Event will be held June 9-11

ATLANTIC CITY, NJ (Wednesday, May 31, 2017) The Atlantic City Convention Center will welcome back the 16th Annual AnimeNEXT Convention, which will begin Friday, June 9 and conclude Sunday, June 11. The facility will welcome 30,000 anime enthusiasts over the course of three days.  

AnimeNEXT is the largest independently organized Japanese animation (also known as anime) convention in the tri-state area. This three-day event celebrates Japanese and East Asian culture and entertainment, with featured guests such as animators, voice actors and actresses, musical artists, and panelists.  The convention will include concerts, panels, visual artists, workshops, cosplay contests, a video game room featuring arcade machines fresh from Japan, a vendor’s room, and meet and greet opportunities. Attendees are encouraged to dress up as their favorite characters and celebrities from pop culture, which is what people in the community refer to as cosplay or “costume play.”

This year’s notable guests include (but certainly are not limited to): TRIGGER, MAPPA, TMS, CAPCOM LIVE!, OBLIVION DUST, and many more. The three animation studios TRIGGER, MAPPA, and TMS are well known for series that have aired even in the U.S., including the upcoming Little Witch Academia series on Netflix, ReLIFE, and Yuri on Ice. CAPCOM LIVE will feature an orchestral style arrangement with music from popular video games, and OBLIVION DUST -- respected by artists around the world including those from Killing Joke, Sex Pistols, and The Cult -- will rock out with a unique blend of both Japanese and English songs. To learn more about this year’s guests, please visit: www.animenext.org/guests.

Local Atlantic City businesses are expected to greatly benefit from AnimeNEXT at the convention center over three days. The estimated economic impact is expected to reach more than $5 million. In addition, 3,400 hotel rooms have been contracted by convention center visitors.

"We're really excited to be back in Atlantic City for AnimeNEXT! Even though this is only our second year in Atlantic City, it already feels like home. I'm proud of our staff for all the volunteer hours they've put in to help plan for our upcoming show. Also, Meet AC and the local businesses have been a tremendous aid in our planning process,” said Eric Torgersen, Chairman for AnimeNEXT 2017.

AnimeNEXT 2017 will take place June 9-11 at the Atlantic City Convention Center. Operating hours will depend on the day, with registration opening at 9:00 a.m. Friday, June 9 and the final event ending at 5:00 p.m. Sunday, June 11 with closing ceremonies, during which attendees will be able to give feedback directly to the organizers. Attendees can expect to enjoy free shuttle service to travel easily between the convention center, convention hotels, the Boardwalk and parking lots.

Single day tickets will be available for purchase at the door. For more event information and tickets, visit: www.animenext.org.

Follow AnimeNEXT on social media for the latest news and updates:

Facebook (www.facebook.com/animenext)

Twitter (@animenext)

Instagram (@animenextcon)

Snapchat (animenextcon)

AnimeNEXT has been in existence since 2002 and is organized by Universal Animation, Inc. AnimeNEXT has signed a five-year contract with Meet AC up until 2020.

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About Meet AC
Meet AC, Inc. is a 501(c)(6) organization formed and funded as a public-private partnership by the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA) to create economic development through conventions, sporting events, film production and group tourism.  Meet AC focuses on three primary objectives: sales, marketing and services.

For complete Atlantic City tourism and convention information, visit www.meetac.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About Spectra
Spectra by Comcast Spectacor is the expert in hosting and entertainment, partnering with over 300 clients at 400 global properties to create memorable experiences for millions of visitors every year. Spectra’s expertise is embodied within three divisions: Venue Management (formerly Global Spectrum), Food Services & Hospitality (formerly Ovations Food Services) and Ticketing & Fan Engagement (formerly Paciolan). Learn more at www.SpectraExperiences.com.

About the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA) The only agency of its kind nationwide, the CRDA has used Atlantic City casino reinvestments as a catalyst for meaningful, positive improvement in the lives of New Jersey residents since 1984.  Under the 2011 Tourism District Act, the Authority's mission evolved from statewide projects to becoming the state's key economic development agency for Atlantic City. CRDA's expanded responsibilities now include land use regulation, tourism marketing and clean and safe initiatives. The CRDA also oversees Historic Boardwalk Hall (the leading entertainment venue of its size in the country) and the Atlantic City Convention Center.  In total, CRDA has invested nearly $2 billion in more than 400 projects statewide, of which $1.8 billion has been invested in Atlantic City, spurring business investments and expansions, and creating permanent jobs in the process. For more information about CRDA and our projects, visit www.njcrda.com. Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/njcrda.

For destination photos and videos media may visit www.doatlanticcity.com/mediaonline where dozens of assets are available for download. For complete Atlantic City tourism information, visit www.doatlanticcity.com.

Media Contact:
Jessica Merrill
609-449-7147
jmerrill@meetac.com