2022 Skate America

[nylynnr]

Is there Uber or Lyft around Norwood? I'd like to go, but wouldn't want to rent a car and drive around unfamiliar roads. TD Arena for Worlds in Boston was so convenient; I walked from my hotel there.

Been there several times, no problem getting ubers, no problem finding food. Incredible venue.

 

[ptvvibezz]

Currently doing research on how accessible SCOB is from Boston proper and I found a commuter train line that starts in downtown Boston (South Station) and has a stop in downtown Norwood which isn't that far from SCOB (7 min by car). Link below for those interested

Franklin/Foxboro Line | Commuter Rail | MBTA

MBTA Franklin/Foxboro stops and schedules, including maps, parking and accessibility information, and fares.

www.mbta.com

 

[Frau Muller]

Currently doing research on how accessible SCOB is from Boston proper and I found a commuter train line that starts in downtown Boston (South Station) and has a stop in downtown Norwood which isn't that far from SCOB (7 min by car). Link below for those interested

Franklin/Foxboro Line | Commuter Rail | MBTA

MBTA Franklin/Foxboro stops and schedules, including maps, parking and accessibility information, and fares.

www.mbta.com

Commuter train…sounds like going to work. Then back to the city late at night? Meh.

 

[Debbie S]

Been there several times, no problem getting ubers, no problem finding food. Incredible venue.

Do you mean there is decent food at the venue? Or are you talking about nearby places? It does look from the maps that food is at least a mile away. Which is still close, but not walkable.

 

[nylynnr]

Do you mean there is decent food at the venue? Or are you talking about nearby places? It does look from the maps that food is at least a mile away. Which is still close, but not walkable.

I mean both, actually. There is good food at the venue (especially the chicken fingers); there is food accessible at the hotels, there are good restaurants aplenty a short uber away. Only the FSU complaint choir, led by the usual sopranos, would find Norwood lacking.

 

[Karen-W]

You know what would be great is if SCOB reached out to around 8-12 food truck vendors and asked them to come and set up in their parking lot for the 3-4 days the event runs. Get a variety of cuisines (3, maybe 4 trucks per day) including a vegan option, and that would solve the problem for most attendees.

 

[Rob]

You know what would be great is if SCOB reached out to around 8-12 food truck vendors and asked them to come and set up in their parking lot for the 3-4 days the event runs. Get a variety of cuisines, including a vegan option, and that would solve the problem for most attendees.

Send in the suggestion to SCOB!

 

[Karen-W]

Send in the suggestion to SCOB!

Lol, I don't plan on attending SkAm. I'm sure someone who is going and is looking at food options can make the suggestion.

 

[Rob]

Lol, I don't plan on attending SkAm. I'm sure someone who is going and is looking at food options can make the suggestion.

Done - I sent the idea in to the SCOB Contact Us email!

 

[Debbie S]

You know what would be great is if SCOB reached out to around 8-12 food truck vendors and asked them to come and set up in their parking lot for the 3-4 days the event runs. Get a variety of cuisines (3, maybe 4 trucks per day) including a vegan option, and that would solve the problem for most attendees.

Great idea but likely not an option due to their contract with the food vendor at the rink.

 

[overedge]

USFS press release touting the "intimate setting" of the event

Only the FSU complaint choir, led by the usual sopranos, would find Norwood lacking.

That's pretty insensitive to people who for whatever reasons can't drive, or who prefer to stay within walking distance or public transit distance of the venue.

 

[overedge]

Great idea but likely not an option due to their contract with the food vendor at the rink.

I still think it's worth proposing. The food vendor may not have exclusive contracts for everything sold near the rink, and if the place is going to be packed, they may not be used to serving that many people.

Google tells me that there is a Boston Food Truck Alliance. Perhaps a heads-up to them that their members might be interested in being near (not on) SCOB property on those dates.....?

 

[sk9tingfan]

Do you mean there is decent food at the venue? Or are you talking about nearby places? It does look from the maps that food is at least a mile away. Which is still close, but not walkable.

Had a really good chicken salad there, but nothing else. They may need to hire some food trucks because moving cars in and ot of the parking lot and then finding a space may be problematic. Last time, at the Cranberry Open, when the primary lot was filled up they arranged for cars to be parked at a neighbor business next door and there were no in and out privileges. There is a very big shopping complex with several chains and fast food options, and if I remember correctly, a large Wegman's which sells a lot of prepared foods.

The big question is whether or not outside food will be tolerated .

 

[once_upon]

I think that food is a big complaint for every single skating competition I've ever gone to or read about. Part of it is on the multi-day format of a skating event.

Venues aren't willing to open multiple diverse windows for several days, especially when there is a limited audience. Food in event venues are focused on the primary audience of single event activities-nachos, hamburgers, hot dogs, popcorn, beer type of offerings. Not what one wants for several days.

When SKAM was in Chicago suburbs around 10 years ago, food choices were said to be plentiful and diverse. Which kind of technically could have been true IF you had a car and IF you were willing to pay multiple parking fees in a day. The was one place within "walking distance" if you considered 1 mile walking distance.

I think if you are familiar with an area, or comfort driving, you can find food options. But if you are not..it's not easy.

 

[BittyBug]

Good grief you people are such Debby Downers.

WHY ISN'T THE EVENT BEING HELD ELSEWHERE?
IT'S TOO EXPENSIVE / HARD TO REACH / NOT A LARGE ENOUGH VENUE!

YOU'LL HAVE TO RENT A CAR!

YOU'LL STARVE!

But wait a minute.... Maybe it's not an arena. Maybe it's a facility that has its own cafe and controls the menu. Maybe, just maybe, it won't be dreadful?

