Rules & Policies for METROCON
It shouldn't need to be said, but please use common sense when in public areas. Convention staff has the final authority on what is and is not acceptable in convention spaces. Repeat offenders may be required to forfeit their badges and leave convention areas. Remember that you are a guest of both the convention center and the hotel you are staying in, and that there are other guests utilizing these same facilities. Be courteous, and do your best to treat other guests respectfully. If the convention center or hotel staff or security make a request of you, follow their instructions or your badge may be forfeited. We're all here to have a good time, so please act responsibly.
- METROCON STAFF: These are department heads and the people directly underneath them. Staff has the final authority on any decision regarding your behavior or any other policy. They're usually wearing a METROCON Staff shirt, and have a METROCON Staff badge.
- SECURITY: If someone from Security tells you something, it’s for a very good reason. Please listen to them. They are here for your safety and the well-being of the entire convention. You might run into METROCON's Security Team, in Yellow METROCON shirts with a METROCON badge, or the building's security (a third party paid security service), or even Tampa Police Department.
- SPECIAL GUESTS: People wearing a Special Guest badge are just that – guests of the convention. Notables in the Japanese animation or video game industry in some form or fashion, they’re one of the main reasons most people come to conventions. Treat them with politeness and respect.
- VOLUNTEERS: By far the people you are most likely to encounter throughout the weekend, these are the people who are working in exchange for free registration and attendance to METROCON functions (when they’re not on the clock, of course). These are badge checkers and other stationed positions throughout the convention who have received direct instruction from the staff.
- CAST: There are several shows and performances at the convention, and many of the performers are wearing official cast badges. These are some of the most knowledgeable people at the convention – feel free to ask them for help or assistance if you can not find a staff member or volunteer. Cast members may, on occasion, be acting as staff members or volunteers, so respect them as such.
- PRESS: METROCON will have in attendance various members of the press. Many work for large TV networks or local newspapers, and others work for podcasts or anime magazines – if you can comply with their requests, try to do so in a polite manner. They’re just trying to do their job.
Our staff has been selected based on the knowledge they possess of their departments, and our trust in their judgment. If a STAFF member requests something of you, please comply. If you feel you are being treated unfairly, you may request to speak to their superior, however this is not always possible due to time constraints throughout the weekend, and will most likely result in the same answer you were originally given, in addition to time wasted that you could have spent enjoying the convention. We take complaints and disputes very seriously and we are always willing to hear out both sides of a story.
Harassment is generally any behavior that intentionally annoys or alarms another person. This includes any unwanted physical contact, following someone around a public area without a legitimate reason, or otherwise infringing on their personal liberties. Assault is legally defined as an intentional, unlawful threat by word or act to do violence to the person of another, coupled with an apparent ability to do so, and doing some act which creates a well-founded fear in such other person that such violence is imminent; in the state of Florida assault is a 2nd Degree misdemeanor. Neither activity will be tolerated at METROCON. Please remember that if you approach someone and they tell you ‘no’ or to leave them alone, your business with them is done. If you do not leave them alone as they have requested, your actions may be grounds for a complaint of harassment. If you feel that you are being harassed, or you have been assaulted, please report the matter immediately to convention staff, security staff, or Tampa Police Department. Offenders will be required to leave the convention, and may be liable for criminal charges as well. We recommend that all harassment be reported immediately.
METROCON is a gun-free zone in our rented spaces.
There is a security bag-check at every building entrance, where they will not only be checking for firearms, but also other weapons, and other dangerous or illegal items. If it does not adhere to our costume/prop policy, or it is an item of questionable legality in any way, leave it AT HOME.
Tampa Police Department and Convention Center Security will be enforcing these policies throughout the weekend.
Alcohol and recreational drugs are not allowed at the convention. There are plenty of spaces nearby if you want to grab a drink, including the Sail Pavilion bar just outside of the convention center or the hotel bar at our host hotel, but no alcohol is allowed in badge-checked convention areas.
Additionally, any METROCON attendee who is deemed to be excessively drunk, under the influence and/or intoxicated may be asked to leave the convention area, sometimes including removal of badge and trespass from the venue.
Federal and state laws prohibits serving alcohol to people under the age of 21. Underage drinking especially, or providing alcohol to underage attendees, will not be tolerated and will result in your removal from the convention.
Be sure to keep your receipts with your purchases at all times. We know things can get crowded and busy (especially in the Exhibit Hall), but please wait your turn and pay for the things that you buy. Shoplifting will not be tolerated, and will be handed over to the proper authority – shoplifters will be prosecuted at the discretion of the vendor or artist that was stolen from, and personal theft will be addressed and a police report will be created.
