I just read in our Reno paper that the 2015 convention won't be back in Reno but will stay in Las Vegas. Not great news for my Reno economy but I know the show was better last year in Vegas.

[URL=http://www.rgj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2013130403008 ]RGJ article[/URL]

Yeah it will be a shame to leave Reno but Las Vegas suits the visiting members more it seems. Cant argue with that...

Sad indeed SDR. I have attend something like 18 straight SCI Shows. 2012 I said I would never go to an SCI Show in Las Vegas again, but my buddies talked me into it. It was worse than expected. Higher prices for airfare, rooms, food and drinks, the Show on two levels, not to mention the overall non friendly folks in LV. I WILL NOT attend in Vegas the next two years, simply not my cup of tea.

One way to look at it is I'll have some extra bucks to spend on a hunting trip. Will miss seeing all the "good folks" for sure though.

Larry Sellers
SCI Life Member

Did the article give dates?

Article says that Reno lost the 2015 Convention because of lack of air service to Reno-the airport is unable to support the increased needs of SCI's members. Read it online at the Reno Gazette and type in Safari Club International. Basically, Safari Club International has outgrown Reno. It would be 2018 before SCI would even consider Reno as a contender. That likely won't happen. Bye Bye Reno. . . . . .You know, this should not be surprising to anyone, especially the officials in Reno and Washoe County. They have all admitted that they have failed to keep up with convention growth by failing to have plans years ago to expand their convention center and now it's the airport. Bad choices, and piss poor planning, as they have never considered the long term until now, and now is too late.

Rich,
Yesterday the SCI website still listed Reno in 2015 and today that year is missing.



Future Event Dates


SCI Annual Hunters' Convention

February 5th - 8th, 2014 Las Vegas, Nevada Headquarters Hotel: Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino

February 3rd - 6th, 2016 Las Vegas, Nevada Headquarters Hotel: Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino


February 1st - 4th, 2017 Las Vegas, Nevada Headquarters Hotel: Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino

Glad to see it going to LV. Much better venue. I skipped this yr, not wanting to go to Reno.

I say good riddance to Reno. It's a cheesy little town and difficult to get to. Many, many more things to do in Vegas, a breeze to get to, and the show seems bigger with two levels to enjoy. For the life of me, I don't understand the complaints about the two floors. Just go from one to the other. Easy! Hell, I hope the show grows to the point of needing three floors!

quote:

Originally posted by Todd Williams:
Hell, I hope the show grows to the point of needing three floors!

quote:

Originally posted by SDR:
I just read in our Reno paper that the 2015 convention won't be back in Reno but will stay in Las Vegas. Not great news for my Reno economy but I know the show was better last year in Vegas.

[URL=http://www.rgj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2013130403008 ]RGJ article[/URL]

yes, this sucks for us guys in Reno. I looked forward to SCI here every year. I'm boycotting Vegas SCI and going to Dallas in 14

quote:

Originally posted by Todd Williams:
I say good riddance to Reno. It's a cheesy little town and difficult to get to. Many, many more things to do in Vegas, a breeze to get to, and the show seems bigger with two levels to enjoy. For the life of me, I don't understand the complaints about the two floors. Just go from one to the other. Easy! Hell, I hope the show grows to the point of needing three floors!

Hey!!! Reno is not cheesy. Its a nice little town. There are tons of things to do around here, gambling, night life and shows, the Mountains, Skiing, Lake Tahoe, Virginia City...the Bunny Ranch and lots more + the bay area is only a couple hours drive. Maybe you just didnt know all the things around here to do

Vegas is cheesy, dirty and disgusting IMO. Everyone has their hand out.
However, they do have better airline service and that would be the only reason for SCI to move permanatly to Vegas. Reno is definatly a nicer town

I will be back next year in vegas, I liked the last one.... Skipped this one since it was in reno

Sorry Full Roar if I insulted your home town. But from a purely business standpoint and considering which venue has more draw appeal, there is no comparing the successful attendance numbers of the Vegas SCI 2012 show to the dismal Reno 2013 show. I suspect that many simply were waiting to get back to Vegas where it's easier to get to with many more sights to see that are not related to the show. Just as an example, the UFC fight production during the 2012 show right at the Mandalay!

As a first time Reno visitor this year I have to say the town was a big disappointment. The people however were just wonderful.

Hey Todd - Seems like you have a really good knack at the insulting thing. Just saying.

I am sure almost everyone who attended SCI in Las Vegas last year attended the UFC fight? Actually all it did was make it impossible to even walk around the Mandalay Bay area tripping over the boozed up, tattooed folks who actually we there for the fight.

If you want to talk about a "nothing to do place" try Dallas, Texas.



