Forum - View topicNEWS: Anime Expo to Move to New Venue for 2008
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starcade
Posts: 204 |
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I'd rather see them cancel the damn thing rather than put people at that degree of risk. (And when people tell me that the thread talking about that is "dumb", I point to concerns like yours -- valid ones! I've heard about it -- I've seen it!!! And they're going to hold big-money leggy-cosplayer central _THERE_???) |
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Kaguzuchi
Posts: 18 Location: Monterey Park, CA |
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This is part of something I posted on another thread but felt it summed up my thoughts here as well.
It's wrong that the SPJA would set the location in an area that would expose its attendees, majority of which are ages between 14 - 20 and relatively unsupervised, to an environment that may jeopardize their safety. I do agree that the convention center is a beautiful area and very safe within two or three blocks, but the closest hotels are well beyond that distance. And considering that the majority of events end well past 10PM, asking attendees, some of which will be extravagantly dressed cosplayers, to trek that distance may well elevate their risk of being harassed or worse. I sincerely hope that the SPJA will consider changing the date and relocating to ACC or try to rebook at LBCC. And if these measures are too late to implement, do what is right and set safety measures at LACC into place starting with a free trolley system traveling from the Convention Center to the various hotels to ensure the safety of its diehard attendees. |
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Nabeshin
 Posts: 94 |
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Exactamundo. They'd have to charge separately just for admittance to that as well, at minimum $30 a ticket. Another thing I have to question is why people were so hung up about LBCC. There was an abundance of parking (I had my choice of lots at 9 am), tons of places to eat within a block or two of walking (not to mention a Gameworks for some non-convention fun), a beach nearby, and probably the easiest navigation I ever had to a convention center (with their plethora of signs to it). I really have a difficult time understanding what the hangup is about Long Beach. There is a plus to getting around with Los Angeles with the subway right there, so getting in and out will definitely help those that live near one of the lines, including the blue to the south, which stretches quite far. Ditch the car and take the train, save some money and a headache if it's an option. Pack some dry snacks-- a few energy/granola bars and a 32 oz water get me through 8 hours walking around every time-- no overpriced, bland con food for me. Last edited by Nabeshin on Thu Jul 05, 2007 5:26 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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dst1
Posts: 6 |
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I'm bet someone already posted this and I did not see it:
Anime Expo 2008 Relocation Petition: http://www.petitiononline.com/AX2008/petition.html Thread: http://forums.anime-expo.org/index.php?showtopic=6331&hl= |
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Tempest
 I Run this place.ANN Publisher  Posts: 10424 Location: Do not message me for support. |
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There's a big difference between car shows, E3 and AX. E3 is a trade show, car shows are consumer expositions, and EX is a consumer convention. With car shows, the consumers go home when it's over, and probably don't come back. With E3, the attendees have expense accounts, and don't mind traveling from their hotel in the morning, going to an expensive restaurant for supper, then the bar, then back to the hotel, all by taxi. Anime Expo is different in 2 regards. Many of the attendees have very limited budgets and prefer to spend whatever money they have at the convention, not traveling. The second difference is that AX is a 4-day, 24hr/day event. Attendees are going back and forth between their hotels and AX multiple times a day. Unlike the car show and E3, AX doesn't shut down at a certain hour. Even if AX arranges for constant shuttles between the LACC and the hotels, it will still be a pain in the ass for attendees to have to commute. Anaheim was a great location for AX, and I think that AX should accept this and just change their weekend so that they can stay at Anaheim. If AX remains stubborn about being on the 4th of July Weekend, AX won't return to Anaheim for 10 years. -t |
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fighterholic
Posts: 9193 |
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Well, they had AX this year not even on the 4th of July, so what if they're a week early or a week late? That's just what I'm not getting about it, glad to see that you like Anaheim as well. |
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Descent123
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I would never, never go to LACC ever again.
Two years ago my friend was killed three blocks away from LACC by a gang member. Three years ago I was attacked two blocks away from LACC. Someone at AX haven't been doing their homework about safety. |
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Viga_of_stars
 Posts: 1240 Location: Washington D.C. in the Anime Atelier |
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...with things like this the fans must do something. I mean decisions have been changed before due to fans right. |
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Descent123
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I hope so. Partly it was my fault being around LACC because I didn't know how dangerous was the area. About my friend, well he didn't know the area too well either. I should had done my homework. |
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P€|\||§_|\/|ast@
 Posts: 3498 Location: IN your nightmares |
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One thing I read about the convention center in Anaheim is that out of all the conventions that are held there throughout the year, AX was one of the biggest and most popular (if not #1 in that regard). It's like the Anaheim Convention Center was made for Expo. There's no reason that Expo should have to be held on a 4th of July weekend, 4th of July was on a Wednesday this year and you can't have the con NOT run on a Friday or a Saturday (even if Wednesday is a holiday). What are you going to do about that huh AX Staff?
