Kumoricon 2016: New Location, New Date

[rachiebird]

Well, what do you know? Kumoricon, October 28th to 30th, Oregon Convention Center.


I have to admit that even before the announcement, I had a feeling that a move was going to be happening soon. Personally, I thought staff did an amazing job with crowd control this year. Lines were short and speedy, I had no trouble getting into anything I wanted to go to. But even so, when a convention has to put the Artist's Alley in a tent, it's usually a sign that it's time to move on.


So our convention is moving up in the world and that's great!


But I'm very curious to know why the date has to change too. An issue with the reservation maybe? No matter how I look at it, a convention that starts right after the the school year begins and ends the day before Halloween strikes me as a really bad idea. Who's going to be able to attend? What about the kids who just started school? What about the people who want to decorate for trick-or-treaters and throw a huge party on Halloween? What about the people with fragile costumes who know fall and winter tend to bring nonstop rain in Oregon?


I know the new date throws a wrench in my plans to attend. I'm probably going to have to say bye to Kumoricon. No way I can do something that close to Halloween and no way my dad will have enough free time during the school year to take me away for a weekend.


So that's how I feel. But what about everybody else?

[PaladinCecil79]

I don't know all the details behind the scheduling, but having it in late October did surprise me. I like the fact that it's not on the same weekend as Sac Anime, but if they were unable to schedule it for Labor Day weekend, they should've tried to have it sometime in August, if there wasn't too much competition with other conventions.
I think part of the reason for relocation was the fact that the Vancouver Red Lion was closing, meaning that they'd probably have to have a small capacity limit. And that is frustrating, because the Hilton was a great location and I will miss holding Team Haberkorn dinners at Little Italy's.
The fact that the Red Lion closed definitely made it a harder decision for where to hold Kumoricon next year, and this is definitely a case where the staff had to pick their poison. But hopefully, it'll go great at Portland's convention center and I wish the staff the best of luck.

[Sailor-Jeimi]

Wow..So now it'll be nasty and rainy at every con I attend..Good job staff. Sakuracon is in spring, Aki is in fall and Newcon is in winter..There's only ONE good season and that's summer, the one con I attend in summer is this one, but nope, good going. Do con higher ups not care about attendees? Don't be Sakuracon, guys. They literally don't care that the only people who were not upset about the forums being gone were the ones who didn't even use them..All the people that used them said how much better it is to have them and gave valid reasons, and they couldn't care less what we had to say..Take a note from that. Having this con now in a season of rain is a bad idea..Can't get this booked at the center for the same weekend? there are like 11 or 2 weekends in summer..You could have picked ANY of those..But you chose a rainy season instead? I don't see the logic in this..
And like others have said in another thread, that's when there's school. So good luck with that.

[VampireFangs103]

I've noticed a similar reaction among many (including myself) that people are excited for the location change, but not about the date change. I think even those who aren't necessarily EXCITED about the location change understand the need for it-- we've REALLY outgrown the wonderful location we've been at. Everyone will be sad to leave Vancouver, but there are just too many of us now for that location.


I agree that Halloween weekend is going to be EXTREMELY difficult. I think there is going to be a drop in attendance--it's in the middle of the school term with terrible weather. I personally have friends in college who always have midterms that week, which makes things even MORE difficult. Some people will have to choose between Halloween plans and Kumoricon plans. It's frustrating. HOWEVER, this is what I learned from talking from a staff member during the con (and of course it's my OWN understand of it, so I could have easily misunderstood): when booking for the convention center space, there is a certain contract (the convention center has?) that makes it so we can't be within a certain time period of ANOTHER con. This kind of confuses me, due to the fact that it's a CONVENTION CENTER. However, despite the fact that I like misunderstood this somehow, it's very likely that this has a LOT to do with the date change. As frustrating as it may be, I can certainly see how hard it would be to reserve the space given this odd rule.

