San Jose Show new location -kind of an update

dogwood · January 11, 2008 11:23AM

So they moved it to the County Fairgrounds on Tully Road, not the greatest location but not horrible. My workshop is about a mile away from there. Feb 1-2-3. What is up with downtown and coins? 2 1/2 years ago they moved the ANA convention up to San Francisco because of a conflict with the inaugural SJ Gran Prix which went belly up after it's second year.

Cladiator · January 11, 2008 11:33AM

I don't like the new location. Every time I've been there the place is crawling with less than desireables.

WTCG · January 11, 2008 3:26PM

The San Jose Grand Prix went belly-up after two years because the race was part of the Champ Car Racing Circuit, at best a fourth-string racing league with almost no fans in the United States. Come to think of it, Europeans don't care much for the league either. With all due respect to the "Capital of Silicon Valley" (I own two houses in San Jose, a still apreciating real estate market which is a rarity anywhere in the country nowadays), San Jose reminds me of your typical cliche washed-up D-list celebrity whose 15 minutes of fame came and went. San Jose was a city in the headlines and aimed on by the spotlight during the dot-com boom days of the late 1990's. Unfortunately when that fizzled the distinction of being the jewel of Northern California was reassumed by the already famous and world-renowned darling known as San Francisco. With its short-lived celebrity status stripped, San Jose spends its days reminiscing about how it used to be famous not too long ago. Because of its fade back into mediocrity the city tries desperately to find some way of drawing attention onto itself by hosting second-rate events of ho-hum interest. It's sort of akin to a washed up D-list celebrity making appearances on "Hollywood Squares" (or some crappy reality show on VH1) just to find a way to hang on to a portion of the diminishing spotlight.

One time not too long ago on NBC11 (NBC affiliate for the Bay Area) the news did a story about the lack of out-of-state tourists visiting San Jose. When reporters located out-of-state visitors and asked them what non-business things they did while in San Jose, the most popular answer was "we took some time to visit San Francisco" followed by "we visited San Francisco and then we visited wine country".

Okay, I'll give San Jose some credit...the city certainly beats a bunch of other locales like Hartford, CT or any city in the Midwest save for Chicago. Other than Santana Row and the Sarah Winchester house there isn't much to see in San Jose.

Here's a personal editorial I wrote shortly after last year's San Jose show. Although I'll admit that it's a little bit extreme in tone and somewhat sarcastic, I believe that my concerns are definitely merited. Let's revisit my past thread with some recent edits...

I'll also add that the San Jose show is scheduled on Super Bowl weekend. I addressed that issue with a director of the coin club and I was told that "coin collectors don't watch football so it shouldn't be a problem." Unfortunately coin dealers with tables such as myself enjoy the Super Bowl and consequently will not be in attendance on the Sunday of the show.

Even if you're not planning to attend the san jose Coin show you should read on as it may parallel the problematic issues of your own local numismatic organization.

For all of you who are from California or are planning on attending the san jose Coin Club's coin show this weekend or in the future, it was announced today that the show beginning next year will be moved away from Parkside Hall in the revitalized downtown of San Jose, the current venue. Beginning next year the show will be held at the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds, somewhere in the south San Jose area.

That's right...the show's being moved to the damn fairgrounds! This depressing surprise comes after you thought that the current bourse chairman and his cohorts couldn't scuttle this once promising coin show any further into oblivion. Now we have accomodate our already busy schedules around the travelling carnival circuits and horse exhibitions.

Actually, the fairgrounds will create another fun game...attendees dodging the horse manure strewn all over the floor courtesy of the resident horse exhibitions that frequent those fairgrounds.

If you're planning to ask...I don't exactly know where the fairgrounds are located at either. Okay, after some map searching on Google Earth I found that it's on Tully Road near the Eastridge area, a not-so-great part of town.

Over the last few years the number of bourse tables sold has diminished significantly. At one time earlier in this decade this once potent show included almost 130 tables. The number now is under 100, with several table spaces conspicuously unoccupied. At last count about 25 dealers are still on the fence on whether they want to set up or not.

