now. The Wide World of Sports in Disney World could certainly accommodate us, but I don't see that happening for a variety of reasons including scheduling too late in their season.

[A_Reed]

Originally Posted by The Lucas

Anyone who went to Houston knows how well 2 stadiums work

yeah I hope that was a joke, as I remember it was uphill both ways to and from the pits, lol.

[Karthik]

I'm a large proponent of having the Championship in Las Vegas. There are numerous air and hotel packages which are ridiculously cheap, since there's the assumption that any money saved on the package will be spent gambling and/or entertainment. Even though it's a longer flight from the east coast, it's fairly easy to find comparable flight costs compared to Atlanta, Orlando or Indianapolis.

If you look at the list posted by Tom here, you'll see that Las Vegas meets all of the criteria. Plus in Vegas, you're close to guaranteed not to be having the frigid nights we've had in Atlanta the past few years.

Viva Las Vegas!

[waialua359]

Originally Posted by Karthik

I'm a large proponent of having the Championship in Las Vegas. There are numerous air and hotel packages which are ridiculously cheap, since there's the assumption that any money saved on the package will be spent gambling and/or entertainment. Even though it's a longer flight from the east coast, it's fairly easy to find comparable flight costs compared to Atlanta, Orlando or Indianapolis.

If you look at the list posted by Tom here, you'll see that Las Vegas meets all of the criteria. Plus in Vegas, you're close to guaranteed not to be having the frigid nights we've had in Atlanta the past few years.

Viva Las Vegas!

Well, you got my vote! I second that. Its actually closer and cheaper for us!
Plus, you are absolutely correct about the lower costs, ability to find other things to do like win megabucks....hehe... and most of all, have a venue(s) that can accomodate this.
I'm sure the High Rollers are thinking, "Oh NO! More work for us!"