The Day's Inn where the first Otakon was held is being demolish.

[Daniel Perales 93]

Hi All!

        I just read this on Anime News Network. 

Days Inn Penn State — Home to Inaugural Otakon, Setsucon Conventions — to be Demolished - News - Anime News Network

 

Kind of sad. Only a few of us here remembers this place. 

 

[Clutch 57]

It is tough recalling the layout of the building, but I still remember the Bean Bandit and Lum standees. Don't recall taking any pictures that year. Although I have not been taking pictures at the last few Otakons, either. 🥴

[Revan 33]

Re: standees - I believe there was also a female Ranma standee as well. (She was sitting crosslegged w/ a hand on her chin while wearing a blue... pantsuit(? - don't know the name of them) IIRC.)

I can sorta-kinda remember parts of the hotel - going to different rooms to watch videos, the art room, etc - but I'll never forget the 'Dealer's Closet'. That room was so small and so packed full of people for, what, 4 dealers? My back ached all weekend after standing there in a bad position, holding CDs up over my shoulder so my brother could see them.

Still, it was the one that started it all, so I'll pour a shot of something into my tea tonight in memoriam. There are less than 1000 people who can say they were there at the start, so we are a pretty exclusive club. I don't have any pictures from then, as I didn't pack a camera for the first couple of years. Only cosplayer I can really recall was (again IIRC) a guy who was dressed as Shampoo.

[Clutch 57]

I still have my faded Otakon 1994 shirt, badge, and program packed away.   🥰

Is the Scanticon still around? The conference center in the middle of a field? That place had some cool tech, like remote controls to dim all the lights, awesome seats, and a central video control room.

Edited January 16, 2022 by Clutch

[Daniel Perales 93]

23 hours ago, Revan said:

Re: standees - I believe there was also a female Ranma standee as well. (She was sitting crosslegged w/ a hand on her chin while wearing a blue... pantsuit(? - don't know the name of them) IIRC.)

 

I think there was also a Priss from Bubblegum Crisis, too. Too bad I was never a picture taker. The Dealer's Closet, I still have the CDs that I bought from there.

 

[Daniel Perales 93]

16 hours ago, Clutch said:

I still have my faded Otakon 1994 shirt, badge, and program packed away.   🥰

Is the Scanticon still around? The conference center in the middle of a field? That place had some cool tech, like remote controls to dim all the lights, awesome seats, and a central video control room.

I think the place is now called "The Penn Stater Hotel & Conference Center". That was also the time (1995), when I saw the Sony Playstation in action for the first time in the Video Game Room.