It's also worth noting that on the off chance you don't find the right fit, you can set up and have Dodge Ball at your camp regardless of whether you get placement or not.
IMO, the best way to plan for this would look something like this:
- Ahead of the event, if you don't already have them look at picking up a couple LED work lights.
- Ahead of the event, figure out what part of the city you want to aim for and tell people you will be aiming for X intersection - tell them to go to that intersection and you'll have the exact camp location posted at the intersection.
- Ahead of the event, if you don't already have a large, easy to spot sign for your camp... make one.
- Ahead of the event, if you don't already have a smaller 'intersection sign' with the camp name and a blank space to write in the camp's actual location... make one.
- The last couple years, the gates have opened at 12:00 midnight Saturday (technically 12:00am Sunday). Plan for your core build crew to arrive at the time the gates open, and for everyone else to arrive around sunrise on Sunday. Staggering arrival not only makes traffic a little less painful, but it gives a backup team in case the strike team realizes they've forgotten something, and it provides a relief crew that will be fresh and can get cracking on setup tasks in the morning, hopefully getting key things done before it gets hot.
- The strike team heads for the target intersection that you decided in advance. From there, find an open spot large enough for your group, say hello to adjacent neighbors (and to make sure that's not space they're holding for arriving campmates), and get to your spot.
- Have a campmate put the exact location on that 'intersection sign' you made and then send that campmate back to your target intersection to put the sign up.
- Get those working and get started. If the weather is not cooperating, just try and get out some of the bigger truss pieces to be able to outline the court. Use the strike team's vehicle(s) to help establish the camp's boundaries (if you have a neighbor on one side, you only need to worry about the other side). Get that big, easy to read camp sign up and out front so that when campmates arrive in the morning, they can find you easily.
- When that relief crew comes in at sunrise, make sure to designate somebody (or a pair of somebodies) to make a bee line to Playa Information when they open in the morning. There, they will enter the camp's specific information into the directory there.
I know, that list got a little long, but I figured it was best to cover all the bases. Another thing to consider is to make a few extra intersection signs. Once you're settled, as you get to know your neighborhood and where there may be more traffic, connect with people, tell them your story, and ask if they would consider letting you put a sign up at their bar (or wherever). If they say no, don't worry about it - there are other camps, and you can always just put them at other nearby intersections.
An intersection sign can be done as simply as cardboard, markers, and zip ties (though those are more likely to become MOOP)... or they can be works of art in their own right. I recommend taking a small board, then drilling a couple holes for rope or zip ties to go through, then give it a couple coats with a chalkboard material spray paint. Next, have someone paint "CAMP NAME is located at:" in white or fluorescent colors, leaving the bottom half wide open. Pick up some stuff called 'liquid chalk' from an art supply joint - that stuff is great, works like Sharpies but for chalkboard surfaces. Doesn't wipe off easily, either (we use a wet washcloth). Be sure to grab those intersection signs towards the end of the event, aside from not wanting to leave anything behind it's a resource you can use in future years (they come in handy for placed camps, too).
That said, good luck! Ideally you find a camp or village who may have the kind of space you're looking for, but if that doesn't happen... don't be deterred!
