• More participants (34 vs. 29), more countries (11 vs. 9), higher tournament rating
  
• Initiative of providing discounted lunches for participants was welcomed, although it required a lot of efforts for organizers
  
• Using tax-exempt status and negotiating better rates for hotel rooms. Bigger hotel with better brekafast choices
  
• New, more efficient tournament clocks (no rewinding required between time controls)
  
• Daily coffee and soda in the tournament room
  
• Plank award and monetary price for US Champion
  
• Bigger blitz prizes
  
• Additional surprise prices in serious and fun categories
  

... anything else?