Skate America 2021 Returns to Las Vegas

OMG, Ghetto!Reading, as my friends and I called it when we went there years ago, was quite the adventure and I'm perfectly fine with SA never going back there again, LOL :lol:

FWIW, my mom and I had a great experience in 2019 so I'm excited at the prospect of going back there this fall. I don't remember having any problems with our room and I loved having the outdoor walkway right over to the arena. Mom and I took the time to go see a show there (Terry Fador's show which was OUTSTANDING), we got to see the fountains at the Bellagio at night (a bucket list item for me), and we enjoyed exploring parts of the strip during the day and seeing the sights (this big roller coaster geek avoided the NY, NY roller coaster though as I have never heard a good thing about it :lol: ). We also took the time to visit the Friends Experience at NY, NY before the competition one day and that was absolutely awesome for me. I don't remember having any issues with the food (I don't remember eating at a buffet, we must have skipped that one, but the other places I went were good) and for what it's worth, mom and I had a late flight home after the exhibition so we took the time to go bowling there and we had a blast. Trips like this are sometimes about making the best of whatever you can find to do and mom and I are pretty good at that so we had a ton of fun. :cheer:
 
alchemy void said:
Folks, after winning a fabulous 30 piece tupperware set at the Orleans last week, my friends and I stopped at that adult bookstore. It's...not that great. Definitely not worthy to make it a centerpiece of your Skate America itinerary. :shuffle:

The whole area around the Orleans is run down at best, and like others mentioned, not very walkable: not necessarily the distance, but the neighborhood. I'd recommend either staying on the strip and ubering daily (although they seemed to be in short supply last week) or stay at the Orleans and embrace the low ceilings and stale smoke.
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I want to hear more about this Tupperware set story.
 
Prancer said:
I'm sure it is. The Orleans used to host a professional hockey team but it left, so what else are they going to do with all that ice equipment? Plus SA, unlike the concerts they have there, is a multi-day event with a good-sized audience and, as everyone has said one way or another, the Orleans is going to be the hotel of choice for most of them.

So yeah, the USFS probably gets a great deal.

Um, I went to Skate America in Reading, PA. If someone wants to see Vegas, it's right there. It's warm, there's a nice pool and everything is really conveniently located. I'd think the international skating crowd would really like it. There are, after all, competitions in places even worse than Reading, PA.
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Lol. True and like I said I went to the 2005 Atlantic City… And chillllllldddddd... lol

I’m going to mull it over, maybe I will go this year
 
Out of curiosity for those of you who went what did you guys think of skate America those two years in Hoffman Estates, Illinois? I grew up there. I’m from one suburb over but I’ve been in LA for a long long time.

Calling it skate America Chicago was a bit of a stretch but what did you guys think of it?
 
HeatherC said:
OMG, Ghetto!Reading, as my friends and I called it when we went there years ago, was quite the adventure and I'm perfectly fine with SA never going back there again, LOL :lol:
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Remember when it was in Riverside California? That only would’ve been about a 90 minute drive for me but even I wasn’t going there LOL
 
AnnM said:
Do you mean Ontario? That one was pretty much a few miles down the road from me, yet no one local had any idea there was a skating event happening lol.
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I was working in a little town about 20 minutes from there then and no one in our office had a clue it was going on either. When they asked me why I was staying the weekend and I told them they all said they hadn’t heard anything.

Attendance reflected this overall great marketing result
 
AnnM said:
Do you mean Ontario? That one was pretty much a few miles down the road from me, yet no one local had any idea there was a skating event happening lol.
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Yep that was it!

Hoffman Estates Illinois, Ontario California .....such random off the beaten path places LOL.

Pittsburgh 2004 sounds so jet-set international now! 😜
 
AngieNikodinovLove said:
Out of curiosity for those of you who went what did you guys think of skate America those two years in Hoffman Estates, Illinois? I grew up there. I’m from one suburb over but I’ve been in LA for a long long time.

Calling it skate America Chicago was a bit of a stretch but what did you guys think of it?
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I've gone to Hoffman Estates twice for SKAM, and I liked it. The first time I went to Chicago when I arrived the day before competition. I rented a car, locked my suitcase in it, and took the train to downtown (it helped I had been to Chicago before and knew to NOT drive into the city). I had a great day in the city, picked up my car in the park and ride and went to the hotel.

I did need the car driving to arean, but it was fine. I don't recall if I did the same the next time, maybe I did? (the first time I had an errand at the Danish Consulate in Chicago).


