[MR] Permenant Crown event site

[Alan MacNeill]

A few counterpoints...

- It is true that many groups are having a problem finding sites for
Coronation/Crowns....this is partially caused by the fact that we
operate on a relatively short lead time for these events.  The good
sites are swept up before we have sitting Heirs to accept bids.
Fixing that problem could alleviate the site issue to a significant
degree.  Allowing for multiple event contracts years in advance will
help as well.

- Speaking as the Seneschal of the group that hosts one of the
"permanent site" events (Sapphire Joust...Memorial Day Weekend..y'all
come now, ya hear?), I can say that there is a significant drag put on
the local group by hosting one of these every year.  Yes, there are
advantages (we know how best to use our site), but there are also
logistical challenges that someone not from Caer Mear would encounter
if they tried to use Tom Scott State Park.  I doubt someone from
Border Vale Keep would be able to drive to site on the Wednesday
before the event to hand the guy who mows the grass a check, for
example.

Things like that would, over time, result in a drain on the local
group where the site was.  Having a set of sites would alleviate that
to a signifcant degree, or at least spread the pain around a bit.

- There is another difference between Sapphire and Crown.  Sapphire is
a Caer Mear production, not a Kingdom event.  We have a tremendous set
of advantages, a 3-day weekend in good weather (generally) and central
location in the Kingdom being among them, that make it possible for
folks to come from all corners of the Kingdom for what is,
essentially, a local event.  But it is a local event...if someone
chooses not to come, well...they aren't missing any of the things that
are the part and parcel of "Kingdomness"...a Crown or
Coronation...there is a feeling of "You should be there", that
declaring one and only one site by default will detract from.

Even with that, we have to pull resources from the groups around us
for Sapphire.  It's too big a job for one group to do alone.  I fear
Crown could become the same, and that woudl be a pity for those groups
at the periphery of the Kingdom...a rota woudl at least help.

I am in favor of locking out long time in advance contracts with
sites.  I do, however, believe the motion shoudl be towards having
those events accessible to all parts of the Kingdom, at least to the
regions.  If I read correctly, Her Majesty has said that is where the
ultimate goal lies.  That works for me.  There should be a adequate
solution that at least spreads the pain evenly.

On Mon, Apr 13, 2009 at 2:31 PM, Adeliza of Bristol
<adeliza at bellsouth.net> wrote:
> Personally, I believe there are a few things I think people need to be keeping in mind as they discuss this and before they post: