I visited this convention center to attend the National Book Festival. I had an amazing experience. There were panels and book signings. I got my copy of the book Kin signed by the author Tayari Jones. I was very glad that I traveled to attend this event with my book club. This festival has been happening for years and I'm glad that I was able to attend this year. Looking forward to visiting DC again soon. read more

I guess you expect a Convention Center in the nation's capital. The good news is that you can access it via the Metro (Yellow line). There are also many hotels and some good restaurants nearby. The convention center has many windows which bring in some good light. Decent place. read more

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I enjoy the layout of this convention center and its convenience to the Metro for seamless transportation around DC while attending national conferences and downtown events. read more

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I liked attending the American Chemical Society Fall National Meeting in this compact Center. About ten thousand people attended our meeting. Really appreciated the close connection to the Washington Metro system. After the meeting, it was very easy for me to exit to the Metro. Would like more signs pointing to the connector to the Marriott Marquis hotel. It was not easy to guess which room or hall was where. If I go to level L, will I reach the Lobby? The Lowest floor? And why are the 300 rooms in a different building across L St? Please consider renumbering the floors and rooms. It will be a big change at first, but it will pay off later in a better customer experience. read more

Walter E. Washington Convention Center - Looking down from the top floor, south side - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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The convention center is clean and is very spacious for various events. I've attended 2 Sneakercons here and the room is more than adequate! The website didn't seem to mention parking, which was an issue even as a local! We were searching for parking within or connected to the convention center, and it didn't exist! The parking varies in distance and price, so it should definitely be researched before heading over there! read more

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I attended the Live Podcast Event at the Washington DC Convention Center: Tonight's Conversation DC Live Podcast featuring the relationship gurus: Ace Metaphor, Stephan Speaks, Kendra G, Kittie Rose, and Dr. Iylana Vanzant @Tonight's Conversation. The parking was ridiculous, but what did expect? I should have taken Uber. The lines were wrapped around the building, but it was moving and the event staff got us in a timely, organized fashion. They were helpful and sweet. I was also able to get that good Caribbean food for FREE! There was a lot of walking, and it was very crowded, but extremely organized. Want more authentic opinions? Check out my video reviews and more on my various platforms: CocoasJoy. read more

Walter E. Washington Convention Center - LIVE PODCAST: Tonight's Conversation in DC - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Clean and well maintained. I attended the National Book Festival here. I will say that the navigation signs were sometimes not as detailed as I hoped while trying to find specific rooms. Overall, I'm impressed though read more

Walter E. Washington Convention Center - Room 146 - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I visited the Convention Center for the National Book Fest and it was the perfect event center. Rooms were large, there were many bathrooms which meant there weren't long waits, and it was relatively easy to navigate. I wish they had one additional food stall, however, there were decent options. read more

Large open floor space, several individual meeting rooms and beautifully designed, the Washington Convention Center is a great venue. Named in honor of the 1st Home-Rule Mayor of DC , this facility's size and great location, has hosted a multitude of events, shows, conferences/conventions and presidential inaugural balls. read more

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I have been here for more events than I can count. We're talking things like the car shows, HOA conventions, Otakon, Awesome Con, the Pokemon World Championships, RAMMYs... it's safe to say that some of the biggest DMV events happen in this convention center. Sometimes, more than one is going on at a time -- yes, that's how big the place is. The most I've seen at any given time was three events! Every time I've been there, the Wi-Fi has worked for me, so that's something I absolutely appreciate. The longest line I ever had to wait in was the shop during the Pokemon World Championships... it was almost an hour. But the demand was EXTREMELY high and the only other shop like that is in Japan itself. Otherwise, getting into the center has always been a breeze, and other lines have moved very quickly, if they existed at all. Bathrooms are nicely spaced out, and the convention center has always been so clean. The decor within is pretty nice too! If I was to nitpick, I would say that it's easy to get lost if you aren't familiar with the place. I've been enough to know my way around, and every event has a different map -- and the ease of getting around really depends on how good the event planners are with their signage. read more

