kc is still burgeoning. sc is huge in comparison. managing things in the sc hierarchy can be rather complex. and kc is more open about supporting alternative programming such as overtly being able to mention yaoi, yuri and hentai. i love being honored by being part of sakuracon programming. but between the sheer magnitude of expense and effort involved in orchestrating things as far away as seattle is from eugene, and the fact (which is solely my own fault) that i can't afford to get to most meetings in seattle (plus i work on saturdays) so i know fewer people and have less input in and knowledge of policies and procedures and who's who etc.....for me, who has only ever attended a con as a staff person in programming, it's really not about the comparison of the quality of experience, it's really just about that portland is cheaper and i can afford to go to more of the meetings so i can be more knowledgeable and involved and feel more like family. i love a lot of the people involved in sakuracon, and i love what we accomplished last year when i ran the artists' den, and the talent of many folks involved there is great, and some have a fun sense of humor, and the ability to manage a con that size is impressive, etc. etc. but for example. yesterday's kc meeting had so much more of a family feel. i love that we're still small like that and actually really like each other and hang out outside of the world of the con. if i REALLY had to drop one, there's no question it would be SC, even though it might be "more prestigious" if i were thinking on that level.
however. the fact that some at upper echelons of sc aspire to have it be that con staff get subsidized lodging at some point in the future, that would make a huge difference for me.