What are our top priorities in choosing a location? I'd think it's cost/accessibility (I mean accessibility from all points of the country, though once we have an actual hotel, it needs to be accessible as well).

And those are intertwined, it seems. As Jess said above, the Big Name cities tend to be the best ones because they have airports that are convenient. (For instance, Steamboat Springs, CO, is gorgeous, but I wouldn't want to fly into Denver and then spend an hour or more driving to Steamboat.) That's the accessibility issue.

Cost dovetails in when you look at things like public transportation, etc. Or, like in my Steamboat Springs example, everyone would have to rent cars (or chip in on communal cars), because of the hour-long drive to Steamboat. So you add the cost of a rental car to airfare, hotel, food, etc.

So, location affects cost. But we also don't want to pick a location *solely* on cost. We want fun stuff to do, though maybe we don't need a gazillion choices of fun stuff.

So, location/cost/fun.

Maybe Hil could make an equation for us, so that we can optimize our search....

Anyone who can step forward for KC planning? KC seems like a good possibility too (Southwest hub, right?).

I thought it [Toronto] was dropped primarily because it's so insanely expensive to fly into.

It will be spendy to fly from the far corners, but perhaps there will be tradeoffs. Existing in TO will be cheaper than DC or LA, places I've found more expensive, dollar for dollar, even before the exchange.

he has been there for work and knows a good music ( read guitar ) store. lots of musicians busking. Funky, comfortable place. No idea aaaabout the public transportation

Steve's or Long and McQuade? Public transportation is good here. People who live in the city tend to be carless.

KC would be awesome. We should harass Erin into doing it.

I think Erin volunteered to plan KC.

I know I said I was rooting for Minneapolis, but ooh.

Jess, that appears to be an expired link.

As I said previously, I'll volunteer to be point person for Central Texas (Austin/San Antonio are only an hour or so apart so I could coordinate on the ground either place fairly easily.)

Also, to pimp Texas a bit further, there's a fantastic urban/country mix in Central Texas. It would, for example, be possible to stay in a fairly scenic spot for slounging and Buffista-intensive-activities, and be close to more urban delights like museums, shopping, and a hugely eclectic nightlife scene.

IJS.

Cereal to add:

I also endorse Java's RFP idea. I'm all for the apple/apple comparison.

I think a few the one she posted here is an excellent one to use as a foundation.

Toronto: John Sweden
Kansas City: Erin (?)
Minneapolis: Juliana
Austin/San Antonio: Astarte
New Orleans: Heather
Cleveland: Deena

Heather volunteered to plan NO, and (ahem) I've volunteered to plan Cleveland like 3 times now.

I love Austin. I would be distracted there by a large contingent of my friends who aren't Buffistas, but that's moot. It's a great little city, as is San Antonio. It will be quite hot, though, in May. I know some people were concerned about that.

I have always wanted to see NOLA, but again, I can see heat being an issue there as well beause, well, swamp. Kansas City intrigues me, Don't know enough about it to say much more...but isn't it also quite hot? I love the heat, but I don't want people to be miserable.

So I'm thinking my vote would be for a little bit north--I've never been to Minneapolis or Toronto or Cleveland and would be equally happy there.

I did want to say, though, that DC is not always as hot in May as it was this past weekend. (And, in a desperate bid for 2007, New England is gorgeous in May!)