[Negima]

HOWEVER, this is what I learned from talking from a staff member during the con (and of course it's my OWN understand of it, so I could have easily misunderstood): when booking for the convention center space, there is a certain contract (the convention center has?) that makes it so we can't be within a certain time period of ANOTHER con. This kind of confuses me, due to the fact that it's a CONVENTION CENTER. However, despite the fact that I like misunderstood this somehow, it's very likely that this has a LOT to do with the date change. As frustrating as it may be, I can certainly see how hard it would be to reserve the space given this odd rule.

You're close actually.  From what I've gathered from friends, the Convention Center has a rule that similar conventions can't be within one month of each other.  Rose City Comic-Con is around the third week of September.  This means that even if the Convention Center was available Labor Day Weekend for Kumoricon, they wouldn't have been able to get it due to how close it is to RCCC.

[PaladinCecil79]

Then if it was possible, they should've chosen to have it sometime in August instead.

[acton]

Kumoricon is  a local convention we'er Oregonians  for sake, we embrace   the rain 

I can see the non-compete clause; i.e keeping Wizards World from  trouncing on Rose City Comic Con.
August may been better but the dead time  in  October be better getting guest and not compete with other. It seems many cons run from early fall to early spring. October is not uncommon some may think.


The bigger issue is how will  Kumorcon handle late night events. Is the Oregon Convention center open late night or will we have use the double-tree  too?   

[alxreaper]

Kumoricon is  a local convention we'er Oregonians  for sake, we embrace   the rain 

I may be naive but, since it is gonna be at a convention center and not a hotel, it is likley to be a indoor rather than an outdoor con. so wouldnt the weather situation is less of a problem?

[rachiebird]

Kumoricon is  a local convention we'er Oregonians  for sake, we embrace   the rain 

I may be naive but, since it is gonna be at a convention ceter and not a hotel, it is likley to be a indoor rather than an outdoor con. so wouldnt the weather situation is less of a problem?

atcon: In any other situation, I'd agree with you 100%. I don't mind getting damp during the winter because I know I can always head home and change my clothes. But at a convention where most people only bring a couple of outfits (and don't usually have access to a clothes dryer), getting wet is a huge pain. That's not even getting into all the wigs/props/fullbody costumes/body paint/hug me signs that could be permanently damaged by a sudden bout of rain. Heck, some of the costumes I saw this year either wouldn't have fit under an umbrella or wouldn't have given their owner the required mobility to hold one.


As for alxreaper: Yes... and no. Even though a convention center is able to hold all the panels AND the dealer's hall AND the artist's alley AND usually couple food options, the trade-off is that unlike a hotel, attendees won't be able to rent a room in the same building and come downstairs for the action. Attendees will, at the very least, have to walk/drive to the center every day, in their costumes. Also, most photoshoots will still be outside.

[PaladinCecil79]

Speaking of walking in rain, I know how difficult that can be.
I had a very frustrating moment regarding that at Aki Con's first year in '08.
I took a train there and when I got to the station in Everett, I ran into a couple of other people attending and chose to walk to the hotel with them. The only problem was, none of us knew where to go and it just happened to be raining.
Because one of my bags contained prizes for my Anime Christmas panel wrapped in layers of newspapers, I had to position my umbrella inside the bag and hold it against my body, so the paper wouldn't get rained on.
It took a while for us to find the hotel, and by the time I got there, my body was so worn out, as if I had run three triathlons. At first, I thought it'd be okay and the feeling would wear off shortly.
But for some reason, it didn't. It lasted all weekend and I couldn't get any sleep that night.
I could also barely eat and was rarely outside of my room when I wasn't attending or hosting panels.

Whenever I hold anime horror stories panels, this is one of the ones I share.

[Yu]

The location is disappointing, I really loved the park adjacent with cheap fair food.


I don't mind the time at all.


I'm weird, I like sun but I just love October. Couldn't really pin-point the reason, just something about the atmosphere that only lasts for a month or so.
I also love that I'll have an excuse to be out on Halloween ( my friends are lame and celebrate zero holidays)


I wouldn't worry about rain. It's been unseasonably dry the past two years. Think it rained more this week than it did all of last fall and spring combined.


