Seattle Worldcon bid ends
In Internet time this is probably old news by now. The Seattle Worldcon bid lost facilities and has withdrawn from the vote for the 2011 Worldcon.
I posted the following to seattlein2011@yahoogroups.com:
I'm surprised and saddened by this news.
I don't regret my effort in working on the 2011 bid. I have met many wonderful people in Seattle fandom and elsewhere, friends I am happy to have met. I've been to some interesting places and done interesting things; I like to travel. Were we not having a launch party there, I might not have gone to Japan at all.
I may see things through a Seattle-flavored perspective, but my perception from what many people told me is that, aside from a few dozen smofs, fandom in general wanted to come to a Seattle Worldcon. I am confident we would have easily won a site selection vote and that Seattle fandom, its extended network of friends, plus the usual Worldcon regulars, would have hosted one of the most memorable and successful Worldcons ever.
I am much in favor of a Westercon or World Fantasy Convention in Seattle. A lot of people I've spoken to want to have a good fannish reason to come to Seattle; I almost think we owe them that.
Although the number of great Seattle folks I've met are too many to name, I'm especially honored and grateful to count Bobbie DuFault as a friend. She's in the top rank of leaders in fandom and could do a much better job of chairing a Worldcon than most of the Worldcon chairs I've met over the years. Her ability to find people's strengths and get the most out of them is unparalleled. She's more than paid her dues and is entitled to step back and let someone else take the lead, but anyone thinking about a future Seattle Worldcon is going to want to ask her to be a senior adviser, at least.
My experience in travelling around is that Seattle and Seattle fandom is just about the easiest sell any bid committee could ask for. Maybe we need a year to regroup, the facilities question needs attention, and someone would have to step up to lead a bid, but I would be very pleased to offer my time, skills, and money to support a future Seattle Worldcon bid for some year in the next decade.
Anyway, I'm hoping to come to Norwescon, so I'll see many of you there.
I posted the following to seattlein2011@yahoogroups.com:
I'm surprised and saddened by this news.
I don't regret my effort in working on the 2011 bid. I have met many wonderful people in Seattle fandom and elsewhere, friends I am happy to have met. I've been to some interesting places and done interesting things; I like to travel. Were we not having a launch party there, I might not have gone to Japan at all.
I may see things through a Seattle-flavored perspective, but my perception from what many people told me is that, aside from a few dozen smofs, fandom in general wanted to come to a Seattle Worldcon. I am confident we would have easily won a site selection vote and that Seattle fandom, its extended network of friends, plus the usual Worldcon regulars, would have hosted one of the most memorable and successful Worldcons ever.
I am much in favor of a Westercon or World Fantasy Convention in Seattle. A lot of people I've spoken to want to have a good fannish reason to come to Seattle; I almost think we owe them that.
Although the number of great Seattle folks I've met are too many to name, I'm especially honored and grateful to count Bobbie DuFault as a friend. She's in the top rank of leaders in fandom and could do a much better job of chairing a Worldcon than most of the Worldcon chairs I've met over the years. Her ability to find people's strengths and get the most out of them is unparalleled. She's more than paid her dues and is entitled to step back and let someone else take the lead, but anyone thinking about a future Seattle Worldcon is going to want to ask her to be a senior adviser, at least.
My experience in travelling around is that Seattle and Seattle fandom is just about the easiest sell any bid committee could ask for. Maybe we need a year to regroup, the facilities question needs attention, and someone would have to step up to lead a bid, but I would be very pleased to offer my time, skills, and money to support a future Seattle Worldcon bid for some year in the next decade.
Anyway, I'm hoping to come to Norwescon, so I'll see many of you there.