Like urban legend, a strange rumor has begun circulating among online-auction users that eBay's next user convention will be held in a tent. When contacted by AuctionBytes about the rumor, eBay spokesperson Hani Durzy said eBay will be using the San Jose convention center and probably other buildings for activities. He explained what might be the source of the rumors: The City of San Jose is planning on erecting a semi-permanent tent that could be used by all convention center occupants.

Durzy said, "If that tent is up, we may use it for specific activities associated with eBay Live. But to say that "eBay Live 05 will be held in a tent" isn't accurate."

A story in the San Jose Mercury News newspaper in December reported on the city's convention-center plans (http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/10412614.htm). The proposed tent would have heating and cooling ducts and, at that point in the planning stages, was slated to have portable bathroom facilities, according to the article.

eBay Live 2005 will be eBay's fourth annual user conference and is being held in San Jose, the home of eBay's headquarters, on the same year as eBay's 10th anniversary. The event has been held in past years in Anaheim, Orlando and New Orleans. About 10,000 users attended the last two years' conferences. eBay Live 2005 will be held June 23-25, 2005. The eBay Live home page is located at http://pages.ebay.com/ebaylive and as of this writing, has not yet been updated with the 2005 conference information.