I'd WAY rather go to Providence from Somerville than continue going to the Hyatt! If for no other reason than the parking and food. Also, speaking for my friends in Northern Vermont, the additional drive would be worth a better hotel.

I'd love to see the books of the convention... speaking of costs. To say that one option is more expensive than another is pretty much trivial in my mind. There are literally thousands of place where any organization can shift money into and out of. Which is to say: I, for one, would rather see some programming suffer a budget cut, or going back to a three day con, if it meant being in a better hotel. Likewise, a different hotel might mean not having to shell out for the Shuttle. And so on...