What places should I consider visiting for Defcon?

[Lockheed]

Doh! I get it right on the image edit, but screw it up in the post.

Corrections are welcome. :-)

Thanks for the correction; I've fixed the text with an edit.

IT'S MAH DUTY TO PLEEZE DAT BOOTY!

er, well, okay, doesn't apply - but I had to say it! :P

[TheCotMan]

Correction - Top of the Riv is at the top of the Monaco Tower, not Monte Carlo. (picking nits is my hobby)

Doh! I get it right on the image edit, but screw it up in the post.

Corrections are welcome. :-)

Thanks for the correction; I've fixed the text with an edit.

[Lockheed]

Top of the Riv (ballroom) is in the Monte Carlo tower. (25th floor as described on the floorplans mentioned above.)

Correction - Top of the Riv is at the top of the Monaco Tower, not Monte Carlo. (picking nits is my hobby)

[TheCotMan]

The Riviera has a pdf map of the hotel available for public download http://www.rivierahotel.com/hotelmap.pdfhere (pdf: 2324497 bytes).

From that, I've constructed a revised hotel/casino map as a png marked with Defcon-related items that has k-rad, tres-cool, uber-leet-super-fly technique ghetto-style graphic-text, super-duper-fast car along with text markup (png: 573533 bytes, 2048x596) [This file may be removed]

You'll notice the far right-top (northeast) side of the map shows the tentative chill-out space outside. (Google Sat/Map of "Royale Pavillion" building as container to the first floor stuff, and 2nd floor skyboxes.)

According to this Deluxe Rooms are in the "Mediterranean South Tower' and " The Monte Carlo Tower" It looks like the Monte Carlo Tower is the most ideal room location for the con, and appears to have higher-storied, south-facing rooms that overlook the pool for those that like looking at water, or something.

Top of the Riv (ballroom) is in the Monte Carlo MONACO tower. (25th floor as described on the floorplans mentioned above.)

Food Court? Far left, bottom (southwest) side.

Parking Garage? Dude! Where's my car!?

[Lockheed]

on this page there is a link to tentative floor plans with a chil-out area listed outside. It also looks like there may be a bar service close to some of the skybox rooms.

And also the "Top of the Riv" is allocated as a chill-out area (for those of you not afraid of heights).

We ARE planning wireless to both the outdoor & Top of the Riv areas.

[TheCotMan]

I see huge problems here. Without the pool as a central chill out area where will everyone go to hang out?

It seems meeting rooms are no good due to size and the fact the the hotel is forcing anyone using one to use their bar and wait staff.

So no central hangout space, and cash bars? That's asking for trouble.

I will be happy to offer my suite for sunday night, but it's not going to be the same as poolcon.

on this page there is a link to tentative floor plans with a chil-out area listed outside. It also looks like there may be a bar service close to some of the skybox rooms.

[Abby_Normal]

I see huge problems here. Without the pool as a central chill out area where will everyone go to hang out?

It seems meeting rooms are no good due to size and the fact the the hotel is forcing anyone using one to use their bar and wait staff.

So no central hangout space, and cash bars? That's asking for trouble.

I will be happy to offer my suite for sunday night, but it's not going to be the same as poolcon.

[TheCotMan]

Can we use the roof pool if we don't fill it?
Or, fill it with something that won't leek out?
--BC,

If the space could be used, tacitus and kallahar's pointed something out about this location that would need to be considered

[Deviant Ollam]

fill it with something that won't leek out?

hehe... we could turn it into a giant ball crawl. <cue someone else making a "defcon's always had a ball crawl" joke involving either a reference to scenewhores or queercon parties>

[big chopper]

Roof pool is still out of the question.

Can we use the roof pool if we don't fill it?
Or, fill it with something that won't leek out?
--BC,

[TheCotMan]

you are certainly not the only one. i wouldn't mind defcon organizers at least floating the notion of late night pool access with the hotel and telling us how it goes.

what about hot tubs... are they on the outdoor grounds like the pools? what are their operating hours?

I asked about pools/hot tubs in an email, and here is what I got back:

(Name and address of sender removed.)

In answer to your inquiry, we do have an old pool that is on the roof of our casino but it is not operational as it does leak so it has not been used in years. Our regular pool is open to hotel guests only from 9am to 7pm daily with
lap swimming available between 9am and 10am. No night swimming or extended hours are allowed.

Roof pool is still out of the question.

I also asked if the pool had restricted hours, could events with music and whatnot take place during the open hours. Here is the response:

The pool is only available for functions when contracted as part of a convention function associated with our hotel. If you are part of a
convention, you will need to speak to your convention service manager to make these arrangements. We do not have hot tub facilities available at the pool.

So, even if arrangements were made to use pool space for events, the time for those events would be limited to 9am -> 7pm.

Why limit the hours for the pool?

I'm guessing one reasons is that we don't have the whole hotel. Another reason might be because many rooms overlook the pool, and have people that might complain about noise.

[Tacitus]

you are certainly not the only one. i wouldn't mind defcon organizers at least floating the notion of late night pool access with the hotel and telling us how it goes.

what about hot tubs... are they on the outdoor grounds like the pools? what are their operating hours?

No (filled/functional) hot tubs.

[Deviant Ollam]

Am I the only one worrying about this?

you are certainly not the only one. i wouldn't mind defcon organizers at least floating the notion of late night pool access with the hotel and telling us how it goes.

what about hot tubs... are they on the outdoor grounds like the pools? what are their operating hours?

[Abby_Normal]

Standard hotel pool rules for Vegas.

They want everyone out of the pool long before evening. The whole idea is to push you into the casino, where you'll gamble. Any hotel on the strip is going to have the same rules. The random hedonism of the Alexis Park is almost certainly not going to work at the Riviera.

Happens.

Am I the only one worrying about this? It just seems like this could go very bad very fast.

And what are we going to do for poolcon?

[Tacitus]

Mexican food and margaritas from La Salsa in Caesar's Forum Shops. The food is decent and not too over-priced. The margaritas are freaking excellent, and they've got a great selection of tequila. They make huge to-go drinks in a tourist-grade plastic container to keep you provisioned as you wander around. ("1 yard" drink, "1/2 yard" etc. you'll look like a refugee from Mardi Gras)

The food court in the Riviera also has a La Salsa they might have the same alcohol deal without the walk through the heat to Caesars.