It's official. The 2002 Green Industry Expo was a success… and an even bigger bash is planned for next year.
Preliminary tallies for this year’s event, held November 13-16 at the picturesque Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center in Nashville, Tenn., place the number of attendees at 7,050 and booth exhibitors at 362, both all-time records for the Expo, in its 13th year.
The impressive numbers, which suggest a continuing rebound in trade show vitality following a period of low attendance and forced cancellation, represents a 12-percent growth over 2001’s GIE show in Tampa, Fla., said Eleanor Ellison, GIE trade show manager.
Highlights of this year’s Expo included:
· A conference keynote by Peter Vidmar, the highest-scoring U.S. gymnast in Olympic history, on risk, originality and virtuosity.
· An address by two-time Pro Bowl NFL player and ESPN game analyst Joe Thiesmann on managing to win to kick off the Professional Lawn Care Association of America’s annual meeting.
· A silent auction and raffle of assorted items by the Associated Landscape Contractors of America to fund scholarships for select U.S. landscape/horticultural college students.
· The recognition of 11 winners of the Professional Grounds Management Society’s 2002 Green Star Awards.
· The return of the popular Product Field Day, showcasing equipment by a record 113 exhibitors and covering 18 acres of the historic Hermitage site, home of U.S. President Andrew Jackson.
Green Industry Expo coordinators have slated next year’s event for Nov. 5-8, 2003, at the Cervantes Convention Center, America’s Center, St. Louis. Several downtown-area hotels will co-host attendees, with the Adam’s Mark as PLCAA’s event headquarters; the Marriott Pavilion as PGMS’ headquarters; and the new Renaissance Hotel, which heralds the $266 million renovation of St. Louis’ Washington Corridor, as ALCA’s headquarters.
St. Louis’s Holiday Inn Select, Regal Riverfront and Drury Plaza hotels also have been selected as options for GIE attendees, Ellison said.
“The strategic forecast calls for a 10-percent growth factor for association and conference attendees next year,” Ellison said. “And we’ll continue to put forth our best in quality education and booth presentations.”
Information on 2003’s Expo will be available in coming months at GIE’s Web site.
The author is Associate Editor for Lawn & Landscape and can be reached at ewilson@lawnandlandscape.com.