Caribe 1500 - New Format

[xxuxx]

The Caribe 1500 is delayed once again until Thurs. 0900 departure. For those who do not know, the is a rally from Hampton VA to Tortola BVI. It is the longest running cruising rally in the US.
This event has changed hands and is now run by the British owned ARC

My question is for those past and present alumnae, do you like the new format at the Crown Plaze in Hampton or is it too sterile for this type of endeavor? The venue seems to be split between the Hampton marina and the Bluewater Marina. The latter being the venue for the past 20 years with meetings being held in a heated tent which, for me, seemed more appropriate due to the more rugged nature of the passage . The tent IMHO is more comensurate with the passage and created much more comraderie. People don't seem to congregate as much the the crown plaza as they did in the tent. Any other opinions?