[Squaredancing] Spokane comment...

Tue Jul 1 23:27:39 EDT 2008

Not to mention that a busload of people (if gas prices are as they now are)  
could take a side trip to see the fantastic laser light show on the back of 
the  Grand Coulee Dam.  People come from all over the world to see that.   If I 
get to Spokane for the convention in 2012 you can bet I'll take that trip  
even though I've seen it every night for 4 months back in 95.

Anne  

In a message dated 7/1/2008 5:38:59 P.M. US Mountain Standard Time,  
remremington at hotmail.com writes:

Hi  Everyone,
The comment below caught my eye and I wanted to field some  questions:
> >Spokane, WA won the bid for the 61st National Square  Dance Convention > 
>to be held in 2012.> > > >> Doesn't  look as an attractive place, I think.>

Now let me say at the  forefront, I am not intending to make this sound nasty 
to the writer or stir  up mud, but just to investigate a perceived prejudice 
here.
Did people NOT  go to Wichita on a pre-judgment of some kind that Wichita 
would be no fun? Are  casual comments like the one above, (and it looks like it 
is based upon no  personal, accurate information about Spokane,) intended to 
harm a location's  chances of attracting dancers? It is always easy to make a 
disparaging remark  about someplace if you have no data and a prejudice. If I am 
wrong here,  please correct me that you have been to Spokane, have researched 
Spokane or  have some first-hand knowledge of Spokane. 
Maybe this is an indicator that  the Spokane 2012 Committee has its work cut 
out for it to familiarize us  dancers out here to the area and the 
entertainment available outside of Square  Dancing, maybe?
This all brings me to the real question I wanted to ask:  What makes a "good" 
location for a national square dance convention?  
Amusement rides? Hollywood? Or a great climate, in a beautiful location  with 
great facilities accommodating dancing? Or do we want/need entertainment  
outside of square dancing? 
Does access to the City make a difference? An  international airport is not 
enough? Amtrak mainline not enough? Interstate  highways that come through the 
most beautiful landscapes our nation offers not  enough? 
What does make for a good NSDC convention sight?
Or would  having the most entertaining Callers, Cuers and SD related 
entertainment be  adequate regardless of location? I know that just to go to a dance 
within 15  miles of our home we look at the caliber of who is on the program. 
Is this a  primary consideration for a National?
What would entice you to  drive/fly/ride to Spokane Washington USA in 2012? 
(Or to Louisville or Detroit  for that matter?)
Its a good enough place for the U.S. Figure Skating  Championships to return 
there in 2010 after having a terrific first visit in  2007 on their first 
event in Spokane. 
Maybe we should give them, and the  other non-glitzy locations, a chance to 
promote themselves before we bash  them, however unintentionally? You most 
likely did not mean anything bad, but  I’ve seen how comments like this can taint 
a topic before it even gets a  chance to get off on a good foot. 

I’ve visited Spokane for Expo 74, I  also have been there for other events 
over the years too. I've driven through  there on the way to Glacier National 
Park, Yellowstone National Park and on  our way to Silverwood Theme Park, not 
far from there. Somewhat to the south is  the Snake River, and slightly west is 
the Columbia River and all of the  recreation areas available in both 
locations. Surprisingly, there are a lot of  things to do within walking distance of 
the proposed location, a plethora of  fun things to do and see in both short 
and medium drives. As well as a ton of  great places along the trail coming and 
going. One could have a fantastic  adventure which could fill much more than a 
week or two of a vacation.  

Is it just that Spokane is not on the "mainstream" American  pathway?

Now I speak of Spokane, because I've been there. Louisville is  an unknown to 
me. Short of good basketball, whiskey and horses, what's in  Kentucky? I 
think I’d need to know more before expressing an opinion, one way  or the other, 
publicly.

Funds available, I would go to a National  because of the Square Dance 
Program, and entertainment along the trail may be  a draw, definitely, but should it 
be it the major consideration compared to  providing exceptional Dance 
programs at the National Convention?

Not  trying to be a purist here and say only the SD events are important, but 
a  dissection of why we go the a National and what we look for in the overall 
 effort might assist planners and dancers to evaluate the allocation of funds 
 and time for a relative unknown location like Spokane, Louisville, Santa Fe 
or  Portland. 
What do you think?

Rem Remington, (not from Spokane,  but I have visited  there.)
.

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