My plan on is to keep pressing with this and seeing if we can pick up more people on the way.  I might have a friend who will toss in her interest if for nothing more than she gets a huge "you owe me" from me later.   If other players know one or two who might be interested.   Unfortunately two of the players in the interest check thread who had said they were the most interested have bowed out.  Frustration but understandable.