Desirable Venue Characteristics

Must allow maintaining PyCon as a low-cost conference (early bird registration around $175-200).
Close to public transport. We are interpreting this to mean within a five-minute walk of a Metro station, with no obstacles to wheelchair-bound or otherwise disabled delegates.
Convenient for low-cost accommodation. Not necessarily in the immediate vicinity, but if not then we'd need to establish such accommodation and the route(s) to it.
Able to handle at least 750-800 delegates (estimated figure for PyCon 2007). Given that consensus was to begin moving PyCon around, PyCon 2008 will presumably be in a different city.
Facilities support must be comparable or better than what you have at GWU. Plus be aware that the cost of catering, networking, equipment, etc. could be significant additional costs beyond the base venue. as they were for the first two events, but yes, they clearly have to be budgeted -- sh
Venue must support sprints before or after the conference.
Venue must allow for sessions in the evening for the annual PSF meeting, BOFs, etc.
I want a demo-room, for people who want to give demos. I'd like a little more formal structure backing this -- certainly one can use Open Space for demos, and we did, but I think there would be more demos if it had its own independent and formal structure. --lac
room for tutorial sessions. aside from this, no 'ballroom' like rooms for sessions [Note: this might mean reserving additional space just for delegates to eat -- SH].
nearby open area where people can sit and have spur-of-the-moment meetings and collaborations. This can be a plaza, terrace, indoor court, etc. If outdoor, we'll need provisions for inclement weather. - MO

Ideas

Withdrawn: The Chicago Python User Group (http://chipy.org) bid for hosting PyCon; an unnamed university's offer.
Rejected: InnAndConferenceCenter, near DC
a university near Boston that prefers to remain unnamed.
University of Delaware, Newark, DE http://www.udel.edu/conf/clayton_rm.htm
Trenton Marriott at Lafayette Yard http://marriott.com/property/propertypage.mi?marshaCode=TTNMC
- Commercial location, but the room rates are listed at $79. Trenton is not an exciting place so far as I can tell, but it is easily accessible from NY and Philadelphia.
San Diego State University conference center http://www.sa.sdsu.edu/hrlo/conference/
Emory University conference center http://www.emoryconferencecenter.com/Emory.html

Questions for site visit

Get detailed food costs: costs for breakfast, lunch, breaks. Are tips/tax included? Do we have a choice of caterers? --CatherineDevlin
How much will wireless support cost? Can it be open to everyone or are access controls required?
Function space: Any auditorium-style space?
Function space: get capacities and style information.
A/V equipment: projectors. Cost?
Is function space available in the evening?
Parking cost for attendees?

CategoryPyConPlanning