Location Suggestion for 2010 Championship

[Daniel_LaFleur]

Originally Posted by Karthik

I think the point of the post was to show that FIRST has been known to abandon their comfort zone to undertake new ventures. You may not want to hear Greg's point, but telling him not voice it because you don't like isn't helping anyone.

I think the tone of my post came off wrong, and I apologise.

I am the last person who would want to quiet anyones voice. My post was meant as an appeal to keep criticism to constructive criticism. It is easy to point out all that is (precieved as) wrong in the world, but very difficult to come up with the proper answers.

All I ask is that when you criticise, please do so with a constructive alternative.

[Herodotus]

Mars.

...


Anyone? Oh well, maybe we'll have to shoot for that in 2011.

Really though, I think Atlanta seems like the perfect setup for the Championship. The only way it could get better is if maybe someone built a FIRST Dome somewhere *nudge nudge, hint hint, wink wink*

[David Brinza]

Originally Posted by Karthik

The combination of the Skydome and the Metro Toronto Convention Centre probably could do the trick if the right spaces were rented and configured properly. I was at the MTCC for a conference this spring with Simbotics, and I took some time to walk through the venue to see if it could actually work for the Champonship. Previously, I was as skeptical as Jason was, but after looking around I think it could happen.

Sure there are plenty of obstacles keeping this from happening, but I do think it's in the realm of possibilities.

/Aside



I think the point of the post was to show that FIRST has been known to abandon their comfort zone to undertake new ventures. You may not want to hear Greg's point, but telling him not voice it because you don't like isn't helping anyone.

Maybe with another decade or two of global warming, Toronto might be a great place for the Championship. The possibility of a major snow storm impacting the event needs to be considered. We were fortunate that the freak tornado didn't take down last year's event in Atlanta.

[Nawaid Ladak]

Originally Posted by Michelle Celio

Being from the Greater Orlando Area, I can try to put a perspective on this.

There are two venues in the state of Florida, in the Orlando area, that could possibly be able to house the Championship.

There is one venue in the Kissimmee, The Silver Spurs Arena, that would be perfect, it would have less of a walk from the pits to the fields but we run into a lack of hotels for the teams in that area. However, as previously mentioned in the thread, when the consideration about hosting it in TX came up, we run into the same problem. Which is the lack of hotels. But, in the Kissimme and Orlando area, there is the Linx Bus System that is fairly inexpensive, and they do have 1-week passes available, the only thing is that they aren't heavily reliable and possibly could not handel the amount of traffic produced by the Championship.

Again, as mentioned earlier in the thread is the Orange County Convention Center. This place is HUGE. I High School, we went on a tour of just part of it, but I have not been able to see the entire place. There is defiantly enough room for the pits, and whatever FIRST wants to do that is convention style but I'm not exactly sure if they have a "stadium" of sorts where the field and spectators could easily view the matches. But, according to google maps, if you search "Orange County Convention Center" and "Hotels" and narrow it down to a "1 mile" radius, it says there are 717 hotels. That number seems a bit outrageous to me but the Orlando area is heavily populated with hotels.

Now, as for "Family Location". Have we looked at Disney Prices lately? They are not exactly family friendly. A base ticket, with expiration costs 79.88 for a one day ticket, and does not include park hopping. I'm sure they offer some sort of deal for large groups, but it probably won't be that much lower.


But hey, there is always the 2009 Florida Regional - and Disney is giving a free ticket to everyone in 2009, as long as it is your birthday.

lol, Michelle, the Silver Spurs Rodio is right across the Osceola Herritage Park complex right? you could probally fit the pitts there

I ride the LYNX bus system to work and school EVERYDAY (my eyesight doesn't allow me to drive and i got a free bus pass) and believe me, their nowhere near reliable.

If the Greater orlando area was to get a commuter rail. then it would be possible.

I think Universal could pull off the event as well. the have enough space to pull off the event. plus I-Drive is near by, and if im correct. UCF students get 50% off.... many other wasy to get discounts at Universal, many more than disney...plus, i think it's a more grown-up place than disney...but thats a local's opinion.

Originally Posted by DarkFlame145

maybe the Sun Dome in Tampa? Or what about the Super Dome in New Orleans, I'm sure they would love the tourism to help rebuild. I went to NO last summer and it was very nice (as long as you kept out of the areas that where hardest hit by Katrina). Sure NO isn't the most HS student friendly city. But it's a pretty city (again as long as you kept away from the hard hit areas, I accidentally drove into the lower 9th and it was really bad).

But also I think that somewhere in Cali would be nice, like MacAfee Stadium (go RAIDERS). Since they always have to come to the east coast.

the Sun Dome???? i honestly don't really think thats a good idea

Originally Posted by DarkFlame145

OR the Tundra up in Green Bay, might be a little cold, but if we ever had an ice game it would be perfect =P

I would <3 that. but then again, it's outside and most likely impossible to pull off by putting a sheet over the open stadium, lol

Originally Posted by Karthik

The combination of the Skydome and the Metro Toronto Convention Centre probably could do the trick if the right spaces were rented and configured properly. I was at the MTCC for a conference this spring with Simbotics, and I took some time to walk through the venue to see if it could actually work for the Champonship. Previously, I was as skeptical as Jason was, but after looking around I think it could happen.

