Hotel rooms for Anthrocon sell out in 24 hours

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Anticipation is so high for the furries' return to Pittsburgh this summer that all reserved hotel rooms sold out in less than one day, VisitPITTSBURGH said.

Within 24 hours, over 7,600 contracted hotel rooms sold out after reservations opened on Feb. 2. VisitPITTSBURGH said it made an extra 1,800 available, expanding blocks and finding more hotels. 

Anthrocon, scheduled for June 29 through July 2, is expected to attract more than 9,700 people to the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, bringing in an estimated total of $10.8 million in direct spending, according to VisitPITTSBURGH.

The organization has been working with Anthrocon since 2006 to host the international convention. There are also citywide events planned like a block party and parade on July 1, which everyone is invited to.

Anthrocon board chair Sam Conway said "fans of the artistic and literary genre known as furry" are looking forward to coming back to Pittsburgh.

"Our fandom includes professional sports mascots, animators, cartoonists, puppeteers, artists, illustrators, and writers, as well as those who simply think that it would be a wonderful thing if animals could walk or talk. We look forward to working with VisitPITTSBURGH in the coming months as furries from around the globe plan their trip to Pittsburgh," Sam Conway, Anthrocon board chair, said in a press release.