While I'm on a nostalgia trip, I also miss being able to grab a connecting hotel room on short notice. I'm a local, but it was fun to grab a night in the Westin or Marriott for a night or two.

Anyone remember the True Tavern that lasted only 1 or 2 years at True Dungeon? That was lots of fun.

I miss the D&D statues.

And crazy as it seems....   for many cons there was this smell of burnt cheese around one of the food areas in the ICC. my senses got used to smelling that and I now associate that smell anytime I encounter it... with Gencon.... Its not a bad smell mind you...  but it reminds me of that first few years I went.
 

Speaking of bad smells I unfortunately associate with Gen-Con, every once in a while when I enter a bathroom in some very crowded place that is both overwhelmed but also being actively attacked with cleaning products it brings me disgusting but undeniable nostalgia for day three or four of Gen-Con. 

On a happier note, JPederso, I am still disappointed I never got to go to True Tavern, since I thought it was an integral part of True Dungeon, like you literally started the game by pretending to be a party meeting in a tavern before your adventure, and was sad to learn it was just a fun bonus and had stopped occurring.  No idea what it was actually like! 
 

Mentioning smells, I went to a museum a while back. Walking down the corridor, between the pattern on the carpet and the smell of the carpet, I had a total ICC moment.
That was kind of cool.

I miss Cheese Weasel.  Getting all of the cards completed would always lead me to booths that I wouldn't necessarily stop at otherwise, and new games to demo.  I treated it as an event all its own, and it would usually take me more than a full day in the exhibit hall to complete.  Showing up to the prize drawing on Sunday usually gave you a fair chance to walk out with at least something.  One year I won a copy of Game of Thrones Monopoly.  According to the Cheese Weasel personnel, Gen Con was supposed to be implementing something similar, which is why they weren't going to be invited back, but I have yet to hear of anything.

While I can't make it this year, I have a couple blurbs to share.

While my first Gen Con (2007, I think) I went alone...it was a bit lonely...surrounded by gamers but not a consistent group to hang out with and chat.  That changed the following year.  On the Tuesday right before Gen Con, I went to the back room at The RAM and randomly sat down with a group of people.  We participated in an ice breaker game, and we all formed a friendship and Gen Con group (Team Special...it ties back to the ice breaker...anyway...) A couple people were brothers from The Netherlands and we've since visited each other outside of Gen Con.  Others I still keep in touch with off and on.  Just great people.  We lost one of our founding members just two weeks ago.  I attended his funeral; he'll be very missed.  Anyway, just want to bring down the thread.

A story more in spirit of this thread:  Around Gen Con 2010 I went to play D&D in the upstairs ballroom.  They had these 1 hour long sessions...like 2 combats and 1 roleplay encounter.  The line was CRAZY long.  I went to their HQ station as asked if they could use an extra DM, figuring that I'd rather DM a game than stand in line.  They gave me a shirt, a few minutes to prep, and I was off.  I had a blast.  I ended up DMing for them the following year for most of the con.  Fun times.  

Something else I miss about past Gen Cons is bringing my daughter, who would walk up and down the dealer hall rows with me arm-in-arm.  I know it's not an event or celebrity, but man...I loved having my daughter to myself for 4-5 days.  Something about us flying out to Indy and attending the con just made it special.  We could geek out and bond.  She's just busy with school and life and it's harder have those moments.  Hopefully next year (Gen Con 2023) before she heads off to university.

Anyway, great topic for a thread.

Been attending since 1984, no misses. Kenosha I loved the woodsy isolated feel of it. Milwaukee I miss Safehouse, Major Goolsby's,
and actually missed playing in the kind of creepy old behind the stages area in the Auditorium, where they held the RPGA events.

Back when it was Mecca center in Milwaukee, we also used to love hanging out in that bar, Skyline it may have been called, that overlooked the
Exhibitors hall.

I'll keep the nostalgia, but as folks have mentioned, Milwaukee just didn't get Gencon. Indy on the other hand embraces it.