Before they spread any further, we’d like to clear up a few exhibitor-related rumors making their way around regarding next year’s show. These rumors are in response to changes to the show’s space-selection process as well as speculation on the elimination of certain segments of the show.
Rumor: The exhibitor wait list has been discontinued.
Fact: Not true. There were 215 companies on the wait list for the 2011 SHOT Show, and this list will be used to fill in any vacancies for 2012.
Rumor: NSSF is eliminating the tactical segment of the SHOT Show.
Fact: No way, no how. The tactical segment accounts for 27 percent of the exhibit space in the SHOT Show and is the fastest-growing segment.
Rumor: Booths will be reassigned without regard to priority points.
Fact: We are committed to maintaining the equity in the priority point system. The worst case scenario for most exhibitors is that they will stay right where they were in 2011.
Rumor: Space draw was eliminated so that the largest exhibitors can expand their booths even more, forcing smaller exhibitors to Level 1.
Fact: Say what? Space draw was suspended for 2012 to allow us flexibility in adjusting the layout, if need be, based on attendee and exhibitor feedback. We are, in fact, asking from 25 to 50 of the largest exhibitors to voluntarily reduce their exhibit space by 20 percent. This will allow us to include MORE exhibitors on Level 2 and to allow more companies currently on the wait list to participate.
The show is way too large, far too crowded. Law enforcement/tactical should have their own show right after the shot show. It is a mess.
At the very least the aisles need to be larger and more doors need to have entry access.
One year they scan badges, the next I was not even asked for one.
We stopped scanning badges to verify attendance for several reasons–to improve traffic flow at the entrance to the show, reduce customer inconvenience and to see what impact there would be if we ceased scanning.
The show is too big. The amount of vendors downstairs was insane. All of the outfitters need to go along with the vast majority of the non-shooting vendors. People are there to conduct business and see the new products, not to book hunts. If somebody is interested in booking a hunt they need to to the Safari International Show, not the SHOT Show.
Agree! The whole downstairs level was a mess, unless there was a specific booth to go to, it was impossible to find anything
The outfitters category was added some years ago so that retailers could establish a relationship as a booking agent and offer additional services to their customers. We will take a look at the category for 2012. Thanks for the constructive feedback.
The biggest issue was the iPhone app that was totally useless after relying on it to map out my whole week! The server could not handle the mass of persons using it.
And once you’ve seen Las Vegas, you’ve seen it. Florida has so much more to offer. Take it from a Florida Cracker that grew up here.
Chris, the only rumor you didn’t address, which I heard from two reliable sources close to the issue, is that the Show is coming to Orlando in 2012 because Reed has not asked for payment yet from exhibitors yet, implying they don’t know for sure. What say you?
215 exhibitors on the waiting list: HELLO!! Does anyone at NSSF have any operating brain cells? The show was a mess, there were people unable to set up till the morning of the show. The Sands is a terrible venue-period. Sadly not the quality show it used to be.
As a paying exhibitor I was surprised to se the large number of “non-exhibitor vendor” badges. Is this something new? I thought that this was considered carpet bagging and was not allowed.
I am not sure what you mean by Non exhibitor vendor badges. Are you implying “free entry” or soemthing else? I have a business and was a non exhibitor. I was checking out the new items to see if anything that I wanted to carry.
I paid $50 for my badge. I wrote it off as an investment for new business.
There were hundreds of those badges walking into our booth and when I asked about them, I was told that those badges permitted such to engage in business with attendees without the expense of a booth. Either you’re a dealer, a wholesaler, a distributor or press. The number of cops with no business ties attending was insane. And what was with all the celebrity shills walking around looking for work? Steven Segal???
Type your comment here.I think he meant there were to many people with guest passes. The Shot Show used to be for venders, exibitors to show us their products and new items that were comming out.
I do not think there were too many visitors. Visitors are typically associated with a dealer/manufacturer and many times an integral part of the firearms business structure whether internal or on the periphery.
