Every year fans and industry insiders alike wonder whether Comic-Con’s days in San Diego are numbered. VARIETY [1] reports that San Diego has made a big move to keep the Con right where it is. The port of San Diego and the convention center have sealed a deal for a $753 million expansion of the center to be unveiled for the 2015 Comic-Con.
Comic-Con’s current contract with San Diego is up in 2012 and cities with bigger facilities like Los Angeles and Anaheim have been courting the geek mecca. Insiders say the Los Angeles Convention and Visitors Bureau has offered to give Comic-Con the LA Convention Center and parts of L.A. Live for free, as well as discounts on hotels.
But now the expanded San Diego facility would have 815,000 square feet of space, which is comparable to Anaheim.
To get Comic-Con to stay before 2015, San Diego has offered the Con space at local hotels.
But this isn’t a done deal in San Diego. The first need approval from the California Coastal Commission and then the most difficult task of raising the funding.
Links:
[1] http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118017471.html