My only ( slight) concern is that it'll be the same weekend as Aki-con, and I always prefer smaller cons,


Tbh, my first thought at the time change was that it was a middle finger to Aki- con, but in reality it's probly just the only " Kumori" weekend they could get.


Oh..but does that mean no more four-day con?

[BlackjackGabbiani]

The dates are ok, the location is GREAT! and something that should have happened five years ago.

There are lots of places to get food, including a Burgerville right across the street and Lloyd Center just a few blocks away. Although while it's a good distance for food, it isn't for photo shoots. And aside from some small areas, there isn't a good place for those. Maybe set up a room or area with various backdrops or basic props.

[VampireFangs103]

Oh..but does that mean no more four-day con?

Yeah. It'll be going back to three days since it's not a holiday weekend =/ it'll probably stay that way unless we can somehow get Labor Day weekend back, and even then, who knows if they'll change it back to four days.


I will admit this kind of bums me out--I LOVE it being four days, since the last day is kind of a half day.

[Sailor-Jeimi]

The location is disappointing, I really loved the park adjacent with cheap fair food.


I don't mind the time at all.


I'm weird, I like sun but I just love October. Couldn't really pin-point the reason, just something about the atmosphere that only lasts for a month or so.
I also love that I'll have an excuse to be out on Halloween ( my friends are lame and celebrate zero holidays)


I wouldn't worry about rain. It's been unseasonably dry the past two years. Think it rained more this week than it did all of last fall and spring combined.


My only ( slight) concern is that it'll be the same weekend as Aki-con, and I always prefer smaller cons,


Tbh, my first thought at the time change was that it was a middle finger to Aki- con, but in reality it's probly just the only " Kumori" weekend they could get.


Oh..but does that mean no more four-day con?

For the Akicon thing, that honestly depends on Akicon..They don't ALWAYS do Halloween weekend. I've been going since 2012..Not one of them took place ON halloween..Jsut NEAR it..So next year Akicon might do it the weekend after or even before. They know people would prefer another con over them so there's no way they'd be ok with having their con at the same time as another close HUGE con..They know they would have just about NO attendees and would likely not want to risk hoping people show up.
2012 was the 27-29th
2013 was the 26-28th
2014 was oct 1st-3rd.

[Yu]

Eh, on/near. Any excuse to celebrate a holiday is good enough or me. Point being- I like October-ish cons.

[Valkyrie542]

I understand that the attendance has grown, with approximately six thousand con-goers this year (whoo!), and the convention center does make sense; I just think that the location is rough and the timing is awful.


I liked the Vancouver location because it was easier to explore and travel within the con space, and push the borders a bit to do some exploring with the shops and restaurants (despite all the bars).


Also, Vancouver had amazing locations for photoshoots: the Columbia river, the park with the clock tower, Marine Park, staircases, walkways, Fort Vancouver, and such - I always find something new every year and it feels so exciting.


With downtown Portland, there just doesn't seem to be as much variety...


I get the feeling that these plans were made in a panic; maybe things will be smoothed out the following year.


But if Kumoricon is going to be held in October, one of the rainiest months of the fall season, I don't think I'll go next year; which is a shame because I love going and I've been attending since 2011. :/

[BlackjackGabbiani]

Honestly I don't think that it could be rainier than this year. And we also had the walk between buildings as well.

[rachiebird]

Honestly I don't think that it could be rainier than this year. And we also had the walk between buildings as well.

Well, this year we got a little bit of rain, mostly drizzle and mostly contained to one day, which was seriously unusual for the time of year. However, during autumn, when the new date falls, it's not at all strange for it to rain for several days straight.


As for the walk, I don't think anybody's saying it isn't time for a change of location. It's just the change of date and possibly what the location is being changed to that is the issue.


