December 27, 2008: SFSFC Files Bid for 2011 Westercon

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Press Release 2008-6

SFSFC FILES BID FOR 2011 WESTERCON

SAN FRANCISCO SCIENCE FICTION CONVENTIONS, INC.
A California Non-Profit Corporation
PO Box 61363, Sunnyvale CA 94088-1363 USA
info@sfsfc.org; http://www.sfsfc.org/

For immediate release: December 27, 2008

SFSFC Files Bid for 2011 Westercon

San Francisco Science Fiction Conventions, Inc. (SFSFC) has formally filed its bid to host the 2011 West Coast Science Fantasy Conference (Westercon 64) at Fairmont San José in downtown San José, California. The proposed dates of the convention are Friday, July 1 through Monday, July 4, 2011. The bid had been previously announced in July 2008, but formal filing commits SFSFC to the bid and, in particular, to a choice of facilities.

The Fairmont San José was the headquarters hotel of ConJose, the 2002 World Science Fiction Convention, and also will be the site of the 2009 World Fantasy Convention. SFSFC is the corporate parent of both of these events. The Fairmont is located in downtown San José. More information about the convention is available at their web site.

The Westercon San José in 2011 committee had previously announced a different hotel as their preferred bidder, but eventually selected the Fairmont San José. Discussing the bid’s choice of the Fairmont, Westercon San José in 2011 bid chairman Glenn Glazer said, “After further negotiations with the affected properties and evaluating their bids, we decided that the Fairmont’s proposal would provide the best overall package for Westercon’s members.”

Glazer elaborated about the hotel, saying, “The Fairmont is a four star hotel approximately five miles from Mineta San Jose International Airport. Hotel rates will be $119 for single/double occupancy, with $144 triple and $169 quad occupancy.”

Westercon is an annual general-interest science fiction convention. The convention was first held in 1948, and is traditionally held around the American Independence Day weekend. Westercon is held in a different city each year, with different local groups hosting the convention annually.

The 2008 Westercon was in Las Vegas NV. The 2009 Westercon (Westercon 62, also known as “FiestaCon“) will be in Tempe AZ at the Tempe Mission Palms Hotel, July 2-5, 2009. The 2010 Westercon (Westercon 63, also known as “Confirmation“) will be in Pasadena CA at the Pasadena Hilton, July 1-4, 2010.

Westercon sites are selected by a vote of the members of the Westercon two years in advance. SFSFC filed bidding papers with the 2009 Westercon on December 26 and those papers have been accepted by Westercon Site Selection Administrator Ed Green. A copy of the bid’s filing papers will be posted to the Materials page of the bid’s web site.

Site selection for the 2011 Westercon will take place in an election at Westercon 62 in Tempe in 2009, with all members of that convention eligible to vote on where to hold the 2011 Westercon. Because SFSFC filed its bid prior to the end of 2008, only sites in the Northern and Central site selection zones, as defined in the Westercon Bylaws, are eligible to host the 2011 Westercon. SFSFC knows of no other announced bids for the 2011 Westercon. Other groups have until April 15, 2009 to file bidding papers to appear on the ballot.

SFSFC was the parent non-profit corporation of ConJosé, the 2002 World Science Fiction Convention, and ConFrancisco, the 1993 Worldcon. SFSFC is organizing the 2009 World Fantasy Convention and also hosted the 1998 World Fantasy Convention in Monterey, California.

Contact:
Westercon San José in 2011 bid: Glenn Glazer westercon-sj2011-info@sfsfc.org
SFSFC Inc.: Kevin Standlee info@sfsfc.org
Bid Web site: http://sfsfc.org/westercon64/

“Westercon” is a service mark of the Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society.

“ConJosé” and “ConFrancisco” are service marks of San Francisco Science Fiction Conventions, Inc., a California non-profit corporation recognized as tax-exempt under US Internal Revenue Code 501(c)(3).

“Worldcon” and “World Science Fiction Convention” are registered service marks of the World Science Fiction Society, an unincorporated literary society.