Convention Center

[shawnw]

(so really with MAPS3 we kinda did get 400,000+ sf in event space)

[shawnw]

How much convention square footage will the hotel have, and would it be normal for that to be included in any conventions at the center?

I was in Phoenix in 2014 and there was a comic con going on. That event took up the entire convention center plus the convention space in the Hotels on either side of it.

(edit, that might have been 2016 actually)

[d-usa]

I know GenCon in Indy pretty much takes over the convention center and every hotel connected to it.

Which made me wonder if our square footage comparison just includes the CC, or if it should include the CC and space at the CC hotel.

[Teo9969]

How much convention square footage will the hotel have, and would it be normal for that to be included in any conventions at the center?

I've not been to dozens and dozens of conventions by any means, but the ones I've been to have never not used the hotel space.

[David]

Same.

[dankrutka]

I've not been to dozens and dozens of conventions by any means, but the ones I've been to have never not used the hotel space.

Most conventions I go to use the hotel space. I just presented on the hotel side of convention space in the Baltimore Hilton yesterday. On a side note, it is unreal how much contiguous convetion center space some cities have. Baltimore's convention space, including hotel space, extended at least 4 full city blocks.

[stile99]

Most conventions I go to use the hotel space. I just presented on the hotel side of convention space in the Baltimore Hilton yesterday. On a side note, it is unreal how much contiguous convetion center space some cities have. Baltimore's convention space, including hotel space, extended at least 4 full city blocks.

I'm curious, were there skybridges involved in moving between buildings? Looking on Google Maps it appears there is at least one across Howard St leading to the Hilton and one across Charles St. Another to the south doesn't appear to cross a street but leads to a Sheraton. Looking at the street level there appears to be a good number of people walking on the sidewalks, so the skybridges did a really horrible job of discouraging people to get out and about.

Also loving that streetcar setup.

[Laramie]

My brother called me today talking about the BIG XII's women's tournament at the Peake this weekend--relatives' daughter plays for UT.

He saw one of the teams eating at one of the local Bricktown restaurants; they were anxious to walk around downtown OKC. He immediately thought about the impact the streetcar would have for an event like this.

Once we increase our downtown hotel rooms with the new CC & Omni; OKC should be in a position to bid for more quality events. Success of the Omni could lead to a decision for that group to exercise their option to invest in another sizeable or smaller hotel before the Cox center is demolished.

Dallas Metroplex seems to be bursting at the seams with conventions; OKC will be a welcomed alternative.

[dankrutka]

I'm curious, were there skybridges involved in moving between buildings? Looking on Google Maps it appears there is at least one across Howard St leading to the Hilton and one across Charles St. Another to the south doesn't appear to cross a street but leads to a Sheraton. Looking at the street level there appears to be a good number of people walking on the sidewalks, so the skybridges did a really horrible job of discouraging people to get out and about.

Also loving that streetcar setup.

Most people moving between the buildings used the sky bridges primarily because all the signs and instructions directed people to the 2nd floor sky bridges to access the other building. If you asked someone, how do I get to this room?, they'd say, "go to the second floor, cross the skybridge, and then go..."

I did not see anyone from the convention use the streetcar even though it was nearby. Everyone walked or used ride-sharing services that I talked to or saw out.

[Laramie]

I did not see anyone from the convention use the streetcar even though it was nearby. Everyone walked or used ride-sharing services that I talked to or saw out.

What kind of streetcar does Baltimore have in operation--modern or vintage?

[dankrutka]

What kind of streetcar does Baltimore have in operation--modern or vintage?

Light Rail: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltimore_Light_RailLink

[Laramie]

Light Rail: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltimore_Light_RailLink

Cool!

[BoulderSooner]

What kind of streetcar does Baltimore have in operation--modern or vintage?

Light rail

[David]

In past conventions I have been to in Baltimore, I have found the light rail useful for going to and from the airport, but not particularly meaningful for moving about the city during the con. From what I can remember the big local attractions were the inner harbor area that's just a short walk from the convention center, and that's just a block or two.

[bradh]

Most conventions I go to use the hotel space. I just presented on the hotel side of convention space in the Baltimore Hilton yesterday. On a side note, it is unreal how much contiguous convetion center space some cities have. Baltimore's convention space, including hotel space, extended at least 4 full city blocks.

I was in awe of Indy's convention space....it's freaking ginormous

[HOT ROD]

Baltimore also has a Metro Subway in addition to Light Rail. There is no streetcar.

[stile99]

Baltimore also has a Metro Subway in addition to Light Rail. There is no streetcar.

As much as I like a good picking nits session, this seems a strange hill to choose.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Street..._North_America

http://www.dictionary.com/browse/streetcar


streetcar
[street-kahr]
noun
1.
a public vehicle running regularly along certain streets, usually on rails, as a trolley car or trolley bus.

So many other possible references, New Orleans will argue with you until one party takes his/her last breath, it's a streetcar, and it's on rail. San Francisco has a rather famous streetcar system, and of course, it's on rails.

[baralheia]

As much as I like a good picking nits session, this seems a strange hill to choose.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Street..._North_America

http://www.dictionary.com/browse/streetcar


streetcar
[street-kahr]
noun
1.
a public vehicle running regularly along certain streets, usually on rails, as a trolley car or trolley bus.