We visited the Walter E. Washington Convention Center for the Auto Show, and overall, it was a great experience. The venue itself is very clean, spacious, and well-organized. The signage made it super easy to navigate from point A to B, which is always a plus at large events. The Auto Show itself was enjoyable, but it felt like it went by too quickly. I wish more car manufacturers had participated to make the experience even better. That said, the layout and presentation were well done. All in all, the convention center is a fantastic venue for events--modern, well-maintained, and easy to get around. Looking forward to attending more events here in the future! read more

Visited the convention center last weekend for Awesome Con, but I'd been here before a few years back. Just as the first time, I was extremely impressed with the space and staff. Our arrival for the con this weekend was smooth and without any delays. I was surprised how quickly and efficiently the safety/security staff were and they were extremely friendly too. The space is huge and for Awesome Con I was pleased that I wasn't so crowded in with other people. I think this is the perfect venue for an event like this. As other have noted, the facilites are clean and kept in good condition. There is quite a bit of seating available throughout the space as well. If you're headed to the convention center for any event, I think you're likely to have a good experience. Parking is the only thing I'm not sure of - we opted to use SpotHero to secure a parking spot in a garage a couple of blocks away. It was a 10 minute walk but only cost $10.00 for the entire day. I imagine parking closer would cost more. read more

I recently visited the Walter E Washington convention center to do the Hyrox race. The convention center is one of the nicest I have ever been to. This is a big convention. Center with plenty of rooms and food options if you don't want to leave. The restrooms are nice and it is very close to the metro is which makes it easy to get around the city. read more

I am a MOB and wanted to attend Bridal expo planning for our daughter $$$ avail and ready. Thought one site for major items most convenient. However I have mobility issues and needed to see if scooters available. Of course no one available by phone. Website site said are available to rent but no schedule to be there. I will stay home because of this very disappointing. Do better!!!! read more

VENUE The venue is absolutely gorgeous. It's enormous and hosts a lot of options for various meetings/conferences-- whether it's smaller group meetings or seatings for hundreds. It's location is conveniently located nearby a multitude of hotels (one directly attached to the venue itself), and also nearby many restaurants and coffee shops. BATHROOMS There are many clean and tidy bathrooms located in the venue. read more

I visit the Washington Convention Center at least once a year for the DC Auto Show. The location is very expansive, yet relatively easy to navigate. I always appreciate how events, at least the auto show, have plenty of helpful staff available to direct you to whatever you are looking for and provide exhibit floor plans. Food vendors are easy to find and so are the restrooms in the multiple wings of the building. I plan to return for other events. Thanks. read more

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Can't speak from an experience of renting out the space or anything like that, but I can speak on the experience and event that I went to that was held, Otakon! I feel like this convention center is great for this type of convention! Space is well organized, and this year's event staff really help make a great experience of faster entry! read more

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Updated review: I have attended dozens of events here. The convention center is conveniently located across the street from Mt Vernon Library (aka The Apple Store). Metro is about a block away from L Street entrance. It is useful to check the web site or social media for ticketed and free events. The pandemic contributed to all new (easy to clean) furniture being installed. A "convenience store" is near Hall B (not far from the bicycle hanging art). If you don't feel like schlepping to CVS on a meeting break, you can find drinks and higher priced snacks here. There are a handful of restaurants at the top of the escalators (by the front entrance across from Apple store), including Ben's Chili Bowl. If you have time to dash outside, Subway is across from the metro stop. There is also pizza by L Street. Bring a refillable water bottle (with a wide neck, otherwise it will be pesty to get all the water in) and you can refill your container all day. The convention center is beautiful. When you are in a meeting or just walking by, look at all the art hanging from the ceiling or on a wall. There are art tours a few times a year. Sometimes, local artists join the art tours. In addition to black tie events, there are many free events (bridal expos, job fairs). The Washington Auto Show and Awesomecon are yearly attractions. Otakon had over 35,000 attendees. Parking inside the convention center is expensive. Metro is the easiest way to arrive. There are nearby garages. Check parking apps (Spothero, etc) for cheaper fees. Check the social media of whatever event you are attending. Sometimes you can find coupons or free tickets). Have a designated meeting place for your friends or colleagues. "Meet me at the convention center" is generic and not enough. read more

