Did you happen to mention to him that he left off a zero??? LOL
I couldn't imagine that he paid that price for that much cake last year.
Although the exposure would be great, I don't think I would take it on for only $300. Your materials alone will cost that or more.
Lazy_Susan
IF you are using it for advertising, do it. If NOT, let someone else buy that advertising space! That is what this project really is, anyway.
As far as the size, it is do-able, like has been said. I had the same reaction when our store manager (I managed the deli) decided he wanted a 100 foot sub set up in the store for a big promotion. It was a LOT of preparation, but it was great fun, too.
Decide why you would want to do this. It sure isn't for the money!
I can't imagine that is what he paid for the previous cakes! He has probably realized that you are new to this and wants to take advantage. I think that if I were in your position I would still be willing to do it. But only if he was willing to have LOTS of your business cards out with the cake. You could get so much business from this! Think of it this way...it's not just the peole that actually see your cake that you could get business from, all those people know people who may need cake. You know what I mean?
I WANT TO KNOW WHO DID THIS CAKE LAST YEAR, ARE THEY WELL KNOWN NOW, DID THEY GET ALL KINDS OF BUSINESS FROM IT---HMMM HAVE YOU HEARD OF THEM, --MY POINT IS, IF YOU DO THIS FOR FREE & IT IS GONNA BE FREE---WILL IT BE WORTH IT--YES IF THEY LET YOU POST A SIGN "CAKE BY ???????" ALSO I JUST DON'T KNOW IF I CAN LET HIM SUCKER ME, CALL AROUND FIRST--
WHO KNOWS MAYBE PEOPLE DO IT JUST FOR FUTURE BUSINESS....
If you look in my photos I have a picture of a wedding cake I did. The base of it was 9in across by 3ft long. I used a 9X12 pan and put it together, doubled layered.
It was long and heavy but not too bad to deal with. I think you can do it no problem.
Barb
Barb that cake is absolutely lovely! It looks like an architectural challenge!
But I just have to know - did you use gumpaste or fondant for the fire extinguisher? 
Everyone else has already said it, but $300 is NUTS! I just finished a wedding cake for 400 (5 tiers plus a grooms) and I charged $350 because the bride is a friend. I way underestimated how much it would cost me in both ingredients and time, but I felt great about the experience because it was a friend. However, knowing what I know now, I wouldn't have charged less than $700 for the cakes. (That's how much the local Albertson's said they would charge for a cake that size for that many). So, by this pricing, there's no way I would do a cake the size you're saying for less than $1600 -- depending on the amount of decorating involved. $300 sounds a rather insulting offer, given the prestigiousness of the event. Hmmmm-- maybe you could offer to do the satellite cakes only -- that would also be good advertising. Good luck!
Sarah
You aren't crazy. I am doing a cake in July that is a four foot aligator for FREE. (it is for a swim team and they are adveristing every month in their newsletter for me...that ad has gotten me a lot of birthday cakes and such!)
I am planning on covering a piece of plywood with contact paper, and making a bunch of sheet cakes to form the body, and head and round cakes for feet, etc. And then slide it in the bed of our pick up truck (luckilly only have to go a few miles) It will get eaten by 200-300 people who love to spoil their kids, so I figure its a pretty cheap marketing tool, when you consider how much advertising and such runs. (the cake is probably going to run me a couple of hundred in supplies).
So no, you aren't crazy. We do what we gotta do! I also find it less pressure to do a freebie cake!
Wow. All I can say is WoW! It never ceases to amaze me how little people will budget for something that is so important and not to mention BIG! Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think he could get 1000 cupcakes at the grocery store for $300!!!!
Well, if you want to do this, I would make sure that $300 would totally cover your cost. If it doesn't, i would figure up your cost and tell the guy that's the lowest you can accept. Did he specifically ask that the cake serve 1000? Maybe they're not planning for each person that shows up to eat cake....? You'll have to keep us posted, we are all eagerly awaiting your decision.
Okay, now I'm REALLY SCARED!!!
If most of you very, very gifted people are thinking I"m crazy, I MUST BE!!!!
Something about the challenge though.....just to see if I could do it! AAAGGGHHHH I'm just crazy!!
Maybe it's because I would just love to be able to say I did it!
edencakes: Thanks for your vote of confidence!
If someone would have told me I would be making cakes that people loved and wanted I would have told them they were nuts!! Be FEARLESS, Plan, then jump in and go for it! I wish I were given an opportunity like that to challange myself!
An update:
Things aren't going too well! 
