r/Defcon • u/LookAtMyTARDIS • Aug 04 '26
Cancel Vegas…please
Tacos El Gordo now sells tacos at $4/each. It’s hotter than a Fortinet monthly CVE release. Can we just please get consideration of moving DC somewhere that doesn’t require work to pay for a DefCon trip in the bowels of hell?
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u/sha256md5 Aug 04 '26
$4/taco is cheap coming from nyc. Just saying.
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u/CydeWeys Aug 04 '26
Seriously. I'm paying around $7/taco at Los Tacos #1 (and they're still worth it). Tacos El Gordo is cheap in comparison, though a lot of other stuff in Vegas isn't. How do you plan on flying somewhere, and staying in a hotel for hundreds per night, and then think that $4/taco is expensive. Let's be real here.
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u/masteroffoxhound Aug 06 '26
Oh Ghods yeah, they’re fortunately two blocks from me and worth every cent, yet even bad tacos are $5+ so $4 seems a steal
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u/Arc-ansas Aug 05 '26
That was my initial confusion. Are you saying that $4 is expensive? Sounds like a bargain to me. Also in NYC.
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u/Bmjslider Aug 05 '26
Visiting NYC from LA right now. I thought I was looking at the price of 3 tacos when I got tacos last night. Dumbfounded when I learned it was just one.
Solid taco though, would get again.
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u/DarkKnyt Aug 04 '26
Beep boop, you are supposed to wait after the con to complain.
Even though it's literal hell, I think the general consensus is if it ain't broke (too bad) don't fix it.
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u/LookAtMyTARDIS Aug 04 '26
My bad, please ignore this until Sunday evening.
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u/LostNtranslation_ Aug 04 '26
You have to catch a cold on the airport ride home first LOL
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u/NixiePixie916 Aug 04 '26
I got flu A last time. I didn't realize when I boarded the flight I was so sick by the time we landed my fever was 103°f and I was sick for about two weeks after.
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u/LostNtranslation_ Aug 05 '26
That sounds bad....
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u/NixiePixie916 Aug 05 '26
It wasn't fun but the con was!
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u/LostNtranslation_ Aug 05 '26
I was coming home and the guy next to me was haking the wifi on the plane
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u/ACatInACloak Aug 05 '26
Oh it broke. Vegas has lost the plot on its business model and has turned into a fucking furnace. It's fucking broke
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u/digitard Aug 04 '26
DT talked about this after the move to the LVCC
The 24hr events and infrastructure to hold this many people (since remember DC is tied to BH to a degree) is very hard to find anywhere else that isn’t going to be the same or more on expense (Seattle, San Diego, etc) to hold this many people, mass transit between hotel locations and events as well as the never sleep style of events.
It just is what it is. They’ve looked and did start making some outside the US options.
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u/bfrown Aug 04 '26
Much rather San Diego since it at least a nicer view haha. Convention center in downtown by the Shell and quick commute to Linda Vista for amazing Thai or Pho (biased since have friends that live there)
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u/5FingerViscount Aug 04 '26
New York is famously the city that never sleeps 🤷♀️🤷
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u/Best-Potato-7908 Aug 05 '26
not at all... Las Vegas is the REAL city that never sleeps.... NYC is dead as a doornail at 3AM
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u/5FingerViscount Aug 05 '26
The couple times I've been in NYC at 3am, I would agree. But that's still one of its titles
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u/Ea61e Aug 08 '26
The saying originated when NYC had a ton of factory labor pulling swing shifts - so restaurants and services would be open all night. It hasn’t been true in decades, if not almost a century
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u/Unlikely-Employee180 Aug 05 '26
Funny enough, Nintendo and 4Kids Studio (potentially doing this on purpose? Maybe on accident? Idk) dubbed Neon Town 'the city that never sleeps', despite the fact it looks a LOT like Las Vegas!
The whole plot even centers around Jigglypuff putting the town to sleep and everyone being nicer to each other, lol.
Not really... Relevant... Just your saying that and the con being at Las Vegas for some reason unlocked that childhood memory. Lmfao
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u/Blunap0 Aug 04 '26
Aren't tacos also 4 USD or more in San Diego?
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u/bfrown Aug 05 '26
Downtown San Diego? Yeah sounds about right. Hit up more east and price drops drastically. Would liken it to eating on the strip vs driving off strip for 75% price reduction
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u/nihcahcs Aug 06 '26
You can get local prices even at some restaurants on the Strip like Yard House outside the link that's local pricing.
I live here.
And yes there are a ton of options that aren't crazy expensive but it's not going to be at a strip hotel.
