ISSA Sweeps Anaheim Out of Its Rotation

One city's loss was another's gain when ISSA decided to move its show, ISSA/Interclean USA, from the Anaheim Convention Center to the Las Vegas Convention Center in 2008.

Las Vegas, of course, is pleased: "It will have a huge economic impact," said Chris Meyer, senior vice president of convention center sales for the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority. "ISSA has been a long-time customer and they have been coming in and out of here for a number of years, so it's nice to have them back."

With approximately 18,000 attendees spending $1,531 each — the average per-attendee figure the LVCVA uses to calculate non-gaming economic impact — it translates to $28 million for the city.

But Anaheim is anything but happy: "They booked this show in 2000, and we've been holding (the dates) since. It really is unfortunate to do this kind of thing on such short notice, and I think it really tests the moral fiber of the industry," said Charles Ahlers, president of the Anaheim/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Shows the size of Interclean are usually booked at least five years in advance, he added, and it would be near impossible for Anaheim to rebook a similar-sized show in the same dates. "Maybe we'll fill in with some smaller shows, but nothing like ISSA," Ahlers said.

Dianna Bisswurm, director of industry outreach for the ISSA (formerly the Intl. Sanitary Supply Assn.), said the group plans even further in advance than that, usually booking its dates 10 years out. She said the ISSA had wanted for some time to have its show at the LVCC in 2008, but the dates were unavailable, primarily because the convention center was expected to be in the midst of a renovation at that time. So, the association booked Anaheim instead.

Recently, years after the ISSA had booked Anaheim, the LVCC construction was postponed, and the Las Vegas dates became available, so the association decided to move its show, she added.

"We've never made a switch like that before, and we never want to make one again," Bisswurm said. "Of course, there are implications to making that kind of short-term decision, and we deliberated long and hard, but we had to listen to our customers."

According to Ahlers, implications include signed contracts with two major hotels in Anaheim worth approximately $530,000.

"We're still in negotiations with both of them," Bisswurm said.

She said ISSA exhibitors had expressed concerns that Anaheim might not draw enough attendees, and attendees said they liked Las Vegas better. ISSA listened to both groups and moved the show back to Las Vegas, albeit a month earlier than usual, Sept. 9–11, 2008.

According to Bisswurm, big-name exhibitors, such as Rubbermaid, 3M and Procter & Gamble, told the association they wanted to go to Las Vegas.

Ahlers said it was unfair for exhibitors to judge a city without having the show there first.

"I think they've missed the mark," he said. "Anaheim is a terrific place for tradeshows."

When he found out Anaheim had lost the show to Las Vegas, Ahlers said he tried to call ISSA Executive Director John Garfinkel to ask if the association would reconsider, but he was told Garfinkel was traveling in China. ISSA's attorney called him back instead, so Ahlers tried another tack and wrote a letter to ISSA's entire board of directors.

"I didn't hear one word back from them," he added.

The 2006 ISSA/Interclean North America show, held Oct. 18–21 at Chicago's McCormick Place, had a 258,520 net square foot exhibition and attracted 10,869 attendees and 780 exhibitors. The 2005 show, at the Las Vegas Convention Center, No. 106 on the 2006 TSW 200, drew 12,516 attendees and 689 exhibitors to a 240,390 net sq. ft. showfloor.

Starting in 2011, the show's rotation pattern will include Las Vegas every other year, with Orlando and Chicago switching off the years in between.

"We expect to break records (next year) in Las Vegas," Bisswurm said. "We think that with the momentum of the decision to change venues, plus our decision in the last three years to make changes in the tradeshow floor format, the Las Vegas show in 2008 will reap the benefits."

Anaheim, on the other hand, is left with a loss. "Obviously, it's a wound we're not going to recover from," Ahlers said.