San Diego's Problematic Night Hotel Scenario Might Lead to Comic-Con's Relocation
Unraveling the Hotel Catch-22 at San Diego Comic-Con
Want a taste of the Vegas Strip right in SoCal? That's what booking a hotel room for San Diego's Comic-Con has become, if you haven't snagged a spot through the dicey online lottery. Yup, we're talking about that infamous, annually attended "Hotelpocalypse". But here's a shocker: some hotels, even the ones Comic-Con heap praises upon, are making it harder for fans, including us die-hards, to score a room at a decent rate during the lottery. And guess who's hurting the most? You guessed it, us Comic-Con loyalists!
In an eyebrow-raising spill to Forbes.com, David Glanzer, the Chief Communications and Strategy Officer for Comic-Con International, let slip that several downtown hotels are keeping rooms out of the lottery's reach, knowing they can sell them outside at jacked-up prices. "You've got some hotels on our side that are incredible, they've offered great deals, but then you've got the others with their greedy paws trying to make a quick buck," Glanzer said.
To illustrate the point, just last week, during Comic-Con's imminent weekend, a bid for a one-person room from July 24th to July 28th turned up a handful of results. The catch? Prices ranged anywhere from $548 per night to a whopping $1,184! That's the Hilton San Diego Gaslamp Quarter, mind you, which flaunts a jaw-dropping $326-per-night deal during the lottery. The most pricy hotel within the lottery itself? Benevolently, just $420 a night.
But wait, the fun isn't over yet. If fans decide to skip the convention due to skyrocketing costs, studios will bear the brunt. "Attendees opting not to turn up because they can't grab hotel rooms means they'll flock to other conventions," Glanzer warned. "And if that happens, the studios won't be able to make as big an impression, and we'll start a vicious downward spiral that no one wants to be a part of."
When the lease with the San Diego Convention Center expires in 2025, Glanzer hinted at the possibility of Comic-Con uprooting. "We'd hate to say goodbye to San Diego, but if things continue like this, we'll have no choice but to look for alternative locations," he said.
So, Comic-Con fans, look out for updates at Forbes.com and we'll keep you posted here. Forget about the latest Avengers or Star Wars release dates, the future of the DCEU, or Doctor Who updates-right now, it's all about Comic-Con and where we'll be laying our heads come 2024!
- In an unexpected turn of events, several hotels in downtown San Diego, even those praised by Comic-Con International, are withholding rooms from the lottery, intending to sell them outside at inflated prices.
- As revealed by David Glanzer, the Chief Communications and Strategy Officer for Comic-Con International, some hotels are prioritizing profit over fan accommodations, a move that is causing distress amongst Comic-Con loyalists.
- During Comic-Con's upcoming weekend, a search for a one-person room from July 24th to July 28th revealed prices ranging from $548 per night to an astonishing $1,184 at the Hilton San Diego Gaslamp Quarter, while the most expensive hotel within the lottery offered rooms for just $420 a night.
- With the San Diego Convention Center lease expiring in 2025, Comic-Con International may be forced to explore alternative locations if the current trend of increasing costs and hotel uncooperativeness continues, potentially ending the convention's tenure in San Diego.