Gen Con Has Doubled In Size Since 2010

This year's Gen Con set a new record, with 61,423 individual attendees (that's 197,695 turnstile). The annual growth since 2010 has been 9%, and it has more than doubled its attendance since then. Of course, Indianapolis hasn't doubled its number of hotels, so it's not all good news! Next year's convention moves back to August, starting on August 4th, 2016.

Here's the full press release for those who enjoy press releases!

Gen Con 2015 Continues Six-Year Streak of Record-Breaking Growth

INDIANAPOLIS (August 3, 2015)Gen Con 2015 has set an all-new attendance record with a unique attendance of 61,423 and a turnstile attendance of 197,695, creating a six-year span of record growth. Since 2010, Gen Con has more than doubled in attendance. Year-over-year, Gen Con has experienced 9% attendance growth, primarily driven by 4-Day and Family Fun Day badge sales. Gen Con also has raised more than $38,500 for the convention’s Official 2015 Charity, The Julian Center.

Gen Con 2015 also was the first time that the convention held more than 400 exhibiting companies and sold out the retailer-and-educator-focused Trade Day. The convention was Co-Sponsored by Mayfair Games and Paizo Inc.

Gen Con will return to Indianapolis for its 49^th convention on August 4-7, 2016.

Gen Con 2015 Quotes
“Another year, another life-changing Gen Con! While it always seems impossible, the global Gen Con community continues to find ways to keep coming up with new, bigger ideas on how to make each Gen Con the best yet. On behalf of the entire Gen Con team, I would like to thank our attendees, sponsors, exhibitors, volunteers, event organizers, local partners, and the city of Indianapolis. Gen Con appreciates your warm welcome and Hoosier hospitality.” - Adrian Swartout, CEO/Owner of Gen Con LLC

“The ‘Best Four Days in Gaming’ is always a fun time in Indy, and this year was no exception. Gen Con is an important contributor to Indy’s economy, and more importantly, a great partner organization. The entire city enjoys this convention, and I was delighted to once again welcome Gen Con to Indianapolis.” - Greg Ballard, Mayor of Indianapolis

“After 13 years of hosting Gen Con, it’s clear that Indy gets Gen Con and Gen Con gets Indy. Gen Con is a one-of-a-kind cultural event that energizes our city and drives more than $67 million in annual economic activity. Central Indiana’s hospitality community is incredibly appreciative of our partnership with Gen Con and we are proud to be the home of the world’s longest-running and best-attended hobby gaming convention. We congratulate Gen Con’s leadership team on yet another year of record-setting attendance in Indy.” - Leonard Hoops, president & CEO of Visit Indy.

"What an amazing four days in downtown Indy! With so much to do and see, Gen Con continues to be the most dynamic and exciting convention to grace Indianapolis. The weather was perfect and the Convention Center and Georgia Street are close to so many activities that really showcased downtown Indy as a great place for people to gather and enjoy themselves. Sun King is grateful for our partnership with Gen Con and look forward to working to make next year even better." - Clay Robinson, Co-Founder, VP of Marketing, Sun King Brewing Co.

“We are extremely grateful to the organizers of Gen Con and all those responsible for the many charity events as well as the generous, friendly attendees this weekend. Everyone was so friendly and interested in learning more about our work helping those who are dealing with domestic and sexual violence in Indianapolis. Thank you for selecting The Julian Center as your charity. Your generosity truly helps us save lives and empower hundreds of women, men and families to live safe, independent lives.” - Catherine O’Connor, President and CEO of The Julian Center.

 

[vonschlick]

I have a few quick questions. I was thinking of attending Gen Con next year and was looking for some advice. The last Gen Con I attended was in 1984 at UW-Parkside (Yes I'm old, sort of). Where is the best place to stay? When does registration start? When are the best times to do what? Any other things I should know when planning my trip.

Thanks

 

[Riley]

Chicago has more than enough convention center space in Mcormick Place and without question enough hotel space. Seems like the most likely scenario to me.

Illinois also has a welcome lack of legally-sanctioned discrimination.

Adrian Swartout, the CEO of Gen Con, told The Associated Press on Thursday, the convention’s opening day, that a competitive offer from a state that grants gays and lesbians that status [extending civil rights protections to the LGBT community] could be a “catalyst” pushing the event to relocate when its contract expires in 2020. Chicago has shown interest, and Orlando, Fla., also is a possibility, she said.

http://www.indystar.com/story/news/...ls-broader-lgbt-protections-indiana/30914743/

Chicago is, in this case, my kind of town!

