We have asked the Sands Expo & Convention Center to provide our exhibitors and attendees with regular updates on improvements the facility is making for next year's SHOT Show.
We at NSSF appreciate everyone's feedback and we will continue to work closely with the Sands to ensure next year's show is second to none.
The following is a letter from Sands management:
The Sands Expo & Convention Center was very proud to play host to your 2010 SHOT Show this year. Thank you for the opportunity to be a part of such an exciting and successful event.
In anticipation of your return in 2011, we are pleased to announce some exciting changes and building improvements coming your way in hopes of creating an even better experience for you in the future.
We have listened to your suggestions and realize it may have been difficult to find your way around a 2 million square foot facility for the first time. Therefore we have created a new signage program for you with large directionals in numerous new locations, making it simpler to find restrooms, food outlets, exits, adjacent meeting space and more.
Also once you find those restrooms you will discover they have a whole new look. Yes they are getting a facelift. During the upcoming year, The Sands has many exciting upgrades scheduled to delight you on your next visit. I will keep you posted as we move along.
We look forward to sharing our new look with you as we prepare to host your SHOT Show in 2011.
Other considerations:
1- There were not enough employees working the “SHIPPING DEPARTMENT” on the last day of the show- There were two people helping everyone at any given time. Exhibitors were not alone while shipping back boxes and packages at the “SHIPPING DEPARTMENT” which included UPS/FEDEXP and any other service. The buyer’s, salesmen, and others waited for hours to have boxes and packages shipped. The last day at a major show should command adequate attention, and if it’s because of overtime, well the show made that since set-up was on a holiday.
2- Traffic flow in the “middle room”, used as a “conduit” to the larger room, was absurd- folks were blocking the aisles to view product at booths and nobody could get through, it was a fire hazard when that room got busy each day. There was no other way around it.
3- Handing out bags to folks should be done, but not in the middle of a busy floor- we saw half a dozen people trip due to the traffic flow problems-
Thank you.
We young hunters hate things that we cant go to because we are to young. Why isn’t it public? you could get a lot more money selling tickets for about 15dollars a peace. I really wanted to come next year.
Young Shooter, this isn’t a gun show. It’s a trade show and there are already too many tire kickers showing up as invited guests as it is.
The numbering system was awful! We spent half of our time trying to find our favorite booths.
What a joke. We have been exhibiting for many many years and last years SHOT was in the top 3 worst.
Not looking forward to next years show at all.
What about grouping the exhibits better? The Mil/LEO stuff was strung out all over the place.
More signs. Well, that’s a start.
Prettier bathrooms. Okay.
One of the significant problems which came to a head at the 2010 SHOT Show has been building for the past several years. And it is time that the NSSF addressed it. That problem is the significant confusion and disarray caused by pretending that there are only three significant portions of the firearms/outdoor trade, rather than four.
“Law Enforcement / Tactical.”
“Hunting.”
“Shooting Sports.”
Quick — what’s missing? What major segment of the market drove the huge surge in gun buying after the November 2008 elections? Were the gun stores suddenly crammed full of police officers seeking new duty weapons? Were hunters frantically snapping up deer rifles? Was everyone racing to gear up for Bullseye matches?
Hardly.
It is time, and past time, that the NSSF acknowledged the existence and power of the self-defense portion of the market. The upswing in firearms purchases after 9/11/2001 and again after the 2008 elections was not driven by people focused on hunting or by people interested in shooting sports. These market increases are driven by people interested in being able to defend themselves and their families.
The number of people carrying concealed firearms is around 6 million these days, a significant shift from the “under 1 million” number of two decades ago. But the NSSF at the SHOT Show is still acting as if that segment of the market doesn’t exist!
At the 2010 SHOT Show, companies displaying concealed carry products intended for civilians were literally scattered from one corner of the show floor to the other. Some of them were crammed back in a far corner of the LEO/Tactical marketplace (a poorer fit could not possibly be imagined). Others were clear at the other end of the show, tucked away under “General Shooting and Hunting.” Still others were hiding in “Accessories.”
