E3 2011 is now in the history books and the organizers of the massive trade show, The Entertainment Software Association, has announced via a press release that the latest edition of E3 in Los Angeles brough in 46,800 attendees to the LA Convention Center this week. While that number is the biggest since the E3 trade show "relaunched" back in 2009, it's still much smaller than earlier versions of the trade show which brought in between 60,000 and 70,000 attendees. E3 organizers turned the show from a huge trade event into a small media only show (just 5,000 or so attendees) in 2007 (held in various Santa Monica hotels) and in 2008 (at the LA Convention Center) before reverting back to the large trade show with booth models and huge exhibits in 2009.
The press release also announced that over 200 exhibitors made the trip to LA to show off their upcoming games and game related products. The ESA also claimed that E3 2011 also brought over $25 million in economic revenue to Los Angeles itself. The city has been the host of E3 for most of its life (besides 2007's Santa Monica show E3 also was held in Atlanta in 1997 and 1998) and that would appear to be continuing. The press release stated that E3 2012 will once again be held in the LA Convention Center on June 5-7.
The Los Angeles Times reports that the current contract between the ESA and the LA Convention Center ends next year and that the ESA is talking with the city about extending the contract. The article quotes the ESA's Rich Taylor as saying, "There have been other places we've looked at". However Joystiq reports via unnamed sources that E3 is staying in LA for at least the next several years.
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