CEDIA Spring Expo Moved, Now Shelved

By Joseph Palenchar -- TWICE, 10/31/2007 6:07:00 AM

Indianapolis — CEDIA’s planned Spring Expo, announced earlier this year for Las Vegas and then moved about two months later to Dallas, has now been switched into oblivion.

CEDIA cited “market conditions and additional member feedback.”

Instead of a traditional trade show, suppliers will be given the opportunity to exhibit products on tabletop displays at CEDIA’s third annual Electronic Lifestyles Forum, targeted to the nation’s top architects, builders and interior designers.

“Though there was support for the recently announced Spring Expo concept initially,” CEDIA said in a statement, “member feedback regarding market condition changes and other factors have prompted CEDIA to step back from Spring Expo at this time and focus on education and expanding the exposure opportunities with architects, builders and interior designers at the third annual Electronic Lifestyles Forum.” Affordability, CEDIA said, is “important to CEDIA members, particularly to manufacturers and exhibitors who have significant cost factors to consider for each trade show they attend.”

CEDIA executive director Don Gilpin said, “The feedback from our members has changed over the past couple of months, and they are no longer ready for a full-force tradeshow such as what was planned for the 2008 Spring Expo.”

In July, CEDIA announced the launch of its first spring show targeted to electronics systems contractors and said at the time that Las Vegas would be the destination for the early-April event. The association cited the fall show’s growth, which forced the association to turn away new exhibitors and prohibit existing exhibitors from increasing their booth sizes. Also at the time, Gilpin said the Spring Expo would help eliminate the waiting list for new exhibitors and “offer more opportunities for the different CEDIA stakeholders, including attendees, education and certification participants, and manufacturers.”