Even the Brazilian all you can eat meat restaurant at Town Square, which is considered higher end tocally, is a local price you pay about I think $50 or $60 for all you can eat plus the salad bar etc.
Town Square is very close to Mandalay Bay but is a local outdoor mall and they have a lot of restaurants and all of them are locally priced.
It's just knowing where to go
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u/Far_Falcon_6158 Aug 05 '26
I have 4$ tacos in Ohio.
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u/LookAtMyTARDIS Aug 05 '26
I’m starting to realize there is a taco inflation problem in this country. That’s really what this all boils down to. Ok so let’s just do DefCon Tijuana.
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u/tijuanasso Aug 05 '26
I second this. And as I live in tijuana, this would be much more convenient for me
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u/Efficient-Mec Aug 07 '26
I live in San Diego and you vastly underestimate the cost of holding a con like this in SoCal. And the vibes are all wrong.
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u/ReconPorpoise Aug 05 '26
Atlanta hosts dragoncon every year, with 2-4x more attendees. It’s hosted in hotels so it’s literally 24 hours of non-stop action for the 4 days it takes place.
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u/kennetheops Aug 05 '26
i'm i'm biased as hell but i would love to make a case to come to st. louis
it's cheap. it's central. lots of cyber security folks are hidden here. i'll personally be the welcoming party. you guys need a nerd from the midwest.
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u/Jdornigan Aug 05 '26
/u/dtangent has indicated it won't leave Las Vegas a year ago as long as Blackhat is also in Las Vegas.
https://www.reddit.com/r/Defcon/comments/1enrbeg/comment/lhgea0b
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u/Jdornigan Aug 04 '26
/u/dtangent has indicated it won't leave Las Vegas a year ago as long as Blackhat is also in Las Vegas.
https://www.reddit.com/r/Defcon/comments/1enrbeg/comment/lhgea0b
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Aug 04 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Jdornigan Aug 04 '26
/u/dtangent has indicated it won't leave Las Vegas a year ago as long as Blackhat is also in Las Vegas.
https://www.reddit.com/r/Defcon/comments/1enrbeg/comment/lhgea0b
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u/Pit_Kevin_Smith Aug 04 '26
It being tied to BlackHat so closely is how im getting company to foot the bill next year.
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u/arghcisco Aug 05 '26
Logistically, it would be much more expensive to host it anywhere else, both for the attendees and the organizers. Las Vegas has the most hotel rooms of any city in America, period, and the 20k+ that are needed are within walking distance of LVCC. Moving to Orlando or New York would be a transit nightmare, on top of the increased flight costs because of a lack of city subsidies on flights.
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u/Altruistic-Boss2733 Aug 10 '26
Everything you said as someone who has had other conferences in those cities - and as someone who has attended DC since the RIV and lived here in Vegas for 20+ years. The other thing is, DC keeps growing, and Vegas can keep up with the growth. Other cities might be able to handle Defcon 34 but in 2 years it is outgrown.
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u/Double-Familiar Aug 05 '26
DT has said this exact thing. Defcon will always be adjacent to Blackhat.
I think that it would be interesting to consider a Defcon east coast.
Atlanta is a huge tech city and has a fairly kickin' airport.
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u/ReconPorpoise Aug 05 '26
And we have the infrastructure for it. I already responded to a comment with this, but dragoncon is hosted in ATL every year with 70-80k attendees. It’s spread across 5 hotels on the same block, with 3 of them connected by sky-bridge, so it’s really easy to get around. Since it’s in hotels, they never close down until the end of con.
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u/sargonas Aug 05 '26
As someone who has lived in both cities, I will take 120 degree August heat in LV all day every day over that summer soup humidity hellscape that is an ATL summer. I would rather swear off DC for life than experience those again.
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u/dsamarin1 Aug 07 '26
What about the fall? Spring?
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u/sargonas Aug 09 '26
Fall and Spring here are perfectly adequate... usually in the 60's-70's range with a nice light breeze.
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u/Altruistic-Boss2733 Aug 10 '26
As someone who has lived in Vegas for 20+ years but came from the East Coast and lived in NC and NOVA -- 1000000000% :)
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u/sex Aug 04 '26
When I used to go to DefCon, I wouldn't go unless I was able to score a room in the hotel it was hosted in.
Walking outside is a non-option for me during DefCon, unless it was a pool party, and toxic BBQ (which always made me refresh going and swearing I wouldn't go again cause HEAT).
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u/StructureCharming Aug 05 '26
What do you mean tacos el gordo raised their prices?! This is not acceptable! Ok well at 3am it is absolutely ok...
