NEW YORK CITY REGIONAL SITE INFORMATION March 10-13, 2016

Event Location The Jacob K. Javits Convention Center 655 West 34th Street New York, NY 10001 NOTE: The site will not accept or store team robots or toolboxes. www.javitscenter.com www.nycvisit.com http://www.nycfirst.org/

Directions to the Javits Convention Center:

By Car There is no parking at the Javits Center itself. Cars can drop off in front of the Center and then proceed to one of the many parking garages throughout the Javits Center vicinity. Please refer to the Parking section below for locations and phone numbers of convenient parking near the Javits Center. The Javits Center is located on 11th Avenue between 34th and 39th Streets. Please note that the drop off area will be very busy and is constantly patrolled by NYC Police. Do not leave your vehicle unattended in front of the Javits Center – it will be towed faster than you can say “FIRST Robotics Competition”. Getting your car back will be very expensive! From the North (Westchester, Connecticut, Massachusetts): 95 South (via the Cross-Bronx Expressway) to the George Washington Bridge. At approach to bridge, bear right to lower level. Exit at the last exit in New York–Parkway South–9A. Follow Parkway South (Henry Hudson Parkway/West Side Highway) to 42nd Street. Turn left. Go one block to 11th Avenue and turn right. Saw Mill River Parkway/Henry Hudson Parkway/Route 9A: Follow 9A South to 42nd Street. Turn Left. Go one block to 11th Avenue and turn right. New York State Thruway/Major Deegan Expressway/Route 87: Major Deegan Expressway to George Washington Bridge exit. Stay in right lane towards lower level. Exit at the last exit in New York–Parkway South–9A. Follow Parkway South (Henry Hudson Parkway/West Side Highway) to 42nd Street. Turn left. Go one block to 11th Avenue and turn right. From the South (New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Etc.): 95 North to the New Jersey Turnpike. Exit at the Lincoln Tunnel. When exiting the tunnel, bear left. Follow signs for uptown or northbound to 42nd Street. Turn left onto 42nd Street until you reach 11th Avenue and turn left. George Washington Bridge to Parkway South– 9A. At 42nd Street, turn left. Go one block to 11th Avenue and turn right. From Queens and Long Island: Queens-Midtown Tunnel: Take Southbound or Downtown exit to 34th Street and turn right. Go west to 12th Avenue and turn right on 12th Avenue to 39th Street where you turn right. Queensboro/59th Street Bridge: Take 60/61st Street Exit. Go to 5th Avenue alongside Central Park to 59th Street. Turn right onto 59th Street to 7th Avenue and turn left. Go two blocks to 57th Street and turn right. Follow 57th Street to 11th Avenue and turn left. From Staten Island: Verrazano-Narrows Bridge eastbound to the Gowanus Expressway, to the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel. Exit

© 2016 FIRST Robotics Competition New York City Regional Site Info westbound to the West Side Highway/12th Avenue. At 39th Street, turn right. Go one block to 11th Avenue and take a left. By Bus Buses less than 12’ 6” tall can proceed to the Javits using the directions above. There is no parking for buses at the Javits Center itself. Buses can drop off passengers in front of the Javits Center and then proceed to local parking areas. The bus driver should know where they can park. Further information on bus parking will be available prior to the event.

Public Transportation Please keep in mind that the public transportation fare is $2.75. The subways accept MetroCards. Buses accept MetroCards and exact change fares. With MetroCards you can transfer from subway to bus and bus to subway for one fare. MetroCards are available at subway stations and local stores.

Trains/Subway: The following train stops at 34th Street/Hudson Yards:

 11th Avenue Subway:

The following trains stop at 34th Street/Penn Station:

 Amtrak  New Jersey Transit  The Long Island Rail Road  8th Avenue Subway:  7th Avenue Subway:  6th Avenue Subway: Note - does not run on weekends.

The following trains stop at 42nd Street/Times Square (Broadway):

 8th Avenue:  7th Avenue:  6th Avenue: Note - does not run on weekends.

The following trains stop at Grand Central Station at 42nd Street at Lexington

 Lexington Avenue Subway:  Metro North Railroad

For further information, call MTA Travel info: 718.330.1234 or visit www.mta.info/index.html.

Buses: M12 bus: Runs along 11th Avenue from Columbus Circle to the West Village. Stops on 11th Avenue between 33rd and 34th Street.

