Future National Locations - Same Old Story

[x2drich2000]

Originally Posted by Vintagedeputy

I live in Richmond, Va. and spend a lot of time in Virginia Beach, Va.

Both locations have convention centers, plenty of hotels, close-by airports, major highways, minor league baseball, and many non-sports activities for the whole family.

No offense, but I hope you are kidding. Both are way too small. The Richmond convention center is 178k sqft and Virginia Beach is 150k sqft. For comparison, Chicago is 840k, AC is 480k, and Cleveland is >1mm sqft. Baltimore is the smallest in recent history at 300k sqft and that was packed wall to wall.

[Vintagedeputy]

Originally Posted by x2drich2000

No offense, but I hope you are kidding. Both are way too small. The Richmond convention center is 178k sqft and Virginia Beach is 150k sqft. For comparison, Chicago is 840k, AC is 480k, and Cleveland is >1mm sqft. Baltimore is the smallest in recent history at 300k sqft and that was packed wall to wall.

Actually, I’m not.

If there’s a trade off in giving in to a smaller location which then allows the hobby to reach different people with access to things they’ve never seen, I’m all for it.

Nothing says that everything has to be in one building either. Lots of city-wide events are held in different places. The Richmond CC is right next to the downtown Marriott hotel with meeting room space and just blocks away from the AA Flying Squirrels (SF Giants) stadium and Arthur Ashe Rec Center (with 72K square feet of meeting space)….not to mention the Bon Secours (formerly Redskins) Training Center.

Tons of space available around the city that would welcome the National.

[BobC]

Originally Posted by Vintagedeputy

Actually, I’m not.

If there’s a trade off in giving in to a smaller location which then allows the hobby to reach different people with access to things they’ve never seen, I’m all for it.

Nothing says that everything has to be in one building either. Lots of city-wide events are held in different places. The Richmond CC is right next to the downtown Marriott hotel with meeting room space and just blocks away from the AA Flying Squirrels (SF Giants) stadium and Arthur Ashe Rec Center (with 72K square feet of meeting space)….not to mention the Bon Secours (formerly Redskins) Training Center.

Tons of space available around the city that would welcome the National.

How do you propose to explain to some dealers there is no room for them at one of these smaller venues then, or that their table space is going to be cut. And how do you pick and choose such decisions among the dealers without ticking anyone off?

And as for the multiple location idea for the show's venue, that can be a logistics nightmare. Instead of just having one or two doors to watch, each different location is now going to require more people to watch who comes and goes. And more people = more costs. And what about dealers who want to be in only the main area, and not buried in some smaller, off-site venue no one really wants to go to. And that's just off the top of my head.