It was a way for them to charge more [$100.] for a badge.!!!!!!!!!
It was something new for 2011 JJC. At our exhibitors request we are trying to more accurately identify who our attendees are and what, if any, purchasing authority they have. “non-exhbiting vendors” include OEM suppliers, OEM customers, insurance companies, financiers, legal counsel etc. and as such would not necessarily encourage to exhibit.
How does the N.S.S.F. know it was a record setting show since badges were not scanned?
two of the vendors when i asked them to scan me reported that the show wanted 800 dollars for the equipment to scan and some reported that they could not get a clear signal to scan cell phone use is worthless there perhaps verizon and others could install repeaters or signal boosters to take the hand held from less than a watt to three watts
Ummmmm…..one word “REGISTRATIONS”!
Just because you register doesn’t mean you attend. I know of an exhibitor who registered 6 people who didn’t attend for one reason or another. I’m not interested in ” a record setting attendance” just by body count.
Overall the show was great. Vegas is easy to get in and out of this time of year. All ranges of hotel and food costs are available if you want to find it. Having everything there at the same time makes the trip more efficient. It is big but you can plan before you leave to see the vendors you need to on the floorplan map. I would like to see the biggest companies scale back so that those on the wait list can get in. I do agree it is the wrong venue to book a hunt. Thank you to all that worked so hard to put the show together.
Thanks for the fair and balanced feedback.
I am sorry to say I will not attend any further shows in Las Vegas. I like alot of you am not happy with the lack of lay out. Every thing is scattered about like a last minute Idea. I know Vegas is more fun but Orlando at least was easier to navigate. Way to many rooms.
The Shot Show needs to be somewhere on the East coast every other year, NOT IN VEGAS EVERY YEAR! The Orlando Convention Center is far superior to any in Vegas. Most of us in the Eastern US would rather drive than fly. I keep hearing Vegas is more fun, well I go to learn, see new products and meet distributors. Get the show back on the East coast, please!
That Good so we good be snow are snow out.
Uhh… you said what?
What does that even mean?
It means “That Good so we good be snow are snow out.”
Hmmm, a 20+ hour drive each way to SHOT or about 9 hours each way to fly? Count myself and five others whom I traveled with this year as East coasters who loathed SHOT in Orlando and love it in Vegas. No, not a single one of us does any gambling…we did however attend a show, a hockey game, go hiking in Death Valley and the Valley of Fire in addition to spending four days at SHOT and attending Media Day. I spent 11 days in Vegas to do so…and loved that during SHOT I attended the show, went to the State of the Industry dinner, ate at some incredible restaurants…and never saw the inside of a vehicle. Orlando simply cannot offer the choices that Vegas can within comfortable walking distance…or the availability of activities for post-SHOT vacationing (at least that interest us.) SHOT in Orlando? Though we love SHOT we’d probably skip those years and travel out west for S.A.R.
Interesting… Statisitcally, more people attend the Vegas convention center than any on the east coast… Why would they move the venue when it doesn’t make sense to do so. We had to fly to the show as well and we live in the mid west. get over it or don’t go.
We had a 40 x 50 booth at the last SHOT in Orlando and it felt like there were more exibitor personel than attendees. It was really really really bad. We are only a 4 hour drive to Orlando, so I wish it was possible, but people just want to go to Vegas.
As a small dealer in northern Nevada, Vegas is cheapest for me. The venue has gotten to large and having to go into small rooms to see if you missed something is difficult. Some isles are to narrow and tactical/law enforcement should have there own show. They arew a part of the shooting industry but not sportsman who hunt and shoot.
Louisville Kentucky would be an awesome venue for the Shot Show. You’ll see at the Shooting Sports Summit in Louisville 2011 that Louisville can host better than almost any venue. 75% of the population of the US can actually drive to Louisville faster than waiting at an airport, delays, cabbing, renting, getting felt up at the airport, etc etc. And Louisville has an awesome easy to walk area for tradeshows within walking distance of great hotels and fun things to do. (crap I sound like a commercial!). Ask the Hot Rod Show or Truck Show guys. Louisville puts on a hell of a show.
