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Is There A National Geocoin Maga Event?

avroair

By avroair
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avroair

avroair

Posted
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Posted

:laughing:

I like the idea and if it were within a reasonable distance I would attend. I too would like to meet some of the people who post here.

 

How far are people calling reasonable? :laughing: What if i find an destination city that's cheap to fly into? :rolleyes:

How much is it to goto Hawaii or the Caribbean? :rolleyes:

 

The Cache Mint :rolleyes: hehe... please don't get me started on this.

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chrisgun

+chrisgun

Posted
Posted

I might attend. When I packed for GW4, I really debated on whether to bring my trader coins. I obviously wouldn't check them in as baggage, but is there a weight limit to carry-on on an airplane? And would I *want* to carry that much weight around with me? I would DEFINITELY not bring my Keepers. Way too heavy..... My husband suggested I get a small case on wheels to lug them around. I toyed with that idea, but decided against it. I might feel differently if the event was coin specific...

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trektek2002

+trektek2002

Posted
Posted

If i do my massave event all would be welcome and all would be asked to leave some thing for the next event. and trading any tb as well as coin will be encuaraged.

but i will ask for ideas for my first event. so i can address any problems at that point. of event timing.

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The Blind Acorn

+The Blind Acorn

Posted
Posted

:laughing:

I like the idea and if it were within a reasonable distance I would attend. I too would like to meet some of the people who post here.

 

How far are people calling reasonable? :laughing: What if i find an destination city that's cheap to fly into? :rolleyes:

How much is it to goto Hawaii or the Caribbean? :rolleyes:

 

The Cache Mint :rolleyes: hehe... please don't get me started on this.

 

The destination city doesn't matter from my home airport because here in PODUNK all flights start around $250-300, I could take AMTRAK for a more reasonable rate. Besides I hate flying - call me chicken, but I had enough anxiety flying at the end Sept, 2001 to last me a lifetime. :rolleyes:

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AtlantaGal

+AtlantaGal

Posted
Posted

Go for the major location where airfares would be discounted. Choose a location based on the weather. Something moderate would be great. I'm sick to death of the heat and hot weather, but in the same respect, I wouldn't want to fly into a blizzard either :laughing:

 

There was talk of Las Vegas. I was all over that.

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Jake - Team A.I.

Jake - Team A.I.

Posted
Posted

Vegas would be a very good ticket. Thousands of rooms, great accomodations, food, many many caches in the area, excellent air travel deals. OK now who is the vegas cacher or cachers who are going to set this up?

 

I'm in AZ... so I'm close, but no cigar. With that distance, I would be driving up and taking my entire collection.

 

Something about having a bunch of geocoins near slot machines... that kinds scares me though. But I still really like that location.

 

Where's Flyin V??? I'm sure they would have some positive input for Vegas as well.

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avroair

avroair

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Interesting enough hogwild stuff is in discussion with a Vegas cacher about a coin based on that very sign.

 

<trackable of course>

 

If the coin thing happens will have to speed it up big time.

 

Well, a pot of gold (geocoins) would work too... just stay away from me lucky charms! Always after me lucky charms! :laughing:

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Dr. Whoever

+Dr. Whoever

Posted
Posted

This sounds like a decision has been roughly made. That coin was AWESOME. The first week of November actually sounds like the plan as this allows those of you with kiddies at home to do Halloween. Now the big question on my tiny mind is WHO is going to take charge of this project? I am 5 hours from vegas, so unfortunately I can only help from a distance prior to the event..during the weekend of the event, no problem. Any VEGAS TAKERS?????

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AtlantaGal

+AtlantaGal

Posted
Posted

WHO is going to take charge of this project? I am 5 hours from vegas, so unfortunately I can only help from a distance prior to the event..during the weekend of the event, no problem. Any VEGAS TAKERS?????

 

A lot can be done afar too... negotiating hotel rates, airline discounts, meeting area, etc. I think someone should contact ou8alizard and see if he'd be interested in helping on the local end. He's in Vegas.

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Landsharkz

+Landsharkz

Posted
Posted

This could very easily be an International Mega Event... Canadians fly to & from Vegas regularly for 3-4 day excursions as the air/hotel packages are such a good deal. I don't know if we'd get airline discounts since the prices to Vegas seem so darned cheap anytime.

