Transworld Press Release

[Randy Bates]

Looks like we will be going to St Louis next year. I have always been an advocate of the Transworld show, and repeatedly stated that if you are a Pro Haunter, you can't miss it. Now that the costume and Halloween show is moving to Houston, I will probably attend both shows. I can't remember the last time I bought an off the shelf costume for our attraction, but I sure spend a lot of dough with Scarefactory, Scareparts, Unit 70, Ghost ride and many others.

I go where the vendors take me, and that looks to be in the Midwest next year. If the shows run concurrently, I'll send one of my managers to Houston, and personally attend Transworld.

[Midnight13]

I don't normally post much but I thought now would be a good time to throw in my 2 cents...

I have been going to Transworld for 13 (!) years. I know of only a handful of haunters that are still around that were there the first few years. Initially haunters were pretty much ignored back then or at least tolerated (hell, I even got into the infamous Rubies party a few times).

Then Haunters started coming in large numbers and companies like Rubies (and many others) started to notice us and take offense that we were breathing their air.

A few times I tried to purchase items from larger costume companies and I was met with extreme rudeness (even though I had a minimal order). Some companies even went so far as to take my order and then never deliver them.

I remember calling a manager at Charades about a $500 order that never came in and was told that Charades "couldn't wipe their ass with a $500 order and to let all haunters know that we don't want their business". This is the absolute truth. I was shocked to say the least.

I decided then and there that I couldn't care less about the costumers. Realistically how much of their Walmart crap does any haunter actually buy anyway? (if you are buying Walmart costumes, then you have bigger problems to worry about than tradeshows).

Personally I am happy they are gone (Good Riddance)! The best thing we can do is get behind this show and prove to Rubies and the others that we are independant and don't need them.

Those of you that are saying that you are going to Houston probably will be stopped at the door ,and if not, won't be able to buy anything anyway? (Why would you even want to?).

Granted there are a few smaller costume companies that will be missed (Incharacter comes to mind). However, any company that wants to sell to haunters WILL be at this show. Period.

Over the years, Rosemont has gotten more and more expensive. Because it is isolated from Chicago (unless you rented a vehicle), you are pretty much at their mercy (expensive rooms, expensive food, expensive ALCOHOL!!!). And it's too damn cold. How many of us would be screwed if a storm closed down O'Hares the weekend of the show? And Vegas was no better. How much networking did you do last year? I hardly even saw anyone.

I am all for St. Louis 100%. Everything sounds cheaper (for both vendor and buyer) and it's got to be warmer. Plus it has a major Haunt! Who doesn't want to see the Darkness?

Someone posted that people would be tired of seeing the same haunt every year. Dreamreapers was quite a Transworld favorite every year and I never heard anyone complain. Besides most major haunts change a significant portion each year.

Now I still will go to other shows for other reasons (to see Haunts, networking, etc,...) but honestly this is the show that all of the major vendors have signed on for (i.e. Scarefactory, Ghostride, etc,..). This show will happen, with or without you and who are you really going to hurt if you don't support it? Only you.

Whether you agree with Larry or not, we should all be thanking him (and whoever else was behind this) because if no one said anything and Transworld had a bad Vegas year without the costumers then they may have thrown in the towel on the whole thing. Then where would we be?

See everyone in St. Louis!

Dwayne Sanburn
Midnight Productions
13th Gate

[renrok]

the big show.

As as a vendor, I have been following this whole process of the TW show and have been at that show since '96. So here is my two cents.

The chicago show has evolved/changed/grown/shrunk whatever every year. Every year there seems to be something.

Everyone remember the year that they wanted to keep the haunted house buyers restricted to the haunt section floor. I thought from a business standpoint that was great. that meant you were all potentially trapped in front of my product! from a personal standpoint I understand that buyers did not like the idea. I viewed that year as show producers attempting to calm the waters with the majority of the show floor of which we are all not.

I think that we should all, both vendors and buyers, be thankful that our industry was allowed to be part of a trade show experience AND allowed to grow regardless of any problems in the past. Without a big show there would be no vendors, no product for the haunters to buy and no growth that we have seen in the last couple of years. Those of you that have been attending the show for numerous years will probably agree with me on this point. maybe not.

With that said.

I really don't give a crap as to where the show is or who does it. As long as the costs are reasonable and the qualified buyers are there. The convention shows are great, I have backed them by either sponsorship or booth space, but they are not the chicago show. They are too late in the season for ordering and the majority of my clients can not afford to wait that long and neither can I. I see these shows as great incubators and hopefully the big show turning into and being ran like an IAPPA trade show experience, both from the vendor side and buyer side. This would be sweet for us all. Anyone who has been to IAAPA knows what I am getting at.

