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October 17th, 2003 |
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LAN Party Guides: Economics 101 Introduction & Location This article will help the beginner and seasoned LAN party host cut fixed and one time costs associated with running a LAN party. Some of these methods I have used myself, and some I have witnessed other LAN parties using. A lot of the methods may not be manageable for some, and a lot require you to know someone. At the least, if you try some and they help, you'll be saving yourself some hard earned.
Location
 The first cost, and usually the most expensive is your location. Most times small LANs are held in someone's basement (free or cheap), while LANs running larger than 20 people need more space. A local Elks, Moose, VFW or Lion's Club might run you $150-250+ for a single day. Often you will also need to put down a deposit so they know they'll have something if you don't abide by their rules and don't wreck anything. Just by knowing a member who can rent it for you can cut that cost in half or down to nothing if you pull the right strings. Community centers, churches, and even local schools might let you have some space for cheap if you ask. Those usually require you to be a member or a student. College students who form a LAN, gaming, or computer club can easily manage to get space for free, and usually are eligible for a budget from the school itself.
Hosts that work for, or live near resorts and hotels might find very cheap rates during the off-season. I do know of a host that works for a resort, and can rent a small sized townhouse there in the range of $100 for 2-3 days time. While a townhouse that a person lives in might not provide a LAN with much space, with the beds leaned up against the wall and most of the furniture stuffed into closets and pushed into the corner, a good sized 30+ person LAN can easily be held. Showers and a kitchen are definitely a plus for multi-day LANs.
One final method for procuring a location for cheap, which I use, and I noticed only a few other LANs using is holding your LAN party as a charity event. It is not hard to find a decent location for cheap or free when they hear of your plans. Again, this is much easier to do if you know someone at the location you plan on using. If you use this method, I think you will find that the other costs will be easier to manage as well.
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