Comic-Con expected to bring $165 million into San Diego

A new report finds Comic-Con will bring almost $163 million into San Diego’s economy next month, quadrupling earlier estimates.

The new estimate, reported Friday by The San Diego Union-Tribune, reflects a survey that the San Diego Convention Center Corp. commissioned of past attendees. The group also considered the results of an annual visitor study conducted by city agencies, according to the newspaper.

Comic-Con has been held in San Diego since it started as a comic book fair in 1970. It has since morphed into a superhero for convention bookers, drawing more than 125,000 people to the city for four days each summer.

Recently, Los Angeles and Anaheim officials have been trying to uproot the convention starting in 2013.

Earlier this year, in an attempt to keep Comic-Con, San Diego offered to use a half-million dollars in hotel taxes to pay for event shuttle service around downtown and the convention center. City officials also asked hotel executives to sign contracts that lock in room rates for Comic-Con through 2015.

A decision is expected soon.