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TSE DASHBOARD Continued from page 29 space grew 18.4% to 58,000 nsf and ex- hibitors increased 23% to 319. Te show caters to the niche industry of products emblazoned with team logos that are mainly designed for stadium tailgating and sports-oriented parties. But Show- proco put together an agenda that included a fashion show and panel discussions on social media and party planning and also drew media attention that included camera crews from FOX and NBC. "We see unprec- edented demand for the kind of imagina- tive products you see in our aisles," said Show Director Stanley Schwartz. h North American International Auto Show (NAIAS). Te organizers of the annual coming out party for the new models marked a solid show by signing a five-year contract that will keep the show in Detroit through 2017. Bill Perkins, co-chair of the consumer show, said the extension was in response to the new management of Cobo Center and the launch of a major renova- tion of the downtown building. "We're thrilled about the changes we have seen at Cobo," he said. Perkins also had to like what he saw in Signs of Summer. New cars and air conditioning were on display in January at the North American International Auto Show (lower) and AHR Expo. January kicked off the 2012 trade show calendar with solid performances by most exhibitions. the aisles. Te show experienced a 12.8% increase in exhibit space to 731,946 nsf and a 5.7% increase in the number of exhibitors to 166. Te crowd count grew 4.8% to 770,932. [Editor's note: the NAIAS is listed in the Dashboard but not included in the growth metrics because it is a consumer show]. The Consumer is King In general, shows catering to the retail sectors reflected upward momentum. Te business community and many show organizers have pointed to consumer spending as liſting the U.S. out of its slump while the housing industry lags. A few shows experienced decreases in all three metrics, but most consumer-orient- ed shows reported across-the-board gains. Te NAMM Show's exhibit space was up 2.6% and attendance grew 6.2%; Imprinted Sportswear Show Long Beach space was up 1.8%; PGA Merchandise Show space grew 5.0% and the ASI Show Orlando saw space up 6.6% and attendance up 9.0% "Every- one is pumped up for the new year," said ASI Show President Timothy Andrews. Busy Month in Vegas Las Vegas was filled to its neon raſters with trade show attendees in January, making it the leading Dashboard host for the month. Las Vegas hosted six Dash- board shows totaling 3,743,510 nsf. Five of the events were Gold 100 shows, includ- ing Hanley Woods' World of Concrete and Surfaces/StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas. Te Florida RV SuperShow was the only Dashboard show held in Tampa in Janu- ary, but at 785,488 nsf, it was enough to plug the city into second place. New York was in third place with four Dashboard shows totaling 762,298 nsf. Next Month Signs of Summer were seen in convention centers across the U.S. where trade shows catering to warm-weather activities were being held. Te Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Expo in Atlanta and Golf Industry Expo in Las Vegas preview the new additions to weekend warriors' arsenals while Triumph of Ag Expo in Omaha will set the stage for Spring planting. MAGIC, the International Toy Fair and Pumper & Cleaner International Environ- mental Expo also had attendees from around the world braving the Winter weather and keeping the show metrics headed in the right direction. TSE 30 March 2012 | Trade Show Executive SPONSORED BY