Larry Sellers
SCI Life Memeber

quote:

Originally posted by Todd Williams:
Sorry Full Roar if I insulted your home town. But from a purely business standpoint and considering which venue has more draw appeal, there is no comparing the successful attendance numbers of the Vegas SCI 2012 show to the dismal Reno 2013 show. I suspect that many simply were waiting to get back to Vegas where it's easier to get to with many more sights to see that are not related to the show. Just as an example, the UFC fight production during the 2012 show right at the Mandalay!

Larry,

Seems you get your feelings hurt quite easily. Sorry about that as well. But simply stated, regardless about how you, I, Full Roar, or any of the others here on the forum feel about the two cities of Vegas and Reno, the facts are that the number of show attendees at Vegas far exceeded Reno. One really can't dispute that.

There are many legitimate reasons for it and it has nothing to do with insults. One, Vegas is much easier to get to. From any major US city, Vegas is typically a 1 flight, non-stop destination and the fares are about 1/2 of what it costs to get to Reno. Usually with multiple choices pertaining to time of departure. Reno, not so much. Even from the DFW airport, I had a stop over in SJO, followed by a turbo prop segment to get there. I spoke to the DSC president while waiting to board the plane in SJO about his route that morning, also coming from DFW. He was on the third leg attempting to get to Reno.

The UFC fight was simply an example of the multitude of things to do in Vegas as opposed to Reno. Personally, I'm a late night kind of guy. Not so much the partying thing but my day is skewed toward evening instead of early mornings. I found the restaurants often closed with only bar fare to be had by the time I wanted to get dinner several times in Reno. Vegas was "Always Open".

There is simply more to do in Vegas as there is usually more to do in any larger city compared to smaller cities. The folks in Reno are nice but I didn't find them objectionable in Vegas for that matter.

Go back to the post SCI timeframe here on AR and look at the comments concerning the lack of attendees at the Reno SCI show this year. Most were all but predicting SCI's implosion! It's obvious that after last years event in Vegas, and the hassles necessary to get to Reno, many simply choose to stay at home and wait for the Vegas venue again.

For all it's underlying character of being "Sin City" Vegas is a shinning and clean place in terms of appearance with an unmatched number of attractions. The Bellagio fountain, the Venice's canals, Cirq de So Le shows, and so on. Many of those draws appeal to spouses who are not into hunting but want to come out for the enjoyment of the trip. That directly affects the number of guys attending the shows when non-hunting wives say "Yeah, let's go to Vegas". There are no insults involved in that, it's just a better venue and the numbers prove it.

You stated your objection to the two floors and I've certainly heard that from a few. But really, is having the show on two floors that much of a hassle? In Reno, the show was spread over 3 major rooms, the hallway, and a tiny room up front. In Vegas, it was contained in two rooms separated by an escalator. I really could understand the objections to 2 floors if there was an extended walk involved whereby the rooms were separated by being on opposite ends of the building but that's not the case at all. You simply walked out of one room, turned the corner and rode the escalator to the other room. Again, no insults involved, it's just not difficult to go between rooms!

But hey, I'm with you on the Dallas thing. It's one of my least favorite cities! I much prefer Ft. Worth as there is simply no comparison between the two. Dallas is glitter and Mercedes cars. Ft. Worth is cows and pick up trucks. Even then, it's still a city and I'm no city boy. I live 40 miles out in the country west of Ft. Worth. I only go to Dallas when I'm forced to! That and that little safari show they put on every year!

It really would help to have a date for 2015.
It's hard to schedule safaris around the show when you don't know when it is.

quote:

Originally posted by Todd Williams:
Sorry Full Roar if I insulted your home town. But from a purely business standpoint and considering which venue has more draw appeal, there is no comparing the successful attendance numbers of the Vegas SCI 2012 show to the dismal Reno 2013 show. I suspect that many simply were waiting to get back to Vegas where it's easier to get to with many more sights to see that are not related to the show. Just as an example, the UFC fight production during the 2012 show right at the Mandalay!

You are 100% correct. I take no insult from your opinion. Reno is not large enough for an act as big as the International SCI Convention at this point - due to the airlines and getting to and from, nothing else. THere are plenty of other activities here to do, although nothing compared to what Vegas offers on the strip if thats what visitors are into

I wont be going to Vegas.
we hates vegas, gollum gollum

F.R.

Back when I was still flying for the airlines, we had a once a day non-stop to/from Reno from DFW but it was an all night red eye. We departed DFW at 11:00pm, sat for about 3 hours, often catching a few winks on the plane while at the gate and getting ready to return to DFW. Arrived back at DFW around 6:00am. Even with that non-stop, it was just a tough place to get to and home from.

I have a strong feeling the move from Reno to Vegas for the 2015 show has everything to do with the attendance numbers from these last 2 shows. It would be interesting to compare the attendance numbers from Reno 2011 to Vegas 2012 for further perspective.

