Homie, I love ya - but it isn’t. It’s an hour. With traffic during that weekend on the pike, 90 minutes.

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Hmm, will have to check out the area (never heard of that city/town) when the new location (building) is announced, may be a pass for me (as I don't stay the night). I like the Sturbridge area, good food options, and a few breweries nearby...not a fan of being closer to Boston (traffic).

Theatre of Magic fans. I have 2 rebuilt gearboxes. I've disassembled, cleaned, lubricated with Super Lube Teflon lubricant. I've installed new motors and have bench tested to 22 rpm which matches nameplate of the stock original. Also have 2 replacement motors with new gears that match exactly the gear pitch of the stock original. Same motors I used in the rebuilt gear boxes. The motors and boxes also have new wires and connectors. I will have these at the show on Friday along with the DM triggers. $150 each for the gearboxes, I'll take a used in trade like a 'core' charge and knock the price to $100. $35 each for the motors only.

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My feelings exactly.

It’s not Pintastic New England anymore, it’s Pintastic Boston Metro/NH, essentially. If Sturbridge doesn’t work, someone should have looked at Charlton, Auburn, Palmer, even Springfield or Worcester.

I feel like I’ve lost a great show.

I mean, to think about how many vendors won’t make the trip, how many mainstay community members from Western MA and CT and NY that won’t be there - it’s gonna be a whole new show next year. It sucks.

No sense in complaining about next year's show when haven't so much had time to enjoy this year's show.

I'm just glad we have something local to look forward to every year.

Oh no, I see in the future a "Pintastic Sucks" thread coming. They are doing the best they can, and will never be able to please everyone.

I think Pintastic is worth it! Plus I will give you a hug.

The new venue is one exit up to Marlboro. Four times the restaurants and stores.

Trust me we looked everywhere. We found a location that works with our layout and keeps the types of freedoms we all like about the hotel rules. If you know what I mean. Plus the hotel is going through a renovation that will be complete by next year. New bedding and stuff like that.

Yea, only highway I hit going from RI to Sturbridge is 395 for a little bit, then back roads I guess. Curious, what is the actual venue going to be? (Regency?) Would be cool if it's walking distance to interesting food etc options. I like to take breaks from the show, grab food/drinks etc..

Boxboro isn’t a booming town by any means. Don’t worry about the traffic. Won’t be any worse than it normally is.

Says two people that live closer to Boxboro versus Sturbridge.

The show doesn’t suck, it sucks that it’s going. That’s all.

No we don’t need a CT show. Let’s enjoy the one we have. We don’t need 1000 micro shows diluting everything and making for mediocre events. Everyone only has so much free time and energy including vendors and game bringers. We don’t need people trying to support 15 shows in New England because everyone needs one as their neighbor.

And you say we should of looked elsewhere. We did. We looked a lot of place. A lot. Even checked some hotels in CT. Most couldn’t provide what we have with Sturbridge or what we need going forward. The decision wasn’t made lightly. Please have consideration for everyone who works hard for this show to happen. Changes happen. Let’s embrace them and see if maybe things get even better instead of being stubborn and canceling your tickets for a show that’s after the one that hasn’t happened yet.

And the shows way further for us here too. We rent a massive uhaul to move all the games and equipment for the tournament. You don’t hear me complaining?

I do have consideration for the show - I bought an LE pass, I’m probably bringing at least two games, I’ll be in the tournament.

If the show did suck, I wouldn’t care where it moved to. This show is SO GOOD, that it sucks to see it move Jim - that’s all.

It’s simply too expensive for me to rent a hotel in a pricey town like that and buy an LE pass. We’re talking nearly $1K.

That’s all I’m saying. I also don’t see the harm in having a show in CT in the fall. Just saying.

i think you guys will be better off in Boston to grow the show. better access to airport for those who need to fly in, a nicer hotel, etc. While we won't be there this year, unfortunately, I think the move will provide access to a broader audience. It's a further drive for us, adds a good hour and more traffic, but it's very understandable to have one in Boston.

