Over the last few weeks, we have been struggling with difficult decisions having to do with the Con, an international pandemic, and, oddly enough, contractual law. We have been watching the online discussion and fielding questions regarding coronavirus and whether we will be cancelling our event.

We understand that this may seem like an easy question. If the Final Four is opting out, why should we be any different? The answer comes down to money.

The fact is that we have a contract with the hotel that prevents us from cancelling without cause. Should we do so, we would incur a fee so large as to completely bankrupt the Con. Barring an domestic travel ban or limitation of gatherings of our size issued by the government, the hotel will not let us out of the contract.

Alternatively, if we continue with the event and no one shows up, we are required contractually to pay for most of the room nights our members would have used. This would also bankrupt the Con.

When we started 221B Con we said that we would continue as long as a few people wanted to show up and we could pay for it. We did not, at first, expect to build a family of the 221B Con community. We have been struggling this last week or so with the idea that this could be the end of the Con.

However, as news of the contagion and its spread comes in from around the world, we can’t let you, our family, keep wondering what we are doing, so here is our statement:

At this point, we do not know whether the Con will be cancelled or not, but we cannot ask anyone to put themselves, their families, co-workers, or communities in danger. Even if we end up holding the Con and hoping to recoup as much money as possible in order to prevent the dissolution of 221B Con, we DO NOT want anyone to come if they have the slightest concern about traveling to or from or being in Atlanta.

We will issue a refund or transfer your membership to 2021 for anyone who does not feel they can make it this year. Many of you who have had to cancel have insisted that we keep your registration as a donation in the hopes that it could help us through this hard year.

You have no idea how much this means to us, but we don’t want anyone to feel that this is required or expected. We understand that this pandemic is affecting the economic realities of people in far more insidious ways than simply threatening the existence of a fan convention.

All we can say is that we are aware of the extreme anxiety and uncertainty these last few weeks have brought and we are doing everything we can to protect our members and 221B Con.

We love each one of you and hope that we will all be together again soon.