San Diego Convention Center

The top executive of the San Diego Convention Center abruptly resigned his $117,000-a-year job Wednesday after allegations that he held half a dozen private parties at the center--at taxpayer expense--that included his family and friends. Tom Liegler, 63, the general manager of the Convention Center since 1985, submitted his resignation, effective in 30 days, because "recent events have affected my ability to manage the center effectively," he said in a prepared statement.

SAN DIEGO - More than 24 hours after arriving in town for Comic-Con International, movie producer Daniel Alter had an admission: He hadn't actually been to the Con. "The truth is that for industry people, there are so many great parties that you don't have to go to the convention center anymore," said Alter, chatting at an exclusive rooftop bar with a drink in his hand and a VIP pass around his neck. Most know Comic-Con as the jampacked geekfest where 130,000 fans wait in long lines to see movie, TV, video game and comic book presentations at the San Diego Convention Center and listen as their favorite stars repeatedly say things like "Without you guys, the show would not exist," as "The Walking Dead's" Andrew Lincoln told the enthusiastic crowd during the panel for the hit AMC television series.

The former head of the San Diego Convention Center authorized $150,000 worth of questionable expenses, including consulting contracts for several of his industry acquaintances from Anaheim Stadium, without proper bids or adequate documentation, San Diego auditors announced Tuesday.

Calling Comic-Con International in San Diego his "home away from home," director Sam Raimi brought a new trailer for his "Oz: The Great and Powerful" to the cavernous Hall H on Thursday afternoon, and the new footage impressed the thousands on hand at the San Diego Convention Center. A backstory about how the Wizard of Oz arrived in the city, the Disney film stars James Franco (who replaced Robert Downey Jr.), Mila Kunis, Michelle Williams, Rachel Weisz and Abigail Spencer, the last three of whom play witches . "I don't want to be a good man," Franco says in the trailer.

The top executive of the San Diego Convention Center abruptly resigned his $117,000-a-year job Wednesday after allegations that he held half a dozen private parties at the center--at taxpayer expense--that included his family and friends.

The big question surrounding the "America's Dance Honors" ceremony Friday night at the San Diego Convention Center was not who would win or lose, but who would show up to claim the trophies. After all, the names of some of the top winners had been released in advance, and some of the leading contenders in concert dance had pulled out of the competition after their nominations were announced. In fact, two major stars of dance were eliminated from the program--and, presumably, from the awards.

Call it a clash of the titans. San Diego has been home to the wildly successful comic book and pop culture convention Comic-Con International for nearly 40 years. But with the four-day festival surging in popularity and outgrowing the San Diego Convention Center, Los Angeles and Anaheim are vying to steal the lucrative show away. "Wherever it goes, that would be a very significant convention to land," said Doug Ducate, president of the Center for Exhibition Industry Research, a Dallas-based nonprofit group that tracks the convention and trade show industry.

The San Diego Foundation for the Performing Arts, San Diego's leading modern dance presenter, will move into the vanguard of dance education next week when it launches "City Moves," an ambitious dance education and performance project for San Diego schoolchildren. The program was outlined at a press conference Monday. "City Moves" will involve 250 children ages 8 through 18, as well as 50 local dancers, in its inaugural year.

William R. Hoffman has been named sales manager for the San Diego Convention Center.

When Martin Luther King Jr. had a dream, I really don't think he had the San Diego Convention Center in mind. CAROLE BRUMMETT Chula Vista

Comic-Con International Where: San Diego Convention Center, 111 W. Harbor Drive, San Diego When: Wednesday (preview night) 6-9 p.m.; Thursday-Saturday 9 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sunday, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Price: Sold out Information: http://www.comic-con.org

Over the years, Comic-Con's movie-centric Hall H has offered some pretty great surprises. Robert Downey Jr. has been involved with a few of them. Hugh Jackman, who unexpectedly turned up at a "Wolverine" panel back in 2008 and sent the crowd into a tizzy, helped make for a classic moment. But lately the Comic-Con surprise has felt about as fresh as your Uncle Murray's surprise birthday party. The problem? So many of these types of moments have been orchestrated over the years that they've ceased to be, well, surprising.

Homer Simpson, Stewie Griffin and SpongeBob SquarePants are the kinds of characters you'd expect to see hanging around the teeming corridors of Comic-Con, the annual comics, games and toys convention that gathers through this weekend in San Diego. But what about those crooning kids from "Glee," Fox's live-action hit? Where exactly is the comic-book connection to USA's crime procedural "White Collar"? Tell us again why there's a panel devoted to "Dexter," Showtime's sly serial killer drama, which was adapted from a novel, but not one of the graphic variety?

Even if Los Angeles fails to woo one of the nation's biggest gatherings of comic book fanatics, the city at least has netted a major conference of computer techies. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is expected to announce Monday that the city will host Microsoft Corp.'s Worldwide Partner Conference 2011, a gathering of the company's staffers and business partners July 10 to 14 next year. The conference is expected to bring about 15,000 attendees, who would spend an estimated $45 million, officials say. It would be one of the biggest gatherings at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

Call it a clash of the titans. San Diego has been home to the wildly successful comic book and pop culture convention Comic-Con International for nearly 40 years. But with the four-day festival surging in popularity and outgrowing the San Diego Convention Center, Los Angeles and Anaheim are vying to steal the lucrative show away. "Wherever it goes, that would be a very significant convention to land," said Doug Ducate, president of the Center for Exhibition Industry Research, a Dallas-based nonprofit group that tracks the convention and trade show industry.

You can be among the first to fill a room at the 1,190-room Hilton San Diego Bayfront, for a preview rate. The deal: The new 30-story hotel near the San Diego Convention Center, is offering a standard room for $139 a night (pretax). You can get even greater savings with a $159 (pretax) package that includes a standard room, high-speed wireless Internet access (usually $9.

Regarding the San Diego Convention Center, that name is appropriate and should remain as such. As for Martin Luther King Jr., there are many other things that could be named after him. My favorite would be Presidents Way in Balboa Park. That would be a tribute equal to his accomplishment. PAUL HERRMANN San Diego

Comic-Con International Where: San Diego Convention Center, 111 W. Harbor Drive, San Diego When: Wednesday (preview night) 6-9 p.m.; Thursday-Saturday 9 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sunday, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Price: Sold out Information: http://www.comic-con.org

Christopher Reynolds neglected to note a reasonably priced restaurant, both dine-in and takeout -- one of the best places to eat near Petco Park ["San Diego at the Plate," May 9]. The Tin Fish Gaslamp is next to the Padres' Petco Park and across the street from the San Diego Convention Center. There is indoor and outdoor seating in an attractive setting. Owner Joseph Melluso's marvelously fresh seafood is a treat, and most everything is under $15. My personal favorite is a grilled salmon taco, big enough for a meal, served with cole slaw.