 

We've organized a few large professional events, fundraisers & conferences and we see a potential challenge being finding someone to bankroll it initially... meeting or banquet rooms have to be reserved with deposits, etc. It's ok if a company is behind this, but for one or two individuals it could be quite the undertaking. A lot of regular conferences book their annual meeting facilities a year in advance so selection could be limited with the timeline that's been suggested.

 

A few questions ...

How many people do we really think would attend if this was posted as a Mega Event? We'd need a good estimate to determine the size of room(s) needed and how many hotel rooms to set aside.

How many days would the Event last?

Would people expect to pay to attend the Event so the expenses were covered?

Would coin companies/designers pay to have a table displaying their wares?

Would any buffet or banquet be required or would all meals be on your own? (This also requires a deposit)

 

Perhaps a committee could be struck of locals and non-locals to determine the scope of the Mega Event...

 

We also think the Pacific Northwest would be a great alternative to Vegas. Bellingham is looking mighty nice these days... and caches are plentiful :laughing: . It's also closer to home :laughing: .

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avroair

avroair

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)

A few questions ...

How many people do we really think would attend if this was posted as a Mega Event? We'd need a good estimate to determine the size of room(s) needed and how many hotel rooms to set aside.

How many days would the Event last?

Would people expect to pay to attend the Event so the expenses were covered?

Would coin companies/designers pay to have a table displaying their wares?

Would any buffet or banquet be required or would all meals be on your own?

 

I could envision it as a long weekend event with the actual 'event' being held on a Saturday (or a weekday if it proves to be much cheaper). A hotel conference room would serve as the main area. And armored truck service would be available to cart around the coin collections. :D A tentative schedule would run geocoin trading sessions, geocoin games, coin raffles, coin awards (cool design etc), coin auctions (to remove the ebay prescience), tables rentals available for sellers, designers etc. and 3-3 geocoin set specific to the event (with 5 different metal runs of course). A lunch would be provided, but dinner 'you are on your own'

 

Bankrolling would be diversified:

(1) ask Groundspeak to sponsor (there are many ways they can help out)

(2) get sponsorship from coin minters

(3) charge an event fee, which includes LE event coins

(4) make the lunch ticket cost a fee

 

These are just suggestions, but I would be willing to be a non-local organizer. I have experience with organizing fundraisers, conferences and geocaching events (which people seem to enjoy :D )

 

Vegas CoinEX 2006 woot! :sad:

Edited by avroair
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Dr. Whoever

+Dr. Whoever

Posted
Posted

Is early November a bit rushed for this (What is appearing to look like a real MEGA event...actually someone mentioned an International event) Should this not be planned a little more thoroughly and possibly look at early December or even next year? I have no clue here, so maybe I'm speaking off key. When I envision this Mega Coin Extraveganza Event I would hope to have Groundspeak, Coins and Pins, Oak Coins (and other coin reps), Trimble, Magellan and Garmin all there. Furthermore, enlisting a volunteer group of at least 20-30 active cachers who will take a role in setting this up. Quality rooms are available in Las Vegas along with excellent air fares, no discounts needed. Basically all we need to manage is a gathering place and food. I think this is also an opportunity to include an element of media coverage (locally and nationally), and also geocaching 101 seminars. OK I have probably talked too much.....more feedback please. Let's get a Vegas Cacher to head this up and then I think there are enough of us within a reasonable distance who would certainly join in with taking on a level of the responsibilities in making this an extraordinary event.

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nielsenc

+nielsenc

Posted
Posted

I have planned events in the past. A couple of things to keep in mind.

 

1) Even if you have an event hotel, you might want to be careful in tying the rooms to reduce the cost of the event. For example, I was to attend a conference and the conference hotel price was $180 yet I found a better rate close by and saved myself $60/night. And even in Vegas, I can find great deals, for example in about two weeks, I will be staying mid-week for $49/night.

 

2) I would suggest December for the event. I know a good number of Europeans who fly to the US before Christmas to do shopping. And this was when the dollar actually had buying power in these countries. Now, it becomes a better deal to do Christmas shopping in the US. Plus in Vegas, Between Thanksgiving and Christmas in LV is the 'dead' time and there are many deals.

 

3) I would suggest the 'event' be no longer than 2 days. With that, Friday/Saturday would work good to take advantage of a low weekday hotel rate and only one high weekday rate.