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A very nice arena that holds all types of conventions, especially for Comic or Anime. In the past I been here FOR SISTERS ONLY venues and other exciting EXPOS. Great concerts. Lots of walking to get to the ground floor. Friendly staff, friendly security mostly are contractors. I never have issues, As far as food, I don't recommend. The food vendors are overpriced and not very good. If you're allowed to leave and come back your venue, go out and eat elsewhere, it's better and cheaper. Clean facilities all over. Clean bathrooms all throughout the day!! Very close to metro station. A few blocks away from Chinatown, (redline) .4 miles walking distance. read more

I attended a work conference here and the convention Center was very spacious, clean, well decorated and most of the staff were very friendly. The beverage service was continuously well stocked with plenty of stations to accommodate the hundreds of attendees. Whoever I asked for help finding a room the staff here were very knowledgeable and knew where to direct me. The area is very safe and has several options for dinner or a happy hour after a convention. The facility loses a point because many of the toilets would prematurely flush or continuously flush which is not ideal. read more

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This year's Rammys were a complete disappointment. A couple few thousand people - 99.98567% of which were maskless. My anxiety was triggered immediately. Largest gathering I've been to since Covid hit in 2020. Event greeters were tasked with checking phones for current Covid tests but it was a very informal process verifying the dates of tests in the phones from what I witnessed. What was to stop someone from presenting a pic of an old test? I mostly stayed away from the largest clusters of people gathered and talking too close in each others' faces. You could tell that there are pipeline and food cost issues because it wasn't even close to years past in terms of the quality and variety. Inflationary impact I guess. Chicken everywhere. Chicken, chicken, chicken. From a dry unseasoned chicken biscuit with too much bread.... To the inedible sausage link from the "Street Food" station....To the plain old chicken kabob with nothing else on the stick other than some strips of chicken breast.. Which was bland, and dry...and cold. The bar(s) area had 50/60 guests in line at a time upstairs outside the awards ceremony - which I skipped this year because I wasn't sitting in a packed auditorium fulla unmasked patrons. Forgot to mention one of the event staff had given me a mask by this point, but still...*shrugs* I went and found a seat and was sort of people watching and nursing the last of my Moet in front of one of the bar areas. Definitely some interesting outfits this year lol. I think there were three or four bars similarly clogged up. A couple of the ladies that were standing in the line came and sat next to me and we were all chatting each other up for the rest of the evening that I stuck around. We were laughing and joking and clowning folks so that actually helped because I was going to leave way prior to meeting these two. The understaffed bars closed up with people still in line. Folks wanted to riot. I never did get a bar drink upstairs. Luckily all the Moet Nectar Imperial was being served when you first walked in so I got three or four glasses of that, but no mixed drinks. Downstairs in the main dining area is where all the regions and themed stations were set up. My new lady friends and I walked down together. Highlights: I had a lamb meatball from "GREECE" that was respectable enough. The poké station was really good as well a couple of dishes at the Cajun station. The themed drinks were mostly good as well. Most of the rest of the food was a throwaway, including I lobster hush puppy with not a spec of lobster in it. I couldn't find my company's table even though I asked a couple of the ladies with walkie talkies and clipboards. Apparently there was no floor plan. That's all I have to say about this night. The event was scheduled for 5p-11p. I got there at 5:20p and left it 8:20p. I'd had more than enough. Luckily I had a parking space only a block and a half away this year as opposed to five blocks back in 2019. I sure hope they return to previous form next year... read more