I have made 28 - 9x13 cakes. Put the chocolate on the bottom, vanilla on top buttercream in the middle. That was all fine and dandy. Iced the top and sides of the cake. Starting to smooth it out when I had to take my niece home, then went with my MIL to an event. Got home around 9:30 pm. Start to finish smoothing the cake and noticed the icing has changed color in spots! It is now a yellow tinge (I'm assuming from the butter, I use half and half recipe). So I try not to panic. I start to smooth and when I take the knife (whatever you call it, it's too early for me right now) there is nothing but air bubbles! So I try not to get too worked up thinking the map part will cover this - but it didn't. I left the rest of the icing for fear of this and now my cake isn't very smooth at all! What do I do? STUPID ME for not using a crusting icing! I will from NOW ON!! 
So, I have to using icing to "color" in the provinces because that's the only thing that will work.......I thought about fondant but don't really want to use that much and my husband thinks people won't like it and then I won't get any business. I say let them try it (maybe give this town a little class LOL! - bunch of rednecks LOL! I always tell my husband that's what he is!) Doug had mentioned sparkles in a previous post but the store in town only sells them in the very tiny littly tubes, you know the ones where you get red, green, some other sprinkly stuff (as a cake decorator you'd think I'd know what they are called LOL!) so I would need A LOT and I don't think the store even has that much. So I'm back to putting icing on icing. I have tried to make the icing as thin as possible (in some parts you can see the cake) but should I use a crusting icing now? I would like to have it somewhat smooth.
Any help would be truly appreciated! The cake is due for tomorrow around 1:30pm.
Thanks!
If it's not a crusting icing then you'll have to use hot water and a metal spatula. The hotter the water the better. I have found though, that sometimes the more I mess with a cake the worse it gets. If the icing is thin enough I see no reason why you couldn't add a crusting icing on top of it. Keep in mind that most people won't be looking at it from a foot away, so back away and see how it looks. Good luck!!
I would make sure to dry off the hot spatula before you actually touch it to the cake. If the water is hot enough it will keep the heat without any water touching the icing. Good luck..I know how you feel, I always have at least one disaster per cake...Personally what I would do, which is probably wrong, is put the cake in the fridge for about an hour to get some distance then take it from there.
The only difference I've noticed when I use a hot spatula is that the icing gets a little shiny, but it goes away after a little bit. Do dry off the spatula. Dip in hot water, wipe dry, smooth cake, wipe clean, dip and repeat. I either stand by my sink and use the running hot water or if I'm further away I boil some water in a measuring cup and use that.
The rest of the map and I was going to leave it as it was except for trying to get it smoother of course, but I wasn't going to add borders maybe I should? I can't get the icing smoother AAAAGGGHHH!! Why did I think I could do this cake????!!!!?!?!?!?!?
The colored parts on the map are made with Wilton's buttercream recipe and the whole cake was covered in a non crusting icing. It tastes a lot better but it has never given me this much grief! I don't know how else I can cover up this mess! It's not like I can start over, they need it by 1:30pm tomorrow.
What do I do???
I would add the rest of the map. Definitely add some borders, something simple, not fancy shells and such.
It seems that once you get the rest of the map on there, there will not be a lot of white showing, so I really wouldn't worry about that part of it.
As crazy as this sounds... Take the rest of the night off and smooth it in the morning =) Ok.. so That really is crazy.. the rest of the night? what am i thinking... how bout a couple of hours? Sometimes frustration just makes it worse. Go enjoy the family and come back with a new look at the project =)
You can do it, it will turn out perfect!
Leily
I don't know what I was thinking.......I thought you meant borders around each province...I am putting a border around the whole cake. Boy I must be tired!
I would love to take the rest of the night off LOL! I think I will take your advice and take my son out for supper (because this cake has taken over my kitchen) and then get back to it. I'm going to be so embarrased to deliver this cake......
*Hugs to make it better*
Are you kidding me?! You should DEFINATELY be advertising with that cake. The map looks great so far & I'm sure it will look fabulous once it's finished & the borders are on. Your Provincial flags look FANTASTIC!! Nobody is going to notice the smoothing of the white icing unless you are pointing it out to them or they have their nose right up to the cake!!
If you still think it's noticeable when you're done what about writing "Happy 139th Birthday Canada" in big letters to take some of the blank space away?
HOnestly gibson it looks wonderful! You should be proud of undertaking this huge task & doing a great job on it. I can't wait to see the finished cake!
This is a last minute thought, but if the icing still isn't smooth enough, you could possibly use the blue 'spray color' on top of the white. I've seen it done to look like the ocean. That would take care of 3 sides of the cake. Maybe someone can go and pick it up at the grocery store for you? Whatever you decide, I'm sure it will turn out great! We are all rooting for you!!
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