Worldcon Size Dilemma

[kevin_standlee]

There are ways to make Worldcons less expensive and to make them have more "buzz" in the sense of making them much more crowded. Because Worldcons jumped up a size quanta, we are now too small for the pieces of convention centers we're obliged to rent. Part of this is because we really don't want to have to turn people away from the most-popular events. We could get away from that. If we were willing to accept, for instance, that not every member who wants to attend the Hugo Awards or the Masquerade will be guaranteed a seat, and if we were willing to accept a much higher level of crowding than I think most members would enjoy, we could make Worldcons more affordable by shoehorning too-large events into too-small-but-cheaper space. That's the gist of what I said in my latest reply to this discussion, in reply to George R.R. Martin's contention that Worldcons could easily fit back into cheap hotel space.

Comments

[mishalak.livejournal.com]

Over there you mentioned that you think that young people today are more reluctant to spend $160 for a membership, the cost inflated equivalent of the $75 that you paid at the door for your first Worldcon. I agree, but why did you go to your first Worldcon? How did you hear about it? What did you think would happen?

I know that I went to my first Worldcon because it was talked about in interesting terms by the local fans I hung out with. I spent the money (far too much, remember paying off credit card debt for a while) because one of them bought me the first installment of a membership for my birthday as a way to give me a kick in the pants to go. And it worked. I never went back because the job I had then would not let me go for that length of time and between that and the cost of jetting off to wherever it was (a huge factor for someone as poor as I am) it never became a priority.

For a time it seemed I might become more of a local fan. One who at least jetted off the Minicon every year, but that fell apart when I became unemployed in 2005. And I've become the sort of person who is less and less happy to travel at all. Plus very little money for the last three years. If a recession is when your neighbor is unemployed and you're worried I've bounced between recession and outright depression for the last three years. My own fault, but that's why I don't go. And probably never will given how expensive taking a week off work is, when I have work.

[howeird]

shoehorning too-large events into too-large-but-cheaper space
Do you mean too-small-but-cheaper space?

Let me propose a compromise, one which has probably been done before. Rent space where the main event hall is too small, and pipe the proceedings into overflow rooms. The technology was there at Denvention. Also, arrange to broadcast the main events on one of the channels at each hotel. Not as easy, but it can be done. Finally, webcast.

[redneckotaku.livejournal.com]

Galtine1 has a good point. I am starting to think that we need to spend a few years in some hotels to grow to 7,000-8,000 to become a convention center con. Convention centers are very expensive places. It costs Otakon several hundred thousands of dollars to rent and decorate the BCC. They have to be in a convention center. Worldcon can take 20% of the cost by being in a hotel.

[bosswriter.livejournal.com]

I agree with the hotel with convention center idea, the problem is how do you guarantee that for the bid process? In some cities, there are probably not hotel/convention centers big enough for even a 3-4000 attendance. What do you do if that city wins the bid?

I think the real issue is not the price of admission, it is the price of everything else: hotel, travel expenses, meals.

Denvention was a perfect example - all the convention hotels downtown were way more than the last few years. Some folks were smart enough to find alternatives. We stayed at the Days Inn less than 10 minutes away for less than half what the big hotels near the CCC cost. And we didnlt have to pay a $25 a day parking fee at the hotel. We ran into others who stayed there as well but the website doesn't offer those low cost alternatives. I understand that they need to fill rooms to get free or reduced space but if they don't sell the rooms anyway what have they gained?

I think future con committees may be better served looking at how to help attendees minimize the total cost of attending a Worldcon and also selling that to the potential ballot casters.

I'm thinking of KC vs Montreal and I would venture to say that the cost to attend in KC would have been at least a third and as much as half what it will cost in Montreal, unless the Anticipation folks pull rabbit out of the hat.