SDCC’s Nightmare Lodge State of affairs May Push Comedian-Con Out of San Diego

Even should you’ve by no means attended San Diego Comic-Con, you’ve in all probability heard how hard it is to get a hotel for the event. Yearly followers enter an internet lottery that’s lengthy been dubbed “Hotelpocalypse” hoping to get a room close to the con at an inexpensive value. Nonetheless, lately, many followers—together with the workers of this very web site—have discovered the lottery more and more tough. Now, we could know why, and Comedian-Con isn’t glad about it.

Talking to Forbes.com, David Glanzer, Chief Communication and Technique Officer for Comedian-Con Worldwide, mentioned that a number of motels within the space have made fewer rooms out there through the on-line lottery—which options pre-negotiated charges—understanding they will get visitors to ebook rooms straight, outdoors the lottery, at a significantly elevated fee. “Lots of the motels downtown have been extremely great to us,” Glanzer mentioned. “They’ve allowed us to make use of assembly house, they’ve given us big room blocks, they’ve saved their charges very aggressive. Nevertheless it’s robust when these motels provide a aggressive fee after which a lodge that chooses to not be within the room block prices an exorbitant sum of money. Which means the individuals who work with us find yourself shedding out.”

Right here’s an instance. Comedian-Con is presently two weeks away and, you’d assume, all motels could be utterly offered out. Effectively, as of 9 a.m. PT on Wednesday, July 10, a seek for a one-person room from July 24-July 28 didn’t flip up many outcomes, however it did turn up some. In case you ebook immediately, charges within the fast downtown space vary from $548 an evening to $1,184 an evening. That greater quantity is on the Hilton San Diego Gaslamp Quarter which, during the lottery, prices solely $326 per night time. The most costly lodge in the complete lottery is $420 per night time.

“If attendees decide to not come as a result of they will’t afford to remain at a lodge right here, they’ll go to a different conference,” Glanzer continues. “And if that begins to occur, the studios received’t be capable to make as large an affect, and it turns into a downward spiral that nobody desires to go down. If we will’t accommodate the individuals who need to attend the present then we’re in a fairly dangerous scenario.”

Comedian-Con’s lease with the San Diego Conference Middle ends in 2025 and Glanzer thinks, if this follow continues, the conference could have to noticeably look into relocating. “We’d by no means need to depart, but when push got here to shove and it turned untenable for us, it’s one thing that we would definitely must look into,” he mentioned. “As occasion planners, we’re at all times contacted by completely different cities and it could be reckless for us to not at the very least acknowledge that.”

Learn extra concerning the scenario over at Forbes.com and, if there are any main updates, we’ll let you realize right here. For now although, San Diego Comedian-Con is full steam forward for 2024 and io9 might be on the bottom. Verify again for protection beginning subsequent week.

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