I recall when it was in "Seattle" - it was in Kent and that is surely out of the way. That's an hour from my house and I drove there, but that's a suburb. I remember we had an FSU meetup at a (chain?) Italian restaurant, the other food option was Panera. Very glamorous.

hopefully with the remodeled Arena at Seattle center (Climate Pledge Arena, formerly Key Arena) we can have events downtown. I was very excited for the NHL expansion here, because it means Ice!! I think it will be too expensive for SKAM - but it might be big enough for nationals or even worlds...


In general the grand prix events are very condensed. I doubt the skaters see much other than the hotel and the ice, and I don't think they really care if it's in a suburb?
 
AngieNikodinovLove said:
Out of curiosity for those of you who went what did you guys think of skate America those two years in Hoffman Estates, Illinois? I grew up there. I’m from one suburb over but I’ve been in LA for a long long time.

Calling it skate America Chicago was a bit of a stretch but what did you guys think of it?
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The hotel was close to the arena and there were lots of places to eat since it was the burbs, but the drive to and from the airport was way too long for my liking. I only went into the city once in my two trips there.
 
Kent! Such a random location, but the event itself was a lot of fun. We had seats in the midst of a large group of enthusiastic Japanese fans. My friend and I sprung for the VIP experience and enjoyed a lot of WA wines and snacks in the lounge before each flight of skaters. Maybe that's why I don't remember eating anywhere in Kent ... other than that Panera on the last day lol.
 
I had a great time at 2011 Skate America in Ontario! :) A good friend lived not far from Ontario and so I extended my trip to spend extra time with her and was able to do touristy things before/after the competition. (The FSU get together meal included Morry Stillwell that year.)
 
AnnM said:
Kent! Such a random location, but the event itself was a lot of fun. We had seats in the midst of a large group of enthusiastic Japanese fans. My friend and I sprung for the VIP experience and enjoyed a lot of WA wines and snacks in the lounge before each flight of skaters. Maybe that's why I don't remember eating anywhere in Kent ... other than that Panera on the last day lol.
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Loved Kent! BTW, had one of the best breakfasts at Maggie's. Also had dinner at a absolutely beautiful restaurant on the water.
 
HeatherC said:
Trips like this are sometimes about making the best of whatever you can find to do and mom and I are pretty good at that so we had a ton of fun
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I have always had a great time at SA, but that's because I always have great company at SA. I have very fond memories of Reading, for example, and am starting to laugh right now remembering things that happened at the airport, the hotel, and the outlet mall.

But not everyone gets to travel with their own circus.

AngieNikodinovLove said:
Out of curiosity for those of you who went what did you guys think of skate America those two years in Hoffman Estates, Illinois? I grew up there. I’m from one suburb over but I’ve been in LA for a long long time.

Calling it skate America Chicago was a bit of a stretch but what did you guys think of it?
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It was fine. If you wanted to walk, it was not your SA, but if you didn't mind driving every day, it was fine. I wouldn't mind going back there. Again, I am laughing because of remembering something that happened in that arena. :lol:

I am really torn between SA in Vegas and Nationals in Nashville.
 
Prancer said:
I have always had a great time at SA, but that's because I always have great company at SA. I have very fond memories of Reading, for example, and am starting to laugh right now remembering things that happened at the airport, the hotel, and the outlet mall.

But not everyone gets to travel with their own circus.


It was fine. If you wanted to walk, it was not your SA, but if you didn't mind driving every day, it was fine. I wouldn't mind going back there. Again, I am laughing because of remembering something that happened in that arena. :lol:

I am really torn between SA in Vegas and Nationals in Nashville.
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I think I met you in Reading, or maybe it was Pittsburg, or Atlantic City, or...... I chose to go to SA this year. Nationals is overpriced and the level of US skating excluding Nathan is just not worth my time and money. At least at SA you'll see actual world class medalists, and Nathan will be there anyway.
 
Prancer said:
You did! I distinctly remember you sleeping on my shoulder all wrapped up in BYTCH's pink sweater :lol:.

I would rather go to SA for the skating, but I'd rather go to Nashville than Vegas. Decisions, decisions.

What happens at SA stays at SA. :sekret:
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Too funny! Wasn't that where the Shark Banner made its debut? lol
 
Honestly now that skate America is the first event I don’t really enjoy it as much. The skaters often don’t seem really ready for the season. with the dance programs I feel like sometimes I’m seeing partially choreographed programs.

It seems like as the season goes on the skating it’s better which of course makes sense
 
I've loved pretty much every Skate America I've ever been to, with the exception of Reading. :p The criteria for me is that you can either walk to the venue from your hotel or there is easy transportation like a subway or other mass transportation. If you have to rent a car just to get to and from the venue every day, then nope.
 
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