[Scott F.]

Like Bryan mentioned, I think it would be a really event to host but I'm not sure we have the commitment from the masses.

I'm not sure if you guys want to wait but I'm thinking about hosting an event mid-to-late spring once I finish the (forced) basement remodel. Sort of a grand reopening We can talk about it as a group at that time. Then again, if the (current) committed want to push forward and try to enlist more help, we can still try to get together as a group.

[KenSeger]

Here's another way of looking at this.  Everybody would like to attend RCAF *IF* it was only, oh say, an hour's drive away.  Heck, it takes that long for the Illinois side members to drive out to Chesterfield or Pacific.  SO getting out to RCAF takes a good deal of effort and money.  A bunch more than $100.oo that's for sure.  But if we kick in $100 each as seed money for this, we'll have an audio fair right here. A *LOT* more convenient than 700 miles to the west.

Notice the term "seed money". The St. L fair will not be as big as an established fair that has a track record for manufacturers and distributors to examine.  At least at first.  It will grow, just like a tree.  If you plant an apple seed or even a sapling, nobody expects it to yield bushel baskets full of apples a few months or the next year.  Heck, even asparagus takes a minimum of a year or two before it produces a significant yield.  By comparison, our ROI from time and money will be rapid.

I would say let's do some small steps at first as soon as we can.  Perhaps the idea of meetings on a regular basis, but more importantly, a new thread for the people that want to be involved: to list tasks needed to be done, assign/volunteer for those tasks, and report back to the group.

Ken

[Steve]

Here's another way of looking at this.  Everybody would like to attend RCAF *IF* it was only, oh say, an hour's drive away.  Heck, it takes that long for the Illinois side members to drive out to Chesterfield or Pacific.  SO getting out to RCAF takes a good deal of effort and money.  A bunch more than $100.oo that's for sure.  But if we kick in $100 each as seed money for this, we'll have an audio fair right here. A *LOT* more convenient than 700 miles to the west.

Notice the term "seed money". The St. L fair will not be as big as an established fair that has a track record for manufacturers and distributors to examine.  At least at first.  It will grow, just like a tree.  If you plant an apple seed or even a sapling, nobody expects it to yield bushel baskets full of apples a few months or the next year.  Heck, even asparagus takes a minimum of a year or two before it produces a significant yield.  By comparison, our ROI from time and money will be rapid.

I would say let's do some small steps at first as soon as we can.  Perhaps the idea of meetings on a regular basis, but more importantly, a new thread for the people that want to be involved: to list tasks needed to be done, assign/volunteer for those tasks, and report back to the group.

Ken

I agree, and I think there will be some top manufacturers exhibiting, or at least represented. A few examples in and out of the area, being represented or could be: Herron, Legacy Audio, Selah, Von Schweikert, SAS Audio, Musical Design/Concepts, Tyler Acoustics, etc. I am sure there are more.
 
Like you mention, it does not have to be huge to start. Detoit's AKfest started small but the last three years had from 900 to 1100 attend, and that is near the border. I believe mentioned earlier, Lonestar Audiofest just rented rooms and paid $99.00 a night.

Cheers.

[Bob in St. Louis]

I received a PM from a member, seemed like some good information:

=========================================

Hi Bob, Whem I showed my system at LSAF last year, all I did was make reservations through the hotel and even had 24 hours to cancel. When I arrived, I checked into the hotel at the check-in counter and took my system up to the room and set it up. I never saw anyone from the show crew.

It was a very relaxed and care-free show for all the manufacters that showed. They too only had to pay $99 each for their two nights, and everyone of them was very happy with the business. There were no fees to the attendees, some came back all three days to have there CD's played.

I know you guys could pull a similar show off, and none of the members would have to donate $100 to pull this off

[bpape]

Just remember that for that $99, there are no special rates for show goers for rooms, no furniture removal so you have to work around that (tough with larger systems), etc.  We could certainly do something like that as long as everyone understands the restrictions and the hotel is willing to do it.  How do we guarantee that we get enough rooms?  Other guest complaints?  Split up among multiple floors?  Room numbers for a program so people know where to go?

I'm just sayin'

Bryan

[Bob in St. Louis]

Ahh....good words spoken from a man who has "been there, done that". 

Bob

[Mitsuman]

GAS guys,

FYI, I didn't accept the job offer in Texas, so I'm down with helping this thing go forward. Are we going to get together soon to discuss details? I'm available to help with whatever.

Craig

[bpape]

I have no problem doing something like that.  It's relatively easy as long as we have a hotel that will work with us and block off a bunch of rooms together and the vendors understand that it's a small thing to start with.  We can always expand later if that's wanted.  I'm just pretty sure the hotel is going to want some sort of guarantee if they're going to block off a floor of rooms for us. (read $$$)

Bryan

[thunderbrick]

Make sure it doesn't happen on a date when some big convention hits town.  Should take pressure off of the hotel room terms.

UPDATE:  Do we get to buy each other's stuff at show demo rates?     

[Vapor Audio]

IF we find a hotel willing to work the event like the LSAF does, I think we could easily put something together for this year ... like an August/Sept timeframe.  I imagine most vendors wouldn't have a problem putting a 2 night hotel rate depost down so we could hold a block of rooms. 

Moving furniture could be worked out easily I assume.  Either the hotel could offer a few guys that are willing to work 'on the side', or we could put an ad on Craigslist looking for 8-10 guys that could work hourly at the event moving furniture, we'd get plenty of interest.  Then vendors could pay the moving crew directly if they don't feel like humping around couches. 

