The planned $500 million expansion to the San Diego Convention Center appears dead, with the San Diego City Council voting not to appeal a court decision that eliminates funding for the project through an increased room tax, according to Voice of San Diego.  San Diego Comic-Con had been one of the big drivers seeking an expansion, and had been evaluating a move of the show to another city before San Diego city officials began moving forward on the expansion. 

The expansion had originally been approved in 2012 with a planned completion in 2016 (see “SD Convention Center Expansion Greenlit”).  Ground was supposed to be broken in 2013, though, so that 2016 date was probably already out of reach.  The expansion was to be adjacent to the current convention center.  Comic-Con International had extended its contract to hold Comic-Con in San Diego through 2016 at that time.   

Comic-Con has used space in adjacent hotels and outside the convention center to expand the footprint of its events and other activities, but that path is maxed out so the only way for the convention to grow is if the San Diego Convention Center expands or it moves.  Changes are unlikely to happen quickly, but this decision could be the first step toward a major change in America’s most important geek culture show.