Worldcon Site Selection -- Unofficial Results

[kevin_standlee]

When you watch a horse race, you may see the horse named "Montreal" cross the finish line first, but you're not allowed to cash your ticket until the OFFICIAL sign lights up. With Worldcons, the OFFICIAL sign is when the WSFS Site Selection Business Meeting formally receives the results, and that will be shortly after 1000 local time in Yokohama today, Sunday, September 2.

However, I understand that Montreal did win, by around 100 votes. I'll post the detailed results when I get a chance.

Comments

Re: For once, No Preference may just mean that?

[timill]

I'd guess "plague on both your houses" would explain many of the No Preference votes. I was tempted myself, since I wasn't impressed by either committee, but the War on Tourism swayed me.

Re: For once, No Preference may just mean that?

[redneckotaku.livejournal.com]

The War on Terrorism swayed me to vote with KC. Understand, I am also an American. It will be easier for me to go to KC (with non-stop flights from BWI) than to go to DC or Philly for a Non-stop flight for Montreal. Also, alot of Americans don't know you need a passport to get back from Canada (the temporary no-Passport thing ends this week). That is going to dissuade people from going. Also, the hotels are going to be at best in the $120-$180 a night (US dollars). It could be parity on the US dollar vs. Canadian dollar for 2009 or closer to Pound vs. Dollar rates.

While for the rest of the World ...

[the-magician.livejournal.com]

... like where Tim and I live, the war on tourism means that it is far more hassle flying into the US than it is flying into many other countries (such as Canada) ... and direct flights to Montreal from London, I don't think KC can match that ...

... if the US makes it difficult for their own citizens to get a passport, then there's nothing we can really do about that (the UK is certainly making things harder over there (I'd say "over here" but I'm in Japan at the moment!) except encourage fans to get a passport and experience that "sense of wonder" that comes with encountering a foreign culture (especially a city with more than one major language, not counting Miami, New York or similar!)

Seriously, I'm sure KC would have run a fine convention, but I'm glad to be going to Montreal, and if it turns out that there is a filtering of US fandom which stops those who won't get a passport (or can't afford one) from attending, then I'll just have to be happy partying with those that do want to step outside of their own country, I think I can just about live with that ... (sorry if this annoys/offends anyone) ... plus it means those of my friends that refuse to travel to the US because of the hyper-sensitive security restrictions (that some consider will do little to prevent terrorism but everyday inconvenience tens of thousands of people to provide a false sense of security) will be able to come to Canada (assuming restrictions don't get more stringent there too)

Re: For once, No Preference may just mean that?

[tkunsman.livejournal.com]

Wow. I can not believe that there are no non-stop flights from BWI to Montreal. Cleveland has at least two or three daily non-stop flights to Montreal.

Tough to say what is going to happen to the US$ CAN$ exchange in the near future-I'm sure hotels might be in the low $100 range - but my crystal ball is broken right now.

IMO, i think too many Americans are painfully aware that one needs to have a passport to travel to Canada (which is stupid to me, but what do I know). Maybe if you apply now, one might get your passport before the 2009 Worldcon :-)