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Came here due to Otakon 2024!! This was my first event!!. This place was soo spacious the way it houses soooo many people on all the levels whoever did the layout on this convention center keep them!!. They had a huge set up downstairs from gamers , to contests pictures situations, several anime movie theater rooms. Everything Otakon was in this convention wall to wall , downstairs upstairs and coming in the doors!!. I can see why they changed the location it fit more people. The staffers were extremely nice and helpful as I got lost several times from my boyfriend because I got caught up in a game or car show!, which was amazing!!. I snapped soo many pictures you would've thought I was a Fan. Overall my first experience here at the convention center and Otakon was delightful even with my vision impairment!! read more

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I attended the AlCS 54 celebrating the Congressional Black Caucus and the venue was clean, organized and adequate parking within 3-4 blocks of the building read more

We visited the Walter E Convention Center for Washington DC Auto Show 2022 Event. This place is super convenient, right next to Metro station and surrounded by all locals restaurants. The facility was maintained very professionally, the security was organized and the restroom also very clean and super shiny! The Washington DC Auto Show 2022 is a must to visit! It's an eye opener event especially if you're planning to buy your future cars. We had a blast visiting this year, with all the pandemic precautions, all were organized professionally and you can definitely social distancing without problems. We're spoiled and entertained by the numbers of cars on the show, all come with new technology and amazing design, especially the electric cars and the muscles cars. Not forget to mention about the electric buses! Check on the exotic cars section and the oldies cars just to be mesmerized! Don't forget to check on the event while they're still around! read more

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Nothing specific about this convention center. I'd like to see a bit more vendors on a food court. read more

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I love this convention center--clean, beautiful, huge, signs clear and highly visible, and friendly and adequate number of staff. I've done writing conferences here, volunteered at a beer festival, and visited an auto show twice, and every time operations were well organized and impressively managed. Parking is scarce and surrounding lots will take advantage of you with their "event rates." If you're going to an event on a Sunday, street parking is limited but free. It is best to park at a Metro station (Rhode Island Avenue is the closest with a reasonably priced garage) and take the train to the Mt. Vernon Sq./Convention Center metro stop. read more

There's nothing conventional about this convention centre. Actually, there sort of is. It's a pretty fabulous Convention Center in Washington which is large and perfectly situated right in the middle of town, but good luck if you need to park around here - and that's the reason why I took the star off. I've visited twice now and I'm hoping there will be a third visit soon. read more

Walter E. Washington Convention Center - Named after Walter Whitman - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I went to the 2024 Washington, DC Auto Show. It was a good turn out, all the staff were friendly. I enjoyed seeing the latest models of all the car brands that participated and being able to sit inside and enjoy the features. The only reason why I'm giving this review a four star is because parking at the convention is not good if you are driving. You may get lucky but I suggest just Uber but it is the city so it's to be expected overall great experience. read more

Walter E. Washington Convention Center - Ferrari - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

We went there for the amazing con and this place was big! Definitely a great size for any big event or conference. Very clean and organized! read more

Walter E. Washington Convention Center - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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This review goes back to January during the annual Car show they host. It was my first time visiting Walter E. and I had really amazing time. Since it is located in D.C. expect to have to find and pay for garage parking. There's one that's relatively close to the Convention Center and priced reasonably. I went early in the morning with a friend so it wasn't as busy until the afternoon-evening time. We essentially were able to look at everything and take our time with it (I recommend this to anyone attending future car shows or events in general). There's also concession stands for food available which in my opinion is a bit overpriced for what you got. There's not much you can do since outside food and drinks aren't allowed in but you're better off going elsewhere for a meal. What was available were cold and hot sandwiches with chips, pizza and basically and deli-American type of food you could think of. The staff here are all very friendly and helpful. They do their best to get everyone where they need to be while also being very welcoming. So to the main act, the cars! I'm a huge Subaru fan so I expected nothing less than fun, adventurous, dog-loving and a sporty display of people. THEY HAD IT ALL! There was a section to make pet-tags customized for free, an adoption area for dogs and genuine happiness surrounding me. I was definitely in my happy place. For jaguar and Jeeps, there were test runs available where they had professional drivers drive out their vehicles with you in them. This was tons of fun and a great way to really see the car's potential. The only criticism I had would be the vendors selling their merchandise at their stands. They come off rude as ever so I would avoid them as much as possible. read more

