[CQ-Contest] Dayton Hamvention Future?

[Richard F DiDonna NN3W]

This topic has been discussed ad infinitum on QRZ and eHam.

As long as DARA wants to make money, they will keep Hamvention in Dayton.  I've talked to a ham in Dayton who is a client and who spends a lot of time on the road at trade shows and conventions.

There are no venues in the Dayton area (besides Hara) which can do what Hamvention does and needs.

You need tailgate space, vendor and exhibitor space and conference room space.   The convention center downtown has conference room and vendor/exhibitor space but not tailgate space.  The trade center out by the airport has tailgate space but limited exhibitor space and no real conference room space. 

By losing either of those three items, Hamvention really falls apart.

According to my Dayton guy, the only place that can handle these three items in the Southern Ohio area is the fairgrounds in Columbus - aside from Hara.

I doubt DARA wants to pull the stakes and have everything 75 miles east.

I've not gone to Hamvention in years but I expect a lot of slop when I go.  Comes with the hobby.  It's not the International Boat show or World of Concrete or the ABA annual meeting. Nor will it ever be.

73 Rich NN3W

Sent from my iPhone

> On Nov 15, 2015, at 12:40 PM, Jeff Clarke <ku8e at bellsouth.net> wrote:
> 
> Agree with Charles. The Orlando Hamfest is up and coming. The FCG has done a great job with the contester activities. The flea market is pretty good too.
> 
> To be truthful I have scaled back on my Dayton trip in recent years because Hara is a such a dump. It dirty and too crowded to really enjoy it much. If it wasn't for the contester activities I wouldn't even bother going.
> 
> Jeff
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