Let's talk about venues...

[PayneTrain]

Originally Posted by MARS_James

Why you make it seem like it is wrong to regularly attend your favorite regional venue

While I do admit my favorite does fall into the categories listed in the full quote, my first regional (though in a new space so technically a different venue), it is not my hometown regional (that being South Florida), and If I am being honest I would not rank either of the South Florida Venues in my top 5 (The First was way to small and the second is beyond expensive). My 2&3 are venues I have only been to once* for a competition (Peachtree at the GWCC, and IRI at Lawrence North Highschool).

Sorry I understand the point you are trying to make but I have enjoyed hearing everybody describe quirks and good things that I never knew about their regionals and feel that you may dissuade people from posting about them because they fall into your 3 categories

It's probably worth noting that I omitted that my second favorite venue is one that hasn't hosted an FRC event at least 3 years and my third is one that is universally popular for reasons outside of the actual venue.

I never said it was wrong to like what you like. In fact, my two favorite venues are among the 4 closest to where I live.

What I am asking is, how else would you expect this thread to go?

[Jacob Bendicksen]

Originally Posted by Thad House

Best venue I have been to is the Memorial Coliseum here in Portland. Its a basketball court with a conference hall about 100 feet away from the floor. So we have the pits in that separate room, and the field sits right in the middle of the court with tons of visibility and seating around the entire thing. During Eliminations, all 24 teams bring the pits out to the field and sit around the outside because there is enough room.

What matters too me is that there is good spectator room and visibility, and pedestrian access from the pits to the stands is not super long. That's the biggest problem with worlds is that the pedestrian walk is really long compared to the robot walk.

Agreed. The Coliseum seems like it was pretty much designed for FRC. The pit-field trip is all of 2 minutes, there's plenty of seating, and the Chairman's interview room (specific, I know, but it's the little things) is not even 10 yards from the pits, yet in a soundproof room. I wouldn't want it anywhere else in Portland, or the NW for that matter.

[Metonym]

Originally Posted by Jacob Bendicksen

Agreed. The Coliseum seems like it was pretty much designed for FRC. The pit-field trip is all of 2 minutes, there's plenty of seating, and the Chairman's interview room (specific, I know, but it's the little things) is not even 10 yards from the pits, yet in a soundproof room. I wouldn't want it anywhere else in Portland, or the NW for that matter.

I feel sad because I don't think we are going back there for District Champs in 2015. I loved the place, they let me rollerblade on the field side which made my footage look killer compared to previous events where you could see the bobbing of my stride. The price however is probably way too high for WFR with all the growth they are experiencing right now.

[Thad House]

Originally Posted by Metonym

I feel sad because I don't think we are going back there for District Champs in 2015. I loved the place, they let me rollerblade on the field side which made my footage look killer compared to previous events where you could see the bobbing of my stride. The price however is probably way too high for WFR with all the growth they are experiencing right now.

I heard that too, and it was really disappointing when I heard. I loved the coliseum, and it is EASILY the best venue in the PNW and within the top 5 of FRC I'd guess, I hope we do get to come back, because it really is a great venue.

[safiq10]

I hear the 2012 venue for the Dallas regional was pretty awesome but I wasn't around so if someone wants to pitch their opinion on that feel free.

I loved the OKC since there is just so much room! We were able to pull in our trucks inside the venue to unload. It was great! Plus the field was a little chilly since we were playing on the ice. The pits were so spacious! 10X15!!!! OKC we love you!

Also the Austin Convention Center for the TRR this year was phenominal! It was just so large and spacious plus the meeting rooms were great for just about everything! If their ever is a vote to move the Alamo regional I will definitely vote for the Austin Convention Center.

I also hear ST.Louis is quite nice, maybe we will figure out next year?

[Jacob Bendicksen]

Originally Posted by Metonym

I feel sad because I don't think we are going back there for District Champs in 2015. I loved the place, they let me rollerblade on the field side which made my footage look killer compared to previous events where you could see the bobbing of my stride. The price however is probably way too high for WFR with all the growth they are experiencing right now.

Where have you heard that it's moving to? This is the first time that I've heard about this, and while I hope it's not true, I have a feeling that it might be.

