A new report finds that Comic-Con has a much larger economic impact on San Diego's economy than previously thought.
The report, released by theSan Diego Convention Center Corp, reveals that the annual four-day convention pumps $163 million into the local economy, more than $25 million of which goes toward local hotels. This may be an underestimate of the overall impact, because the study only took into account the half of Comic-Con's 134,000 attendees who stay in local hotels.
It is an economic boon that could be leaving after next year. Comic-Con's board of directors will soon decide whether the convention will remain in San Diego after its contract ends in 2012, or whether it will change locales. Currently, both Anaheim and Los Angeles are trying to lure Comic-Con to their cities.
Mayor Jerry Sanders says he is working hard to make sure that Comic-Con stays in San Diego, and is pushing for an expansion of the Convention Center to accommodate the growing convention.
A decision on where Comic-Con will take place after next year's convention should be made within the next several weeks.
