Here’s a question that has been bugging me for a while: Why are the National Open dates moving earlier for each of the past 3 or 4 years? The tournament used to begin around June 17 or 20, but next year it starts on June 5.
I am sure that the answer probably has to do with the Riviera’s booking schedule.
That’s really unfortunately because most California schools are still in session until about June 10. The high school kids have finals the week after the tournament. Speaking just from my own group of students, the change from the 3rd weekend to the 1st weekend of June costs the tournament about ten entries. I would venture a guess that National Open could easily get another 100 entries in mid June. Susan Polgar’s events would probably account for another 100 entries.
The dates for the National Open are chosen by Al Losoff and Fred Gruenberg.
I’m guessing it has to do with when they can get space at the hotel in Las Vegas.
The ‘tradition’ of holding that event in mid-June only started in 2003.
In 1992 and 1993 it was in June, in 1994 and 1995 it was in May, in 1996 and 1997 it was in
April, in 1998-2002 it was in March. Fred told me that the hotel asked them to move it back to June, and he sounded somewhat relieved that they didn’t just tell him they had no available dates.
Looks like the 2009 National Open (June 4-7, 2009) will move from the Riviera Hotel to a new venue: South Point Hotel & Casino (located off the Las Vegas strip). main.uschess.org/content/view/8329/95
Hmm, I’ll keep an open mind about 2009 until the details are revealed (most especially room rates). I always get a kick out of these places that tout “just off the strip”.
I gather (from Al Losoff) that it’s out by the airport, which is rapidly becoming Las Vegas’s fastest growing area. But it’s a fair distance from there to the Strip.
I spent a few minutes browsing the web site of this hotel. It looks first rate. Who cares what it’s near? I’ll be going there to play chess and don’t expect to set foot off the property the whole time I’m there.
I will likely be going regardless, but I am sure some folks had grown accustomed to the Riv.
Although I have seen enough of the Strip, it is nice to have the option; no doubt the hotel will be on a transit bus route for those occasions. The Riv was also nicely placed for low-priced dining options; the South Point may be similar.
It might be nice to have a Board meeting - Deligate meeting workshop in Advance of the U.S. Open at the National Open.
I was planning to attend the Open next year, but I have just found out that Southwest has cut the flight from Midland, Texas to Indianapolis, so I am already shopping for a reduced fair airline ticket.
I don’t think they’ve finalized the EB meetings yet.
As I recall they were talking about an in-person meeting in November and an online one in February.
There was also talk about having the spring meeting at the US Championships again, which means in St. Louis in May, having one a few weeks later in June seems kind of silly.
Having one during the workshops at the US Open is both a long-standing tradition and a way to get double-value for the expenses associated with that meeting, since the EB members are already coming in for the Delegates Meeting and the workshops.
The Riviera is about 2 miles north of the main Strip casinos (Harrah’s, Caesar’s, Bellagio, TI). The South Point is about 3 miles south of the center of the Strip. Both casinos are located on Las Vegas Blvd, aka the Strip. There are plenty of opportunities to get around town, even without depending on a taxi.
I have only been to LV 8 or so times, so I thought I would check some distances on the South end.
But first, from Riv to Bally’s is 1.6 miles door to door, but of course before you get to Bally’s, there is the Wynn, Encore, Venetian, Harrahs, Flamingo, etc. and that is just one side only. (From Harrah’s one can hop on shuttle to the Rio and check out the WSOP which has had its early tournaments the last 2 years at the same time as the NO.)
It’s nice to get out and smell the cacti in between rounds. (Especially after Hal defeats you)
Mandalay Bay is close to McCarran. From what I can reckon, the South Point is 6.5 miles from the Mandalay !
But to be clear (again) - it won’t be a factor in my decision.
However, recent traveler posts on TripAdvisor.com confirm that there is also a free shuttle that runs to/from South Point Hotel and Mandalay Bay Resort. South Point Hotel’s front desk or concierge will no doubt have its current schedule, but at least it used to run continuously from 9:30AM - 12:30AM. i4vegas.com/Hotels/South-Poi … Vegas.html
Of course, with South Point Hotel’s website noting that it also houses a theater showing about 18 movies and a 64-lanes/24-hour Bowling center ($1/game bowling Midnight-8:00AM, here I come!), players bringing their families with them may not have to leave the hotel to keep them entertained.
The Vegas bus line also sells a 24 hour pass for $5.
In the past few years I have split the cost of renting a car with a fellow TD. Considering what I paid for a shuttle (etc.) it was worth it to me. We usually just kept the car for one day; however, in 2008 we kept it the entire time and it was one of the best deals around.