Celebration V should return to Indianapolis!

Yes, the need for space is a given for Celebration.

CIV has been my first Celebration, and I can't imagine being in less room for the event! It was definitely tight in spots, especially in areas where everyone was in costume. Lots of lightsabers, weapons, capes, and such.

Okay...um..now what's next? I'm new to conventions as a whole, and love Star Trek, Doctor Who, etc. What's that next big convention for SW fans and others? Just wondering...

Is there another thread somewhere about this? I've decided to start really concentrating on costuming after spending a lot of time at the costuming panels!

Martha

Martha

 

It'll prob got to LA again for CV I would imagine and they'll put one even more stuff to show what it can be like. Then I would think they would try Vegas.

If it comes back to LA I would recommend folks stay in hotels outside downtown LA and drive in. I drove in on Fan Day and the Saturday and it was very, very easy to get to, only took me 40 minutes and I live about 50 miles away.

 

The cool thing is, the Colts new staduim is right across the street from the RCA Dome and they're building a tunnel to walk to from the Convention Center to the new stadium.

When completed in 2010, the $275 million Phase V expansion -- combined with the new Lucas Oil Stadium -- will increase the amount of exhibition, meeting room, ballroom and pre-function space operated by the CIB from about 725,000 square feet to more than 1.2 million square feet.
Exhibition space in the new Convention Center will expand by 254,000 square feet, including new street level space that is divisible into smaller halls. The combination of new and old Convention Center exhibit space will exceed 564,000 square feet. Coupled with 183,000 square feet of exhibit space that will be available in the new Lucas Oil Stadium

And that's not counting the new hotels that will be coming downtown and ready to go come 2010. Considering the 4 major conventions that the city see's (One of them being Gen Con) has already told the city we need more hotel space if we're going to keep coming back here. And Indy is doing what they can to become the top Convention Spot in the Country.

We want CV here. And The City will do whatever it takes to bring it back because downtown loves the business that Star Wars fans bring into the City.

Read More Here

I live here like I said but I do know how much the downtown business love conventions like Celebrations and by the time it's time for another Celebrations, we'll be ready.

~PK~

 

Please get future Celebrations out of the LACC. The fact that there HAD to be shuttles to convention hotels should say something right away. In Indy, most people were within easy walking distance of the CC, even in costumes. Here in LA... there's maybe 1 or 2?

And forget about eating anywhere but the CC, where a cheeseburger and fries was $7.75 and a salad was $7.25. It was a whole lot better in Indy where you could just walk out of the convention center and choose from a ton of places to eat a quick, inexpensive lunch.

Most of the improvements in CIV had to do with GenCon getting a bit better at organizing things and had little to do with the venue.

As far as things to do after hours, sure LA has lots to do. If you want to take a $10-$20 cab ride... each way. Or rent a car and then pay $10 to park it... Oh and don't even bring up getting a cab ride from LAX to a CC area hotel. Expect to pay $50 or maybe get a shuttle for $15 or so a person.

CV back to Indy for sure, but even if it's not, please get it out of LA. Please.

 

The discussion also mentioned the possibility that the celebrations would alternate coasts. Great idea.

 

Does anyone have any solid proof of this CV and CVI being in LA crap? Sorry, but if I had a nickel for everytime someone came on here claiming that they KNEW something to be true because their uncle's friend's brother's gardner's nephew told them that they heard it from their aunt's parrot, I would have had enough cash to make the trip CIV worthwhile for myself and my family.

Please, does anyone really know anything?

 

Yes.

When LFL was scouting locations for Celebration IV its was actually part of a 3 convention deal. 2007, 09 and 11. The winning site had to take the package deal and thats what ruled out several potential sites. Los Angeles not only said it can do all three, it offered a price that was extremely hard to beat.


But hey this is from the same source that confirmed LA as the site several months before it became official, so take it with a grain of salt if you want.

 

The unofficial attendance has been pegged at 33000. That has to be disappointing for LFL and GenCon...despite L.A. having first shot at the next two Celebrations, if LFL really wants to change it, I'm sure they will.