So, what is Rapscallion going to be offering on tap at the show this year?

The show hotel price will be $115 only $5 more than Sturbridge and a nicer hotel. Also as part of the deal there is a sister hotel 10 min away which will be the same price and we are paying for a shuttle bus to run all 3 days from 9am to 3am. So total hotel rooms available will be around 340 rooms giving us room to grow.

Rapscallion will not be on tap this year. They can no longer direct distribute to hotels so the deal fell through. But we will have something cooler in the Cointaker booth.

Beer tent and Octoberfest in June. Get ready for one hand play with a beer or root beer in the other hand.

Ahh...."craft beer" or Bud/Miller/Coors type options? I ask, because I've been handing out the flyers in local breweries, telling people there would be "local craft" options (I figured Rapscallion)

Not even on a good day without traffic.
-Mike

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I just looked and it only adds 15min to my drive from RI to new location and uses 495, so no real Boston traffic...

It adds 20 mins to me. Nothing worth complaining about seeing I drive for a living.
-Mike

They do have a few craft beers on tap in the bar area.

We looked at a variety of locations, many of which would have imposed culture shock in various ways. The Boxboro Regency seemed like a reasonable expansion while having a similar type of facility, plus a sister hotel in Westford to handle the overflow. Yes, we'll be closer to Boston, but the location is very much out in the country and not subject to Boston traffic. I think most of you would not want the visitor experience you get at PAX East, out on the Boston waterfront. The Boxboro site is a hotel in the woods next to a highway exit.

It has more space, both in the sense of more square footage and in the sense that there are more small function rooms that will allow us to do some of the extra things we wanted to do. There are more parking spaces, too, which is a key trade-off when moving to a larger convention center. If any of you are investors in real estate, I can supply some specifications for the type of conference-center hotel we want, because New England has way too few in the range of 35K-75K square feet of conference space and yet a large parking lot. If you build it, the gamer-cons and comic-cons will come!

Once the 2019 show is behind us, I'll start a thread on driving directions.
.................David Marston

We did look, and engaged the regional convention & visitor bureau organizations to help us. Also, we made it clear to the Sturbridge Hotel that we wanted some improvements; maybe a new owner there would invest in the improvements and expansion to win us back in the future.
.................David Marston

If there’s a silver lining, for the people that get a hotel for this show at least there’s that.

So for 1000$ you are staying for 7 nights?

We appreciate you supporting the show and bringing games. But please don’t take your outrage out on the organizers for selfish reasons. We are all doing the best we can to provide a quality show for EVERYONE.

115*3 is 345, after taxes and fees probably $400.

LE badge is $175.

After food and beverage for the hotel room + a tank of gas we’re talking about $650, just to be at the show. That’s a lot of coin homie.

I’m not outraged, this is not what outrage sounds or looks like. It’s disappointment.

It’s not selfish, there are MANY people this effects.

You guys do an awesome job - I’ve never said otherwise. I’ve met Dave and Gabe, and I’ve seen first hand all the work that goes into the event.

Whether it be Nancy working at the show or someone like Andy S. bringing his entire collection or yourself with the tournament - I appreciate everyone.

I’m done mentioning it, the point I’ve wanted to make is across, and as usual, I’m regarded as the Pariah of Pinball, regardless of what I say, so I’ll say no more about this.

Excited for the show this year.

I have driven from tewksbury ma to Allentown Pa for the last 3 years.
The pintastic show could be held anywhere inside of the Massachusetts border and I would still go.

Homie

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Uh, uh.

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I never said I drove the speed limit lol

I fully understand your reasons for moving the show, but you're going to lose a lot of people from the hotbed areas, like NJ, PA and LI, NY. You're not going to make it up from northern NE, and the greater Boston crowd is already attending anyway.

