INDY 1500 Movement (Literally)

[indytechnerd]

One of the problems is that the 1500 usually shares a weekend with a larger show. This month, it's the Flower and Patio show. The F&P gets both the Toyota Expo Hall and the West Pavilion (which is where the 1500 needs to go IMHO). Also, there is a show in the Champions' Bldg, so that rules out the Toyota Pavilion/Champions Pavilion Combo, which would be about the same sqft as what we have now, but much nicer.

As for limiting vendors, I'm sure that arguments could be made for or against half the vendors that don't sell guns or knives. That's not the answer. Walkways need to be wider, both between the rows of tables and at the ends. The entry/exit area needs expanded to accommodate people checking firearms in and out. Sadly, though, we're not going to get top billing, so we're not going to get the bigger location.

 

[Timjoebillybob]

We don't need to ban all strollers, though.. Just the black "assault strollers"... Those're the ones that have the shoulder thing that goes up, a "bottle lug" and can accommodate a diaper bag that holds more than 10 changes.

Yes... Common sense stroller laws... If it saves only one ankle....



Blessings,
Bill

No Bill not at all, just keep it down to "standard" strollers that people are used to seeing, not those long strollers that hold 2 or 3 kids.

And I'd rep you if I could.

 

[r3126]

Their business model: Maximum income (vendor table fees, sold tickets) and minimum expenses (venue rental, cleanup and support costs). Result = Maximum net profit. Sound familiar to any business folks? I suspect (and probably correctly) that they could care less about attendee comfort and convenience. Conditions will remain unchanged until there is a significant change in one of the factors in the business model.

It would take a substantal drop in attendence for anything to happen and how many of us are unwilling to attend the 1500 over a prolonged period just to protest the existent conditions? We are sort of a captive audience, we have very limited other places to go to feed our habit.

 

[HiRoller]

Thought you were talking about the movement I had at the last 1500...

I swear they called out a haz-mat crew.

I'd rather crap in the city lockup on a Saturday night, fairgrounds bathrooms are usually filthy beyond words.

 

[luckydog465]

bigger vinue would br great!

 

[buzzard pickins]

Have you recently attended? As a purchaser or a vendor?

GOOD MAN, my attendance record is GOLDEN. Ihave been going so long I remember when Bob Cheek could sing ON KEY.
I will apologize for not knowing that purple ink indicate scarcasm.
R3126 is spot on with his insite on gun show management.
I was again using sarcasm when refering to the knifelady to point out the bogus request to exclude vendors,in the name of overcrowding and the product they sell.The big hall at louisville is at least 25% empty, thus demanding higher fees.Some of my best deals have been made around the candy counter or as i was scrounging around the floor looking for a screw from a cheap knife that came apart.
MIAMI indian grandfather used to say: Don't try to cover two chairs with one butt.

 

[evansvillethompsongunner]

I would rather stab my eyes out than leave my car unattended in a bad neighborhood of Indianapolis for several hours, awesome deals or no awesome deals.

 

[2ADMNLOVER]

I would rather stab my eyes out than leave my car unattended in a bad neighborhood of Indianapolis for several hours, awesome deals or no awesome deals.

It's pretty much the same for me , I HATE the ghetto neighborhood it's in .

For the price of parking and admission it isn't worth it to me to go when anything I want to buy can be had on the net without the headache .

 

[D.B.]

Lots of big box distribution bldings sitting vacant these days.

 

[garlic_b]

Lots of big box distribution bldings sitting vacant these days.

The former Walmart in Bloomington Would be nice. Easy location for people to find. (Right on 37) HUGE parking lot. Not in a bad hood in Indy.

 

[360]

btt - Just a reminder to everyone who attends this weekends 1500, please make a point to stop by the office and share your displeasure about the crowded facility and your inability to browse and peruse because of said conditions.

Thanks!

 

[IndyMonkey]

btt - Just a reminder to everyone who attends this weekends 1500, please make a point to stop by the office and share your displeasure about the crowded facility and your inability to browse and peruse because of said conditions.

Thanks!

From my understanding the fair grounds people want the show to go away. There fore they are not making any accommodations for more room.

 

[360]

From my understanding the fair grounds people want the show to go away. There fore they are not making any accommodations for more room.