We’ve been to Louisville and it does have a superb convention center. Great hospitality too.
Weather is too iffy in January for Louisville. Keep it in a warm climate where weather would not impact the show location.
Use a convemntion center that is easier to navigate. All these rooms over 2 floors is a joke and a waster of time. Use the LV convention center, not the Sands. Keep tactical with the SHOT…it;s the only growing segment in our business.
As we’ve said a million times already–LVCC is not and will not be available to us for the next 15 years. On one hand we are taken to task for having exhibits in ballrooms so as to allow as many companies to participate as possible, and on the other we are taken to task for having over 200 companies on the wait list. Either way it’s a better problem to have than the alternative.
SHOT Show should be limited to FFL holders and those that can provide a business license indicating they are in the firearms and sporting business. There are way too many “non-industry” persons attending the show and taking time from manufacturers that makes it difficult for others to conduct business. I would imagine 40% of the attendees do NOT own a retail outlet or a business directly involved in the sporting goods industry. Police and LEO excluded of course. I’m really tired myself of reading the problems that the consumer market is having with the SHOT Show. It’s not their concern and they themselves are part of the problem. SHOT Show is not and never was open for the public yet you make it entirely too easy for anyone to get a pass.
We actually increased the level of credentialing for attendance at this year’s show which did impact the number of attendees. The biggest offenders in providing badges for non-qualified attendees are the retailers and exhibitors themselves.
We had to provide our business license, a website, and 2 other things in order to go this year. We do not hold an FFL but are very active in the sporting industry.
I agree with Slade411. The show needs to be on the East Coast at least every other year. The Sands is a mess. the Orlando Convention Center is superior in many ways. it is easier to navigate, and the entire layout is better.
I concur with Slade411, Orlando was a great venue – easy to walk and easy to manage a schedule since everything was in one big area. Small rooms are not conducive to managing a schedule of visits. The aisles in Orlando were very wide. My family enjoyed the opportunity to visit the local attractions, namely Disney. Similar family activities are not readily available in Las Vegas.
By the way the Orlando convention center is located on both sides of International Drive. Perhaps the law enforcement displays could be on the other side. Traversing to each side is accomplished easily through the use of the foot bridge. I would like to also add Orlando was very well-suited for the handicapped.
Separating LE from the rest of the show would force gun manufacturers to choose one side or the other. Keep it all together.
I did not go to this years SHOT since I was displeased with last years show. I have been a gun store owner/operator for 30 years and have attended 25 Shot Shows. This is the first time I chose not to go. Last year was a waste. Terrible venue. Several wholesalers have very good shows and easily replace Shot for the small dealer. Everyone agrees that the Sands stinks. “Especially if you have a booth in the basement or an out of the way ball room. Hard to find exibitors, no bathrooms in the parking garage (basement), narrow isles, etc. I didn’t really like Orlando. I do agree with the idea of Louiville, but I doubt that they have a large enough convention center to hold shot. Also Pigeon Forge, Tennessee would make a great east coast location. Great place to visit. Wonderful night life. God and Country are Number One. Plenty of motels and restaurants. Actually nicer than Vegas if you don’t gamble. The problem of too many attendees has been going on for years. Letting police in with no business credentials has compounded the problem. Also dealers that bring their friends is a huge problem. I have been asked multiple times by friends and good customers if I would take them to Shot. I always say no, but I meet lots of attendees that have come for the fun of it with their dealer. When I have to spend a thousand dollars to attend (as frugally as possible) to conduct business and I can’t talk to anyone because of the tire kickers, it becomes a waste of time.
I agree that the show layout at the Sands is not the most efficent. Why not do what the ” Cowboy Christmas” did when they out grew the Convention Center property. They kept their event at the Convention Center and added another portion at Mandaly Bay. It worked out well. Maybe you could use another hotel’ convention center for the Law Enforcement part of the Shot Show or some of the smaller exhibitors.
