Anthrocon announces 2006 venue and dates!

[giza]

Cross posted from the Anthrocon Message Boards:

After an enormous amount of deliberating (and sleepless nights), we have signed a contract with the Westin Convention Center Hotel in Pittsburgh, PA, for 2006. After this year, Anthrocon will be held at the David L Lawrence Convention Center (to which the Westin is attached) from June 15-18, 2006.

I cannot begin to tell how many venues we have considered and dismissed. We had to find a place that was (a) available, (b) big enough to hold us, (c) laid out in a fashion that was appropriate for our needs, (d) affordable for us, (e) affordable for our members, (f) not so far away that the commute for the organizers would be impossible, (g) easy to get to for the majority of travelers (airfare from most destinations is comparable to Philadelphia) and (h) not a dump.

There will be more information later, but we wanted to give a heads-up to the folks who are starting to plan their summer activities for next year. Please note that we are jumping ahead by a few weeks for 2006. We plan to return to our usual early-July timeslot in 2007.

Comments

[procy-raccoon.livejournal.com]

While it's a bit of a further drive for me (I'm coming from Lancaster, PA) I don't mind it. I think there's a lot of potential for the con with all the new changes happening. I for one welcome our new Pittsburgh overloads. ;p

[lionman.livejournal.com]

Just a question out of curiosity: Have the airfares to both Pittsburg and Philadelphia gone down signifigantly, or are they still as high as they were several years ago?

I never could find a flight cheaper than $600 from the midwest, which is double what I thought it should be. Whenever I had to go to PA, I would always fly in to Baltimore and drive.

[giza.livejournal.com]

When I flew form PHL to ORD for MFF 2003, the airfare was in the low $300s.

I do not know what the trends are overall, however.

[lionman.livejournal.com]

The low $300's would be in line with flying from the midwest to the coast and back.

Wow, 3 responses. I should ask questions here more often! ;-)

[lionman.livejournal.com]

I poked around Orbitz and the like and can see there are reasonable fares out there now.

Things must have changed since I last tried to travel to PIT and PHL. It used to cost an arm and a leg to go there.

[lionman.livejournal.com]

I think the jury is out on that. These are the same airlines that are now asking the government, and apparently being allowed to, default on their pension plans. United just got to write off their multi-billion dollar pension plans. I think employees invested in those plans lost about 80% of their money.

[duncandahusky.livejournal.com]

Looking at flights from KC, MO to Pittsburgh, PA for approximately the same weekend this year (6/24-6/27) I get flights for $173-202 on Northwest, Midwest, and USAirways. So that shouldn't be too bad (even if PIT isn't a Southwest destination).

[lionman.livejournal.com]

Hmm...yeah, that's what I'm finding looking now. Apparently prices have come down in the last years since I tried to go to PIT and PHL last.

[giza.livejournal.com]

How so? Do you really hate the month of July or something? :-P

[zealianbadass.livejournal.com]

another reason to hate New Jersey *throws a grappling hook and drags Pittsburgh closer >.<*

[tgeller.livejournal.com]

Congrats to you and Kage (and the rest of the gang). I know it's been a hard search. Pittsburgh's underappreciated IMHO.

[snow-kitty.livejournal.com]

I'm going to miss AC being in my hometown...but I'm glad you guys found a place that can grow with the con :)

[coppercheetah.livejournal.com]

Nice to see AC coming back to my old stomping grounds. Just more reason to come out--well, when I'm not moving into a new house. *grumble* But, ah well, had to grasp the nettle firmly on that one.

The Westin is a good chain on convention centers. The local Westin out here has a very good reputation for handling sci-fi, anime', and other less-formal conventions with a lot of class.

[kinkyturtle.livejournal.com]

Yaay!

Hmm, glad I picked this year to finally go sightseeing in Philly.

[kuddlepup.livejournal.com]

That icon is awesome :)

[kinkyturtle.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[garrwolfdog.livejournal.com]

Well, I know nothing about Pittsburgh other than it was mentioned in a Velvet Underground song once, so yay! excitment, adventure and really wild things, and all that :)
still several thousand miles for me to travel either way, sounds fun to me :)

[antimon.livejournal.com]

This is where you were considering for 2007/8 right?
and the tower construction is still on scedual?

[giza.livejournal.com]

> This is where you were considering for 2007/8 right?

Affirmative.

> and the tower construction is still on scedual?

Unknown. I do not have any updated information on that at this time.