So many other possible references, New Orleans will argue with you until one party takes his/her last breath, it's a streetcar, and it's on rail. San Francisco has a rather famous streetcar system, and of course, it's on rails.

But there are still important distinctions between the two systems: While it's not always true for all systems, light rail systems have a higher top speed, longer routes with further spaced out stations, and nearly always operate in their own exclusive right of way, whereas streetcars have a lower top speed, shorter routes with closer spaced stations, and nearly always operate in the street, mixed with traffic. To wit: Dallas' DART light rail system has a section through downtown Dallas where all four lines operate along Pacific Ave and Bryan St, from the West End to Pearl St. However, the street is not open to vehicular traffic except in certain limited areas where they can be physically separated from the light rail tracks. A quick glance at Google Maps Street View confirms that Baltimore's system is constructed in a similar manner. They have significant portions of their routes that are not in the street, either. This makes them light rail systems, not streetcars.

Here's a very good attempt to explain the differences between the two modes of transportation and their nuances: https://ggwash.org/view/36980/how-to...and-light-rail (and yes, some of the transportation networks they describe defy definition... This is a function of how they were designed)

[Bellaboo]

As much as I like a good picking nits session, this seems a strange hill to choose.


streetcar
[street-kahr]
noun
1.
a public vehicle running regularly along certain streets, usually on rails, as a trolley car or trolley bus.

So many other possible references, New Orleans will argue with you until one party takes his/her last breath, it's a streetcar, and it's on rail. San Francisco has a rather famous streetcar system, and of course, it's on rails.

Now to nit pick, it's a 'cable car' it's pulled around with a nine mile long underground cable., but yes it is very famous.

[stile99]

[/B]

Now to nit pick, it's a 'cable car' it's pulled around with a nine mile long underground cable., but yes it is very famous.

You're partially right.

https://www.streetcar.org/wheels-motion/

Both are used, the difference is explained there, but suffice to say a streetcar is a streetcar and a cable car is a cable car.

[Bellaboo]

You're partially right.

https://www.streetcar.org/wheels-motion/

Both are used, the difference is explained there, but suffice to say a streetcar is a streetcar and a cable car is a cable car.

Yep, I've been on both the 'F' line and the Jones street cable cars. At least with the cable cars, you make a loop and climb some hills while on the 'F' line it's just back and forth on the warf.

[HOT ROD]

Streetcars typically integrate with the existing vehicle right-of-way, multiple stops in a given small area, and usually are single vehicle. Light Rail vehicles usually have their own right-of-way and/or mix with traffic in density areas (like a downtown), have much fewer stops with raised platforms, have much higher capacity and speed than Streetcars, and there's the ability to couple multiple trains to achieve even more capacity.

Light Rail is the bridge between heavy rail metro subway and Streetcar, taking elements from both but not quite either one. There are exceptions to this, such as Vancouver's SkyTrain which uses automated Light(er) Rail vehicles (actually medium capacity) in an otherwise heavy rail metro guideway, stations, speed.

*METRO.....longest trainsets.....Exclusive right-of-way.....Elevated or underground, but often surface in non-urban areas...Fewest stations....Intended for very high density areas....FASTEST
*COMMUTER RAIL.....variable train lengths.....Exclusive RoW.....Elev, Ug, or Surface......Few stations/platforms.....Intended for high capacity over distances.....FAST but usually directional to commute pattern
*MONORAIL.....variable trainsets.....Exclusive RoW.....Elevated or Ug.....Few stations.....Can be circular or very high density.....VERY FAST
*LIGHT RAIL.....variable trainsets......Variable RoW but exclusive rail.....Elev, Ug, or Surface.....Many platforms/stops.....Intended for medium cap in urban/suburban areas
*STREETCAR/TRAM.....typically one trainset.....typically in existing RoW but exclusive rails.....Surface.....Numerous stops.....Intended for circulating in an urban area

Examples:

* METRO: NYC Subway, Chicago EL, OSAKA Metro, Vancouver SkyTrain, Chongqing Rail Transit*, TTC-Toronto, DC METRO, BART
* COMMUTER RAIL: Chicago METRA, Seattle Sounder, Vancouver West Coast Express, OKC's Proposed new CR to Edmond-Downtown-Norman
* MONORAIL: Chongqing Rail Transit*, OSAKA Monorail, Las Vegas Monorail, Seattle Monorail
* LIGHT RAIL: Portland MAX, DART-Dallas, Baltimore Light Rail, Link Light Rail (Seattle and Tacoma)
* TRAM: numerous in Europe cities, Seattle Streetcar, Portland Streetcar, Oklahoma City Streetcar (U/C)

[rte66man]

I'm in Houston for a convention this week. Staying about a mile from the George Brown Convention center so I chose to try out the MetroRail. It was easy to get to, tickets are $1.25 for 3 hours, and service was about every 5-7 minutes. Given construction that has many of the sidewalks closed, it was the only real option. I liked it because it was cheap, clean, and got me there in a timely manner.

[stile99]

Looks like skybridges are available there as well, one going to the Hilton, and one going to the parking garage, with a third between the hotel and garage. Are they used fairly extensively? I know you're not staying at that hotel, and probably not parking in the garage, just curious if you may have noticed.

The one between the hotel and convention center seems to be two stories. Not really tall ceiling, I mean it looks like one on two floors.

[Pete]

Old substation about halfway gone: