As was foretold, we've added advertisements to the forums! If you have questions, or if you encounter any bugs, please visit this thread: https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/240191/forum-advertisement-faq-and-reports-thread/

[EAST] PAX in Boston until 2023

brizonbrizon Registered User new member
edited February 2012 in PAX Archive
Woohoo

http://www.masshightech.com/stories/2012/02/13/daily24-PAX-East-Bostons-home-til-2023-heres-cash-for-MassDiGI.html

Gaming convention PAX East will be staying Boston for ten more years, extending its contract with the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority through 2023. PAX will also fund the state’s new games institute to the tune of $25,000 per year.

In just two years, the Penny Arcade Expo East (PAX East) has become the largest convention in Boston, posting 69,500 attendees over three days last March. In a release from the MCCA Wednesday, PAX East organizers said that they hope to reach 100,000 attendees per event over the next ten years, making it one of the largest video gaming events in the world.

With the 2012 PAX East convention happening at the same time as the longer-running Anime Boston this year, that number may be reached sooner rather than later. Officially, however, PAX organizers said in the release that they expect upwards of 75,000 attendees in the upcoming convention, to be held April 6-8 at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center.

The Massachusetts Digital Games Institute (MassDiGI) will be getting a total of $325,000 over the next 10 years from PAX East. Based at Becker College in Worcester, was launched in 2011 to promote collaboration between academia and the gaming industry in the Bay State. In December, it named local technology veteran Monty Sharma as its first managing director.

Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray, who helped launch MassDiGI, said in a statement in the release that “PAX East’s commitment to bringing the largest East Coast video gaming convention to Boston and providing an annual donation to MassDiGI complements ongoing collaboration to increase economic activity within the state and foster knowledge-transfer between Massachusetts and the rest of the world.”

Moe Fwacky on

Posts

  • KhadourKhadour Dinosaur Cupcake Hillsboro, ORRegistered User regular
    This makes me very happy.

    Do unto others 20% better than you would expect them to do unto you, to correct for subjective error - Linus Pauling
    xWDsUaZ.png
    jswidget.php?username=cmdour&numitems=5&header=1&text=none&images=small&show=recentplays&imagesonly=1&imagepos=right&inline=1&domains%5B%5D=boardgame&imagewidget=1

  • DirewolfDirewolf Boston, MARegistered User regular
    Very awesome news!

    5I7JEDi.png
  • ckonzeckonze Registered User new member
    This is the best news I have read all month. I live outside Boston and the thought of PAX leaving for some other east coast city didn't set too well with me.

  • XX55XXXX55XX Registered User regular
    Good to hear! Will probably be living in Boston for that next long while.

  • flatlineflatline Registered User regular
    Hopefully this news also means that PAX will get a leg up on the other conventions in the area and have first choice of dates in the future - I wouldn't expect them to conflict with Anime Boston much, or have events over Easter, going forward. The $25k to the Lt Gov's pet project is a very magnanimous gesture, but something tells me it's also a combination of good idea, good PR, and good old political wheel-greasing.

    East 2014 Status: Badge [ Friend got it ] Hotel [Crappy] BYOC [YES] Transport [ ] Name on Forum Badge [ ] Challenge Coin [ ]
  • feitocomfrutafeitocomfruta Denver, Colorado, USARegistered User regular
    My only concern is that the security and maintenance staff won't still be as rude as they were last year. That was probably the biggest turnoff I had after last year. This is a 10 year deal, and because of this, hopefully the MCCA will have a bit more of a respect for the new big client.

  • SmallLadySmallLady Registered User regular
    I wish PAX East was always on easter weekend. Because I already get a 4 day weekend.


    Alas, I'm sure my hopes will be dashed :P

    "we're just doing what smalllady told us to do" - @Heels
  • LinkSmashLinkSmash Registered User regular
    Wow. How awesome. I guess I'm going to make a yearly trip to Boston! Also, I'm with you @SmallLady. Please be on Easter Weekend all the time! 4 day weekend!

  • CreamsteakCreamsteak Thrall Registered User regular
    I wish PAX just didn't end till 2023. That would be a good ten years.

  • Tap Master CTap Master C Registered User regular
    I can't describe how happy I am to hear this news. I had real fears that PAX would move to NYC after 2013. As a born and bred Bostonian, I'm ecstatic to hear PAX East is going to stay in what is arguably the Tech Capital of the eastern US.

