Entry tags:

DashCon or DashConned?
*So... is there any chance of a write up on DashCon happening? Because I am hearing rumours of it being spectacular, but have been completely unable to find much because Tumblr is terrible.

Thank you FW for coming through:

DashCon is a convention run by... possibly 17 year olds that was supposed to be a celebration of all things Tumblr Fandom. Unfortunately, things got sketchy quickly when con-goers were herded into the convention ballroom and told that they needed to raise $17,000 by 10 PM or the con would be shut down.

Donations poured in, though anons reporting from DashCon appear skeptical.

Questions arose. Skepticism continues to mount despite DashCon "response".

Popcorn continues to be consumed, as ONTD gets in on the action.

There's some positive word on the street from DashCon is a bit of a mixed bag. From the curt to the effusive.

More sources in the comments since I am having trouble keeping up reading and adding them all at the moment.

Edited to add:
A statement from Welcome To Night Vale about why they dropped out.
More on WTF is Wrong with DashCon in list format.

7/14/2014 - DashCon carnage continues (Sorry if I miss something but you guys are still awesome at bringing the links):
* Baker Street Babes (who were initially curt but polite about DashCon) reveal that DashCon did not in fact "take care of" their previously comped room that became a room they had to pay for that was a computer glitch that is now again having to be paid for by the Baker Street Babes.
* The Random Act - Misha Collins' charity has disavowed all knowledge of DashCon fundraising in their name.
* Mark Reads had a pretty good time, and debunks several of the rumours re: DashCon.
* DashCon stories have hit Jezebel and io9, though given current state of Gawker sites, they're basically Tumblr/meme curators by this point, so YMMV on relevance.
* DashCon organizer cries. I guess this is supposed to be guilt-inducing? Are these people too young to remember that we eat our young around here. Not linking because not 100% sure if the rumours that they are underaged are true.
* There was NO PUBLIC MASTURBATION at the BDSM panel. The fact that I even had to say this just tells you everything, doesn't it?
* The WTNV confirm they took in Noelle Stevenson. Dammit fandom_wank, I had to figure out how to direct link to tweets for you.
* Practically nobody believes DashCon's staff saying WTNV "just walked".
* Best "masterpost" of DashCon debacle I've seen on Tumblr. Now with corrections.
* Linkdump by mindset
* DashCon staff ~~AMA~~ just venting on 4Chan

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to collapse.

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argylespy
2014-07-13 06:34 am UTC (link)

Seriously, I can't imagine that the booking/payment policies are really that different from an industry convention or a business conference or a wedding -- which there was at least one person pointing out that there were two being held at the hotel at the same time DashCon started. So why this whole thing would get so out of sorts just because people were showing up in silly costumes is beyond me.

Your explanation makes a lot more sense, though, especially since even a lot of the con's supporters have been pretty quick to point out that DashCon's actual attendance fell really far short of their projected attendance.

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seanchaigirl
2014-07-13 03:46 pm UTC (link)

Yeah, exactly. For the hotel, this is an event like any other. I sure hope the organizers aren't putting it about that they're being discriminated against for being fandom nerds or whatever. If so, they are underestimating the requests and strangeness that goes on at other conventions.

I've been in hotels where conventions of religious people (the kind that want to bless you in the elevator and sing A LOT) are happening, and hotel staff was polite and professional - same with the convention of bikers that was taking place at a hotel I stayed at in DC. I'm friendly with the staff at the convention center and the hotel that hosts Anime Boston and they just get the job done. If this hotel comes down on DashCon, it's not because the staff are a bunch of meanies or *normals* who are prejudiced against people in funny costumes. It's because this is a business transaction for the hotel and they expect con organizers to treat it as such.

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argylespy
2014-07-13 03:57 pm UTC (link)

Yeah, from what I can tell, it seems like the line they used when they initially wrangled everyone into the room to ask for the cash was that the hotel hadn't been expecting so many people being dressed so strangely and panicked and asked for the $20,000 up front. But then in their "explanation" post they say that they'd owed the money all along but thought they were on a weekend-long payment plan and the hotel changed that on them without warning and then go on to claim that the hotel's been nothing but understanding and friendly and are looking forward to having the con back next year.

So ... even if there isn't something shady going on, these people clearly have no idea what they're doing wrt cons, money management, or professionalism and I wouldn't trust them with a single cent of my money.

On a lighter note, I was just at Anime Boston this year for the first time and it was one of the best con experiences I've had!

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	annepackrat 2014-07-14 04:02 am UTC (link)
	Reading the entries by the girl who volunteered as a committee head apparently this whole thing was a clusterfuck from the word go. Getting your funding from a group of random and underage fandom volunteer committees? How the hell did they think that would go? And why did they not ask another con's staff for advice? (Reply to this)(Parent)

argylespy
2014-07-13 04:06 pm UTC (link)

Found this comment on the FFA thread with further speculation about why the sudden demand for the $20,000 that seems feasible enough as well, especially considering their constant harping about "upper management":

And now that I am reading more closely:
We worked out a plan with the hotel to give them money slowly for the entire course of the weekend, which was more than 100% feasible for us. However, 12 hours later

Why did they work out a payment plan only 12 hours before the whole thing went down? Wouldn't that basically be the day of the con, or the day before? So what happened is they signed a contract that said the money was due on the 11th. On the 11th, they asked the hotel employees if they could make successive payments over the course of the weekend because they did not have the money yet? Hotel staff agreed to this but apparently without approval of their management, who insisted the money be paid on the 11th?

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solelyfictional
2014-07-14 08:52 pm UTC (link)

This was my instinct - that this was money they were already meant to have paid. Possibly they hoped the number of on the day sales would be enough to make up the difference (assuming the other 3500 congoers they were hoping for would turn up), but the hotel looked at the current level of attendees and decided they couldn't risk waiting even another day in case the organisers stiffed them.

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