There are some nice hotels in Collinsville, IL as I mentioned earlier ... they lost all their big money makers for the year with Gateway raceway shutting down.  I bet they'd practically fight with each other to win a weekend event like this in what's going to be a very hard year for them. 

I have one other friend here in STL, doesn't post here but he's a fellow speaker builder.  He said he'd have time to dedicate 5-10 hours a week to this event for however long it takes to put things together.  Tim said he could help with a mass mailing to people who don't read internet postings, that would be a huge help getting people through the doors. 

Between the core of us STL guys, we know pretty much everybody in the industry.  I really don't think it would be a lot of effort putting this together.  I think the main things we need are to talk with organizers of other events and put together a list of action items ... and then to talk with Hotels and find a venue that will host without requiring any money down on our part.  Once those two things are done all the speculation is over and it's just a matter of promoting the event to vendors and attendees, and the working out the fine details. 

[Bob in St. Louis]

Ryan,
I'm not too sure the hotel would be too keen on us hiring 8-10 guys to haul furniture from their rooms. Just a hunch, but I'd be willing to put money on it.

Also, a fellow willing to send envelopes would be nice, but having somebody's email address seems like a much cheaper, quicker, and easier method of contacting interested parties. Granted, they may not be AudioCircle members, but we're also on AudioNervosa. If that's not enough, I could put their email address on the GAS list and when important milestone happen, I could email them. That's three different methods of letting them know what's going on. In those emails, I could provide links to sites such as this to keep them updated. They don't have to be an AC member to read the thread.
Sending a letter seems so........eighties.

Bob

[Steve]

IF we find a hotel willing to work the event like the LSAF does, I think we could easily put something together for this year ... like an August/Sept timeframe.  I imagine most vendors wouldn't have a problem putting a 2 night hotel rate depost down so we could hold a block of rooms. 

Moving furniture could be worked out easily I assume.....Then vendors could pay the moving crew directly if they don't feel like humping around couches. 

There are some nice hotels in Collinsville, IL as I mentioned earlier ... they lost all their big money makers for the year with Gateway raceway shutting down.  I bet they'd practically fight with each other to win a weekend event like this in what's going to be a very hard year for them.   

If I may suggest, have vendors put up X amount of non refundable dollars. When the exhibitor arrives, a portion of the deposit pays for the room(s), the rest of the deposit is refunded to the exhibitor. If the exhibitor does not attend, they lose their entire deposit.

Maybe keep hours and divide any excess money to the Gents who put in the time and efforts. Or use the extra money on a grand prize.

Just a thought.

Cheers.

[bpape]

Hiring people doesn't concern me as much as having to pay for additional hotel rooms to STORE the furniture in for the 2-3 days of the show, plus a set up day and tear down day.  I doubt they hotel would let anybody do it that they didn't hire anyway.  They're certainly not going to just let any Joe move their furniture around and potentially trash it, the walls, etc.

Bryan

[KenSeger]

Hiring somebody off the street to move furniture leaves 'someone' wide open to all sorts of liability if somebody drops said furniture on somebody's or somebody else's toes.  One needs to either have volunteers or hire a crew that has a Workman's Compensation policy.  Sending letters might be so eighties, but suing everybody for everything at the drop of a hat is currently very fashionable.

[electricbear]

I could probably get the owner of TSR put a piece about the show in one of our regular email blasts to our clients. I can also approach Music For Pleasure and The Screening Room to do similar with their client base. We could also put flyers in St Louis Computronics, Guitar Center, Vintage Vinyl, Alphatech, Best Sound, Winston Electronics etc.

[Bob in St. Louis]

Ken - Well said. My points exactly.

Tim - Wow, that sounds like just the ticket to get "instant" exposure to a whole new client/customer base that AC and AN doesn't reach. Most impressive.

Bob

EDIT: But, as I posted above, has anybody (or could anybody) contact the founders of LSAF/RMAF/AKFEST and see what their local hotels were able to do for them, or are we just going to see what the STL hotels could do for us?

[wedweb]

With the mattresses, chairs, etc in a room, one could arrange the mattress up on end and other items on the extremities all for sound dampening/room acoustic edits.

Bo

[Vapor Audio]

If LSAF lets people renting the room move their own furniture, then how would paying somebody a few bucks to do it for them be any different?  You'd just be either moving it to the other side of the suite, or to a service room at the end of the hall. 

... and that was only one small part of my post anyway, are we playing pick apart ideas now? 

[Steve]

With the mattresses, chairs, etc in a room, one could arrange the mattress up on end and other items on the extremities all for sound dampening/room acoustic edits.

Bo

Good idea Bo. Another thought is if we can rent larger quarters, like at the AudioKarma AKfest, the rooms had a separate bedroom, so one did not have much to move, but could still impliment your idea if one wished to.

Cheers.

[KenSeger]

If LSAF lets people renting the room move their own furniture, then how would paying somebody a few bucks to do it for them be any different? ... and that was only one small part of my post anyway, are we playing pick apart ideas now?

I certianly didn't mean to play pick apart.  It is just that if you pay somebody to do a task, in the US you are legally creating a State of Agency between the two parties and then the entire U.C.C. comes into play. (Uniform Commercial Code)
I think your noting that the Collinsville area being hungry for traffic is well taken.

Ken