"COLD WARS AS THE NORTHEAST'S CONVENTION" Topic

R Dean/49mountain
On paper Hershey Lodge looks perfect – plenty of carpet and acoustic ceilings within potential gaming areas, ample parking, choice of restaurants on-site [even a sports bar] and over 650 rooms, with other hotels nearby [within driving distance].

However, I'm pretty sure the facility and room cost would be prohibitive – I used Trip Advisor to ascertain hotel room rates, and all I got was 'not available' or 'contact the hotel for details'. That's not very reassuring….. one review mentioned expecting more for the $400 USD room rate [hopefully that was peak and a suite].

Last time I looked Hershey was ridiculously expensive. I don't mind paying $150 USD for a room – but $500 USD? No freakin' way.

Ya'll have fun. We won't miss ya.

Always congested? Not really. Worked in the area for five years. But I guess it depends on your definition of congested. I found the highways around FCC to be swamped on a Saturday (almost all the time really). This place would be empty on a Saturday.

Hershey might work for March or November, but it is a very high tourist area for summer – much worse than Lancaster at that time of year.

Hershey looks very interesting. If they could get a good deal on the rooms, it would be fantastic for Fall In or Cold Ward.

One can only hope.

My SO Is involved in a singing competition in Hershey next April, so that'll be my first exposure. If the room rates are $400 USD, she may be on her own. :)

Historygamer are you really saying you can validate that highways around FCC is swamped all day Saturday? Don't you play games? (Just happen to be out on the road doing surveys?)

Perhaps clarify?

The rates at FCC for rooms is very cheap compared to what I am paying for at Gencon. Hershey sounds great but I bet people would complain no matter where it goes.

Yes, I often travel down that way.

I have been at the Hershey facility several times for work events for a 2 or 3 night stay. It is a really nice facility, but I do not think the prices should be too high. Most of this facility is from the 70s and early 80s with updates. Well kept and reminds me of places like the host, but with the proper maintenance and upkeep.

Hershey could really work for our organization from what I have seen, especially for the off season shows should the Host become unavailable.

holien,

I live in Alexandria, VA and often go to Lake Anna, Virginia on the weekends, leaving Friday night or Saturday morning. Lake Anna is about 45 minutes south-west of Fredericksburg and I drive past the FCC on I-95 on the way there. I have been going there for ten years, summer and winter, so I think I can speak from experience. The bottom line is that on weekday mornings, the traffic going south on I-95 to Fredericksburg is not a problem. From Alexandria to Fredericksburg takes about an hour. It is considerably heavier in the afternoons, so the trip may take a much as two hours on a bad day. Saturday mornings are fine as long as you hit Springfield, VA before 8:30 or 9:00 am. The beach traffic slows things up after that. Going back on Sunday has never been a problem. Last weekend it look me about 50 minutes to get from Fredericksburg to Alexandria and I hit Fredericksburg about 11:00 am.

The 21-mile stretch of Interstate 95 that connects the Capital Beltway and Quantico is one of the busiest highways in the eastern United States. The most heavily traveled segment of the corridor, located just south of Old Keene Mill Road, carries an average of 231,000 vehicles per day. This count includes about 30,000 vehicles per day in the corridor's reversible express lanes and about 14,000 tractor-trailers

link

I noted on the Hershey Lodge web page that they invite Requests for Proposals (RFP) from organizations to provide some up front pricing. A convention of our size and the number of room nights involved should reduce the cost significantly over a stay by a single family. I still think it is worth at least an investigation.

Thanks dbf1676, the point I was making is Bourne out your response, Historygamer made a generalisation which like many of his other points does not hold true….

But of course never let the truth get in the way of points to try and support your argument.

:)

I wonder if we had HCon at Hershey if it would be allowed to sell chocolate in the dealers hall, or would the BOD be accused of losing the plot…

BTW would be very happy to travel to Hershey if the BOD felt that was best place for HCon, as I am very happy to go to FCC.

So basically, your just a happy guy. :-)

I'm fine as things are but, I am familiar with Hershey and if we could afford it, it would be an upgrade over the Host and just IMHO, a bit better layout than FCC.