 

[Kinak]

I have a few quick questions. I was thinking of attending Gen Con next year and was looking for some advice. The last Gen Con I attended was in 1984 at UW-Parkside (Yes I'm old, sort of). Where is the best place to stay? When does registration start? When are the best times to do what? Any other things I should know when planning my trip.

This year, badge sales started in late January and housing opened right after that.

The housing situation changed a bit this year (from first-come-first-served to a lottery system that didn't crash their servers). No word yet whether they'll be doing the same thing for 2016, but I'd suggest signing up for their email list and keeping an eye on things.

The main considerations for hotels are how close they are to the con and cost. A price that'd get you a single room within walking distance ($195 for us this year) could get you a suite that's a short drive away ($175). If you do need to drive, keep in mind parking can get expensive.

If you're not coming as a family or group already, definitely find some folks to split rooms with. There aren't enough hotel rooms for everyone to have their own and it helps keep costs down.

I'd generally suggest Thursday and Sunday as time for the dealer's hall. Friday and Saturday tend to be busier. So hit up some seminars or games Friday or Saturday. I usually spend Thursday scoping out the hall and Sunday picking things up, but grab anything you really want Thursday because plenty of things sell out.

That's everything I can think of. Enjoy GenCon! It's still the best four days in gaming.

Cheers!
Kinak

 

[qstor]

I booked my room in September 2014 for this year. I think the hotels on the GenCon housing site sold out in like 15 minutes.

 

[TheSwartz]

There are TONS of hotels in and around Indy; TONS. My guess is that people are only using some abbreviated list based on what gencon.com lists and of course if you're looking for something within 1 square mile (in any city) it's gonna be limited no matter where you're at..

 

[jedijon]

How do you grow at 9% and double in 5 years?

I see plenty of kickstarters, but I'm not seeing more game stores, webstores, retail shelf-space, new collectible lines...so Con attendance has "doubled" and that means what?

 

[Queer Venger]

I recommend you register as soon as it opens and stay by your computer the day the hotel blocks are released, its your best bet to grab a room in one of the downtown rooms. However, my friend stayed at a couple of hotels near the airport and got great deals, but you do have to budget to take bus/uber/taxi to the ICC. Also, if you pick a hotel a bit away from downtown, try to grab a hotel that has free shuttle service. Im probably going to do this.

At the rate Gencon is going I would say move it to Vegas, its looking like San Diego Comic Con has already blown up where it will have to move soon. Vegas has everything a con of this size can need, and you dont need to worry about hotels selling out.

Plus it has even more booze

 

[JediSoth]

Vegas will never care about Gen Con the way Indy does because Gen Con will be just another convention in a desert town that has conventions every day.

 

[eyeheartawk]

Vegas will never care about Gen Con the way Indy does because Gen Con will be just another convention in a desert town that has conventions every day.

So?

I'm more concerned with having adequate parking, downtown hotel space and convention center space, than having people "appreciate" the convention's patronage. People in Vegas, Chicago or wherever will like our money well enough. I can live without a special gaming microbrew for the first couple of years after the move.

I would rather attend a convention where all of the events are actually fit in the convention center rather than overflowing to a train station blocks away.

 

[Celebrim]

There are TONS of hotels in and around Indy; TONS. My guess is that people are only using some abbreviated list based on what gencon.com lists and of course if you're looking for something within 1 square mile (in any city) it's gonna be limited no matter where you're at..

There are about 19000 hotel rooms in Indianapolis. That's one of the best totals in the Midwest, but if you start pulling in say 45000 or 75000 visitors on a weekend it's going to get crowded (I have no idea what percentage of con goers are local and what percentage travel). If GenCon were to double again (which I think is unlikely, but who knows), then Indianapolis probably wouldn't be able to handle it. By comparison, Chicago has about 105000 hotel rooms, and about 3 times the convention floor space (even so, getting a good hotel in Chicago isn't always easy). So while I'm not happy about the idea of GenCon in Chicago (a lot happier than I would be with Orlando though), I can see it as a very logical solution (really the only solution) if space gets even more cramped.

I think you are generally correct that providing rooms within walking distance of the convention center is going to be hard in any city. I think Indianapolis has something like 7000 rooms downtown, whereas Chicago only has about 9000 in the area of the convention center because you can't count the whole of downtown Chicago as being close to the convention center. And room prices for down town hotels in Chicago are going to be about 50-100% higher than that of Indianapolis. So if GenCon goes to Chicago it's not going to solve the problem of getting housing near the convention center.