If the NSSF can see its way clear to provide a dedicated, easy-to-find section for taxidermists, perhaps it might also think about offering the same consideration for holster makers, concealed carry clothiers, and others who serve the *civilian* portion of the self-defense marketplace.
It is, after all, one of the largest and fastest growing segments of the firearms community.
Please add a uniform booth number to each booth. This will make it much easier to navigate the Show.
I was unable to use my AT&T phone in most areas of the main lower hall. No service available.
I hope that improved celluar service antennae can be installed before the 2011 show.
Where to start.
Lets face it. the Sands is just not equiped to handle an event the size of the Shot Show. Sadly you are no doubt locked into a deal for the next several years. If so you may not servive as a company. I have yet to talk to a single person that was in attendance that did not have a number gripes. You have tried to cram a size 11 foot into a size 7 boot. No matter how you try to paint over the problems, Shot Show 2010 was a desaster.
Providing better signs and making pretty bath rooms is not going to fix this disaster.
The Sands is simply too small, too crowded, does not have adequate lunch options, the parking lot ( 1 entry,/ 1 exit) can not handle closing time.
I am cutting back the number of staff going next year to the bare minimum. Simply will not waste their time and our companies money at a sub standard place like the Sands. We will not do so until it is moved back to the LVCC.
I also am of the mind that oyur company will not survive this unless the show is moved back to the LVCC>
Have been going to the shot show for over 16 years. What a mess numbering system was very bad ,the booths in the basement? were very poorly marked. But the biggest problem and complaint I have was with the law enforcement booths everywere not just in one area. They seem to be taking over the SHOT show I own and operate a full line fire arms store not a police supply store. You are ruining the SHOT show with all the law enforcement booths and the officers(?) that crowd the other isles looking for free bees. The firearms dealers cant even get to our supplers to order things we need and to see new products. PLEASE WAKE UP SAVE THE SHOT SHOW
Put all the “Law Enforcement” (AKA “scary guns”) in ONE ROOM would go a long way to fixing the problem. Put the Elmer Fudd stuff in its own room, separate from the stuff that actually sells. Disallow ANY rolling bucket/box/bag, since folks tend to be too rude to handle the stress of dragging their junk behind them (at the expense of other people’s ankles). Navigating 2 million square feet is no problem, unless that space has been laid out by a drunk with no sense of traffic flow and labeled by people who do not have English as a first language. However, the Sand’s poor design can’t be fixed without starting over…so reorg the vendors to put similar products together instead of breaking up the profitable items with the Fudd gear in a pointless attempt to get foot traffic to the unpopular stuff…
The facility itself is the primary problem.
Water coming through the roof and overhead pipes leaking on the show floor (and attendees, displays, expensive products, etc…). Power outages (with NO operating emergrncy lights). Escalators that are only on during show hours. Better signage is a an ongong benefit to the venue, not the show. Cleaner, “fresher” restrooms aren’t a selling point-they’re a regular part of custodial maintenance operations. The Sands is a corpse, and they’re offering to put some cologne and a “Hi. My Name is________” sticker on it.
Ditto to all comments above. My fear is the loss of individuals envolved and supporting the firearms industry. I personally said I would not return after this years experience with the Sands. But I realize that is not the answer. If we start loosing attendance and interest in SHOT we are all doomed. This would give the anti’s one more chip at the foundation of what we support. I’ve got to believe there is some stipulation in the contract with the Sands that indicates if the facility is not adequate or concerns and issues are not resolved to an acceptable resolution, the contract should be null & void.
MUST SAVE SHOT! Finding a way to relocate is a must!
I will NOT waste my time and money coming back to the Sands facility next year!! David M Dobin, Miami Beach FL
Will anyone with any authority at NSSF care to respond to these comments? This was my first Shot Show,I was amazed to see how it was organized. The LEO/Military part is way too big, they need their own show. Would like to hear why the LVCC cannot host this.
I am offended by D. Hart’s remark, “Put the Elmer Fudd stuff in its own room, separate from the stuff that actually sells.” He somehow has lost sight of what this show was originally about, and now allows him to ride its coat tails.
I do agree with his remark, “Disallow ANY rolling bucket/box/bag, since folks tend to be too rude to handle the stress of dragging their junk behind them (at the expense of other people’s ankles).”
