Next year’s Netroots Nation will be held on the East Coast (sort of) for the first time ever.
Netroots Nation organizers announced today that the fourth annual gathering of the online progressive
community will be held August 13–16, 2009, at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh, PA.
Convention organizers say Netroots Nation provides a unique opportunity to help build online and offline infrastructure
in the host region, as well as in surrounding states like Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia, Michigan and New York.
Hey, I wanted it to be in Philadelphia but at least they got the state right. And they have a very good reason for choosing the Steel City.
Pittsburgh is a leader in green building, touting the first and largest LEED certified convention center in the country.
As part of newly announced effort to make Netroots Nation the most environmentally-sustainable bloggers gathering ever, organizers say they plan to introduce a carbon offset program in 2009. The city’s accessibility to rail travel will also cut down on the overall carbon footprint.
In keeping with the leadership that Al Gore displayed today, the progressive movement is making sure to highlight the environmentally-friendly aspects of Pittsburgh’s convention center.
Austin has been great, but it’s too damn hot. Hopefully we’ll be cooler in Pittsburgh.
I’ll go to that one. I can drive!!!
Anybody in Philly (or New York, etc.) can easily take the train.
It’s a nice thought, but…the train from Philly to Pittsburgh is almost 8 hours. Southwest has 7 flights a day, for almost the same cost.
I’m an Amtrak fan myself, but even I would fly no question.
I don’t think many people will be coming on the train.
Hmm. I just looked it up. I know Philly-Harrisburg is 2 hours and couldn’t believe Philly-Pittsburgh is almost 8 hours, but that’s what the schedule says.
The train doesn’t seem to make more stops on the western end than on the eastern end. I know it’s farther but not 3 times farther. Maybe the tracks aren’t as good and it’s slower farther west? I know traveling south, somewhere past DC, things get bumpy because Amtrak is “borrowing” freight rails. Anyway, my apologies for doubting you.
I hate flying. Airports are in the middle of nowhere, so once you arrive, you then have to get downtown. And I always get pulled aside for a special inspection of my artificial knee, as if it’s loaded with explosives. Plus too many people, too close together. I flew around toward the end of June and have had the flu or something all July so far. Which is why I’m up coughing and typing at this hour.
The train trip is 7.5 hrs because the train takes a 1 hour layover in Harrisburg. It also travels rather slowly thru the Philly and Pittsburgh suburbs due to congestion. Driving will take you around 5.5 hours, plus turnpike tolls. I made the trip often when I was dating my wife, and the train is definatly the way to go. No annoying hangups at the airport either, and I suggest paying the extra 20 bucks for business class.
Sure, the Southwest flight only takes 35 minutes, but you then have to get to the airport in Philly at least an hour and a half before departure to jump through the security hoops, and Philly is notorious for delays. Toss in the need to get from PIA to downtown, and that 7.5 hour relaxing train trip (complete with AC power for your laptop and a club car) doesn’t seem that bad. The train station in Pittsburgh is also just two blocks from the convention center and hotel, while the airport is 14 miles out.
So when are they coming out to Seattle? Because that’s about the only way I’d be able to make it, if it were down the street from me.
Yes, it is all about me. Thank you for noticing.
Let’s hope it’s cooler. The first year was Los Vegas and it was 103 almost every day. Last year was Chicago in a heat wave in the upper 90’s. Didn’t go this year. I’m too depressed about it all.
Hoping that next year will be better psychologically. I hope that we will start returning to the rule of law, but I have few illusions that it will really happen.
So, the train is a real possibility. It runs from a station near by. Yeah.
I might just go.
Pittsburgh?!?!?! WTF??!
They got so close to Philly…how could they have missed?
Pittsburgh is a suprising city. Since the steel mills closed, the air is much better. The town is hilly, and has an amazing amount of green space (If I recall correctly, the Carnegies and Mellons established a lot of parks.) It’s one of those places that is a whole lot cooler than its old reputation.
in Pittsburgh this month? I’ll go, but only if it’s not stiflingly hot.
I want it to be in a small Southern city where economically 3000+ people would be a major influx of income. Birmingham AL, Chattanooga TN, Columbia SC, Macon GA, Shreveport LA, Jackson MS, Asheville NC, Fayetteville NC, Bristol TN/VA are good examples–although Midland-Odessa TX wouldn’t be bad, but the folks played the Texas card this year.