Comic-Con International will stay in San Diego for at least four more years, San Diego mayor Jerry Sanders announced on Monday.
The year’s preeminent fanboy convention has extended its contract with the city’s beachfront convention center through 2016, ensuring more revenue for the city and local business owners. The contract had been set to expire in 2015.
Comic-Con has been operating out of San Diego since 1970 when it was founded as the Golden State Comic Book Convention. It has grown exponentially since then, and over the past decades has become as much about Hollywood stars as comic book creators.
Studios bring genre-appropriate films and TV shows to the costumed masses, while others browse the convention hall for actual comic book paraphernalia.
The San Diego convention center has hosted the event for more than 20 years, but with crowds now swelling to more than 130,000 people, event organizers have grumbled about lack of space.
The attendees take over much of the Gaslamp Quarter, including restaurants, bars and hotels, for the better part of a week. The convention injects $180 million into the local economy and raises $3 million in tax income.
The next Comic-Con International will take place July 18-21, 2013.