I am certain that NSSF is doing everything possible to resolve the issues relating to the complaints about the Sands. They understand the importance of “satisfied customers” as do the rest of us.
Let’s try to provide constructive criticism, in a professional manner, and hopefully we can all find a way to make this a better situation.
Some easy solutions:
After the carpets are laid issue a duplicate floor label to each company to apply to their carpet–this single step will avoid the “lost buyer” lower level mess, eliminate 90 percent of the problem and make finding displaying companies many times easier.
Make sure that hallway maps are actually orientated in the correct direction–half were 180 degrees wrong.
Get rid of the $#@%%&*^## carts that catalog and junk collectors plug up aisles and displays with. They are not not serious buyers. Back at their hotel rooms they sort and throw out unwanted stuff. These collectors really jam up the aisles to everyone’s discomfort and efficient operation! Carry bags are the way to go to qualify serious buyers and to eliminate traffic jams and catalog waste.
I would tend to agree with Jim in that most of the paperwork is tossed when person’s return to the hotel. I got most of my information from electronic sources or requested a card with the url of the company. Flying from the Midwest the last thing I want to do is carry back a bunch of catalogs.
One of the issues I had was when I wanted to get information from a vendor I had to wait to be scanned by the person who had the scanner. Why not just have a stand alone scanner where I can go up, not bother anyone, and have my badge scanned to I can get the information sent to me electronically. This would let the “BUYERS” have face to face with the “SELLERS” and also provide information to the “SEEKERS OF NEW INFORMATION”.
Thanks
How about putting on a show that caters to people who are actually in the business? I decided early on in the show to keep my money and talk to distributors and manufacturers after I got home. I could barely see the products for all the ‘visitors’ who just wanted to get a catalog for a ‘buddy.’ I stopped several of them to casually ask where their shop was or what products they carried. Over half had no business affiliation at all. Two admitted having phoney business cards, one was posing as a writer, several claimed they simply had a friend in the business, 3 had just ‘stopped by’ and paid they admission, and another thinking I was working as a security guard, confessed to having snuck in. Why is it so hard to limit attendence to people who actually make their living in the biz? SHOT SHOW attendencew will NOT be factored into next year’s BUSINESS budget!
Thanks to everyone for the feedback. We are listening and are we are addressing all of your comments. I encourage everyone to read our previous Q&A posts and comments. We’ve posted answers to a lot of what has been mentioned in the comments above. We will also continue to post more updates as we get them. We are using all of your feedback to improve next year’s show and we are doing everything we can to ensure it is second to none.
The first night was a disaster at 5:00 PM everyone going out one door. This was like feeding time at the zoo. Not only are the carts a problem the scooters are to. Their should be a asile for them to drive in, I am also handicaped and used a scooter several years ago at the show. But some people think if they run into you several times with their scooter it is O.K. because they are handicaped. make some rules for these people on where they can drive, give them a marked area in the asile to stay in. I agree with the other people put the vendors in a better location and better maping of where the vendors are.
D. Hart did not post that comment he posted the one above it I know because I am D.Hart apparently the same people who laid out the shot show also run this site as apparently it is also screwed up sorry if the other guy offended you but it was not me. So Glenn your problem should be with the site itself
How about putting on a show that caters to people who are actually in the business?
Indeed; I thought this year they did a better job that years past.
Of course, moving to the Sands made that moot, as the Sands was too small for the SHOT Show, which is one of the reasons we were told that the LVCC and the OCCC (Orlando) wouldn’t work.
We are probably not going to attend in 2011, as flying across the country and spending a fair amount of our business dollars on staying for a week to attend a very crowded, badly organized show isn’t really worth it,
The biggest problem was and always has been the tremendous number of people who aren’t really involved in the industry but get into the show anyway. I’m sure the organizers love to brag about increasing attendance each year, but when 2/3 of the folks on the floor are lovestruck fanboys or off-duty cops with no real connection to the industry, it makes for a huge mess. RAISE ADMISSION TO $250… now only people who really have a legitimate business reason to be there will show up. For companies with multiple attendees, make it $250 per company and then $10 per person in the company, or whatever.