The bourse chairman's attitude regarding disagreement with him isn't exactly diplomatic. Telling a dissenter to "get lost" or "go take a hike" instead of being constructive does not help with dealer retention. A knack for solving problems utilizing positive leadership skills is essential, and the bourse chairman lacks that necessary talent. Apparently he doesn't understand that a flea market setup with roaming animals around doesn't help a dealer with their sales. Telling a dealer to "go shove it" isn't going to solve any shortcomings either.

Parkside Hall, the current show location, is located in downtown San Jose and is easily accessible by light rail and VTA public transit. It is also adjacent to the Tech Museum of Innovation and the Hilton, Marriott, Fairmont and Crowne Plaza hotels. If the show was located at the fairgrounds it would be much more difficult for travelling dealers and non-drivers to access the venue. Not to mention, the fairgrounds are much more difficult to locate for someone who is not familiar with the layout of San Jose, a large sized city that is 158 square miles and just short of one million residents.

I guess it's satisfying to know that during next year's show the bourse dealers and floor attendees will most likely be sharing their floor space with petting zoo type barnyard animals. Also be thankful if the floor is made up of anything other than hay or sawdust.

If you are planning to attend the san jose Coin Club show this weekend, let the show officials know about your displeasure with the coming change in venue. A group of dealers have proposed having this show moved to the Santa Clara Convention Center or to another comparable place. If you are in favor of this proposal, please take a moment while attending the show to voice your displeasure and suggest an alternate, such as the aforementioned, as an idea to the show officials. Thanks for your consideration.

WTCG · January 12, 2008 11:56AM

A TTT for the people who asked me about the San Jose show today at FUN.

ziggy29 · January 12, 2008 11:58AM

I attended the San Jose show for many years at the downtown location when I lived there. San Jose is very safe for a city of its size, but the Fairgrounds location isn't one of the greatest (but still not terrible by big city standards).

dogwood · January 12, 2008 1:05PM

I agree about my Birth City's lack of any important cultural standing among the nation's other metropolises, but I kinda always considered it a C-list place. I mean, it's gotta beat Fresno or Tulsa....well Fresno, for sure.
At any rate I doubt there are going to be any horses at the show. Or sawdust on that particular floor. Oh well, Santa Clara is another couple of months so that's some consolation.

WTCG · January 14, 2008 3:42PM

<< I agree about my Birth City's lack of any important cultural standing among the nation's other metropolises, but I kinda always considered it a C-list place. I mean, it's gotta beat Fresno or Tulsa....well Fresno, for sure.
At any rate I doubt there are going to be any horses at the show. Or sawdust on that particular floor. Oh well, Santa Clara is another couple of months so that's some consolation. >>

Okay, the chances of sawdust as flooring material is more likely to not happen although I wouldn't be surprised to find horses (and their omnipresent aroma) within sight of the coin show building. If you're from the area and you aren't doing anything else during that weekend then you might as well go to the show. Just bring a jacket since as far as I understand it the coin show is being held inside a steel barn building with minimal insulation.

The good news for San Jose is that doesn't take much to beat Fresno in terms of general appeal. When Fresno's two claims to fame include being a major operation center for the IRS and for being the hometown of Kevin Federline you know you're in one crappy place.

JSsson · January 21, 2008 10:00AM

I don't know if I agree with the previous assessment of the city of San Jose in general, but when one major coin show (ANA in 2005) and now a yearly show that both were to be held in downtown San Jose get neglected and then are forced to move then it raises eyebrows. To me it's sad when a coin show that has been held in a consistent location in a nice venue for a number of years gets moved to another location that isn't as safe and is much less convenient, and all this when the show itself has been in a decline in the last few years.

Although I don't know the details of the show's arrangements and logistics, it sounds like what Wei has stated is fairly consistent with the sentiments of many other dealers I've talked to who set up at this show. I know that a large group of dealers may not set up at this show again after this year, which isn't good news to say the least. I remember several years ago when this coin show had many more tables than it does now, and that's without the possible large number of dealers who may quit after this year's show.

Perhaps the organizers of the San Jose show should look much deeper into changing their attitudes to the dealers and relocating to another better venue for the show after their current contract expires. A bad show means there will be unhappy retail customers resulting in less attendance in the future.

