In reply to andymci.

One challenge in containing costs, though, is event size. Wordcamp Seattle had several hundred people. Even if they didn't provide lunch (actually gift cards to nearby lunch spots this time), the rental for the space can't be cheap.

it would also help if some of the silly restrictions were lifted on marketing to past attendees. At a Meetup I asked one of the organizers why I'd not seen emails about the upcoming Wordcamp since I'd signed up in 2014 and gone. Turns out that they can't market to past attendees. Um.. What?

(to be clear, I was not involved in Wordcamp Seattle as anything but an attendee)