 

4) Set the date early. When buying plane tickets, it is good to get an early start. I use farecompare.com to look at historical pricing to know when to get a good deal. Also, by setting the date earlier, you allow people like myself to reserve those two dates. I travel enough for business and usually have my calendar set 2 months + in advance. For example, in the month of Aug/Sep I have booked 30 days of travel. If I had 1 or two month notice, I would most likely miss the event.

 

5) Lastly, pick one maybe two people to have ownership of doing this. With committees, you could have delays and infighting. I have seen this in every company I have been at. If one person is the owner, there isnt much infighting. To solve the problem of people wanting to give their opinion, the best way to make it work, or at least from my experience, is to have the 'owner' send weekly updates on the progress to people. This way, if someone has a suggestion they can email the owner. This goes with setting dates. Just set the date. Even with two people setting the date, there will be conflicts.

 

I know las vegas has been suggested by a few people in the past as well so it looks like it could be pulled off.

 

Thanks.. looking forward to it. I know we would be happy to donate coins.

 

nielsenc

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Bjorn74

+Bjorn74

Posted
Posted

Trying to do too many things would make managing the event too cumbersome. Whoever decides to plan the shin-dig should set the focus and stick to it. It seems to me that the focus would be Geocaching Sig Items and collectibles. I think that trying to make it something with a broader appeal would lose the appeal to travel so far for most of us. I can go to big events every month and nearly every week in the summer around here.

 

I do think it would be worth attending, however. The trading at GeoBash was unreal. I would think that Trippy and maybe Raine would organize another Geocoin Poker Tournament. Could there be a better place?

 

As for dates, I would think that a group this small (less than 1000) could get some space in a hotel off the strip pretty easy. The Hilton was nice. Just avoid the big weeks, which Moose Mob's folks can help with.

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Dr. Whoever

+Dr. Whoever

Posted
Posted

I have planned events in the past. A couple of things to keep in mind.

 

1) Even if you have an event hotel, you might want to be careful in tying the rooms to reduce the cost of the event. For example, I was to attend a conference and the conference hotel price was $180 yet I found a better rate close by and saved myself $60/night. And even in Vegas, I can find great deals, for example in about two weeks, I will be staying mid-week for $49/night.

 

2) I would suggest December for the event. I know a good number of Europeans who fly to the US before Christmas to do shopping. And this was when the dollar actually had buying power in these countries. Now, it becomes a better deal to do Christmas shopping in the US. Plus in Vegas, Between Thanksgiving and Christmas in LV is the 'dead' time and there are many deals.

 

3) I would suggest the 'event' be no longer than 2 days. With that, Friday/Saturday would work good to take advantage of a low weekday hotel rate and only one high weekday rate.

 

4) Set the date early. When buying plane tickets, it is good to get an early start. I use farecompare.com to look at historical pricing to know when to get a good deal. Also, by setting the date earlier, you allow people like myself to reserve those two dates. I travel enough for business and usually have my calendar set 2 months + in advance. For example, in the month of Aug/Sep I have booked 30 days of travel. If I had 1 or two month notice, I would most likely miss the event.

 

5) Lastly, pick one maybe two people to have ownership of doing this. With committees, you could have delays and infighting. I have seen this in every company I have been at. If one person is the owner, there isnt much infighting. To solve the problem of people wanting to give their opinion, the best way to make it work, or at least from my experience, is to have the 'owner' send weekly updates on the progress to people. This way, if someone has a suggestion they can email the owner. This goes with setting dates. Just set the date. Even with two people setting the date, there will be conflicts.

 

I know las vegas has been suggested by a few people in the past as well so it looks like it could be pulled off.

 

Thanks.. looking forward to it. I know we would be happy to donate coins.

 

nielsenc

 

Agreed. So then how about December 8th and 9th (Friday and Saturday) ? Now location....On Strip or Off Strip? Off Strip...??Santa Fe Station?? Anyone?

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TEAM 360

+TEAM 360

Posted
Posted

No matter what dates you pick, SOMEONE won't be able to attend. Too bad. Pick a date and stick with it, and the ones that REALLY want to come, will...

 

Off-strip will be less expensive for rooms, no doubt, but you will still pay higher prices on Friday and Saturday than any other days of the week. S'allright, though, just plan it and like I say, 'It's gonna be what it's gonna be..."

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