I / Scareparts Backed St. Louis for the following reasons:

1) it's cheaper for us. we can get more space for the same dollar and bring more product. we always get 6+ booths, now we can have more especially now that we are doing the vacuum form product.
2) hotels are cheaper, now we do not have to be 4 blocks away. And keep in mind we are there for almost a week and I usually have 3 rooms at least.
3) More options for food, from my understanding there are a lot of options right there not only to feed my crew but meet with clients.
4) climate. I am tired of driving though the snowstorm that seems to accompany the show. Tired of hearing about clients taking off early to beat the weather after we spend so much to get there. Does anyone remember that storm in the late 90's?
5) I now know who will be on the show floor. Our industry has always been the minority at the big show. There are lots of people walking the floor and our vendors have the cool stuff. I am tired of spending time chatting with someone only to find out they are not in the biz and have no real use for my product.


I have already seen the start of people taking sides and in my opinion its stupid. You should all be focused on your work at hand getting ready for your season and not worrying about '09.

I know my clients, and wherever the vendors are they will be there. Its a plane ticket either way, we are there for business and everyone cares about their business.

[hauntedhousenut]

keith

That's the bottom line, a penny saved is a penny earned.

[drfrightner]

I can't believe what I'm hearing from some people... all I can say is HAVE FUN IN HOUSTON and see if they'll let you in the door. I hope you can get good deals on Batman costumes, Spiderman costumes and lets not forget Cinderalla.

What a joke! I'm still laughing.

Whoops did I forget all the balloons, wedding supplies, Scooby Doo paper plates and all the other stuff. Wow you guys will be stocked for parties that is for sure!

LOL.

Anyone who goes to Houston and owns a haunt, and not a retail store should shoot themselves with pumpkin seeds!

This show will be for the buyers and the vendors.

This didn't happen because of something Transworld did or didn't do this is all about Rubies and the retail industry.

They made this happen and we should thank them!

Larry

[drfrightner]

Couple other things...

FACTS: This show will be 100,000 square feet! They have 100,000 square feet reserved for show floor and I will bet it will be SOLD OUT! That would be about THREE times bigger than the haunt show we saw in Transworld Vegas last year.

THERE WILL BE MORE VENDORS, from MORE industries. Benefit: BUYER!

FACT: The cost of the booths will be $700.00 cheaper than VEGAS. Benifit BUYER!

Why? Because vendors will buy more booths, and if they buy more booths they'll bring more product. Again Benefit: BUYER

FACT: Travel costs to St. Louis, hotels, food, will be cheaper in St. Louis. BENEFIT: BUYER!


A couple ther things... I NEVER said there wouldn't be haunt tours, or seminars, I said there wouldn't be all the social activities that some other regional shows are known for because this focus is on buyers and sellers.

If you can find one thread where I ever said NO HAUNT TOURS... Hauntcon is built around haunt tours, so that is the focus. This shows focus is on buying and selling, bringing new products and services to market for buyers. Education is always part of the plan, and in a haunt tour does not interfere with the tradeshow, it only enhances the amount of buyers who will come.

However even though there is a haunt tour, the focus is strictly on BUYING new product...that is exactly what you will get.

THE DARKNESS WILL OPEN... it will be open with a full blown staff wih actors on Saturday night of the show with TIMED TICKETING! Meaning you will not have to wait in long lines like in Vegas.

GET BEHIND YOUR INDUSTRY and SUPPORT A HAUNT ONLY SHOW!

Larry

[spookologist]

This is the best news I've heard from this site in quite some time. Thanks Tim for informing us on the press release. Thanks to the vendors who pushed Transworld into having faith in us haunters. Now its our time to shine and build the best haunters show. Here are a few suggestions. Take them for what they are worth.

1-Transworld was the 1st to really have a show and they let the haunters in for the last 13 years....Thank you Transworld!!! Have them handle the show floor.

2- Barry and the Gang from MHC do a great job with their show and they are volunteers. Why doesn't Transworld hire them to take care of the seminars and the extra activities and open it up to everyone like they do. Yes, I said hire. (looking ahead to 2010)

3- Leonard seems to do a great job with Hauntcon, Why can't he also work with Transworld with tours and off-site activities and such.

4- Larry can be a host for the Darkness.

5- Form ONE association to oversee everything and have that new association be made up with representation of vendors (out of their own group), Haunted Attraction owners and a group of independent professionals from inside and outside of the industry. People who can make business decisions, not emotional.

ONE SHOW, MAKE IT GROW.....It's ours.

BTW.....Transworld was THE place to go. All the others popped up after.

