October 2004
Timeline

1998
Donn Sanford, CAE, Founder of association management company The Sanford Organization, and Donna Sanford, a former show manager, launch EXPO, a bi-monthly magazine exclusively for show managers

The 110-year-old publishing company Bill Communications forms expo division; Don Vaughn named President

ASCAP/BMI ask show managers for licensing fees for music played or performed at shows

Bill Mee, President of the Trade Show Bureau since its beginning in 1978, retires

Arizona passes Martin Luther King holiday; an estimated 48 groups cancelled meetings in Phoenix after the governor rescinded the holiday in 1987

1990
Show organizer The Interface Group, owner of  COMDEX, breaks ground on the Sands Expo and Convention Center in Las Vegas

The Hannover Trade Fair Authority and the Leipzig Trade Fair organization announce plans to jointly produce several events less than a year after the fall of the Berlin Wall

The $127 million Colorado Convention Center opens for business with 300,000 SF of exhibit space on one level

Several show managers protest and pull events from Los Angeles after the city increased its business tax by more than 500 percent

A study by the Heartland Institute in Chicago says government should get out of the convention center business

The Society for Independent Show Organizers (SISO) is founded

The Orange County Convention Center begins expansion that will add 300,000 SF of exhibit space. Total exhibit space in the new hall will reach 650,000 when it opens in 1996.

1991
ESCA urges boycott of facilities with exclusive in-house contractors

Cahners Exposition Group and George Little Management fund expansion of Bayside Expo Center. In return, show organizers secure long-term contracts.

Jim Alic replaces Neil Perlman as Executive Vice President, North America, of Reed Exhibition Cos., and its subsidiary, Cahners Exposition Group

ASCAP sues show manager, settles out of court

Unions agree to first work rule changes at McCormick Place since the facility was built in the 1960s

The Trade Show Bureau reports that the South Atlantic region leads the nation in hosting the most shows with 20.3%.

1992
EXPO readers optimistic about 1992 shows despite economy. According to an EXPO survey, 46 percent say the NSF at their next event would be larger.

U.S. organizers moving quickly into former Soviet Union

Hotel-industry supplier Spectravision offers in-room advertising to exhibitors on CNN Headline News, ESPN, CNBC and TNT

Atwood Publishing, a convention show daily and directory publisher based in Kansas City, MO, acquires EXPO Magazine

Steven Hacker becomes President of IAEM; IAEM moves from Indianapolis to Dallas

Atlantic City funding approved for a $200 million convention center with 487,000 SF of exhibit space

Salt Palace expansion to double the size of facility, adding 50,000 square feet of exhibit space

IAEM opens first international office in Germany

1993
EXPO becomes official magazine of IAEM

Greyhound Exposition Services acquires United Exposition Service Co. and later in the year Andrews, Bartlett & Associates

New Orleans Convention Center is officially renamed the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center

Robert Priest-Heck is promoted to the newly created position of Director of Conferences & Exhibitions for all four Seybold conferences and exhibitions

Freeman Decorating Cos. continues Western expansion with the opening of an office in Anaheim, CA

The two associations that produce CONEXPO and CON/AGG have reached an agreement to sponsor a joint exposition in March 1996 in Las Vegas

1994
EXPO expands frequency from bi-monthly to 10 times annually

Reed re-organizes North American division, which will divide its 46 U.S. events between two offices. The new headquarters will be in Fairfield County, CT.

IAEM approves formation of its first international chapters in Japan and Mexico

Trade Show Bureau to conduct research analyzing the role of trade shows in an integrated marketing program

The Interface Group wins suit filed by ASCAP, ASCAP drops its appeal later in the year

UNLV establishes convention exposition institute

Xpand introduces a virtual trade show on CD-ROM

McCormick Place announces it will consider proposals for a hotel to be built adjacent to the center’s west entrance

1995
A survey of corporate exhibitors reports their annual promotion budget is $53,750

COMDEX sold to SOFTBANK Corp. for $800 million

NAFTA-oriented event designation sells booth space

Trade Show Bureau becomes Center for Exhibition Industry Research

EXPO publishes its first salary survey. The average show manager earned a base of $48,000.