Sure there are plenty of obstacles keeping this from happening, but I do think it's in the realm of possibilities.

/Aside



I think the point of the post was to show that FIRST has been known to abandon their comfort zone to undertake new ventures. You may not want to hear Greg's point, but telling him not voice it because you don't like isn't helping anyone.

that seems like a fun idea. Karthik you would know this better than i do, is there any good sports venue near the TIC? it's near the airport and the Paramount Theme Park place and has a bunch of hotels nearby. It's big enough to have the pits and everything there. (not sure how much it's expanded since 2005, thats the last time i was in Toronto... desperately want to go back)

[GaryVoshol]

Originally Posted by Herodotus

Mars.

That sure would make it easy to stay within the weight limit.

[Karthik]

Originally Posted by Nawaid Ladak

that seems like a fun idea. Karthik you would know this better than i do, is there any good sports venue near the TIC? it's near the airport and the Paramount Theme Park place and has a bunch of hotels nearby.

I've never heard of the "TIC". If you meant the Toronto Congress Centre, it's not really a good fit. The Toronto Congress Centre is close to the Airport, and nothing else. There's currently no real public transit in the area, and you're a good 20 minute drive from all the tourist destinations that make Toronto so appealing. The theme park, Canada's Wonderland, is actually not close at all being located two cities away in Vaughn (About a 20 km drive). As for sports venues, the area is severely lacking.

If the dream of a Toronto Championship is to happen, it would have to be downtown.

[AmyPrib]

Originally Posted by Cory

I mean the vertical corridor you would make if you drew a vertical line on the western border of Illinois and a corresponding line through Atlanta. So no, not the actual middle of the country, but portions of the midwest/south. Essentially the "middle" of the FIRST population. Anything west of that eliminates the ability of most teams to be able to drive to the event. Someone did a breakdown and right now a very large percentage of teams are within 10 hours driving distance, or something like that.

I did the breakdown a few years ago, and it was a breakdown for driving distance to Indy, not atlanta. I took all the teams that attended Atlanta that year and figured out how far they would have been from Indy had it been there. A huge percentage of them would have been able to drive within 10hrs of Indy, whereas it was much longer or flying to Atlanta. It was merely to show Indy as a more "central" location to a higher population of teams who could potentially reduce traveling costs/times.

[nuggetsyl]

Universal studios in Orlando can handle us and there more teen friendly. I have been In there sound stages, there def. big enough.

[Alan Anderson]

Originally Posted by nuggetsyl

...sound stages...

That's an idea I haven't heard before. Way to think outside the box!

Instead of looking for roofed stadiums for the fields with nearby convention space for pits, look for idle movie studio space. The stands would have to be brought in for the event, but Disney managed that fine for years.

[dangerousdave]

Atlanta has been scheduled for the Championship event in 2010 Apr 14-17 at least as far back as April, 2008.

There have been several other threads on this discussion in the past few years.

[nuggetsyl]

I just do not get it. Why would first make another deal to put teams in a place they do not want to be?

[BobC]

[quote=dtengineering;770012]About as likely as the World Series being held in Canada or the America's Cup being hosted by Switzerland.

Lets go BLUE JAYS winner of back to back World Series held in Toronto.

[Joe Matt]

Mark my words...

Indianapolis, IN

[dodar]

Originally Posted by Michelle Celio

Being from the Greater Orlando Area, I can try to put a perspective on this.

There are two venues in the state of Florida, in the Orlando area, that could possibly be able to house the Championship.

There is one venue in the Kissimmee, The Silver Spurs Arena, that would be perfect, it would have less of a walk from the pits to the fields but we run into a lack of hotels for the teams in that area. However, as previously mentioned in the thread, when the consideration about hosting it in TX came up, we run into the same problem. Which is the lack of hotels. But, in the Kissimme and Orlando area, there is the Linx Bus System that is fairly inexpensive, and they do have 1-week passes available, the only thing is that they aren't heavily reliable and possibly could not handel the amount of traffic produced by the Championship.

Again, as mentioned earlier in the thread is the Orange County Convention Center. This place is HUGE. I High School, we went on a tour of just part of it, but I have not been able to see the entire place. There is defiantly enough room for the pits, and whatever FIRST wants to do that is convention style but I'm not exactly sure if they have a "stadium" of sorts where the field and spectators could easily view the matches. But, according to google maps, if you search "Orange County Convention Center" and "Hotels" and narrow it down to a "1 mile" radius, it says there are 717 hotels. That number seems a bit outrageous to me but the Orlando area is heavily populated with hotels.

Now, as for "Family Location". Have we looked at Disney Prices lately? They are not exactly family friendly. A base ticket, with expiration costs 79.88 for a one day ticket, and does not include park hopping. I'm sure they offer some sort of deal for large groups, but it probably won't be that much lower.


But hey, there is always the 2009 Florida Regional - and Disney is giving a free ticket to everyone in 2009, as long as it is your birthday.

OMG! having it at the Orange County Convention Center would be beautiful and like she said i is GIGANTIC!!!
i mean this place is massive!

[Akash Rastogi]

Joesey yo!


kidding aside, I'd love to have it in Indiana. Its like the heartland of FIRST.