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First of all this place is huge. We were here to attend a couple of events (Auto show and Awesomecon). For the auto show we made a huge mistake of driving to this location. We needed spending almost 45 minutes looking for parking. So definitely recommend not to drive here. So the next time we were here for Awesomecon we rode a bike. Very convenient! They have multiple levels at this location. Very clean and security system is very tight. So we felt very safe even though it was pretty crowded. They have different lines for people who carry bags and who do not have bags. That's good cause they are not letting people wait in line for a long time. Metal detectors are at the entrance. Staff are very polite and always ready to help when you have questions. Keeps an eye on your kids at all times as this place is huge. Lots of restaurants inside this location. Mostly American food like burgers, fries, chicken tenders and lots of soda. Well, if you plan to eat after attending an event, there's Chinatown about half a mile away. Lots of good restaurants in and around Chinatown. read more

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So we came to this place when it was hosting an anime convention called Otakon. I have been to the one located in Baltimore, Maryland before it changes its venue. So this convention center is connected to the Marriott, and I thought it was cool for guests to have easy access to the Otakon, which was very convenient. I love how this convention center was set up nicely inside--lots of access to stairs, escalators, and elevators in the venue. There was a lot of space for vendors and different halls to host panels and a gaming hall of tournaments. This convention center does offer side streeting parking but limited and be careful there are parking signs where your car maybe possibly be towed. I suggest parking in a parking garage versus the parking on the side of the street. You can use an app spot-hero app to get cheap parking all day deals versus the parking garage cost. read more

Cool building and every event held here is an excellent but be sure to use metro or uber... parking is horrible.

There are way better convention centers out there. This convention center is somewhat blah and depressing. It's got a great location and it's convenient, so I'll give it that. The food is also good, so at least they have good catering staff. Bathrooms are clean. It's always freezing inside. The security staff is the rudest I have ever met. Every time I look, they are yelling at someone about something. Just awful. I hope I never need to go to a convention here again, and if I were a meeting planner, I would never use this location. At least there's a Sol LeWitt in the middle building to brighten your day if you do have to come here. read more

We recently road-tripped down to DC for AwesomeCon, which was, by the way, awesome. Great event. It was held here at the Walter Washington Convention Center. I am impressed. First, it's massive. Many levels, lots of escalators. Super friendly staff from start to finish directing us everywhere, which made it seem navigable. Next, a small detail that is often overlooked in big convention centers: abundant restrooms that are startlingly clean and well laid out. Really. I am so used to restrooms being, well, gross, that I often carry a travel-sized can of Lysol. Yes, really. I was so happy that I didn't need it at all, and yes, thanks to me being well hydrated I visited several locations. Thank you, WEW staff for being attentive to this detail. Keeping with the bathrooms, the center was remarkably clean even as it was filled with all matters of Borg, Deadpools, Harley Quinns, Gandalfs and Krampuses. Parking was also surprisingly not terrifying, there are ample paid garages very close by. We used the public lot below the Renaissance Hotel across the street. I'm happy to visit WEW again, and maybe even leave my mini-Lysol at home. It's a great place to attend an event. read more