I don't either!

Reading this thread like...

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Room - $115x3= $345
LE pass - $175

Total: $520

Find someone to split your room with you and your total is down to about $350. Bring the games you intend to bring and use the complimentary admission you receive. At that point you're just paying for the hotel. Room split for three nights and you're down to $172. Spend two nights $115. Spend one and commute. Just commute because you are lucky enough to live within an hour of the show.

This whole $1k argument is BS.

I spent ~$700 total attending Replay/FX last year which is significantly farther away (and included tournament entry - i think $125) and a 4th night in a hotel. There's no way that Pintastic costs $1k to attend. If you voided every single crummy ticket you played buying your way into the finals of Silverball Rumble you'd still have a difficult time spending that much.

It's incredibly insulting to nitpick the organizers by arguing over minutiae of driving times while instead you could be thinking about how even though the show is a little farther away now, you're still local enough that you can bring games, contribute, and help it be a great event. There is much more gained in being positive.

You never "lost a great show." It just moved. Hopefully a great show lost you.

I told him many moons ago that he wont last in the hobby. Clearly the end is closer than he thinks. People read his posts for the laughs at this point. Im just hopeful I can go and see him spending that $1,000. He must just be giving cash away.

As a suggestion if anyone is concerned about $$, volunteering is a GREAT way to cut your costs down and the bonus is that you get to meet tons of great people. When I’m working a shift, I often have people sit down with me to take a break from the floor—if they signed up as a volunteer, they could be earning free admission, entry to the Friday night party, or more—all for doing something they already are doing!

If you are interested, you can find out more here:
https://register.growtix.com/volunteers/apply_step_1/Pintastic_Pinball_Game_Room_Expo_2019

I hope we have gained a reputation that warrants an extra 45 min drive. But that discussion is for next year not now. Now we look forward to Sturbridge for one more year.

45 min closer for me! Do we lose the mildew discount from the Sturbridge hotel?

I drive on average four hours each way to get to this show, and a few times I have gone only for one day. Gabe and his crew put a lot of effort into it, and I like supporting Pintastic.

But I must admit, I am laughing pretty hard about people that live in Massachusetts, bitching about a show located in Massachusetts, that’s relocating to another venue in Massachusetts.

Especially one chap in particular, who apparently lives a whopping 56 miles from the new location. Dude, you could almost ride a bike there faster than it takes me to drive there.
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This thread is going to win the prize for having the most maps ever! It will certainly help people understand where Boxboro/Boxborough is. Just remember that this is a "Pintastic 2019" thread and the 2019 show is in Sturbridge. We still have room for people to bring games, or take an outdoor Flea Market space, maybe even an indoor vendor booth or two. And volunteers are welcome; there are additional services we would provide if we have enough volunteers. Pintastic has become a major show through the combined efforts of dozens of pinball fans around the Northeast.
.................David Marston

I too am looking forward to the final Sturbridge show and next year I intend to give the new venue a chance. But I'm just saying that several people I've spoken to from PA, NJ, LI told me that the move will put it out of range for them next year.

I'm baffled myself; I just hauled ass to NH and back last weekend to grab a pin.

Show moving a half hour further way? I'm surprised people are making a deal of it.

I was hoping this thread was going more the way of what people are bringing or what people might have for sale. I’m going through my stuff and to hope have a bin full in my trunk. I would do more if not for work. I have a DM that has a decent shot at best in show( I think ) but can’t transport or babysit for 3 days. I would also like to volunteer but I only get 1 day to enjoy the show. Since the other shows are too far, even Boxboro is doable for me from Groton, CT.

It was until a page and a half ago.

I know it’s a long shot, but anybody have any Atari boards? Or a working Gen 2 Atari MPU?

I’m hunting for a new pin or two, so keep posting titles you are planning on bringing here!

Really hoping to find an Avatar, would also consider MET pro, TWD pre, or TSPP.