LoneStarCon 3, the 2013 Worldcon, is selling discounted attending memberships to currently active military personnel or retired military with I.D. The military discount rate is $110, and is not subject to future increases.
Other attending membership rates — $160 for adults, $110 for young adult (17-21 years old), $75 for children (16 and under) and $440 for family memberships — are good through July 1, 2012.
The Guests of Honor for LoneStarCon 3 include Ellen Datlow, James Gunn, Norman Spinrad and Willie Siros, with Paul Cornell serving as toastmaster and featuring special guests Leslie Fish and Joe R. Lansdale. Artist Guest of Honor Darrel K. Sweet tragically passed away December 5, 2011.
The full press release follows the jump.
LoneStarCon 3 announces military discount memberships
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 16, 2012
SAN ANTONIO, Texas — LoneStarCon 3, the 71st World Science Fiction Convention, has announced discounted attending memberships for currently active military personnel or retired military with I.D. The military discount rate is $110, and is not subject to future increases.
LoneStarCon 3 will be held Aug. 29-Sept. 2, 2013, at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas. The Mariott Rivercenter and Mariott Riverwalk will serve as the host hotels. This marks the first time since 1997 that the Alamo City has hosted a Worldcon, when LoneStarCon 2 drew thousands to the downtown convention center.
In addition to the new military discount, other attending membership rates are $160 for adults, $110 for young adult (17-21 years old), $75 for children (16 and under) and $440 for family memberships. The listed membership rates are good through July 1, 2012.
The Guests of Honor list for LoneStarCon 3 includes Ellen Datlow, James Gunn, Norman Spinrad and Willie Siros, with Paul Cornell serving as toastmaster and featuring special guests Leslie Fish and Joe R. Lansdale. Artist Guest of Honor Darrel K. Sweet tragically passed away Dec. 5, 2011.
Founded in 1939, the World Science Fiction Convention is one of the largest international gatherings of authors, artists, editors, publishers and fans of science fiction and fantasy entertainment. The annual Hugo Awards, the leading award for excellence in the field of science fiction and fantasy, are voted on by Worldcon membership and presented during the convention.
LoneStarCon 3 is sponsored by ALAMO, Inc., (Alamo Literary Arts Maintenance Organization), a 501(c)3 organization. For more information about LoneStarCon 3, memberships or hotel information, visit www.LoneStarCon3.org.
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Would I get a discount for discovering a cure for Malaria or a new solar power technology that was 80% efficient? Somehow I doubt it…
But never mind that. What kind of SF convention (other than the worldcon) costs $160? I’ve been out of the loop a long time, but I didn’t think it was so long that I’d be hearing about $160 conventions. How the hell could it be possibly worth it? Will the attendees be guaranteed a free lunch with J.K. Rowling or Neil Gaman? Does membership come with a signed first-edition of Tim Power’s next hardcover? Will the members have walk-on roles in the next Tim Burton film? That’s about the only thing that would make anything less than the worldcon worth a small fortune like $160!
Like I said… maybe I’m just not keeping up with the times. In that case, I’m sorry I ever left the last years of the 20th. century.
Oh… Lonestar *IS* the worldcon. Okay… well, $160 is still more than I think any con is worth, even a Worldcon. But at least I was prepared for that minor outrage. And I still want that lunch with J.K. Rowling… Never mind that there’s 13 other tracks of programming I never in a million years would want to attend.
I’m assuming, since it’s a Worldcon, that this means servicepeople from the military of all nations?
How does this work for countries with universal conscription? Will all Israelis and Finns get the military discount?
@Taral: So what rate did you pay for your membership to attend Renovation last year?
All Israelis and Finns may do military service, but they are not all active or retired. Someone in the US who does a four-year hitch and then leaves is not “retired”, just as someone who works at a company for four years and leaves is not retired. And reserve duty is not active either.
“What kind of SF convention (other than the worldcon) costs $160?”
There are media cons where a membership granting access to all the programming is over $300.
And there are three major military bases within the San Antonio area, with more than a few fans assigned to them. A good marketing decision.
Mike… you’d have to ask Allan Rosenthal, whose membership it was I used to attend… Good heavens… you *did* read the Reno trip report I sent you for File 770, didn’t you? You *do* read submissions to F770 before publishing them… don’t you? : )
@Taral: Exactly my point. That’s why I couldn’t see why you were so passionate about the subject.
Taral, if you discovered a cure for Malaria, the Nobel Prize for Medicine would be worth a lot more than a discount membership. And if you invented an 80% efficient solar power to electricity converter, you could endow a new set of Nobel Prizes.
I think my point about curing Malaria etc. was that wearing a uniform is not the only way to selflessly serve your country, civilization, the Human Race, etc.
My “passion,” Mike, was only that at first I thought LoneStarCon was just some ordinary run of the mill con with a horrendous membership fee. In “recovering” from that boo-boo, I also acknowleded that $160 is a lot even for a Worldcon. It was highly unlikley I would have attened Torcon 3 even here in my own backyard if Hope Leibowitz hadn’t staked me to the cost. To some guy who’d rather spend all his at the keyboard or drawing table than seek a well-paid nine-to-five (especially now that he’s closing in fast on retirement age in a slow economy), $160 isn’t chicken feed. But, I must admit that the membership cost is the least of worries to anyone in my position. Travel costs and hotel have to top the list. Then whatever you need to fill the stomach for several days. Being an convention fan is not for the poor, it’s a very middle-class, preferrably childless hobby that makes even fanzine publishing look as though its done on a shoestring.
From the discussion thread prompted by this post on the SMOFs mailing list, an official answer to Jo Walton’s question:
Thanks Ulrika!
Taral: Worldcon rates have typically started in the $150 range for a number of years, and walk-in rates have been in the $220-270 range for a decade. Reno was the cheapest walk-in rate ($230) since LACon IV in 2006. In fact there is plenty of data at Smofinfo.com, but we have had $150 walk-ins since Chicon V in 1991. And $150 in 1991 equates to $240 in 2011 on a direct inflation adjusted basis – so in fact rates haven’t changed on a real terms basis in over 20 years.