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Some thoughts on the St. Louis Trade show

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  • Some thoughts on the St. Louis Trade show

    I started talking about this in the other show thread that is running...but I think it really needs to stand alone, so....

    First, I want to say how excited I am about this new show.

    As one of the longest exhibiting companies in the industry (second to Distortions and Leonard Pickle), I have see a lot of changes along the way. The most important change is that we are becoming a bonafied industry (or at least getting close).

    Something that has been holding our industry back for the past few years is the lack of our own show. We had kind of stagnated as far as growth.

    A bit of luck for the industry as a whole is that Rubies finally upset the apple cart and made it possible (necessary actually) to start an industry specific show.

    Larry and I may have started the process, but the Vendor Community as a whole has rallied together to make this happen. Please don't underemphasize how important this is.

    Everyone has to get over the 'Larry Show' thing. It's not his show.
    As a matter of fact, I am the one who has been lobbying for St. Louis...blame me. Larry had other locations he liked. What this is...is a trade show, produced by Transworld Exhibits and overseen by a committee made up of the biggest vendors in the haunt industry. We now have accountability and oversight.

    We have done something huge here. We have created a haunt-only show. The haunt-only show. A business to business buying show. This is something we have needed for a long time.

    Take a moment to think about what is happening and what it means.

    We, the top vendors in the industry, the biggest dogs on the block....have gotten together and made this happen. More than anyone else in the industry, we are putting our liveleyhoods on the line here. If this fails, a lot of us are out of business.

    The smartest/most experience people in the industry have been consulted. We have put untold hours of work into making this happen....and make it happen right.

    This industry has two choice....grow or die. We have chosen to grow.

    This is going to be our main show.
    Yes, we will continue to support Hauntcon and MHC, they serve a very important function in the industry. But this is our big show...the one that keeps us in business and we are going to do everything in our power to make that happen.

    And for the record...who is on this mysterious list of vendors that are supporting the St. Louis show?

    Ghost Ride Productions
    Scarefactory
    Unit 70
    Creative Visions
    Halloween Productions
    Edge Design
    Pale Night Productions
    Ghoulish Galleries
    Distortions
    Haunt Visions
    Scare Parts
    Digital Sound and Lighting
    Monster-Tronics
    Rogue's Hollow
    Dental Distortions
    Frightprops
    Spookywood FX
    ....plus other major vendors


    I look forward to seeing you all in St. Louis, March 27-29, 2009.

    Mark McDonough, president
    Creative Visions
    Haunt Visions
    Mark McDonough, president
    Creative Visions
    (314) 776-3939
    (314)772-8146- fax

  • #2
    Mark

    Larry made many guarantees about cost savings, I hope he's right.

    Comment


    • #3
      The End Of March!

      Smart!
      From the beginning to the end of March in the midwest it can seem like two totally different "seasons".
      hauntedravensgrin.com

      Comment


      • #4
        Link and more information

        Is there a link/website with more information about the St. Louis tradeshow?

        Thanks,
        Mike

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by Mark McDonough View Post
          And for the record...who is on this mysterious list of vendors that are supporting the St. Louis show?

          Ghost Ride Productions
          Scarefactory
          Unit 70
          Creative Visions
          Halloween Productions
          Edge Design
          Pale Night Productions
          Ghoulish Galleries
          Distortions
          Haunt Visions
          Scare Parts
          Digital Sound and Lighting
          Monster-Tronics
          Rogue's Hollow
          Dental Distortions
          Frightprops
          Spookywood FX
          All we need is 66 more vendors to sign up and the Haunt & Attractions Show will have as many vendors as MHC did this year. :P
          Happy Haunting,

          Adam Drendel
          Webmaster of http://www.HauntedIllinois.com

          Visit us on Facebook for the latest updates! http://www.facebook.com/pages/Haunte...m/225595667213

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by thecreepzone View Post
            Is there a link/website with more information about the St. Louis tradeshow?

