Awesome Con Coming to DC + Help Break a World Record!

Awesome Con DC caught my attention in 2013 and although I was not able to attend, I put that little feather in my hat, awaiting a 2014 return. 

Well, it's back and looks bigger and better. This comic-con is happening on April 18-20. The location is the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. I can't even begin to list all the appearances, autograph sessions, and programming, but here are my 10 brightest highlights:

10. Record Setting Capitol Cosplay: The organizers want to set a record for "largest gathering of people dressed as comic book characters." Surprisingly the record is currently only 1,530 people. Awesome Con wants to break this world record at the U.S. Capitol Reflecting Pool at NOON on April 18.

SERIOUSLY, WE NEED TO BREAK THIS RECORD DC. DO IT. GET DRESSED AND TAKE A DAY OFF OF WORK. OR DON'T. COME DURING YOUR LUNCH BREAK. WHATEVER. JUST BE THERE.

9. Awesome Con partnered with Hollaback and now has an official harassment policy. Please abide by it! Also, pretty much abide by it for the rest of your life.

8. Samwise Gamgee will be there! (aka Sean Astin).

7. Rudy will be there! (still Sean Astin).

6. Tons of dealers and comics, including DC based Big Planet. 

5. They have an astronaut! Everyone loves astronauts. Pam Melroy served three missions to the International Space Station, which is basically the most awesome thing a person can do for a job.

4. ERNIE. HUSDON. [sound of me dropping mic]

3. They're throwing an Afterparty. Actually, it's on Friday, so kind of before almost everything else. 

2. Andrew W.K. is performing the official "con-cert." [Black Cat. Saturday, April 19]

1. Kids Free! Kids 10 years old & under, with adult admission. Seriously, click this just to see a really cute kid dressed as Spider-Man.

Enjoy Awesome Con DC. And let's break that record!

1,175 Key Convention Center Hotel Tops Off

Lots of construction near the Convention Center.

The long awaited Washington Convention Center Hotel is moving right along. The hotel, now known as the Washington Marriott Marquis, is located at 901 Massachusetts Ave NW. The hotel just topped out at 14 habitable floors and is slated to open on May 1, 2014. 

At 148.5 feet tall, it isn't the tallest modern building in DC (doesn't even crack the top 20), but its 14 above ground floors ties it in 2nd place with a few others. The Renaissance Washington Hotel has 15 floors.

One of the developers recently noted that at 130 feet below ground, the excavation depth for the Marquis nearly equaled the above ground height, which really is extraordinary for a building of this size. The below ground floors will contain meeting spaces, parking decks, and an underground walkway to the Convention Center. When finished, the Marquis will have 1,175 guest rooms.

There is a special job training program for this project happening right now: Washington Marriott Marquis Jobs Training Program. It's for DC residents only, and is free. Participants are not guaranteed a job at the hotel upon completion, but it looks like the training goes a long way towards that goal.

The front of the hotel on Massachusetts Ave NW

The back of the hotel at corner of 9th and L Streets NW. Above ground floors are labeled.

New Hotel Attempts to Boost Convention Center

Builders will incorporate the circa 1915 United Association building.

The Washington Marriott Marquis hotel is under construction at the corner of 9th and Massachusetts NW. Not just another DC hotel, this behemoth development is key the city's plan to stay competitive with convention bookings. The Walter E. Washington Convention Center is located across 9th street from the hotel site. It is competing with --and often losing out to-- the National Harbor's Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center. The Gaylord is coincidentally operated by... Marriott. 

The main driving forces behind the building of this hotel are to give convention attendees and organizers an option to stay at the convention site and the option to stay together; as opposed to scattered around the District in various smaller hotels. The Marquis will have 1,175 rooms and suites, second to the Marriott Wardman Park with 1,300. The Omni Shoreham has 836 rooms. The Gaylord at National Harbor has 2,000. 

Will the Marquis be able to save the District's convention business? That was the plan when Mayor Fenty, Representative Eleanor Holmes Norton, and Marriott company officials were on hand to break ground in November 2010. The hotel will be closely tied to the Convention Center. There will be an underground concourse between the two structures. Inside the hotel itself will be 128,000 square feet of meeting/ballroom space, six restaurant & bars, and 31,000 sq ft of retail. The building will be 14 stories tall. However, most of the new meeting space will be below street level, down to 94 feet. That's nearly 10 stories below ground. Delivery of the Marquis is expected in spring of 2014 and Marriott has already begun signing contracts for rooms and conventions.

Builders are seeking a LEED Silver rating. The entire development will cost $520,000,000. The District and the Washington Convention and Sports Authority are contributing $206,000,000 of the total. That's 39.6% of the total cost. That's less than the city contributed to Nationals Park (virtually 100% of $535 million), but more than any other entity so tied to a private company, that I know of. 

I'm really interested in this development. As a citizen, I'd like to see the District's convention center investment pay off, financially. On the other hand, I can't say I support helping one of the world's largest hoteliers build a hotel which will likely produce the same profits without city help.

I personally think too many medium and small sized cities built convention centers in the 1980s, 90s and 2000s. But DC ought to have a successful and vibrant space. I'm also really intrigued about the fate of National Harbor. Will it embrace its identity as a large resort that strives largely due to its proximity to nation's capital? With a planned casino, multiple hotels, and an over-curated collection of retail, restaurants and bars, it seems to be leaning towards resort town, not a true edge city or even bedroom community. Very interesting case(s). I'll be keeping an eye on both developments as each builds  towards completion. 

Looking west towards the Marquis from the convention center.

9th and L Streets NW

L Street