There would be no comparisions worth discussing.
Being from Reno, I know the difficulty in competing with Vegas, we cant.
It was a good run while it lasted.
I will miss it being in Reno, although I understand the logistics behind it (money)
I have met most of the outfitters from around the world, and a lot of you guys on AR in the last 15 years or so, made a few freinds and kept up with many more simply from a once a year visit at SCI in Reno.
Vegas is not my thing. In general, people from Northern Nevada dislike Vegas. You kinda have to live here to understand why.
I think DSC just aquired a new member + my brother lives down there so I will get a chance to see him more often.

One thing I liked about Reno was that people had nowhere to go besides the convention and its events.That meant that all hunters attending will all be together for the event and not wandering off to some place else.The reason I attended was to be around people who really cared about hunting.I ask myself if the extra people(if that is the case) that will be attending the Las Vegas event are not coming to be in Las Vegas first and the SCI event second.
I would rather be around folks who are showing up for the convention first.

I'm sorry, but I have to respectfully disagree with you Full Roar. I have many clients and friends up North, and I don't believe that most of my friends and business clients in Reno hate us down here in Las Vegas. Unfortunately, the disturbing facts are quite straightforward in this instance. Reno's leaders lived "in the now"and never prepared for the future, including those officials given stewardship over the Airport and the Convention Center and Visitor's Authority. When push came to shove, Reno fell on its own sword regarding the SCI Convention. I like Reno for a number of reasons, but there are many reasons that I don't. However, I won't publicly trash it. Vegas may not be your thing, but apparently it has become the thing for the majority of the SCI Attendees and SCI.

quote:

Originally posted by Use Enough Gun:
I'm sorry, but I have to respectfully disagree with you Full Roar. I have many clients and friends up North, and I don't believe that most of my friends and business clients in Reno hate us down here in Las Vegas. Unfortunately, the disturbing facts are quite straightforward in this instance. Reno's leaders lived "in the now"and never prepared for the future, including those officials given stewardship over the Airport and the Convention Center and Visitor's Authority. When push came to shove, Reno fell on its own sword regarding the SCI Convention. I like Reno for a number of reasons, but there are many reasons that I don't. However, I won't publicly trash it. Vegas may not be your thing, but apparently it has become the thing for the majority of the SCI Attendees and SCI.

I couldn't agree more with the RSCVA (Reno-Sparks Convention Authority) They have done a shit job handling all of our local events including Hot August nights, Days of Thunder, International Rib Cook Off, Elk Camp (now permanant in Vegas) to name just a few.
And maybe its just the crowd I hang out with as far as our dislike for Vegas in general. We dont dislike the normal hard working people who live there.
I find Vegas to be full of cockroaches, huminoid and insect varieties, mainly transient.
There are undoubtably good people there also, like yourself, and I do have a few freinds that live there. Also, If there is a good time to go to Vegas it would be January.
Once again, I cannot argue with SCI's decision to move the event to Vegas, I just hate to see it leave Reno, selfishly for myself

Also,I cant stand any show or artist that has anything to do with Vegas.

Rich: Been told SCI 2015 will be February 4 thru 7.

Karl

I will be more inclined to go the show with it in Vegas. Ive never been to Vegas or the SCI show. It would be a good way to kill tow birds with one stone.

We will bring new SCI members, either one or two couples, with us to Vegas in '14. They will join SCI and attend the convention. We will do some shows and tours together, as well. These folks would never make the trip to Reno.
So, it is a way to introduce new members to SCI, and have some fun, too.
Success is the number of hunters in the aisles, not the price of bottled water!

Had dinner with a vendor last evening and we were talking about SCI and he said he was against the move to Vegas, but had his best year ever last year in Vegas. He made a good point in they (the convention) had more visitors from foreign contries than they ever had in Reno and his point being people that travel from the Europe, South America, Russia and the Far East are going to be buyers not tire kickers.

Thanks, Karl.

Two things. I need to clarify, Vegas is a really nice town. UEG and other friends live there, I used to work up there a lot and have clients who live there. It's the "strip" it's people, their attitudes, high prices, that whole scenerio that is the pits.

Second, even though attendance was down in Reno last year it was the "third largest" fundraiser ever for SCI. As shootaway said, the folks there last year, and all Reno shows, are "real hunters and buyers" for the most part. In Vegas, a lot of the attendees come just to be in Vegas, and the SCI Show is a sidelight for them. Bigger shows, with more people to me does not mean BETTER.

Shows may be out for me in the future. It costs me 25% more to attend in Las Vegas and at least 40% more to attend DSC in Dallas than it did for the Reno venue. Most likely will save those bucks for more trophy fees.

For those that like LV hope you have a good time.

