AMVIV 7: Dwindling Attendance Makes for More Intimate Event
Due to some technical issues we don’t have any photos save for the one later in this article. so if you have AMVIV photos you’d like to share please post a link in the comment section below.
Consider this fact. In 2007 (the last time I attended a MINI Vacation i n Vegas – aka AMVIV) there were almost 600 people in attendance at the finale. In 2010 there were (by our accounts) around 250. Weather, the economy and location likely did a lot to bring those numbers down. But none of it detracted from what still has to be viewed as one of the largest and best organized events in the US.
The event started out with cool temps and driving winds that forced participants from the rooftop of the parking garage to a lower floor. That brought temps down even further and definitely detracted from the sunny Vegas vibe that we had seen in years previous. But what likely detracted even more was the location; a full 20 minutes outside of the strip in extreme north Las Vegas. While AMVIV has never technically taken place on the strip, it’s proximately to everything at the Palace Station (just a short cab ride away from the Wynn for example) made for a very Vegas like atmosphere.
But location and weather aside the facilities at the Aliante Station were first rate. And the organization and tireless devotion to the event by member of the Sincity MINI club was also truly inspiring.
The finale featured both the MotoringFile and the Whiteroofradio crew (DB, Todd, Chad and myself as seen above in this backstage pic) doing a two hour show that mixed live podcast, tons of giveaways and even a bit of comedy. For the first time we were able to do a show in a proper venue with real lighting and an incredible technical set-up. It all certainly made our jobs a lot easier. And the 250+ in the crowd did a lot to create the right atmosphere.
All told it was a great time and worthy of being known as one of the best MINI events in the US. With the economy improving and talk of a new location next year, things can only get better. Now if we could just do something about the weather.
<p>Yea, the weather back here near chicago/midwest is nicer then vegas right now, 70’s by the end of week.</p>
<p>I have posted some photos. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dbwilldo/sets/72157623728242620/" rel="nofollow">Here are some random shots</a> and <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dbwilldo/sets/72157623716345288/" rel="nofollow">here are some shots</a> from the car show.</p>
<p>Thanks for the photos DB</p>
<p>First off let me say that the folks at Sin City MINI Club do a bang up job every year. This year was no exception. It’s not an easy task to organize these things. My talk with Mark was an eye opener for sure.</p>
<p>That being said…</p>
<p>1.) The hotel was way too far from the strip, the hotel too small to accommodate all us MINIacs though a really nice place. Spago was on my list for one night of dinning but not if I had to drive 34 miles, roundtrip.</p>
<p>2.) I’d like to see an evening event like maybe some karting where us vendors could have some fun and compete against each other and the rest of you.</p>
<p>3.) Maybe instead of a big lavash hotel event dinner, or whatever, a fun family restaurant could be chosen to hold us all with the WRR guys doing their schtick, but maybe they could keep it shorter.</p>
<p>I’d also like to thank all you MINIacs that stopped by my booth whether you bought anything or not. It gets lonely at times and it’s nice to just find out where you are from and what you did that day… and no I didn’t drive up to Vegas with all those grille badges on my MINI… ;-)</p>
<p>Again many thanks to the folks at Sin City, I know it’s not easy to organize these things but you make it look that way.</p>
<p>Viva Las Vegas, Baby! RB/TwistyBitz</p>
<p>Hey Gabe;</p>
<p>Please, for the culturally deprived, what does AMVIV stand for.</p>
<p>Bruce: AMVIV = A MINI Vacation In Vegas.</p>
<p>“Dwindling attendance” only because I am not finished university yet. Two more weeks and I am done so I will see everyone south of the border more often ;)</p>
<p>Glad you guys had fun and I’m looking forward to the WRR podcasts of the event… and pictures too!</p>
<p>Congrats to Xiek (Canada) for winning an award at AMVIV this year! Representing Canada well for us!!</p>
<p>OK……………….</p>
<p>But who are the four Mafia “Wiseguys” in the black and white picture? LOL</p>
<p>Gabe</p>
<p>Thanks and congratulations. Speaking as a man who could, age-wise, be your grandfather, no-body take an education away from you. Use it well.</p>
<p>Don;t know what you do or plan to do, but Best wishes and Good Luck!!!</p>
<p>I was registered but due to a current car project and unforeseen circumstances was unable to attend 🙁 but i would have been one of i think 3 people from the NorthEast… if any of them were even able to make it.</p>
<p>Another large, well organized event is <a href="http://minisontop.com/" rel="nofollow">MINIs on Top</a>. Of course, New Hampshire has a somewhat different flavor than Vegas.</p>
