I sat in on a focus group at the convention last year on the expansion
plans. While the two new exhibit buildings are the most visible change,
there's some things for the members too. They're going to put in real
showers and toilets in camp areas, and the plan of separating people
from vehicles is way overdue.

One of the comments we made several times, but I fear was ignored, was
the elimination of the parking fee. We thought that raising the
admission price a bit, and reducing the camping fee to make it revenue
neutral would get cars into the event a lot easier. It also gives a bad
first impression of the organization by having their hand out to collect
money before even getting near the main gate.

An item I wasn't too fond of is the triangle shape of the main, and (I
believe) only entrance. Obviously the new vendor rental rate is in the
same form where the peak rate is right at the entrance. This must be to
address the way vendors don't get much traffic to the left, and
especially the right, of the main gate. I think this will put an even
greater emphasis on the commercial aspects of our convention by moving
the people further away from the warbirds, experimental, vintage and
ultralight areas. One thing of note was the architectural drawing had
some display planes at the main entrance. They were all warbirds. None
were experimental or even LSAs.

It will be interesting to see what they do with food service. I
personally like the state fair type of food vendors they have at Sun N'
Fun. There's competition, and it seems like they have a good variety.