    PAX East 2013 Omeganaut

    Hmm... I seem to have misplaced my signature...
  • ThemiscyraThemiscyra Registered User regular
    As yet another lifelong Bostonian, I am SO VERY HAPPY to hear this. Who wants to join in a rousing rendition of Sweet Caroline? Huh?

    PAX EAST 2011 Omegathon Finalist - PAX East 2012 Omeganaut
    After time adrift among open stars
    Among tides of light and to shoals of dust
    I will return to where I began
  • hendusoonehendusoone Registered User regular
    Themiscyra wrote:
    As yet another lifelong Bostonian, I am SO VERY HAPPY to hear this. Who wants to join in a rousing rendition of Sweet Caroline? Huh?
    No... please no... it was bad enough on the Esplanade a couple years ago! :P

    That said, awesome news! I just hope that the plans to expand the BCEC and the available hotel rooms in the area happen sooner rather than later, otherwise I don't see how they'll be hitting the 100,000 people.

    8hiRK4y.png
  • TheAsianKnightTheAsianKnight Shinywoopwoop Registered User regular
    I love it when Conventions I love stay in Boston! (Or other easy places for me to get to)
    My only concern is that the security and maintenance staff won't still be as rude as they were last year. That was probably the biggest turnoff I had after last year. This is a 10 year deal, and because of this, hopefully the MCCA will have a bit more of a respect for the new big client.

    Also I completely agree. Last year some of the security people were just rude to me. One of asked (very rudely and aggressively) to see my badge several times as I rode down the escalator. I showed it to them before I even got on, and they seemed to keep being convinced I never did until I made it to the bottom and just walked away. Also I was with a group of friends, and I was the only one the person was set on seeing. She completely ignored my friends.

    Pax East Check List: Room [X] Registration [X] Pax Pass [X] Pokemon league Gym Leader Team [X]
    Cosplay Check List: WOOPER [X]
    WOOP WOOP!
  • TangoTango Registered User regular
    My only concern is that the security and maintenance staff won't still be as rude as they were last year. That was probably the biggest turnoff I had after last year. This is a 10 year deal, and because of this, hopefully the MCCA will have a bit more of a respect for the new big client.

    Also I completely agree. Last year some of the security people were just rude to me. One of asked (very rudely and aggressively) to see my badge several times as I rode down the escalator. I showed it to them before I even got on, and they seemed to keep being convinced I never did until I made it to the bottom and just walked away. Also I was with a group of friends, and I was the only one the person was set on seeing. She completely ignored my friends.

    It sounds like you guys are referring to MCCA Public Safety - the venue's own security staff, who the PAX hierarchy can't directly control - but if the above comments do refer to Enforcers (which I doubt, but you never know...) please PM me. Thanks!

  • TheAsianKnightTheAsianKnight Shinywoopwoop Registered User regular
    Tango wrote:
    My only concern is that the security and maintenance staff won't still be as rude as they were last year. That was probably the biggest turnoff I had after last year. This is a 10 year deal, and because of this, hopefully the MCCA will have a bit more of a respect for the new big client.

    Also I completely agree. Last year some of the security people were just rude to me. One of asked (very rudely and aggressively) to see my badge several times as I rode down the escalator. I showed it to them before I even got on, and they seemed to keep being convinced I never did until I made it to the bottom and just walked away. Also I was with a group of friends, and I was the only one the person was set on seeing. She completely ignored my friends.

    It sounds like you guys are referring to MCCA Public Safety - the venue's own security staff, who the PAX hierarchy can't directly control - but if the above comments do refer to Enforcers (which I doubt, but you never know...) please PM me. Thanks!
    yeah it's about the MCCA Public Saftey staff I know Pax can't do much about them, but still, it'd be nice if they weren't as rude XD Even if only by chance.

    Pax East Check List: Room [X] Registration [X] Pax Pass [X] Pokemon league Gym Leader Team [X]
    Cosplay Check List: WOOPER [X]
    WOOP WOOP!
  • feitocomfrutafeitocomfruta Denver, Colorado, USARegistered User regular
    Oh yeah, sorry Tango. I was talking about the MCCA security. Enforcers are always wonderful to us.

  • lucazzolucazzo Registered User regular
    Wow. Just... wow.

    Here's a bit more good news: seems another large hotel wants to set up shop in the immediate vicinity of the BCEC.