(Also yikes! Looking at a map, I have to say I really disagree with you about food too! Kumoricon had a subway across the street, a great Italian place maybe a block away, and other stuff nearby. Here I'm seeing burgers, burgers, and fast food. As a vegetarian, I think I'd either have to bring my own food or buckle up for a long drive. And I thought Oregon was supposed to be MORE veg-friendly!)

[acton]

I have to disagree; food was one of the sore spots with Vancouver. I ether  ate at the Tiger Garden or head  out to the burbs.  I do not think of the convenience store or subway as food. and I was not impressed by the Italian joint.  My taste is more upscale. There a Red Robbin and Burgervile in waling distance or hop on the max for simple to five star dining in down town Portland.   

[derek anthony]

I am looking forward to it, and remember the convention center itself has consessions inside of it, like cuchina rossso, dragon boat grill, and Portland coffee co ( note, which stand is open, varies on the hall the show uses, the one exception is the Portland coffee co, which is usually open during a event ,) here is a map of the food vendors- https://www.oregoncc.org/visitors/inside-occ, go to the site, and click on restaraunts for the map, note it does not show the Portland roasting company, which is through the south doors on mlk, and down the hall leading to hall d, and for food outside the convention center, there is a red robin and a denny's and also a burgerville down the street, there is also a starbucks, on grand ave across the street from the convention center

[rachiebird]

The thing is, while I'm sure Burgerville and Red Robin have really great, amazing, delicious food, the fact remains that for vegetarians like me, they still only have one option each on their menu. I like a little more variety than that. Especially since the two other people who would be coming with me are also vegetarian.


Not that that really matters since the new date makes it impossible for any of us to attend anyways!!


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[Sailor-Jeimi]

I have to disagree; food was one of the sore spots with Vancouver. I ether  ate at the Tiger Garden or head  out to the burbs.  I do not think of the convenience store or subway as food. and I was not impressed by the Italian joint.  My taste is more upscale. There a Red Robbin and Burgervile in waling distance or hop on the max for simple to five star dining in down town Portland.

The thing is, while I'm sure Burgerville and Red Robin have really great, amazing, delicious food, the fact remains that for vegetarians like me, they still only have one option each on their menu. I like a little more variety than that. Especially since the two other people who would be coming with me are also vegetarian. Not that that really matters since the new date makes it impossible for any of us to attend anyways!

Have to agree here..



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[Yu]

Wow. This got nasty real fast.

I have to say I'm somewhere in between.

I don't like subway either. Not becasue I don't like sammiches ( I love jimmy Johns) I just don't like thier sammiches.
Eight dollars for a pile of iceberg lettuce between super-fat bread and an extra $2.00 for just enough meat to notice? No thanks.

And no, Red Robin is not what I consider "Fancy".

A variety is always good. It's great to have locations that are cheap and quick- since we all want to eat and get back to the con-but at the same time, conventions are my vacation and I like to spoil myself on vacation so it's nice to have at least once fancy sit-down type place to gt together for my final "End of con" get together with friends.

I honestly have no idea why anyone is complaining-unless they just like to complain, and as this is the internet, I'm not ruling that out- this area is great for everyone.

For those who like quick and cheap there is the rather large food court at the Loyd Center Mall. As I recall, it's got some pretty good stuff.

And for those who don't well- it's Portland for God's sake! I'm sure you'll find a multitude of over-priced, pretentious, organic, gluten-free, vegan restaurants. i know there four whole Foods in Portland, they have good hot food.
I'm hoping to get some of their carnitas, since the ones here stopped selling it.

And Id know that there is a very good pizza place near-by.

[rachiebird]

You're absolutely right. Kumoricon is the only big thing I do all year and having it suddenly changed to a date that's inaccessible for me is pretty frustrating. But I'm also guilty of being pissy and argumentative just because I can. So, sorry about that. Personally, I'd still say that having to do that kind of travel for food is a little harsh since most people want to get back to the convention ASAP, but again, it's not really my place to judge anymore since I won't be there.

I'm sure you'll find a multitude of over-priced, pretentious, organic, gluten-free, vegan restaurants.

