Paper Con 2017 - Dayton Ohio Spring Paper Modelers Meet

[JohnO]

Dave,
Sounds good I'll plan to attend-90% commited

[airdave]

Bump!...

Last chance....anyone else willing to commit?

I'll have to make a decision on this tomorrow.

[mbauer]

Originally Posted by airdave

Bump!...

Last chance....anyone else willing to commit?

I'll have to make a decision on this tomorrow.

Dave,

Believe it or not, I'm trying real hard to make this. On a budget...

Looking at a local town called Xenia, OH due to the airport there. It is a 12-mile drive to the museum, hotels are from low of $45 (2star) to over $100.

a few have 3.2 rating and cost $55 a night. Don't know what kind of facilities they have for a convention. Are you planning on having it right in Dayton? or would something closer to the museum work?

Just checking rental car prices and places to stay, in the Dayton area.

What kind of hotel prices have you seen in your searches so far?

I've "snipped" a couple of maps with routes and hotels near the museum.

Not sure if I will be able to do much other than show up. Will know more after the first of the year.

Xenia, Oh General Aviation Airport Location, less than 12-miles to the Museum at 1100 Spaatz Street.


Hotels near the 1100 Spaatz Street Museum location.


Mike

[papercruiser]

Just saw this thread. This ain't but a few hours drive from me.

Mike has it right, the cost plus lodging/travel gets pretty steep. I'm not in the stage of life to be able to drop what would probably be $250 in a weekend, sure wish I was

Damn cat crushed some of my best models anyhow.

I would be 100% in as a spectator

[airdave]

Mike...I do hope one day we get to meet up.
I can't tell you how many times I have thought about visiting Alaska!

.......
Hotels average close to $100 for that time of year (mid march).
To be in the vicinity of the USAF Museum puts it at a slight premiuim, but not that much.
Dayton and the area surrounding the USAF Museum is a prime location for many groups and meetings.
Its possible we might be able to negotiate a cheaper room rate, but its still an additional cost we have to consider.

The bigger costs are obviously the cost of facilities (for hosting the event)
and the costs related to a single Banquet and after-show "get-together".

We need a room, or multiple rooms, big enough to accomodate the attendees,
big enough to set up display tables and other related displays,
and still allow for spectator traffic, etc.
Since this is more of a social get together, rather than just a "Model Competition",
its important to have the right facilities to host the event properly.

I haven't even begun to think about additional related expense...but I know theres going to be plenty!
Bottom line is, if I could afford to put this on for you all, I would.
But I can barely afford my own attendance fees.

The individual costs for me, will be just as tough.
And this is why I have to make sure I am covered with costs.
Why I have to work out a way to make it fair to everyone.

I've got 8 "definites" and five "maybes" so far.
At $125 a head...that is enough to make a show happen.

But is it worth all the cost and effort for only 10-12 people?
My goal was to entertain two or three times that number of people.
And, in the process, reduce the attendee cost to make it more agreeable to everyone.

I thought about having a meal at a local restaurant instead of a catered banquet,
but it might be difficult to accomodate a larger group.
And forget having a "Awards Ceremony" or anything like that in a busy Restaurant.

As I said, once I had the commitment from a larger group of people
I could work on ways to reduce the individual costs.
But I needed that committed number first.
Without that definite, I am taking a big financial risk trying to organize this thing.

...
So....Maybe 2017 just isn't going to happen.
What about 2018?

What about raising money over the next year to help put on a 2018 event?
I thought of a few ways to do that...I have a few ideas.

I could set up an account, and collect funds and donations
...all to help pay for the related event costs.
It could reduce the financial demand considerably.
Then, charge a much smaller basic entry fee when it comes time.

At least then, even if we don't get the attendance numbers,
at least the basic cost of the event will be covered.

[papercruiser]

Dave, Those are great ideas. Thank you for doing all of the work that you've done. Your conclusion is pretty much spot on and maybe it'll have to be something that happens slower.

Some of the problem is purely one of getting the word out - for instance I got lucky just to see your thread last night.

Maybe if an effort was made by those with large audiences to promote the event to modelers, perhaps that would help lock in more interest? The owner of this site, for example, and other modelling forums could send out an email blast to members... just throwing out ideas

[wideride]

Dave,
I'm in any way it goes. I've never been to a paper convention and look forward to attending a few this year. If 2017 can't happen, then I'm still in for 2018. The idea of collecting some funds thru the year makes sense to a poor guy like me (aren't we all!). Hope everyone else can get on board too! George

[Vermin_King]

Yeah, it would be tough to do with those numbers. If 2017 happens, I'll be there. If it needs to be 2018, I'll be there, too.

[airdave]

Wideride...try to make it to the fall IPMC in Virginia.
Its well worth it.
I've been twice.
The entire gang are a great bunch, very friendly, lots of fun.
More social, than competition...but very special.
You have to do it at least once.

And make sure you visit the Udvar-Hazy center while you're there.
Anne McCombs usually offers up some sort of special tour on Sunday.

[Isaac]

Not sure what is the difference between having it in 2017 or postponing it to 2018.

If money is the issue in 2017, it will still be an issue the following year.


as a personal note:
I want to participate, but as I said, my job is currently in a super busy mode in Toronto ( we are building full scale airplanes at BA ). But is may be that I will return to Cincinnati in 2018 ( or be sent to another location around the world ).


Isaac