I live about 10-15 (depends on traffic) from Games Plus. Been there several times, but I'm not a regular there.

Really guys what would you like.. something in Chicago itself or nearer to O'Hare or Midway in those Burbs?

@Kalel what do you mean you've thrown a couple of cons.. which cons have you worked on? We may know some of the same people.

Bumping this back up.

It'll probably be last-minute if I make it, which I probably won't.

The key is a venue that has room to spread out and talk in private so we can get a good idea when someone is trying to eavesdrop. By the way, you all might want to watch out for non-players wandering around just listening in. They would be my spies.

Draug that leaves a lot of places. Hell the Starbucks that I work at would work as a venue then.

I don't know the area at all but it would be fun if we held the event somewhere close to neat restaurants and bars and stuff. Presumably we won't be playing dipcy 24 hours a day. Also, in terms of venue, the Boston one looked awesome -- what kind of space was that / how much did it cost?

If I'm in there, I'd definitely prefer if it were in a fun area where we could explore the city and share some pints.

It was a conference room on the roof of an apartment complex. It was free because crazyter's son lived there.

I think it's likely I'll make it.

One possibility is that one or more out of towners could get a vacation rental that could then be used to host. For example: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/1201298?guests=8&s=056

Oh hell no! I'm not sleeping in the same house as Draug.

Grr, stupid autoreplacement of D.

http://bit.ly/18qOsgr

Bo, good call. You may be young enough for his taste.

I'm 18 now, not "nymphet" enough for him...

Wear some pigtails, and maybe Draugnar will show you how he whittles his wood.

I'm not saying everyone would have to stay there. Maybe only one person would. It's just an idea for obtaining a common space where we can play and caucus, without having to actually rent a meeting room or conference room.

If I do go, I'll be morning-night and back home. Maybe I'll stay a second day and spend the night at Zero Gravity or something.... (but don't tell my parents!)

Why can't we all just stay at CF's house?

Cause CF lives in a smallish 2 bedroom apartment. So I can have 1 or 2 people stay but not everyone :)

"don't tell my parents.."
made me chuckle.

bumping this back up.

So it sounds like people want to stay somewhere interesting in the city then?

CF - mostly some small ones 30-50 guys, but if fell on me to coordinate. But I have attended some larger ones as part of the Windy City Weasels.

The small one we did down town was at the The Whitehall Hotel They had meeting rooms for gaming and gave us a bulk rate on hotel rooms.

A less expensive one was in Elmhurst near Games Plus - Country Inn & Suites Chicago O'Hare NW
2200 South Elmhurst Road
Mount Prospect, IL 60056 - shuttle to the airport, close to several highways, and lots of food options in walking distance.

The WCW doe their annual thing closer to Fullerton/Clark - I haven't been to that in a few years (when I took home best France :-).

Whitehall Hotel looks cool if the bulk rates are within people's budgets.

I'm ok with the Whitehall Hotel if we wanna go downtown. If near Games + I can find a bunch of different hotels. I know the Holiday Inn Express near me in Palatine has a nice big board room. People do a Warhammer 40K tournament there every year.

Bump.

I live in Madison (2 hr drive). If anybody is coming up from the north or west I'm happy to put them up in my apt. Couch and floor space only, I'm afraid.

Awwww....no spoonin' with my old pal YJ? What's the point in making the trip....sigh...

For you krellin, I'd make an exception.

But only if I can be the little spoon.