I would like to add to the commentary on behalf of LEO’s (Police, cops, etc.). The majority of us are sportsmen. We attend because this is the largest SHOW of it’s kind and has become almost a sole source to meet our Law Enforcement vendors, manufacturers, and suppliers that are gathered all in one place. It is also an excellent venue for research in availbilty of new products, equipment, and industry practices. It’s where we can exchange ideas and insights from the street (real world)to the designers and manufacurers. The education value is tremendous. We buy and use products from the sportsman side as well. Some of us have procurement grants and meet with perspective suppliers. Others come with purchase orders for procurement. Some items invented or marketed to sportsman and sportswomen transfer to LEO and military exceedingly well.
The information gathered from the SHOT SHOW is brought back where various agencies are updated and purchasing can be better focused. Quite a few of the exhibitors have both, a sportsman side, and an LEO/military side. We wouldn’t want to have a seperate show as suggested because not as many businesses would participate as there would be at the SHOT Show.
And no, I don’t receive any pay from the Department, it’s on my own dime. I feel it is that important to visit exhibitors first hand in order provide the most up to date knowledge or products back home.
After reading the blog we understand why some there was some indifference at some of the non-LEO exhbitor booths. I’ll have keep the badge covered I guess.
Thank You NSSF. I think your doing a wonderful job for both the public and private industry.
As for the location. Vegas is fine, perhaps return to the Convention Center, and it still is the most affordable to fly to.
Thanks for the insights on why you attend SHOT Show. While LE/tactical accounts for 27% of the floor space, less than 10% of the attendees are LE/military. The bulk of the visitors to the tactical section are traditional firearms retailers who sell these products to local LE agencies and consumers who see the products in magazines and on the nightly news.
While taking a final trip through the LE sections on Friday, I noticed what seemed to be a large number of LEO’s with wives or girlfriends. Enough to make follow-up visits to some of my vendors difficult. So perhaps there should be a special day for LEO’s and guests.
This was my first Shot Show and I really enjoyed it. I can understand some of the issues folks have – I also know you can’t please everyone. I have been to a lot of trade shows at the KY Fair & Expo Center in Louisville and it is an excellent venue – better than Vegas for business. I spoke with a lot of reps who were obviously hungover and you had to drag them away from their budddies talking about their losses the night before.
1. there were many people with backpacks. it would be nice if more restroom stalls had hooks to hang up backpacks. 2. the third floor lounge for nssf members was nice – along with that pleasent lady at the entrance of the lounge 3. i saw many empty booths at the show, bad weather? 3. saw fewer vender workers huddling together and ignoring customers this time 4. why or why do folks insist on blocking the aisles with their pull carts or fat chewing? 5. really enjoyed meeting with vendor/company owners such as blackhills ammunition and kdf to name a few, their personal touch was well taken 6. Overall a good show.!
Some good suggestions. Thanks for taking the time to post.
Thank you for your kind words about Black Hills Ammunition and our booth. We strive to provide customer service to all existing and potential customers, so feedback like yours is greatly appreciated. Hope to see you next year!
Ashley Hoffman
Black Hills Ammunition
-Marketing Director
I agree.. . I guess I could always slap my name on a bunch of tactical gear from China and add to the chaos! hmmmm? See ya next year! On friday, there was quite a few empty booths. I don’t see the logic in that as I generally wait till then to start purchasing. Obviously you can’t make everyone happy, but we enjoy the show, regardless of where it’s at. Keep up the good work!
There needs to be a shift in quality in venders present at the show rather than numbers. It was a zoo. I came to the show to view quality product, and the confussion was wide spread, along with a lot of frustration.
It was a logistical Nightmare. And if you are a big dog in this show you don’t have to follow the rules laid out for everyone else. How many under the age of 16 do you think were in there? Wish my son could have gotten that kind of privilige.
To our knowledge no one under the age of 16 was allowed on the show floor. If you know otherwise or witnessed a violation it should have been reported to security or show management.