[tickspe15]

Originally Posted by Jacob Bendicksen

Where have you heard that it's moving to? This is the first time that I've heard about this, and while I hope it's not true, I have a feeling that it might be.

Its probably going to be at Eastern Washington University, the former home of the Spokane regional.

[Max Boord]

Orlando is my personal favorite in season venue mostly for the reasons stated. Overall though IRI has the best venue as it takes nearly everything Orlando has and improves on it. It has better lighting than orlando, SFL or champs, supports 70 teams with a full practice field and the pits are not very far from the field.

[EricH]

I gotta plug Long Beach Sports Arena. 66 teams, and if event organizers wanted to could probably hold another 6 without too much venue stress. (Volunteer stress, on the other hand... not gonna go there. Ditto for schedule stress.) The first year L.A. was held in Long Beach, the pits were 15x10, for 60 teams. (It was a definite improvement over the 8x8 pits the year before, thanks to being double-booked with a large water tank in the venue...) Access is relatively easy; stadium food is, well, stadium food, but if you make it over to the other side of the conference center next door there's lots of decent food, if a touch on the slow side. Oh, and if you've got lots of extra time there's a few "major" places within a 15-minute drive or so, and a bunch more within an hour.

Now, "best" isn't necessarily "coolest", which is a tie between running a demo at JPL and SVR '99 in the blimp hangar.


What I'd be looking for in a venue: enough space for all teams and spectators, with access and power as appropriate, and enough food for everybody within "easy" access.

As far as the "production quality" question, I think yes... and no. The quality should stay high, especially the higher up the competition you get. But it's a good idea to look around for different providers from time to time, both to help the bottom line and to bring something different in, or to increase the quality if needed. But I'm not sure that keeping the same level just to keep the same level is a good idea.

[Koko Ed]

My favorite venue is the Gordon Filedhouse on the RIT campus. If hosts FLR.
It has the seating capacity of an arena with the floorspace of a convention center.I have not seen anything else like it in FIRST.

[Chris is me]

Originally Posted by Koko Ed

My favorite venue is the Gordon Filedhouse on the RIT campus. If hosts FLR.
It has the seating capacity of an arena with the floorspace of a convention center.I have not seen anything else like it in FIRST.

Only downside is that 1/3rd of those seats are unusable with the giant mob of people standing in front of the field on Saturday. Otherwise easily one of the best venues I've competed at.

WPI's layout in 2013 (and on?) was also pretty good; a lot of bleacher space going way up, big pit area, etc.

[Richard Wallace]

Two of my favorite venues are Lawrence North High School, and the old Armory at Purdue. Both of them have filled close to capacity with great people every time I have been there.

[MooreteP]

WPI, especially since the renovation.

Comfortable bleachers on both sides, natural light filtering in, great outdoor spaces to relax and play in right outside, terrific food choices.

Production by the WPI Sound & Light crew is outstanding. BattleCry is one of the oldest and best Off Season competitions. You can see how creative they are at 4:30 in this video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yWq...tH3hUljz8wc_Vw

Agannis Arena at Bostin University is pretty cool (Hockey rink underneath) with its steep seats and close pits, but parking is not as much fun.

The inaugural district event at Hartford Public High School was also nice. A great open space with tons of natural light filtering in (though it washed out the projection screens), and the pits were right next to the field

[JohnBoucher]

Old School, The field house at The Naval Academy.

Modern era, RIT and Hartford Public.

[Koko Ed]

My other favorite venues.
Harrington Auditorium (Battlecry @ WPI). Best Pits in FIRST. Period.
Much better use of space. Need to figure out what to do with the floor covering. It's very dangerous.

Hershey Centre (GTR West up to 2013) the only arena setup that got it right far as I'm concerned. They put it in the middle of the arena instead of slamming tight up one side. The seperate pits work fine though waterever the heck is under that bridge badly needed to be cleaned up. It smelled like something died under there!

Georgia Dome (Championships 2004 til 2010) Best venue the championships ever had. The pit space was ideal. The courtyard was a nice place to stay. The walk was a little far but not awful like it was in Houston. And there was stuff to do nearby.