Also I noticed when I was there getting to food wasn't all that difficult. There's a Burger King a few blocks south of it and I believe a Mexican restaurant across from it. There's endless restaurants probably only a couple more blocks away on one of the main strips like Katella Ave (I think). I even found a nice NY style Pizza restaurant that was a walkable distance. *signs petition* |
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razberry_yum
 Posts: 169 |
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I like Long Beach more than Anaheim too; the Anaheim convention center just seems CRAMPED, especially for the cosplay gatherings. I'm glad they expanded the exhibition hall last year at ACC; it was getting rather claustrophobic. But the large patio area next to the LBCC and the langoon is ideal for cosplay gatherings, and I also love the presence of the arena and terrace theatre. Not to mention, there are also more restaurants available within walking distance at the LBCC. Someone brought this up, but really, what ARE they gonna do for the main events if LACC doesn't have any large theatre or ballroom areas? |
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razberry_yum
Posts: 169 |
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I like Long Beach more than Anaheim too; the Anaheim convention center just seems CRAMPED, especially for the cosplay gatherings. I'm glad they expanded the exhibition hall last year at ACC; it was getting rather claustrophobic. But the large patio area next to the LBCC and the langoon is ideal for cosplay gatherings, and I also love the presence of the arena and terrace theatre. Not to mention, there are also more restaurants available within walking distance at the LBCC. Someone brought this up, but really, what ARE they gonna do for the main events if LACC doesn't have any large theatre or ballroom areas? |
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ANN_Bamboo
ANN Contributor
 Posts: 3904 Location: CO |
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What are you talking about? There was a lot of food places right across the street. If you had to walk 10 miles to find food in Anaheim, then you're just plain stupid. Even if they have shuttles running in LA for AX, it'll be a mess. The buses will be crowded, and all the cosplayers with their 6-ft wings or giant armor are going to have a helluva time getting around. Plus the LACC is like, two blocks from Skid Row. That's terrible. |
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jvowles
Otakon Representative
 Posts: 219 Location: Maryland |
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Anaheim has a wealth of inexpensive hotels (I got mine for less than $100 a night, two or three blocks away). It's got a ton of family-priced restaurants and fast food places (again, within two blocks). The entire area is flat as a table and thus far easier to walk. It has two enormous convention hotels within 50 yards of its main exit, both of which were fully used by the convention, and both of which offered a decent con rate for hundreds of nice rooms. The entire area is built to be convenient for tourists and travelers.
It's a *far* nicer convention center, massively more modern, with well planned escalators and stairs and elevators. They weren't even using the entire thing -- those big halls in the basement were used only for lines. Long Beach, frankly, sucked. It's barely handicapped-accessible. It's on a hill and it was a good stiff walk up the hill to the other events in the Westin. Yes, there were several restaurants across the street, but none of them were the cheap fare that Otaku beg for, and most were big chains where you can reliably spend $25-30 per person on a meal. Now don't get me wrong, I enjoyed my steak at the Outback, but I never found cheap fare, and found nothing open for breakfast but the hotel buffet at $16 + tax/tip. Mind you, I was paying $200/night to stay six blocks away at the Hilton (and while there was a free shuttle, it did NOT run as advertised). The layout was terrible for traffic flow, not at all conducive to the uses the space was put to. There were several unnecessary crunch points on the main floor (I'd have been pissed if I'd paid for one of the alley tables that kept getting blocked for lines) and a total of ONE escalator leading to the second floor. I never really saw much of the facilities in the Westin, but I've heard from several people that, despite renting the space for clearly stated purposes (party suite, reading room, video room), the hotel seemed unwilling to let the space be used for those purposes, aggressively enforcing their no-loitering policy. I know they shut down a private party in a party suite (a two story party suite with 40 people in it -- just talking, no drunkenness or loud music -- shut down at midnight!). A room with a kitchen and bar and lots of seating, used for a PARTY? Why i never! Clueless worker drones are a common problem -- but the hired staff at the LBCC were (with on older black woman being the exception) universally rude and unyielding. If they'd pulled that crap on my show, I'd have been up in their face with a copy of the contract and a lawyer after the first incident -- you NEVER get a chance to recover the damage done otherwise. |
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GATSU
Posts: 15323 |
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Sakechan:
I might be exaggerating, but exiting the con grounds adds to the distance . Plus walking the sidewalks are fairly lengthy to boot. jvowles: There are plenty of cheap restaurants in LB, if you look hard enough. Also, if you're bothered by the traffic, you can just take the subway and rail there. Edit: Oh, and I call bs on your argument that Anaheim is more disabled-friendly than LB, since the AH sidewalks are narrower than those at LB, and there are less elevators, too. Descent: Why is L.A. considered any more dangerous than Virgina Tech or Columbine? I'm sorry for your friend, but my mom got robbed at a certain street, and I still continue to pass by it every once in a while. |
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