Gen Con Files For Chapter 11

Heartless Gamer writes to tell us that Gen Con LLC announced late last week that they have filed for Chapter 11. This move will not affect the still profitable Gen Con Indy event which will still happen August 14-17, 2008. "This action became necessary as a result of significant unforeseen expenses associated with attempts to expand its core business to encompass externally licensed events. [...] The protections afforded by Chapter 11 will allow Gen Con to further its efforts to address its liquidity needs, preserve value for its creditors and explore strategic alternatives for the business." Evan writes to add that this is the result of LucasFilm suing GenCon.

Comments

Why am I not surprised?

[realmolo]

ALL "conventions", no matter what industry/hobby they are about, are run by thieves and liars. Seriously.

Re:What the hell is a Gen Con

[obeythefist]

And nobody is better than gamers at being petty and political when in large groups. I've been involved in the local science fiction convention crowd and I've never known a more incestuous, aloof, and petty bunch of people. Most visitors to the cons missed the point of about half of the events at the cons because they were all what amounts to pretty large circlejerks for the organisers. And yeah, some of them were furries. I'm not sure people like that should be trusted to run large events.

I'm going to jump up and say, yeah, as an Australian, I don't really like America. I'm more free than Americans, so I live in a land more free than the land of the free. Cute, huh? So, we got a four digit telling people on the "internet" that Slashdot is only for people who love America huh? That's a good one. If you were truly free, and truly believed in freedom, you'd respect other people's opinions a lot more than you do. And you sure as heck wouldn't stoop down so low from your 4 digit ivory tower to wrestle in the mud arguing on the internets.

Anyway, I digress. The Gen Con people messed up pretty bad. Colossally bad, I might say. From one of the linked articles:

1. Gen Con failed to uphold its legal obligations in terms of financial reporting, accounting and payments to Lucasfilm ($500,000 in damages)
2. Gen Con did not give auction proceeds to Make-A-Wish as they had agreed to do ($150,000 in damages)
3. Gen Con did not give Lucasfilm their share of the auction proceeds ($150,000 in damages)
4. Gen Con did this all unjustly ($150,000 in damages)

I don't want people who fleece the Make-A-Wish foundation, either through incompetence or malice, to be responsible for things I care about. People capable of that ineptitude are not "most prestigious". Nonetheless, the undeserving will always remain in positions of power. You don't always get what you want, but in a free country you should be entitled to try get it.