M34 cross town bus: Runs east/west on 34th Street. Stops on 11th Avenue outside the Javits Center and at Penn Station. The M34 bus requires passengers to use pre-boarding fare collection machines before boarding the bus. These machines are designed to speed up the loading process. Pay your fare at a fare collection machine at the Select Bus Service bus stop. There are two types of fare collection machines that accept fares and issue receipts. You must pay with a Metrocard at the MetroCard Fare Collector or pay with $2.75 in coins at Coin Fare Collector. You MUST pay at one of these machines and get a proof-of-payment receipt before boarding the bus. Keep your receipt for the duration of your trip.

M42 cross town bus: Runs east/west on 42nd street. Public transportation by city bus or subway costs $2.75. The subways accept MetroCards. Buses accept MetroCards and exact change fares (no bills). With MetroCards you can transfer from subway to bus and bus to subway for one fare within a two hour period. MetroCards are available at the nearby stores, subway stations and the Hudson newsstands located in the Javits Center. Log onto to www.mta.info/nyct/maps for downloadable maps of NYC subway and bus routes.

Port Authority: New Jersey Transit and other buses arrive at the Port Authority terminal at 42nd Street between 8th and 9th Avenues.

Ferry Service: The NY Waterway operates a ferry from Weehawken, NJ. In just 8 minutes the ferry takes you across the Hudson River to 39th Street and 12th Avenue, just one block from the Javits Center. Just park at the convenient lot adjacent to the ferry terminal in Weehawken and take a ferry which leaves every 10 - 15 minutes during peak hours.

Call 1-800-53-FERRY for schedule and information or visit www.nywaterway.com.

Parking

Parking Lots and Garages: There are a variety of parking lots close to the Javits Center, ranging from 24-hour, 7-day a week covered lots, to more limited service. So, if you have any questions make sure to call ahead. Parking in New York City is never cheap, even on weekends, and parking lots often close early in the evening so be sure to check when leaving your vehicle. Make sure that you have cash available when you go to pay!

 Advance, 249 West 43rd Street, 212.221.8902  Astor Parking Corporation, 1515 Broadway at 44th Street, 212.869.3543  Beggs Garage, 515 West 43rd Street, 212.564.6954  Central Parking System is the leading provider for parking services in the World. 11 convenient facilities located near the Javits Center. http://www.centralparking.com/ o 305-319 W. 33rd St. (Between 8th and 9th Avenues) o 444-6 10th Ave. (35th Street) o 445 W. 35th St. (Between 10th & Dyer Avenues) o 417 W. 35th St.(Between 9th and 10th Avenues) o 416 W. 36th St.(Between 36th and Dyer Avenues) o 433-9 W. 37th St.(Between 9th and 10th Avenues)

© 2016 FIRST Robotics Competition New York City Regional Site Info o 485 10th Ave. (37th Street) o 513-521 9th Ave. (39th Street) o 541 W. 38th St. (Between 10th and 11th Avenues) o For rates and Hours of Operation call 800-836-6666  Square Industries, 306 West 44th Street, 212.247.5807  Times Square Park, 220 West 41st Street, 212.730.1777 Do not expect to find any on-street parking in the vicinity of the Javits Center. Parking on the streets in New York City most days of the week without the appropriate permits will get your car towed!

Site Restrictions Please read the following restrictions and adhere to them in order to promote an orderly, safe, pleasant, and exciting competition. As a group, we all should honor agreements with the venue and help promote the spirit of good partnership.

Please: Read the following site restrictions and adhere to them in order to promote an orderly, safe, pleasant and exciting competition.  Do not use skateboards or ‘hoverboards’. This is a safety concern.  Do not use drones. This is a safety concern.  Do not bring bottled gas tanks (e.g. helium). This is a safety concern.  Do not use noisy devices, such as floor stompers, whistles and/or air horns.  Do not arrange for Internet access or phone lines from venue service providers or attempt to use venue internet connections reserved for event purposes (e.g., FMS or streaming).  Do not sell any products. This includes food, hats, shirts or any promotional products.  Do not distribute any food products, such as candy, water, soft drinks or fruit.  Do not sell raffle tickets.  Do not use walkie-talkies.  Do not invite or bring live bands to play in the audience. This dilutes the presentation on the playing field and is too loud and confusing for the audience.  Do not play loud music in the Pit because it interferes with important announcements. If a team receives more than a warning or two, the power to the team Pit will be shut off and/or the music device confiscated.  Do not form "tunnels" during the Awards Ceremony. This can cause discomfort to those traveling through them and creates safety issues.  Do not save seats.

FIRST Consent Form

FIRST has revised the Consent and Release Form with several goals in mind: 1) simplifying the process by creating a unified form; 2) collecting participant data to make it possible to conduct more effective outreach and marketing to alumni; 3) and give FIRST the capacity to conduct regular follow-up studies of its participants in order to better demonstrate impact. This information is critical to FIRST because it will provide a roadmap for the organization, guide program implementation and management, and communicate more confidently the impact to schools, sponsors and other groups. In order for FIRST to quantitatively state that our programs are positively impacting participating students, corporations, schools and communities we need to collect information on the individual level. The Consent Forms are the only place where FIRST collects that type of information.