VS&A acquires Atwood Publishing and EXPO

At the IACVB White House Conference on Travel and Tourism, the keynote presenter said business travel could drop by 50% in the next decade, thanks to emerging technologies that make “virtual meetings” possible

1996
Reed opens Beijing office

United News & Media PLC, parent company of Miller Freeman, acquires Blenheim for a reported $941 million

Only direct mail beats exhibitions for effectiveness in meeting sales goals, according to the study “Power of Exhibitions II” published by CEIR

A subsidiary of the Audit Bureau of Circulation and IAEM launch trade show auditing agreement

The Opryland Hotel and Convention Center opens

COMDEX and CES announce plans to co-locate

After a year-long presence online with a CompuServe forum, IAEMNet, IAEM launches a Web site on the Internet

1997
Freeman creates Corporate Event Sales Department

Advanstar groups products by industry-focused markets

IAEM chooses not to sign music licensing agreement with BMI and four other industry associations (PCMA, ASAE, MPI and RCMA)

The Wisconsin Center enters into a $9.25 million naming rights agreement with Midwest Express Airlines

Reed acquires three divisions of Chilton, including PEMCO

ASAE study reports that two-thirds of associations now have their own Web sites, an increase of five-fold from two years ago

EXPO’s second salary survey reports the average show manager earns $50,250.

1998
Show managers offered chance to buy dates and invest in proposed World Expo Center project in Osceola County, FL

Ziff Davis plans public offering of stock

EACs form national association

Industry debates fees, kickbacks for contracting services after two lawsuits filed

Penton acquires Mecklermedia, producer of Internet World and ISPCON, for $274 million

1999
ASAE and PCMA release study showing that 47 percent of events using 10 hotels or more use online housing solutions

Show organizers ante-up $50 million to help fund 1-million-square-foot expansion of the Las Vegas Convention Center

Advanstar announces plans to go public

Tornado rips through the Outdoor Retailers Summer Market in Salt Lake City

SMG Facility Management Worldwide and Leisure Management International merge, SMG to manage 97 facilities

According to an EXPO survey, average gross profit for an association is 48 percent.

2000
Pittsburgh CVB launches trade show company

Miller Freeman parent company announces plans to sell off much of the company, including U.S. holdings

First U.S. trade show organized in Cuba since Castro came to power

Gun shows banned from Los Angeles

Reed and Orange County Convention Center reach agreement to hold 43 shows at the facility over a 26-year period

According to an EXPO survey, 78.3% of shows offer attendee registration on their Web sites, but only 22.3% of attendees registered online

2001
IRS considers taxing non-profit income from online shows

Mergers and acquisitions triple despite weak economy

PRIMEDIA and Advanstar restructure Internet strategies

Key3Media courts high-rolling sponsorship dollars from companies such as Mercedes Benz

Shows cancelled in the wake of Sept. 11th attacks

Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino announces 1.8 million SF convention center complex

2002
American Hotel  & Lodging Association suspends 91-year-old show

Conference and trade show merger-and-acquisition activity down 45 percent

ABC Expomark no longer performs show audits

IDG World Expo becomes exclusive labor provider to I&D houses for its shows

M&A activity in the conference and trade show sector is down 44.7% in the first eight months of 2002

2003
Contractors GES and The Expo Group feud over patent

Trade show mergers and acquisitions down, but the value of deals up

AHMA pulls out of National Hardware Show, launches new event

Macworld goes to Boston, Apple plans to stay home

Ascend Media buys Atwood Publishing and EXPO

SARS impacts event contracts

2004
Buyers of shows likely to get back in the market

CIC approves two APEX projects, a glossary of terminology and criteria for post-event reports

SmithBucklin to manage CEIR

CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 becomes law

Since the 1990s, Chinese exhibition industry sustains 20 to 30 percent growth

More government regulations for international attendees