I don't know if San Jose is as washed up as a D list celebrity as stated. Sure San Jose isn't as sophisticated as San Francisco, but it probably still beats my hometown of Sacramento.

dogwood · January 21, 2008 10:18AM

Sacramento's Downtown and Midtown seem far more vibrant and retail friendly by far than San Jose's. There seems to be no shopping allowed here and you never see anyone with a shopping bag downtown unless it's from Walgreens, it's one retail venue. Sad, really. I'll go to the show and spend money if I find what I need.

Fletcher · January 21, 2008 10:22AM

They need to move the show to San Francisco ... I bet the number of dealers would double and attendance would quadruple.

Cladiator · January 21, 2008 10:25AM

<< They need to move the show to San Francisco ... I bet the number of dealers would double and attendance would quadruple. >>

They'd keep me away by doing that. I don't go into that cess pool for any reason.

Fletcher · January 21, 2008 10:39AM

<< 

<< They need to move the show to San Francisco ... I bet the number of dealers would double and attendance would quadruple. >>

They'd keep me away by doing that. I don't go into that cess pool for any reason. >>

You think that San Francisco is a cesspool compared to the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds? You have interesting taste

BECOKA · January 21, 2008 10:50AM

The fair grounds are just a few too many miles south. I liked it in down town because I could take a couple of hours off of work and go check it out.

I guess parking might be easier and cheaper at the fairgounds, does anyone know how much they charge for parking?

anoldgoat · January 21, 2008 10:56AM

I live about 5 miles south of there but have never been in the fairgrounds. I'll go this year just to see what it's like.

JSsson · January 21, 2008 11:04AM

<< Sacramento's Downtown and Midtown seem far more vibrant and retail friendly by far than San Jose's. There seems to be no shopping allowed here and you never see anyone with a shopping bag downtown unless it's from Walgreens, it's one retail venue. Sad, really. I'll go to the show and spend money if I find what I need. >>

Sacramento has the Westfield mall adjacent to Old Town Sacramento, which as a whole is a nice place to see, but the downtown area from about 8th Street to the state capital building isn't a great area at night. It's okay during the day, though. I agree that San Jose doesn't have enough shopping in downtown, but Valley Fair mall and Santana Row aren't far away.

WTCG · January 21, 2008 11:13AM

<< They need to move the show to San Francisco ... I bet the number of dealers would double and attendance would quadruple. >>

I was set up at the ANA Convention in San Francisco in 2005 and I personally had one of my best shows ever and I agree with you that San Francisco is one of the best cities in the world in general, but the overall vibe from the majority of other dealers there was largely negative. Monetary expenses were staggering compared to other cities, and public attendance just wasn't as high as other ANA conventions in other cities have been in the past. Personally I would love to have another major show in San Francisco, but convincing dealers and many collectors to attend I would concede would be a very hard sell.

This upcoming coin show in San Jose is operated by the San Jose Coin Club, so consequently the show would need to be held in San Jose or a bordering neighbor city such as Santa Clara.

Believe it or not, parking at the Fairgrounds is not free (as far as I know). Leave it up to the boneheaded, dinosaur-aged board at the SJCC to botch this detail up as well.

BECOKA · January 21, 2008 11:13AM

<< 

<< They need to move the show to San Francisco ... I bet the number of dealers would double and attendance would quadruple. >>

I was set up at the ANA Convention in San Francisco in 2005 and I personally had one of my best shows ever and I agree with you that San Francisco is one of the best cities in the world in general, but the overall vibe from the majority of other dealers there was largely negative. Monetary expenses were staggering compared to other cities, and public attendance just wasn't as high as other ANA conventions in other cities have been in the past. Personally I would love to have another major show in San Francisco, but convincing dealers and many collectors to attend I would concede would be a very hard sell.

This upcoming coin show in San Jose is operated by the San Jose Coin Club, so consequently the show would need to be held in San Jose or a bordering neighbor city such as Santa Clara.