Has anyone considered Tampa/St Pete/Clearwater area? Short hop to Disney and other Orlando attractions.. Even shorter to the Gulf beaches. And Busch Gardens and other attractions are right in Tampa. Hernando Sportmans Club is also fairly close with a great variety of quality ranges. Perhaps something could be worked out with them for any manufacturer who wishes to demonstrate products at the range. Many great restaurants also in the Bay area.
It was reported by me. Nothing was done about this. I do not want to call the girl out, but she is under the age of 16 and was allowed in all parts of the show for all 3 days. It is shameful that there are rules for some, but not for all.
As a visitor from overseas, I have to travel a far distance anyway….but SANDS Expo sucks. I thought MILIPOL or EUROSATORY in Paris are worse but SANDS Expo….. 🙁
Both, Conventions Center and Orlando are much much better than SANDS. At least, try to do it once in Vegas and once in Orlando. Being each year in Vegas is getting boring….
Las Vegas is alot more entertaining then Florida, it is a family resort, so please keep it in Vegas.
We, as a business have been to every shot show since it’s beginning but are contemplating not attending next year. Our business at this show has drastically declined over the years as most vendors will not even talk about pricing or programs anymore. The Tactical section most definitly needs to stay as it is a very important part of the show. I understand all sides of the argument with Non- Attending and Visitors of the show. What about a solution to the problem that would help the Shot Show and attendees that are there to conduct business. Is there a way to have the first 3 days of the show for attendees that need to conduct business? Verify with a check pay stub (at time of registration) that they are really a part of the business and there to conduct business. Then the last 2 days of the show for the public and others that want to come and are willing to pay a higher price. It would allow the NSSF to be more profitable on the show and solve some of the bottlenecks caused by spectators.
The Mandalay Bay also has a convention center and it lost a show recently around the same time as the Shot Show so they might be willing to negotiate. They have a bit better layout than the Sands and with a tram that connects Mandalay to Excalibur/Luxor you’d have a variety of price points. I’ve been attending for the last 6 years and its only gotten worse at the Sands.
And while the LVCC might have been booked for 15 years a few years ago…I am pretty sure they have some space to play with especially since some shows have started alternating between Vegas and Chicago or Vegas and Orlando. I know the Snow Sports & NATPE both have moved venues — Denver and Miami respectively which is why the underused Mandalay Bay is available.
And I am absolutely certain that we cannot get into LVCC through 2024.
Why LVCC is not an Option??? Is fully Booked for 15 Years all year around???
No, it is not available when we need the hall, which is in January. That’s when our exhibitors want to have the show. I don’t know how much more plainly we can explain this.
Really? What about the NASGW show in Reno in November? Or the NRA show in April? Both of these shows have lots of industry participation & industry keeps coming back. NSSF screwed the pooch on not booking the LVCC as they got sold a bill of goods from the Sands & now you guys are attempting to justify your screw up by saying that your customers want the show in January. Sorry, not buying that. SHOT has a big enough presence that if NSSF decided that the show should be in mid Feb, I am willing to bet that 99.9% of all current exhibitors would be just fine with that time line. Personally, I don’t want to close for Xmas & New Year & then close again for SHOT a couple weeks later. It makes more sense to be further away from Xmas anyway.
The Sands is a horrible location, not a patch on LVCC or even the Orlando CC (even though I completely agree that Orlando the city is a nightmare to deal with) & NSSF has the power to change things & not bleat that they can’t do anything about the situation.
I completely agree that the media thing is out of control! At least one serious industry journalist has the guts to tell the truth. As for LEO, you have a cogent & informed post on this already so I don’t need to mention any thing on that. I’m a former industry exhibitor, now LEO & manufacturing FFL & these problems on attendees keep surfacing year after year. NSSF talks about being responsive but the truth of the matter is that you guys know you have a ready cash cow with SHOT & you have exhibitors over a barrel; either put up with what you folks dole out in terms of location & timing or miss out on business/prestige by not attending. That’s just wrong. NSSF does such a great job 90% of the time but its surely apparent that the Sands is the wrong place for the show. Suck it up & move the timing to mid Feb back at the LVCC. I’d sure like to see what other industry professionals have to say about that idea.
