Baltimore Living
Best Tourism-Based Economic Impact
Otakon
Published: September 22, 2010
Otakon, the three-day anything-goes anime celebration, is the city's largest and most lucrative convention. Drawing out-of-towners to Baltimore since 1999, Otakon sells out area hotels well in advance and intensifies area vendor sales, making a massive financial impression. Otakon saw its largest attendance in 2010, with 29,274 fans and staff. Visit Baltimore says it expects $18 million from Otakon through 2012, a low estimate considering its $12.5 million contribution in 2009. (Data for 2010 were unavailable at press time.) Baltimore hosted 88 conventions in the last three months of 2009, and two runners-up provided the city a combined 11,000 headcount. Down the street, Camden Yards struggles to fill less than half of its 50,000 seats, though it managed a $167 million impact with 86 games in 2006, the last year The Maryland Stadium Authority studied the economic impact of local sports teams; the Ravens boosted the state with $216 million that same year. That's $30 million per game for the Ravens, $1.9 million for the Os, and $4 million per day for Otakon. Not shabby for a bunch of fanboys and -girls.
To comment you must first create a profile and sign-in with a verified DISQUS account or social network ID. Sign up here.
Comments in violation of the rules will be denied, and repeat violators will be banned. Please help police the community by flagging offensive comments for our moderators to review. By posting a comment, you agree to our full terms and conditions. Click here to read terms and conditions.