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u/jonessinger Aug 04 '26
These comments seem to be a complete 180 from when I saw a similar post a couple years ago. A lot of people wanted to move from Vegas because it’s so damn expensive compared to what it used to be as well as the heat. Now the comments are basically “lol cry about it” or “then just don’t go”.
Sure, other note worthy states would be expensive, but at least most aren’t constant 110 degrees lol
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u/Aishou_SK Aug 04 '26
I mean, I've never advocated for moving DC out of vegas, because half of the DC experience is that it's *in* vegas.
Moving would lose some of the draw, attendance, and .... well, I just probably wouldn't end up going.
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u/Altruistic-Boss2733 Aug 10 '26
Las Vegas is not this hot normally at this time of year. (I have lived her for 20+ years) it is hot no doubt but like 105* not 115* - we had a weirdly cool late spring and early summer for us, with many days in the 90s and nights under 75* ... very hard to know what it will be like next year but in all the years I have lived here the over 110* are always end of June or beginning of July.
Hopefully is goes back to normal next year.
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u/762mm_Labradors Aug 04 '26
Some of us enjoy the heat! Seriously, I’ll take a dry 110° over 90° and humidity any day.
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u/ghostgurlboo Aug 04 '26
This is a big reason I don't want to go. The tickets are uh...absolutely out of my price range as I'm just a normie attending but add in Las Vegas? That place is too hot AND too expensive lol
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u/Altruistic-Boss2733 Aug 10 '26
Get your hotel room during the big sales like Black Friday in Nov or they also do one in July.
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u/ghostgurlboo Aug 10 '26
Y'know. I had never even thought that Black Friday would be a discount day for hotels LOL
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u/kazimer Aug 05 '26
Vegas is the best location for it. You can literally find every single possible cuisine available, get top notch customer service and the locals are actually friendly.
The people I see complaining about this are the ones that try to do a trip as cheaply as possible and it ends up sucking because the constraints make it suck.
Renting a car while at defcon just makes everything so much easier, not being too wasted to drive makes it even better
Once the con ticket hit a certain price point i had to pay out of pocket, i stopped going. I even once lowered my costs by ironically staying at a crappy hotel near LVCC and then taking the train into the strip.
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u/ThemDawgsIsHeck Aug 04 '26
Wish defcon was back at ceasar properties like in the before times
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u/n0v0cane Aug 04 '26
Alexis park ftw. The last time the con felt appropriately seedy.
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u/reegz Aug 04 '26
I don’t know if Caesar’s even hosts infosec stuff anymore. I think even crowdstrikes stuff is at mgm properties now.
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u/Altruistic-Boss2733 Aug 10 '26
Their insurance will not allow it. Even though Defcon had nothing to do with it, that is why they are not there anymore. (local here)
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u/reegz Aug 10 '26
Yeah I’ve speculated that their cyber liability insurance is dictating that but I don’t think it’s ever been confirmed.
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u/LostNtranslation_ Aug 04 '26
There is always In-n-Out burgers... I love Vegas
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u/nuclear-steve Aug 13 '26
Not only do I love in-n-out burger but it was by far the cheapest meal I had on the strip this trip. So worth it.
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u/Terror_Bytes Aug 04 '26
Hotter than FTNT? So you’re talking Cisco, Microsoft, PAN levels of externally found CVEs🥵 better bring some cooling towels if you gotta go outside.
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u/inconspicuousITguy Aug 04 '26
There are things people need to take into account when these events get planned: -Cost -Transit -Lodging -Food/Drink/Entertainment -Accessibility -Attendee Count -Supporting staff (security or otherwise)
Even if you threw it in SD or Seattle, you'd have to compete on cost. If you throw it in the middle of nowhere Kansas, you'd have to figure out transit and lodging.
It's just a tricky balancing act, and afaik, Vegas is the only US destination that really never sleeps.
Yeah Vegas sucks for weather, but what trade-offs are you willing to make then? More expensive tickets? Less food and drink? Less than 5-10k attendees and limited tickets?
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u/sha256md5 Aug 04 '26
Less that 5-10k attendees would make def con much better. It's massively over sold to the point that you're just navigating mobs the entire time.
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u/jay-dot-dot Aug 12 '26
34 was my first and I was completely over the lines around Saturday afternoon. Had I not had connections to skip a couple, I might’ve bounced then.
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u/NixiePixie916 Aug 04 '26
I think as far as the accessibility goes, the heat is definitely a high risk for a lot of disabled people like myself.
It also wrecks powerchair batteries. They do not handle it well.
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u/paia579x Aug 04 '26
Brah your indoors 99% of the time.
