Hello all,
First off, many thanks for all your support. I got a flood of emails, tweets, and personal calls from folks who wanted to help us find a new home. And it worked!
We’ve been talking with the Walnut Creek Marriott and it looks like they could be our new home for 2016 and on! I toured the hotel and loved it.
The Perks
- It’s very close to BART. A 10-minute walk or a call to the hotel for a shuttle will get you there fast.
- The space is just beautiful. See the pictures below. It’s a open floor plan with tons of little nooks for socializing. We’ve got board rooms big and small that can be partitioned off as needed, and with cool service passages between them, aka Jefferies tubes.
- The bathrooms in the gaming areas are all ours! They will be all-gender access for the duration of the con.
- 4,000 additional square feet including room for an exciting new addition to the con, to be announced soon!
- 20 private game rooms–up from 18 at the Hilton last year.
- Food! So many food options. In addition to the hotel’s own breakfast buffet, there are a dozen restaurants within a few blocks, and over 100 within a 3 mile radius. Even better, the complimentary hotel shuttle will drive you to any of them. I found a place 100 feet from the door that serves up a tasty breakfast burrito for $4.50. Not bad!
- The hotel is willing to draft a contract for 2016 as well as hold the space for 2017 so there would be no surprise increases next year.
- A full bar in the lobby, open from 11AM to midnight.
- Free Wi-Fi for all guests.
Here’s what it will cost us. For the attendees:
- Reduced room rates for con attendees at $129/night.
- Parking is $10/day. That’s been negotiated down from their standard $23 daily fee. It’s also valet parking, so you don’t have to hunt for a spot!
For the con:
- The space is roughly $3,500 more than the Hilton was. This is dramatically lower than quotes from other Bay Area hotels, and it includes more space and 20 private gaming rooms, so we’re getting more out of it!
Pictures
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- Outside at night
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- .5 miles from BART
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- Lobby
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- Lobby
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- Lobby
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- Bar
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- Floorplan
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- Huge reception area
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- Huge reception area
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- Huge reception area
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- Little nooks
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- All Gender Bathrooms
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- LARP room
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- Ballroom
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- Ballroom
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- Additional lobby space
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- Guest Rooms
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- Fridge standard
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- Bar open 11AM – 12AM
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- Breakfast Buffet
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- Menus
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- Menus
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- Menus
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- Ballroom with airwalls
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- Ballroom with airwalls
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- Smaller rooms too!
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- Smaller rooms too!
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- 2nd Floor balcony
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- 2nd Floor balcony view
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- Heated Pool
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- Heated Pool
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- Heated Pool
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- Fitness room
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- Another little nook
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- Nearby restaurants
Call to action
What do you think? Should this be our new home? Let us know in the comments, on Twitter, Facebook, or email thewolf at bigbadcon dot com.
Looks great! I’ve been wanting to attend BBC and run a game or two. I think this new hotel will be the deal clincher.
Absolutely love it. Perhaps I’ll even get a room this year (The wife can soak it up in the pool while I game my heart out). If all works out, I plan on re-running The 16-Bit Expendables for peeps who missed out, AND premiering The 16-Bit Expendables 2. (Explosion SFX!)
Fantastic. So glad to hear Aaron!
Fantastic Sean! I’ve been there, my sister used to stay there visiting our mom. It’s a very nice hotel, in a great location. Stoked that we’re having the con there. It’s a little longer drive, but worth it. We’re already working on our LARP. Thanks!
Very nice Sean Nittner~ This looks like an excellent venue and I am stoked!
I could only be more excited if BBC and Zappcon 2017 were to occur on different weekends *heart-pang*
DO IT, Looks fab. Make it so.
I do as the Terror Rabbit commands!
I’m down. Sounds fantabulous.
Sweet. Thanks Tomer!
Yeah, that all sounds good. Still too far for me to drive, but if I can swing it schedule-wise I’ll attend.
Yay, thanks Mike. I suspect several folks will be driving up so maybe you catch a ride.
It seems even better than the Hilton! Happy to take advantage of the bar and the food, just to let the hotel know that we appreciate it.
It looks fantastic! Onward and upward… So happy that you’ve not only found a fabulous venue but that we won’t be BBC-less in 2016! Also, we out-of-towners can plan a breakaway trip to pay homage to Oaktown and Pican, Endgame, etc. Great job, sir!
As Carl keeps saying. BART. To. Pican. <- Pretty awesome. Thanks so much Gina, Super excited that it works for you and the LA crew!
It looks fantastic! Onward and upward and so, so glad we won’t be BBC-less in 2016! And we out-of-towner will surely plan a breakaway trip to pay our annual homage to Oaktown and Pican and Endgame! Great job, sir!
I vote aye on prop book this hotel. 🙂 Just need to know if we’re kickstarting again (which I am MORE than okay with as those snacks were SUPER tasty!) and if I can share a room with a buncha people to keep costs down!
Awesome. Thanks Liz! And yes, we’ll be Kickstarting again… to add something new (announcing soon) to the con!
Looks and sounds great.
It really does look like a great option, Sean.
Thanks Kevin, we’re pretty excited about it too!
Thank you to Sean and everyone who undertook the Great Hotel Quest!
Achievement unlocked!
I love it! Seems like it would be a great place.
Awesome. Thanks Rob!
Looks great! I especially like the balcony and nooks… Looks like lots of great space for pick-up games and great conversations!
Exactly, it was those little nooks and crannies that got me really excited when I saw the place. So nice to have them!
Nicely done, and am I ever relieved for you and for the con scene on the Bay Area as a whole. This is something to build on.
Thanks so much Mark. Coming from you that means so much!
I’ve enjoyed FOGcon there so I think it would be a great location, and will be happy to get a room there. Plus easy to BART to Pican and EndGame!
I thought my venue needed to be be BART-able to the airport. Turns out it just needs to be BART-able to Pican. Thanks Carl!
You had me at “Jefferies tubes.” Nice job!
I was pretty excited as well!
[ John does his happy dance. ] 😀
Love it. Especially the more rooms part.
Awesome. We do too. More space all around! Thanks!
Wooot! Good job!!
Thanks J!
Awesome! I think this is a great move. Especially with a two year commitment. Heck, I would even be happy to book a room to support the best darn gaming con in the Bay Area!
You’re the best. Thanks Ezra!
That place is 2 blocks from my house and my work holds conferences there. So if you need someone to run by and check a physical parameter or something, let me know.
Danie;e
Looks great! I’d be happy to attend my favorite RPG con in that space.
Suck it Hilton!
Yeah that was becoming an unhealthy relationship….
I am thrilled and am truly excited about the future of Big Bad Con. Now, just let me know when this is finalized so I can rush and reserve a room.
[…] year, with help from our new venue we’ll be adding a teen room for gamers 13-17. Our kids are finally going to have a home at […]
[…] What’s more is that three weeks after Big Bad Con 2016, we’ll sign a contract for 2017 so we’ll have the dates and rates locked in! More pictures and details here. […]