2009 Championships

[GaryVoshol]

Originally Posted by Joe Matt

... move to someplace up north and have everyone comlpain about the high being 50, ...

50 is a warm day in Detroit in mid-April. We had snow on the way to Atlanta in 2004, and on the way back in 2007.

Originally Posted by Corey Balint

If Nationals/Championships was held in Detroit, I am 100% positive I wouldn't go. It is just not a safe city. There are far too many horror stories for a lot of school districts to allow there kids to go.

This undeserved reputation would be a detriment for holding it in Detroit. The areas around either Cobo or Ford Field are as safe as any major city. However, despite what Tomas says, the facilities just aren't up to it here. We'd either have to have two divisions each in separate buildings 1/2 mile apart (with pits in between) or have the pits outside in tents in 40-50 degree weather. It's not going to happen.

Originally Posted by Dancin103

I would love it if Championships was in Disney. Disney has plenty of room to hold a FIRST championship. It would be so fun!

Disney was a lot of fun when the Nationals were there. It simply does not have enough room for what the Championship has become. There were 20 FLL teams there as an exposition - VEX hadn't even been thought up yet - and they had to make their presentations in the hallway as FRC teams moved to and from the pits. "ROBOT, Robot coming through!" Even if it was still just FRC, I doubt they could handle the 246 teams guaranteed spots from the regionals, let alone allowing any other teams to register.

As this thread comes up year after year, we need to continue to remember the minimum needed just to run the event:

• Fully enclosed football-size stadium for competitions
• Ability to seat 20000 spectators on one side of the field for finals
• Attached convention center for pits
• Multiple meeting rooms for judging, symposium sessions, etc.

After that, we can think about hotels, transportation, extra-curricular things to do and see, etc.

Atlanta has it. It sounds like Indy and St Louis might also have it, but with cooler weather. Anywhere else?