Marvel Studios has been fined $160,000 by the city of San Diego for installing a large advertisement that covered the Gaslamp Quarter arch during Comic-Con. The advertisement, promoting "Avengers: Doomsday," was erected by Marvel and advertising company Elevue Outdoor despite warnings from city officials.
City officials expressed concern that the temporary structure posed a safety hazard and could impede the flow of large crowds in the downtown area during the convention. "The contractor knowingly created a safety risk and refused to address it," said San Diego spokesperson Richard Berg. The city cited and fined the advertiser accordingly.
The penalties began with a $10,000 fine on Tuesday, the day before Comic-Con officially started. The fines escalated daily the display remained in place: $10,000 on Wednesday, $20,000 on Thursday, $30,000 on Friday, $40,000 on Saturday, and $50,000 on Sunday, bringing the total to $160,000.
The "Avengers: Doomsday" display completely covered the six-ton arch and reduced pedestrian space on Fifth Avenue by adding black columns around its supports. Officials were particularly worried that parts of the installation could detach and cause injury. "The city wants Comic-Con to be a fun and safe event for all attendees," Berg stated, "and has a responsibility to ensure temporary additions in the public right-of-way are installed safely."
It remains unclear whether Marvel or Elevue Outdoor will ultimately be responsible for the fine. Representatives for Marvel Studios and Elevue Outdoor have been contacted for comment.
This penalty significantly exceeds typical fines for advertising at Comic-Con. This year, San Diego issued $48,500 in fines for advertisements wrapped around hotels and other downtown buildings, more than double the previous year's total. The largest fine outside the "Avengers: Doomsday" stunt was $7,000 for an advertisement on a building housing Lou & Mickey’s and the Hilton San Diego Gaslamp Quarter, promoting AMC's "The Walking Dead" and Crave's "Yaga."
Marvel Studios also had a significant presence at Comic-Con, bringing "Avengers: Doomsday" stars, including Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Paul Rudd, Vanessa Kirby, Rebecca Romijn, and Kelsey Grammer, to Hall H. Approximately 7,000 attendees received Doctor Doom costumes during the presentation.
Carl Winston, founding director of San Diego State University’s Payne School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, questioned the city's approach. "The downside is San Diego is being known as the city that chases its customers away," Winston told the San Diego Union-Tribune. "You’d think (the city) would want to cooperate with such a great partner as Comic-Con and its stakeholders. This feels more adversarial than collaborative."