© 2016 FIRST Robotics Competition New York City Regional Site Info The goal of the FIRST Consent Forms is to ensure the following:  To get consent and release of liabilities due to harm and/or injury for FIRST and FIRST’s “Cooperating Entities”  To grant FIRST the right to use participant’s likeness during the participation in FIRST events  To ensure that agents of FIRST and on behalf of FIRST can collect and analyze information for us  To grant FIRST the right to contact the Parent/Guardian and participants at a later time for evaluation and/or announce other benefits like alumni outreach efforts Because we are dealing with youth and youth information, FIRST must be in compliance with the US Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (under the age 13) and the Canadian Online Protection Act

The following form is the only acceptable FIRST form for 2016 FIRST Robotics Competition events. Remember to bring your competed forms to your initial competition event if your team members have not already completed one online. This is for all the persons on your team. Make sure each person under 18 has a legal parent/guardian sign it also.

CONSENT AND RELEASE AGREEMENT Participant Name: ______If Participant is under 18 years of age, Parent/Guardian Name: ______Participant Date of Birth if under 18 years of age [MM/DD/YYYY]:______Participant Address: ______Participant Email (If Participant is under 18 years of age, Parent/Guardian Email):______Participant Team Number: ______

The Participant identified above (“Participant”) desires to participate (as a team member, coach, mentor, judge, or in some other manner) in the FIRST® Robotics Competition, FIRST Tech Challenge, FIRST LEGO® League, Junior FIRST LEGO League, or another FIRST program (the “Programs”). As a condition of allowing Participant to participate in a Program, United States Foundation for Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (“FIRST”) requires that the Participant (by his or her Parent/Guardian if under 18 years of age) agree to the terms of this Consent and Release Agreement. 1. Participant (and the Parent/Guardian of a Participant under 18 years of age) understands that participation in the Program will expose Participant to risks of injury including, without limitation, injury from: building, lifting, and using electrical/mechanical robots and robot components; using tools; other participants; dancing and other associated activities. Participant (and the Parent/Guardian of a Participant under 18 years of age) understands that FIRST does not select, employ, supervise or otherwise exercise authority or control over the coaches, mentors, and other participants in the Program. Participant, if 18 years of age or older, acknowledges and agrees that he/she is primarily responsible for his/her safety. The Parent/Guardian of a Participant under 18 years of age acknowledges and agrees that the Parent/Guardian is primarily responsible for the Participant’s safety and that the Parent/Guardian will monitor, as appropriate considering the age of the Participant and other factors, the Participant’s participation in the Program. 2. In consideration for FIRST allowing the Participant to participate in a Program, Participant (and the Parent/Guardian of a Participant under 18 years of age for and on behalf of the Participant and the Parent/Guardian) assumes all risk of such participation and hereby releases FIRST and (except as expressly provided below) all of FIRST’s directors, officers, employees, volunteers, and agents from any and all claims for any injury of any kind to the Participant (and the Parent/Guardian) or other damages that may occur as a result of the Participant’s participation in the Program, including without limitation any injuries or other damages that may be caused by the negligence of FIRST or negligence of any of FIRST’s directors, officers, employees, volunteers, or agents (including without limitation negligently failing to adequately investigate or screen coaches, mentors, volunteers, etc.), and agrees not to file any lawsuit or otherwise make any claim against FIRST or any of FIRST’s directors, officers, employees, volunteers, or agents for any such injury or other damages. The Participant (and the Parent/Guardian of a Participant under 18 years of age) does not hereby release any claims against any individual person who intentionally causes injury to the Participant. 3. Participant (and the Parent/Guardian of a Participant under 18 years of age) understands that photographs, videotapes, and other recordings will be made of participants in the Programs, including the Participant. Participant (and the Parent/Guardian of a Participant under 18 years of age) consents to those photographs, videotapes, and other recordings and the use thereof (i) as part of a record of the Program and (ii) to promote FIRST and the Programs. Participant (and the Parent/Guardian of a Participant under 18 years of age) has read this document and understands that this Consent and Release Agreement includes a waiver of the right to make injury claims that is intended to be legally binding. By signing below, Participant (and the Parent/Guardian of a Participant under 18 years of age) agrees to this Consent and Release Agreement.

______Signature (of Participant if 18 years of age or older or Parent/Guardian if Participant under 18) ______Printed name of person signing Date