Took me 44 minutes from the Potomac River to the FCC exit this morning.

i am in for heshey. just fix that damm registration process.

it use to take 15 minutes max. Now it is a minimm 30 minute wait.

why reinvent the wheel over and over again.

Cranky Yankee wants his shirt in Phillies red. They have lost so many games should be really cheap now.

I like later Cold Wars dates but don't forget the hotels go up at a certain point for the tourist seasons start.

WaltOhara

Just remember, the Virginians and gamers from much further South went NORTH for all that time Historicon was in PA

Just remember, HMGS Mid South and South exist for a reason. Just remember, you have more options.

Kayjay

re the Pennsylvania Convention Center

Not a chance. The ridiculous unions will ensure every dealer would operate at a huge loss. And woe be to you if you even think about unloading your own stuff, having volunteers break down tables, or people doing anything that may be seen as infringing on "them."

They'll get in your face and scream at you. They'll use mob tactics. Philadelphia unions are some of the worst in the country.

Whats wrong with the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, PA?

phillyexpocenter.com

"up to 240,000 square feet of uninterrupted exhibition space"
"We have ample free parking available onsite. With over 5000 free spaces, your staff, participants, and attendees will have no trouble!"

"Electrical Services for Vendors

You can order electrical outlets, flood lights, gallons of water, phones and more for your booth at Expo. Click here to access the ordering portal."

"We have ample multi-plug outlet boxes that can be dropped from the ceiling into almost any location on the floorplan. We also have fast, secure wireless internet access available throughout the facility."

"Hotel Blocks

Our region boasts many excellent hotels, located a convenient distance from Expo, and there are three new hotels planned for the Marketplace at Oaks site. We especially recommend Homewood Suites of Valley Forge, who have shown themselves to be excellent in quality and in willingness to work closely with our event partners."

I think hotels were the problem with this last time, but it seems that is being taken care of. Looks like a good venue for 2018.

Is it a union facility?

@TSD101:
I brought Oaks up in another thread. Someone shot it down quickly. Perhaps desperation for a relatively cheap, hassle-lite site will force a reevaluation.

Hershey? you'd better have a large-bore weapon pointed at their heads if you want to negotiate a "reasonble for wargamers" price out of them. I have severe doubts as to whether we could get a decent per unit price out of them. Surprise me, I'd love it (I live 20 minutes slow traffic driving from Hershey).

Still waiting for John the OFM to respond about his take on the Poconos resort ares, most of which seem to be in somewhat of a downturn last I heard--they might welcome a bunch of wargamers, but I shudder to think of what would happen in and to those champagne-glass shaped whirlpools and heart-shaped hot tubs when we were there.

Just thinking outloud….

Dear capncarp

In searching for a place for "The Weekened" I must have gone to two dozen in the Lancaster area alone. Lots of hotels but few of them have the right mix for a game convention. Most people who go to their cousin's wedding think it would be a great place for a con. Not so once you get into the nitty and the gritty. Did this also in NJ and NY and other places as well. We finally settled on the Continental as ideal.

To give you an example, on the way to the last "The Weekend" I found by chance another hotel that seemed ideal, better than the Continental! Cheaper room rate, nicer, newer, a bit smaller on the rooms but in all things a good deal. The meeting ballroom was just as good… however… the only way down to it was by a small elevator no larger than the Lancaster Host or a wide, but three level stairway. NO roll-on roll off compared to the superb roll-on-roll off at the continental. You can drive your car right up to the table, and huge wide windows to let in lots of daylight! Well that sunk the new hotel in my book.

So it's very difficult to find a facility with the right mix of parking, loading unloading, rooms, conference rooms, and staff. Most hotels are in the business of selling rooms, not renting conference space, and most of them assume the people aren't going to stick around during the day but go out and do "touristy things." Most aren't set up for GM's to easily load and unload trailerloads of stuff for the game, and few are ready for 3,000 eating and defecating machines to descend on them for four days and completely overwhelm the housekeeping staff.

Is it a union facility?

I do not believe so. I've been there once a few years back for another event. Since it was escorting an underage relative to an anime convention of all things, with tons of very small sellers, I doubt it. Looked like the whole thing was staffed by that con's own people.