Beyond that, there needs to be much better organizing of vendors. While everyone wants to be in the “main room” and NSSF/Reed sells premium space there to long-time exhibitors, it makes for a crazy hodge podge going from hall to hall. Put all the gun companies in one place. Put all the flashlight companies in one place. Put all the clothing companies in one place. Put all the BBQ sauce companies in one place. Etc. Then anyone who is interested in, say, flashlights will go to whatever hall those companies are in.
The show has become so huge both in terms of attendees and exhibitors that it’s out of control. Moving it into a venue that was never designed for such a big event was a mistake but one that likely isn’t resolvable for the next few years due to contracts. Fix the SHOW’s problems, and the VENUE’s problems will be a lot less painful.
We have exhibited at SHOT since 1991 and this was by far the worst show we have been to. Unfortunately I don’t think cleaning up the bathrooms and adding some signs are going to help. The issue is the Sands Convention Center. It is not an adequate location for a show of this size. We are looking at scaling our booth down to the bare minimum next year and then just wait for the show to return to either Orlando or the LVCC. I am shocked that with all the issues that were encountered at last year’s show (leaks, no lights during move-out, booths in the basement,etc) that they think fixing the bathrooms is the answer.
I expect NOTHING in the way of improvements. Was this the most f’ed up SHOT show ever? certainly! But every year for 13 years I have pointed out the rolling cart issue, the blocked aisle issues, the seats in the middle of the main aisle so you cannot make it to your appointment on time issue. The thousands of non industry tire kickers in the way of real buyers issue. There has never been and never will be a single improvement on any of these issues as they DO NOT CARE and have NO INTENT of ever addressing these issues. Your a fool if you think anything will be fixed.
Just curious if any other exibitors had items stolen from their booth prior to the start of the show. We had our pallet broken into and product stolen. I called the NSSF to talk to some one about it but everyone was traveling to the show. However it is now April 6th and I have yet to receive a call back from any of the management team that I left messages for. This venue is a joke. Security is more of a concern for what they might take than what other people might take. I agree with the statement above about putting the size 11 foot in a size 7 shoe. This didn”t work and I don’t see it getting any better any time soon. If we could boycott this event and mainly this venue we would but that is not possible. I just have a hard time believing that this was the best venue possible at that time. And oh don’t forget that in 2011 we get to pay more for our booth!
I’m glad to see the Sands responding, if somewhat feebly.
COMPLAINT: I have bad memories of tracking all over the show, trying to find a particular booth number (Rescomp), and not being able to find it thanks to non-sensical breaks in the numbering — much worse than the quirks of the LVCC numbering system.
SUGGESTION: The Sands is a network of small individual halls (NOT like the vast openness of the LVCC). Give each booth number a letter code that corresponds to the particular hall. If XYZ booth is in hall “A” then their number would be “A1234.” If it’s a non-profit on the mezannine, “M1234” or even “M1234NP.” Contrast that to the current system with just a number like “44103.” Thanks to the current GOOFY system (a holdover from the LVCC open format, perhaps?), that booth could be anywhere.
I’ve been to five shows and I think 2010 was the best one I’ve been to. It was busy an energetic. We didnt’ get a chance to even eat the first day because we were so busy.
I do have one complaint about the venue… can you tell the Venetian to turn down that god awful scent they pump into their hotel? Walking through it was enough to make us gag.
I was unable to attend the Shot Shot this past season, and from what I have read about the confusion and poor signage, I am personally glad I missed it.
Unfortunately, there is little to tempt me in being there in 2011. With near 3/4 of those responding delivering more bad news about the conditions, leaking roof,poor signage,lack of personnell to assist those buyers who did go, I doubt I will go in 2011 unless if get the feeling that significant improvements will be made.
To be constructive, the booth numbering had no visible logic, rhyme, or reason. Some explanation as to how/why numbers were assigned might help us figure it out on our own.
Lost in the show, I found MANY maps showing the complete layout, floor plans, and booth numbers. Great, I’m Rescued!! I was much disappointed to find none of them had a “You Are Here” arrow, so I was STILL lost.