I do have to say that seems a little hurtful though.


Anyways, I'm glad the new date/location woks out well for some people at least, and I hope you guys have fun. Maybe 2017 Kcon will iron out all these kinks and find a nice happy medium for everybody.


But for those of us who are gonna have to start going somewhere else for our anime fix, are there any experienced veterans who can recommend good Oregon/Washington/maybe California conventions that happen over Summer break? Especially ones that aren't too overwhelming in terms of size?

[MayMagica]

The reason I'm upset is that I'm going to be in school on the new dates, so I won't even be able to attend. And if I did, it'd be too cold to wear the costumes I plan to make.

I live in Portland, and I'm downtown a lot. I'd have to agree, there's no where cheap or fast to eat unless you like ethnic food at foodcarts (I personally don't)

[Animeman73]

-Sits back in comfy chair.- Folks I've been going to Kumoricon since well...2007 when it was at the Red Lion at Jantzen beach otherwise know as the infamous year of epic fail. I'm eager to see what Kumoricon does in 2016. I'm going top be doing research on the hotels nearby. I've been inside the conevtnion center adn i can tell you for a fact there's some good eating places in there. The convention is going to be great I think, however until the convention can get it's groove on I think we're going to see a slippage in membership next year, but perhaps I'm being too over-pessimistic. Being that I'm legally blind but am close to the MAX I can use it and the buese to get home after the convention much easier. My only advice to everyone is this, stay away from Lloyd Center folks, that place has become bad news.

[BlackjackGabbiani]

People have also always had the option of bringing their own food. Hotels and motels alike have mini fridges.

[Yu]

The reason I'm upset is that I'm going to be in school on the new dates, so I won't even be able to attend. And if I did, it'd be too cold to wear the costumes I plan to make.

I live in Portland, and I'm downtown a lot. I'd have to agree, there's no where cheap or fast to eat unless you like ethnic food at foodcarts (I personally don't)

That's too bad but think of it this way- if people under 18 could do whatever they wanted there would be no perks to getting only, only responsibilities.


The wait makes it so much sweeter.


On that note, I'm curious why the con will be reduced to a three-day convention.


I understand that it was only four days because of labour day, but wasn't that just a convenience? Are there really so few people who could not get a Friday and Monday off of school or work, even with sufficient notice in advance?


Or is it another issue? Like higher hotel/con center rates on weekdays?

[MayMagica]

The reason I don't like the change is that I'm going to be in school on the new dates, so I won't even be able to attend

That's too bad but think of it this way- if people under 18 could do whatever they wanted there would be no perks to getting only, only responsibilities.

I don't really understand what you mean? I'm just saying they're going to lose tons youth attendees because like you said, we can't do whatever we want. It's something I really look forward to every year, and it just makes me really angry/upset that now there's no way I'll be able to. The part where you basically tell me off for being younger than you is totally irrelevant to what I'm saying.

[PandaPanda]

When I heard that con was moving to Portland I thought "Yeah that's okay! I can still make it work. I'll be getting my license this year!" But now the date has changed too? And it's a day shorter?!

I wish con could last as long as possible even with 4 12 hour days. So making it a day shorter is pretty depressing.

The date is what threw me off the most. Labor Day weekend is the bet time because it's still warm out AND more people have that weekend off. Having a random Thursday and Friday off won't settle well in the work environment. I feel uncomfortable lying to get time off for con but looks like I'll have to play hooky if I want to go to con next year. Very disappointing.

Not to mention, we're in the North West. The end of October is one of the nastiest times of the year here. I think the staff keep forgetting where we are and what our weather is like. -_-

I wonder if there will be a lot less people going this year now because of the dates. It rained last weekend and ruined one of my props. And it wasn't even that bad. I can't imagine what will happen next year unless the con is completely inside. But if it is inside that'll also suck because who wants to be in a building with thousands of others bodies? Sounds suffocating...