Doc has made a good point. We all know the Sands is below par as a venue. We’ve all heard the call to do the “East Coast”. I’m in Virginia, but absolutely HATE Orlando for shows and conventions. This is a tourist town, not a business town. The restaurants can’t handle the business clientele, the cabs suck and moving around Intn’l Dr. is a pain. Yup – the show floor is better, but everything else is lacking. So I vote to continue in LV, but at a different hall.
About LE: LE is no longer LE – our business is booming in LE-type tactical gear. I spent more time there this year than ever before for that reason. Let’s face it – black guns and gear are ‘in’. So the idea of moving LE out of the show or into a different venue is a bit off kilter, since most of us in firearms retail should be paying attention to it.
I agree about the catalog cars – a safety menace.
Thanks for the venue to voice our opinions –
Don
Chris,
There is no way you are going to be able to make everyone happy, but I know you and the team keep trying. Best of luck to you!
I would definitely like to see the Show back in Orlando. All of the gambling, smoking, and seedy entertainment doesn’t do a thing for me. My crew and I are there to work, and while our wives could take the kids to Disney or other family events in Orlando, there is nothing for them in Vegas.
I definitely liked the layout in Orlando better than the Sands.
A HUGE THANK YOU for the improved press room this year! It was perfect. We had plenty of room to work, and the setup of the press kits was perfect. 100% improvement.
Yep, the Sands and Vegas aren’t my favorite places, but I got what I needed done, and my business is already prospering due to the deals and contacts made this year. Thanks for the hard work.
-Richard
We had a young child in Vegas with us and there was plenty to do with him. We didn’t partake in any seedy entertainment or smoking or boozing and had a phenomenal time hiking, eating, the circus etc. I went, two years ago i think, and it was horrible in Orlando.
I’m proud to be part of a growing industry! It’s a blessing to have growing pains! My only complaint would be that it doesn’t last long enough to visit all the vendors that I’m interested in.
I agree with the majority of the comments. Way to congested. I enjoyed the Orlando venue a lot more than Vegas. Consider having the Show on the east coast again!
Our company, Starlight Cases, must exhibit at SHOT in order to maintain our prior marketing efforts, however, the Sands Expo Center is awful. I need to be on the same level as the firearms companies as we do most of our business manufacturer to manufacturer, but for some reason I have not been able to escape the basement. We pay A LOT of money for our exhibit and expenses for this show, but we don’t get that much out of it because we are stuck in the parking garage… Each year when I write these big checks for SHOT I feel like Big Tony and Fat Sammy are in my office to collect “protection” money… Folks, our cries for change have been and will continue to fall on deaf ears………. Only when the big names stand up and revolt will something happen…
We spend a lot of time engaging our customers and guests Brack so I hope you don’t really consider all this discourse falling on deaf ears. Most exhibitors I spoke with on Level 1 were very pleased with the booth traffic and appreciated the improvements that were made for 2011.
As a dealer I speak with several exhibitors and find the same complaints from several of the lower level exhibitors. I personally deal with Starlight cases especially because of Brack and his company and the way they treat everybody who enters his display a lot of the bigger companies wont even say hello to customers be cause they work for whoever. I have had to look in some of the strangest places to hello. He sells a true firearm product not beef jerky or State Fair items.
#1: Please request that exhibitors with large booths do more than confront us with huge swaths of open, carpeted space. While the thick, plush carpeting feels great on my aching feet by Day 3 if there’s nothing to look at I feel a bit cheated as should exhibitors who could not be there so these companies could promote their ability to afford to advertise nothing.
