Yes, but those big shareholders did not spend all their spare cash to accumulate ZERO - they bought the stock years ago for a steal, and they have ample cash to keep themselves going, and some may not even be paying attention to daily developments. They would have left a large margin of error and a failure of ZERO would not effect their lifestyle in any way. Different financial levels here, I'm sure. Those kind of people would easily be able to afford a flight across the pacific either way.
I think it's the height of hopefulness to assume that there must absolutely be some good reason behind this. It might simply be as Gregg said: to make it easier for those in Asia and elsewhere, not just in the US, to attend. May be no more to it than that.
Keep in mind that they left it to the last minute to have this SHM.
Moreover, perhaps they are very confident that there will be news to announce before the SHM, but again, how sure can one be? Once contracts are signed it's a material event. Maybe they have concluded the date when they will be signed? That would add an element of certainty. My immediate thought was that the location was chosen to try to get the lowest turnout. Maybe the neutral scenario is more realistic.
But if everything was going well, wouldn't they just hold an SHM in Santa Barbara like two years ago? I remember two years ago everyone expected a big announcement, too. So much hopefulness in this stock. I have it too, but I don't think there's going to be any big announcement, and the more excited one gets the more the disappointment when nothing comes up. but who knows. I'm not holding my breath for a big development anytime soon.
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