OK, re Australian Expo 2009 - some considered it a front for an auction. However, I think it was much more than that. There is no doubt it raised plenty of interest and hundreds of people attended. The Saturday was full on pinball playing with queues lined up at some of the more popular machines. There were also exhibitors and attendees from all around the country.
Yes, there was an auction which I think most likely provided the funds necessary to underwrite the venture. A lot of the prices achieved were not spectacular though and this may have scared the organisers off from running Expo the next year.
I still reckon a dedicated organising committee could run another one in Australia and as long as the door price was high enough all the costs could be covered.
