2028 Bid Q&A
Questions for the two bidders for Con 2028 can be submitted here.
Answers to the questions will be added below as the prospective hosts provide answers.
Questions for both bids
What are the tax rates (state sales tax, resort or tourist tax, etc.) for the location?
Albuquerque, NM (yoDaughter/Noam): We didn’t receive a timely reply from our contact at the Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, so here’s the latest edition (published 2025) of Frommer’s Santa Fe, Taos & Albuquerque under Taxes: “In Albuquerque the tax on goods and services is just under 8%…Lodging taxes total about 15%…”
Note that this information was accurate at press time, and that tax rates may change between now and 2028.
[Update] The Gross Receipts Tax is New Mexico’s equivalent of a sales tax, at 7.625% (4.875% for NM, 2.75% for the city of Albuquerque). Hotel taxes are 15.625% and have the following components: Gross Receipts Tax: 7.625; Lodgers’ Tax: 5%; Hospitality Fee: 1%; and Tourism Marketing District Assessment: 2%.
Portland (Endgame): The State of Oregon is one of only five U.S. states with absolutely no state or local sales tax.
Tourists staying in Portland hotels and short-term rentals face a combined lodging and tourism tax rate of 13%, plus a statewide lodging tax of 1.8%, bringing the total effective tax on accommodations to 14.8%. This total is broken down as follows into city, county, and state fees.
Local Portland & Multnomah County Taxes
These fees apply directly to stays within the city limits of Portland:
- City of Portland Transient Lodging Tax: 6% (5% to the city’s General Fund; 1% to Travel Portland).
- Multnomah County Transient Lodging Tax: 5.5% (Funds convention centers and local tourism).
- Portland Tourism Improvement District (TID) Fee: 2% (Dedicated to promoting and marketing the region’s leisure and convention industries).
- Portland Affordable Housing Fee: $4 per night (Applied on top of the percentage)
Questions for just Albuquerque, NM
While the average high for early July in Albuquerque is 91–94°, depending on the source, historical highs for early July have topped 100°. What will it be like both inside and outside if the temperature tops 100°?
yoDaughter/Noam: If it’s 100°F / 38°C outside, the humidity is low enough (in the 40% range) that it’ll feel roughly like 100°F / 38°C outside. June is a (very) low humidity month for Albuquerque and we’re looking at an early July date, so it might be down in the 30% range. In all cases, stay hydrated, wear loose clothing in light colors, and hats with broad brims are better than baseball caps or no hat at all. Don’t forget your sunblock! Albuquerque is at elevation (5,000ft / 1524m) with a lot of sunshine and sunburns are bad.
However, AC is everywhere and YMMV there. Some places will over-air condition and it’ll feel chilly inside and you might want a light jacket. Some places have a reasonable temperature set and you’ll be fine. Some places are in need of a new AC unit and you can tell.
Questions for just Portland, OR
Will you be working alone or do you have anyone specific to help you?
Several Portland Krewe (including Panorama, Nom, and Melete) have expressed willingness to help out with our bid should it win.
From Jenergy: We had a con in Portland in 2010; what new attractions or activities have been introduced to the city since then?
Endgame: There are definitely lots of new activities and attractions in Portland since our last Con here in 2012:
There are always new restaurants, brewpubs, nightclubs, etc. opening in town.
Our airport has been enlarged and revised since then, and is now considered one of the most visitor-friendly airports in the country, according to several sources.
Our art museum has also been refurbished, and features major new exhibitions now or planned for the future.
Our nationally recognized library system has been updated and revised, due to a multimillion-dollar levy approved by our voters.
A sprawling 14-room immersive art experience called Hopscotch Portland, that merges art, light, and technology has opened in the southeast sector of the city.
The Tillikum Crossing, a new pedestrian- and public transit-only bridge now connects the Eastside and Westside.
Portland, OR Detective Game: Solve the Kingmakers Conspiracy! is a role-playing outdoor exploration game that combines the challenge of an outdoor escape game the excitement of a scavenger hunt, and the suspense of a detective mystery investigation. There are also quite a few new escape rooms, self-guided mystery hunts, and pop-culture tours.
Our streetcar system has been extended to the Eastside, and we have a new light rail commuter line, the WES, serving Beaverton, Tualatin, Tigard, and Wilsonville.
Our food-cart scene has greatly expanded, with new entries like Cartopia, Hawthorne Asylum, and Rose City Food Park sprouting up everywhere.
Darcelle XV Plaza, named for our beloved, recently deceased nationally known Darcelle, the oldest continuously performing drag queen in the country, just opened right downtown.
The new Portland Aerial Tram is a lovely experience for only a few dollars. It is ADA-compliant and welcomes mobility-assistance devices.