That wouldn't surprise anyone here.

 

[boozoo]

Thats an awful lot of business to run off....

 

[eldirector]

+1 on getting more space! The last 1500 was a mess. I finally left after the wife got shoved out of the way for the Nth time. We could barely walk around, let alone browse the booths. I can't imagine that sales were as good as they could have been.

The Boat, Sport, and Travel show is HUGE. Lots of folks, literally TONS of vendors, and still lots of space. Why can't we spread out a little?

-1 for "banning" strollers. My wife and I both (usually) enjoy the show, and now we a have a little one in tow. More and more families are getting into the sport and hobby of shooting, and are interested in personal protection. More vendors are catering to women, which means more families will attend the shows. Rather than kick them out (and reduce your customer-base), why not find a way to accommodate them?

Looks like we know who the event organizer is. Does anyone have an "in" with the fairgrounds? It is too late for this year's 1500's, but maybe we can help get more space for 2011?

 

[TopDog]

+1 on getting more space! The last 1500 was a mess. I finally left after the wife got shoved out of the way for the Nth time. We could barely walk around, let alone browse the booths. I can't imagine that sales were as good as they could have been.

The Boat, Sport, and Travel show is HUGE. Lots of folks, literally TONS of vendors, and still lots of space. Why can't we spread out a little?

-1 for "banning" strollers. My wife and I both (usually) enjoy the show, and now we a have a little one in tow. More and more families are getting into the sport and hobby of shooting, and are interested in personal protection. More vendors are catering to women, which means more families will attend the shows. Rather than kick them out (and reduce your customer-base), why not find a way to accommodate them?

Looks like we know who the event organizer is. Does anyone have an "in" with the fairgrounds? It is too late for this year's 1500's, but maybe we can help get more space for 2011?

I vote for banning strollers if the 1500 is kept in such tight quarters. This is a difficult situation for everyone, vendors and customers. The simple answer is to move to larger building. For many reasons it appears that is not going to happen. If we are faced with being packed into tight quarters like animals then we should do what we can on our end to reduce the pain of the 1500. Car pooling to reduce the parking issue, getting a baby sitter instead of bring infants, etc. I don't think any of us want to see the 1500 go away but we would like it to become a better experience for all.

 

[eldirector]

What about wheelchairs? Scooters? Walkers? Assistance animals? Fat people?

Let's stay focused on the real issue. SPACE. MORE. OF. IT.

Don't boot customers or vendors out! We need MORE of both, and the SPACE to house them! The 1500 is growing - that's a good thing! The fairgrounds and organizers should capitalize on the success.

 

[TopDog]

What about wheelchairs? Scooters? Walkers? Assistance animals? Fat people?

Let's stay focused on the real issue. SPACE. MORE. OF. IT.

Don't boot customers or vendors out! We need MORE of both, and the SPACE to house them! The 1500 is growing - that's a good thing! The fairgrounds and organizers should capitalize on the success.

1. Nothing reasonable can be done about the issues you listed. It is possible for a person with a infant to get a baby sitter or use an alternate method of transporting the infant through a crowd.

2. Yes lets stay focused on the real issue - Space. You brought up the stroller issue. I'm not trying to pick on or offend anyone but rather look for reasonable solutions to a problem.

3. Absolutely don't boot customers or vendors out. As I said, its difficult for both vendors and customers. So if customers can work together to try to help with the issue ie; car pooling, getting baby sitters, etc. Are you trying to say if you cant bring a stroller into the 1500 there is no way you could come? You cant get a baby sitter? You cant carry the baby in a harness strapped to you? I understand these alternatives might not be as attractive to you as using a stroller. However I'm sure your cooperation and efforts to help the situation would be greatly appreciated by all those attending the 1500.

So yes lets stay focused on the real issue - space. After reading this thread and several others it is becoming apparent that we are not going to get a building with more space in Indianapolis. If that is the case perhaps taking the recommendations of some of the other posters and moving to different location might be the only viable solution. In the meantime why don't we try to cooperate with each other and make an effort to help the situation that we are currently in by attempting to minimize the impact of a overcrowded event.

 

[Bruenor]

Has anyone else noticed that some vendors will push the tables out further into the isles? It creates a larger area for them, but makes it a bottleneck for everyone else.