District convention to be held in assembly hall instead of stadium (page 3)

zeb

Same here convention centre is being used over many weeks to get everyone through.

belogical

Northern New Zealand have been doing this for years now and here in Australia all the Brisbane circuits are doing it

RubaDub

Why rent a stadium that holds 50 or 100,000 people, when only 10,000 will show up?

Biahi ...

Good point. I know of two couples that attended the international convention in Atlanta this year (2019). It was in the Mercedes Benz (Atlanta Falcons Football) Stadium. It holds about 70,000 plus people. They said the attendance with about low-mid 40's and the upper deck was completely closed off. But everyone seemed pleased since that was about the number they were expecting.

Some posters here had mentioned that they were actually closer to Atlanta but were assigned to Birmingham, Alabama instead.

It just seems strange to me that if you want to go through all the steps and a ton of work in renting a facility of that size and then not assign enough congregations to fill it up, then what is the purpose of doing it in the first place? Is it just to say that we had an international convention there? Does the venue charge that much more for opening up the upper deck?

With the Society so focused on $$$, from a financial standpoint, it doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

Rub a Dub

tiki

Growing up in the religion the high point of the year was the city/hotel/stadium thing...that was your summer vacation. What a boring syndrome to take that away. But...$$$$$ talks. Also they are downsizing.....sell offs of property, condensing congregations, etc....no more big conventions.... Got a kick out of the comment about the negative effects of a young adult trying to find a partner within the limited groups at small assemblies....inbred dilemma.... Crazy cult.

eyeuse2badub

We're located in the central valley of California, near Fresno. Yea my wife informed me that 'our' congregation will be attending the RC at the Fremont assembly hall. IMHO it will just be a longer, more boring circuit assembly. The assembly hall will be used every week and will need much more renovation which will be a call for more 'donations'.

It will be interesting to see if they start scheduling the RC program not only on the weekend but also during the work week!

But whatever happens, we all know that it's a very special blessing from jehober!

just saying!

Vidiot

careful - "...easier to hide the small numbers of newly baptized in smaller venues too."

Damn, I hadn't even thought of that.

Good catch.

jws

I agree with many posters. Way cheaper. They have the buildings, they're paying taxes on them already and no doubt utilities as well. It would seem more efficient to use them rather than pay somebody else, plus all of the work to put it on.

Have not been to one lately, but if they are showing pre-recorded (or live telecasts), there's no reason they can't consolidate speakers or show videos over and over.

How long until your district convention is an online event held at your local kingdom hall? And eventually on the JW.org channel on your Roku at home? On demand so you won't have to miss a minute.

But there is something to be said for the big conventions. I remember when they were in town and we'd host families. It was cool to have people stay in our house and get to know them. I still have a desk the congregation bought for a make shift operations center to help organize one in the early 80's. When it was on the road, it was like a little vacation, going to a different city, staying in the hotels, swimming in their pools, eating out with friends we knew. My dad often got to see people he hadn't seen in years.

And yes, there was something different in looking for a girlfriend. There weren't that many girls around my age in the circuit that were single. District conventions gave you a whole new opportunity.

I also liked seeing different convention sites. As a kid, with my dad on stage the stage construction crew and during setup, my brother and I went there with dad. We were able to get out on the field of an MLB stadium and run the bases (the base pads were gone, but still...). That's the same field I saw Hank Aaron play on. We didn't always get to go to these places due to JW life filling most of my parent's free moments. So it was exciting to be in an MLB stadium, even if it wasn't for a game. Going to the same venue all the time gets really boring.

This may sound weird, but I remember the smell of the garbage at the MLB stadium back when conventions had food service. That particular smell of concession garbage takes me back with a sense of nostalgia. I almost enjoy it.

Although there is something to be said about the familiarity of a circuit assembly hall. You already know the best hotels and places to eat. You know how to get there. But from the rank-and-file, that's about it for benefits.

Just more downsizing they will no doubt be told is some sort or blessing and welcome it.

WTWizard

The smaller they make those things, the less excitement they are going to have. This is to make people's lives as dreary as possible, limiting opportunities to procreate or to find decent work. Yet, they insist on getting the same donations or more, and will run the same expenses (mostly because the parasite at the top takes so much) as with a full sized a$$embly.

Of course, there is the trade-off between making it easier to attend because it is closer, and providing a duller lifestyle. They would like to have both legendary sacrifices to attend and no opportunities, but they sometimes have to select one or the other. Best bet is to not go at all.

Anony Mous

The conventions have been getting smaller in attendance year over year, using the same sites that used to hold "thousands" for a full week (when my parents were young) or 3 full (9am-4:30pm) days now only have to hold half of that for barely 16h in a long weekend.

Additionally, spaces have been getting a lot more expensive. With the economy doing well, more "worldly" conventions, games and entertainment are held and the prices go up accordingly while local councils want less and less to do with the never-ending money-pinching of the JW organizers.

HiddlesWife

True, and I'm sure that NYC was the first to do as far back as 2006. The Brooklyn Circuit Assembly Hall located on Flatbush Avenue and Aberdeen Road had its first District Convention that year, and it is still continuing to do so at present. In fact, this Assembly Hall holds Memorials with a nice number of assigned congregations since 2002. As pointed out by other posters to your thread that WT figured out the economics of holding DCs at these AHs. The only convention season this (and the other 2 AHs--Long Island City and Stanely Theatre, NJ) were not utilized was in 2014 when the International Conventions were held. Arenas which are Nassau Colesium and Citifield were the locations for those large indoctrination sessions.

District convention to be held in assembly hall instead of stadium

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