Ode to Otakon

[Woodlands]

To me.. Otakon probably wanted to move to DC.. Its a bigger stage/market and will do more to promote the event since it will be in the Nation's Capital.. Issues like the size of the convention center etc probably played a role.. but its hard to compete with DC. I think its certainly a loss for Baltimore and I think that Otakon fit in more with the city's "quirky" character.. Dont know how well it will go over in stuffy old DC.. though DC is starting to let its hair down over the last few years

[Infinite_heights77]

Interesting point made Woodlands!

Originally Posted by Woodlands

To me.. Otakon probably wanted to move to DC.. Its a bigger stage/market and will do more to promote the event since it will be in the Nation's Capital.. Issues like the size of the convention center etc probably played a role.. but its hard to compete with DC. I think its certainly a loss for Baltimore and I think that Otakon fit in more with the city's "quirky" character.. Dont know how well it will go over in stuffy old DC.. though DC is starting to let its hair down over the last few years

[jrh0341]

Yeah, any convention might be better in DC, just because the infrastructure is better suited to handle the event (hotels, metro rail, attractions, etc)

Still, seems like a real loss for Bmore.

I don't get where DC wouldn't accept Otakon though. The difference more realistically would be that there is so much other stuff going on in the city that most of the residents would barely take a passing notice.

"Why are all these people dressed weird?" "Oh... humm" and that would be the end of it.

Between the 7 bajillion tour groups and field trips, the tourists, the random events that already occur, the dupont gay pride parade thing... bunch of kids running around in hot topic outfits and cat ears aren't garnering too much attention.

[Woodlands]

Originally Posted by jrh0341

Yeah, any convention might be better in DC, just because the infrastructure is better suited to handle the event (hotels, metro rail, attractions, etc)

Still, seems like a real loss for Bmore.

I don't get where DC wouldn't accept Otakon though. The difference more realistically would be that there is so much other stuff going on in the city that most of the residents would barely take a passing notice.

"Why are all these people dressed weird?" "Oh... humm" and that would be the end of it.

Between the 7 bajillion tour groups and field trips, the tourists, the random events that already occur, the dupont gay pride parade thing... bunch of kids running around in hot topic outfits and cat ears aren't garnering too much attention.

True....I remember in the run up to Obama's first election.. it was Halloween week and I was on Metro.. a bunch of people dressed in suits and Obama Mask Jumped on the train.. did a dance. and jumped off at the next station..A flash mob of sorts.. People laughed.. then went right back to their papers/black berries/etc like nothing happen .....LOL.>So you are right... They will probably fit in with rest of the cast of characters down there including Congress. They are probably used to Tea Partiers , Birthers, NRA, Tree huggers and the like that show up down there to protest march and raise cain...

[picardlx]

The convention center is not old and doesnt need to be replaced anytime soon. It just looks old compared to the glitzy convention center that DC built.

[Infinite_heights77]

Riding the DC Metro is fun, because you never know who you might run into. I've met a few celebrities on those lines.

Originally Posted by Woodlands

True....I remember in the run up to Obama's first election.. it was Halloween week and I was on Metro.. a bunch of people dressed in suits and Obama Mask Jumped on the train.. did a dance. and jumped off at the next station..A flash mob of sorts.. People laughed.. then went right back to their papers/black berries/etc like nothing happen .....LOL.>So you are right... They will probably fit in with rest of the cast of characters down there including Congress. They are probably used to Tea Partiers , Birthers, NRA, Tree huggers and the like that show up down there to protest march and raise cain...

[choccity]

Otakon will blend right in with the eclectic people there who live for their cell phones. They probably won't even notice them. Used to characters gathering at the mall, the convention center and just downtown period.

[B.K.]

Originally Posted by choccity

The last year for Otakon here in Baltimore is 2017. Leaving because of aging infrastructure and no plan in site for a new convention center. It's 2013, so nothing in the works for the next 4 years? That is the sad story with how the city can lose almost a guaranteed 15-20 million in 2 days to zero. What the what is going on? Tax breaks for Harbor Pointe and no breaks for Otakon. Stupid.

One thing I noticed immediately upon moving to Baltimore was how short-sighted the city government was and is-maybe I was jaded coming from Atlanta, where 35 years ago the city realized it had the potential to become a mega-center if it laid out its transportation infrastructure and marketed itself correctly.
Here everything has always been about "we need/want money now, and we'll do anything to get it, damn the future consequences." Remember Kurt Schmoke's census campaign slogan, "The more people we count, the more money we get. It's that simple." At the time I was new here and that struck me as incredibly crass. Now I just laugh to keep from crying.

[choccity]

Originally Posted by B.K.

One thing I noticed immediately upon moving to Baltimore was how short-sighted the city government was and is-maybe I was jaded coming from Atlanta, where 35 years ago the city realized it had the potential to become a mega-center if it laid out its transportation infrastructure and marketed itself correctly.
Here everything has always been about "we need/want money now, and we'll do anything to get it, damn the future consequences." Remember Kurt Schmoke's census campaign slogan, "The more people we count, the more money we get. It's that simple." At the time I was new here and that struck me as incredibly crass. Now I just laugh to keep from crying.

I noticed too since I've lived here. Like building a casino on Russell Avenue with no regard for traffic, accommodations (maybe the Hilton will turn a profit) and the fact that the casino is being built (wasn't there a chemical company there) so close to a traffic quagmire. I understand making it easy for people to get there from the airport or from Maryland Live or even from the DC area. But now you are making it harder for folks ( like me) who drive south to work, or if you have a football or baseball game now throw in people visiting the casinos, and now buses coming from greyhound terminal which is behind the casino. Did anyone care about the traffic fiasco this is gonna cause? This was a game changer for me.

[jrh0341]

Yeah, you have to admit, Atlanta is doing something right. They have outfitted themselves to host quite a lot of conventions and they are raking in serious dollars because of it. (We even had outs down there last year).

Now lets see if they still build this Stankonia dome they've been talking about.