Larry Sellers
SCI Life Member

The lower attendance at Reno does not mean that people preffered going to Vegas,IMO.2013 and late 2012 has been a very slow period for many in business-at least that is the feedback I get from many of my suppliers and customers.In the past,I have had a ridiculously slow year right after a very good one without anything there to explain it.I was talking to some construction workers and they told my it was the first year they collected unemployment insurance benefits in 30 years.The shooting range I visit also seems less frequented lately.

quote:

Originally posted by Full Roar:

quote:

Originally posted by SDR:
I just read in our Reno paper that the 2015 convention won't be back in Reno but will stay in Las Vegas. Not great news for my Reno economy but I know the show was better last year in Vegas.

[URL=http://www.rgj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2013130403008 ]RGJ article[/URL]

yes, this sucks for us guys in Reno. I looked forward to SCI here every year. I'm boycotting Vegas SCI and going to Dallas in 14

Definitely a bummer for Reno. I was only in Reno for a Thursday afternoon and Friday but I had a great time. I met some great folks from the African Hunting Forum as well as AR, definitely learned I can not keep up drinking with Jaco and Spike. . I started drinking with the Jerome and the African Hunting gang at the Terrace at 4:30 PM, we moved to the Silver Legacy at 9:PM, left Rum Bullions at 2 AM, checked out and headed for the airport for my 6 AM flight lol Hurt for two days ...

Did I see you when we met up at the africa hunting get together with Jerome? I was the big guy 6'4" about 290lb. I was chatting with spike and a couple of other guys for a while. Shortly there after we went over to rum bullions. around 1am it started getting rowdy in rum's and my wife got hit in the head with a beer bottle and then another fight broke out and they shut the place down. I believe the friggin aussies were causin all the problems. Who let them through immigrations? lol

I think I left at 12:30, I must have seen you. I didn't see any fight, we were just happy drinkers until I left. The place was still full at that point. Sorry about your wife. We weren't rowdy at all, though when someone says, "No sense in going to bed now you might as well stay up" and that sounds like good advice, you've had too much to drink

Here's a pic of me with my bear rug (just came in) ... See if you recognize me, I'm sure I was well behaved (I'm pretty sure) ... Best of luck to you and your wife and maybe I'll see you in Vegas ...

I thought Vegas was the "rowdy" town!

I've only missed one SCI convention in the past 19 years - got sick 5 days prior a few years ago - so I've been to the show in both Vegas and Reno, more than a few times. My personal experience, mirrored by other members and vendors, is that Reno was a better venue for SCI.

We "owned" the whole town of Reno and because we "made" Reno's Winter season, we were really appreciated by the locals and treated accordingly. In Vegas, on the other hand, we are "just another show" and not even an exclusive while there. Service personnel in Vegas can be surly; a $3 tip on a $5 cab ride will get you a dirty look. Prices are higher for everything in Vegas and that difference adds up over a five night stay.

Yes, it is easier to fly into Vegas, and we have heard that forever from the members east of the Mississippi. We have always felt that if you want to attend, then changing planes shouldn't be a big deal. BTW, I can get to both cities non-stop for the same price in about the same time, so that's not an issue for me, either way.

SCI has clearly outgrown Reno, mores the pity. There are a lot of SCI Life members who believe SCI has gotten too big. 19 years ago I could do every aisle of the show in one day. Try that now and let me know how it works for you. We also didn't have all the "unrelated to hunting" vendors we have today nor the corporate sponsors who take so much floorspace.

I left Vegas early last year because I did not like it. I left Reno early this year because I had gone to DSC and for the first time spent all four days there, so didn't need the time at Reno. I am planning on DSC for 5 nights again this year and maybe only a day or two for SCI Vegas, if I go to SCI at all.

Bye-bye Reno, it was grand while it lasted.

quote:

Originally posted by Die Ou Jagter:
Had dinner with a vendor last evening and we were talking about SCI and he said he was against the move to Vegas, but had his best year ever last year in Vegas. He made a good point in they (the convention) had more visitors from foreign contries than they ever had in Reno and his point being people that travel from the Europe, South America, Russia and the Far East are going to be buyers not tire kickers.

I concur 100%. SCI is an international show and the most important thing is to do what the visiting members want!

I agree with Lion Hunter and FullRoar. I have been to the last 20 or 21 SCI shows in a row.
(including the one in Vegas about 6-7 years ago in a parking garage with about an 10' ceiling.)
I understand SCI's need to switch venues too.
I live in Oregon which made it nice to go to Reno. Ive been looking for an excuse to switch to DSC and now Ive got one.

I often find myself agreeing with Matt Graham when I read these threads. The same is true here, today. The show is put on for visiting hunters. Making it easy and fun for us is a no-brainer.
Viva Las Vegas, baby!

Las Vegas should be fun too!