Great Googly Moogly

[akirlu]

Another Tun, successfully weathered, brought the disturbing smoffish rumor that Seattle will definitely be launching a bid for the 2011 Worldcon. Waugh! Arrrrgh! And, furthermore, Aiiiiiiiii!

Okay, in case anyone is unclear on the inclination of my sentiments, let me just explicitly say that this sounds like a rilly bad idea. Pragmatics are key. Merely wanting a Worldcon in your city because it hasn't had one in a long time is not a good enough reason to bid for one. A committee needs to have big-con experience, competence, national smof connections, and enough emotional distance to take a hard look at their facilities & resources and make their decisions accordingly, in order to field a bid that doesn't threaten the physical and emotional health of the fans who eventually make the thing fly. I deeply suspect that Seattle has none of those, really. And you know, I watched people giving themselves ulcers trying to salvage NolaCon II. I'd rather not have to bear witness to that sort of thing again.

Comments

[marykaykare.livejournal.com]

Would you like me to have a talk with these prospective bidders? Do you think they'd listen to a dose of unpleasant reality?

MKK

[akirlu.livejournal.com]

Frankly, I doubt it would do any good. Bobbie and a bunch of other folks Really Want This. I give Bobbie full marks for listening to advice and opinions and going out and seeking experience and connections to make this happen, but about the ultimate goal I would be really surprised if she were moveable at all. And maybe 2011 is far enough in the future that the tools can be built and the resources will gel, but what worries me is that I have no reason to believe that if they *don't* gel, anybody will be clear-eyed enough to call no-go.

[saphyre-blue.livejournal.com]

You could volunteer to be one of my advisors - everyone needs a good devils advocate.

[thirdworld.livejournal.com]

I plan to talk to Bobbie. I will ask all the hard questions I hear from anyone at all. And she will have to have answers come smofcon time, as the senior smofs will have plenty. I think she will ensure that she can answer them all.

[marykaykare.livejournal.com]

Oh, I wasn't talking about asking questions. I was talking about sharing my experiences in the upper echelons of a worldcon comittee. Not good ones I'm afraid.

MKK

[saphyre-blue.livejournal.com]

I would appriciate hearing them. They would at least give me more information on the potential pitfalls. Also, I admire you but we have never really had a chance to talk so I would welcome the interaction if you are willing.

[akirlu.livejournal.com]

Yes, Bobbie talks a good line. And I do not discount her good will or willingness to listen to outside input. That's worth a great deal. But. When push came to shove, the faces I was seeing at the NASFiC planning meeting were still all local. And Bobbie is only one person, and has decades worth of ingrained Not Invented Here Northwest fan culture to overcome. Intending to have a more networked and hardnosed committee is fine, but not nearly as good as actually having one.