<p>Maybe you guys could do an international tour like the Top Gear guys do. Imagine doing a world tour…</p>
<p>@lilcoop, @bruce: AMVIV stands for “A MiNi Vacation In Vegas”</p>
<p>Hmmm, posts with links not showing up. Posts without links show up immediately.</p>
<p>@Gabe, google maps for The Stardust Las Vegas. This is where AMVIV I was held.</p>
<p>Yes it was a down year but still a great time. Even the Traveling Fish had a GREAT time. It even has photos that are not safe for facebook…..isn’t that right Xiek?</p>
<p>many thanks to the Sin City crew. Standing applause!</p>
<p>DBs arriving in Vegas video:
<a href="http://www.whiteroofradio.com/amviv-wrr-live/" rel="nofollow ugc">http://www.whiteroofradio.com/amviv-wrr-live/</a></p>
<p>We flew out Friday and rented a car so we were stuck with a Dodge something or other… for the short time were were there it was a top notch event. My wife and I even drove one of the routes on Sunday and had a great time. Kudos to the Sin City MINI folks for all their hard work… we are still handing around enjoying the nice weather (today). Hopefully scheduling next year will allow us the time off during the event not after. My pics can be found at: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/penfold/sets/72157623716238326/" rel="nofollow ugc">http://www.flickr.com/photos/penfold/sets/72157623716238326/</a></p>
<p>@lilcoopr Off topic, but congrats on the graduation- therefore Sue & I will look forward to seeing you at MTTS with the other MINI United folks!</p>
<p>That WRR “arriving video” was a little cheesy at the end.</p>
<p>Nice “home alone” acting. lol</p>
<p>“Gabe had to do allot of crazy things with the cone, but it got him there…” should have been the tag line at the end.</p>
<p>It was meant to be a little tongue and cheek.</p>
<p>Less People = Better Event? Sounds like spin to me. Were there issues with too many people last year?</p>
<p>looked a little to comfortable with that cone if you ask me..</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Less People = Better Event? Sounds like spin to me.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Nowhere above did I say it was better.</p>
<p>Again, Us vendors need to have some fun also… a night something or other (KARTING) would be good.</p>
<p>I was also a little thrown by the distance from the strip. Google Maps made it look a lot closer, but once you were there, it felt like you got sat at the kiddie table in the other room! Look, way over there… see those lights on the horizon? Thats Vegas :)</p>
<p>The weather wasn’t cooperating, so I understand why people didn’t hang out in the garage, but I would have liked to see more activities located there to get people centered around the cars and vendors. A cookout would have been nice. Driver’s meetings before the group drives. Even the Show-and-shine could have been located near the vendors. It was nice to get my company’s name out there, but it really did feel like no one wanted to be anywhere near the garage at all.
Other than that, SCMC did a great job with what they had to work with.</p>
<p>Here are just a few snapshots.
I agree that the hotel was nice, new and sufficient, but too far from the Strip.</p>
<p>Waaaaay better than crappy 1980s hell of Palace Station, though.</p>
<p>We came late Friday, had a relaxing day, visited our fav vendors, won a fabulous shirt and mug @ the mixer party, (Thx WRR and generous dealerships) and drove home in Sunday traffic.</p>
<p>Mystique is an R56, part of Week 23 Build week on NAM, the most talkative group on there for a while…we had more posts than the welcome thread. HAHA</p>
<p><a href="http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=165708&id=580250770&l=567d50fc65" rel="nofollow ugc">http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=165708&id=580250770&l=567d50fc65</a></p>
<p>This link will bring you to my facebook album without any further ado!</p>
<p>It was my first attended AMVIV so I have nothing to compare it to, but hearing of the 400-600 attendance in years past, I was hoping to see that large presence. I was a ‘drive-in’ registration at #274, meaning we could have been around 275+ in attendance. But I still had fun.</p>
<p>The organization and presentation impressed me for a MINI rally put together by a private MINI club – well done.</p>
<p>I hope more MINI owners come back and participate for next year’s AMVIV. If the bad economy is any influence, I wonder about the turn out for MTTS 2010. I participated in the MTTS 2008 LA with around 500 MINI’s in attendance. Who’s to say? :)</p>
<p>I just got back from my extended road trip. Sorry I’m replying to this late. I had a good time. Even won some money on the slots. Pretty good return on my $1. investment. The venue was top notch for this type of event.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/beken/sets/72157623764774180/" rel="nofollow ugc">http://www.flickr.com/photos/beken/sets/72157623764774180/</a></p>