As editor of It's been a rough couple of weeks for Chicago's trade show business, with yet more bad news today. The International Dairy Foods Association announced that its 2010 show will be held in Dallas instead of Chicago's McCormick Place.
As was the case with the other shows leaving Chicago, including NPE, cost was the key, according to this story from Crain's Chicago Business.
The Washington-based dairy foods association had been holding biennial shows in conjunction with the American Meat Institute. Their 2009 Worldwide Food Expo drew 22,000 attendees to McCormick Place.
The meat group plans to stay in Chicago and continue to meet every other year. But the dairy group decided that it will meet every year instead of every other year, and the 2010 event will be in Dallas.
The dairy group decided to split from the meat group ... insert your joke about kosher trade shows here... because the dairy-related exhibitors felt a " loss of identity" when they met with the larger contingent of meat-related companies.
Meanwhile, Chicago officials continue to stew over the wave of trade show departures from McCormick. Crain's Chicago reports that the city has formed a task force of city officials, union leaders and representatives from Chicago's hotel and restaurant industry. On Tuesday, Mayor Richard Daley held a closed-door meeting with union leaders and Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority officials to discuss the issue.
Comments (2)
One has to insert the comment that is a great fit here. The McCormick task force group may be shutting the barn door after all the cows are out.
Posted by B. J. | December 1, 2009 12:33 PM
Posted on December 1, 2009 12:33
I'm nearer Dallas actually but it is a shame for Chicago! This financial crisis is really starting to hit a lot of companies now!
Posted by Werbeartikel | January 13, 2010 3:42 AM
Posted on January 13, 2010 03:42