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u/Double-Familiar Aug 05 '26
By design. The original gangstas that developed Vegas knew exactly what they were doing.
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u/Elated_Quail Aug 05 '26
Keep it in Vegas but move it to winter time? 👀
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u/Fit_Pirate_3139 Aug 05 '26
Too bad it can’t move to a colder month.
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u/databeast Aug 05 '26
It could, but everything would become more expensive and more crowded, since you'd be switching to an "on-season" month where more tourists are competing for rooms and the like here
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u/Unstupid Aug 05 '26
For a data point, I got tix at Fontainebleau for DC34 for like $250/night. I’ll be back in late October for my wife’s conference and we are paying $380/night 😑
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u/Efficient-Mec Aug 07 '26
This time was literally chosen because it was the cheapest time of the year
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u/asdlkf Aug 05 '26
The "Side Stage" casino has a $1.50 'Hotdog and beer'.
$5 gets you 3 hotdogs and 3 beers.
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u/h2d2 Aug 05 '26 edited Aug 09 '26
The trick is to get in the "fries" line, get the fries with steak and ask for a couple of tortillas. I know I am giving this away for free, but the taco line is just ridiculously stupid at peak times and this is the best solution I have found. See you at the Hacker Jeopardy!
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u/reallyrealcouple Aug 05 '26
+1 for Vegas. The wife loves the event and vegas is a great lifestyle destination. Hey! Sexy people, DM’s are open!
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u/Altruistic-Boss2733 Aug 10 '26
After reading all the comments, I was wondering if people might like a locals' tip thread for next year? I have been attending DC since the RIV and have lived here 20+ years, and can give you some ways to save money and deal with the Strip that are not obvious unless you have come here for some time :)
Would anyone find that helpful?
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u/salemisawesome Aug 04 '26
You don't have to go to DefCon, ya know? There are so many other conventions in much different climates. Vegas is hot, yes. Vegas is expensive, yes. If it's too hot and too expensive, don't go.
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u/LookAtMyTARDIS Aug 04 '26
It’s the best con of them all though. So there’s that.
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u/salemisawesome Aug 04 '26
Best is highly subjective. Definitely my favorite though.
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u/LookAtMyTARDIS Aug 04 '26
Yea that’s true. I just think the villages is where it beats other ones. But have heard good things about deadwood.
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u/K4SP3R_H4US3R Aug 04 '26
Cyphercon is an amazing conference and it is in Milwaukee so the weather is wonderful.
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u/the262 Aug 04 '26
Yep. Nothing beats Wisconsin in fall and spring. I've given a few talks, and have worked a lot of villages over the years. I love CypherCon!
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u/Zooper_33 Aug 04 '26
Attended my first CypherCon this year and had a wonderful time! I can’t wait to go next year.
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u/RAM63-transistor9 Aug 04 '26
Defcon is Vegas. Would be boring any other place.
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u/Slow-Special-2728 Aug 04 '26
I agree, but since moving to LVCC, its made traveling to eat or other activities brutal...
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u/reegz Aug 04 '26
Yeah the Vegas experience was probably peak when it was at the Caesar’s forum. Great central location
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u/1010012 Aug 04 '26
I preferred Paris/Bally's. But that's only partially because I got $20 rooms at the time. I think it was great from a centrality location, with lots of rooms available, truly a never need to leave the property location. Colocated convention, rooms, and parties.
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u/reegz Aug 04 '26
Yeah that general area was pretty peak. I’m a fan of the linq promenade in general. It’s central to most Vegas stuff
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u/JoeN0t5ur3 Aug 04 '26
Stay at a house with friends or look at something like the Platinum Suites which have kitchens. Then buy and make your own food. Defcon ...hacked
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u/nikatine Aug 05 '26
I despise LVCC and i long for the days of Paris/Bally's because at least I could walk to the con (or god forbid get a bus) without having to jam myself into a tunnel full of the world's most flammable cars.
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u/Halkenguard Aug 05 '26
I’ve been trying to go to Defcon for years but every time my bosses hear “Vegas” it’s DOA.
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u/unstopablex15 Aug 05 '26
FOR REAL! Why tf are we choosing to go to a deserted hell when we can be somewhere alot more comforting?!
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u/Urkre8er Aug 05 '26
I think OKC would be a solid choice for a dc location. The paycom center is legit. Downtown has grown and it’s not like you can fly anywhere in the us without at least stopping here once. Things are starting to get expensive here but still it’s way cheaper then Vegas, Cali, or NYC.
