From those who attend the annual Comic-Con International in San Diego and think it's too crowded, one often hears the wish the facilities could be expanded. I'm not sure why. I mean, it's not like the place is so small now that there's nothing to do there during the con. I can understand hoping that more hotels and parking spaces would be built…but a bigger convention center will just mean a bigger convention…and there's already more to see and do than any of us can handle.
That might be good news for those who are habitually late in reserving their badges or exhibit space — they'll have a better chance of getting in — but I'm not sure what it means to the rest of us.
Wait. I take that back. It will probably mean some higher fees. As this article explains, the folks who decide such matters are about to address a proposal for a $753 million expansion of the center which would add 1.27 million square feet, approximately a 50% expansion. There would be 385,000 square feet of new exhibit and meeting space, which would more than double the present size of 204,114 square feet. That all sounds great but someone's going to have to pay for it and as the article says, they're looking at options like increasing the hotel taxes, taxes on cab rides and taxes on food at nearby restaurants.
Even that might all be good news if the expansion improves the hotel, parking and transportation problems associated with convention attendance. I want to wait and see if that's the plan before I cheer on the proposals for making it all get bigger. If the ratio of attendees to available rooms and places to park one's car doesn't get more favorable, this is probably not a good thing.
Nevertheless, no matter what happens, the con will still be better off in San Diego than it would fare in any other city, especially Las Vegas.