I agree with the ” leave the rolling box/carts home” comment. I had battered ahkles from the idiots shoving them into me while I waited for another cart pusher to get out of the way. I had several “aisle dealers” try to sell me stuff who were not exhibitors. No noe wanted to deal with them when I complained. Forget the Sands alltogether.
come up with a fair system on obtaining booth space. Our company has been to over 10 shot shows and we had a 20 x 40 booth in the farthest corner on the bottom floor, nobody could find us. A friend of ours who has a camo clothing company and has been to 3 shot shows had a 20 x 20 booth and was upstairs next to Mossy Oak. Whats fair about that, if we didnt have to come back we would stay home and save our $50,000 dollars.
Hey NSSF, Is it finally sinking in?
I agree the two wheel carts and such are a hazord and should be banned from the floor.
I am troubled by D. Hart’s reference to Elmer Fudd stuff. We are all part of the SHOT Show regardless of whether our interests are in tactical and LE or hunting. The purpose of the show is to give access to all, and the statement of putting the Elmer Fudd stuff — in itself degrading to a large portion of the firearm-owning public — and stuff that doesn’t sell in one room is counter productive to us all.
Signage and bathroom are all well and good, but what about the leaking roof!! The waterfalls that damaged so many booths this year is TOTALLY unacceptable, not to mention dangerous! If people looked up and realized there were probably 100, 5 gallon buckets hanging from the 25+ foot ceiling filling up with water, the attendance would probably been signifigantly reduced. I was amazed that none cut loose and dropped to the show floor(just lucky I guess). THIS VENUE IS HORRENDOUS! The old parking garage are was pathetic and disorganized. There were booths literally spilling into food vendor areas! The main hall had a very poor layout and I feel very sorry for the groups that spent big $$ to only find themselves lost in the maze of “halls”. I did not even know there was a portion of LE in some halls until the last day. This venue was a BIG mistake which I am sure we will all continue to dread in the coming years. I could not find a single vendor that actually thought the venue was good.
Whether I can afford something or not I hate to feel like I’m being price-gouged, and that’s exactly how I felt about the prices charged for food at the show. A plain ham sandwich was as much as $15 in the NSSF members lounge, where they wouldn’t even sell you a can of soda unless you bought a complete meal, It was almost as bad at the food courts, where a sandwich was as much as $8 to $10 and a soda was $3. That is just outrageous, and particularly so because the show prohibits attendees from bringing in their own food and drink. You need to address this issue!! Price gouging show attendees like that is just not right.
not having good phone communications made it impossible to run several meetings. got v frustrating
add some booster for the major carriers will help.
the lay outs did not promote a streamed line path to all booth and allow for some regular traffic flow.
Just to add my agreement with those so many have already posted:
– Poor lay out and no useful signage. Both needs improvement
– Group similar product vendors together so you don’t have to ran from one floor to another to see related products.
– Restroom need to be clean and stocked at all times.
– Ban two wheel carts. They cause more problems then they are worth and are used mostly by catalog collectors who don’t pay attention as they drag them behind them.
– Limit elect cart to those that have a real handicap versus those that just get tired from walking around in a poorly laid out site.
– The show is really an opportunity to see what is new. My main reason for coming to the SHOT Show isn’t to order stuff. I can do that so much easier on line or by phone. I go to see new items and meet some of those that I have been doing business with and to find new items that might fit my business needs.
Because of the poor lay out, worthless signage, unhelpful Help staff, crowded aisles with unthinking cart pullers and elect cart drivers blocking access to booths,the difficulty getting in and out of the site, and the dirty and poorly stocked restrooms I will be thinking really hard if I want to go through all that again next year.
This was are second year doing the shot show. The event in Orlando was great for us! This past event was horrible and we will not be going back until it is moved to a different venue. We saw maybe 25 percent of the traffic we saw last year in Orlando. As the owner of a small company trying to make it, this past years shot show hurt us more than helped us.
It is hard to believe that there can be enough improvements in a year to make this a good experience. We are exhibiting in a parking garage for gosh sakes! The pilars in the middle of the exhibit space are a nuisance and an eye-sore. We had no air condiditoning, no cell service and dim lighting. Not looking fdorward to 2011.