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Subject: 
Re: West Coast Brick Fest - concerns and hopes
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.events
Date: 
Wed, 13 Aug 2003 15:51:36 GMT
Viewed: 
1950 times
  
Comments added to select statements of Eric's below:

In lugnet.events, Eric Sophie wrote:

What's wrong with the Windmill? I heard they didn't get paid.
I say so what, call them guys up and explain your a different and new committee.
Don't let a past debt interfere with your desire to have a fest at Legoland. By
rights we can just like anyone, rent the Windmill, don't mention  Matt or just
explain the difference. Our money is good.


I liked the Windmill location and I thought it worked marginally for the
presentations. I also like the fact that we were at Legoland. For me going to
the park is part of the attraction of attending BricksWest.

I was told, not by Windmill or Matt, that the facility was not paid for their
services. I believe that this is the current state of affairs concerning the
resolution of the contract between Matt and the Windmill. Unfortunately, I do
not think any business would allow a similar organization to return when they
are still owed money. Also, imagine the asking price for the same services that
were provided. It has to be double, right?

The year before the BW02 convention was held at a Hotel/time share/investment
property across from Legoland. The cost was exhorborant for the services
provided and no one is certain of the resolution of that contract besides Matt.
For those that attended, remember the odd rule that we were not allowed to bring
in food from outside the hotel and consume it in the convention space? They
reportedly tried to charge BW02 for a "catering" fee for the food that was
brought in.

The biggest problem with a convention near Legoland is the lack of adequate
convention space. There are many hotels within a short drive of the park, but
not adequate convention facilities.


By the same token, if you felt left out of the decsion to move this to Portland,
perhaps the folks didn't realize you were around. Its not easy to remember
everyone, that's why staying involved and keeping a dialog with the community is
important. Make your voice heard by staying invovled. Maintaining a presence is
not easy, but if you got over looked in the process it may have been because you
are simply not visible enough. I tottally beleive you folks in So Cal should
have been consulted about this. You have every right to be concerned. Just step
up and reinvent the organizing body and make it happen next year. Please!
Legoland is the coolest place to be as a fan! Plus Legoland can help in ways!
They have offices and and huge Parking Lots


Actually, Lego Retail, which did have their US Offices out there is moving. I
cannot remember where they are going, maybe Enfield. But they have undergone
huge changes including leadership. Also the Legoland park is rumored to be going
through another round of management changes.

This points make it difficult for any group, no matter how established, to
continue and ongoing relationship with the park. The turn over is enormous at
Legoland. In the two years of doing an event there, there have been two
different administrations of the park. If the rumor is true, then there will be
three admins in three years. Hard for the park to be consistent when the
leaderhsip changes.

As for the SoCal folks, there was only one (or two individuals) that
participated in organizing BW03. I hope that Eric is not advocating that the
organizers of BW03 should have contacted SoCal and told them to put on a
convention at Legoland essentially forcing the decision upon them.

I cannot say why the one (or two individuals) that participated in BW03 planning
were not contacted. They may have been contacted. I know I did not contact them,
but that's becuase I barely know who is in the North Georgi Lego Train Club, the
one LUG I belong to. So do not count on me knowing who is in what club.

As for the SoCal folks wanting to do a convention at Legoland, there is nothing
preventing them. I refer you to another post I made recently
(http://news.lugnet.com/events/?n=938). Scroll down to the part about what it
takes to do put on a convention. I think I included about 1/10 of what you need
to do (not sarcasm in this instance).

Participation in ogranizing BW03 and BW02 was fairly open. Anyone taking the
initiative could have stepped forward and helped out. Afterall, a guy from
Georgia was one of the organizers so it could easily have been done from someone
in the SoCal LUG.

Why few from SoCal LUG participated is a question to ask of them (not being
confrontational, I only know a few were asked and some declined to participate
while others could not).

Also, check this out, when I went to Bricks West, I was wearing shorts and a
t-shirt. I came home and there was 6 feet of snow everywhere! Talk about a
winter wonderland!


If it snows in Portland on the weekend of the BW PDX, we will never hear the end
of it. But hey the almanac records the weather last year on Feb 14th as being in
the 50's without rain, sleet, snow, or ice. That trend is fairly consistent
throughout the previous years.


I know for a fact that many people that went to Bricks West went because they
not only wanted to attend the Fest itself, but were really excited to goto
Legoland, something some people really wanted to do for a long time, this gave
them the extra reason to come.

Also keep in mind that if you folks were to speak with the folks at Lego, find
out what if anything went wrong and give assurances that the NEW organizing body
will everything in its power to ensure the past mistakes would not be repeated.


I personnally will miss the opportunity to place my hands in the pick a brick
containers and grab bag fulls of colors and pieces I cannot get easily.

I also really wanted to ride the new rides, too.

But hey, maybe the SoCal folks will get involved in organizing BF PDX and learn
what it takes to organize a fan convention.

Respectfully,

Todd



Message is in Reply To:
  West Coast Brick Fest - concerns and hopes
 
Whew, I'm in Lego Recovery after Brick Fest! I just wanted to say a few things about this very important issue. Firstly, I don't know where the heck Matt Gerber is, but I hope he is ok and I hope nothing ill happened to him. Secondly, The PBX event (...) (21 years ago, 12-Aug-03, to lugnet.events, lugnet.org.us.lugola, lugnet.org.us.baylug, lugnet.people)

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