METROCON gladly complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act. As such, trained animal assistants (“working animals”) are allowed in the public/function areas of the convention center and in the hotel. If you’ve never encountered a working animal before, please keep in mind that their owners have them to assist them in everyday life; they are not to be played with, called out to, or otherwise disturbed, as their primary function is to serve as guides. No other animals are permitted in the convention center at any time. According to Tampa Convention Center policy, if any animal (even service animals) becomes a safety or biological waste threat to the other inhabitants of the facility, the animal and its owner may be asked to leave the premises – this will be enforced by Tampa Convention Center security as necessary, and there is nothing we can do about their judgment on this policy.
Room stuffing is not allowed. The limit to standard hotel rooms is 4, except by the hotel’s permission, i.e. an infant. Do not sleep in the convention areas, halls, stairways, and other public spaces. Security will be performing random sweeps and will remove anyone caught abusing convention facilities in this manner.
METROCON takes place at the Tampa Convention Center, and this has caused some of our patrons to ask about how the legislation around gender and bathroom usage in Florida will affect our event. METROCON is a welcoming, inclusive space for attendees of all genders and sexualities – and we are doing everything within our power to ensure that our venue is conducive to an event with as diverse an audience as ours.
With that being said – we can clarify several common questions:
- ANYONE causing a disturbance in ANY restroom, such as harassing other attendees, violating their privacy, or any individual who genuinely contributes to a lack of safety for any of our patrons will be asked to leave the space (just as they would in any other space throughout the building); attendees who are not causing a disturbance or active security concern will never be harassed or asked to leave a restroom by our staff.
- Below are two current maps of the Tampa Convention Center; throughout the building are traditionally gendered restrooms; for our event in our rented spaces, we have opted to designate several of those restrooms as Gender Neutral – they will be labeled as “Restrooms with Urinal” and “Restrooms Without Urinal”; there will still be traditional gender-specific restrooms throughout the building as required by law and for patrons who prefer those facilities. The restrooms being designated as “Gender Neutral” are circled on the maps below.
- In addition, the TCC has several private-use “Family Restrooms” throughout the building that are open to all genders, and allow additional privacy over shared facilities.
METROCON convention badges/wristbands must be worn at all times. If you have no badge/wristband, you will not be granted admittance to the convention areas. If you lose your badge/wristband or find one, please notify Registration immediately. Replacement badges are NOT available for purchase or otherwise – you will be required to purchase another pass at full prices. We strongly recommend putting a unique name or identifier on your badge (we provide stickers and markers just for that at registration!) so that if it is lost and returned to Registration, we can reunite you with it.
Due to counterfeiting, badge swapping, and abuse of the badge replacement system, under no circumstances does METROCON provide a discount or replacement badge for those who have lost their badge. Treat your badge like cash, as you will have to replace it at full cost if it is lost.
Recently, there has been an uptick in the number of counterfeit badges recovered every year at METROCON. This is largely due to more informed volunteers, badges with security features and constructed of materials that are more difficult to accurately duplicate including watermarks, UV reactive ink, holographic printing, and more.
Counterfeit badges will absolutely not be tolerated – if you are caught with a counterfeit pass, regardless of where you acquired it or whether you made it or not, you will have your badge removed, and the Tampa Police Department will have you trespassed from the building. This is akin to scalping counterfeit tickets to a major sporting event, and your trespass from the building does not just apply to METROCON, but to the Tampa Convention Center as a whole – you will legally not be allowed to be on Tampa Convention Center property for one year from the date of the trespass. Combatting counterfeiting and piracy is something the City of Tampa takes very seriously, and so do we – we have a zero tolerance policy for these offenses. It is no different from stealing money from a register or robbing a house, and it is a crime – please consider the repercussions (including not being able to attend any events at the TCC for a whole year) before deciding that counterfeit passes are the way to go.
If buying passes from an individual and not directly from METROCON, ensure that you both complete the METROCON Ticket Transfer form on the Ticketing page of our website, or email registration@metroconventions.com with any questions.
All passes purchased directly from METROCON should have a receipt or confirmation e-mail – make smart decisions when deciding how to attend METROCON.
Attendees 12 and under must have a parent or guardian who is attending METROCON on the premises at all times. NO EXCEPTIONS. Children under 6 are admitted free when accompanied by a parent or guardian with a valid pass. Children 6-12 are eligible for discounted child passes. All attendees 13+ must purchase a ticket as normal.
METROCON does not offer refunds or rain checks as a standard policy. You may transfer or resell your tickets if you are unable to attend after purchasing (see below for details).
You may opt to sell (at no more than the original price) or transfer your tickets to someone else, so that they may attend in your place in the event that you are unable to.
