lockmat Posted May 8, 2009 Share Posted May 8, 2009 per an email I got from them, their twitter account is @expo2020, however they have not started twittering just yet; they're waiting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
citizen4rmptown Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 Nearly 2 years later, wow! Anyways, the new Houston Expo 2020 site is updated, and a lot more refined and accesible. And as of know, out of all the cities *supposedly* intrested in hosting in the US, only San Francisco and Houston have websites up and running, and both look good, though SF's have been up for about 2+ years.Houston link: http://www.expo2020.us/The US "website": http://www.expo2020usa.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbigtex56 Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 Aren't expositions a thing of the past? They made sense in the mid 19th-20th century; to have the newest and best of the technology and culture of every participating country vividly displayed, in one place, must have been a very special experience. Remember, that in their heyday, the mass media were less massive.Hasn't the Internet usurped the appeal of an Expo? What can a modern Expo offer that we can't already see in the comfort of our own homes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
august948 Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 Aren't expositions a thing of the past? They made sense in the mid 19th-20th century; to have the newest and best of the technology and culture of every participating country vividly displayed, in one place, must have been a very special experience. Remember, that in their heyday, the mass media were less massive.Hasn't the Internet usurped the appeal of an Expo? What can a modern Expo offer that we can't already see in the comfort of our own homes?Political and business leaders always jump at the chance to get this sort of event. For the pols it's a feather in their caps and for the business leaders it's a chance to increase business while foisting costs onto the taxpayers. See discussions about various stadiums. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LTAWACS Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 So is thing a go or what? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
citykid09 Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 Houston has some tough competition just within the cities in the US. I think what will get Houston eliminated is that it does not have rail transportation like the other cities on the list. I don't know how extensive Minneapolis-St. Paul rail is, but I don't think its that great either, so I see these two getting eliminated first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
citizen4rmptown Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 Houston has some tough competition just within the cities in the US. I think what will get Houston eliminated is that it does not have rail transportation like the other cities on the list. I don't know how extensive Minneapolis-St. Paul rail is, but I don't think its that great either, so I see these two getting eliminated first.Well I don't even know if the US has a World's Fair comittee that formally applies that one city to represent the nation in bidding for an expo. Additionally, it all depends on where the Expo is located, which should sensibly be located centrally, with access to the light rail, with the extensions done by then. 2020 is a long ways to go, and infrastructure improvements are a must for hosting such a large event, so if it is granted to Houston, you would expect additional improvements to Houston's mass transit. In the end, it also depends on the expo plan itself, just because SF, NYC, etc are bidding, doesn't mean their expos will be better, just because those cities are better. I mean look at the chosen cities for recent Olympics and host nation of the FIFA WC, the city/nation that can handle it the best doesn't always win. If Houston puts out a great plan, with guranteed improvements to the city, and a lasting legacy, it has a good a chance as any other city. Rio is a great city, but Chicago would've done a better job hosting the 2016 olympics, and Qatar, I mean really? Passing up the US and Australia for Qatar. No bid is a sure bid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Double L Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 The only negative I see here is; are we willing to spend money for it? Will the economic impact be worth it and has it been worth it for cities in the past? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LTAWACS Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 I think the trend is a negative. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
editor Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 Aren't expositions a thing of the past? No. There was one just last year in Shanghai: http://en.expo2010.cn/73 million people attended.They made sense in the mid 19th-20th century; to have the newest and best of the technology and culture of every participating country vividly displayed, in one place, must have been a very special experience. Remember, that in their heyday, the mass media were less massive.Hasn't the Internet usurped the appeal of an Expo? What can a modern Expo offer that we can't already see in the comfort of our own homes?The internet cannot tell me what something feels like, tastes like, smells like. It doesn't give me a sense of how large or small something is, only numbers. If the internet could replace physical experiences, then every airline, hotel, and restaurant would go out of business tomorrow because people would just sit at home and do stuff online. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
