Overview
- City inspectors say Elevue Outdoor told officials of the plan before Comic-Con, was told not to proceed for safety reasons, and installed the six-ton arch wrap anyway.
- San Diego issued successive citations that rose from $10,000 to $50,000 per day, totaling $160,000 after the display remained in place.
- Officials flagged the wrap’s full coverage of the landmark and added decorative columns as reducing pedestrian space and creating a risk that parts could detach and injure people.
- The installation stayed visible throughout Comic-Con and became a major promotional backdrop for Avengers: Doomsday, a reach that industry observers say could outweigh the fine for a studio of Marvel’s scale.
- The dispute highlights San Diego’s long limits on outdoor advertising near the convention center, the growing use of temporary building and landmark wraps during Comic-Con, and the open question of who will be held financially responsible for the penalty.