If you are selling/transferring your tickets to someone else, please use the official ticket transfer system through LEAP Conventions, our ticketing provider. DO NOT sell or transfer your tickets to someone else without clicking the OFFICIAL transfer link from your ticketing confirmation page (also available in your confirmation email) – don’t complete the form anywhere else, always make sure to fill it out directly from LEAP conventions.
METROCON is an entirely cashless event for ticket purchases. Tickets may be purchased with any major credit card via our website, or on-site with a credit card when you arrive. Tickets are always available at the event, however we strongly encourage pre-registration of tickets.
METROCON is a family-friendly event, and there will be people of all ages present throughout the convention. Please keep this in mind when designing and choosing your costumes, and allow your common sense and good taste to prevail.
Shoes are required at the Tampa Convention Center at all times.
Please note: METROCON reserves the right to deem a costume as unacceptable and to request that the wearer makes modifications as necessary, change out of the costume entirely into more appropriate clothing, or require you to leave the convention.
If your costume hinders your vision or movement in any way, you should have a friend, or “handler”, with you at all times who can move and see freely.
Leashes and other "costume extensions" are permitted; however, if you are wearing the collar, you must be holding the handle except when standing still to pose for a picture. Leashes should not be extended between two or more people while moving throughout the center, as this causes an issue for the other patrons.
Florida State law says that a violation of public decency laws has occurred when the genitals, buttocks, or breasts are exposed to public view for any reason. In keeping with this, we require that all attendees wear clothing providing coverage equivalent to at least a non-thong swimsuit while in convention spaces. “Flashing”, or otherwise showing what shouldn’t be shown, is grounds for immediate expulsion from the convention. Convention staff may, at their sole discretion, ask you to change your attire if you are not complying with this policy. Repeat offenders will be required to hand over their badges and leave convention areas. While in the convention areas, please be reasonable and discreet in your dress and behavior.
A note on public indecency – while your costume may adhere to the above rules, the METROCON staff may, at its sole discretion, decide that your costume is, in fact, NOT decent (spandex costumes without proper undergarments, costumes that border on the bare minimum of the above policy, and the like). If you are adhering to all of our policies, and we ask you to change into other clothing or find a way to augment your coverage, you are welcome to discuss the judgment with our staff or ask for a supervisor.
We understand this can be an uncomfortable situation and sometimes makes the cosplayer/attendee feel targeted or uncomfortable, and we always want to ensure your comfort – if you would prefer to discuss costuming matters with a staff member of a different gender, or at any point feel dissatisfied with an interaction with staff over this policy and any other, feel free to let us know and we will do our best to accommodate a better interaction for all parties.
Some costumes from anime, video games, and other sources may contain questionable material or aspects that are not appropriate for public display – there are characters in Hellsing who wear Nazi insignia, for example. Symbols and imagery like these should be modified/left out of costumes when cosplayers choose to wear these costumes.
“Shock” costumes, or costumes which have the sole purpose of offending and disrespecting other individuals, cultures, or religions in any way, will not be tolerated.
Our PG-13 rating applies to apparel as well – in keeping with larger convention trends: displaying adult, obscene or pornographic material in a way that is explicit, or is designed specifically for shock value and to skirt rules like these by presenting pornographic scenery or subject matter without showing genitalia or explicit acts, is also explicitly forbidden. This policy includes and bans “ahegao” or hentai-print clothing in all convention areas.
Have specific questions? Visit our Contact Us page or our Social Media and reach out to us – we’re always happy to answer questions!
All signs and banners must follow all of the rules of both costumes and props, and are also subject to the general rating of the convention (PG-13) and all other convention policies. Signs and banners may not contain solicitation (“Will _____ for _____.”, or any variation). Signs and banners must also contain zero profanity and offensive material. You may carry a sign as part of your costume, so long as the sign is clearly relevant to the character you are portraying. Examples include: “Objection!” signs for a Phoenix Wright costume, “Hey, listen!” signs with a Navi costume, etc. Signs and banners that do not comply with this policy or any other will be confiscated, and may result in your removal from the convention. This policy also applies to white boards and other writing surfaces being displayed to the public. Regardless of whether the sign is acceptable or not, no sign or banner may be affixed to any surface in or around the TampaConvention Center.
The Tampa Convention Center has banned roller skates, bicycles, roller blades, skateboards, scooters, Segways, wheeled shoes such as Heelys, etc. inside the convention center. You may carry these items as a prop, but you may not ride them at any time at the Tampa Convention Center OR on the TCC property. No exceptions!
Any part of your costume that extends more than four inches (4″) off of your body is officially considered a “prop” (wings, spikes, helmets, etc.) and should adhere to both the costume policies above and the props and weapons policies below.
