I can sure understand the cost being an objection as has been discussed. Even those that can afford it but are a tightwad like me cough a little at the cost.
That being said, I also can appreciate the difficulty in getting a convention center to accommodate a large group of people. Once you get past a certain size crowd and the need for meeting rooms, the pickings get slimmer and the cost goes way up. Easy to accommodate groups of 20 or 50. Start talking in the hundreds of people and the price of a chocolate chip cookie for break time goes to ten bucks. And you can't bring your own.
I'm sure if someone has suggestions of a strategic located facility that will accommodate the crowd the size of the convention with reasonable costs and reasonable local accommodations Bob would be all ears.
Just a bug in everybody's ears. Wife and I have been talking about hosting a PBF get together (similar to Highflyers event) for the last couple years. It definitely will be low key and the cost will be zilch. Tentative date Sept 22, 2018. But I will start a separate thread about it. Kansas is about as central as you can get.
