Since Expo#1, held on the top floor of the BMO Centre; hasn't the available space also increased by a factor of 3, in multiple buildings? Meaning more vendors/more competition? Not sure what prices on a corner are (what Tug's always gets), but he has faced increased competition with similar items over the years. That's just the way it is, and he doesn't begrudge the Expo folks for that. With other increased costs associated with travelling to the Expo, he has a better profit/expense ratio at smaller venues like the Red and White Club.
I realize that Wizard World has been around since 1991(as Wizard World, not Chicago Con) and is trading on the stock exchange (WIZD) and attendance of 70,000 in 2009. Calgary Expo started in 2006, with a 2009 attendance of just over 10,000, and are not a traded company as of yet. They couldn't get away with $1,100 US ($1473 CAD) a booth.
At no time did I say/insinuate that the Expo is not retailer/vendor friendly, just that booth costs have tripled since Expo #1 as they have gotten "expo"nentially larger to 2016's 103,500 attendees and over 700 participants.
I shall come introduce myself this year, instead of standing in autograph lines all day. Gotta get back to visiting up and coming artists, buying their art, delving into long boxes of missing issues and perusing the retail booths.