Would you folks be in favor of having the conventions in the same local every year? Center of State, center of Country?

Nope. Moving it around helps keeping it fresh and provides better chances of reaching different localities. You'll get the die hards no matter where you put it, but the guys that have family or business obligations, if you can move it around it spreads the wealth around.

Yes

Moving it around is preferred. Same reason for the national. I can only get to that when it gets close.

PA is the only state convention I attend where the site moves from year to year. As a dealer, I like it being the same place each year. I have my same booth space and stay at the same motel. I know what to expect.

If I lived in far western or far eastern PA, and I was not a dealer, I would probably prefer it move around. PA is a big long state, and moving it around does make it easier for some folks to attend when its close to them. I don't know if putting it near the center of the state would increase attendance or not. When it is in the eastern or western part of the state, there are those who don't want to drive all the way across the state. Perhaps if they only had to drive half way, it may work out better for attendance. I don't know.

Center of state would be ok w me

I like the ones that move. Makes it so people who can't drive 4+ hours to a state convention can at least get to a closer one every few years. I think this is especially true for younger trappers... ones that can't drive yet, or ones that just don't have the money to spend over a hundred bucks on gas. A 14 year old kid with a single mom probably isn't going to get her to take him to a convention 3 hours away, but probably can if it's less than an hour away.

On a national level it would be almost impossible... since you'd be asking one state to supply the worker bees every year, and also that one state would be the only state making any money from the convention.

Nebraska is 450 miles across. I live in the less populated part of the state on the west end. They try to have one in the eastern part, central, and out west if they have someone to host it. Having one out west doesn't happen very often. It seems that most of them are held in the eastern part of the state. If centrally located I will go sometimes but if out east I don't go. Don't like the long drive across the state.

A lot of times I'll go to other state conventions such as Colorado, South Dakota, and sometimes Wyoming. They are closer to me than driving across the state.

National-no,PA state-yes,PA districts-no.

In most cases your going to limited by the size of the facility as to where you can hold It.

Just for fun, the geographic center of the lower 48 is Lebanon, Kansas. If you include all 50, it's Belle Fourche, South Dakota.

I believe it is port Royal Fairgrounds this year correct. that is a 3 hour drive for me. may do it but any further and I wont

Port Royal is about as centrally located as it gets as far as PA conventions go.

Having it hosted by different districts gets fresh faces involved and makes for some friendly competition between the districts.

Having it move around helps to get people to see other parts of the state. Although having it centrally located would benefit ME and my commute time I think moving it around is a good thing.

Port Royal is as close as it gets for me, about 15 miles. Living in the Central part of the state is nice, next year it is Washington, that is about as far as I ever have to travel for the state convention. I've been to some NTA conventions that it took up to 20 hours of travel time.

There are a lot of variables in the question that has been asked.
How large of a show are we talking about in attendance? a couple hundred is really different than a couple thousand, Vendor space, parking space, camping, hotels and logistics as can it take a lot of rain etc.
The value of staying in one place is as been stated better for vendors and those who put the show together as there are things that are familiar and known in advance, plus costs and those on hand that know what the needs are. As to attendees this is more variable.

The advantage of moving is that it can energize different groups and over the long haul that may create more volunteers and support on a state and national basis.
There are as one would expect several issues that have to be dealt with and many times by those quite unfamiliar with the planning,managing doing a show of substantial size.
The real question that many times needs to be asked are who are the events really for and who really drives how they function?
I have helped in over 12 WTA events and am working on my 3rd national all of which have been in one location.
I also served on executive planning committees for shows that were moved around our state and had 3 day attendances from 40K to 85K. The logistics in these are huge deals with 80 acres of just tents let alone all the other things. Also the vendors can change a lot as many are locally orientated.

One way to deal with this is do it like having it a a certain place say every 3rd year with having it move the others or every other etc. That does make contracting facilities for a certain weekend or days a bit more challenging. The main thing really is which option serves your target audience the best and have the volunteers to get it done.

Bryce

I've got my rooms booked for Mn and Wi summer conventions. I can tell you right now where my favorite dealers and tailgaters will probably be located at Marshfield WI fairgrounds. And which motels to AVOID....and where my favorite Chinese Buffet is, I like the consistency in the WI state convention.
The best analogy I can come up with is it is like shopping at a store you're familiar with, you become familiar and comfortable and know where things are. When you shop at another store, even one of the same brand, the layout is sometimes not the same and this can be a little cumbersome.
Mn moves its' conventions around the state( they're also playing with a Thur, Fri, Sat format, which is a whole 'nother conversation...)
I'd prefer a single location here in Mn too. Preferably one with a good Chinese Buffet....
I think the BOD has looked into a central location, but the story I get is that the most central location with enough logistical support, motels, campsites, shower facilities, etc., seems to have a pricey rental fee. So moving it around works a tad better for MN.
I'm not a tailgater or dealer, my opinion is that of an attendee.

One of the major issues we face as the WTA here in WI is the increase in rental fees to utilize the facilities and that will need to be addressed by our BOD in the future.
Our Rondy is one of our 3 major income sources to offer the program we do for our members and fellow trappers. With rising costs, fewer vendors and fewer attendees and looking at raising gate fees etc. the future diagram looks problematic for rondys down the road. We may need to investigate sharing our event with other outdoor groups etc.
Trappers and trapping organizations are typically lower on the economic food chain than many other sporting persons and groups.

Bryce

It would be a lot easier on organizers, vendors and attendees to know where everything is going to be. I'd vote for one central location. One drawback would be new vendors get stuck off in the boonies somewhere if the main dealer buildings aren't big enough, so location selection would be very important.

Silky, this will be changing. We’re splitting the state into 3 sections, eastern, central and western. We will rotate so every section has one every 3 years.

Eric

That will be nice. I think the track record for one being out west is about once every 20 years.