Walter E. Washington Convention Center - Banner - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Really big and really nice!!!! Alright that's not an elite review but that's the simplest answer to this place! There are guards everywhere, so even though it's huge you will not get lost. Make sure if you are not an employee you only go the the main entrance. There will be guards that stop you from going in even if you do try. This center has several levels and is so beautiful!! They keep the building and the restrooms very clean. Didn't see anything that wasn't stocked and the staff seemed very friendly. They seem to have several shows happening at the same time. While I was there, they had the business expo, Latin heritage festival, and about 3 more other expos. It was really nice. On the sides of the building there are plenty of windows that allow in natural sunlight. It's so beautiful!!! So great place to take an award winning selfie!!! read more

Beautiful convention center! Now, I haven't been to many convention centers in my life. Heck, I think i've only been to one in my lifetime and this one, beats it. I recently visited for the Food and Nutrition Convention and Expo. It was my first time attending this event and I must say, the convention center really magnified how great the event was. Its is conveniently located in downtown D.C., about 10-15mins from Union Station; also located within walking distance of a number of hotels and local eateries. Pros - Huge space! Each floor has a host of space from large to small sizes that hold a great capacity. There is a massive hall on the upper level that is reminiscent of a concert stage, as well as a full showroom floor on the basement level. - Plenty of bathrooms (clean and well equipped), seating areas, and food stands, so you will never have to go too far to have your needs met. - Service was great - there was always a friendly person around to ask questions. - Finally, there is a connecting passageway on the lower level that connects to the Marriott hotel - very convenient when its freezing outside OR you have an event to attend in the hotel. Cons: - The massive size does cause some confusion and the maps are no help. There were times I thought I was in the right place but really, I had to be on the other side of the convention center - not fun when your rushing to catch a seminar. - Food is expensive! I was so excited about this event, I never thought to bring lunch but keep this in mind. There is a small food court on the upper level with an array of American classics - pizza, burgers, salad/deli. I didn't want to purchase a full meal at the burger spot so I opted for JUST a chicken sandwich - $12.50. You are better off taking a walk outside and grabbing a bite to eat. Overall, I'd definitely return and I recommend to others. Its a great space to hold or attend an event. I'm read more

Walter E. Washington Convention Center - The huge hall space that is reminiscent of a concert venue - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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This convention center is massive! I came here with a friend for Metro Cooking DC 2019 and I didn't realize it was held at the same place where they've had car shows in the past. Parking garages around that area are pricey according to SpotHero so we decided to park at City Center for $10 and walked over. Metro had issues that morning which left us with no choice but to drive. I highly recommend to take the metro to save money and for the convenience! I was impressed by the security and customer service, we were greeted by someone in every corner. This was helpful for a first timer like me considering there were many doors and exits to the place. Very spacious, plenty of seating outside the event space, clean restrooms, and friendly staff. Looking forward to attending many events here! read more

Walter E. Washington Convention Center - MetroCooking D.C. - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Go big or go home! There is no better place to host Washington DC's grandest events than this place. Even though this was my first visit to the convention center, I observed that it's definitely the place where many large-than-life events are hosted. My family and I walked over from our hotel for a food convention and there were staff members directing us from every direction. There were even kiosks, where you can ask a staff member questions. Everyone seemed so delightfully helpful. I never felt at any time that I was lost, so bravo to that part being flawless. The one thing I can't stand is going to a new place, especially one that is as large as this convention center, and being completely lost. The center was clean, there were restrooms everywhere and escalators + elevators helped people get from one floor to another. I look forward to attending another event here! read more

I never really have anything to say negative about the convention center. It's always clean and more than enough space to hold events. Yesterday I went to the DC car show there and it was so fun with so much to see. The staff kept the entrance moving so it didn't seem like we were in large crowds super close to each other. There were also plenty of hand sanitizers all around. Made it much better since you are able to sit in cars. Keep your hands clean. I didnt eat any of the food. But the company I was with did. I've eaten food at the convention center before and it's nothing g to write home about but it gets the job done especially if you are there for long periods of time. This car show took place on 2 floors. And there were plenty of cars to see without large congregations of people around. I felt safe. One of the few times getting out of the house during the pandemic and I am glad that I did. read more

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