Here's some additional thoughts:

Ease and reasonable cost car parking at the venue and local hotels for those of us
who drive.

Choice of hotels either near the venue or groups of hotels with shuttles to the
venue.

Restaurants near the venue for gatherings.

Bill

Erik Biever wrote:

> Here's another:  A group of hotels (with rooms available!) in close proximity
> to each other and reasonably near the arena, like we had in Buffalo.
> Milwaukee's downtown is especially good in this respect.  Albany is an example
> of the opposite.
>
> -- Erik