 

I don't understand the arguments against LA. Speaking as someone from the OC, I can assure you the NO ONE hates LA like I do. Having said this, I have been to the last three Celerations, and LA was sooooooo much better than Indiana in every way except content which C4 obviously had no chance to compare with RotS. I bet that if C4 had garnered as many attendees as C3 it still would have been a vast improvement. The store itself was enough to declare LA the winner. The weather was sunny and great. No snow, no frozen rain. The employees of the LACC were more plentiful and helpful than the morons in Indiana. I had to show the cashier at C3 how to work her register... I am not exagerating in the least. At C3 I was constantly in a line, I saw so much more because I did not have to get in line 4 hours before a show. They had more rooms, and the ones they had were bigger. I think we also got bette guests becuase they did not have to go very far. The Family Guy and Robot Chicken panels would not have happened in Indiana. Also was it just me or does Indiana smell really bad, I kno LA smells, but Indiana smells, and it is wet. I did miss the Steak and Shake though. Loved that stuff!!! I just think that people are basing their opinion of this celebration on preconcieved notions towards LA, the content, and the feelings of betrayal that Lucas wasn't there. To the last point I simply remind people that is why it was such a big deal at C3 and why people waited overnight to see him... he doesn't go to conventions.

 

What was the attendance at c3 because wiki has it at "over 30,000 fans." So if civ had 33,000 in attendance WITHOUT a movie due to be released, uhm I would hardly call that a failure.

I agree with the above poster, I think much of the negativity has to do with preconceived notions about LA and people who don't like to travel much. If you can't figure out how to find something to do in socal, you have no hope.

 

I, for one, sincerely hope that another location is chosen for the future Celebrations.

It's true, there just wasn't anything to do within the immediate area besides the con itself. I see people talking about all these little day trips that one could take there, but the fact that one has to take a "day trip" to even get to something says a lot. Downtown LA was hands down the most boring urban center I've ever been to, and I have a few miles under my belt; I heard quite a bit of grumbling about this while out and about. Granted, I can't judge the 'burbs, but I didn't go there to see the 'burbs. I went to see the Con and pal around with my buddies, and the vast majority of people there had no car. If I want to take a grand tour of the greater LA area, that'd be great, but that's not helping the situation at the convention itself, now is it?

The convention events and the center was fine and dandy, but hardly unique. This Celebration simply lacked the cohesiveness that it needed, blending unstructured, spontaneous group time (recall the RAM, etc.) and scheduled events. It just couldn't gel in LA.

 

I agree that Indianapolis was a better city to host it in, but this was a far better venue. The facilities within were far superior, better staffed... better security, food, cleanliness, etc, in pretty much every respect. My BIG complaint is the area around the LACC. THERE'S NOTHING TO EAT HERE!!! We've had to pay exorbitant rates to eat the same couple of dishes from room service almost every night, unfortunately, because IHOP apparently closes at 10pm on weeknights, and everywhere else around is either way too pricey or has poor selection in the nutrition department... or closes even earlier! There's nothing to do here! And good luck trying to make pals with people from neighbouring hotels, since the "neighbouring hotels" are blocks away.

Before another Celebration is held here, there needs to be more research into available facilities nearby that aren't connected with the convention center. Arrangements need to be made for people to get around a little better to places other than "CONVENTION CENTER -> HOTEL" and back again, and information regarding things to do and public transportation and things of that nature needs to be more readily available. And most importantly, if Gencon/LFL can make all these deals with local hotels to charter us rooms and busses, what the heck stopped them from contacting local restaurants to make sure there'd be something, somewhere within walking distance to eat late at night?

 

To Angry-Leia: Next big con (and the Mecca of them all IMHO) is San Diego Comic Con -- 123,000 people, larger than political party conventions combined. Go all-in girl! The exhibit/dealer hall is over 1/4 mile long. Largest convention of its genre in the world. It was the literal birthplace of Star Wars exposure to fandom, in *1976* they had the very first presentation. SW is very well represented, as is just about any other pop culture fandom you can think of.

As for the downtown-LA moaners, things are looking up. My friend actually lives there, right in the thick of things, and his whole block has improved 100% over about two years, and whole downtown buildings are being turned into luxury residences, nightclubs, etc. The grand plan for downtown LA over the next decade or so is to make it very upscale and attractive. Dtn LA may seem scary, but they actually just released the crime statistics and they are almost the lowest of the past decade. Besides, it's a costumer's mecca.

And don't forget, we all missed the opening of the Ralphs grocery store in the area by about a month. Having the 24-hour major supermarket smack-dab in the area will make a HUGE difference next time -- Ralphs has lots of ready-to-eat meal options in their deli's that are both tasty and relatively inexpensive.

