Ski Press World Inc. - Index

Ski Press World Inc. - SIA Day 1 - Index

the word
AFTER DECADES IN VEGAS,
SIA GETS READY TO TAKE
THIS PARTY ONE MILE HIGH
Las Vegas (Ski Press)-Las Vegas has been ground zero for the SnowSports Industries America
tradeshow for 35 years, acting as witness to everything from the introduction of Gore-Tex,
shape skis and snowboards, as well as to a few thousand after-hours stories that will probably
never be told. But on October 30, 2007, in an announcement so well guarded that
even Karl Rove was kept in the dark, SIA president David Ingemie appeared at the Colorado
Convention Center and said the show will be moving to the Mile High city in 2010.
Along with more than a dozen nearby world-class ski resorts, the recently expanded and
remodeled Colorado Convention Center boasts 584,000 square feet of exhibit hall space,
which will provide plenty of room for the SIA SnowSports Trade Show to expand in the
coming years. “We’ve literally been turning companies away and denying established
brands the opportunity to expand their presence at the trade show,” said David Ingemie,
president of SIA. “Strictly from a space issue, especially meeting and event space, we have
been looking at alternatives for some time.”
SnowPress editorial director Peter Kray asked what else going ‘Home to the Mountains’
could mean for SIA:
SnowPress: How long has this move been considered, and what makes the timing so
appropriate right now?
David Ingemie: We always look at different locations to see how they may benefi t the
show. We’re never not looking at it. For instance, 10 or 15 years ago we were looking
at Salt Lake City, Reno and Denver. Presently we’re being constrained in Mandalay Bay.
Over the past few years we have given up a bunch of revenue because we couldn’t sell
space to meet the demands of companies that want to exhibit here. Vegas also isn’t the
discount center it used to be, while Denver — along with the additions to its Convention
Center – built more than 1,800 hotel rooms in the past two years. Just looking at the big
picture, a number of factors came together.
SP: Do you expect having the show in Colorado will increase participation by resorts and
tour operators?
DI: Those are two of the elements that we think will start to play a bigger role in the
show. We feel there is a whole area of travel not being addressed, but we couldn’t bring
those elements in at Mandalay Bay because of space constraints. By becoming bigger,
we see a greater opportunity of putting manufacturers, retailers and resorts together. We
also feel that by having the show in Denver we have a much better chance of getting
more New England retailers as well. The big question is what this will do to draw the
international market. We will have to address that. But right now we’re just focused on
this year’s show.
SP: With so many strong retailers based in Denver, from Specialty Sports Venture to Christy
Sports and Sport Authority, the move seems sure to bring a lot more shop kids and frontline
sales people onto the show fl oor. What are your expectations and what do you think
this will do for the energy of the show?
DI: We think it will generate a lot more energy, but we also feel we might lose some of
the drive-in traffi c from Southern California, which is a big deal for snowboard. We will
certainly evaluate the education program to ensure that it meets everyone’s needs — from
the shop kids to the frontline managers. I think there are up to 750 shops in a two hour
radius from Denver, and that all the managers from Christys and Specialty Sports Venture
will be able to attend the show. To me that means there is a signifi cant opportunity as far
as the educational aspects of snowsports retail are concerned.
42 SNOWPRESS DAY 1 skipressworld.com/snowpress
Photo: Steve Crecelius
SP: Everyone wants to know if this move means there will be an on-snow demo. What’s
the status of that discussion right now?
DI: It’s certainly on the table. There have been a signifi cant number of comments for it.
SIA will meet with the rep associations and retail groups after the show to discuss it. We
are totally open to it.
SP: What kind of opportunities does this open up for seminars, events and snow-specifi c
guest speakers?
DI: The sky is the limit. This facility allows us to do a signifi cant number of things we
couldn’t do at Mandalay Bay. To use the event center at Mandalay costs $40,000 a day,
for example, whereas at Denver it’s free. If you remember when we were trying to get Al
Gore to present An Inconvenient Truth here at Vegas, it just got to a point where the costs
were astronomical. We’re going to have a lot more room to be really creative with what
we’re able to do.
SP: Finally, after all these years in Sin City, other than eating at Piero’s, what will you miss
about Vegas the most?
DI: There are some really nice people in Vegas who have become close friends over the
years. People don’t think about it that much, but Las Vegas was just voted the numberone
outdoor city in Money Magazine because places like Red Rock and Grand Canyon are
close by. We’ve had a great run here, but it’s time for a new era. And Denver’s certainly
ready for us as well. — PETER KRAY
VOLVO — OFFICIAL CAR OF