Atlanta Loses Its Biggest Tradeshow
NAHB opts for roomier quarters for its builders' show in 2007 and 2008
By Margo McCall -- Tradeshow Week, 5/2/2005
As it continues to refine its rotation for THE INTL. BUILDERS' SHOW/TecHOMExpo, the Natl. Assn. of Home Builders has stricken Atlanta from the schedule and will likely take the growing show to Orlando in 2007 and either Orlando or Las Vegas in 2008.
Atlanta lost its largest show with the 2,000-member NAHB board's vote to pay a termination fee to get out of its contractual commitment with the Georgia World Congress Center for 2007 and 2008. Dan Graveline, GWCC executive director, said it won't be easy to fill the mid-January dates at the recently expanded center, which now offers 1.4 million square feet of exhibit space.
"We won't find another home builders show, but hopefully we can find several lesser-in-size shows to fill some of that space," said Graveline.
Atlanta's loss is Orlando's gain. The city's Orange County Convention Center, which now offers nearly 2.1 million sq. ft. of exhibit space, hosted the 884,000 net sq. ft. IBS and its more than 100,000 attendees this year. NAHB Senior Vice President Wayne Stetson said Orlando is a shoo-in for 2007, since Las Vegas facilities are booked solid that year. He said the 2008 show will likely be held in either Orlando or Las Vegas.
"There are only two cities that we can go to. Going to Orlando or Las Vegas will certainly allow us to sell exhibit space and have the hotel space to accommodate the show. Certainly we have to plan for the future," he said.
Chicago, whose McCormick Place is the only other U.S. venue large enough to currently hold IBS, was ruled out because builders didn't want to visit the city in chilly January.
If Orlando is picked for 2007, the city would host IBS six times between now and 2018. But Orlando earned the privilege by proving the city could handle the show's hordes of visitors. Local officials spent nearly a year ironing out plans to prevent traffic congestion and overcrowding during the show's four-day run there this year.
"We did a lot of things to make sure the show went correctly," said Bill Peeper, president of the Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau.
Sales are brisk for the 2006 show, Stetson said, which should break the 900,000 net sq. ft. mark. The show will be hosted by Las Vegas eight times between 2009 and 2020, not including the possibility of it being held there in 2008. IBS was held in Las Vegas in 2003 and 2004.
IBS usually fills more than 40,000 hotel rooms. Stetson said attendees would have had to spread out at 126 hotels in Atlanta. In comparison, 54 hotels in Orlando and 28 hotels in Las Vegas would accommodate the crowds.
Now that IBS is gone, GWCC's Graveline said the Intl. Woodworking Machinery & Furniture Supply Fair — USA is probably Atlanta's largest show.
When the NAHB put Atlanta on its rotation schedule in the mid-'90s, the show drew only about 65,000 attendees. The showfloor spanned 597,540 net sq. ft. when the show was last held in Atlanta in 2002.