I was just discussing with someone that Orlando would make sense (and be fun) particularly if it were around SW days, but I can't say I'd be upset if it stayed at a location 25 minutes from my home...

Mary Thomson
SoCal

 

Works for me!

 

QFT.


And I still say, for everyone saying "Indy is more convenient...", Convenient to WHO? Americans? What about the people who flew across the world for this? LAX is a major airport hub, so it's cheaper for a lot of people who don't have to fly to smaller middle-of-nowhere airports; almost everyone can direct straight to LA.

And sorry, but our warm weather > Snow ANY DAY.

 

There is no snow in the midwest on Memorial Day weekend.

 

Exactly.... its easy to get to L.A. straight on.

I'd have rather there have been a bigger buzz about it, personally. I mean, even in the L.A. area a lot of people didn't know about it.

 

The only place that could be better to host C4 would be San Diego, and the center there is HUMONGOUS, but they don't want it. So yeah LA will do fine

 

i suspect you to have alterior motives.

Outside L.A.... I'd totally go to Chicago, I think.

 

I think Indy is the best choice. They have 2 years to do the work, so that gives them enough time!!!

Orlando is a nice choice too, because of its location and the ability to visit numerous fun spots.

Baltimore is ok, I am not to keen on Maryland, but that is only because I have never been there. I think there needs to be closer hotels and less walking involved. That is why I think Indy is the best choice, simply because of convenience!!!

I am not picking on LA or any place, I come here to LA not only for the Con but for family. I just think a smaller scale place, being that there was not much anyway to C4, is better, especially people who have small kids!!!

 

As a first timer I cant compair to CI-CIII but I really liked the fact that the lines were kept to a minimum. The Bus system was a great idea but could have ran alot smoother, and a few signs leading from each hall to the bus stop wouldnt have hurt(heard a ton of people asking where the buses where every 2 secs). The bus system was a good thought but at most times, not the high traffic times, you could have walked faster then waiting for the buses which would wait for a good 10 people or so. Why not have the buses set up for the high traffic times, then after that 15 pack vans waiting at each hotel, once the 1st person gets on wait 5 mins then make a run to the CC, wait 5 mins there...so either way you look at it you have a 10min wait at the most for a ride to your hotel...

Prices were high, I just had to adjust, didnt buy a few things I wanted due to expenses. Laser tag should have been free or alot cheaper, 8 dollars for 10 mins seemed to stack up for some families...I didnt play but I payed for my younger brother to go twice and I could see that families of 2 or more would be hurting. More food options would have been nice, had a few taco shops set up on the cat walk but I didnt want to hit the bathroom every 5 mins.

The lack of a centeral point for all to gather after the day was winding down was a bummer, did seem like the minute people left the CC they went into vampire mode, not all but I sure bumped into alot...would have been nice if along with the 24 hour store, they kept a hall open 24 hours, with snacks, drinks, maybe sw movies playing on a wall via projector and a few other tid bits would have been nice.

All in all I really think the thing that was lacking the most was something really to look forward to or bite into and get fans talking amongst eachother, a SW robot chicken episode is fine and dandy but nothing to mark my calendar over. The new animated series looks great but would have liked to see more info on it along with the live action, didnt expect George to show but seems alot did...and I think thats why most were disapointed with LA, which is too bad cause they might skip CV if it is in LA even though alot of the little things might be fixed by then.

 

n


Most of what you said has to do with the fact that GenCon learned from their mistakes at C3 and made improvements. If C4 had taken place in Indy again, I'm fairly sure a number of issues would have been improved over C3 such as the store, etc. The fact is that while LA is this glamorous place where a lot of people would like to visit, that doesn't mean that it's best for Celebrations. As some have stated before the cost of living is very high, it has a very decentralized location in comparison with the rest of the country, and the LACC isn't relatively close to a majority of the hotels as they are in Indy.

 

QFT.

Your source may be the same as mine, a longtime fan that headed up the LA contingent that met with the site selection committee. It was done as a package deal, and the LACC offered a price that couldn't be turned down.

 

They should hold it HERE!

 

I'd have to disagree with C5 being held in Indy in June. Do you really want to smell a sweaty stormtrooper?

Orlando would be fun but remember that WDW has Star Wars Weekends in June . . . and sweaty stormtroopers