For now—again—Chula Vista and National City hospitality industries will have to settle for San Diego’s crumbs.
Like the Incredible Hulk’s fists pounding into the asphalt, the steady rhythm of nerds’ racing hearts grows increasingly louder as the 2019 Comic-Con International: San Diego gets closer to starting.
But it’s not just self-proclaimed nerds who are looking forward to July 18.
Hoteliers, motel managers, bed and breakfast operators and restaurants are also anticipating the wave of comic book and pop culture fans who will beam, run and swoosh into San Diego needing places to eat and sleep.
Most of their time and dollars will be spent in the county’s largest city but there will be some places south and beyond that will afford costumed-convention goers treats and sleep on a budget.
In a few years, maybe—MAYBE— some of those heads and stomachs will find their way to Chula Vista and National City in greater numbers.
The Chula Vista bayfront, one of the pedestals that is supposed to raise Chula out of San Diego’s shadow, is supposed to see a major event in the middle of next year when groundbreaking for the area’s hotel and convention center takes place.
Comic-Con is, for now, contracted to stay in San Diego through 2024. Can Chula Vista’s shining development be completed by then? Will this city be in a position to bid for and secure the biggest annual pop culture event in Southern California? Will it have enough to offer Comic Con organizers a legitimate reason for leaving America’s Finest City?
Given the event’s size and the exhibition demands it carries, compared to the projected scope of Chula Vista’s resort and convention center, probably not. But there is no reason to believe, for now, that a sizeable contingent of superhero fans couldn’t be wooed into spending more time in Chula Vista and visiting National City if they have a nice convention-stay headquarters a short trolley ride away. To be continued…
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Speaking of superheroes— those of the caped and non-caped variety—the United States Women National Soccer team returned home from France this week as world champions. Their goal celebration antics aside, there is no denying that they were the superior team in the global tournament.
But what was even more heroic than their on field accomplishments were their public proclamations about unity and acceptance.
After the team won the World Cup, captain Megan Rapinoe told the media: “You can’t win a championship without gays on your team,” she said. “It’s never been done before, ever. That’s science, right there.”
Hopefully there will be a few people dressed as Rapinoe at the annual superhero extravaganza starting next week.