editor Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 The only negative I see here is; are we willing to spend money for it? Will the economic impact be worth it and has it been worth it for cities in the past?In terms of immediate, numeric benefits, I think the last profitable expo was back in the 80's. But that's only if your yardstick is immediate gratification, not long-term benefit.In terms of long-term PR, infrastructure, and cultural impact that you can't measure in dollar signs the effect is immense.Montreal is still benefiting from its expo in 1967, and Saint Louis from its fair in 1904. Heck, Chicago is still reaping the benefits of its expos in 1893, and the 1933-1934 "Century of Progress" exposition, almost a hundred years ago.Anyone who tells you that expositions don't make money isn't looking hard enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
editor Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 Houston has some tough competition just within the cities in the US. I think what will get Houston eliminated is that it does not have rail transportation like the other cities on the list. I don't know how extensive Minneapolis-St. Paul rail is, but I don't think its that great either, so I see these two getting eliminated first.Minneapolis-Saint Paul rail isn't that extensive. But it does have the benefit of connecting the airport with the Mall of America and then to downtown Minneapolis. It also has a commuter rail line. A second light rail line is under construction to connect Minneapolis with Saint Paul. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asubrt Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 For what it's worth, when you Google "Expo 2020", the Houston site is the first one that comes up (after the Expo 2020 Wikipedia entry of course). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livincinco Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 No. There was one just last year in Shanghai: http://en.expo2010.cn/73 million people attended.Yes, but reportedly less than 10% of those people were international visitors, so those numbers are not likely to be realistic for future expos. Expo 2005 in Aichi, Japan drew 22,000,000 and Expo 2000 in Hanover drew 25,000,000. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
editor Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 Yes, but reportedly less than 10% of those people were international visitors, so those numbers are not likely to be realistic for future expos. Expo 2005 in Aichi, Japan drew 22,000,000 and Expo 2000 in Hanover drew 25,000,000.Who cares if they're international? Money from Montana is just as green as money from Munich. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trae Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 Yes, but reportedly less than 10% of those people were international visitors, so those numbers are not likely to be realistic for future expos. Expo 2005 in Aichi, Japan drew 22,000,000 and Expo 2000 in Hanover drew 25,000,000.And that's still a lot of people. Not to mention cities that host it usually get a landmark building or attraction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LTAWACS Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 What do landmark/tower do you think we'll get if get this expo? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livincinco Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 Who cares if they're international? Money from Montana is just as green as money from Munich.Agreed, my point was that the attendance figures at Expo 2010 were inflated due to the large domestic population of China. Those numbers aren't typical Expo attendance numbers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
citizen4rmptown Posted February 12, 2011 Share Posted February 12, 2011 What do landmark/tower do you think we'll get if get this expo?There is no valid prediction to that inquiry, far too early for any specific curiosities to be answered pertaining the 2020 expo. No to mention that any random guess imagined might be outdated technology come 2020. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 The internet cannot tell me what something feels like, tastes like, smells like. It doesn't give me a sense of how large or small something is, only numbers. If the internet could replace physical experiences, then every airline, hotel, and restaurant would go out of business tomorrow because people would just sit at home and do stuff online.An exposition is a showcase for new products and technologies, not a sweeping vista of a natural wonder or a means of getting there or staying there.By your logic, liquor stores would go out of business because one cannot generally sample the product; nevertheless, people can and do go by packaging, word-of-mouth, and fluffy verbiage to determine which new products to sample...and to do so in a time and place that suits them. Likewise, an online eyeglasses store like Zenni Optical should not exist because people would supposedly be incapable of visualizing what 1.2"-high frames look like on their face, or how heavy or flexible the frames are.My sense is that expos are best suited for highly-motivated niche audiences. I'm not really sure what to make of a big catch-all expo, except that it has something to do with misplaced civic pride and a commensurate amount of misallocated funds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livincinco Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 An exposition is a showcase for new products and technologies, not a sweeping vista of a natural wonder or a means of getting there or staying there.My sense is that expos are best suited for highly-motivated niche audiences. I'm not really sure what to make of a big catch-all expo, except that it has something to do with misplaced civic pride and a commensurate amount of misallocated funds.If you've ever been to EPCOT and the World Showcase exhibits that they have there, it's the closest thing to an Expo you're likely to see, albeit on a smaller scale. The Shanghai expo had exhibits from 192 countries.