Developer's Conference in Vegas?

[Richard Gaskin]

Devin Asay wrote:
> Actually Vegas, because of massive subsidies from the casinos, is  
> very affordable. BUT... Vegas in late summer!?!?!?! Can you say 120° 
> F? Okay, how about 49°C? April or May, October or November, okay.  
> Vegas in August is hot, crowded, hot, and hot. Did I mention it's  
> really hot then? :-)

I talked with Lynn about the being in the desert in the hottest part of 
summer, and he agreed that it would be worthwhile to also look into more 
temperate options like Los Angeles or San Francisco.  Not sure why that 
wasn't reflected in the newsletter.

Of the two, LA has a great many venues and three airports to choose 
from, but is more car-dependent.  San Francisco is perhaps second only 
to NYC in terms of getting around easily without a car, but far less 
expensive than NYC (though I wouldn't mind going to NY if that was the 
plan).

The casino subsidy is a factor, though: it's easier to find affordable 
venues in Vegas than most other places for that reason.   It would be 
helpful if one of the SF locals might drop a note to Lynn if you know of 
affordable venues there.

While RR doesn't need the Moscone Center, even an inexpensive venue will 
present an ROI challenge for whomever puts this together.  Not even 
Mitch Hall makes a profit some years, and he specializes in that 
business.  It's a very difficult business to be in, almost guaranteed to 
lose money most of the time in hopes of someday landing The Big One (I 
used to work in a promo company; glad to be in software now <g>).  It's 
unrealistic for a software vendor like RR to expect to break even; the 
trick is merely to try to minimize the loss as much as possible.  An 
affordable venue will help that happen.

Then again, I do rather like the idea of RR partnering with Sims for an 
event in Malta again, or perhaps Rome.   Rome's airport is very 
efficient, and the city is easy to get around via mass transit.  Ah, and 
the food, the wine, the history, the Smart cars....

-- 
  Richard Gaskin Managing Editor, revJournal
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