Fortcon II - September 16-18, 2005

[John]

I'm waiting on some responses from Vegas hotels before announcing a location. It will almost definitely be Vegas, though. We'd decided at the first one that the next should be out on the west side, and if there is a third one, it may be more easterly-located.

[Wallyhorse]

John:

It probably makes sense to do Vegas this time since you had already planned it out (and I only saw this for the first time on Sunday).

As for a FORTCon III, that one I would look at doing in New York with two suggested weekend dates: September 8-10, with September 29-October 1 as a backup in case the first weekend coincides with Rosh Hashanah and/or it's hard to get hotels since that's also the second weekend of the US Open Tennis championships at Flushing Meadows. The second weekend is also good because unless you have a pennant race going down to the wire, it's a ho-hum weekend on that front before the baseball playoff start the following Tuesday.

Those are the two big weekends of the Fall Championship Meet at Belmont Park, and I suspect for 2006, the way things are, The New York Racing Association probably will compress all of their major Breeders' Cup prep races into those two weekends (September 9-10 and September 30-October 1).

For 2006, September 8-10 would be my first preference since that is the weekend after Labor Day and aside from the US Open, it's not a big travel weekend for many.

[leeinsmyrna]

Maybe a Texas-Hold-'Em mini tournament for the FORTers while in Vegas????

[gracie]

Maybe a Texas-Hold-'Em mini tournament for the FORTers while in Vegas????

That could be interesting. I might as well lose my money to someone I know rather than to complete strangers. I'm leaning more towards a mini Amazing Race around Vegas or a scavenger hunt.

[John]

There will be a 24-hour Texas Hold'em tournament in my room. Bring cash.

But the mini TAR is definitely something I'm interested in doing.

[Mantenna]

I really like the mini-TAR idea, too.

[queenb]

As long as it doesn't turn into a foot race, i like the TAR idea too. Can't run due to foot problems, but I'm game for anything else!

[Stargazer]

Love the TAR idea. That would be awesome.

[Unklescott]

Love the TAR idea. That would be awesome.

Can I be on phat's team? He certainly proved himself in Chicago.

[queenb]

John:

Also, perhaps we could include a day at Belmont Park if it were in New York, with if so that being Saturday, September 17 or Sunday, September 18, depending on when the major Breeders' Cup prep races are scheduled (which television will dictate, and they will be bigger than normal in New York this year since Belmont is also the host of the Breeders' Cup, the championship day in the sport on Saturday, October 29).

Thoughts?

I don't think there are a lot of horse racing fans here (besides me), but I'll be spending some time watching the Belmont action from the "race book' in whatever Vegas casino; I prefer it to the card tables, and as always in Vegas, it involves free booze.