Anthrocon

[Softpaw]

This just in to the Lupinia News Center: The Adams-Mark hotel in Philadelphia, PA, has just announced that it is closing its doors effective January 31, 2005. The hotel has been sold to the American retail chain Target, which allegedly plans to tear down the building. <br><br>This news comes as a particular shock to the staff and attendees of Anthrocon, a furry/anthropomorphics convention held at the hotel each year. <br><br>This is Sir Felix Lockhart for the Lupinian News Center, we'll keep you up to date on this event as it unfolds. <br><br>[cue Land Rover commercial]<br> <br>Links:<br><a href='http://www.livejournal.com/community/an ... 40742.html' target='_blank'>http://www.livejournal.com/community/an ... </a><br><a href='http://lupinia.us/forum/viewtopic.php?p=2804' target='_blank'>http://lupinia.us/forum/viewtopic.php?p=2804</a>

[Softpaw]

[end commercial break] <br><br>This is Sir Felix Lockhart for the Lupinian News Center, and we're back with an exclusive interview with the chairman of Anthrocon Inc., Dr. Samuel Conway. <br><br>[cue Uncle Kage in front of a bunch of microphones, holding a bottle of Sake] <br><br>We have not spoken to the management yet, and do not know how accurate these reports are. The hotel may simply be re-flagging, or it may indeed be shutting down operation. If the latter case is true, Anthrocon still has a signed contract with the management, which must be honored by the new owners. We will post announcements here as information comes in. <br><br>[cut back to Felix] <br><br>Speculation is running rampant through the online communities of those involved with the convention, but there is very little hard information available at this time. <br><br>We will keep you up to date as more information becomes available. Stay tuned for an all-new episode of "The Dogcatcher". <br><br>This is Sir Felix Lockhart for the Lupinian News Center, signing off. <br><br>[cue commercial for fur shampoo]

[Zylo]

Aye, that sucks. Wasn't there talk of moving it to Pittsburgh or something?

[Foxchild]

to pitsburg? really, now?... ooh, that'd be cool! eh, won't get my hopes up for that quite yet =P

[Softpaw]

There are plans to move to the Pittsburgh convention center in 2007, they couldn't go any sooner than that, and Pittsburgh is the closest convention space that fits all the needs of the con (space, accessibility, timeframe, pricing, etc)

[hdofu]

Hmm *hopes that a Swift Fox/ Kage Conflict will not evolve out of this*

[Burning Sheep Productions]

I've wanted to go to Philidelphia if I went to America, and that's where Anthrocon happened to be!<br>So it'd be a shame if it moved...

[dabomb4097]

Hmm, that kinda sucks. Hope they find a good alternate location.<br><br>-db

[Steve the Pocket]

<!--QuoteBegin-FelixSoftpaw+Nov 30 2004, 11:42 PM--> <table border='0' align='center' width='95%' ><tr><td class='quotetop'><b>Quote:</b> (FelixSoftpaw @ Nov 30 2004, 11:42 PM)</td></tr><tr><td class='quotebody'> The hotel may simply be re-flagging, or it may indeed be shutting down operation. If the latter case is true, Anthrocon still has a signed contract with the management, which must be honored by the new owners. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table> <!--QuoteEEnd--><br> Hmmmm, sounds like the contract is going to keep Target from tearing down the hotel then, at least until the contract expires.<br><br>Heh heh...wouldn't that be funny, Target buys a hotel planning to rip it down, and then they find out they're not legally allowed to, so they're stuck with a building they can't use! <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://definecynical.mancubus.net/forum ... iggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo--> I don't really have anything against Target but I can't help but see that as poetic justice.

[Softpaw]

UPDATE: According to Uncle Kage (Anthrocon chairman), Target does indeed intend to tear down the building, which isn't actually covered by the contract. However, the Adams Mark hotel chain may be liable for it, in which case they'd have to cover the expense of finding a new venue on short notice.<br><br>In an unprecedented related event, Anthrocon received calls all day yesterday with offers of replacement convention space, so hopefully the transition will be relatively painless.