Information About Seattle

Seattle is a coastal port city and the largest city in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located between an inlet of the Pacific Ocean to the west called Puget Sound and Lake Washington to the east at the mouth of the Duwamish River, which empties into the city's chief harbour, Elliott Bay, an inlet of the Sound. West beyond the Sound are the Kitsap Peninsula and Olympic Mountains, on the Olympic Peninsula; east beyond Lake Washington and the eastside suburbs are Lake Sammamish and the Cascade Range. Opportunities for sailing, skiing, bicycling, camping, and hiking are nearby and accessible almost year-round.

The city itself is hilly, though not uniformly so. Like Rome, the city is said to lie on seven hills; the lists vary, but typically include Capitol Hill, First Hill, West Seattle, Beacon Hill, Queen Anne, Magnolia, and the former Denny Hill. The Wallingford and Mount Baker neighborhoods are technically located on hills as well. Many of the hilliest areas are near the city center, with Capitol Hill, First Hill, and Beacon Hill collectively constituting something of a ridge along an isthmus between Elliott Bay and Lake Washington.

The man-made Lake Washington Ship Canal incorporates four natural bodies of water: Lake Union, Salmon Bay, Portage Bay, and Union Bay, connecting Puget Sound to Lake Washington.

Seattle's current official nickname is the "Emerald City," the result of a contest held in the early 1980s to designate a new nickname; the reference is to the lush evergreen trees in the surrounding area. Seattle is also referred to informally as the "Rainy City" (though, in fact, it is more cloudy than rainy), "Gateway to Alaska," and "Jet City," the last from the local influence of Boeing.

Seattle is often regarded as the birthplace of grunge music, and has a reputation for heavy coffee consumption;coffee companies founded or based in Seattle include Starbucks, Seattle's Best Coffee, and Tully's. There are also many successful independent artisanal espresso roasters and cafes.

Seattle was the site of the 1999 meeting of the World Trade Organization. Researchers at Central Connecticut State University ranked Seattle the most literate city of America's 69 largest cities in 2005 and 2006 and second most literate in 2007.

Read more about Seattle

Transportation to Grand Hyatt Seattle or Fairmont Olympic Hotel

Conference Materials:
All conference materials, including registration packet, will be distributed on site. Name badges for all attendees (and guests, if applicable) will be included in the registration packet. Name badges must be worn to all events.

Recommended Attire:
Business casual (and comfortable shoes) will be appropriate attire for all conference events. Please remember that hotel air conditioning systems are prone to fluctuation. You may wish to bring a jacket or sweater to the sessions to ensure your comfort.

Companions:
Continental Breakfast is open to all AGN attendees and their companions Monday - Thursday from 7 - 9 a.m. This is a wonderful opportunity for your companion to get to know other AGN companions, welcome new members' companions, and see dear friends. A Monday companiot tour is planned (see Social Program), with Tuesday and Wednesday as free time so all companions may do whatever they wish.

Cancellation of a Companion Event:
If you must cancel a registration for any social or companion event for you and/or your companion, please do so by MAY 9, 2008. We must guarantee numbers to our vendors in advance. These numbers can be raised, but not lowered. Therefore, if you cancel onsite your firm will be billed as if you and/or your companion had attended.

Conference Cancellation Policy:
Written cancellations received before 5:00 pm US Mountain Time on FRIDAY, MAY 9, 2008 will not incur a cancellation fee. Cancellations received after that time will result in a cancellation fee of costs incurred by AGN-NA.

Weather in Seattle:
Seattle's weather in May averages a daytime high of 65 degrees Fahrenheit and an average nighttime low of 48 degrees Fahrenheit, with an average monthly precipitation of 1.51 inches.

Current weather conditions

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