Gentlemen,
Please take a deep breath, here.
I know you'd like details, but I don't have a bunch just yet (I found out I was in charge of this a week ago). I did get a response from the "Great Race" coordinator, and it looks like the cars will be stopping for lunch in Peoria, along the riverfront at the Gateway building (it's nice) at 11:45 on Monday, June 24. He contacted the local guys, who were going to try to hook us up with some parking and a good viewing spot.
I'd think the best place to get a hotel would be in East Peoria. There's a decent selection to choose from. ONCE WE GET A HEAD COUNT we can pick something, and go with it. Aside from the High-School State Basketball tournament weekend, getting a hotel is just not a problem. There'll be a central hotel. It'll be nice, but it won't be something you remember 15 years from now-- it'll be a Hampton, or Embassy Suites (if we get pretty fancy).
... which bring me to my final point (for now): I don't have the cruises, stops, restaurants, and "special" stuff mapped out yet because this isn't that kind of event. It'll be organized, and there's stuff to do and places to go, but the point of this is to have an excuse to get together. If you are looking for a "Tail of the Dragon" or Carlisle kind of event-of-a-lifetime, you will be sorely disappointed. This is central Illinois. We have corn, and bugs, and small-towns. There's no wineries, or old-growth forests, or crystal lakes, or narrow gauge rail-roads threading through spectacular gorges.
There's corn. And bugs. And small towns.
It's laid back. It's a place to go. We can all meet and compare notes regarding our cars in a pretty relaxed environment. We'll have some meals together. We'll drive from place to place, small-town to small-town, and eat at some fun spots with some local flavor. But the "local flavor" isn't Stanley Park in Vancouver, or the Grand Canyon in AZ, or even the Ozarks in Arkansas.
It's fun. It might not be your kind of fun, and that's cool. We had a blast last time with 5-ish guys on a one-day lark. My hope is to have theat feel again, only spread out over a couple of days.
Forewarned is forearmed.