[PandaPanda]

Well, I'm sorry you're too classy to eat a sandwich. The thing is, while I'm sure Burgerville and Red Robin have really great, amazing, delicious food, the fact remains that for vegetarians like me, they still only have one option each on their menu. I like a little more variety than that. Especially since the two other people who would be coming with me are also vegetarian.


Not that that really matters since the new date makes it impossible for any of us to attend anyways!!

I know what you're getting at and I completely agree! I just gotta say...Red Robin has one of the best veggie burgers I've ever had!! I'm a vegetarian too and I'm with you all the way. She's wanting to eat at expensive 5 star restaurants. But most of us spend all of our money on the badge and costumes, so we like cheaper food. At least, that's what it's like with my friends. :/

Though I find con is the best time for semi fasting XD I usually bring trail mix with me to con and maybe some fruits~ So far, it seems like your opinion is the same as mine ^^

[Woodrat]

The move in site will kind of hurt on a personal level as I’m used to the Red Lion and the Hilton and loved to sit in the park and watch what was going on. But as has been stated, the move to a larger place has been somewhat needed, especially now since the Red Lion is shutting down.  Lots of folks seem to be excited for the move and albeit a few apprehensive as a move to a new place means new things to get figured out, new territory to explore, and lastly new problems.

Well, and has been stated before, the move of the date to the end of October however is a tad confusing and I think going to put a tiny bit of a hit on attendance for the convention.
I have a couple friends that have wanted to come to Kumoricon from Colorado for a couple years now but either money or personal issues have prevented them both years. Now it’s going to be the timing. Both are school teachers and not surprisingly October tends to be in the middle of the school year for them that flat out means Kumoricon 2016 is a no go for them, which sucks.
For the most part, it seems that our attendance is with the youth. Either middle and high school aged folks or those of around college/university age. Halloween while a holiday usually doesn’t shift your schoolwork load any if at all and isn’t time that most schools give off. If I wasn’t already old and graduated from university I probably wouldn’t be able to attend just for the time wise alone.

Weather is a bit of a lesser factor but I think still going to be an issue. Especially in terms of what cosplays folks will want to roll with. End of October at least in my part of Oregon tends to have heavy frost and a chill in the morning that doesn’t let up until about midday. I’m not necessarily sure how that’s going to work out for Portland but from the sounds of things it’ll be raining and drizzle. It might not be a big factor since we’ll be indoors but it could still be an annoyance and a problem for some cosplays. For me, weather is going to be a major factor, what is rain in Portland is snow/sleet/ice on the mountains around where I live, and the vehicle I’ll be driving has a nasty tendency to turn into a hockey puck in slick conditions. That said, driving in downtown Portland also is … difficult as I've discovered in the past couple years. I assume the convention center has parking of sorts, but I also guess it's not cheap or free.

I understand that it was only four days because of labour day, but wasn't that just a convenience? Are there really so few people who could not get a Friday and Monday off of school or work, even with sufficient notice in advance?

I have no idea how it works with where you work or go to school, but getting time off around a holiday of sorts can be a royal pain in the butt where I'm at. Mostly cause everyone wants those dates off but not everyone can get them. That said, it also won't just be a Friday and a Monday off if you're coming in from out of town. From the sounds of things it's going to be the 28-30th. Which is Friday, Saturday, Sunday. Unless you want to drive Thursday night or super early Friday morning (I've done it several years now would not recommend) you'll probably need Thursday off as well so you can get a hotel room and be there ready, refreshed, and good to go in the morning. Also, depends if Sunday is a full day, or half day. If it's a half day then good, you have the rest of the day to do your traveling back home. If it's a full day well, you either have to duck out and leave early or travel home on Monday. So worse case scenario, one may need Thursday through Monday free, my guess is at the very least one will need Thursday and Friday free, and has been stated previously. Asking for Thursday and Friday off can be, awkward depending on the reasoning you give.

