Earlier this month, fighting game players across the United States learned that the Wyndham Resort Hotel on International Drive in Orlando would be abruptly closing, resulting in the withdrawal of the upcoming CEOtaku tournament. Obviously, this sucks for a number of reasons. Basically, many hotel workers are being laid off. For CEOTaku attendees, this will force an abrupt change in travel plans, with organizers now having to go through the expensive process of finding and securing new venues on short notice. But more importantly, it means that one of the last remaining in-person gaming subcultures is losing something of a home.
IDrive by Wyndham Orlando Resort has been the venue for CEO and attendee events since 2011. For over a decade, these live gaming events have slowly grown and evolved alongside the growth of the wider gaming industry around them. CEO stands for Community Effort Orlando, an apt name for a tournament rescued from the rubble of a last-minute cancellation that forced founders Alex Jebailey and Florida locals gathered to play video games despite the circumstances. CEO and Wyndham Orlando IDrive have been closely linked since its inception, but for the past few years, it has remained the home of CEO’s anime fighting sister event, CEOtaku.
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“I’m personally very frustrated,” said the founder, CEO Alex Jebailey. “It’s hard to find a venue that you can have a real relationship with since they were the first hotel to offer a CEO opportunity in 2011. My first thoughts are with the staff and staff who have looked after the CEO over the years and I hope they bounce back with other opportunities .In 2011, Lisa helped me understand how hotel contracts work, AV Media provided me with fair pricing from AV and Divya and I will be forever grateful for their continued assistance with my contract since 2014. ”
It proved to be an ideal venue for events. Choosing the right hotel is harder than you think. Obviously, cost is an important factor. But you also have to consider how much space is allocated for your event, how much electricity and internet will cost, how far away it is from catering services, and more. Jebally told me Wyndham was a great choice for a number of reasons. Not only is the years-long relationship, but the proximity to the airport and food services making it the perfect venue for a fighting game event. When CEO finally outgrew Wyndham, CEOtaku stepped in to fill the void as its smaller anime-obsessed sibling, and for good reason.
You may be wondering why this is important. It’s just a hotel, who cares etc. In this age of online supremacy, the actual physical locations to which modern competitive gaming has expanded are as valuable as gold – which is why this article is a feature rather than a short, to-the-point news article published two weeks ago. A key building block in the bridge between today and the past. Countless memories are etched into the walls of Wyndham hotels. The memory of the wrestling ring in the middle of the conference room, the memory of K-Brad falling out of Stone Cold Steve Austin’s entrance in front of a live audience, the memory of Mike Ross breaking out of the cage, the memory of wrestling superstar Kenny Omega showing up and throwing Skisonic off live. . CEO 2016 takes place just two weeks after the Orlando nightclub shooting, and Jay Bailey and his team have increased security to ensure the safety of community members at the center of the incident.
These places include Manhattan’s Chinatown Playground, South Korea’s Green Arcade, the basement of the Hyatt Regency in downtown Dallas, the basements of “Quake 2” players, and countless early “Counter-Strike” and “StarCraft” LANs. These physical locations are milestones in the digital industry. When a company closes its doors, it should be a sad day for anyone interested in competitive gaming or trying to become a pro.
As for what’s happening now, Jebailey shared the next steps and the obstacles the team faces. “It’s easy to find a venue and start sales contract conversations, but it’s hard to find a venue in the time frame you need and offer fair pricing. Post-COVID, everything has grown exponentially, such as what’s needed to stream multiple channels of internet, hotel rates, etc. attendees and overall logistics to host an event of CEO scale and quality, my focus at the time was on the upcoming DreamHacks, where CEO Daytona announced the CEO’s return to Orlando and a new one in 2025. Last year before the venue.”
“I have reached out to a few contacts about potential hotel options but found something in the December time frame that I think will take CEOtaku attendance to the next level rather than just before the holidays with the CEO So close. If I find out I will definitely share it with the community so they can make plans as soon as possible, I’m an optimist, this is just another obstacle in the path of continuing CEOtaku’s legacy, and believe me, I’ve been through a lot beyond my control. It’s going to be rough, but I’ll find a way.”
Fortunately, the CEO is here to stay. The competition itself will continue at other venues so we won’t hear the sad news that the national competition is closing for good (RIP Celtic Throwdown). But just as one era ends when the major CEO Championship leaves Wyndham Hotel, another era ends as players say goodbye to Wyndham Hotel for good. I and others can still go to the CEO and CEOtaku. It’s something on my bucket list, but I’ll always be a little sad that I won’t be able to see in person the yellow wallpaper wall I saw through my laptop as a teenager.
Rest in peace, Wyndham.
