Our Don Geoff has graciously given me the OK to start a new thread regarding those who are DEFINATELY going to attend the convention. This way we can keep track with this new thread over the next few months on who is Definately going to be there. So I ask you PLEASE ONLY POST IN THIS THREAD IF YOU ARE DEFINATELY going to be there.


Don Cardi is there!


Don Cardi

Great -- yet another thread about this convention... :rolleyes:

Just kidding, Don Cardi -- thanks for starting it

Now, if we can only decide about the TOURS people would want to attend (as listed in one of those other threads :p ), we can actually start making plans.

Count your paisana from the Golden State in!


TIS

Hey, does anyone attending know if the Show Promoter is going to do any showings of The Godfather Movie? At many theme styled conventions the show promoters set up a seperate room and run convention theme related movies all day long for those who may want to slip in and out from time to time.

By the way, so far accordong to this thread only TIS and myself are definately committed to attending!! C'mon people, if you booked your room and will definately be there, post, post, post! The more that we know who are definately attending the easier it will be for us to possibly set up a breakfast or a dinner.


Don Cardi

That'd be cool if they showed The Godfather - I've been meaning to see it!

I'm 99.9% there, so add me to the list.

And that other .01 per cent will mentally be on the sports thread no doubt. :p

Seriously, no matter how many end up attending, I'm sure we will all have a good time. I am looking forward to it.



TIS

For those coming to the convention and who plan on attending the actual convention for the 3 days, I believe that you have until June 30th to purchase advanced admission tickets at a discount price.


Don Cardi

Thanks for the reminder, Don Cardi. SC and I will be buying our tickets tomorrow.

I ordered mine about two weeks ago. I just received it a couple days ago. It's not a ticket, but rather a guest"badge" incased in plastic with a pin on the back. It has the dates of the convention, and a picture of Al Capone.



TIS

TIS -

Did you have to mail away for the tickets, or can you get them over the internet??

SC,

Check your e-mail. I just sent you the info.


TIS

I just spoke to Harry Lawrence, the convention's organizer, on the phone. I ordered my (and L's) passes and got some updates:

- there are still seats available for the midnight (Saturday) bus tour. Apparently there is a lot of interest in the tour, but people are thinking they'll buy their tickets just before boarding the bus (this is probably not a good idea).

- most convention events were scheduled to stop at 10:00 p.m., but the hotel lifted that curfew so it'll probably go on well past midnight (dipping into our drinking time).

- Meyer Lansky's granddaughter will be attending, and she'll be bringing some of his memoribilia.

- there'll be an antique autos display in the parking lot outside the hotel. Cars circa the 1920's will be featured.

- the convention will be professionally videotaped. The organizer is finalizing a deal with "Vito" (from "The Sopranos") to narrate it.

- if this convention goes well, there's an excellent possibility of another one being held in the New York area next year.

C'mon guys and gals....start getting your drinking arms ready and make the decision you'll attend!

SC,

This just seems to be getting better and better! Meyer's grandaughter with some of his memorabilia? Sounds interesting! Know what, as much as I don't want the summer flying by, I can't wait until the con. Can't wait to me the members from this board who are attending! Cmon people, it's closer than you think! Anyone else definately attending?
Know what would be nice? If the promoter somehow set up a tribute to Brando! It definatley would be fitting for this con!

Don Cardi

SC, DC, Geoff. I'm in for the tour. I'll buy my ticket today if everyone else is. Just refresh my memory, or provide a link and I'm in. I just didn't want to be sent off on the tour bus by myself. But I AM prepared to purchase a ticket now. So there's one vote.


TIS

The bus tour does sound interesting, as I am also fascinated by the occult and such, but what I am not too thrilled about is it being at night - how can we really see anything in the dark, I don't know. Five hours also seems like a long time. But, if everyone's in, I'll go too... or, we can try one of the other tours I listed in that other thread (one of those other 24 threads :p )

I see your point Geoff. Maybe Don Sicilia would know. He is from Chicago. If he reads this post, he might be able to tell us which tour is the best. I can't find the link I posted earlier but it listed several gangster tours, not affliated with the convention though. It might be worth reading up on them again if everyone wants to.


