SMOFS in a Room

[kevin_standlee]

It appears that the Westercon 63 committee has decided to file a write-in bid to host the 2010 NASFiC as part of Westercon 63. That is, if they win, the 2010 West Coast Science Fantasy Conference in Pasadena would also be the 2010 North American Science Fiction Convention. The filing deadline for the ballot having passed, Pasadena's bid can only run as a write-in against Raleigh, the only group that filed a bid before the deadline.

Comments

[bosswriter.livejournal.com]

This blows my mind.

Does Westercon think they are so great that they should steal a bid from Raleigh who has done the work, campaigned and will probably host a fine NASFiC? Let's not forget that they lost a Worldcon bid a few years back so this is a real kick in their face if they lose to a write-in.

This sounds like ego boo at best and plain west coast bullying at worst.

I for one hope that no one votes for Westercon.

I hope that you, Kevin, did not support this.

[kevin-standlee.livejournal.com]

The first I heard of it was when I saw it on Tadao Tomomatsu's Twitter feed. The mere fact that I report something having happened doesn't mean I'm either supporting or opposing it.

[sethb.livejournal.com]

If Raleigh can lose to a bid that announces a month out and doesn't throw any parties, don't you think it deserves to?

[bovil.livejournal.com]

I think you need to go back and read what you wrote, and then do a little fact-checking.

Does Westercon think they are so great that they should steal a bid from Raleigh who has done the work, campaigned and will probably host a fine NASFiC? Let's not forget that they lost a Worldcon bid a few years back so this is a real kick in their face if they lose to a write-in.

Westercon is a traveling convention, like Worldcon and NASFiC. There isn't "Westercon" but rather a series of dozens of different separate conventions that share a name. The folks bidding Pasadena aren't "Westercon" but rather Westercon 63.

Do they think they're so great? It's LA. Of course they do.

Steal a bid? Hyperbole. They're running, they'll probably lose, but if they win they win fair and square.

Losing Worldcon bids? Well, the LA folks never won a contested Worldcon bid until they bid for 2005 (and KC, who they were bidding against for '05, had numerous self-inflicted wounds during the campaign). They know about losing bids, they've done it.

A kick in the face? You shouldn't be bidding a traveling convention if you don't expect to win (cough... cough... Denver... cough... cough...) but you also shouldn't be bidding a traveling convention unless you're ready to lose.

I for one hope that no one votes for Westercon.

That's a false hope. You'll find a lot of people who attend both Westercon and Worldcon regularly, regardless of location, are also regular site selection voters for both. If they're not regular site selection voters, they still understand the process and are easier to spur to vote if they take an interest in the race.

Regardless of my position on Pasadena (and, truthfully, right now I'm undecided), I think a contested race is good for a traveling convention. It's boring when there's no contest. Total ballots cast are low.

The Chicago/Columbus/Denver race was fantastic, and forced all of them to work hard at their campaigns. It also taught some people a few lessons on stupid mistakes to not make in a 3-way race. Reno entering the 2011 Worldcon race lit a fire under Seattle. Reno put together a really solid campaign. It's just a shame that Seattle couldn't run to completion and had to drop out. I know their reasons, though, and don't blame them.

It's going to be interesting if this non-campaign Christian is promising (and will carry through on) will push Raleigh to bring out their big guns. Pasadena has a lot of groundwork laid. They've got a (admittedly incomplete) website, they've got a facilities contract, and they've got past Worldcon and Westercon chairs and department heads involved.

[laurahcory1.livejournal.com]

It was Charlotte, not Raleigh, that lost the '04 WorldCon bid--same state, different city, different bidcom.