DashCon organizers set a donation goal of $17,000 to avoid shutting down on July 11, 2014.
On the first evening of the convention, organizers said the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center Hotel required an upfront payment for continued use of the facilities. Staff publicly appealed to attendees and online supporters for money, announcing that they needed to collect at least $17,000 by 10 p.m.
The amount is sometimes confused with the larger figure of $20,000, which was the payment the organizers said the hotel had demanded. The quiz asks for the donation goal, however, and that goal was $17,000. Organizers ultimately said they raised the necessary funds, though the fundraising drive generated suspicion and continuing disputes about what had happened.
DashCon’s financial crisis became part of the convention’s lasting reputation for mismanagement. The event also became famous for a small ball pit and for the cancellation of a Welcome to Night Vale appearance after guests encountered accommodation and payment problems.