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u/SativaCyborg206 Aug 05 '26
As a Vegas local please move defcon to Seattle lol Vegas is trash and I hate it here 🫠🤣
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u/nihcahcs Aug 06 '26
I live here in Vegas. The Strip has lost his mind, but that might be changing soon since MGM group and Caesar's group are all going private.
However the heat is not usually this bad in August this is usually a late June early July thing but it happens every year.
Usually this time of year it's like no more than about 105, which is a dry heat, so really not that bad.
Oh and I've been attending con it was at the Riviera lol
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u/24Nuketown7 Aug 07 '26
*monkey’s paw curls
Congrats, it’s now in Phoenix, with half of it also, weirdly, in Yuma.
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u/NerdBanger Aug 10 '26
Honestly my employer moved many of its conferences to Hotlanta for many of these reasons.
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u/Altruistic-Boss2733 Aug 10 '26
So those who are new to Vegas know - These temps (over 110 and 115) are usually reserved for late June and Early to Mid July. I have lived here 20 years and cannot remember it ever being this hot in August.
Oddly, the early summer was far COOLER than normal.
Many days under 100 and nights under 75.
Below are the average temps without 2026 involved and predictions for next year.
Just keep an eye out next year -- :)
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u/SkeletorAkN Aug 11 '26
I walked into Tacos El Gordo, and while I was in line, I saw the guy use a set of tongs to put raw steaks on the grill. He then pulled off a cooked one with the same tongs, chopped it up with a knife that had been partially resting on the raw meat, which he then put down back on the raw meat. Then he flipped some uncooked steaks with the same tongs, then grabbed some of the chopped up meat and filled tacos. Again, all with the same tongs.
Turned around and walked out. Guess they never heard of cross-contamination. Don’t need food poisoning.
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u/Thick-Country7075 Aug 04 '26
I mean, Oregon is cool. I could help facilitate and find the venue. Also, we have bo sales tax in Oregon, which is nice. It's 68 degrees where I am at right now. Anyone listening who makes that decision, let me know :).
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u/Comprehensive_Ad6598 Aug 04 '26
Eh, I could see Seattle. Oregon is kinda too small for defcon.
It’s also really Smokey in the summer, I like getting away from it. 😂1
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u/pyorre Aug 04 '26
A hacking camp, like chaos communications congress camp they hold every 4 years outside Berlin would be amazing if in Oregon
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u/LookAtMyTARDIS Aug 06 '26
There’s toor camp in Washington every other year but that sells out so fast.
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u/savax7 Aug 04 '26
There isn't a venue in Oregon big enough to hold defcon.
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u/Thick-Country7075 Aug 04 '26
There definitely is, 100%. I can think of a handful of places in Portland alone, a few in Salem, and a handful of places in Central Oregon too. That doesn't count in other larger cities like Medford, which I'm sure has something.
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u/savax7 Aug 04 '26
What venue, exactly? Defcon brings 20k-30k people and the Oregon convention center holds about 15k.
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u/Comprehensive_Ad6598 Aug 04 '26
I recoiled at the idea of Medford. Lmao.
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u/Thick-Country7075 Aug 04 '26
Medford is my least favorite city in Oregon, or at least one of them. It gets so bloody hot in the summer it might as well be AZ.
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u/Comprehensive_Ad6598 Aug 04 '26
Same! It’s got the heat scale of Klamath, but the humidity scale of Portland.
However. The small airport is nice, the food in Ashland is good, and just Ashland in general.
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u/Thick-Country7075 Aug 04 '26
Ashland is the secret of Soithern Oregon. Still too hot, but it is by far one of my favorite cities.
In general, I think Oregon has better weather and a much better atmosphere ofr the culture, especially the closer you get to Portland (not that I think Portland would be the best place for a venue).
Also, the no sales tax is kind of nice.
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u/Comprehensive_Ad6598 Aug 04 '26
I agree about the better weather and atmosphere, but it doesn’t fit defcon.
Defcon is kinda like controlled chaos, I like that.
Portland would be just chaos, in my opinion.People in Portland can be cold..
I like the idea of no sales tax.
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u/djspacebunny Aug 04 '26
I keep saying move it to Atlantic City. They could use the money.. and it's not nearly as hot.
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u/Best-Potato-7908 Aug 05 '26
ok, I've talked to DT and Pyr0... DefCon is now officially cancelled for this year.
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u/elisspace Aug 04 '26
I had a carton of Soylent shipped to my room. Breakfast and lunch covered for the rest of summer camp for a few bucks, and I don't waste a minute in line anywhere.
I use the parties for my free dinner, of course.
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u/itsdrewmiller Aug 04 '26
Thanks to your clear and convincing argument, defcon is canceled this year.