    Thanks Penny Arcade for making our city a place worth visiting even at the end of winter! =D

    PAX East '11 Team Squirtle Group B - Professor.
    PAX East '12 Team Totodile Gold - Professor
  • zerzhulzerzhul Registered User, Moderator mod
    edited February 2012
    lucazzo wrote:
    Wow. Just... wow.

    Here's a bit more good news: seems another large hotel wants to set up shop in the immediate vicinity of the BCEC.

    Thanks Penny Arcade for making our city a place worth visiting even at the end of winter! =D

    Well, there are expansion plans for the BCEC going forwards. They haven't been 100% finalized but the intent is to effectively double the size of the center, and add two more huge hotels (one of which would be a second attached hotel). Link.

    zerzhul on
  • cocowoushicocowoushi Registered User regular
    zerzhul wrote:
    lucazzo wrote:
    Wow. Just... wow.

    Here's a bit more good news: seems another large hotel wants to set up shop in the immediate vicinity of the BCEC.

    Thanks Penny Arcade for making our city a place worth visiting even at the end of winter! =D

    Well, there are expansion plans for the BCEC going forwards. They haven't been 100% finalized but the intent is to effectively double the size of the center, and add two more huge hotels (one of which would be a second attached hotel). Link.

    This makes me cry happy tears.

    Though I find it hard to believe they will make the center EVEN BIGGER! The convention center in Seattle is already totally dwarfed by BCEC; so it's crazy to think of such huge expansions planned.

  • KoalaBro2KoalaBro2 Registered User regular
    cocowoushi wrote:
    Though I find it hard to believe they will make the center EVEN BIGGER! The convention center in Seattle is already totally dwarfed by BCEC; so it's crazy to think of such huge expansions planned.

    You're not the only one. PAX aside, the BCEC has been having trouble even filling its existing space.

  • zerzhulzerzhul Registered User, Moderator mod
    I think that's largely due to the lack of infrastructure *around* the BCEC. Part of the plans include additional hotels and more of a "BCEC campus" which I think will increase its popularity among east coast shows. Also, having PAX put itself out there as wanting to commit to the BCEC should give other conventions confidence that they can run a top notch con at the BCEC.

  • JerYnkFanJerYnkFan Registered User regular
    I can't describe how happy I am to hear this news. I had real fears that PAX would move to NYC after 2013. As a born and bred Bostonian, I'm ecstatic to hear PAX East is going to stay in what is arguably the Tech Capital of the eastern US.

    I live just outside of NYC and while it would certainly make it less expensive for me, I don't think NYC would have made a good place for PAX East anyway. Now if they could just do something about hotel prices and the T not running 24 hrs :)

  • gigabraingigabrain Some guy...yknow New HampshireRegistered User regular
    The MCCA put out the video they showed at the beginning of their press conference today


    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKNir82buxU

    fclLCwN.png

    Twitter
    3DS Friend Code: 3926-5491-9247
  • AredubyaAredubya Registered User regular
    As a lifelong Boston area resident, I want to thank PA for their long term commitment to PAX East here. At the first PAX East, I was thrilled to ask Mike and Jerry their opinions on how/when to game as a new father (answer summary: farm in WoW, DS games ftw). My boy's a precocious two year old now, and I hope to start taking him to the show next year and beyond. Knowing we've got a full decade of PAX awesomeness ahead of us both truly warms my heart. See you guys soon.

  • Captain Spaulding IICaptain Spaulding II [E] Marlborough, MARegistered User regular
    A few years back the T tried running 24-hour service and found that nobody was using it. Whether that was an issue about lack of informing riders of the change or just true disinterest, who knows. I do know that with their current budget issues, 24-hour service is likely a long ways off.

    Also the MCCA security and concession staff aren't likely to get any better. Being state employees I'm sure they're comfortably settled into a powerful union. I remember last year a concession employee was very angry that his coworkers continued to serve the people in the line until they ran out of food, approximately five minutes after they were scheduled to close. After he stormed off they continued to sell what was left and then shut down.

    All this aside, it's very nice to see that PAX East is staying in Boston for the long haul. I hope they wont be forced to coincide with Anime Boston too many times in the future, but unfortunately the way trade show's tend to book space years in advance, newer shows often have very little say due to the little space left for a show of this size and scope.

  • gilby123gilby123 Registered User regular
    AWESOME. I heard about this at work, but been too busy with work to say much until now.

    "Where would we be without the agitators of the
    world attaching the electrodes of knowledge to the nipples
    of ignorance?" - John Lithgow, 3rd Rock from the Sun
Sign In or Register to comment.