SAN DIEGO — Next year could be Comic-Cons' last year in San Diego if its contract isn't extended. This Comic-Con was the second year of a three-year contract.
It would be a massive loss to San Diego if Comic-Con moved to another city. The first convention happened here over fifty years ago and has been a staple ever since.
"It would be a huge blow because many people, including myself, look forward to this," said Braden, who attended the convention this year.
He can't imagine Comic-Con happening anywhere else, but its contract with the San Diego Convention Center only lasts through next year.
"The convention center and city cannot fall asleep on this. If we lose this, it's a major blow to San Diego's reputation as one of the leading convention locations all up and down the west coast," said Miro Copic, a marketing professor at SDSU.
He says losing Comic Con would be a substantial economic loss for San Diego as it generates about $160 million for the local economy. Last year Comic-Con had a more significant economic impact than nine combined. Orange County and LA have shown great interest in getting Comic Con and have been very aggressive in the last two bidding cycles.
"It's not a slam dunk. I know we're the odds on favorite, but it's more than 10 to 20 percent that we lose Comic Con. The odds are in our favor, but it's not insignificant," he said.
San Diego has advantages in being awarded the contract. Downtown is very walkable, making it a good place for people to visit. The Comic-Con museum is in Balboa Park, which helps show Comic-Con's commitment to San Diego.
The contract announcement will likely happen before next year's convention.
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