TIS

i am still not positive if im gonna gho , but look into the BLACK BUS TOUR they have a bus painted up like an old car i hear its a really good time, ill let ya all know if i am comin in a few days i hope

SF, are you referring to the Untouchables Tour, which I posted earlier? (see link) For those interested, check it out and post opinions please.

Untouchables tour


TIS

TIS,

This is a two hour tour. Do you know what time this tour takes place and how much per person?

Don Cardi

DC,

Click on the link (upper left) "Da dates & times". It's $24 with tours starting at 10:00 a.m.

Just let me emphasize this is not on the Mobwear tour agenda (that I know of), if that matters to anyone.


TIS

TIS,

Do you know whaere this is in comparison to our Hotel?


Don Cardi

Checking the mapquest using the address of the hotel to the block where this tour is, it says it is approximately a 40 minute drive to this tour. Keep in mind that most likely we will be renting a vehicle to get us around, so we won't need to pay for a cab. I don't care which one we go to, but if we plan to go, we need to make a decision. I don't know how quickly these things book up.

TIS

Hey Everyone - I'm back from traveling (and to peak my head out of the Sports thread for a bit )... To answer the question about the tours - I heard the Untouchables Tour is excellent (a friend of mine recently went on it, although I've never taken it). It's about a couple of hours and you get to see lots of Chicago. They give you lots of fun mobster facts, which you all probably know anyway.

I'll probably join you guys on this tour.

Another good non-mob-related tour is the Architectural Boat Tour. You get on a boat, go up and down Chicago River and you get the history of Chicago and its buildings. I last took it my first year in college way back in 1996 and remember that it was a very good tour.

Hi Don Sicilia! I was hoping you'd show up with some info. Do you know anything about this "Ghost Tour"?


TIS

Damn, I thought Don Sicilia was gonna chauffeur us around! (I do wish we were staying closer to the city, tho)

That Untouchables tour looks like fun and is less of a time commitment. DS heard it was very good, it's cheaper, and it's during the day. So that's my vote. It may be more hokey than the "Ghosts" tour, but we did live thru the Sopranos tour, right? lol

Did anyone book a seat on the Ghosts tour? I just realized it was for Saturday night (9/11 notwithstanding) -- I thought it was Fri for some reason -- I don't know if I want to spend my probable last evening there on a bus. :p

Ok, as far as I remember, the only true commitments are from SC/L, Geoff, Don Cardi me, Don Sicilia and a few maybes. I thought I heard LDV is going as well. Let's see what their opinions are and then decide no???

We can always book one and if time permits, and if there is still space, book another when we get there if we want to????? We just need to make sure we all book on the same day/time so we are not all on different tours/buses.


TIS

I'll be chauffeur-ing attendees of the Cubbies game - does that count?? Well, you all know I'll be doing a couple of meals with all of you, so I'll be happy to provide some transportation.

I don't know much about the Ghost Tour, having never heard of it. I'll tell you a Chicago ghost story though... During the great Chicago fire, only one building survived - the Water Tower. Anyway, I guess one guy was manning the tower and while everyone else evacuated, he decided to stay behind. And as the fire was drawing nearer and nearer to the building, he decided that rather than dying by fire, he decided to hang himself and did. Well, a few sightings of a silhouette of a man hanging has been seen over the years. The most recent one was a few years ago when a group of tourists saw a man hanging himself in the Water Tower (it is now a tourist attraction). They called some police, who also saw it. And when they climbed up, the man was gone.

[Cue scary music]

And this is right across the street from where I work!

well i dont think its the same tour, ill get with my friend and ask, that is if i catch her online in the next few days.

well i dont think its the same tour, ill get with my friend and ask, that is if i catch her online in the next few days.

Yes Don Geoff, that is what I am thinking also. I am only there Friday and Saturay with an early departure Sunday. As much as I would like to go on the tour, there is a part of me that says that I rather spend Saturday evening having a really nice dinner, enjoying the company of the other board members that will be there, and then drinking it up. Know what, everytime I look at the Con web site, it seems that the promoter is adding more people. Does anyone know the promoters e-mail? I would like to contact him and ask him what events he may be planning for Saturday night. Hey, ya never know!


Don Cardi