San Diego’s tourism lobby can claim hero status after the city won its bid to continue hosting pop-culture exhibition Comic-Con International until 2018.
San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer made the announcement at a press conference on 2 July.
“Comic-Con is here to stay in San Diego for another two years,” Faulconer told the gathering in the lead up to the show’s 2015 edition, which will be held on 8-12 July.
Comic Con is a long-standing civic treasure and a cultural icon for San Diego
“If you still don’t understand how much Comic-Con means to San Diego let me phrase it this way; more Superman means more super streets, more lightsabers means more library hours,” he said.
San Diego Tourism Authority (SDTA) officials said Comic-Con International was the city’s largest annual event, attracting 130,000 visitors with a direct spend of US$80.4m (£51.4m) to the city and $135.9m to the region.
The city’s contract to stage the show was due to expire this year.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=52&v=5yncMTyxMHg
Comic-Con International director of marketing and public relations David Glanzer said: “While we are excited to welcome the world to San Diego next week for Comic-Con we are equally thrilled to begin work on having the world’s finest comics and popular arts convention held in America’s finest city."
“We are thrilled to be the home for Comic Con International for two additional years,” said Carol Wallace, president and chief executive of the San Diego Convention Center Corporation.
“We have had a successful partnership since 1991 and we look forward to continuing our shared success,” Wallace added.
San Diego has been home to Comic-Con International since the pop-culture exhibition’s started almost 45 years ago.
“Comic Con is a long-standing civic treasure and a cultural icon for San Diego,” said SDTA president and chief executive Joe Terzi.
Image: courtesy San Diego Convention Center
