Short answer: Organizing a LEM is hard work.

Longer answer: Finding a venue that is affordable and suitable for the event is a real pain. You need to be able to run fog machines without setting off the fire alarm, you frequently need access to the 3 phase power panel without a professional electrician on staff, you want to be able to play loud music late into the night without disturbing people, and you need it to be affordable since the cost is spread out among a relatively small group of people. Then there's all the little details to work out. (Who's bringing what, who will be responsible for doing this and that, etc...)

The reason SELEM is always held at the same location is because the venue staff have been very good to us. True, it's still expensive, but they let us do LOTS of things that any other venue would absolutely freak out about. (Like patching directly into the 450 amp 3 phase panel to hook up our ion lasers, or running WATER HOSES inside a carpeted theater)

If you'd like to host a LEM in your area, I'll be happy to share everything I've learned over the course of 7 SELEM's and 14 FLEM's. But take note: it's a lot of work and a huge financial obligation. You'll be on the hook for the entire cost of the venue up front. If people don't show up, the venue still has to be paid for. Also, any time something goes wrong, people will always come to YOU for the answer, and you need to be prepared for that.

If you're willing to accept that responsibility though, you're half-way there. (The other half is finding a venue! After that, everything else is easy by comparison...)

Adam