Ed, thanks for looking into the availablity of the Isis Hotel, I think the Isis pics look fantastic! The location looks great and price is definitely very reasonable.
And Ira, you don't need us to start a poll. Just Do It..!

(I learned my lesson with this one, and I have a feeling that if I do another poll that people with throw up and I will be kicked out of here!

)
The goal with my poll was to try to determine if there was sufficient interest and support for doing something different this year and maybe appeal to some former attendees to come down again. And also to offer up some ideas for locations that might make for an easier sell to those who have to convince a significant other that the trip is worthwhile beyond a chance to look at and hear a wide variety of boomboxes. Another aspect of this was to determine if we, as an international forum of collectors, were ready to take this to the next level where we would not need to rely on having access to a free location. Plus, with Tony pretty much M.I.A. from this forum for most of the last 11 months, when we did start talking about the meet again, he seemed somewhat muted about hosting a 4th meet... And I want to be clear that this was never about having the meet closer to my location. I would have been just as willing to do a beach location on the East Coast, down in South Florida or up in the Panhandle...
But, I must admit that the numbers of participants who submitted a reply to the poll were lower than expected. I don't know if that was because there's not much interest in doing the meet, or if some were too shy to speak up and render an opinion. Also, despite my overly passionate rebuttals, I think it's worth noting that the members willing to travel the furthest to get here (that we know of) and who acutally vocalized an opinion for a specific location, seemed just as passionate in their support of the Sorrento location as Ed and I were of doing it at an inexpensive beach hotel. Despite the numbers in this poll indicating a bit more interest for the beach location, nobody else really spoke up in support of our idea when compared to those who offered criticisms to changing the venue.
As such, I just don't see how we (as a forum family) would benefit from doing the beach option if it jeopardizes those potential attendees and keeps them at home. Please believe me when I tell you that the last thing I wanted to do was create a division with a hard line drawn in the proverbial sand with factions on either side. I sincerely apologize to everyone for that.
Also, nowhere in this thread did I ever say I wouldn't come to Sorrento. And in re-reading my post where I was describing the two locations being discussed, I can definitely see how my tone might come across as somewhat elitist and as if I was directly disrespecting where Tony lives. I also apologize to him directly for that (and to anyone else who lives in a trailer and might have been offended). I've got nothing against trailers (just that I wouldn't want to be in one during a hurricane or tornado

).
Again, it was not my intent to disrespect anyone. And I'm very glad to hear about the new AC in the Sorrento clubhouse! For me (who has been diagnosed with hyperhydrosis, means I sweat real easy) that is a considerable attitude-changer as to my desires to spend a hot Florida summer day in that room. If that's what the "serious" out of towers travelling from up north would prefer to do, then maybe we should give them more weight in this decision and that's what we should do?
Anyway...., whenever a final decision is made (not by me) as to where the 2011 Sunshine Mix will take place, I'll jump in line with whatever the collective ultimately agrees upon and do so with a smile on my face. And while it's pretty clear that I'm all for changing it up this year, I'm looking forward to hanging out with my boombox bretheren even more!
And on the bright side, Sorrento is an out-and-back day trip for me and would be cheaper than bringing my family to a beach hotel for a weekend. That will leave me with more money to buy gear from Ira's Sunshine Yard Sale!
I promise this is the last anyone is going to hear out of me on this topic.