Believe it or not, parking at the Fairgrounds is not free (as far as I know). Leave it up to the boneheaded, dinosaur-aged board at the SJCC to botch this detail up as well. >>

Payed parking might be the deal breaker for me if it's more than 2 or 3 dollars.

Cladiator · January 21, 2008 11:23AM

<< 

<< 

<< They need to move the show to San Francisco ... I bet the number of dealers would double and attendance would quadruple. >>

They'd keep me away by doing that. I don't go into that cess pool for any reason. >>

You think that San Francisco is a cesspool compared to the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds? You have interesting taste

>>

Both are scum riddin' areas. The difference is SJFG knows it's scum and SF thinks it chits jelly beans and pisses green tea.

CarlWohlforth · January 21, 2008 11:31AM

Well, well, well. How do I start?

San Jose has come a long way from being an run down agricultural center. All the canning companies have packed up and left. Well they had to leave after the orchards were all plowed down to make room for people.

San Jose has a larger population than San Francisco. The SJ coin club used to have a great show downtown. Now there are big hotels, big high rises rising and so on. I guess the club figured they should move to the much cheaper land of the struggling fairgrounds.

I have not gone to the show at the fairgrounds. The last time I went to the fairgrounds it was for the Santa Clara County Fair. Jay Leno was host. Low riders were there. Yup, a blast to the past.

I agree with WTCC about his assesment of the coins shows. I disagree about some things about San Jose. But, hey, I like it here, so naturally I'll defend my home territory!

Oh, more than a decade ago, I went to my first show. It was sponsered by the San Jose Coin Club. San Jose had already pumped huge amounts of dough into renovating the downtown. Anyway I only wish I had bought that proof pattern Flying Eagle Cent from the same folks I bought my PR 67 Buffalo Icon coin from at that show! I remember a bunch of dealers bunching around a dealer who had a superb Morgan. He was asking for more than a proof. Everybody was exclaiming it was as good as or better looking than proofs of the same grade. Nobody bought it in my presence. They all were saying it was too expensive. I think the number was a bit over a grand or something. Anyway if I had bought the thing and kept it until now I would be a genious. However I didn't, and I'm not.

Well, at the time I much preferred a proof...

Fletcher · January 21, 2008 11:46AM

<< Monetary expenses were staggering compared to other cities, and public attendance just wasn't as high as other ANA conventions in other cities have been in the past. Personally I would love to have another major show in San Francisco, but convincing dealers and many collectors to attend I would concede would be a very hard sell. >>

True ... I didn't think of the cost involved. Then maybe something close to SF but cheaper ... like Emeryville. It would be inexpensive like SJ but it is at the foot of the Bay Bridge and would draw people from the entire Bay area without subjecting them to SF traffic. I like it, lets put on a show ...

WTCG · January 22, 2008 12:18PM

<< 

<< Monetary expenses were staggering compared to other cities, and public attendance just wasn't as high as other ANA conventions in other cities have been in the past. Personally I would love to have another major show in San Francisco, but convincing dealers and many collectors to attend I would concede would be a very hard sell. >>

True ... I didn't think of the cost involved. Then maybe something close to SF but cheaper ... like Emeryville. It would be inexpensive like SJ but it is at the foot of the Bay Bridge and would draw people from the entire Bay area without subjecting them to SF traffic. I like it, lets put on a show ...

>>

I can't say I would be totally crazy for a show in Emeryville, but a show located somewhere on the Peninsula would be a preference. A show near San Francisco Intl. Airport in Millbrae, Burlingame or San Mateo would be an ideal location in my mind.

dogwood · January 22, 2008 2:12PM

Yeah, how about the San Mateo Expo....it's like a fairground but no hay on the floor. And the Hillsborough Antique Show is there 2 or 3 times a year and you can't fault that clientel. I remember a Palo Alto Coin Show back in the 80's. That was nice.

I've lived all of my 46 years in San Jose. It's not shabby. Just not stellar. See you at the show.

JSsson · January 28, 2008 5:25PM

Well, it's only a few more days before this somewhat controversial show starts. Despite the move and the weather I'm still planning on going for at least a day or even two. Anybody else planning to go?

San Jose Show new location -kind of an update

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