            Thanks,
            Mike
            Nope. No information online yet, but here is the show's web url:

            http://www.hauntshow.com/
            Happy Haunting,

            Adam Drendel
            Webmaster of http://www.HauntedIllinois.com

            Visit us on Facebook for the latest updates! http://www.facebook.com/pages/Haunte...m/225595667213

            Comment


            • #7
              about the costs

              If you are a vendor, you will see one of of the big reasons St. Louis is better than Los Vegas or Chicago in the cost to do the show.
              It is cheaper. As a matter of fact, it hit the target costs we were aiming for.

              I am not going to list those costs here because they really only apply to vendors, but if you are a vendor who is just now getting up to speed on the situation, I advise calling Transworld for pricing.

              More importantly for the buyers, St. Louis is a cheaper city to attend a show.

              While the social aspect isn't the real reason we do the show...it has become important. So we found a new 'Crown' hangout. It was once of the first things we did...lol
              There will be tours of the Darkness and Creative Visions. Touring your peer's facilities can be a great educational experience...and fun.

              Also, we are going to bring in a lot of new vendors you have not run across before.

              This is not another show...this is THE show.

              Regards,

              Mark McDonough, president
              Creative Visions
              Haunt Visions
              Mark McDonough, president
              Creative Visions
              (314) 776-3939
              (314)772-8146- fax

              Comment


              • #8
                The cost savings are definitely there.

                Transworld sent out cost comparison sheets for both locations to vedors so that we would all be fully informed when the time came to vote.

                St. Louis was hands down the cheapest venue.

                BOOTH SPACE --
                In 2007 I spent approximately $1800 per 10x10 booth space in Chicago. In 2008 I will spend $1,200 for the same 10x10 booth space. With the money I'm now saving I could actually buy a third booth and display our latest product line without any increase in booth costs.

                LODGING --
                I think I paid about $179.00 per hotel room at Bally's Las Vegas last year. I'm sure the Crown Plaza in Chicago is comparable. In St. Louis, the Marriott (which is directly across the street from the convention center) has room rates staring at $99.00. In general, room rates in St. Louis start at around $99.00 and go to a high of $138.00. That is a significant savings for both Vendors and Haunts that bring in large groups.

                Electrical --
                St. Louis offers electrical for booths at 1000 watts / 120 volts for $128.00 each. That's a savings of approximately $22.00 per outlet over Chicago.

                Union Hourly Rates --
                St Louis has Union Hourly rates that are approximately $7.00 cheaper per hour over Chicago.

                The list goes on and on but yes, there are significant savings to be found by doing a show in Chicago.

                Tim Turner
                www.theghoulishgallery

                Comment


                • #9
                  Well

                  First let me say I hope all the vendors make a killing and good luck to you all. I have bought from many of you. But I am afraid this may be the begining of the end for TransWorld as we know it. Had they had just let Rubies go then this could have remained a Halloween/Haunt show. The only Halloween/Haunt show of its kind. Egos have already blemished this show. I think our industry is heading to the world of internet buying. Seems like to me our major vendors can showcase new products via video and save themselves money and us buyers money. Again good luck guys but I do feel some damage has been done hopefully its just here on this sight. We will see I guess. Shane
                  sigpic

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    I've been to shows all over the country. Chicago was expensive, Vegas was more expensive. Looking briefly at St Louis, there seems to be some deals here. I just checked flights to St Louis vs Houston, and they are $120.00 less to MO. Another post showed better prices on hotels there as well.

                    I will attend the show where my vendors go. I buy from all the major prop and animatronic companies and if they are showing in St Louis, I'll be there.
                    Randy Bates
                    The Bates Motel and Haunted Hayride
                    www.thebatesmotel.com

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Ghost Ride and St Louis Trade Show 2009

                      Ghost Ride Productions is proud to announce our full participation with the new St Louis Haunt Trade Show 2009.

                      This occasion will allow GRP to showcase more products then ever before and have an even larger booth then previous years.

                      We are currently contacting our clients to notify them of this momentous Trade Show transformation and present an enormous opportunity to buy product directly from our booth in St Louis. This is a massive benefit as the St Louis Haunt Trade Show is now even more central to our end users.

