The Dayton Hamvention has both macro and micro problem.
The macro problems, such as high gas prices and declining interest,
are universal. However, there are problems they have brought on
themselves.
When they were building up the even they were great, they
would do anything humanly possible to help. They would help
find rooms, etc. When the became fat cats with 30K+ attendance,
they hired an outside firm to run the convention. They also stopped
support and discontinued free bus transportation from downtown
to the Hara Arena. In three years the attendance went from 30K+ to
under 20K.
My personal gripe has always been their requirement that
you have to be present to win a major prize. This discriminates against
people traveling long distances since they have to leave early Sunday,
AM to get home. We pay the same price as the locals but don't have a
shot at a major prize.
Couple this with the facts that there is essentially nothing to
do in Dayton and hotels are expensive. I predict that the Orlando
Hamfest will take over in a few years. They have great facilities,
ample free parking, Florida in February, and Disneyland. You
can get a nice hotel in Kissimmee - about 10 miles away - , for
about a third of what you pay in Dayton.
This past February they had over 8K people.
Urb, W2DEC
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