#2: The years that the show is in Orlando it will free me up to do the S.A.R. West show instead. Many of us combine SHOT with vacation time and Vegas is great for that…and this comes from someone who does not gamble. The variety of entertainment and food along with ease of access simply cannot be equaled anywhere else and when you include the proximity of various natural attractions (Grand Canyon, Lake Mead/Hoover Dam, Valley of Fire, Death Valley, etc.) the trip to Vegas from Pennsylvania is a huge win for me. The last two years I have spent a total of 25 days in Vegas for SHOT and vacation and we are already looking to spend two days hiking in Death Valley next year. PLEASE do not move SHOT to Orlando! It would cost me just as much to travel to Orlando from PA as it does to get to Vegas, the availability of inexpensive hotels in walking distance to the show is zero, and there are zero after show vacation possibilities that I find remotely as interesting as those available in the southwest. Just my opinion, of course.
#3: Those who complain about the height of the ceilings in the lower level etc. need to focus their attention on the exhibits and stop worrying about the aesthetics of the venue which are so secondary to the purpose of being there that they are completely insignificant. Hopefully NSSF can move the show to the Convention Center in the future as the Sands is a bit cramped and odd but most people that I know had MUCH less difficulty finding booths this year and felt that the additional seating/refreshment areas were a big plus. The Media Room this year was also a GREAT improvement over last year.
#4: Great job on the State of the Industry dinner. This was the first year I attended and it will be a staple of my SHOT Show experience from now on if for no other reason than getting to meet the people at my table whom I otherwise would likely not have spoken with. Due to not purchasing our tickets together I didn’t sit with my colleagues but we all made some interesting new contacts during the dinner and it was a highlight of my SHOT experience.
Thanks for the candid feedback. We’re glad you enjoyed the State of the Industry event. Any suggestions on talent for next year?
Why the Las Vegas Convention Center is not available for the next 15 Years as Chris Say in one of the Reply???
Because the Consumer Electronic Show, World of Concrete and Homebuilders Show have January and February under contract. In the years that they are not in LVCC there is another show contracted for that odd year.
So the CES show goes from 1/10-1/13. World of Concrete is 1/23-1/26. International Sportsmen’s Expo goes 2/2-2/4, followed by the Annual Winter National Convention 2/4-2/6. The next show in LVCC isn’t until 2/22. That constitutes booked up in January and February? Seems to me there are 8 days between New Years Day and CES, 9 days between CES and Concrete, 6 days between Concrete and Sportsmen’s, and 15 days between the winter convention and Electric West.
When you take into consideration the move-in/move-out dates there are no more than 3 consecutive days that LVCC has no activity and a total of 5 until the middle of February and that is too late for the majority of our exhibitors.
Personally, I think all of you are doing a hell of a job growing the industry & managing to make as many people as you do,happy. I am a member of the NSSF who is a non-FFL retailer with two outdoor stores. I’ve attended the majority of the SHOT Shows since I started my business in 1986.
As an attendee, I think the Sands is the most wonderful venue we have ever been in. There are some 25,000 hotel rooms in every price range within walking distance! Vegas has world-class resturants, entertainment, convenience, and you can get there inexpensively. I can’t speak to exhibitor problems, but I can say that I have found every vendor I was looking for in the last two years.
I’m in the midwest & can drive or fly to Orlando, but I find it a much better family vacation spot, than a convention city. Traffic is ugly, taxi-drivers are clueless, hotels and resturants near the Orange County Convention Center are limited. I don’t mind going there once in awhile — but every other year would be painful!
If I was to offer an idea to lessen the traffic & unclog the floor (and I realize this would be difficult), I would ban rolling catalog carriers on the floor as they cause a large part of the congestion!
Keep up the great work!
Mickey Stewart
The Great Outdoors Company
Wow, thanks Mickey.
I m gun dealer and wholesaler from France, this year was my 12th Show.
When i start to come for Shot Show it was in Houston since i come for each except Atlanta and twice Orlando.
Just come one time in Oralndo and i really don’t like this place because lot of Hotel are fare form CC and very difficult except if you rent a car or take a cab ($) to go to see friends/partner on evening.