A few more points:

1- We all wanted the show back to the midwest= done
2- We all wanted the vendors to show off their good and still have them arrive in time for our haunt season= done
3- We all wanted a place where the haunters can roam and have a good time after hours= done
4- We all wanted a place thats affordable to all= done

This is what we've been asking for.....now lets do something about it.

Thanks again for all who put this together.

OK, I'm done.

Wayne

www.trailofterror.com

Again great work for all those involved in the

[spookologist]

So Larry, I guess I'll have to return the Scooby Doo plate I got ya for your birthday.

[TheNightMare]

With all the saving being saved by the vendors, Will they pass ANY along to the buyers? i.e bigger discounts?

[renrok]

nightmare

We will use the savings to have more of a presence and bring more product. I feel our prices are already fair for the quality products we produce.

As with many vendors, not only the size of the order you place gives us room to make deals but the ongoing relationships year after year come into play as well.

[TheNightMare]

We will use the savings to have more of a presence and bring more product. I feel our prices are already fair for the quality products we produce.

As with many vendors, not only the size of the order you place gives us room to make deals but the ongoing relationships year after year come into play as well.

understood

[kpolley]

Okay, my turn.

First...to anyone who thinks they are going to prove a point by not going to the show you are cutting off your own nose to spite your face. The St. Louis show will be THE ONLY place to see all the major vendors' new lines. Everyone who is a "big name" and many who aren't are backing this show. To not go will mean you wither don't buy anything from many of the top vendors next year or you buy online and hope you actually like the thing that you've never seen in person.

I supported this show because:

1. I live in St. Louis.
2. The savings for me and my business are real and are giving me the oppurtunity to GREATLY expand. I am planning on tripling my booth space this year.
3. A haunt only show makes sense whether some of you see it or not. The HCP show was great...I always walked around...but they didn't help us in the long run. They didn't like us, they stole ideas from us as vendors only to bring crappy asian knock-offs the following year, and they OBVIOUSLY took the majority of the floor space giving us no room for growth. Now we can grow as big as we want. Why would anyone dislike that?
4. Quality and quantity are 2 different things. As far as buyers go...quantity at the St. Louis show will likely be down but quality will be WAY UP. None of the buyers will be there to buy skimpy underwear. They'll be there to buy haunt merchandise. As for vendors...there may be fewer of those as well but do you really buy many pairs of wax lips or 300 work shirts with "female body inspector" stenciled on them? The vendors you will see will be selling what your haunt needs. We could get a HVAC convention to set up along side us if you want more vendors but I don't think they'd offer much you'd want to buy. The level of quality here is going through the roof!

You can go to Houston if you want...but you'll be buying cheap plastic John McCain masks and light up pumpkin flashlights if you do. It's not a haunt show. If you want zombies, giant animatronics, and other real haunt merchandise you should come to the St. Louis show. It's the ONLY place to find all the major vendors under one roof! I can't wait. It's time that we all stop fighting ourselves and work toward the same goal and move in the same direction. Can we PLEASE find some unity in this petty indusrty? Let's all get behind this new show and really give it a shot. TW really has done a lot of work to try and get a feel for what's best. In the end, you can't please everyone but I think this show is going to be the best thing that any of us have seen in quite some time. By trying to hurt it you will only be hurting the vendors and, in turn, yourselves. Let's all work together to try to make this a great thing and not fight each other over childish personal disagreements. This is a business...not a highschool. You don't have to like everyone elese but it pays to get along in a professional way. Let's all put personal differences aside and unify on a professional level. We are poised to make a big leap forward this year. Let's take full advantage. I'll see everyone who understands what a great step forward this is in March.

As for the Larry bashing and the "Larry Lover" bashing...give it a rest already. You all come to Larry's website everyday and you read Larry's magazine and on and on and on. Get over yourselves. I don't like the Pickel. I don't get his magazine and I'm not a member of his forums. If you hate Larry so much then leave. Nobody is keeping you here and I am personally tired of the grade school playground syndrome that everyone seems to have lately.

Oh...and one final thing...I just want to say to Ben that I appreciate sooooo much having someone out there that really gets it. You support us as vendors more than ANYONE else and I can't thank you enough for that. You understand that, of course, we need you to survive but you need us as well. Thanks for you support and I'm looking forward to seeing you nest year. I'm also hoping we can get you out to guest act when we open Darkness. I think it would be a blast!

[lurker]

..we had to start our own show, for the benefit of our industry.

It's not "our" show. It's Transworld's hail marry show.

[kpolley]

That's where you're wrong. We planned this show and got TW to agree to it. We had other options lined up if they backed out. Believe me...that's a fact. Truth be told, I liked on of the other options better but I'm going with this because it's the best thing for the whole industry right now. See...I can compromise for unity...anybody else on board???

[Patti Ludwinski]

I'm with you Kip! Great post.