                      As you may already know, the Trade Show business & Haunting has changed more over the past three years then ever before. This break away Trade Show is going to be the greatest opportunity for buyers from all over the nation to see the most new products at any one time, in any one place.

                      The St Louis Haunt Trade Show is going to showcase a HUGE change in the way business is conducted in haunting from now on. This will become increasingly more obvious when we all get a chance to reflect how buying and selling has changed so much in the past years and that the old Transworld Show days are gone for good.
                      Time to look towards the new future of Haunting! That future will definitely start in St Louis in 2009 and Ghost Ride will be there!
                      Michael J. Chaille
                      President
                      Ghost Ride Productions, INC.
                      425-452-0400
                      www.ghostride.com

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        St. Louis will definitely be a cheaper city all around and what you're going to see is bigger booths and more products from all of the vendors. If we can spend the same $ and show more stuff for it why wouldn't we? I really see some big leaps forward here. I know I am taking my business to some new heights this year. It's going to be exciting for everyone.

                        As far as the split goes...I know that some of us just don't like it and maybe never will but the fact is it had to happen. Rubies left and you need to understand that without Rubies there won't be a show. Sure...there will be an event in Vegas to go to...but it will be a ghost town. All the major costume vendors are pulling out and going to Houston. There couldn't be a joint show even if we still wanted it because the joint show is dead.

                        Here's the funny thing...The major costume vendors have pulled out of the show and moved to a retail only show in a new location with new dates to grow their industry and do what's best for their vendors. All of the retial customers have gotten behind them and are supporting the new show. The major haunt vendors have pulled out and done the exact same thing and our customers want to try to hurt us and the show. I don't get it. In fact...some of you are saying you're going to support the Houston show...now THAT'S ironic. Be mad at us for splitting the show and refuse to support our new show but support the new show being produced by the people who caused the split to begin with. Makes sense...
                        Kip Polley
                        www.palenight.com

                        Pale Night Productions
                        We Engineer Fear

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Kip? Any Vendor?

                          Can you answer the question thats on everyones mind and no one will answer. Ok yall will be saving money and having bigger booths thats AWSOME! NOW PLEASE ANSWER. Its no secret the vendors are saving money. Will the VENDORS PASS ON THE SAVINGS TO US BUYERS? Will be see bigger discounts? We know you will be saving what about us? Can any Vendor say here yes the discounts will be better for the buyers so we too can feel better? Kip? anyone? its yes we will or no we won't. Let us know. Shane, And its we wanna save too Shane this time.
                          sigpic

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Shane,

                            I think it would be safe to say NO... why would they? They are saving money on exhibiting not raw materials or labor. I think the money saved on booth costs will be rolled into buying more booths and bringing MORE product. I think that is what everyone is saying...more new products for the haunt industry!

                            Larry
                            Larry Kirchner
                            President
                            www.HalloweenProductions.com
                            www.BlacklightAttractions.com
                            www.HauntedHouseSupplies.com
                            www.HauntedHouseMagazine.com

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              You know from a little person in this business trying to "Make it Big(ha, ha)" and on both ends of the tradeshow floor starting a seasonal store this year and only on my second year in the haunt business, this is going to cost me even more money to travel to all three shows plus time down from business. I deal with change all the time and it is good, but I must say to fly 2 people minimum to the tradeshows in Houston/Las Vegas and then 4 or so to St Louis to see all the haunt vendors it's getting pretty costly.

                              Although I know most everyone here is all about the haunts, some of us wanting to expand into the store side are going to suffer with additional costs. I first said months ago before attending Transworld for the first time (after reading threads here) that if you can't afford to travel to Vegas then you shouldn't be in the business. I am still in agreement with that but for the first year and to not miss any vendors someone like me will have to attend every show to see who is where and not miss out on anything which is going to cost me about 4x more.

                              I can't wait on the other hand to see the Darkness, tour, etc plus visit a city I have never been to.

                              Just a thought from someone smaller and wanting to move into this business for a living. I guess I won't quite my day job yet hun.......LOL

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