In all honesty, I think it would've been a better idea to push Kumoricon to be earlier in the year rather than later. The location seems good enough and a much needed boost but the timing seems questionable and might lose a lot of people. Time will of course tell but, for me personally I'm on the fence on whether or not I'll be able to go, if it was about a month in the opposite direction it'd probably be a definite yes, but this late into the year I'm not so sure.

Overall, we'll just have to wait and see what happens.

[Yu]

The part where you basically tell me off for being younger than you is totally irrelevant to what I'm saying.

Oh for the love of...being offended is a popular past time in the interwebs isn't it?

I wasn't "Telling you off" I was TRYING to give you a silver lining, a bright-side, something to look forward to. I know it isn't much, but it is something.

Little known fact-everyone who is older than 18 was once younger than 18. So we have all been in your shoes and we sympathize. Everyone knows that missing a couple days of school isn't going to affect your education any. Hell, you'd probably learn more by being at the convention but nooooo you still have to go to school instead.

It sucks.

But consider it a right of passage, and your first adult convention as a sort of Bar/botmitsva for the anime fan. You can proudly flash your adult badge, rent your own hotel, stay out all night and attend every fricken adult panel because you can! Without that wait, it wouldn't be nearly glorious.

...that is all I was saying.

[acton]

On that note, I'm curious why the con will be reduced to a three-day convention.


I understand that it was only four days because of labour day, but wasn't that just a convenience? Are there really so few people who could not get a Friday and Monday off of school or work, even with sufficient notice in advance?


Or is it another issue? Like higher hotel/con center rates on weekdays?

Labor day is a holiday but for a four day  con we would have to take  two day off form work, this maybe hard for some of us especially when I do not get a paid vacation.

[ldkstar]

These are my personal opinions/observations and are  not an official response of any kind from the staff



My thoughts as someone who comes all the way from Seattle for this Con


1. The convention center is only ten more minutes away on I-5. I, and anyone else coming from far away should be able to handle this.
2. More space. It's very obvious that the con has outgrown not just the current hotels, but hotels in general. Unless their is some giant hotel in Portland or Vancouver  that can accommodate 6,000+ guests, panel rooms, viewing, main events stages, etc, this was the right move.
3. The date. Conventions are planned 9-months to two years in advance. I have no problem saying that I am sure the board looked at a number of venue and date options and most were probably eliminated, due to size constraints, non compete clauses, distance, far out dates(December, February, etc ), nearby hotels, etc. People seemed to be focused on the date, and I understand that Kumo has a younger crowd, so I can see why people are upset about it. However, I do not believe the date was chosen in ignorance or malice towards any attendee, it was probably the best date they could get given the circumstances.
4. Personal opinion here, nothing against panels. I am not a panels person, so four days of panels is too much. Loosing an extra day is not the worst thing in the world, when it's mostly extra panels that will be lost.
5. Weather. I am not a warm weather person, so I will enjoy a con in the fall. I hate the heat, I was actually glad the weather was so cool most days this year.
6. Most public schools do not let out for the Friday before Easter, so I assume most people have the same problem at Sakura Con of having to be in school for at least one day(I went to a catholic university, we got the whole weekend off).
7. Time off/four day weekends. I am 27, have a professional job that gives me 40 hours of PTO a year and four floating holidays, most con goers are in the 17-22 range and do not have these luxuries. For many people prepping for con involves a lot of shift switching, working extra hours upfront so that they do not loose out on income, finishing school projects early, etc. A four day weekend without a holiday in there, would be impossible for most people. I imagine it was pretty difficult to begin with. Labor day is a major retail holiday, and most managers would be reluctant to let their staff off during such a huge sales event.


That is all for now, I am sure I will have more as this thread gets bigger.


Again, these are my personal opinions and should be viewed as such.

[MadMoai]

I'm in a similar situation to other people who have posted before: because I have school in October and I live a state away from Portland, I wouldn't be able to make it down for Kumoricon on Halloween weekend, which was disappointing because I've attended every year since 2012 (except this past year; the timing didn't work out -- I guess that's only three years, but it still feels like a tradition) and had an awesome time. Having the con on Labor Day weekend was one of my favorite parts about it because it was always a good opportunity to have fun and relax right before school started.

