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Thank you for registering your team for the FLL Global Innovation Semi-Finals in St. Louis, part of
the FIRST Championships! As you may have noted, there is no registration fee to attend this next level
of competition, however teams will be responsible for their transportation, food and lodging to and in St.
Louis.
This Olympic-style event provides the opportunity for FIRST to welcome more teams from
all FIRST programs: Junior FIRST® LEGO® League, FIRST® LEGO® League, FIRST® Tech Challenge,
and FIRST® Robotics Competition. From April 22 to 25, 2015, FIRST teams will be all over St.
Louis! FIRST LEGO League Global Innovation Semi-Finals will be in the Magnolia
Hotel. FIRST Robotics Competition teams will compete in the Edward Jones’ Dome, and the FIRST LEGO
League World Festival teams will be in the America’s Center. Junior FIRST LEGO League and FIRST Tech
Challenge teams will be located at the Union Station, a very walkable mile from the Edward Jones’ Dome
and America’s Center. Many activities are in the works to encourage teams to visit and support the
other FIRST programs, and over the next few weeks and months, you will receive those details.
Schedule
Please plan to arrive on site for check-in between 11 a.m. and noon on Wednesday, April 22. We
recommend teams plan to stay until Sunday, April 26. Formal FLL Global Innovation Semi-Final
activities will end at 2 p.m.Saturday, April 25, but the Semi-Final teams will be invited to attend both
the FIRST Closing Ceremonies and Finale events on Saturday evening.
Coach calls
We will have two FLL Global Innovation Semi-Finalist coach calls scheduled for an hour each 6 p.m. EDT
on Wednesday, March 25, and Wednesday, April 1. Please plan to attend if you are able. The call
will be recorded for those who cannot join us.
The toll-free number to join 1-866-951-1151. When prompted, enter conference room 2240710.
Attendees will begin the call in listen-only mode and must press *2 to unmute. The March 25 call will be
devoted to logistics and expectations. The April 1 call will focus on judging and presentation questions, as
well as any outstanding or new logistics questions.
Planning for Your Trip
St. Louis Weather
The St. Louis temperature in April can vary between 50° and 75°F. Make sure your team plans
accordingly. Springtime can bring rain and storms so make sure you pack your umbrellas and jackets.
Transportation in St. Louis
To and From Hotels or around the City: Teams are responsible for their own transportation. St.
Louis has public transportation that makes getting around the city easy and affordable. Whether you
need transportation from the airport to your hotel or to one of the tourist attractions in St. Louis, there is
most likely a bus or train route to get you there. For information on the city’s public transportation,
including bus and rail routes and transportation costs, visit the Metro Transit-St. Louis website here.
Once you are downtown and at the event, expect to do a lot of walking. Make sure that the hotel you
select is close to the Magnolia Hotel especially if anyone in your group has mobility issues. Check your
hotel’s website to get an accurate distance. You can find a map provided by the St. Louis Convention &
Visitors Commission to assist in your planning here. Don’t forget to wear comfortable shoes and socks!
Transportation Between all FIRST Championship Venues (America’s Center, Union Station)
Shuttle service will be provided, free of charge, to all FIRST Championship badged team members,
volunteers, family members, and friends. These shuttles will run during event hours. More details,
including the shuttle schedule, will be available at a later date.
Badging Required – Action Required
In order to access the event and enjoy the free shuttle service between FIRST event venues, all
attendees (team members, volunteers, families, and friends) must have a badge. The coach must
request badges for everyone traveling with your team. These badges will be available to the team at
Team Registration/Check-In in St. Louis. You can request the team badges here. If you are not
requesting hotel accommodations, please complete “Step 2” and select the “Championship Teams”
button.
NOTE: This badging process is separate from the FLL Global Innovation Semi-Finals
registration process.
Consent and Release Forms – Due April 10 – Action REQUIRED
Please email your team’s signed Consent and Release forms - English version or Spanish version
to [email protected] no later than April 10, for all outside United States and Canadian
teams and for any team member or coach from the United States or Canada that does not have an
electronic version on file with FIRST.
Traveling Abroad? – Action May Be Required
Teams traveling from outside of the United States and who need assistance to secure visas should
contact FLL as soon as possible. Email [email protected] to get individualized official letters
if needed to help speed the visa process along.
BOOKING HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS
FIRST® is working with Experient, Inc. to provide teams with the option of reserving room blocks at
many hotels throughout St. Louis. You can find information here about booking rooms for your team,
Helpful Links, a Translate Button (if required), and a User Manual for step-by-step instructions, located on
the right hand side of the web page.
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If you would like to request a block of rooms for your team, you must select
eight (8) hotels.
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If you prefer to stay close to the America’s Center where the FLL events will
be held and do not have transportation during your stay, please insert the
following in the Special Requests /Comments Section: “I am an FLL Global
Innovation Semi-Finalist Team. My team will not have transportation while in St.
Louis, and we would like to stay close to the Magnolia Hotel.”
The above information will not guarantee hotel rooms close to the America’s Center but will further assist
Experient, Inc. with your preferences.
HELPFUL HINT: As an alternative to downtown hotels, you could choose to stay closer to the airport
and take advantage of the St. Louis public transportation system that provides easy connections to
downtown and the America’s Center area. For information on the city’s public transportation, including
bus and rail routes and transportation costs, visit the Metro Transit-St. Louis website here.
NOTE: Your team is not required to use the Experient website to book your accommodations; however,
almost 1,000 FIRST teams will be staying in St. Louis, in addition to all the volunteers, special guests,
etc. You may have difficulty finding room availability on your own.
FUNDRAISING
For most teams, the FLL Global Innovation Semi-Finals will be a unique and special experience that they
will remember for the rest of their lives. It could also be an expense that your team had not considered
in your budget. Although FIRST recognizes that many of the resources posted on the U.S. FIRST website
may not apply to all FLL Global Innovation-bound teams, we did want to direct your attention to a
Fundraising Toolkit, located here. It is our hope that the posted information, templates, and strategies
can help you meet your fundraising goals.
Feel free to take your FLL Global Innovation Semi-Finals invitation letter with you when you visit potential
sponsors. Good luck!
FIRST would like you to join us at St. Louis Union Station for a Wednesday evening celebration – a time
to relax, connect with teams and enjoy lots of fun-filled entertainment and tasty treats.
Date: Wednesday, April 22, 2015
Time: 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM (Doors open at 6:00 PM)
Place: Historic St. Louis Union Station
Event Details
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Rain or Shine (Outdoor event)
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A chance to meet the FIRST LEGO League Masters of Ceremonies & key sponsors
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FIRST LEGO League Variety Show
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FIRST Tech Challenge Guest Speakers & Meet the Game Design Committee
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Complimentary dessert
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Lots of delicious food from a variety of St. Louis Food Trucks available for purchase
(At individual or team expense)
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Paddle Boat rides! – $6.00 (USD) (At individual or team expense)
Now that you have registered, you can look forward to weekly email blasts and reminders with
information about the event. We also welcome your questions through this email address.
Thank you again and we look forward to seeing you in St. Louis!
With high fives and admiration,
FLL Global Innovation Team Support