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_participants_at_the_Expo_Shanghai_2010 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 If you've ever been to EPCOT and the World Showcase exhibits that they have there, it's the closest thing to an Expo you're likely to see, albeit on a smaller scale. The Shanghai expo had exhibits from 192 countries. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_participants_at_the_Expo_Shanghai_2010 Ah yes, they got this membrane thing, which is without function and will be maintained in perpetuity for no reason. They even have a mascot. How culturally enriching. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simbha Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 It seems that the two city websites (SF and Houston) for which links appear on the multi-city US site (http://www.expo2020usa.com) are geared towards the people of that city - to convince them of the value of a bid. Perhaps that's simply my interpretation...Also, the SF site didn't work well for me; while I was able to visit the homepage, I couldn't click any of the left-side links. I tried in three browsers (IE, Firefox, Chrome). Not sure if I'm doing something wrong... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livincinco Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 Ah yes, they got this membrane thing, which is without function and will be maintained in perpetuity for no reason. They even have a mascot. How culturally enriching. and this is different from the Olympics? Beijing has a series of redundant stadiums left from the Olympics and I guess you've forgotten these culturally enriching Olympic mascots. LOL I agree with you though. I wouldn't expect any lasting architectural contribution from an Expo. It's all about whether it drives sufficient tourist revenue to cover the costs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rail Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 I went to the Aichi Expo in 2005. Thoroughly enjoyed it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sellanious Caesar Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 April 23, 2011:The United States hasn't held a world's fair since the 1984 Louisiana World Exposition in New Orleans and there hasn't been a world's fair on the continent since Vancouver, Canada's Expo 86. That would seem to make a United States bid a strong one. One wrinkle, however is that the US withdrew from the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) in 2004. As of December 2010, Houston and Silicon Valley seem to be the farthest along to put forth a bid. The Silicon Valley bid has the support of both the former (Republican) and current (Democratic) California governors. Presumably the United States federal government would select one of the two cities. http://www.expobids.com/2020.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 My sense is that expos are best suited for highly-motivated niche audiences. I'm not really sure what to make of a big catch-all expo, except that it has something to do with misplaced civic pride and a commensurate amount of misallocated funds.But your senses are dulled by a cold, numbers only calculation of the benefit of any undertaking. Most humans are not nearly so cold, calculating, and frankly, boring, in their assessment of the worth of an endeavor. There are entire industries dedicated to exploiting the desire of human to do and visit for the sheer enjoyment of being there. Expos tap into and exploit that desire, as well as the natural inquisitiveness of most people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 Expos tap into and exploit that desire, as well as the natural inquisitiveness of most people.Most of which people? I think you're going from a biased sample. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lockmat Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 They are still on track:Gearing up for 2025... But still in "stealth" mode. More coming soon! http://fb.me/1EM0ku8Tphttps://twitter.com/#!/expo2020/status/182517149162684416We'll start moving to the new page shortly... Hope to see you guys there! https://twitter.com/#!/expo2020/status/182517348610220032 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samagon Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 Interesting, I remember going to the 84 world's fair in NO, it was fascinating, of course I was 10 at the time, and everything was fascinating. I wanted to take the cable car thing across the Mississippi River, but Mom wouldn't let us Would be interesting to how Houston would do hosting something similar, and then also where they would host it? I don't imagine it would be like the NO one (or the Hemisfair in San Antonio) which was located right in the heart of the city, in true Houston fashion it would have to be in a suburb! Probably up near the Woodlands! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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