1240 Café – The Skating Club of Boston

 

[Rob]

I still think it's worth proposing. The food vendor may not have exclusive contracts for everything sold near the rink, and if the place is going to be packed, they may not be used to serving that many people.

Google tells me that there is a Boston Food Truck Alliance. Perhaps a heads-up to them that their members might be interestd in being near (not on) SCOB property on those dates.

Good grief you people are such Debby Downers.

WHY ISN'T THE EVENT BEING HELD ELSEWHERE?
IT'S TOO EXPENSIVE / HARD TO REACH / NOT A LARGE ENOUGH VENUE!

YOU'LL HAVE TO RENT A CAR!

YOU'LL STARVE!

But wait a minute.... Maybe it's not an arena. Maybe it's a facility that has its own cafe and controls the menu. Maybe, just maybe, it won't be dreadful?

1240 Café – The Skating Club of Boston

And there is a restaurant that seats 200 - says it is for Club members, but maybe they would open that up too.

Clearly, they do not have venues lining up to host. This is not hockey where everyone buys beer!

 

[once_upon]

Good grief you people are such Debby Downers.

WHY ISN'T THE EVENT BEING HELD ELSEWHERE?
IT'S TOO EXPENSIVE / HARD TO REACH / NOT A LARGE ENOUGH VENUE!

YOU'LL HAVE TO RENT A CAR!

YOU'LL STARVE!

But wait a minute.... Maybe it's not an arena. Maybe it's a facility that has its own cafe and controls the menu. Maybe, just maybe, it won't be dreadful?

1240 Café – The Skating Club of Boston

Ok I get it
No.complaints ever

 

[BittyBug]

 

[Aceon6]

Currently doing research on how accessible SCOB is from Boston proper and I found a commuter train line that starts in downtown Boston (South Station) and has a stop in downtown Norwood which isn't that far from SCOB (7 min by car). Link below for those interested

Franklin/Foxboro Line | Commuter Rail | MBTA

MBTA Franklin/Foxboro stops and schedules, including maps, parking and accessibility information, and fares.

www.mbta.com

The schedule on that line is a problem.

 

[MacMadame]

I still think it's worth proposing. The food vendor may not have exclusive contracts for everything sold near the rink, and if the place is going to be packed, they may not be used to serving that many people.

Haven't they had bigish events there before? I know when @Karen-W said it was in Norwood, my immediate thought was that this was a place that had a lot of skating events.

 

[Aceon6]

Haven't they had bigish events there before? I know when @Karen-W said it was in Norwood, my immediate thought was that this was a place that had a lot of skating events.

Yes, they’ve had the US Classic, the huge Opening Gala, and tons of other events. This isn’t their first rodeo. Many of the event people worked on both 2014 Nationals and 2016 Worlds.

 

[Spikefan]

In my searching some reviews of the Hilton Dedham say there is a complimentary shuttle within 5 miles; however, I do not see that on their website. If there is a shuttle that would at least get people to the venue and then you Uber/Lyft back.

 

[Lanie]

I already booked my flight

 

[azcalder]

Currently doing research on how accessible SCOB is from Boston proper and I found a commuter train line that starts in downtown Boston (South Station) and has a stop in downtown Norwood which isn't that far from SCOB (7 min by car). Link below for those interested

Franklin/Foxboro Line | Commuter Rail | MBTA

MBTA Franklin/Foxboro stops and schedules, including maps, parking and accessibility information, and fares.

www.mbta.com

I took the commuter rail down from South Station last August for the LPIDI. The problem was the Norwood train station was deserted, and I had a difficult time getting an uber.

 

[Evgeniafan]

I'm Excited. I hope to go. When will we know who will be competing. Please Kevin Aymoz.

 

[smurfy]

Yes, they’ve had the US Classic, the huge Opening Gala, and tons of other events. This isn’t their first rodeo. Many of the event people worked on both 2014 Nationals and 2016 Worlds.

I was at the US Classic and Opening Gala. There were lines for food at the arena stand.
For the gala, we arrived there maybe 45-50 min before the start. We were in line on the road to even get into parking, and there appeared to be no parking, and we were directed onto the grass.
There are 3 ice rinks, so with the gala, not sure how many people were there, besides the full house - may have been way more people than a normal event. There was a long line for the food in the arena.
For the US Classic - was there for a few days, and was there early in day, no issue with parking. I would guess only an issue for folks showing up the ladies final?
So even if comp is sold out - I think it should be ok - as long as nothing major in the other rinks?

There is a shopping center about 1.5 miles away that has Panera, Chipotle, Smashburger, etc and within 5 miles - tons of restaurants on Route 1 which is a little over a 1 mile away and it has lots of restaurants, McDs etc.
Also lots of hotels. Rates are not great now. I made a reservation, but I will recheck every few weeks. I find as the date gets closer, rates drop, I make a new reservation and then cancel the old. (For a different trip I originally booked at $170/night and ended up paying $109/night at the same place, probably rebooked about 5 times as price dropped).
I looked up the Patriots schedule - but nothing yet - as not that far from there. If there is a football game that weekend- that could impact hotel rates.

I for one am happy it is in Norwood, and would have been happy with Lake Placid. I live about 2 hours from Norwood, so nice for a long weekend. The facility is beautiful and has lots of ladies rooms. One end has glass - so love seeing the sky while in an arena.

 

[Bouffantrex]

I would rather skate in a packed house that is small then in front of more fans who are surrounded by vacant seats.

Will no one think of the cardboard cutouts? Where will they sit?

 

[Firedancer]

This is only 2.5 hours away for me so I hope to make it. Anyone the official hotel?

 

[jamesy]

Will no one think of the cardboard cutouts? Where will they sit?

In the dumpster with the Geico gecko.

 

[overedge]

In the dumpster with the Geico gecko.

If the arena's that small, they can throw Rusty in there too.