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SHOW SCOREBOARD ABC Kids Expo Returning to Las Vegas BY SANDI CAIN, news editor San Antonio, TX – Te ABC Kids Expo is returning to Las Vegas in 2013 aſter a two-year stint at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville. Based on its show- ing in Louisville, organizers may con- sider an east-west rotation in the future, according to Larry Schur, president of All Baby & Child Inc., parent company of ABC Kids Expo. "A great number of exhibitors said they had a good or great show in Louisville and told us quality buyers were there, but wanted to return to Las Vegas at least for 2013 in order to better attract the large retailer base in California," Schur said. He noted that the shiſt to Louisville was made due to the lack of acceptable avail- able dates in Las Vegas for 2011 and 2012. Last year's show in Louisville saw atten- dance drop roughly 15% to 12,425 com- pared to 2010, the first time attendance had declined for the nine-year-old show which had earned the #8 slot last year on Trade Show Executive's Fastest 50 ranking of the fastest-growing shows. Schur said he was confident the location played little or no role in that decline. "Te juvenile products industry saw a significant drop in attendance from specialty mom and pop retailers, primarily due to the large Trade Show Executive Snapshot: ABC Kids Expo Show Metrics Net square feet exhibit space No. of exhibiting companies Total attendance Venue 2011 353,000 987 12,425 2010 367,000 1,003 14,655 2009 331,000 919 13,593 Kentucky Expo Center Las Vegas CC Las Vegas CC number of retailers that have closed their doors since the 2010 show," he said. Last year's Louisville show spanned 353,000 net square feet of space compared to 367,000 net square feet the previous year in Las Vegas. And the 2011 show drew 987 exhibitors compared to 1,003 in 2010, when the show was ranked #38 among Trade Show Executive's Gold 100 shows. A great number of exhibitors said they had a good or great show in Louisville, but wanted to return to Las Vegas at least for 2013 in order to better attract the large retailer base in California. Larry Schur, PRESIDENT ALL BABY & CHILD INC. In welcoming the ABC Kids Expo back to Las Vegas, the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority said that the expo generated more than $15.5 million in non-gaming economic impact for the city in 2010, drawing a record14,655 attend- ees. "We are excited to have them return- ing to the destination," said Chris Meyer, LVCVA vice president of sales. "We are confident they will experience the same attendance boost that most shows rotat- ing into Las Vegas do," he said. Te expo is a partnership of children's industry manufacturers and retailers whose objective is to promote the chil- dren's products industry. Tis year, the show runs October 14-17 at the Kentucky Exposition Center. Reach Larry Schur at (210) 691-4848 x107 or larry@theabcshow.com 52 March 2012 | Trade Show Executive