Wikimania 2016 bids/St. Louis

Wikimania 2016 candidate cities:

Atlantic City | Chennai | Dar es Salaam | Esino Lario | Manila | St. Louis

Bid overview

July? Washington University in St. Louis. At least five days of conference. Do we want to bookend the conference with "unconference" events?

Overall to-do list

For more details on what still needs to be done, see Wikimania 2016 bids/St. Louis to-do list.

Location

Reasons to meet in St. Louis

Language

• English. I'm told that Missourians speak particularly clear, unaccented English. Should be a plus!

Wealth of knowledge and center for progress

The area has established itself as a world-leading center for biotechnology research with agricultural giant Monsanto and the internationally influential Missouri Botanical Garden located here. It's startup scene is just beginning to flourish. The prestigious Washington University itself is ranked among the top 30 universities globally.

Historical significance

Once one of the largest cities in the United States.

Expansive parks

Forest Park

Sports

St. Louis Cardinals, Blues, Rams, etc.

Resourceful business tourism infrastructure

I have a list of organizations that can help...

Easy access

• The airport is situated 45 minutes from the city centre.
• Locally the transportation of choice is the MetroBus though travelers may find east-to-west/west-to-east travel easier via MetroLink light rail. MetroLink is the best way to travel to and from the main airport that is west of the city.

Civic-minded city

Fast facts

• Summers are generally hot and humid.
• Lambert International Airport
• MetroBus, MetroLink etc.

Food

I mean, just look at it!

Stuff to do

• Mountain biking

Free accommodation

...

Student dormitories

Maybe.

Hotels and Hostels

Below is a list of hostel and hotels in the Greater St. Louis area, relatively close distance of all potential conference venues.

Hostels

The Huckleberry Finn Youth Hostel

Transportation

Getting to St. Louis

Air Travel

Airports

St. Louis is serviced mainly by Lambert–St. Louis International Airport and St. Louis Downtown Airport in Illinois. Lambert is closest to the venue and serves the most traffic.

By Car

From Evansville/Louisville/Lexington: Simply follow I-64 W until you get to the Arch.

Distances Gallery

Distance: Gallery of photos with approximate distance from the conference venue. The distance is measured according to google maps.

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Supporters

Wikipedians

• I am currently the lead coordinator for this proposed bid but feel free to take the initiative on this one. Currently living two hours away in mid-Missouri for school but am in St. Louis over breaks. Marcus Qwertyus (talk) 09:45, 26 November 2013 (UTC)

Self-evaluation

See also: Wikimania 2016 judging criteria

Strengths

1. A dedicated coordinator (that's me!): What do you need to make your stay enjoyable and productive? I've lived in St. Louis all my life. I'm here to help!
2. Venue: The WUSTL campus features a exemplary Collegiate Gothic architecture.
3. Convenient location*: St. Louis's central location in the United States can be both a blessing and a curse. Near the mean center of population in the U.S., it should be expected to draw in a large American audience.

Weaknesses

1. Lack of living accommodations: St. Louis has little in the way of inexpensive lodging – only one hostel is in the vicinity of St. Louis.
2. Crime: St. Louis has been ranked among the top five most dangerous cities in the U.S. since 1998. Most of the crime occurs in the north side of the city, although certain neighborhoods here are considered safe. Likewise, on the Illinois side of the river is the city of East St. Louis which should be avoided entirely. The venue we hope to use is located in a well-policed part of the city.
3. Decline and decay: Once among the largest cities in the U.S., the St. Louis area has declined significantly in population, a precipitous trend that continues to this day. Much of the city's north side has degraded beyond recognition, although plans are underway to redevelop the area.

Team meetings:

This may be discussed at several upcoming St. Louis-area Meetups.