Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2004 11:30:34 -0400
From: "Michael Walsh" <MJW at press.jhu.edu>
To: <WSFAlist at WSFA.org>
Subject: [WSFA] Re: 2007 Worldcon
Reply-To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at WSFA.org>

> yapivy at techemail.com 8/23/04 11:10:11 AM >>>
>--- "Michael Walsh" <MJW at press.jhu.edu> wrote:
>>>>>
>This voter - who has lived in Taiwan & Korea - is quite happy
>with
>sending the Worldcon overseas.  I gave the Japanese bid
>money when they
>commenced their bid.
>
>I just want it to go to fan groups who know what they're doing.
>
>I have yet to decide which bid seems to be the least
>incompetent.
><<<<
>
>Competency of the organizers is certainly a fair criterion for site
>selection.  However, how will groups gain experience in
>organizing large conventions if they are never given the
>chance to organize one?

I don't quite follow your logic.

I gather there are large conventions in Japan devoted to SF and the
various skiffy spin offs and the like.  I have no concerns about a
Yokohama not being well run.

My concern is: will it be a Worldcon?  Or will the convention have only
the required bits & pieces grafted onto a large Japanese convention?

Of course, there is the question of what exactly a Worldcon is.  I
would lean towards a variation of Damon Knight's definition of SF  ["and
that it will do us no particular harm if we remember that, like "The
Saturday Evening Post," it means what we point to when we say it."  ]

For instance, one of the problems with the Japanese bid, which seems to
be really how the hotel industry over there does buisiness, is that we
have no idea how much hotel rooms are going to cost, until they win the
bid.  As best as I can tell, atleast from their website, this issue has
not even been acknowledged.  Which is odd, considering who their foreign
agents are.

I appreciate that they're stuck in a hard place regarding costs, but
nonetheless, that's how the game is played.  And failure to deal with
issue is a concern.

mjw

>
>Ivy
>
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