METROCON reserves the right to refuse entry of any prop it deems unfit for any reason. Any misuse of a prop (horseplay, dueling, fighting, running/swinging, firing, etc.) is grounds for removal and or ejection from convention premises without recourse, up to and including legal action depending on the severity of the offense. Remember – your attitude goes a long way with how each and every situation is handled at METROCON.
A “prop” is something that you carry around as part of your costume in your hands or on your person.
Anyone who has a prop for their costume will need to have it inspected and registered with Prop Check on their way into the building, located on the second-floor landing outside the Mezzanine level or the Franklin St entrance on the exterior of the building. Your convention guest badge and props will be marked with an indicator that you’re permitted to carry your prop. EVERY prop will be handled on a case-by-case basis, and all props must be inspected at Prop Check the first time they enter the building.
The hours for Prop Check are the same as for Registration – if you are arriving with a prop for the first time, please plan to have it checked during registration hours!
You may be asked to take further measures to make the prop safe before it will be given approval. Be prepared for this contingency.
Those who have their props and weapons approved at Prop Check MUST keep them under their physical control at all times. We WILL be checking to make sure that the owner and the item are together. If you loan your prop to someone else, or you fail to register your prop with METROCON, it may be confiscated, and you may be removed from the convention.
Cardboard, paper mache, resin, fiberglass, wood, and plastic props are preferred – we ask that ALL PROPS be constructed of light and flexible materials, and as little wood and metal as possible. Props that are constructed of the preferred materials will certainly receive less hassle at Prop Check and throughout the weekend by METROCON staff, so save yourself some time that could be spent enjoying the weekend and follow our requests and policies regarding props and weapons.
IMPORTANT: DO NOT CARRY PROP WEAPONS OUTSIDE THE CONVENTION CENTER IN PUBLIC! The Tampa Police Department will treat anyone carrying real-looking guns or wearing tactical gear as a REAL THREAT AND WILL TAKE SERIOUS ACTON! METROCON will not be held liable for any legal action, injury, or death that may result from a violation of this rule. If you have a costume that meets this description and you would like to wear it to METROCON, please carry it to the convention center in a bag and then change into it. In this day and age, you can not be too careful. Again, PLEASE use common sense.
BOWS/CROSSBOWS:
Bows and crossbows will only be permitted if they’re absolutely prop in nature – no tension on the string beyond what it takes to keep it straight, and arrows should not have any form of a tip.
BLADED WEAPONS:
NO EDGED STEEL! Swords, knives, and other bladed weapons MUST be of a prop nature: foil-wrapped cardboard, THIN painted wood, flexible plastic, etc. NO SHARP EDGES and/or POINTS are allowed. Bokken and other wooden weapons ARE permitted.
GUNS:
NO REAL GUNS may be used as props at METROCON, regardless of being unloaded, stripped down, barrel filled, or any other precaution that could be taken. Prop or toy firearms – such as Airsoft and BB guns, NERF guns, etc. – will be permitted so long as they have an orange tip at the end of the barrel, and can be easily identified as such from a distance. Plastic props or toy firearms are preferred – metal or wooden props or toy firearms will inevitably receive more scrutiny from both Prop Check and the METROCON Staff throughout the weekend. In any case, Prop Check will make sure it is unloaded of any ammunition, as well as zip-tie the trigger so that the prop or toy gun is incapable of firing. Airsoft or BB guns that are electrically or gas-powered, must be discharged – i.e. no CO2 canister, no charged battery, or no battery at all, etc. If at any time you are caught with a prop or toy firearm not meeting any of these requirements, you will be instructed to have it checked at Weapons Check. Multiple infractions can result in your prop weapon being confiscated or you being ejected from the convention. METROCON maintains a zero-tolerance policy on discharging a projectile, even from an approved prop or weapon. Water pistol, NERF gun, airsoft – it does not matter – discharge it, and you will be removed. These rules apply to any prop or toy firearms purchased in the dealer’s room (see below). There will be police at the convention, so please act accordingly.
All patrons must adhere to Florida State Law at all times during the weekend of METROCON, including laws regarding firearms and weapons. If you can’t do it anywhere in Florida, don’t assume you can do it at METROCON. We will also defer to Tampa Convention Center policies where we are required to do so, so be sure to familiarize yourself with the building’s general policies on the Tampa Convention Center website.
During photo opportunities, or “photo ops”, CERTAIN policies will be given more leeway regarding costumes, props, and weapons. While posing for a picture, you may temporarily, during the photo op – allow another person to hold a leash you are wearing, remove your shoes because your character doesn’t wear them, put on your roller skates or blades because your character does wear them, etc.
This does not apply to weapons and props that have not been approved at Prop Check. Safety, Public Exposure, Questionable Material, Signs/Banners, and any other Weapon/Prop policies must be adhered to even during photo ops.