'More than we've ever done': Raleigh sees economic boost from GalaxyCon

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- Amid a sea of colorful costumes at GalaxyCon, Raleigh is seeing green.

From the merchandise vendors inside the Convention Center to food sales outside, the money has been rolling in.

GalaxyCon's organizers say they're seeing a record turnout with 50,000 people attending the event, up from the 42,500 they saw the previous year.

While we won't know the economic impact until the end of the weekend, it will likely be in the millions.

Evelyn Nguyen came up from Charlotte for the event and said while she initially set a budget of $600, she's already spent around $800 between the hotel, travel, tickets, and merchandise at the convention.

The economic impact is extending beyond just the convention halls. Some anime fans made the trek to north Raleigh to visit Animazed, which opened back in March. On Saturday, they hit a sales record.

"We've hit more than we've ever done, and I don't know if we're going to be able to beat it for a long time," said Marc Robinson from Animazed.

A customer from Wendell said he spent $250 on figurines at the store and hopes stores like Animazed and events like GalaxyCon will continue to provide in-person gatherings for the anime community in the Triangle.

"It'll help people connect with each other and find like-minded people in the community," he said.