Bob, I think you are comig into the diuscussion a bit on the back end. Nobody (as far as I know is advocating a chip show of any kind), the discussion began way back when as for aux. events sponsored by the club in areas other than Vegas (discussion began with the question of why we can't have events in addition to the Vegas Convention, not mine).

If you go back, you'll see I offered an example of what 'could' be done. Speakig just for myself, I love the convention trade show, but when I have gone to others, I have found them to be somewhat repetitive. What makes the convention special to me is all the other things (especially the people). An open trade session is just great from my perspective.

Before anybody thinks I am denigrating the trade show, I am not, I enjoy it tremendously. I spend the year fine tuning my watch/want list for the convention. But going to multiple trade shows does not appeal to me. I travel to the Chicago Gatherings because I enjoy the social and the trading. I would have considered the Florida meet, but the scalawags chose the same weekend as the Chicago event (which I was already committed to being at).