I also think it will be odd going back to Kumoricon in a few years for me because I enjoyed the Hilton and the nearby park and surrounding area and started identifying it with the con as a whole, since Kumoricon was the only time of year I'd make the drive down there. Having it at a new location will make it feel like a different con, at least for me.

But as much as I can be nostalgic about the changes and wishing it'd be the same con forever, I can see how the new location and date are necessary changes with the growing attendance, removal of the Red Lion and scheduling issues that others have mentioned. I won't be able to attend Kumoricon again until probably 2019, but I'm looking forward to seeing how far it's gone when I finally do get the chance to go back. Kumoricon is getting bigger and better, and it will be interesting comparing my experiences from several years apart.

[wana10]

Unfortunately kumoricon should have taken the hint after the disaster that was the hilton weekends a few years back and moved to the convention center at that time. Now, assuming the no-compete rule is true as rumored, they've lost out on the holiday weekend slot and moving forward into summer also moves them into a more expensive time slot (I'm assuming, I know in Seattle summer convention space is way more expensive than fall/winter and I can see no reason why Portland wouldn't follow the same trend).
All boils down to 'you snooze you lose' and while kumoricon went back across the river RCCC swooped in and snagged the prize.

[Himeno]

I don't think there is a "no compete" rule, that would be counterproductive to the convention centers needs (hosting events and making money). There is an event that could be considered "similar" to Komoricon the weekend before.

Large event spaces like convention centers often need to be booked years ahead and it can be very hard to find the space the event needs to hire the closer to the event it is. This is why larger events like Sakuracon or Anime Boston that need most or all of the building have contracts in place years out (Anime Boston booked in with their current venue for 6 years in one go, Otakon signed their contract for DC 3 years ago - the first Otakon in DC is next year).

As it is, Komoricon doesn't have the entire building. There are 4 other events using other parts of the convention center for some or all of the time Komori is there. From what is posted on the convention centers website, it appears that Komoricon is using about 1/4 of the building.

[acton]

I been to a few  Rose City Comic con. One  thing I need to point out is the  entire center  is enclosed indoors. There is a huge space  between the exhibitors hall and  panel rooms  with plenty of space to lounge. The also two indoors cafeteria style restaurants, one coffee shop and one bar.  Once inside weather is moot.  Transportation is better because there is a max stop right outside side.  Where in Vancouver  renting a car was a must  for me. 

[baka-imouto]

As it is, Komoricon doesn't have the entire building. There are 4 other events using other parts of the convention center for some or all of the time Komori is there. From what is posted on the convention centers website, it appears that Komoricon is using about 1/4 of the building.

Oof. Only three halls? This is going to be interesting. I wonder how panel and main event spaces will be laid out.

[Himeno]

As it is, Komoricon doesn't have the entire building. There are 4 other events using other parts of the convention center for some or all of the time Komori is there. From what is posted on the convention centers website, it appears that Komoricon is using about 1/4 of the building.

Oof. Only three halls? This is going to be interesting. I wonder how panel and main event spaces will be laid out.

I would expect that the normal meeting rooms near those exhibit halls are also going to be used. It appears that when an event books one of the major spaces (exhibit halls, ballrooms), the site doesn't list any of the smaller rooms they have also booked.

[baka-imouto]

As it is, Komoricon doesn't have the entire building. There are 4 other events using other parts of the convention center for some or all of the time Komori is there. From what is posted on the convention centers website, it appears that Komoricon is using about 1/4 of the building.

Oof. Only three halls? This is going to be interesting. I wonder how panel and main event spaces will be laid out.

I would expect that the normal meeting rooms near those exhibit halls are also going to be used. It appears that when an event books one of the major spaces (exhibit halls, ballrooms), the site doesn't list any of the smaller rooms they have also booked.

I really hope that's the case. Otherwise things are going to be pretty cramped and noisy.