Las Vegas is a great place for many people because you are able to find good price on flights tickets and hotel, easy to moved on evening and meet people.
Show grow up since i come and L.E.O section too, it’s a good thing and it’s help us to find new products and partners. About Big Company and too big booths IMO they don’t need to have so huge booths except to show that they are the biggest, it doesn’t help us to cross aisles because they don’t allow us take a straight aisle and see all booths in one time.
Why it’s not possible to go back to LVCC?
Sands was better than last year BUT it’s not for me the best place to a SHOW like Shot Show and it will not be on my opinion able to improve mostly because of the 1st floor (too noisy).
Thanks to always try to do the best for us
This was my 11th show or so since 1997, yes the Sands is different than the convention center… Bummer. Both venues could use a little more organization, but since we are stuck in the Sands for the next 3 years for sure and probably longer, lets deal with it….. can the vendors be grouped together better? all the optics people together, Knife people together, ammo makers together, gun manufacturers together, aftermarket parts together in the same area (Within reason) … just a thought
The online show planner was useful, and made our trip more efficient.
Big vendors with dead space should slim down, allow more people on the waiting list in that way.
Oh and regarding the “hard to get to”, “out of the way” ballrooms some are complaining about…. sure was hard to come from the bus stop up the escalator RIGHT TO THE ballrooms (yes, I am being sarcastic). For me it, broke the show up a bit and made stuff easier to find.
LE/Tactical stuff is a growing market for retailers, Action shooting, 3-gun competitions and the general desire for more and more people to take up personal self defense is fueling the growth. Glad the venue is growing at SHOT
Vegas is a great location, easy to get in and out of and easy to navigate. and from my town, sometimes there are $30 flights direct to Vegas….. (Actually $49 with fees the week of the show) I assume others have great air rates to Vegas from a nearby airport. Vegas has a draw that Orlando or other places don’t that allow cheaper travel to and from for most…..
See ya next year
The Shot Show offers importers and dealers in Australia the chance to see all the lastest product available accross a large range.One of the problem we have in Australia is that the Aussie and the USD have reached parridy. An with the internet customers are sourcing good direct from major suppliers and discount houses in the US.Australian customs allow goods valued at 1000.00 do not attract a goods and service tax. Local inporters have to pay when they import.
I suggest that you further limit attendance to pre-qualified dealers and other buyers beyond the increased ticket price. And I strongly suggest you verify your press list now, especially for range day and the media room, to see how many “assigning” organizations actually do something on SHOT Show. We had to wait for guys with Flip cameras and cell phone pictures at major manufacturers on media day, and it wasn’t just us. Sportsman’s channel had 4 guys in their crew and they had to wait for the same guys. Google people now and make them requalify next year. There are not 2,000 active writers in this industry, including active and successful bloggers. In fact there are probably less than 200. Our blog has had over 400,000 reads on the articles in a little over a week. Our videos are in the hundreds of thousands of views in youtube in a addition (Kel-Tec alone is at 60k). If you have to be a slave to the numbers, I feel there are **qualitative** numbers for you to publicize. The exhibiting companies aren’t stupid. We all know who the real writers and blogs are. You don’t need to tell us there are 2,000 people out there writing about us when we know that only a handful reach our core and even fringe market.
I also said that I support the decision to stay at the Sands or in Vegas in particular. Overall you guys did a FANTASTIC job in making the show more pleasant. You just have to start raising the bar so those of us who are there to do business and promote the industry can do what we need to do without tripping over vacationers and fake media people who came for the coffee whip cream in it and some 50th Anniversary cake. -ph@ga
Paul Helinski
GunsAmerica & GunsAmerica Magazine
FANTASTIC! We were told by someone in the NSSF/SHOT booth that the waiting list has been axed. I am glad to hear that it has not! I am jumping on that list ASAP
Glad that these rumors have been addressed! It gives me hope for being at the SHOT Show!