Announcing the 2014 Spear Wars Big Bang Open New Air Conditioned Venue

[SpearMax]

We lost access to that great air conditioned venue we have been using for many years at the Riviera Beach Marina due to the Waterfront Redevelopment Plans there. Hopefully, the new facility when built will be bigger and better than the old Newcomb Hall which holds many fond memories of past BBOs. That is the bad news.

The good news is we found a very cool replacement that is also air conditioned for the awards lunch and ceremony. Plus, this one has a nice outdoor pavilion for the fish weigh-in activities. The seating capacity inside may cause a limit on the number of attendees that will be allowed. I am still working out the seating and menu items. There is a full service bar and kitchen at this venue.

Due to the venue change, there will be no Captain’s Meeting for this year’s tournament. Hardly anyone showed up anyway at past BBO Captain's meetings which is fine for our format design.

The Tournament shooting will be held for two days starting Friday, July 18, 2014 and ending Saturday, July 19, 2014.

The Weigh-in, Awards Ceremony & Expo will be on Sunday, July 20, 2014, at the Moose Lodge at 3600 RCA Blvd. Palm Beach Gardens, Florida 33410 Phone (561) 626-4417. This place is located very near the PGA Blvd. Exit of I-95 which is just two exits north of the old venue exit.

The google maps link is:

https://www.google.com/maps/place/36...921e02a295cde9

We rolled back the start and end times for the weigh-in by half an hour. The fish weigh-in new hours will be from 10:00AM to 12:00PM Noon Sunday, July 20, 2014.

Here are some photos of the new 2014 BBO venue.

[SpearMax]

Please also check out the tournament rules thread here:

Announcing the 2014 Spear Wars Big Bang Open DRAFT Rules

[SpearMax]

Things are shaping up well. The new venue should be very good.

I went by the Moose Lodge and snapped some pics to think about the people flow at the BBO on Sunday July 20.

Of course, the inside where the meals and awards will be is nice as reported above.

I think we can really have a nice weigh-in setup here as follows:

☆ the first pics attached are the huge field between the main lodge and the pavilion and the looking back from the pavilion to the lodge.

☆ facing the pavilion, the shooters would park in the field and enter from the right side near the bathrooms and run right into the registration table for checking in and getting their free hat and bumper sticker.

☆ the observers can sit at the many tables under the pavilion and drink some water, soda, and beer we provide free.

☆ the shooters would form ONE line of coolers in the middle running between the observer tables toward the two scales at the left end of the pavilion.

☆ the weigh team and data entry table would be to the left side of the end with the scales to the right side.

☆ after their fish is weighed, the shooters will spill out on the pavement area to the right side where the shark lab donations and soup kitchen donations can be set up.

☆ the big fish display bins could be set up under the shade trees near the weigh in area.

☆ the back door entrance to the banquet awards area is across the field from the pavilion.

That is the basic plan.

Tony

[SpearMax]

Of course, we will also have the big electric fans blowing through the weigh-in pavilion to cool everyone down.

[SpearMax]

Starting tomorrow, my setup crew will begin the transformation of this location into an exciting Big Bang Open venue.